Restaurant & Café Magazine | August 2018

August 2018 Vol 11 Issue 8

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August 2018

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editor's note

reservations

A DIFFERENT SIP Plant-based innovation is flourishing.

Growing consumer interest in health, sustainability and ethics is driving plant-derived ingredients and products into high popularity.

Although there is a continued increase in dairy alternatives both in popularity and product availability, consumers are still not ready to completely go cold-turkey on traditional dairy.

A survey conducted by agricultural and food giant Cargill showed that two-thirds of its respondents regularly consume dairy products, while up to 50 percent of respondents said they either consume both dairy and dairy-alternative products or that they prefer dairy alternatives but will still also consume real dairy-products. Just 12 percent of those surveyed said they avoided dairy.

According to a new report the dairy alternatives market is expected to be valued at over US$35 billion by 2024. This market growth is driven by both an increase in consumers who are lactose-intolerant as well as the health and wellness trend awareness.

It was interesting to note that the Cargill study also found that over 63 percent of those surveyed preferred the taste of real dairy and that the biggest challenge for alternative dairy products, and alternative products

Sarah Mitchell Managing Editor sarah@reviewmags.com

in general was price, with most respondents found they had a higher price point.

Over the last five years, sales of plant-based milk alternatives have increased over 62 percent.

“The total volume of the alternative milk market is still relatively small and is not a major factor behind declining fluid milk sales,” CoBank senior dairy economist Ben Laine said. “However, plant-based milks are helping revolutionise how the dairy industry does business. Excitement around plant-based milk alternatives has forced traditional milk to differentiate into a number of premium products in order to compete.”

Gravitation towards plant-based diets in general, along with interest in vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles and concerns over animal welfare, have together served to increase interest and NPD has seen huge growth over the last five years.

Research has also indicated that four in ten consumers increased their consumption of meat substitutes/ alternatives last year alone.

In this issue of Restaurant and Café, we take a look at all the alternatives, whether it be in food or packaging, milk or meat.

Enjoy the issue.

20 August Restaurant Association MeetMe, Marlborough 20 August Restaurant Association MeetMe, Taranaki 21 August Restaurant Association MeetMe, Nelson 24 - 26 August Good Food & Wine Show, Perth 27 August Christchurch Hospitality Awards 2 - 4 September Specialty and Fine Food Fair, London 3 September Restaurant Association MeetMe, Auckland 5 - 7 September Asia Fruit Logistica, Hong Kong 5 - 8 September Food & Hotel Thailand, Bangkok 23 September Taranaki Hospitality Awards 24 September Restaurant Association MeetMe, Southern Lakes 24 September Canterbury (South) Anniversary Day 24 September Restaurant Association MeetMe, Rotorua

the numbers

25 September Restaurant Association MeetMe, Wellington 25 September Restaurant Association MeetMe, Dunedin

• 17 percent – the expected rise in veganism in China between 2015 and 2020.

• 60,000 – the number of people in Portugal that are vegan.

3 News 6 World Plate 8 Liquor & Beverage 11 Meet the Chef 12 QSR 16 On Trend

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• 33 – the • 13-34 – the age number of US group which saw the congressmen highest growth in who wrote to the vegetarian lifestyles FDA to stop plant in New Zealand for milk from being 2017, along with called ‘milk’. men and North Islanders.

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18 19 20 25 26 32

• 59,500 – the number of participants in ‘Veganuary’ in 2018, up from 3,300 in 2014.

Grape to Glass Top Drops What's the Alternative?

20 Minutes with Mind Your Own Business Veggie Tales

25 September Restaurant Association MeetMe, Bay of Plenty 26 - 27 September FoodTech Summit & Expo, Mexico City 1 October Restaurant Association MeetMe, Manawatu 8 October Restaurant Association MeetMe, Waikato

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10 - 12 October “JAPAN’S FOOD” EXPORT FAIR, Tokyo 17 - 18 October Juice Summit 2018, Antwerp 19 October Hawke’s Bay Anniversary Day

RESTAURANT & CAFÉ SUPPORTS

22 October Labour Day

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Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com Caitlan Mitchell, Mark Fullerton Caroline Boe, caroline@reviewmags.com Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com Ciaran Carroll, kez@reviewmags.com

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22 October Wellington Hospitality Awards

ISSN 2422-9601 RESTAURANT & CAFÉ: Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland PO Box 37140, Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 304 0142 or Fax (09) 377 2794 Restaurant & Café is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Restaurant & Café. The opinions and material published in this edition of Restaurant & Café are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated.

All material appearing in Restaurant & Café is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2018.

24 - 25 October NZ Hospitality Summit 29 October Marlborough Anniversary Day 11 November Waikato Hospitality Awards

news

NEW CEO ANNOUNCED

VISA COST WORRYING INDUSTRY

Immigration New Zealand is planning to double the costs of work visas to reduce a $43 million deficit – a move which has the hospitality industry worried.

The price of a work visa is set to rise 54 percent, with seasonal workers, those on working holidays and humanitarian schemes exempt.

There will also be an increase to the employer accreditation fee – currently sitting at $1775 – which allows companies access to a streamlined recruitment process for workers on migrant visas. The proposal does not specify how much

the increase will be, but it also has potential employers worried.

Submissions on the proposal, which closed at the end of July, show that the increases are almost universally regarded to be a bad idea within the hospitality industry.

Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois said that virtually all 2000 members of the association opposed the move.

“Most believe that this would intensify and increase the pressure on an already challenging work recruitment market for our industry,” she said. “The majority of our members as well believe that an increase in fees would act as a deterrent for prospective migrant workers coming to New Zealand.”

Earlier this year, the Restaurant Association released the results of

The Foodfirst board has announced the appointment of Eddie Gavigan as CEO, beginning in September. Gavigan has a distinguished food industry career, initially as General Manager New Zealand for eight years with the Kerry Group. He then spent a further 17 years in key leadership roles with the Kerry Group, including Vice

a survey asking members what they thought would be the most significant challenges facing the industry in 2018. Lack of skilled employees was ranked as the number one challenge for hospitality business owners, with worries about the new government changing immigration policy playing into those fears.

“Skilled migrants play a crucial role in supporting the shortfall of workers in the hospitality industry, so

President and General Manager across the Asia Pacific region.

Gavigan will begin on September 3rd Prior to that he will attend the board meeting on August 17th and will meet shareholders and distributors on August 18th at the Annual General Meeting, conference and conference dinner at the Crowne Plaza, Auckland.

it is important that the industry can continue to employ migrant workers where no suitable New Zealand candidates can be found,” Bidois said at the time.

Bidois met with the Immigration Minister earlier this year where he gave his assurance that government will continue to work with businesses to ensure they can access the skills needed to remain viable in business.

August 2018

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news

REGISTRATIONS RISE

Tauranga marketing executive, Sheldon Nesdale, who keeps a running tally of all the food trucks operating in New Zealand, has said that the country is on the midst of a food truck boom. “Food trucks are magical ways to eat,” said Nesdale. “They’re really great value for money because they’ve got fewer overheads, they’re mobile and can turn up to events, there’s this fun element about them.”

Maggie Gray, owner of the RAWE food truck, said that owning a food truck has its difficulties, especially around council restrictions, a lack of events to trade at and now increasing competition.

“It’s becoming a little bit flooded because there are so many food trucks, but there are not enough events, or profitable events, and places to trade,” she said. According to statistics from Auckland Council, there are 312 food trucks and 119 coffee carts operating in the city.

Christchurch City Council has 206 registered portable operators, up from 188 four years ago. Wellington City Council issued 44 food truck licenses last year but a change in regulation of food safety meant that only 13 had been issued so far in 2018.

GHOST RESTAURANT The ‘ghost restaurant’ trend is slowly establishing itself overseas, and now New Zealand has its own restaurant which operates entirely in the virtual realm. Hot Lips, a restaurant on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road specialising in Tennessee-style chicken and cauliflower, operates entirely on Uber Eats.

Created by Californian-born Conor and Tyler Kerlin, Hot Lips operates out of Ha! Poke, formerly the site of Rocket Kitchen. While the kitchen is mainly used for Hot Lips preparation, Ha! Poke operates primarily in the second kitchen

behind the store counter.

“We had been following some trends in the States with the virtual kitchens, and, owning around 40 restaurants already we know that the cost of leases is just going up and up and up,” said Kerlin. “Even staffing and everything – the cost of labour – it makes it really difficult to make a dollar.”

Operating solely through UberEats means that they bypassed the volatile Auckland real estate scene, the process of hiring wait staff and saved on advertising.

COMBINING PASSIONS Having always enjoyed cooking and regularly helping her grandma prepare dishes; Sharnee GardynePalmer started working at the Gore RSA four years ago, waitressing, doing dishes and cooking in the kitchens. On graduating from high school, Gardyne-Palmer continued working at the RSA, finding she really enjoyed the cooking side of things and it became her full-time job.

When one of her colleagues finished studying the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3) at Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), and expressed how much she had enjoyed it, Gardyne-Palmer looked into studying the course herself. When her work approached her and offered to pay for her to undertake the Level 3 Cookery course, she took the opportunity.

“The tutors are fantastic at

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making sure everyone knows the basics, she said. “As well as helping those students with less experience get up to speed.” The Level 3 Cookery programme covers simple dishes while the Level 4 Cookery course builds on those skills and knowledge, with students going on to produce more complex creations. Having discovered while studying that she has a real passion for cookery, Gardyne-Palmer is now looking towards the future and thinking about what she can do with her cookery skills in terms of creating a career. Top of the list at the moment is the idea of working in the kitchens of a cruise ship, combining her passion for cookery with travelling. “I would definitely recommend studying cookery at SIT,” she said. “It’s been an awesome experience so far and I have learned so much.”

VOTING NOW OPEN

The Chip Group are asking the people of New Zealand to shine the light on where and who cooks their favourite hot chips, with voting now officially open for the 2018 People's Choice Best Chips Competition. Visit The Chip Group website to nominate who you think cooks New Zealand's best hot chips. Voting will be open for 6 weeks and there will be one vote per email address. The only requirement for stores to be eligible is that at least one staff member must have completed The Chip Group’s FREE online training in 2018 (either the full training or the shortened refresher).

The winner will be announced at a special event in Auckland in September.

CHRISTCHURCH SEARCHES FOR MOJO A restaurant in the Christchurch city centre, which survived both earthquakes, has been forced to close because of the city’s struggling hospitality scene. The announcement was made on social media.

“With great sadness and a heavy heavy heart, The Villas business has had to close today,” read the post on The Villas Facebook page.

“Christchurch post-earthquake has been a most challenging environment to operate in – nothing is normal, difficult decisions are made every day and the central city still has a way to go in re-establishing itself and finding its mojo again.”

Housed in a pair of blue and yellow Victorian villas opposite the

Christchurch Arts Centre, The Villas was receiving rave reviews right up until it closed. Insolvency Matters liquidator Brenton Hunt is due to release his first report on Friday.

ChristchurchNZ has recently launched the #ExploreChristchurch campaign, encouraging residents to return to the central city and support local business following a spate of closings.

Harlequin Public House, Tequila Mockingbird, Rockstar Pizza, Chopped, The Good Goat, and Iconic Club and Bar have all shut their doors this year, with closures being blamed on a lack of central city residents, events and venues to draw in customers during the winter months.

August 2018

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www.ServiceIQ.org.nz

0800 863 693

Please call ServiceIQ now to find out how your hospitality business can go to the next level with one small step. With ServiceIQ it could even be free.

The difference comes down to three words and one simple and effective concept: on-job training.

It’s the difference between just doing the job and doing it brilliantly. So brilliantly in fact, that your customers come back more often, spend more, bring their friends and colleagues, write favourable reviews and recommend you to others.

Some people have a talent for service, but they still need to learn the right skills to do it well. The tricks of the service trade. The art of satisfying customers.

IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN WEARING AN APRON, AND CARRYING A COFFEE, TO BE A WAITER.

TRAINED

THEY ARE

AREN’T BORN

WAITERS

worldplate

SINGAPORE LOSES MICHELIN STARS The small island nation of Singapore, long regarded as a culinary hub, has lost its last restaurant with three Michelin Stars after celebrity chef Joel Robuchon closed his eponymous restaurant.

Days later, the new edition of the Michelin Guide Singapore was released with no other restaurants receiving the honour. In total, 44 stars were awarded to restaurants in Singapore in 2018, down

three from the previous year. Five restaurants were awarded two stars and 34 received one. “I have yet to find a country where the people are so fanatically passionate about food,” said Michael Ellis, international director of Michelin Guides. “People in Singapore will get into fist fights about who has the best fish head curry, and you don’t see that anywhere else in the world.”

MIGRATION WORRIES FOR UK A drop in migration from the EU could spell disaster for the British hospitality sector, according to trade body UKHospitality. Net migration was only at 101,000 in 2017, the lowest it had reached in four years, with a record 139,000 EU citizens leaving the UK. UKHospitality, an industry body which represents over 700 establishments, described the numbers as ‘alarming’.

“This represents a significant fall on the previous year,” said UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls.

“Particularly distressful is news that this squeeze is being felt most acutely

in lower-skilled labour which makes up the bulk of the workforce.”

A report from KPMG last year estimated that 75 percent of waitstaff, 25 percent of chefs and 37 percent of housekeeping staff are EU immigrants. “The hospitality labour pool is shrinking and around a quarter of employers in the sector already say they are struggling to fill vacancies. The hospitality sector relies heavily on EU migrants to fill many of its vacancies and should this trend continue, businesses are likely to struggle to keep up with projected growth.”

SAN FRAN RESTAURANTS GET CREATIVE

Restaurant workers in San Francisco earned a median income of $US30,000 in 2017, making them among the highestpaid in the country, but just 0.1 percent of homes in the San Francisco area are considered affordable for restaurant workers.

The resulting lack of hospitality staff has meant that restaurants are having to change how they operate. “We can sit around

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here, and we can complain and whine and moan,” said Charles Bililies, owner of Greek restaurant Souvla. “We can be very negative about it, or we can sort of turn this on its head and see an opportunity.” A large portion of restaurants have switched to a counter-service model – a system commonplace in New Zealand, the UK and Scandinavia, but not often found in the USA.

FROM THE RISING SUN TO THE LONG WHITE CLOUD For two countries with long histories of food production,

UMAMI

both located on the Pacific Rim, Japan and New Zealand have developed two distinct cuisine styles. However, as export technology advances and health cements itself as front-ofmind for New Zealand consumers, trends are making their way from the Land of the Rising Sun to the Land of the Long White Cloud.

UMAMI: Umami is one of the five tastes in Japanese cuisine and an allencompassing trend making its way to New Zealand. In Japanese cuisine, the umami contained in seafood, seaweeds, mushrooms and fermented foods extracts the natural flavour of the respective ingredients and provides an excellent seasoning even in foods with low-fat content. An increasing number of chefs around the world are using distinctive Japanese seasonings like soy sauce, miso pastes and yuzu pepper. Sushi and sashimi are eaten with soy sauce as the umami of soy sauce enhances the flavour of fish with minimal salt. The unique aroma and sensory features of these ingredients are popular among consumers.

MISO: Miso soup is already a popular feature of Japanese restaurants but is becoming more common on supermarket shelves as well.

Sainsbury’s has reported a 32.5 percent increase in miso paste sales between 2016 and 2017 and is now being featured in everything from traditional Japanese dishes to modern salads, desserts and chocolate. Miso soup is formed with a dashi base and miso paste, made from fermented soybeans and gut-friendly fungus Aspergillus oryzae and sometimes rice or barley.

Miso products appeal to the current trend of fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut and also works well as a dessert element alongside butterscotch or toffee.

RICE: The New Zealand rice market is dominated by two varieties – Jasmine, which is from Thailand and the greater Southeast Asian area, and Basmati, from the Indian subcontinent. However, the shorter and plumper Japanese ‘Japonica’ rice is making inroads into retail, known for

its natural sweetness, mild fragrance and plump moistness. Being simple and mild, it makes a tasty food on its own and also complements a variety of side dishes. Japonica rice plays a pivotal role in a healthy Japanese diet, containing a good balance of protein, iron, vitamins such as B1 and E, and dietary fibre.

SAKÉ: The export market for saké has been steadily expanding every year, with export volumes in 2016 increasing 8 percent to 108 percent of the previous year’s level, creating a 15.5 billion yen international market.

With the spread of Japanese food overseas, the export market for saké is expected to continue growing.

Today, with the number of Japanese restaurants increasing worldwide, saké is achieving its overseas potential as consumers become more educated and adventurous.

VEGETARIAN CUISINE: Is the Japanese diet the new Mediterranean diet? The Japanese reliance on vegetables to form the basis of every meal along with tofu and other protein-rich meat alternatives means that on the whole, Japanese cuisine is low in salt and fat while remaining high in vitamins and minerals.

Japanese farmers have continued their efforts to produce high-quality vegetables through selective breeding and the application of farming methods. Eating vegetables raw has become a common practice in Japan, and vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage and shallots are firm favourites eaten raw in salads at home. In recent times, their distinctive taste and attractiveness have led to an increasing number of French and Italian chefs who use Japan-grown vegetables.

When

24—25.10.18 Where

The Piano 156 Armagh St Christchurch Information & Tickets

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liquor&beverage news

DITCHING STRAWS INCREASES PLASTIC

Starbucks has announced that it will phase out single-use plastic straws by 2020, a move which the company estimates will eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws every year. Straws will be replaced by plastic-lidded ‘sippy cups’, while paper straws will be available for frappuccinos and disabled patrons who require them.

“This is a significant milestone to achieve our

global aspiration of sustainable coffee, served to our customers in more sustainable ways,” said Starbucks Kevin Johnson CEO. The move is particularly fitting considering Seattle, the home of Starbucks, was the first city in the US to impose a city-wide ban on single-use straws. While the move was widely praised by the World Wildlife Fund and Ocean Conservancy, the alternative ‘sippy cup’ lids actually use more plastic than the current straw-lid combination.

Currently the average Starbucks drink comes with between 3.23 and 3.55 grams of plastic, depending on a small or large straw. The new lids will weigh 3.55 grams or 4.11 grams, meaning that total plastic consumption from Starbucks will actually increase.

Starbucks countered these claims by arguing that “the introduction of our strawless lid as the standard for non-blended beverages by 2020 allows us to significantly reduce the number of straws and non-recyclable plastic,” as the current lids and straws and non-recyclable. This should be cold comfort for plastic opponents as it relies on the Starbucks customer to make sure that they recycle the lid, which is far from guaranteed.

JUICE SUMMIT APPROACHING

The Juice Summit started in 2013 and aims to provide a genuine and dynamic forum for all industry players and their worldwide suppliers. With record participation, the Juice Summit is now a global, annual conference which guarantees the presence of renowned industry experts who are active on both the European and international juice scene.

The Summit is always held before either ANUGA in Cologne or SIAL in Paris, so that attending the Juice Summit enables optimisation of both time and travel costs for

company representatives. The European Fruit Juice Association, together with its partners the International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association and SGF, is preparing an agenda which will cover a wide variety of topical issues which determine the business environment of today, as well as challenges for tomorrow. The 2018 Juice Summit will be held on the 17th and 18th of October in Antwerp, Belgium.

BRANCOTT UNDERGROUND

New Zealand wine label Brancott Estate has taken its winery to the underground railways of London, with a pop-up vineyard appearing the concourse of one of London’s busiest stations.

A four-row vineyard, with vines up to seven feet tall, will be transported around commuter hotspots over the British summer, moving from Kings Cross to Waterloo and London Bridge Station before finishing at Paddington Station on August 24.

The stunt is part of an effort to promote New Zealand wines, and commuters will be treated to a 100ml tasting of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. “We’re really proud of the Brancott Estate Wines heritage and being the first to create Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc,” said Maria Huete, wine ambassador for Pernod Ricard UK. “We thrive on the unexpected and can’t wait for our micro-vineyards to surprise travelers on their way through the stations.

Definitely not what you’d expect!”

risingstar

DIVA GILES AND LOGAN BIRCH As first-time hospitality business owners, Diva Giles (22) and Logan Birch (26) have found that their age is a blessing and a curse.

“We had some problems when we were looking for a place. Landlords won’t take you very seriously when you’re young,” said Giles. On the other hand, having no one dependent on you is a huge weight off the shoulders of any business owner. “We’ve got no kids, no mortgage – we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Birch is a trained chef while Giles’ forte is front of house. The pair met while working at Prego four years ago (“Logan would try to impress me by chopping things really fast,” said Giles) before moving to London together, where they worked in their respective roles at The Dairy. They had long dreamed of owning their own business, and returned to Auckland to build up enough savings to make that dream a reality. Freaky is a stepping-stone to what they hope will one day be their own restaurant or wine bar.

While the pair has years of experience in the industry, as first-time owners they decided to work with companies which they felt shared their ethos.

Freaky’s coffee comes from Flight Coffee and their

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tea from Forage + Bloom, both small businesses who understand the pressures of business ownership.

Giles and Birch took over the Wakefield St site in Auckland’s CBD three months ago and have been operating as Freaky for the last two. “We ran as we’d purchased it for a while, just to get a feel for the space and the customers,” explained Giles. “Then we shut down for a week and did almost 100 hours of renovations.” By the end of it, the brickwork on the shopfront was the only original thing that remained, thanks to a marathon effort from old school friend Andy Cosgriff and a rebrand by Luke Lockwood.

The area was subleased from the iMart, an Asian supermarket next door, and the pair were given free reign provided they don’t sell sushi, liquor or Korean food. It turned out to be quite the opposite – Birch often finds himself next door for soy sauce.

The space is long and narrow and open all the way along, so customers can see exactly how their food is being prepared. The menu reflects the establishment – small, and to the point. “It’s a mix of healthy foods and naughty ones,” said Birch. “We’ve got limited fridge space, and only a deep fryer and an induction plate.” While the menu is minimal at the moment, the pair has plans to do pop-up menus with guest chefs.

While Giles admits there is a certain naivety to their approach, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I think we’re more willing to give things a go,” she said.

An example of this is Freaky’s loyalty system – or, rather, lack thereof. “We don’t want to start giving out cards where people come and get free coffees. We want to build a relationship with a customer and if we want to brighten up their day with a free coffee, then that’s what we’ll do.”

meetthechef

ANTONY PAGE

50 Bistro, Christchurch Antony Page’s first memory of what he calls ‘real food’ was at the Park Royal.

“I can’t remember the occasion, but we didn’t eat out that often so it must have been big,” he told Restaurant & Cafe´.

“I had venison with wild rice and a rhubarb glaze or sauce. It was different, but I liked it, and it showed me there was another world, one which I knew I was destined for.”

Page’s first impression at the Park Royal turned out to be oddly prescient as years later, that’s where he ended up working. It wasn’t a clear run, though – Page admits that he fell into the culinary industry.

“I had finished a short term at university which wasn’t really right for me,” he said. “By chance, I ended up at Christchurch Polytech and rest is history. Twenty-one years later, I still love it.”

Page is now executive chef at The George Hotel in Christchurch, his latest role in a journey through the best that Christchurch hospitality has to offer.

He’s worked at Rogues of Rotherham, the Crowne

Plaza and Fiddlesticks among others, and has been sharing his experience along the way.

“I would like to think my team would say I am fair, open, clear and focused, always questioning and refining what we do,” he said. “I had a girl who started with us at Fiddlesticks about six years ago.

It was a busy, fast-paced kitchen, so you had to be on the ball, and I made sure all sections were clean tidy and ready for the next shift.

“At first, she didn’t understand why I was so strict on her, and it wasn’t until she moved to London and worked for Gordon Ramsay that she realised that the way we trained her here was for her own benefit. She went on to work with Marcus Wareing, then moved back to New Zealand and worked as sous chef at Rata and then up to Pasture in Auckland. She thanked me in the end.”

Like most chefs, travel also rounded off Page’s training. He started in Sydney before making his way around Brisbane, Melbourne, Thailand, the Philippines and India. It was in Mumbai that he faced his greatest challenge but also what he considers to be his greatest accomplishment.

“Opening a new hotel in Mumbai was a major food and culture shock,” he explained.

“Although it was challenging at the time, I treasure the memories from those days. There were 120 chefs in that kitchen, and most couldn’t speak English!” With two small boys travel opportunities are now few and far between for Page, but he recently had a quick trip up to Queenstown. “It’s always inspirational and refreshing to see what they’re doing down there,” he said. “We always go

to La Rumbla in Arrowtown and I had a friend working at Rata so we had to go there as well.”

Page has recently launched a new winter menu, his first task in his new role as executive chef. Page had to prepare the menu in a reasonably short timeframe, with a staff and kitchen with which he was unfamiliar. “It made it a little bit harder, so I went with classic winter flavours, keeping the dishes that sell well and using the skills of the team that we have.” Most of the dishes on the menu Page had made before so they were tried and true, but he made sure to come up with something new – the smoked egg yolk and duck parfait being a prime example.

Page is looking forward to cementing himself at The George and getting the food, people and kitchens running to the best of their ability. Not content to rest on its reputation, Page is currently in the process of converting 50 Bistro to a hyperlocal menu, only using produce found within a 50-kilometre radius of the restaurant – roughly marked by Rakaia to the south, Oxford to the west and Waipara to the north. He spends time on the internet and Instagram while talking to other chefs, both in Australia and New Zealand.

“50 Bistro is modern New Zealand cuisine so it has traditional flavours, but there are also innovative and contemporary twists on the classics,” he said. “I think if you have the right vision you can successfully blend them both to achieve a great result.”

August 2018

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minutes with SAMMY KARLIN NATIONAL DESIGN AND PROJECTS MANAGER, BURNS & FERRALL

In his five and a half years in New Zealand, Sammy Karlin has certainly racked up the airpoints miles. As National Design and Projects Manager for Burns & Ferrall, it often falls to him to travel the country and check up on the various projects running around the country – sometimes as far afield as Fiji.

“The Marriott Hotel in Fiji has probably been my most memorable project,” he told Restaurant & Café.

“I had the highest and lowest points of my career on that one.”

A quick trip to Fiji was small-fry, however, compared to his previous role in his native South Africa. He held a similar position at Vulcan Catering, South Africa’s largest manufacturer and marketer of catering equipment, except this time he wasn’t looking after a whole

country – he was managing an entire continent.

“I went everywhere,” he said. “We did a hotel in Uganda. The chefs were using a tree stump as a cutting block, and there were lots of nasty things hiding in the cracks of the wood.

They offered me lunch, and I politely declined.”

In Zanzibar, he was called in to help refurbish a hotel which had burnt down. “There had been a power cut, so the chefs had gone and built a fire inside their combi oven.

We had a look around and the chefs were all standing there innocently and saying they didn’t know what had happened. So we opened up the oven and there were the remains of this fire that they’d started to cook food. I don’t think they quite understood the limits of the equipment.”

Karlin has been involved in the hospitality industry in every way.

He washed dishes, waited tables and eventually rose up the ranks to ownership. The transition from worker to designer came when Johannesburg’s Lanseria International Airport, where Karlin co-owned a restaurant, underwent a total renovation to accommodate larger planes. Part of the upgrades included extending Karlin’s establishment over two floors. Karlin helped with the plans, and his career took another turn.

Other than a few courses in South Africa, Karlin is mainly self-trained.

He keeps up with trends by attending design seminars but has found that the seminars offer design solutions which are years ahead of what restaurant owners actually want. When food delivery apps like UberEats were taking off overseas, Karlin was recommending to restaurant owners in New Zealand that they should be setting aside kitchen space exclusively for UberEats. “People didn’t want it then, but now it has become such a big part of some businesses.”

The most significant change Karlin has seen is the shift to smaller kitchens as technology evolves. “Back when I first started, you’d need five pieces of equipment and five staff to do five different jobs. Now we have one piece of equipment to do those jobs, so everything is much smaller.”

Close consultation is vital when it comes to kitchen design. Karlin has team members based all around the country who can keep an eye on ongoing projects and make sure that

the client is getting what is best for them.

“It’s not always easy,” Karlin said.

“We need to balance the clients wants with their needs, which are not always the same thing. Then we have to factor in legislation, so that adds another layer.”

Karlin’s most recent challenge has been taking the Burns & Ferrall Great Container Kitchen from idea to reality. He designed, project-managed and helped install the components at every stage of construction. The initial idea came in around February, with the intention of launching it at the Fine Foods Show in Auckland at the end of June.

“I’ve done a number of container kitchens in my time, but this one was different,” he explained. “They were all production kitchens but this one had to be both a kitchen and a café, so what was already a tight space became even tighter. It also had to have enough grunt to feed 100 people without any issues. Therein lay my dilemma – I had to find my way around a smaller area and also leave enough space for service.”

The initial design process was

collaborative, with input from Karlin’s team and others within Burns & Ferrall. First and foremost, the space had to be functional. “It couldn’t just look good,” said Karlin. “Whoever wins the container could be doing Mexican food, Italian food, Asian food; we had to make a kitchen that could accommodate any cooking style.”

Unsurprisingly, construction was the hardest part. Most projects have a twelve-week lead time, but this one was a lot shorter. Equipment had to be air-freighted in from around the world. The construction took place on-site at CSL Containers and wasn’t without its dramas.

The launch was a success, with Karlin getting more requests to design container kitchens. Now the container is complete and waiting to be won, with the winner to be announced at the Foodfirst Gala Dinner on 11 March 2019. So where would Karlin choose to put it, if he had the chance?

“I live in Gulf Harbour, so when we were making it I was picturing it at Orewa Beach. It’s a beautiful area and has lots of foot traffic. I think it would be perfect.”

MEET THE SPONSOR

Winterhalter is a premium range of glass and dishwashers, machines which get it right first time, every time. Winterhalter continues to push the boundaries of under-counter glass and dishwasher solutions.

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BARISTAS

WIN CASH THE VITASOY ESPRESS YOURSELF Latte Art Challenge is Back with World Renowned Judges $250 MONTHLY CASH PRIZES $10,000 PRIZE POOL with 1st $5,000; 2nd $2,000 & 3rd $1,500 Vitasoy Espress Yourself is a fantastic opportunity for baristas nationwide to showcase their skills in front of a live audience and renowned judges. The winner will take home $5000 cash, with second and third place receiving $2000 and $1500 respectively.

This year we’ve introduced a new monthly cash

prize of $250. Simply upload your latte art to Instagram with the hashtag #espressyourselfnz and tag @restaurantandcafe to go in the draw. You can also DM us an image via Facebook or Instagram. All entries will go into consideration for the live competition to be held in Auckland on 11 March 2019.

11-12 MARCH 2019

AUCKLAND SHOWGROUNDS

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qsrnews CHICK-FIL-A TRIALLING MEAL KITS

PAPA JOHN SUES PAPA JOHN’S John Schnatter has filed a lawsuit against Papa John’s International, accusing the board of “gross negligence” and staging a “coup”.

John Schnatter, who founded the company in 1984, left the company after it was revealed he used racial slurs on a conference call, and is now saying that the company is refusing to provide him with documents he is required to receive as director.

“Mr Schnatter’s attorneys are seeking to inspect company documents because of the unexplained and heavy-handed way in which the company has treated him since the publication of a story that falsely accused him of using a racial slur,” according to a statement from Schnatter’s legal team. It also accused the company of using Schnatter as a scapegoat to cover its own shortcomings.

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“The company’s refusal to provide the requested documents to Mr Schnatter demonstrates that the company, board and special committee, instead of standing behind its founder and chairman, did just the opposite by failing to engage with the news media to explain what actually occurred.”

In response, Papa John’s said it was “saddened and disappointed” and that the lawsuit was “needless and wasteful.”

“We are providing Mr Schnatter with all of the materials he is entitled to as a director. We will not let his numerous misstatements in the complaint and elsewhere distract us from the important work we are doing to move the business forward for our 120,000 corporate and franchise team members, and our franchisees, customers and stakeholders.”

Atlanta-based restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A is allowing customers to prepare their own food with the launch of its Mealtime Kits. The kits, which will be available at 150 locations throughout Atlanta at the end of August, will make the chicken outlet the first major fast food chain to move into the meal prep market.

“We know our guests are busier than ever and need a variety of convenient dinner options,” said Michael Patrick, an innovation programme leader pushing the Mealtime Kits effort. “We designed our offering so our guests don’t have to order ahead,

subscribe to a service or make an extra stop at the grocery store.

They simply pick up a Mealtime Kit at one of our restaurants at their convenience.”

The service features five meal options with pre-measured ingredients that customers can pick up either from the drivethrough or the counter. The five kits are Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Enchiladas, Dijon Chicken, Pan Roasted Chicken and Chicken Flatbread, each serving two people at a cost of $15.89 (approximately $25 NZD).

They can be refrigerated at home for several days.

minutes with EDDIE GAVIGAN CEO, FOODFIRST

Incoming Foodfirst CEO Eddie Gavigan was born in Scotland and grew up in the Glasgow suburb of Castlemilk. As a child he wanted to become a professional football player and by age 14 he played for Celtic Boys Club, a feeder club for the legendary Celtic Football Club. At 16, however, he signed a contract with Greenock Morton and played four seasons in the Scottish Premier League.

So how did an aspiring footballer from Castlemilk end up in New Zealand, playing for Mt Wellington?

“To be honest, back in 1983, I didn’t even know where New Zealand was,” Gavigan admitted. “My agent at the time had three offers; Australia, Hong Kong or New Zealand. He convinced me to take the New Zealand offer.”

Gavigan got a foothold in the New Zealand food industry in 1986 as a sales rep for Bush Boake Allen, a flavour and fragrance manufacturer, before joining Griffith Labs five years

R&C MEETS

SHARRYN NAPIER VICE PRESIDENT & REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ANZ - QLIK

Restaurants and cafés are always on the lookout for a competitive edge. In a business environment where data is power, restaurants are turning to data analytics software to learn more about their customer and find out ways to improve the guest experience.

“With the explosion of information, the data that businesses are collecting is extremely valuable,” explained Sharryn Napier, vice president and Australia/New Zealand regional director of Qlik, a provider of business intelligence and visualisation software. “It shows where they’re eating, how regularly they go out, what they’re ordering. In a market as competitive as foodservice, the more you know about your customer and the more you can tailor your business to suit them, the more likely they are to come back.”

Auckland’s Savor Group, which includes Seafarers, Ostro Brasserie & Bar and Ebisu, is leveraging Qlik’s data analytics platform to revolutionise operations from the front-of-house to the boardroom.

later as national sales and marketing manager. Burns Philp Ingredients acquired Griffith, which was subsequently acquired by the Kerry Group in 1998.

Gavigan has spent the last 27 years in various senior management positions, working his way up the ranks. From National Sales and Marketing Manager he moved to Commercial Director, before being appointed General Manager NZ in 2002. In 2008 he served as General Manager ANZ, before making a move to Singapore as VP/General Manager APAC for Kerry’s Meat and Culinary Wet. His most recent role was VP General Manager of Thailand for Kerry APAC, which he did for three and a half years before moving to Australia in 2017.

Gavigan wants to make Foodfirst the leading food co-operative, bringing value and growth to both the customer and supplier. “Foodfirst has huge potential for further growth, with a passionate board of directors and a dedicated team,” he said.

“Having spent 32 years in the food industry in various roles and various countries has given me an in-depth understanding of the global food industry.”

Apart from a strong strategic and financial acumen, Gavigan has used modern technology to drive increased volumes, profit margins and efficiency gains – an approach he plans on bringing to Foodfirst, along with his all-encompassing leadership

Qlik enables the restaurant group to analyse data collected across all its outlets to better understand drivers of success, promotion performance and supplier value, together with food wastage and costs.

“The hospitality industry is always moving with the latest consumer trends, meaning restaurants are looking for new ways to innovate and attract customers,” she said. “For years, restaurants have wanted to understand their customers better but Savor Group is actually doing it – applying levels of analytics that are not just keeping themselves relevant in a competitive industry but also improving the bottom line.”

The best thing about the system is that anyone can use it, said Napier.

“It’s designed to be flexible. Chefs can use it to improve their menu while management can use it to run the business more effectively. It’s all the same data, all in the same system.”

Rather than relying on incomplete data, businesses want a system that can provide consistent figures as well as motivate and engage its staff to use this information. Since Savor Group started using the software, the data collected has provided them with insights on sales and business performance, allowing backroom staff to lead competitive negotiations with suppliers and partners. For chefs and kitchen staff, the data has helped the restaurants accurately identify high and low selling dishes. Not only does this lead to more carefully tailored

“

Having spent 32 years in the food industry in various roles and various countries has given me an in-depth understanding of the global food industry.

”

style. “I like to encourage initiative and personal growth,” he said. “You have to lead by example, deliver clear expectations to the team, but also be mindful of the fact that the team is made up of individuals.”

Gavigan and his wife Sharon, a New Zealander, currently live in Brisbane but will move back to Auckland to join their four adult children. “I’ve enjoyed my time in Asia, but New Zealand is my home.”

menus, it also means that specific promotions can be run with a focus on the menu items which appeal the most to particular groups.

Qlik has had a presence in New Zealand for about three years and in that time, business has quadrupled.

“It’s been an amazing market for us,” said Napier. “I think a lot of the customers have seen the value of being able to put the right data into the hands of the people making the decisions. It’s an incredibly powerful thing, and it’s certainly resonated in New Zealand.”

“

The hospitality industry is always moving with the latest consumer trends, meaning restaurants are looking for new ways to innovate and attract customers.

”

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FOODFIRST EXPO SET TO RETURN

In two short years, the Foodfirst Expo has evolved into a unique trade-only event and a highlight of the trade show calendar. The 2018 edition was a resounding success, with over 100 exhibitors presenting their products to more than 1000 industry figures. The 2019 Foodfirst Expo is set to be bigger and better than ever before, with the show extending over two days for maximum attendance.

Held on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 March at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland, the 2019 Foodfirst Expo will gather passionate suppliers and committed buyers under one roof.

Highlights of previous shows that will return in 2019 include the live Vitasoy Espress Yourself Latte Art Challenge, cooking demonstrations in the Yes Chef ! section, and the muchanticipated return of PITCHme, a unique opportunity for suppliers to pitch their product to a panel of industry heavyweights.

Another innovation for 2018 was

the Inspire+ section of the exhibition, which gave the opportunity for smaller, artisanal producers to present their products. The Inspire+ section is set to expand in 2019, giving more producers the chance to share their work with the industry and offering buyers a window into the world of New Zealand’s artisanal scene. The Foodfirst Gala Dinner, held on Monday March 11, will see the presentation of a number of awards including Supplier of the Year, Account Manager of the Year, Regional Sales Person of the Year and a Rising Star Award.

11-12 MARCH 2019, AUCKLAND SHOWGROUNDS

DOES YOUR PRODUCT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

PITCHme is an exciting initiative from Restaurant & Cafe ́ and Foodfirst that opens up the lines of communication between small, large and artisanal producers and the

buying groups.

Last year, local companies such as Dr Feelgood, The Larder Project and Tamco, as well as larger groups like Bluerock and Magnesol, all

VITASOY ESPRESS YOURSELF RETURNS IN 2019 The Vitasoy Espress Yourself Latte Art Competition has returned for another year. Last time the competition gave baristas from around the country the chance to win a share of $10,000 – the largest cash prize of any barista competition in the country.

Vitasoy Espress Yourself is a fantastic opportunity for baristas nationwide to showcase their skills in front of a live audience and renowned judges. The winner will take home $5000 cash, with second

and third place receiving $2000 and $1500 respectively.

This year there is a new monthly prize of $250. Simply upload your latte art to Instagram with the hashtag #espressyourselfnz and tag @restaurantandcafe to get in the draw. At the end of each month, the entries will be collected and shared on the Vitasoy Espress Yourself Facebook page. One prize will be awarded every month for the next six months, so make sure your barista gets their entry in now!

presented their products and services to a panel with a total buying power of over $2 billion.

PITCHme is a dragons-den style opportunity for the foodservice industry, giving suppliers the chance to pitch their brand to a panel of buyers and influencers in the foodservice industry. Suppliers submit an entry for consideration to the panel, who will then make a list of the finalists.

These finalists will have the opportunity to put their product in front of the panel in person for feedback and of course the possibility of being stocked.

The PITCHme panel is made up of industry influencers including

representation from small and large distributors, high profile chefs, and buyers for groups from banner QSRs to institutions.

The panellists have the option of taking up the product, but more importantly will give feedback and advice on the product, including suitability of purpose, premiumisation, what further development is needed or a simple reality check.

PITCHme will provide foodservice suppliers with critical advice on a brand’s future development and provide a network for ongoing advice.

Want your product featured? email: sarah@reviewmags.com

LOVE A GOOD DOUGHNUT

As much as you read about the rise in paleo, keto, clean eating and every other diet regime under the sun, the reality is most customers love a good doughnut from time to time. There’s a mouth-watering range from Handcrafted by Loaf that never fails to please. As well as the original crowd-pleasing Cronut, Loaf also brings out a different Cronut and doughnut of the month with flavours such as banoffee pie, salted caramel and The Aucklander (orange and chocolate). Customers keep coming back for more.

Then there are glazed ring doughnuts, perfect for doughnut walls and classic boysenberry jam, chocolate ganache and spiced apple doughnuts available all the time. If you want to create your own masterpiece you can order large and small plain doughnuts. For more information call 09 527 4354.

READY TO IMPRESS

Edgell Beer Battered SIDEWINDERS™ fries from Simplot Foodservice are highly distinctive and come prepared to impress. Their unique corkscrew shape, fun plating potential and deliciously crunchy texture will instantly attract customers, offering a one-ofa-kind dining experience. With tremendous plate coverage, menu versatility and outstanding product hold time, this is an ideal signature item to add onto the menu. Edgell Beer Battered SIDEWINDERS™ are crispy and full of potato flavour with a light and fluffy interior texture. They have a natural dippability and stay hot and crispy for longer, so you can excite your customers with a new twist on potato chips! Now available exclusively through Gilmours (gilmours.co.nz) 0800 270 414 and Trents (trents.co.nz) 0800 555 130 wholesale.

A WHOLE LOT JUCIER

New Zealand’s beverage market just got a whole lot juicer with the launch of “The Apple Press”, producers of the “world’s best apple juice”. Apple lovers can now delight in drinking their favourite Hawke’s Bay apple; Royal Gala, JAZZ™ and Braeburn as single varietal juices. With no preservatives or added sugar, The Apple Press is pure “apple in a bottle” goodness, with the apples given the 5-star treatment; hand-picked at peak ripeness, coldpressed just once and then bottled delicious. The Apple Press experience gets even better with their “Apple &” range that pairs apple with other fruit favourites; Braeburn & Hawke’s Bay Pear, Braeburn & Valencia Pulpy Orange and Royal Gala and Feijoa. Branching out even further The Apple Press can trace their apples back to the orchards they came from, and bottle in 100 percent recyclable packaging. Available in 350ml and 800ml bottles. 350ml RRP $3.29*, 800ml RRP $4.49*.

Discover The Apple Press at www.theapplepress.co.nz.

Contact: Trevor Smith, head of sales, trevor@theapplepress.co.nz. * Based on average supermarket pricing.

PUNCHY AND INVIGORATING

COW TO CONE

Nelson company, Appleby Farms has launched into the premium ice-cream scene with an emphasis on its cow-to-cone philosophy. Appleby Farms use the milk from its herd of A2 cows in Nelson. The new range includes Bedford Vanilla Bean – Vanilla Ice Cream, Brown Eyed Girl – Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream, Doubleshot Ipanema – Coffee Ice Cream, Bad Boys & Berries – Boysenberry Ice Cream and Tangled Passion – Passionfruit. This range was recognised at the recent New Zealand Ice Cream Manufacturing Awards, where Bedford Vanilla Bean won a Gold Award and was named Best in Category for Premium Vanilla Ice Cream. Bad Boys and Berry won a Gold Award in Premium Ice Cream, while Brown Eyed Girl and Tangled Passion won Silver. Appleby Farms ice cream is available from Trents, Gilmours, Tokyo Foods and some Bidfoods in 5kg catering packs. For more information contact Lynne Jamieson on lynne@applebyfarms.co.nz.

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Bloom Tea from Auckland producer Forage + Bloom is a punchy and invigorating tea, great iced with sparkling water as a non-caffeinated but refreshing afternoon pick up or a satisfying after work drink. The taste profile encompasses red berries with sweet and sour, smokey undertones.

Medium body, brisk, invigorating and fresh. For more information call 09 393 6303, or email forageandbloomteas@gmail.com

SPEED, QUALITY AND CREATIVITY

SpeeDelight combines speed, quality and creativity: be a sprinter when you cook and an ace when it comes to business. It allows staff to create chef-worthy snacks thanks to the combination of three cooking technologies: contact plates, infrared radiation and microwaves. All it takes is the push of a button – the lid will rise when the job is done.

Speed is the key to letting you grow and stand out above the rest, by keeping customers happy even during the lunch or dinner rush. Enhance your menu with new recipes, developed to cover different times of the day and different culinary tastes. Whatever your niche is, SpeeDelight makes your business stand out with an amazing variety of menus, from paninis, sandwiches, cakes, wraps, bagels, flatbreads, assorted boas, lasagnas, bakery items and reheating a wide variety of foods. For more information visit www.harveynormancommercial.co.nz

EXTRAORDINARILY SHARP

The new Shun Pro Sho knife series by kai masterly combines classic Japanese design with modern details and high-quality material. The exclusive quality and the unique look of the series are outstanding characteristics of the long tradition of the kai products and make every single knife a special piece. The blade of VG10 steel receives ornamental tooling from innovative etching technology. Sanded on one side, the extraordinarily sharp knives run through the cut smoothly and precisely, and fully meet the requirements of a professional cutting tool.

FREEDOM TO POUR

The CORAVIN™ Wine System offers the freedom to pour and enjoy a glass of still wine from any bottle at any time. By inserting a medical grade needle through the cork and injecting 99.9 percent pure argon gas, the bottle is pressurised and wine is being pushed out. When finished, the needle is pulled out and the cork reseals due to its elasticity, no air has gone into the bottle and the remaining wine can be preserved and continue to age. The Coravin™ Model Two is the best-in-class tool that protects wine from oxidation using Coravin™ proprietary technology that leaves the cork in place while the wine flows. Using the same system and design but offers a wide range of colour, Coravin™ Model Two Elite is available in Red, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold and Piano Black. For more information email apac@coravin.com.

AN ARTFUL BLEND

The Norm Architects Kettle Teapot is an artful blend between Eastern Zen philosophy and Scandinavian design. The teapot’s transparency allows a visual experience and stimulates the senses of sight, touch and smell alike. An ode to traditional Oriental cast iron teapots, re-interpreted in heat-resistant glass. The eggshaped stainless steel strainer holds the tea leaves in the centre of the pot and can be lifted out of the water, giving the customer control over their perfect brew. Made with sustainable, non-toxic materials and holds 1.5 litres.

TACO TASTING BREW

It’s been a few years since Epic Brewing made a beer with Culley’s and their award-winning hot sauces.

Their Epic Hop Taco 7 percent abv Mexican-inspired IPA is the latest crazy collaboration to come from the two companies. To create the hop-tastic brew not only were the traditional ingredients of malt hops yeast and water used, but also the added flavour of corn chips, taco shells, hot sauce Carolina Reaper chillies, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and black beans.

Available in 500ml bottles and 50L kegs.

THE PERFECT COMPANION

One of the most popular cheeses in the world, mozzarella is the perfect accompaniment to Italian dishes. Ghiotti Mozzarella comes in two varieties; Fior di Latte and Mozzarella Buffalo. Fior di Latte is made with fresh cow milk and lactic ferments as per Italian tradition. It has a delicate flavour and smooth texture, and is ideal for pizza, pasta or salads. Mozzarella Buffalo, also called “di bufala”, is made with fresh buffalo milk. It has a rich flavour and creamy texture and is ideal for salads, appetisers or on its own. For more information contact info@europeanfood.co.nz.

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grape to glass

Nick Candy TINCAN WINES

It doesn’t take much for Nick Candy to label a wine as great – all it takes the right occasion to drink it.

As the CAN component of TINCAN Wines, along with partner Laura Tinnelly, Candy serves as the winemaker while Tinnelly manages the marketing side. His winemaking journey began with a degree at Lincoln University, before he went on to work at Felton Road and Peregrine in Central Otago, The Crossings and Yealands in Marlborough, and Riversun and Marlborough Vintners. A stint in Australia followed, firstly at McWilliams in Sydney.

Candy then spent two years chasing vintages internationally before stopping in France, running the winery at Domaine Stephane Montez in the Rhone Valley for a further two years. “After almost ten years away overseas making wine I have accepted that growing good grapes or making good wine are like looking at the same coin from both sides – but it’s still the same coin.”

Candy was first inspired to follow the natural wine approach in France, while working hand-press with an old French man who didn’t speak a word of English. “No additives had been used in the process but when I tried the wine it was my lightbulb

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moment telling me that making wine naturally was actually possible.” Candy travelled and worked all around the world, looking at wine processes and to see what not to do. After almost two decades in the industry, Candy’s philosophy has evolved to small vineyard, small wine production, organic viticulture practices, natural no-additive winemaking practices, and a very hands-on style.

Candy currently leases a small 3ha block in Mapua, just west of Nelson. The land was recently purchased by the Craighead family and became the Kindeli winery for the 2017 growing season and vintage. It remains Biogro certified but is natural wine exclusive, thought to be the largest of its kind in the country.

The vineyard is run using organic viticulture practices and is currently moving towards gaining organic certification, which will be attained in time for the 2019 vintage. The wines are made using minimal intervention from start to finish, with no filtering and no additives or preservatives like sulphur or fining agents. The grapevines are sprayed only three times a year. Having grown up in a farming family, Candy is able to look at things from a practical agricultural perspective. “I am really focused on minimal intervention in the vineyard with machinery to reduce my carbon footprint. I have been trialling minimal spraying and not passing through with a mower and leaving the grass long.”

The grapes are hand-picked with no mechanical assistance, and the wine is bottled and labelled by hand. Soil balance is of prime importance, and the growth of clover is encouraged to benefit the nitrogen cycle. The yeast used in the winemaking is encouraged to come through from the vineyard.

Those who tend to be interested in natural wines tend to be new to wine or craft beer enthusiasts, according to Candy. “They tend to have more of an open mind and less of a preconception about what wine traditionally tastes like, so I have been focusing on the restaurant trade and have started making a

few friends that share my views,” he explained. “In restaurants, chefs that have a paddock to plate or similar philosophy tend to understand what I am trying to do and don’t mind taking the time to listen to me explaining what I am about.”

His focus is currently on Sauvignon Blanc and Pétillant Naturel (Pet-Nat) which is an in-bottle, secondary-fermented bubbly – “Think Coopers Beer, but a wine version. I’m also getting my head around Nelson Pinot noir and co-fermentation with other varieties.” TINCAN has a small output – only 5000 bottles in 2017 – and for the most part Candy is a one-man-band. For harvest and during bottling he works with Alex Craighead of Kindeli and Yuki Nakano of Kunoh wines. “Vintage time has to be the favourite because for a few weeks of the year everybody accepts that that is where my focus is and I am free to be a specialist,” he said. “I don’t have a job that I hate, but I struggle as a generalist and breaking my day up to prioritise work.”

As someone with extensive experience doing vintages around the world, Candy thinks that New Zealand winemakers need to be mindful of legislation and the balance between industry protection and stifling peoples’ enthusiasm for exploring new things.

“We are definitely at the low legislation end of the spectrum which enables people like me to start and survive,” he said. “However, the protection of our existing regional brands and their value is possibly lacking. So again, it comes back to balance.”

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TINCAN PERSUASIVE PÉT NAT 2017 Only 900 bottles of TINCAN Pét-Nat were made in 2017. Super fresh and fragrant aromas of honey, florals and stone fruit, alongside a subtle smell of bread dough. Lifted flavours of white and green stone fruit, mandarin, grapefruit, lemongrass, and rosemary.

TINCAN WILFUL WHITE 2016 Bright and fresh with passionfruit, citrus, floral and herbal characters and a flint finish on the nose. A dry, mediumbodied approachable orange wine.

Flavours include citrus, passionfruit, thyme, cinnamon, dried apricots and malt, with a mineral finish.

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THE DOCTORS’ MARLBOROUGH ROSÉ 2017 This wine is crafted from flavoursome Pinot Noir and dry, white aromatic Arneis. Fresh strawberries and ripe red cherry, with just a hint of aromatic herbs. The wine is fresh and lively; dancing lightly across the palate to finish crisp and dry. The perfect summer accessory.

CHURTON MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 A wine that has precision and minerality, combining aromas of yellow flowers and white peaches on the nose. The textured palate is intense with creamy layers of stone fruit. The Churton Sauvignon Blanc finishes crisp with wonderful length and drive through the palate.

JACOB’S CREEK DOUBLE BARREL SHIRAZ 5TH VINTAGE A wine you will want to savour. The full generous flavours of Shiraz are enhanced in this wine by careful use of aged Scotch whisky barrels to finish, building additional layers of complexity and an incredibly smooth finish. Serve with pan seared Scotch fillet and smoky bacon.

ROCK FERRY MARLBOROUGH BLANC DE BLANCS 2011 Supremely elegant and complex on the nose showing white stone fruit, oatmeal, fresh baguette, apple blossom and mushroom aromas. The palate is concentrated and focussed, and delivers delicate fruit intensity and fine texture, finishing impressively long and refined.

PROPHET’S ROCK ‘HOME VINEYARD’ PINOT NOIR 2014 Rich ruby in colour, displaying red berry fruit, spice and floral aromas on the nose leading on to an elegant well structured, mineral-driven palate. The rich aromatics are accompanied by silky tannin and well-balanced acidity leading on to a long finish.

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GIESEN GEMSTONE RIESLING 2018 This wine is enticing and textural with notes of luscious citrus blossom band white florals. A beautiful flow and balance with subtle sweetness, minerality and a lingering characterfilled finish.

TINCAN CULT CRIMSON 2016 Elegant on the nose, with aromas of savoury strawberry fruit, red fruits, herbs, spice and earth. Juicy, mediumbodied with flavours of savoury strawberries, other red fruits and pith of grapefruit. Earthy clove and cacao notes, finishing with Syrah-style spice.

A balanced wine with grainy tannin and fresh acidity, yet still finishing rich and smooth.

BRANCOTT ESTATE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 Well-balanced with the palate weight, sweet fruit flavours and crisp acidity associated with a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, this wine has also just been recognised and awarded Gold at the recent New York International Wine Competition. Match with salmon or white poached fish with fresh green salad.

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What 's the alternative?

While the country prides itself on being clean, green and sustainable, is New Zealand truly ready to embrace environmentally friendly alternatives? The furore over Air New Zealand offering the Impossible Burger suggests that the foodservice providers are catering to a consumer base that is fiercely proud of the local meat industry – if the national carrier received such a violent blowback, how would small town consumers react to a local restaurant doing the same?

However, embracing fake meat isn’t the only option for restaurants and cafés wanting to offer customers an alternative. Countless plant milks exist for lactose-free coffees, and biodegradable and compostable packaging options are fast becoming the norm.

MARKET CHALLENGE OR MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY?

When it comes to alternative foods, the primary focus has been limited to popular food products like Sunfed Food’s chicken-less chicken and ‘Impossible’ plant-based burgers – providing a meat-like meal with plantbased products. The reality is there is

PUT TO GOOD USE

The Green Choice range of compostable bamboo food containers is made from compressed unbleached bamboo pulp, which is essentially a waste by-product put to good use. They do not have a moisture resistant liner, but the walls are compressed to offer a basic moisture barrier.

These are natural products and will degrade naturally.

Bamboo products meet FDA specifications for use in food applications. They are suitable for microwave use and refrigeration and can contain hot liquids and oils.

much more to the global market for food based on plant proteins.

Jocelyn Eason, general manager science, Food Innovation at Plant & Food Research, spoke at the recent ProteinTECH Conference in Auckland, and said that changing global consumer trends bring a substantial commercial opportunity for New Zealand. “We envision these future food products to be 100 per cent plant-based, nutritious, sustainable and entirely made in New Zealand,” she said.

“Although there are a number of challenges including flavour and texture, allergens, anti-nutritional factors, plant-based foods can deliver good nutrition. Our challenge is in how we might develop new raw material streams from plants in such a way that we don’t strip out all of the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, some of which are not available from other food sources.”

However, she also warned that these changes wouldn’t come without a “mindset” change around how the country approached food production,

as well as a significant investment in infrastructure and a new look at land use. “There may be a time lag to the introduction and use of novel foods, ingredients and technologies as extra work is needed to prove they are safe,” she said. “The commercialisation process of some future foods may be slow if they are perceived to be ‘novel’. It will take a bit more planning, design and time to achieve commercialisation.” Consumers are becoming more educated around sustainability for animal-based foods and are considering the social and environmental impact of food production, making plant-based foods more economically viable.

“The opportunity is for New Zealand to take experiences from producing premium meats, dairy and fruits and harness them for a range of premium plant-based foods – foods that are healthy, taste, feel and smell good too,” Eason said. “There are many challenges to developing these premium plant-based foods, but New Zealand is small, agile and innovative enough to do it.”

BREAKING BOUNDARIES Emma-Janes is breaking boundaries in the way vegans eat, joining forces with world’s first vegan tart cup producers, Pidy Gourmet.

Pidy Gourmet has recently extended the already favoured Emma-Jane’s foodservice range and is proving to be a massive game changer. It’s one of the growing number of producers looking to revolutionise the foodservice market by catering for all diets and lifestyles.

Customers will enjoy the colour and taste. The Emma-Jane’s vegan range includes the

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Vege Flower Cups: Carrot, Beetroot, Spinach and Grilled Onion. These cups are made with palm-free oil, natural flavours and colouring – the perfect canape for every vegan.

Although Emma-Janes’ Sweet and Savoury Gluten-Free Tart Cases aren’t vegan, the team has once again recognised a gap in the market that needs filling.

Go ahead – give customers the chance to try the innovative gluten-free and vegan pastry range. Visit www. emmajanes.co.nz or call 0800 366 252 to request your samples today.

CAFÉ DITCHES COW MILK A small container café in the Northland town of Mangawhai turned heads when it put up a sign announcing that, in one week’s time, the café would no longer serve any animal products. “This will be the last week we shall be buying, steaming and pouring cows’ milk into our espressos,” the sign read. “Our intention is to make veganism delicious, convenient and accessible.” The sign also noted that while the café had nothing against the ethical treatment of animals, it was not legally allowed to supply raw milk with coffee.

“It was a personal choice,” explained Cool Beans Café owner Morgan Redfern, a long-time vegan. “I couldn’t, in good conscience, go on serving milk knowing the damage that the dairy industry causes to the land and the animals.” The mechanics of the swap weren’t difficult. Cool Beans already offered a wide range of plantbased milks, and as a small café with a limited menu, the only thing that needed swapping out was the cheese in the toasties.

It has now been replaced with Angel Foods cheddar. Plantbased sausage rolls have also joined the line-up, and Redfern was supported in the shift by the team behind Nice Blocks.

“There were a few people who complained when I first announced it,” he said. “As a rural town with a strong dairy background, I was expecting it. You go to a big city and you see plant-based cafés all over the place, but it’s different in a small town.” However, for every detractor, there were ten supporters, and Redfern was pleased with the response both online and in person. Since then he has also introduced paper straws and a mug library to reduce cup waste.

“This change posed its challenges, but this weekend showed me that I really couldn’t ask for a more supportive town and wider community. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the brave souls jumping out of their comfort zones and trying the mammoth selection of plant milks.”

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what'sthealternative WHAT IS QUORN? JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER Quorn is a Mycoprotein, a plantbased meat alternative, that offers a healthy, low fat, versatile and delicious meat free protein. Quorn is a 100 percent sustainable protein source, containing high levels of fibre, protein and essential amino acids required to maintain a healthy body. Better for customers, better for the planet.

Quorn products offer variety, inclusion and true nutritional benefits. In 30 years in the market, over three billion servings of Quorn having been served worldwide.

It is simple to prepare and cook, while offering amazing flavour absorption, great texture and endless potential in creating traditional meat dishes that are 100 percent meat free.

By November 2018, Quorn will be launched through Monde Nissin NZ Foodservice.

For further information contact business development manager Wade Vuletich on 021 888 251 or email wade.vuletich@mondenissin.com.

As consumers are asking for dairy free, gluten free and vegan ice creams that contain lower sugar and fewer calories, the team at Wahiki has worked hard on giving the consumer what they are asking for.

Wahiki has reformulated its Vanilla and released its amazing Turmeric Latte, both now with lower sugar content and fewer calories.

The Vanilla has 7.5g per 100g, and the Turmeric Latte has 9.4g per 100g of sugar. The calorie count of both flavours per serving has around the same calories as

an average size honey-crisp apple.

This has been quite an achievement as ice cream companies battle to reformulate and give consumers a healthier alternative to a product that normally has high sugar and high calories.

Wahiki Coconut Mango and Coconut Chocolate flavours have also been reformulated and finalised to sugar levels less than 10g per 100g and will be released into the market just before summer. For more information call 0800 WAHIKI or email info@wahiki.co.nz.

INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVE

These popular Polenta Chips are an innovative alternative to the traditional hot chip. Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside with just a hint of rosemary and chilli to intrigue – customers will be left wanting more.

Perfect as a side with sauce, as part of a sharing plate sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese, or even cut up into tasty croutons to add texture to any meal. They are extremely versatile and are glutenfree, dairy-free and suitable for vegans.

These are ideal for any busy kitchen, as they will save prep time and offer consistent quality. Sold frozen free flow in 2kg bags and you will be pleased how cost effective they are. Either deep fry, oven bake or pan fry with oil. Check out Wild Chef ’s website for more serving suggestions.

Proudly New Zealand made.

For more information visit www.wildchef.co.nz, call 04 388 1998 or email info@wildchef.co.nz. Proudly New Zealand made.

WHOLESOME PATTY Enhance any vegetarian or vegan offering with this incredibly tasty and versatile base. Loaded with sweetcorn, grated orange kumara, red capsicum, spring onion and a hint of ginger and mild chili.

This wholesome patty has been prefried to assist quick service. It is ideal for burgers, bagels or as a delicious twist to the classic corn fritter.

It was recently named one of the winners of the Bidfood Best New Product Awards 2018. Sold frozen, 130g x 20 piece bags (100 diameter) – gluten free, dairy free and suitable

for vegans.

For more information visit www. wildchef.co.nz, call 04 388 1998 or email info@wildchef.co.nz . Proudly New Zealand made.

UNIQUE FOOD PRESENTATION Soy and dairy free, Almond Breeze Barista Blend stretches and textures just like dairy, with 30 percent less calories than skim and soy milk.

A great dairy alternative in coffee, smoothies and baking it is designed to deliver great taste and a rich creamy froth to sit atop lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites.

For more information: JAMES CRISP LTD, Johnny Howard on

09 306 7988 or johnny.howard@jamescrisp.co.nz

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Natural wooden products from BCS Foodpak are ideal for unique premium food presentation, enhancing the quality of the food in an upmarket format.

The range includes Boat Dishes, Food Cones, cups, trays, skewers and cutlery. The natural wood product range is ideal for catered events, food festivals, mobile vendors as well as party and festive events.

They will hold most types of foods,

with wetter dishes being best served immediately.

BCS Foodpak’s very popular range of untreated white pine, single-use wooden disposable dishes are eco-friendly, biodegradable and compostable.

Being premium tableware, available in a range of sizes, it will stylishly add a touch of class to any event. For more information call 09 277 0104 or email sales@bcsfoodpak.co.nz.

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August 2018

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what'sthealternative

“SIMPLY DELICIOUS!” Kenny’s Kumara Chips and Wedges are cut at their freshest in harvest season. Chips are cut with skin on and are nice, long and straight.

Likewise, wedges are handcrafted into a perfect shape. They are partially fried and snap frozen

to keep the natural goodness in.

Your customers will notice the difference – they look beautiful. Both the chips and wedges cook to golden brown and with crisp skin, smooth texture and natural sweetness, they are a real sensation to enjoy. The Chips are nutritious, beautifully golden and naturally sweet and of superb quality, while the Wedges are crisp and tender, naturally sweet, and deliver total satisfaction. Try Kenny’s Kumara Chips and Wedges when developing your next new menu and enhance with your choice of seasoning or toppings.

Ask your local distributors for stock or contact Nutritious Foods Ltd. Email enquiry@nutritiousfoods.co.nz or call 09-304 0254; 09-304 0253

GAME-CHANGING SOLUTION

Finally, an indulgent drinking experience without alcohol, sweeteners or carbs. Ecology are artisan producers of distilled alcohol-free spirits, handcrafted in New Zealand at the world’s first non-alcoholic distillery. Ecology’s beautiful beverages are made

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from small-batch distillations of traditional gin botanicals and aromatic spice blends. Available in two variants: London Dry and Asian Spice – luxurious flavours are paired with complex craftsmanship, to deliver an evolved drinking experience without alcohol, sweeteners or carbs.

Ecology is a game-changing solution for people who choose not to drink, and a premium product for hospitality clients to delight clientele, increase profit and be responsible hosts. But it’s not just about alcohol-free spirits. Every sale funds projects that contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Want to join the party? Order yours through www.ecologyandco.com/trade or contact hello@ ecologyandco.com for wholesale pricing.

CHANGING CONSUMER NEEDS

The Goodtime Pie Co. has been making pies that Kiwis love for over forty years. The company gets a kick out of responding to changing consumer needs, with the aim of making ‘A Pie for Everyone.’ In 2016, the Goodtime Pie Co. created an alternative to the usual meat pie and launched the Hub Gourmet Vegan range. The range has three on-trend delicious flavours to choose from: Mexican, Korma Vegetable and Kumara & Cashew.

The pies are square, so are easily identifiable in the pie warmer. These pies do not contain any meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, honey or gelatine, so while they are 100 percent vegan they are also suitable for vegetarians, flexitarians and those with egg and dairy allergies. The Goodtime Pie Co. is proud to have been the first national pie manufacturer in New Zealand to offer a 100 percent vegan pie.

Call 0800 466 384 to order some today.

minutes with TONY STEWART CLOONEY

When Tony Stewart announced Clooney’s closure in October last year, he also announced that a new, casual format would open in its place. Come January, however, Clooney remained open and as popular as ever.

After 28 years in the fine dining game, Stewart had decided to stick with what he knew best.

Nobu Lee, working at Vue de Monde in Australia, had initially been offered the lead role at Clooney after the iconic Des Harris departed. Hearing that the spot was vacant after a public and well-reported relationship breakdown between Stewart and head chef Jacob Kear, Lee got in touch with Stewart.

Stewart learned a lot from his experience with Kear, who had previously worked at Noma. As much as he believed in a change, he didn’t quite realise how that change would be perceived. “Doing something different isn’t always the right thing to do with a business. You can try too hard, or move too far away from what you’re good at. The economic reality of doing something new doesn’t always bode well. It’s interesting from

a restaurateurs point of view – the relationship with your chef can make or break your restaurant.”

The menu has been revamped and refreshed, with a selection of starters offering customers “a retrospective look at the Kiwi food culture through canapes.” It features bite-sized takes on fish and chips, L&P and meat and three veg. Is it odd, then, that Stewart claims there is no such thing as true New Zealand cuisine?

“I don’t think we should have a New Zealand cuisine,” he admitted.

“We should be focusing on ingredients and allowing chefs to interpret and showcase their culinary skills and influences that they’ve brought back with them from overseas. The new Clooney is ingredient-driven, and I’m not saying it’s a New Zealand style because it’s not, it’s just a style that style that highlights how good we’ve got it here in terms of ingredients.”

An insistence on top-quality ingredients across the industry would bring out the best the country has to offer and bring small producers out of the woodwork. Clooney has around ten direct relationships with local producers – including a hydroponic banana grower out of Matapouri.

“We can still buy new potatoes months after they were first available,” he said. “There’s something wrong with that, I think.” It’s something which is close to home for Stewart, the son of a fruit buyer, and he endeavours to share as much of that knowledge as

possible with guests.

“We have a pretty educated client base that appreciates knowledge,” he said. “Information is important, especially when you go to New Zealand ingredients: we need to be proud and talk about our suppliers.

We wouldn’t be doing our food justice if we didn’t share some of that knowledge.”

“

We have a pretty educated client base that appreciates knowledge.

Information is important, especially when you go to New Zealand ingredients . . .

”

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MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Businesses are, by nature, a complex beast. Owners must deal with employees, equipment and other factors outside their control, all while staying within the bounds of dense legislation.

This month, Restaurant & Cafe´ has looked for ways to make running a business more manageable for all.

IS THE FOOD ACT WORKING?

The Food Act 2014, despite the name, came into force at the start of March 2016. It promised to reflect a more modern and common-sense approach to food safety regulation, but has so far caused nothing but headaches. Over 800 Auckland restaurants were left without food safety grades at the start of July, while small producers around the country are shelling out exorbitant verification fees to independent auditors after local councils opted out of providing the system themselves.

“Anything new or changed can create uncertainty for some people for a time,” said MPI Food & Beverage manager Sally Johnston. “We are still in the implementation transition period, which ends 28 February 2019, so there’s still work to do.”

Motueka hazelnut growers Toni Elliot and Smoky Fry are considering giving up their business after new requirements under the Act have seen their costs soar. Under the rules, the pair can sell shelled hazelnuts

LOW COST, SIMPLE & EFFECTIVE

COUNCIL COMPLIANT COUNCIL COMPLIANT DIYPEST PESTCONTROL CONTROL

directly to consumers, but must register under the Act in order to send nuts to other manufacturers, even if the nuts remain in their shells. The business must be verified under the national programme, which could cost them up to $1600.

The Tasman District Council opted out of providing the verification service, citing difficulties and confusion through the application process, so private auditors carry out the service. Private auditors can charge whatever they choose, which can lead to high costs in areas outside the main centres.

Out of 61 territorial authorities and six unitary councils, 29 had opted in to providing the service. “We recently provided councils with a fast-track option to provide National Programme verification,” explained Johnston. “We have also communicated the additional competencies needed to effectively verify food sectors that council staff do not have current experience with. A key priority for New Zealand Food Safety is to seek ways to reduce the costs for businesses, especially for small businesses, and this includes exploring new options for delivery of verification services.”

However, acting as a verified auditor comes with its own challenges, as evidenced by the situation in Auckland. Under the law, food businesses which opened before March 2016 had three years to transition to a ‘risk-based’ verification system rather than the Council’s inspection system. Businesses completing the second phase of transition, which was due to be completed by July 1, were slow to adapt, leading to a backlog at the Council. Many of the venues with expired licences had been given an A at the last inspection.

Mervyn Chetty, environmental health manager at the Council, said that many of those operating under expired grades had been verified but the records had not been updated but could not give an exact figure.

“Most of our food operators understand the importance of producing safe and suitable food, and the majority of our businesses are A grades,” he said.

“We are facing an unprecedented and significant shift in the way food safety is managed in New Zealand and there have been some challenges along the way.”

In response to these problems, MPI released the Food Safety Toolkit, an updated Simply Safe & Suitable template Food Control Plan, and a new Food Safety Template for Winemakers. “New Zealand Food Safety is continuously finding new ways to make it easier for NZ businesses to follow the Food Act 2014 rules,” said Johnston. “These tools aim to reduce, the time, effort and costs it takes for food businesses to meet food safety and suitability requirements. The tools are written and presented in clear, easy-to-understand formats, keeping in mind operators who have low literacy levels or use English as a second language.” The next phase of applications is to be submitted by 30 November 2018, with the Food Act 2014 finally coming into full force on 28 February 2019.

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NEW SERVEWISE NOW LIVE

An enhanced and upgraded version of the free e-Learning tool ServeWise has been released, making it even more effective in assisting the training of frontline sellers and servers of alcohol.

The Health Promotion Agency (HPA) created ServeWise in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, including regulatory and industry partners, and launched it in 2016. It uses a vibrant and engaging game format with video and animation to provide a basic understanding of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, with a strong focus on intoxication, minors, server intervention and host responsibility.

The tool was developed in response to a demand for improved standards of training and the creation of a level playing field across On, Off and Club licensed premises.

The training is tailored to meet the specific needs of both sellers of alcohol in off-licensed settings and servers of alcohol in onlicensed settings. The modules take approximately one hour to complete and are free of charge.

CHANGING FOOD CONTROL

More than 6,000 people have successfully completed the training since ServeWise launched. To ensure it continues to meet industry Dear Chef needs, the HPA has now released a food in kitchens of all sizes, Chomp an upgraded version following a full Are youRunning enjoying allcontrol thisplan FCPhaspaperwork? many challenges. Remembering is simple, smart and suitable. review of the tool with feedback from what needs to be done when and Staff engagement is only many who had used it. The HPA says How manyfilling pens and clipboards does half a kitchen really need? in recording templates of the battle with paperimprovements have been made to the leaves many chefs running for based food control recording. training to ensure its users learn what there a better Withknowing Chompif there chiller.was It would have toway... be Not recordsis. are they need to know, while enjoying theIf onlythe said that pen and paper in any up to date can leave a kitchen interactive skills-based game. and ditch the paper forvulnerable good. at verification time. kitchen environment is not a In ServeWise, learners can tailor Go digital perfect recipe.

Chomp gives owners and their experience by selecting the role What chef wants to put down managers an accurate view into that best caters to their job of either their knife to pick up a pen? their food control recording, ‘serving alcohol’ or ‘selling alcohol’. Yours faithfully Kitchens around New Zealand clearly highlighting compliance The training has five levels, with are discovering benefits concerns. challenges to complete within each Chomp Digital Food the Safety of ditching paper for Chomp Chomp’s dashboard displays level. These challenges are the skills chomp.nz 03 442 8072 digital food safety. Chomp,info@chomp.nz all records and any issues a learner should have in order to do being a smart intuitive tabletrequiring attention – ensuring their job appropriately. As learners based app, displays all tasks, on no surprises at audit time! successfully complete challenges, they time, online, at the touch of a Chomp is packed with easy to are given a high score toward the button. use features and configurable total, allowing them to see how well Chomp frees your chef from for both single and multi-site they are progressing. 3D animations filling out time-consuming paper operators. and video are used throughout records. This is time that can Chomp’s food safety training the challenges. The e-Learning be spent being creative in the can be done online, ensuring was developed by internationally kitchen, impressing customers staff are educated to understand recognised e-Learning developers and upskilling staff. their responsibilities. with expertise added from local Chomp was created by The future of compliance is industry experts and regulatory experienced hospitality digital. Ditching paper is easy authorities. operators who have felt the pain with Chomp.

To experience this new and of keeping paper-based food Visit us at chomp.nz or call us upgraded training visit www. control records. on 03 442 8072. servewise.alcohol.org.nz or for more Designed to be user-friendly information contact Mark Lyne at m.lyne@hpa.org.nz.

Dear Chef Are you enjoying all this FCP paperwork?

How many pens and clipboards does a kitchen really need?

If only there was a better way... With Chomp there is.

Go digital and ditch the paper for good.

Yours faithfully Chomp Digital Food Safety info@chomp.nz

chomp.nz

03 442 8072 August 2018

27

mindyour ownbusiness

AVOID WEAR AND TEAR For a commercial kitchen, leasing equipment can sometimes be the best idea. Starting up a business takes a lot of capital, and it is best to save money wherever possible, without cutting corners.

Leasing large equipment will help save start-up cash for other areas – instead of spending $3000 for a dishwasher, that money could go towards marketing, a food order or

payroll. Some equipment is better suited than others to leasing, due to short lifespans – dishwashers, coolers and coffeemakers are three good examples.

Some companies lease linen, uniforms and floor mats.

Outsourcing the cleaning of these items can save a business a lot of time and staff labour.

AFFORDABLE PEST SOLUTIONS It is a common misconception that under the Food Act 2014, a Food Control Plan requires a business to have pest control provided by a professional pest control company.

“Restaurants want councilcompliant pest control plans, but don’t want to pay pest control professionals,” explained Bug King founder Mark McDonald. “At the moment we see a lot of restaurants who can’t afford to do it because foodservice is a low margin business – sometimes they just don’t have the turnover.”

In truth, as long as restaurants have proactive pest-control management monitoring, they can do it themselves with minimal fuss and a fraction of the cost. All they need to do is

demonstrate to council inspectors that there is an effective programme in place to manage pests.

Bug King offers DIY pest control for the commercial market. The Bug King DIY kits focus on rodents and cockroaches, which are often a focus of council inspections, as well as providing business owners with the necessary paperwork to present to inspectors. “We’ll give them the equipment to cover off rodents as well as German cockroach monitors to cover at-risk appliances,” said McDonald. “The paperwork can often seem daunting, so we help them take care of that as well.”

The Food Compliance Package, available in different sizes depending on the business, includes professional

quality rodent stations and twelve months’ worth of cockroach monitoring equipment.

The packs come with full installation instructions and advice on where best to place the bait stations and the monitors, as well we council-compliant documentation and instructions, safety data sheets, a site map and a pest sighting report template – all necessary components of a Food Control Plan.

The pack will also give the business owner access to the Bug King helpline. Apart from rodent bait, restaurants are not given any dangerous poisons or professionallevel toxins. For more information call 0800 DIY BUG or email diyhelp@ bugking.co.nz.

Your free online host responsibility training has just got even better.

Recently improved and upgraded, go to servewise.alcohol.org.nz to ensure you and your staff always comply with the law.

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August 2018

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column

Q: My employee hasn’t shown up for her last three shifts.

Can I dismiss her?

A: If the employee has disappeared without a trace and you have made strenuous attempts to contact her using every means available to you, you may be able to deem she has abandoned, and therefore ended, her employment. Certain criteria need to be met before you can do this.

ADDRESSING SHORT AND LONGTERM RECRUITMENT NEEDS Globally, the hospitality industry is feeling the pinch, with a recognised shortage of skilled staff in both kitchen and front of house roles around the world. In New Zealand, the feedback is that the hospitality industry has acute recruiting issues. It is harder than ever to find quality hospitality employees who meet a business’ skill requirements.

By Marisa Bidois, CEO, NZ Restaurant Association marisa@restaurantnz.co.nz or 0800 737 827

The Restaurant Association is working hard to develop solutions to these problems in the long term and in the short term we are strongly advocating on the industry’s behalf, most recently making a submission on proposed immigration visa fee increases and nominating restaurant and café managers to be put on Immigration New Zealand’s Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL).

Later this year, the government is proposing to increase fees for some classes of work visas by up to 54 percent. A member survey was conducted by the Association in July to seek the industry’s feedback on this proposal and unsurprisingly, the majority of the respondents did not support it, with most believing this will intensify and increase pressure on an already challenging recruitment market.

Most of our members believe fee increases will act as a deterrent for prospective migrant workers coming to New Zealand, with 49 percent saying this would have an extremely negative impact on the industry.

In support of our campaign for the Café, Restaurant Manager position to be re-admitted onto Immigration

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New Zealand’s Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL), the survey also showed that 90 percent of employers who have recruited for a manager over the past year have had difficulty in filling the role. More than 55 percent said they had to repeatedly advertise for the position before a suitable candidate was found.

Although this current survey focused on front of house managers, we are aware that recruitment for skilled chefs is as extreme and they continue to be one of the hardest vacancies to fill.

MBIE’s monthly Jobs Online report indicates that overall annual growth in advertised job vacancies in the hospitality and tourism industry was 10.4 percent (March 2018 quarter report).

Last year was a busy year for tourism and hospitality businesses and our growing recruitment issues are being exacerbated by the needs of our flourishing industry.

Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in 2017 increased 8.9 percent. Of note, the Queenstown/ Lakes district had an increase in international visitor spend of 20 percent in June 2018 (over the year previous).

Tourism expenditure for food and beverage services in 2017 was $4.37 billion, an increase of 6.0 percent over the year prior (following a 16.5 percent increase in 2016 and 17.3 percent increase in 2015).

In the long term, one of the

solutions to managing our industry’s skill shortage issues is to retain those already in the industry and train them up to fill those skilled positions.

Our industry has notoriously high staff turnover and when employees leave a job, they don’t always stay within hospitality. To address this, we need to continue to think of the long term.

As an industry we need to be extolling the benefits of a career in hospitality, which are wide and varied. The Restaurant Association sees this as one of our key responsibilities.

Employees with management potential should be identified and nurtured, and given the skills they need to become great managers, rather than getting thrown into a role they are not yet ready for because of a vacancy shortfall within the business.

While it may fulfil your shortterm requirements, an employee who becomes disillusioned due to a lack of knowledge and support will potentially leave the industry completely and this is a flow we need to stem.

Keeping your staff provided with opportunities to continue learning is a good strategy to ensure they stay with you. The Restaurant Association’s Emerging Managers workshop is a great professional development opportunity for your rising managers to help them develop and fine-tune their leadership skills.

If the employee gets in touch, abandonment is no longer an option. You may, however, have grounds to dismiss her for serious misconduct for taking unauthorised leave.

Make sure to follow the correct disciplinary process if you go down this path. If you think your employee has abandoned their employment or you are considering a disciplinary process, we strongly advise you to seek advice before taking any action. The Restaurant Association Helpline Team can assist you with this – give us a call on 0800 737 827.

It is run by one of the industry’s most respected restaurateurs, Krishna Botica. A follow-up workshop, Established Managers, has also been developed to provide a more detailed look at hospitality management techniques, styles and systems.

The Restaurant Association is also committed to working on initiatives to introduce more workers into the industry, as in the long term this will be essential to meet the industry’s employment demands. Our ProStart programme provides employees with the basics of hospitality through a four-week programme.

Graduates of this programme are keen to develop and seek opportunities to work within our vibrant industry. We aim to supply people that will fit well within respective businesses and once placed we continue the relationship with both employer and employee to ensure everything is working well.

There is no denying that the recruitment challenges are there, but with our support and the industry’s willingness to embrace practical solutions to assist we see that there is an opportunity to build on some real solutions to our sector’s current skilled staff shortages.

August 2018

31

book reviews

CAULIFLOWER IS KING

WEBER’S GREATEST HITS

MY ASIAN KITCHEN JENNIFER JOYCE

CHRISTOPHER SIDWA

In Cauliflower is King, Leanne Kitchen uses 70 delicious recipes for the world’s most versatile and bestloved super vegetable that proves that too much cauliflower is never enough. The world’s most versatile and best-loved super vegetable is all at once a healthy wholefood staple, a culinary fashion statement, or the key ingredient for a cosy, comforting winter dinner. Cauliflower features in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, French, Spanish, Italian, Indian and Anglo dishes, all thoroughly represented here via snacks, starters and soups, salads, mains, baked and accompaniments. Roasted to golden perfection, barbecued, stir-fried, baked whole or in a pizza crust, and of course, the carb-dodger’s delight, Cauliflower Rice.

For decades, Weber grills have set the standard for backyard grills, and Weber’s cookbooks have delighted grilling enthusiasts. But out of more than 2,000 total recipes for every kind of dish, which ones are the very best of the best? In the ultimate gift for every griller, from beginner to veteran, Weber rated, debated, and curated its entire recipe collection, with help from its most enthusiastic fans. The book includes all-new photography, fun stories from Weber’s rich and often hilarious history, and special features such as the Top Ten Grilling Dos and Don’ts.

A celebration of modern Asian cooking, in 100 healthy, flavourpacked traditional and modern dishes. Bao buns, pho, sushi, poke bowls, gyoza, ramen and kimchi have devotees on every high street – now Jennifer Joyce shows how easy it is to create these zingy, fresh, healthy flavours at home. From grilled sticky skewers and steak tacos, salads, rice bowls and dumplings, to prawn katsu bao and miso-glazed ribs, this is an adventure in the dazzling diversity of modern Asian cooking.

Joyce’s exquisitely simple recipes, nononsense explanation of ingredients, hand-drawn diagrams and beautiful photographs are all you need.

Join the craft beer phenomenon by learning to brew and bottle your own beer, brewed the way you like it and using only basic home brewing equipment. Christopher Sidwa – head brewer and co-founder of wildly popular craft brewery Batch Brewing Co – walks you through the entire process, from choosing the best ingredients to setting up your home brewery, a full guide to brewing techniques, even how to taste and assess your batch. There is no mistake Christopher hasn’t made while brewing at home, so that you don’t have to. This lively handbook assumes no prior knowledge and covers all the advice you need to start brewing great beer.

LEANNE KITCHEN

JAMIE PURVIANCE

BREW A BATCH

veggietales

SWEDES AND PARSNIPS Swedes and parsnips aren’t related – parsnips are clearly related to carrots, while swedes are a hybrid of the turnip and the cabbage – but both have a sweet and delicate flavour and are incredibly versatile.

Swedes are more available in winter and taste better after a good frost; therefore the best swedes in New Zealand are reputed to be those grown in Southland. The leaves are eaten in many countries.

However, it’s the edible roots that are commercially available in New Zealand. Swedes can be eaten raw if fresh and young. Older swedes can be boiled, mashed, stir-fried, roasted, puréed, steamed, baked, glazed or pickled.

Flavourings such as nutmeg, parsley, coriander and black pepper

go well with swedes.

Parsnips make delicious chips or wedges; are suitable for braises or stews; use in stir-fries, salads, pies, soups, soufflés.

Older and tougher parsnips may need to be peeled, while young parsnips do not.

Cooking time depends on the size of the pieces and the age of the parsnip; the cooked pieces should be

tender but still firm.

Parsnip and swede work well together – Jinu Abraham, group executive chef of CPG Hotels, uses both in his pressed winter vegetables.

The vegetables are served with chimichurri and a beet cranberry puree.

WORLDWIDE INSPIRATION

100C 0M 69Y 30K

Swede fondue at Vedge Restaurant, Philadelphia. The vegetable is roasted and mashed with potato, onion, white wine and miso. @vedgephiladelphia, Philadelphia

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restaurantandcafé.co.nz

100% OWNED

Shoestring parsnip fries. @triplepeakpaleo, Los Angeles

0C 91M 87Y 0K

0C 34M 91Y 0K

0C 23M 23Y15K

76C 0M 91Y 0K

100C 94M 0Y 0K

0C 0M 0Y 100K

Parsnip loaf cake with orange frosting. @hellofrifran, London

PANTONE 341

PANTONE RED 032

PANTONE 137

PANTONE 4735

PANTONE 361

PANTONE 2735

BLACK

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The Nilfisk floorcare range has been designed with your everyday cleaning costs in mind.

Whether it’s a large cafeteria or a small cafe or restaurant area, we have identified the source of some of the most common cleaning expenses and created smart solutions that reduce consumption and noise levels, while making equipment cleaning faster and easier to use. Optimising your time, budget and labour resources – so you can save on cost, not on clean. Quote CAFE until 30 October 2018 to receive 10% off your next floor scrubber.

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