Hospitality November 2017

NO.739 NOVEMBER 2017

The Italian Job A HISTORY LESSON ON ROMAN CUISINE

Peter Gilmore

TALKS LOCAL CERAMICS

Jovan Curic RIPS INTO SYDNEY’S BURGER SCENE

Miso

HOW TO USE JAPAN'S NATIONAL INGREDIENT

ON MERIVALE, FAMILY AND LIFE AS AN UNINTENTIONAL INFLUENCER

Ed's note

November Contents 4 In focus 6 Openings 8 Flavour of the month

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10 Best practice 11 Column 14 Trends 16 Drinks 18 Italian

I

talian food. We all eat it, but do you ever stop to think about the history of that plate of cacio e pepe? I mention history because there are a number of venues changing directions and heading back to the roots of Roman cuisine. La Rosa The Strand is now home to the Roman Grill and Popolo has reopened as Cucina Romana Marta, flagging no-frills dining as the new normal.

Our Italian feature is all about extreme simplicity done well. Hospitality spoke to Nino Zoccali and Flavio Carnevale about what Italian cuisine means to them and why they chose to rework their menus to focus on dishes such as volcanic rock spit-roasted porchetta and fried globe artichokes.

The notion of ‘the rise and fall’ is also present this issue in more ways than one. Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry educates us on the glory days of tiki cocktails and Superior Burger’s Jovan Curic vents on Sydney’s overcrowded burger scene.

We look at the role ceramics play in both the kitchen and in the dining room with Quay’s Peter Gilmore and nel. Restaurant’s Nelly Robinson. Not to miss is our chef profile with Merivale chef Dan Hong, who talks about balancing work and family life along with taking a proactive role when it comes to staff development.

After a turbulent year for the industry, it’s more important than ever to stop and hit refresh. Taking a few days off as 2017 winds down is the ideal opportunity to recharge and rolls into 2018.

Until next time, Annabelle Cloros Editor acloros@intermedia.com.au

26 Dan Hong

28 26

28 Tableware 32 Shelf space

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33 Diary 34 5 mins with...

18 11 16

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November 2017 Hospitality 3

in focus

Clean eating A national survey has revealed our penchant for organic food is on the rise.

A

ustralians are increasingly aware of where their food comes from, with the 2017 Australian Organic Market Report confirming the movement is rising in the popularity stakes. Personal health was cited as the strongest driver for organic products purchased in 2016, prompting Australians to reconsider their diets.

Australia has the largest holding of organically certified land, holding 53 percent of the world’s organic farmland, which means organic produce is readily available, but farmers are struggling to meet the local demands of the $1.72-billion industry.

The report found the top three perceived benefits of organics are chemical-free (83 percent), additive-free (75 percent) and environmentally friendly (65 percent). The study also found organic producers, processers and handlers have grown from 2,567 in 2014 to 3,751 in 2016, which is an increase of 46 percent. Australians also cited a health crisis or health-related issue as the reason for their switch to organic.

Australia’s organic industry is tipped to exceed $2 billion by 2018 and shows no signs of slowing down. n

Top three benefits of organics Chemical-

Environmentally

83%

65%

friendly

free

Additive-

free

75% 4 Hospitality November 2017

Organic producers and handlers have increased by

46% 2,567 in 2014 3,751 in 2016

P ROFESSIONAL

Openings

1

Some of the latest venues to swing open their doors in Australia’s foodservice scene.

1

Jimmy Grants

Sydney, NSW George Calombaris’ first Sydney venture comes in the form of souvlaki bar Jimmy Grants. MAdE Establishment has opened two Jimmy Grants venues in Sydney Central Plaza and Newtown. The menu features a range of souvas packed full of meat and chips, with Mr Papadopoulos (slow-roasted lamb, mustard aioli, chips, onions and parsley) dubbed the most popular. Salads are also available alongside a range of drinks and desserts.

2

BKK

Melbourne, Vic BKK has now replaced Saigon Sally, and is the Commune Group’s first foray in Thai cuisine. The Duke Street site is headed up by chef Sean Judd (Nahm, Longrain and Chin Chin) and has a menu featuring red curry with prawns, barramundi and scallops grilled in banana leaf as well as coconut-braised lamb shoulder with cucumber relish. The cocktail list has a number of options, but Boarding Pass — vodka, salted watermelon, fig, yuzu and fresh berry syrup — is a highlight.

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2

Chin Chin

Sydney, NSW Chin Chin has opened its doors in the Griffiths Tea Building in Surry Hills. The venue is split into three sections (GoGo bar, a 160-seat restaurant and events space Chii Town) and is open from 11am till late. Executive chef Graeme Hunt and head chef Ben Torrens are in the kitchen, the cocktail menu has been designed by Michael Chiem and the all-girl wine team is led by head sommelier Jacqueline Turner. Hero dishes include twice-cooked beef short rib with shaved coconut salad along with rotisserie pork belly.

4

Overlook

Melbourne, Vic Overlook has launched in Melbourne’s iconic Astor Theatre, open from early till late. The venue is a celebration of the city’s best producers and suppliers, showcasing pastries from Ned’s Bake in South Yarra and vegan cupcakes from Baking Bad. Located just south of the Windsor end of Chapel Street, Overlook’s fit-out is reminiscent of the grandiose, art-deco styling seen in Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining.

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6 Hospitality November 2017

3

5

Marta

Sydney, NSW Inspired by the streets of Rome, Marta has now opened in place of Popolo. Owner–operator Flavio Carnevale has turned his focus from southern Italy to launch his second restaurant, which boasts a range of hero dishes including bombolotti short tube pasta with guanciale and pancetta along with fried globe artichokes and a baked ricotta sour cherry tart. An Italian wine list focuses on a new generation of Lazio winemakers, with select varieties poured from handmade clay amphorae.

6

Annam

Melbourne, Vic Annam is the culmination of chef Jerry Mai’s cultural and professional background. Mai has created a menu inspired by Vietnamese food enjoyed at her own family table. Dishes include tuna tataki with cumquat nuoc nam and crispy onion along with whole grilled Hiramasa kingfish with rice paper, herb plate and pickled lemongrass nuoc nam. Co-owner Rani Doyle worked with the kitchen team for six months to design a drinks list that works seamlessly with the menu.

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5

Tokosan

Melbourne, Vic The Toko Group has entered the fast casual realm in the form of Tokosan, which has opened in Prahran.

The venue is mainly focused on beverages teamed with a casual Japanese menu. Cocktails are all named after Kill Bill characters (O-Ren Ishii and Boss Tanaka) and the pub-style menu features bites including grilled pork ribs, katsu chicken and hand-rolled sushi.

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6

Harvest

Melbourne, Vic Harvest is the first solo venture from young chef Tim Martin. Located in South Yarra, the venue is focused on produce and showcases Martin’s penchant for fermentation and ageing. The venue is open for all-day dining, offering everything from Irish porridge to a range of toasties. The evening menu lists Harvest’s housemade charcuterie selection along with heartier share dishes.

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8 November 2017 Hospitality 7

Flavour of the month An essential Cypriot delicacy, halloumi’s qualities make it easy to cook with and the perfect match for a number of ingredients.

Halloumi WHAT’S THE APPEAL? Halloumi is a semi-hard brined white cheese originating from the island of Cyprus. Made from cow, goat or sheep’s milk — or a combination of all three — its texture is comparable to that of thick feta with a strong, salty flavour absorbed from the brine preserve.

Halloumi is classified as one of the most original dairy products of the European Union.

The specific Mediterranean microclimate of Cyprus and the traditional method and production technique combine to make this unique cheese, which is popular all over the world.

In addition to the properties that make it unique, the high quality of halloumi makes it one of the easiest cheeses to cook with and it is favoured by 8 Hospitality November 2017

a number of chefs. Halloumi is a typical Cypriot delicacy and an essential element of the country’s rich culinary tradition.

SOURCING The tradition of halloumi-making in Cyprus dates back to the 16th century. The milk used to make halloumi is produced by local sheep, goat and cow tribes that came to the island at the beginning of the previous century. The animals are raised on food that contains the rich native flora of the island, contributing to the milk’s unique organoleptic properties.

The modern method of Halloumi preparation follows the traditional recipe and technique.

The milk is heated then coagulated with rennet, resulting in a firm curd. The curd is roasted, which results in a semi-hard

elastic texture and white to yellowish colour. Halloumi is currently in the process of being registered as a product with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) under the European Union’s quality schemes.

APPLICATIONS Halloumi lends itself beautifully to cooking due to its firm texture, which is retained even when cooked and exposed to high temperatures. Since the cheese has a high melting point, it can be easily fried or grilled.

Cooking halloumi removes much of its saltiness and gives it a delicious creamy texture.

FLAVOUR MATCHES Halloumi’s robust texture and savoury flavour make it the perfect match for a vast range

of ingredients. A squeeze of lemon juice brings out its flavour after it has been fried, grilled or barbecued. It is often served with chopped parsley, mint or chili to amplify its salty flavour. Halloumi works well when paired with fruit including watermelon, nectarine, peach, blueberry or pear. It’s a wonderful addition to summer salads or when served with roasted vegetables.

STORAGE Halloumi will keep in the fridge for many months if left in its original packaging complete with brine. Once opened, submerge the cheese in salt water and refrigerate. n Georgios Kyprianou, representative of The Panagrotikos Farmers Union of Cyprus.

best practice

Gone fishing

Q

Don’t be deterred by the price — putting seafood on your menu elevates you above the competition, writes Ken Burgin.

“An educated waiter who speaks with authority about a dish and its preparation can make all the difference.”

uality seafood sets you apart from other venues that are too timid or lack the skills to prepare and serve it properly. Whether it’s fish and chips or snapper fillets with a fine sauce, people know good fish and prawns are high-value, quality items, and they expect to pay a little more.

For many customers, fish is too hard to cook.

In spite of this notion, consumers are also becoming more knowledgeable and will ask about the origins, flavour and texture of their food. Is it local, was it frozen, do you have something that ‘doesn’t taste too fishy?’

An educated waiter who speaks with authority about a dish and its preparation can make all the difference. Staff need to be conversant with a whole range of terms to describe the taste of seafood. Here are a few: the rich flavour of salmon and tuna; the sweetness of ling; boneless fillets of john dory; moist snapper; full-flavoured kingfish and flathead that tastes especially good when it’s fried. Make sure staff are ready with a recommendation such as ‘you will love our whiting’ or ‘the barramundi is the most popular seafood we sell’. Staff who don’t eat seafood should also be able to recommend convincingly.

It’s also good to talk about the ‘crisp skin’ or ‘delicate batter’. Crunchiness is a highly desired mouth sensation well known to the makers of potato chips that now consume the majority of potatoes sold in most countries. Be ready to describe your wonderful seafood platter available for friends who want to share an occasion. How much will it be at your place, $65, $75 or $125? Not bad, considering the ease of preparation.

Mussels deserve to be more popular, considering the flavour, price and ease of preparation, helped by the popularity of beer cafés with 10 Hospitality November 2017

pots of steamed mussels. Atlantic salmon remains consistent, available and easy to cook. Its pink flesh gives it a meat-like colour that helps with acceptability and it’s a catering favourite, but there are many consumers who are hungry for an alternative.

Steve Sidd, director of Indulge Restaurant at Sydney’s Moorebank Sports Club, says it’s hard to sell varieties that aren’t commonly known, even if the flavour is excellent. He ensures prices for key menu varieties will be stable for at least three months before putting them on the menu, and won’t compromise on the quality of fish used in fish and chips. For him, it is usually flathead fillets or New Zealand hoki, and never the el-cheapo standby of basa or Nile perch. Seafood prices keep rising, but people will still indulge in quality as a weekend treat.

Smart chefs know that anything with prawns will sell well — even if they’re expensive.

You will also be asked if a fish is oily, and some people are really put off by the sight of a head and eyes. Interstate customers may be mystified by the names on your menu — is trevally the same as trevalla or dhufish the same as jewfish? The confusion of names in different regions can be a talking point to show your knowledge and add weight to recommendations. Gathering information on local names and descriptions can be a great project for a keen apprentice or waiter to prepare for some staff training.

Good seafood gives you a higher price point, a nutritional offering and customer expectations that it will be ‘better than they can make at home’. Enjoy the advantage it brings to your reputation and bottom line. n

A minute

on the

grill

In the midst of Insta-fame and premade patties, the humble burger has been swallowed by the belly of the beast, writes Jovan Curic.

I

’ve been thinking of something interesting to write for this column, something with a bit of wit, humour and flair. Safe to say, I’ll stick to writing some honest words on a food type that, frankly, has begun to bore the shit out of a lot of people.

Rewind 10 years ago, the humble burger was known to most as a treat from the corner store or old faithful Mickey D’s. You’d be ordering it with your desired favourites, and of course — if you knew what was good for you — with a touch of barbecue sauce. Not just any barbecue sauce though, ETA, the one in the maroon bottle and yellow cap!

In those days, most believed rockpools were found at the beach and lotus was a flower — not restaurants where you could eat a burger so fancy you would need to wear a collared shirt. At a cost of $18 and $16 accordingly, you knew shit was about to get real, even if you didn’t know who the bloody hell wagyu was and what he was doing in your burger. In these establishments, and a few others like the Kirkton dining room, burgers were made — not only to order, but from scratch. Meat cuts and ratios were held under lock and key and sauce recipes dictated to apprentices for the fear of them falling into the wrong hands.

Research, development and integrity went into our beloved sinful pleasure.

Present day, we are four years into burger trendville and knee-deep in the bastards. Every pub, club and failing restaurant/bar has one on their menu. Hell, we even have fully fledged burger shops now, which were a pipedream back in the day. Almost every suburb from the CBD to the Inner West and city fringes has its own local list to hit. Even the far-out westies are on the bandwagon (cough, Superior Burger).

The wave brought with it competition, creativity, efficiency, loyalty and convenience.

Every bloke with a buck thinks burgers will

“In those days, most believed rockpools were found at the beach and lotus was a flower — not restaurants where you could eat a burger so fancy you would need to wear a collared shirt. At a cost of $18 and $16 accordingly, you knew shit was about to get real.” make them rich, and the rise of burger franchises have swept through the big cities. But, and this is a very big but, the most crucial part seems to have been left behind. It was left back there along with the collared shirt. All of this ‘progress’ hasn’t done much other than dumb down the consumer and lead to the rise of the Instaburg. What’s been forgotten in the process is integrity.

What’s your meat blend? Where’s the beef from? What flour is used in the bun? Where is your veg grown? Do chefs/owners have any idea how to answer any of these questions anymore?

Butcher-bought ‘finished patties’ have flooded the market with chefs duped into thinking they’re getting the butcher’s signature blend when in fact they have no clue what’s in them. Sauces are made from mayo straight out of a bucket, all the elements of the burger are glued into place with mass amounts of cheese and voilà — that’s

the Sydney burger scene right there, folks.

We, the industry, are responsible for giving people what they are paying for — to be honest with them and to be honest with ourselves. I will finish with a shameless plug and promise from our little creation, Superior Burger. In the depths of the best unknown suburb of the west, we strive to answer these questions for the consumer and our peers. With each burger, you will know which farm it came from, the type of beef you’re eating and even the farmers name. You will be assured the veg came from our favourite Vietnamese farmer Sunny only 15 minutes’ drive from our shop and you’ll know the mayo is made from free-range eggs farmed in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Know that we have handmade as much as humanly possible within our four walls to provide the best product and experience for the people that pay us to do so. As we say down at Superior Burger, “It’s superior in produce”. Jovi xo n November 2017 Hospitality 11

FESTIVAL OF NONNA 2017 The Nonna’s stole the show sharing their secrets as the Sandhurst Fine Foods family celebrated another great festival this year.

SERVES 4 • 400g of Linguine Pasta • 200g Sandhurst Australian Pitted Kalamata Olives • 150g of Sandhurst Sun dried tomato Strips • 6 Anchovy Fillets • 6 Fresh Cherry tomatoes • 3 cloves of Garlic roughly chopped

NONNA GERALDINE’S

LINGUINE

WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES, OLIVES, ANCHOVIES & CAPERS

• 1 red chilli finely sliced • 4 – 6 Fresh Basil leaves roughly chopped • ¼ of a small bunch Fresh Parsley roughly chopped • small handful capers • 100ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

METHOD 1. Heat fry pan on a low heat, add the olive oil.

2. Add garlic, Chilli and anchovies to the pan/ squishing the anchovies as they cook to dissolve.

3. Add the Sun dried tomato strips, capers and olives to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Adding Basil and parsley to the sauce.

5. Cook pasta as per packet instructions or boil pasta in plenty of salted water until andante.

6. Drain pasta and add to the pan with the sauce.

Add about ½ a cup of pasta water and mix well. Let the pasta and sauce sit together to absorb for 2-3 minutes.

7. Serve with fresh parmesan cheese

SandhurstFineFoods – Sandhurstfinefoodsau –

www.sandhurstfinefoods.com.au

Trends Miso is often linked to steaming bowls of soup, but there are so many more layers to the Japanese essential.

Miso M

iso is having a moment. Used in Japanese cooking for thousands of years as a way to add the fifth taste to a dish, it’s appearing on menus from a range of chefs. Spread it on toast, mix it with butter or lather it on a protein — there are myriad ways to incorporate miso into your repertoire.

Starting from scratch Beginning with quality ingredients is essential.

Meru Miso is one of the only Australian makers in the market producing miso with local and biodynamic ingredients. Chris de Bono takes a hands-on approach to the miso-making process, sourcing medium-grain rice and soybeans from New South Wales before inoculating with koji (fungus) — the catalyst for the fermentation process. “Then, I mix it with the soy beans and salt,” explains de Bono.

“The fungus stops being a fungus, but all the enzymes that were helping the fungus grow are still there. The starch in the rice is converted into maltose sugars and the enzymes break down the proteins, fats and lipids in the soybean, making everything bioavailable.”

Flavour profile A range of factors contribute to the flavour profile of miso, and there are more than 1300 varieties currently available. Miso can also be made from a range of ingredients including barley, rice and chickpeas. The length of fermentation plays a key role in the flavour profile; varieties aged for less time have sweeter notes, while those aged for several months develop a deeper, more complex body. In summer, the process can take between eight to 10 weeks, and in winter, 10 to 12 weeks.

“Starch on its own is very bland, but getting turned into sugar, it becomes quite sweet,” says de Bono. “It’s part of how miso gets it

14 Hospitality November 2017

unique flavour. The white miso is very high in koji, and as a result, it’s quite a sweet miso.

The saltiness is dialed right back and the sweetness comes through as well as the savoury. The red is more middle-of-the-road flavour. There’s less koji rice, so it’s more balanced between the salty, sweet and savoury — it’s a really good all-rounder.”

Storage As miso is a fermented product, it has an extended shelf life and the product will continue to develop the longer you have it. It is advisable to keep miso tightly sealed to ensure longevity.

“Fresh miso is stored refrigerated,” says de Bono. “Because we don’t add alcohol or pasturise to stop the fermentation, it keeps fermenting and pressure will build up in the jar. It’ll last for 12 months or more quite comfortably. It’s a little bit like wine — if it’s stored well, it will keep ageing and the flavour will keep developing.”

Miso in cooking Miso typically comes in two forms, fresh and powdered, which means there are plenty of ways to utilise it. It can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes, as a hero ingredient or a seasoning. Miso powder can be used in place of

salt and pepper, and establishes body and depth in a dish. It can also be used as a dry rub or part of a marinade. Additionally, miso powder can be mixed with equal parts water to create a paste.

“We use miso in a variety ways at Aloft, from smoking it for our house-made butter to using it in different sauces, dressings and marinades,” says Glenn Byrnes, head chef at Aloft.

Miso isn’t just for Asian cooking either, and can be used in a range of cuisines. “Putting it in with a Bolognese will help lift the flavour,” says de Bono. “We mix equal parts butter and miso and cook it with steak or fish. You can then take that [mixture] and put it on some hot fish or steak as it comes off the grill.”

Miso is also incredibly versatile when it comes to desserts, bringing an unexpected element to a dish. Ice cream, cookies, caramel and soufflés are just some of the dessert options that pair well with miso. “You can get more creative and do salted chocolate or salted caramel because it already has the salt, especially the white miso with the sweetness,” says de Bono. Put aside the common misconception that miso is strictly Japanese. Whichever way you decide to use it, there’s no right or wrong when it comes to miso. n

GLUTEN FREE

ORGANIC WHOLE WHEAT

3 KG

Drinks from De Kuyper's The Works program

drinks

Rum and fruit juice W

hen Jeff Berry experienced tiki for the first time, he wasn’t old enough to drink yet. But the six-year-old Berry was captivated by what these venues offered beyond their drinks list.

“It was completely immersive,” Berry tells Hospitality. “We would walk through the bar to get to the dining room and I was just fascinated — there was a waterfall, the carpet had a Polynesian print and there was a dawnto-dusk diorama behind the bar.”

By the time Berry came of age, the golden era of post-prohibition drinking was over. The industrial food complex had set in and good cocktails were on the out. The 1980s were a wasteland of prepackaged mixes, but a few tiki bars held on to the promise of craft cocktails.

“Tiki places were doing what they’d always done,” says Berry. “They were making cocktails with fresh ingredients and elusive flavours that I could not parse. When these drinks are done right, you can not work out why they taste the way they do.”

Berry made it his mission to decode the drinks of tiki legends including Don the Beachcomber, trawling 1990s LA hangouts to find the bartenders who’d worked there. Sadly, they didn’t divulge any trade secrets.

“If I asked what was in a recipe, they’d just say ‘rum and fruit juice’,” says Berry. “So, I’d 16 Hospitality November 2017

Today’s tiki bars owe a lot to the original wave of tiki, but they contributed just as much to its demise. By Madeline Woolway.

ask ‘what about this recipe then?’ and they’d say ‘rum and fruit juice’ again.”

The secrecy of tiki may have added to its allure, but it nearly signaled its demise. When the ‘craft cocktail’ revolution arose, tiki drinks were almost left out of the canon. The past few years have seen a reversal of this fate, though.

“Finally, we’re seeing a convergence of tiki bars and the craft cocktail movement,” says Berry. “That’s the way it should be, because they were the original post-prohibition craft cocktails; the bartenders used fresh citrus, tinctures and took creative culinary approaches to mixing drinks — they just didn’t call them craft cocktails.”

While there’s been an undeniable resurgence of tiki bars, the 21st century version is more homage than dead ringer. The reluctance to “go full tilt” with atmosphere and décor is just one factor that separates the tiki bars of now to those of the golden age. Surprisingly, food is another. Contemporary bartenders want to serve tiki drinks, but the food the drinks used to accompany isn’t part of the comeback.

“In the golden age — from the ’30s to the ’70s — there weren’t really [any venues] we would think of as tiki bars,” says Berry. “They were all restaurants.”

The first tiki venues, like Don the Beachcombers and Trader Vic’s weren’t just full-service restaurants, they were luxury dining destinations.

“They were the original postprohibition craft cocktails; the bartenders used fresh citrus, tinctures and took creative culinary approaches to mixing drinks — they just didn’t call them craft cocktails.”

– Jeff Berry

drinks

“Don the Beachcombers was where all the movie stars went and Trader Vic’s is where rich San Francisco socialites went,” says Berry. “It was white tablecloth dining.

“The notion of a tiki bar is pretty much a 21st century thing. The drinks menu was always the main economic engine driving the venues, but the idea of going to a tiki bar and just drinking was not the dominant paradigm the way it is now.

“As high-end as a lot of those old tiki restaurants were, they didn’t have wine cellars. You were expected to drink cocktails the whole way through.

The food and drinks used to be inseparable, now they’re very separable.”

So what’s changed? “It was an expensive business model,” says Berry. “You were serving hundreds of drinks a night, with theatrical garnishes in ceramic vessels that people stole all the time.”

Combined with the rigour of providing an old school fine dining experience, it was a hard act to maintain. According to Berry, when the trend died, it died fast: “All those places just went out of business.”

As the first wave of tiki ebbed, nouvelle cuisine was beginning to take hold in the United States.

“Cocktail culture died in the ’80s, but American cuisine was on the ascent,” says Berry. “Dining got more sophisticated and moved away from the whole concept of cocktails and food together.”

Although the original tiki venues made their mark as fine dining restaurants with first-class service, only Trader Vic’s had a name for culinary excellence.

“The food at Don the Beachcombers wasn’t much to write home about, nor was the food at other expense account places like Big Contiki’s,” says Berry. “Vic’s was the culinary exception.

“The food wouldn’t cut it anymore, but the drinks are as good now as they were then. So when tiki came back, it came back as part of the cocktail renaissance.”

While it’s tempting to conclude tiki cocktails and premium dining are on divergent paths, Berry disagrees. At Latitude 29 in New Orleans,

“The food and drinks used to be inseparable, now they’re very separable.” – Jeff Berry

Berry cites De Kuyper as a verstaile element to tiki drinks

Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry

Berry took inspiration from Trader Vic’s to create a menu that runs the gamut from Indonesian to Filipino and Hawaiian. Patrons are encouraged to drink cocktails throughout their meal just like Trader Vic’s would have done.

“You just need to keep two things in mind: harmony and counterpoint,” he says. “If you have a 12-ingredient drink, chances are one or two of those ingredients are going to be complementary to those in the dish.

“If you have a dish that has cinnamon in it, pair it with a cocktail with cinnamon — there’s harmony. Then you need counterpoint. If the dish is sweet, the drink should be tart. So you get contrast, but you also get something that ties it to the dish. That’s a lot easier to do if you have a tiki drink than if you have a three-ingredient pre-prohibition drink.”

It also doesn’t follow that tiki drinks haven’t evolved since their mid-century peak. “Something we’ve done to modernise tiki drinks is use liqueurs as the sweet component of the drink rather than spice syrups, which is what Don the Beachcomber did,” says Berry.

On his recent trip to Australia for De Kuyper’s The Works program, Berry created an Australian tribute to tiki.

“The Bondi Beachcomber combines De Kuyper Blackberry with Crème de Cacao to create the sweet element,” he says. “Crème de Cacao has become a really versatile ingredient for me when mixing drinks, it adds another dimension to the drink and harmonises with whatever fruit or nut elements you have in the drink. Don didn’t use a lot of liqueurs; mostly he would make his own in-house syrups. I think this is the next phase of tiki.”

The tiki restaurants of the golden age might be lost, but here’s hoping their legacy — craft cocktails and a theatrical atmosphere — live on among the next wave of tiki bars. n November 2017 Hospitality 17

Marta’s bucatini with mussels, cherry tomato and pecorino Romano

Italian

[CREDIT] ALAN BENSON

Alla

Romana For many, the boot of Europe is the birthplace of Western civilisation, without which there would have been no Renaissance. For others, it’s a food mecca — the birthplace of Massimo Bottura. By Madeline Woolway.

18 Hospitality November 2017

L

ife-changing events and world-class chefs aside, Italians have been cooking well for centuries. More than 2000 years of changing borders, cultural revolution and political uprisings could have created a chaotic cuisine. Instead, distinct regional cucine have developed, each of which salute the local produce and people. The country’s capital is no exception, and Australia is now embracing iconic Roman dishes alongside its more obscure regional specialities.

“Rome, being in the centre, is the meeting point for all these cultures,” says Flavio Carnevale, owner of Sydney’s newest cucina Romana, Marta. “People have been trading

food and wine there for many centuries.”

Remnants of ancient Rome, Jewish ghettos and post-World War Two migration have come together to create a canon of timeless dishes.

“Roman cuisine is defined by its extreme simplicity,” says Carnevale. “One or two ingredients can be all there is to a classic Roman dish.”

Those influences have resulted in iconic dishes like cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca, abbacchio and porchetta.

For Nino Zoccali of Pendolino and La Rosa The Strand — which has recently transformed into a Roman grill — it’s the ingredients that

Italian

Roman-style pizza fiori e lardo from La Rosa

Pizza Romana While Neapolitan pizza might be the current craze in Australia, Carnevale says it shouldn’t be forgotten that pizza Romana was the first to find international fame.

At La Rosa, Roman pizza has always been celebrated on the menu. “It’s what we like,” says Zoccali. “The pizza in Rome is really crispy.

Quite a lot of the pizza is cooked kind of naked, with only a little bit of stuff in the middle. After it’s cooked, they’ll often add toppings.

“Roman pizza comes in two forms, pizza al taglio and pizza classica. Pizza al taglio is by the slice. It’s mostly served as takeaway and you pay by weight — it’s what Americans call pan pizza. The second style, pizza classica, is the classic cook-to-order round pizza.”

When it comes to pizza, method is what distinguishes Rome from the rest of Italy. “The Roman is cooked on a much lower temperature and the base is much thinner and crispier,” says Carnevale. “The Neapolitan is cooked on a much higher temperature, at least 400-degrees Celsius, and the base is a lot bigger and has bite. It’s not crunchy like Romana,” says Carnevale.

The ingredients, conversely, tend to be consistent from north to south, albeit with a few variations. “The toppings are similar, like Margherita, but in Rome, for example, they’ll use zucchini flowers,” Carnevale continues.

“And Romans love to put egg on pizza.

Another one we have [at Marta] has a cacio e pepe base topped with broad beans and we crack open an egg on top when it goes in the oven.”

20 Hospitality November 2017

Pizza Romana with cacio e pepe, broad beans and mozzarella

“Roman cuisine is defined by its extreme simplicity. One or two ingredients can be all there is to a classic Roman dish.”

– Flavio Carnevale distinguish Roman cuisine from the other regions. “The things that really stand out in contemporary Roman cooking are the ingredients,” he tells Hospitality.

Pasta, for example, is everywhere, but specific dishes are unique to different regions thanks to the produce, proteins and cheeses that are used to make them.

PRODUCE Vegetables feature heavily in Roman cuisine, with artichokes considered particularly important.

“Artichokes are a really big deal,” says Zoccali. “They’ve got their own variety called Romanesco artichoke, which are really amazing. The two dishes that are famous are carciofi alla giudia, which is fried artichoke, and carciofi alla Romana.”

“Alla Romana is poached with white wine, garlic and mint,” says Carnevale, who has opted to serve the Jewish-style artichokes alla giudia on Marta’s opening menu.

Another classic dish that showcases globe artichokes alongside the best of Roman

produce is vignarola, a spring-time favourite on the menu at La Rosa and Marta.

“Ours is artichoke, peas, broad beans and Romanesco,” says Carnevale. “There are different versions, you could braise the vegetables and serve with par-cooked pasta or you could lightly sauté the ingredients to make a warm, crispy salad.”

After all, it’s the use of local Roman ingredients that define the dish, not the method.

Given that some produce is specific to Rome, it can be difficult to find ingredients in Australia. However, Zoccali and Carnevale are able to source a selection of good-quality Roman vegetables in Sydney, but it wasn’t easy. “We had to research where to find goodquality guanciale,” says Carnevale.

PROTEIN The star of many Roman pastas including carbonara, amatriciana and gricia, guanciale is cured pork cheek that — although revered throughout Italy — can be difficult to find outside of Rome. To make guanciale, pork jowl

Business is great when pizzas are perfect.

Renowned for superior stretch and coverage and even blister with minimal oil-off, you can rely on Perfect Italiano Traditional and Ultra Mozzarella to deliver perfect pizzas every time.

For more information visit www.fonterrafoodservices.com.au

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Stuffed baked tomatoes

Italian

“For many Italians, the word guanciale simply means Rome.”

– Nino Zoccali Marta’s vignarola with housemade ricotta, sautéed broad beans, artichoke, peas and Roman lettuce

is rubbed with sea salt, pepper and sometimes dried chili before being left to air cure for at least three weeks.

“For many Italians, the word guanciale simply means Rome,” says Zoccali. “It’s one of my all-time favourite things to eat and cook with in Italy. I think every pork-loving human should, at least once in their life, try guanciale freshly sliced on its own.”

Across Italy, young animals such as lamb, veal and suckling pork are foundational ingredients due to the country’s mountainous terrain. “They eat animals young because they just don’t have the land to raise them,” says Zoccali. “That’s why you don’t get a huge amount of beef in Italy — veal is predominant. And it’s why pig is popular — you don’t need much space for pigs.

“The Roman grazing plains also have unique flora that gives suckling animals amazing flavour.”

The prevalence of suckling animals has also resulted in specific cooking methods. “They don’t really serve meat medium rare,” says Zoccali. “They always roast and serve prime cuts with the connective tissue. You can almost overcook it and the meat will still be beautiful. It’ll get crispy and stay moist, too.”

Lamb is a particular specialty of the region, with abbacchio alla Romana one of the most famous dishes of Rome. “Lamb differentiates Rome from many other Italian regions,” says Zoccali. “It has a special place in the Roman kitchen and isn’t eaten in much of the rest of the country.”

Beyond suckling animals are other proteins less accepted in Australia.

At La Rosa, at least one revered guest relished the venue’s take on trippa alla Romana, which features San Marzano tomato-braised tripe, pecorino Romano and grilled pane di casa. “Marco Pierre White loved it,” says Zoccali. “But you’ve got to be smart about what dishes you do.

If 50 percent of the menu was offal, we’d alienate people.”

22 Hospitality November 2017

Filetti di baccala

Italian

“Around the world, without being aware of it, people have been eating Roman food for years.”

– Flavio Carnevale PECORINO ROMANO Along with guanciale and artichoke, pecorino Romano is considered a staple of Roman cooking. While pecorino is found throughout Italy, there are differences between regions. “Roman pecorino is really different to the rest of the pecorino you get around Italy,” says Zoccali. “It was served to the centurions of Rome. “It had to be transportable, so they put lots of salt into it to preserve it. Apparently it was made pretty much to the same recipe as it is today.” The result is a salty cheese that’s sharper than its Tuscan and Sardinian cousins, which tend to be milder.

While the recipe has stayed the same, the Roman’s banned salt in 1884, forcing production to move to Sardinia, where 90 percent of pecorino Romano is now made according to specific controls decreed by the DOC (denomiazione d’origine controllato).

However, it’s still considered a Roman signature and has found its way into many dishes from the region. Unsurprisingly, there’s a story behind the classics.

Like guanciale, pecorino Romano is an essential ingredient in traditional carbonara, amatriciana and gricia. It also makes an appearance in cozzie e pecorino — mussels with pecorino — another dish unique to Rome thanks to the pairing of seafood and cheese.

“In the north of Italy, it’s prohibited put cheese and seafood in the same dish, but in Rome and the south, they do it,” says Zoccali.

Roman cuisine might be centuries old, but here in Australia, cucina Romana is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance. “Around the world, without being aware of it, people have been eating Roman food for years,” says Carnevale. “Think carbonara, amatriciana and cacio e pepe –– those are Roman dishes.

“Now, we want to show what Roman cuisine is by using the whole menu, not just serving carbonara among other dishes from the north or south. That’s showcasing Italian, but it’s nice to offer distinct regional flavours.” n 24 Hospitality November 2017

Crumbed rice mince mozzarella balls Baked sardines

Crostata di ricotta e visciole

advertorial

The pick of the bunch

A

Starting with quality ingredients is the foundation to success in the kitchen.

perfectly ripe tomato is one of nature’s greatest gifts, but not all tomato products are created equal. There are many different options available in the market, but a good chef recognises quality when they see it. With 100 years of history, Mutti Parma is the market leader in preserved tomatoes in Italy.

There are a number of factors that contribute to Mutti’s pursuit for perfection. Mutti products are harvested and processed within 24 hours or less and focus solely on a single raw ingredient — a flawless fruit at optimum ripeness.

To ensure consistency, every batch of tomatoes is analysed and hand-tested for colour, acidity and sugar content along with additional criteria, with only the best tomatoes making the cut.

Mutti’s dedication to excellence is shared throughout the family business, which spans four generations. CEO Francesco Mutti is the latest in a long line of innovators and has continued the company tradition of bestowing the Golden Tomato award upon the Mutti farmer that has shown the upmost care towards their tomatoes. Mutti understands the value of their farmers and have a desire to demonstrate their respect and gratitude to them.

Mutti have a range of quality products suitable for restaurants and cafés including Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes. The process starts with stringent farming procedures followed by same-day cold processing

and no additives beyond a pinch of salt. All this leads to a dense and fragrant product which is the closest you can get to the flavour of a freshly picked ripe tomato.

Mutti’s Pizza Sauce is another standout product which contains no additives or preservatives. Like Polpa, their Pizza Sauce boasts a dense texture and rich flavour, so much so the product is actually best diluted (by adding 1.5 litres of water to a 5kg pouch, you get a 30 percent yield increase). There are two flavours available — Classica and Aromatizzata (with herbs). Both the Pizza Sauce and Polpa are ideal for a range of purposes, such as pizza and pasta.

Innovation is in Mutti’s DNA. From their invention of the tomato paste tube back in 1951, to their dedication to producing a less-watery tinned tomato product — which resulted in the birth of Polpa — in 1971. Mutti are still focused on creating innovative packaging solutions today, which has led to the development of their stand-up pouch packs, specifically designed for the foodservice industry. The pouches are practical and time-saving thanks to the easy-pour handle and ability to be resealed.

They are also crushable, leading to less waste, and retain the same freshness and quality of flavour once opened as the tinned products.

To request a free sample of Mutti Pizza Sauce Aromatizzata, email mutti@handlingmatters.com.au or visit muttiparma.com.au to find out more about the range. n November 2017 Hospitality 25

chef profile

Dan Hong E

veryone knows Dan Hong wasn’t good at school and spent most of his time smoking weed instead of studying. He’s also known for a 100-plus #hongsneakers collection, a 52,000-strong following on Instagram, as Merivale’s golden child and the brains behind the Stoner’s Delight dessert. But what is executive chef Dan Hong all about in the status quo?

Hong’s mother, Angie — aka a pioneer of Vietnamese cuisine in Sydney — played a pivotal role in shaping her son’s future after she teed up an apprenticeship at Longrain.

Dan went on to work at Pello, Marque, Tetsuya’s, Bentley and WD~50 before joining the Merivale ranks at Lotus, where he became head chef at the ripe old age of 23. He has 26 Hospitality November 2017

Dan Hong is a chef with an unassuming presence. After he arrived on the Sydney dining scene in the early 2000s, the industry paid attention to his crazy knife skills and hardworking ethos, and the spotlight has since never wavered. But life is very different for Hong 15-odd years later. Here, he talks to Annabelle Cloros about family, working with Merivale and his role as an unintentional influencer.

has since stayed with Merivale and gone on to spearhead the openings of Ms.G’s, El Loco, Papi Chulo and Mr.Wong.

There’s a certain allure to working at Merivale, with security topping the list. Establishing a half-decent work–life balance has never been more important to Hong, who now has three children (Namira, Omar and Indira) with his wife. “That’s one of the main reasons why I stay with Merivale,” says Hong. “It’s not just about my career anymore — it’s about my kids and having work–life balance.”

A number of Hong’s peers have branched off from the safety net to do their own thing — think Jowett Yu at Ho Lee Fook, Mitch Orr at Acme, Luke Powell at LP’s; the list goes on — but opening a restaurant in Sydney is akin

to a giant question mark which leads to a dead end or results in a huge success. “There are always opportunities with Merivale,” says Hong.

“I’ve got a few things lined up, but it’s up to me whether I want to do it. I’ve always had the ambition to do my own thing. The more I think about it, the more I don’t want to open my open place — especially in Sydney. If I was to ever leave [Merivale], I’d probably leave the country.”

So where would he go? To the ultimate food mecca, of course — Japan. “In Tokyo, a lot more people eat out,” he says. “The food culture there is next level — that’s why I think a Mr.Wong in Tokyo could definitely work.” An overseas venture also has a number of perks including reduced wage costs, which vary significantly compared to Australia. “If you

chef profile

have the right product, it’s a bit easier to have a successful business in a country where the wage costs are a bit lower,” says Hong.

Hong’s career has organically evolved and his priorities have shifted from doing service to developing and managing his staff. “I’ve got a team of seven senior chefs at Mr.Wong and two or three at Ms.G’s, he says. “My ultimate goal is that they can run a kitchen on their own and shine when they leave their venue.”

For Hong, it’s essential to maintain a physical presence in the kitchen and ensure the food is up to standard. It’s easy to label him as the face of Mr.Wong and assume he rarely steps into the kitchen, but in reality, he’s there every day. “It’s important for me to show my face in the kitchen even though I’m not cooking anymore,” he says, “especially for restaurants like Mr.Wong. The reason why young chefs want to work at Mr.Wong is to work with me, so it’s important I’m present in the kitchen and not one of those chefs with the name of the restaurant and never there.”

Dan has also lived through the change in management. Although chefs still — and probably will always — work a huge number of hours a week and be subjected to high-pressure environments, giving staff enough time away from the kitchen is now front of mind.

“It’s only in the past five years we have learned as chefs from the old school of training that work–life balance is very important to all levels of chefs. We can’t have chefs working 60 hours a week,” says Hong.

“Before, chefs thought they weren’t cared about and they just came and did their job and there was no recognition,” says Hong. I make it a priority to give my chefs good feedback when they deserve it. Something as simple as, ‘Thank you, you did a great job on the section tonight’, goes a long way these days.

Reward and recognition is really important. We lacked doing it back in the day — it was rare when I was a young chef that I got compliments on how I handled service for the night or even feedback on how I can get better.

Our most important priority is to make sure our chefs are looked after and our induction is spot on.”

Mr.Wong has a lengthy induction plan in place when new talent comes into the kitchen. Management conducts regular follow-ups with chefs and requests feedback on how they can assist with development. “The development is vital with these chefs — we can’t just put them on a section anymore and leave them because they will leave,” says Hong.

“There are so many kitchens looking for chefs.

For a chef, the world is their oyster. They can work anywhere they want.”

In terms of raising awareness for mental health, Merivale runs training classes for senior management, who are all required to attend the sessions. “Mental health is a huge thing in all Merivale kitchens, especially with what

happened with Jeremy Strode,” says Hong.

“But we were working on that before. Our senior chefs have all gone to training classes on how to manage mental health in the workplace which gives us the tools to identify if people are depressed and [spot the] warning signs.

The course is compulsory for senior management to attend and it’s been helpful because it’s something chefs really need to talk about.

Especially when the situation with Strode happened, a lot of chefs under me had a connection with him or used to work with him. We identified our concerns with certain chefs and handled that by getting them counselling.

It made us really strong.”

You may have also spotted Hong outside of the kitchen and on the small screen. Hong first collaborated with ABC's iview to create #Shelfie, a web series that consisted of Hong cooking everyday meals using only the ingredients found in a household’s pantry. “I just thought it was a cool thing to do,” he says.

“Before #Shelfie, I hadn’t done much TV, so I thought I’d give that a go. It was really fun and I really enjoyed doing it.”

Dan has also boosted his profile by appearing as a judge on SBS’ The Chefs’ Line, which pits the professionals against home cooks and revolves around a selected cuisine each week.

There’s a noticeable absence of drama, with the episodes more focused on showcasing the food than how many times a contestant cries in one episode. “If you look at the viewer that watches an SBS food show, they’re more into food than the average MKR viewer,” says Hong. “#Shelfie was the show to get me out there and that led to shows like Chefs’ Line. SBS reckon they want to do another season, and if they do, I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Hong also has a loyal army of followers on social media. He’s experienced a huge surge in popularity over the years on Instagram, essentially turning himself into an influencer of sorts — but not the kind who gets paid to post — he’s a legitimate figure who people turn to for recommendations, new openings or even to get a little sneaker inspo. “I like discovering new places and letting people know about them,” he says. “Obviously, if my friends open a new restaurant and I go there, I Instagram about it. But I don’t feel I have an obligation — my obligation is to be myself and be genuine on Instagram. I still feel my Instagram posts are genuine and say who I am.

Really, it’s just photos of my family, the food I eat and sneakers.”

In spite of his ‘celebrity chef’ status and Merivale badge, the next five years for Hong isn’t about pushing the boundaries, but the simple things — spending time with his family, cooking delicious food and running jam-packed restaurants. “I just want to make sure the businesses I operate are ones people love going to every day, and that’s what really drives and motivates me.” n

Mr.Wong's prawns

Mini banh mi from Ms.G's

Ms.G's crispy chicken wings November 2017 Hospitality 27

tableware

Plate up Ceramics play an integral role in the dining experience, and Peter Gilmore and Nelly Robinson are two chefs utilising plateware for more than just presentation.

By Annabelle Cloros.

D

eviating from porcelain plates can be a tough decision, but ultimately, you can’t afford to be complacent on the tableware front. Executive chef of Quay and Bennelong Peter Gilmore and chef/owner of nel.

Restaurant Nelly Robinson prove ceramics can be all things to all chefs, tapping the humble plate as a source of inspiration and collaboration.

Eight years ago, Gilmore made a choice to go against the grain and switch to locally made tableware, citing a number of reasons behind his decision. “The evolution of my food was changing and becoming much more focused on vegetables, organic and natural presentation,” he says. “And I felt it was important to reflect 28 Hospitality November 2017

that in the plate. At the same time, I wanted a new aesthetic, and I’ve always been interested in ceramics — especially Japanese ceramics — so it was a positive change.”

For Robinson, opting for unique plateware was a matter of standing out from the crowd. “We don’t want guests to feel any sense of déjà vu when eating at nel.,” he says. “We design certain dishes to a certain bowl/plate and we want the customer to walk away and be shocked in the flavours and the crockery we use.”

Gilmore agrees with this sentiment and has a shared outlook when it comes to the role ceramics play in a diner’s experience. “I think the plate is a frame to your dish,” he says.

“When people come into a restaurant like Quay or Bennelong, they want to be surprised and want to have something they haven’t seen somewhere else.”

Ticking all the boxes when it comes to diner experience is almost becoming a necessity as educated customers not only care about the roots of their food and drink, but where the plate they’re eating off came from and who made it. Both Robinson and Gilmore have close relationships with the makers of their

Oloroso caramel, muscovado, dulcey, muscatel, walnut

ceramics, and the process is truly a collaborative one.

“The first person I started working with was Paul Davis, who is a master ceramicist,” says Gilmore. “We started working together on a couple of different plates and that relationship has really evolved over the past eight years. He probably makes 60 percent of all the plates in Quay and Bennelong, but I also work with other Australian artists including Malcolm Greenwood [Sydney] and Ben Richardson [Tasmania].”

Thanks to Gilmore’s steady stream of demand, Davis almost exclusively provides ceramics to Quay and Bennelong. “I keep them pretty busy,” he admits. “Every year, I’m commissioning new plates because menu items change and you come up with new ideas. A lot of the time I’m thinking about a dish when I’m thinking about the plate that’s been made.”

Robinson takes cues from particular plates and bowls when it comes to creating dishes, so his relationship with ceramicists is incredibly important. “We have a couple of companies we deal with and I even have my senior sous chef Andy Ashby on the phone constantly looking for the best products with

tableware

that point of difference,” says Robinson. “We have a great relationship with our bespoke crockery company Marloe Marloe from Queensland, who makes most of our dishes, plates, coffee cups, etc. We are very lucky — she is extremely passionate and understands the nel. brand to perfection.”

A close relationship with a maker has a number of benefits, with bespoke orders and education ranking high on the list. Gilmore continues to work closely with Davis to evolve and tweak his venues’ ceramics. “There are a lot of really beautiful ceramics made from all sorts of different clays, but some of the clays are more fragile,” Gilmore tells Hospitality.

“Some of the stuff that’s wood-fired and raku [Japanese firing technique] along with some of the matt glazes look fantastic, but they don’t stand up to restaurant wear and tear.

That’s been a bit of a learning curve, and these days, we have worked out how far we can push things. The corners need to be rounded and slightly thicker to handle the wear and tear as well as reasonably high fired. Davis is a magician with glazes and he’s worked on a series of matt glazes that are a lot more durable and harder. You need to work with someone who knows what they’re doing.”

Master stock duck, stone pot green rice, XO, variegated amaranth

Looking for a new opportunity?

Sam Prince Hospitality Group (SPHG), best known for city-dining offerings Mejico, INDU and soon to open Kid Kyoto, are hiring in all areas including wait staff, bar staff, management, chefs and hosts!

About the group: Mejico, famous for their table-side made guacamole and mouth-watering margaritas and tequilas, celebrates unique flavours and hospitality. INDU, located in a cosy basement in Sydney’s Angel Place, is a celebration of southern Indian and Sri Lankan culture, flavours and local hospitality. And Kid Kyoto will be an alternative Japanese restaurant located on Bridge Lane.

SPHG is continually expanding and provides an opportunity for staff to learn and develop their skills within an established hospitality group.

SPHG look forward to meeting all future applicants.

To express your interest, please email recruitment@kidkyoto.com.au.

November 2017 Hospitality 29

tableware

Quail, spinach, rhubarb, smoked duck, red cabbage from nel.

As custom plates come at a price, it’s important for venues to educate wait staff and ensure ceramics are stored and handled properly to avoid breakage. “Some pieces are very fragile, so we don’t want them going through the dishwasher,” says Robinson. “We have to hot hand wash every single one. A kitchen steward is a very important part of your team and if you have a weak link in that position, it can show. At nel., we wash over 900 plates on a Friday and Saturday night, so the kitchen hand has to be both careful and quick.”

At Quay and Bennelong, staff understand the workmanship that goes into making the venues’ ceramics, so they take extra care when handling them. “We train our kitchenhands and waiters to be more careful with these plates,” says Gilmore. “We stack certain plates with a cloth between them when we put them in the hot box. They pretty much all go through the dishwasher, but you’ve just got to be a little bit more careful with how you stack them. You just don’t want to bash them together and you don’t want them to chip. Like any plate, you’ve got to treat it with a bit of respect. It was about making sure the staff knew these plates were more delicate than the ones they were working with before and to take extra care putting them in the racks and taking them out.”

Handmade ceramics naturally cost more than a stock-standard plate, so are they worth the extra expense? For Gilmore and Robinson, it’s a safe investment that reaps significant rewards from the kitchen to the dining room. “They are extremely expensive because they are so unique,” says Robinson.

“We try and purchase new wares every few months, depending on menus and ideas, as we are constantly striving to become the best we can.”

With all the consideration, care and 30 Hospitality November 2017

Congee of northern Australian mud crab, fresh palm hearts, egg yolk emulsion

workmanship required to create these ceramics, Gilmore believes they pay for themselves in a relatively short timeframe.

“When you think about how many times they’re used over the course of a year, you’ve got a plate that’s in the thousands of uses,” he says. “Compared to the plates we used [previously], we replace them a bit more often, but I think it’s worth it in the aesthetic that we’re getting and the fact that they’re handmade and Australian made.

“With menu changes, you might not use some plates, so they go into storage and then six months later, we will come up with another idea and that plate suits that new dish. We have a bit of a store and turnaround on plates, so it’s a reasonably big investment,

Poached Sommerlad chicken, shiitake, coco button mushroom, fermented mushroom purée, hazelnut and puffed grains

but at that level of fine dining, it’s part of the cost of keeping things interesting.”

The verdict is clear — just as certain dishes tell a story, so should the ceramics they are presented on. You wouldn’t use an old piece of meat, so why serve up an old white plate? n

shelf space

Keep an eye out

CCP Technologies provides 24–7 wireless monitoring of temperature and other critical control points from just 50 cents a day. Its Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring solution is being used in a range of venues in Australia and the US. In the food industry, CCP’s Smart Tags are placed in temperaturecontrolled environments (fridges, display cabinets, freezers and cool rooms) to comply with food safety regulations and HACCP programs.

Business intelligence is presented on web and mobile dashboards with report, graphs and SME/email alert notifications. ccp-technologies.com

Tall tales

James Squire has launched Tall Tale Tropicana Spring Ale, which features refreshing guava and passionfruit flavours. The limited-edition release is from Malt Shovel Brewery in Camperdown and has a light body and mild bitterness. The pulp from guava and passionfruit is complemented by a pale ale base influenced by the local craft beer industry. Available on-tap at James Squire Brewhouses and available for purchase online at Mocu. jamessquire.com.au

Peace of mind

Byron Bay sauerkraut brand Peace, Love & Vegetables has launched a foodservice line to cater for Australian cafés and restaurants. The range comes in 1.8kg jars and includes Dill, Kim-Chi, Green, Bonny’s and Bush Tucker. Cashew Cheese — Dill is also available in a 2kg jar. All products are certified organic, rich in probiotics, contain no additives are GMO free and suit vegan and gluten-free lifestyles. peaceloveandvegetables.com.au

All natural

Soda Press Co has released the world’s first blonde, organic, reduced-sugar cola syrup. The all-natural syrup is sweetened with organic brown rice malt syrup and organic cane sugar, containing half the sugar of standard cola brands. The cola is also low in caffeine and features a golden hue from using natural ingredients.

Available at selected retailers, cafés and bars nationwide. sodapressco.com

32 Hospitality November 2017

Wine not?

Mudgee-based Burnbrae Wine has released a range of vintage wines with a refreshed aesthetic. There are six new white, rose and sparkling wines available that are available in packs of three, six or by the case. The new releases use grapes grown both on the estate in Mudgee and in nearby Orange. Available online or direct from the cellar door. burnbraewines.com.au

For the diary

Foodservice Australia

Upcoming events in the hospitality industry.

Find out more at hospitalitymagazine.com.au Brew & the Moo 11 November After a sell-out event in 2016, Brew & the Moo is back on Saturday 11 November. The Pilbara’s premier beef and beer festival will be based in Dampier, a seaside suburb that features beach-front views. Brew & the Moo will work closely with chefs to create mouth-watering beef menus that pair perfectly with a variety of beers. This year, local vendors will showcase innovative dishes and promote locally sourced produce. brewandthemoo.com.au

Margaret River Gourmet Escape 16–19 November To celebrate 50 years of commercial wine production, Margaret River Gourmet Escape presented by Audi will return with an extra

day added to the program. Showcasing new events and talent, the program is spread across four days and puts Margaret River’s food and wine front and centre. Curtis Stone will join more than 50 leading food and wine personalities at the event including Andre Chiang, May Chow and Alex Atala. gourmetescape.com.au

Melbourne International Coffee Exhibition 22–24 March 2018 MICE is Asia–Pacific’s largest specialty coffee event, featuring more than 120 exhibitors from the coffee, tea, dairy and ancillary supply industries. Roasters Alley, Origin Alley and Barista Big Bash are just some of the features of the exhibition which will return for the seventh year. internationalcoffeeexpo.com

27–29 May Foodservice will return to Sydney at the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour. More than 300 industry suppliers will attend the event, which will display the latest food trends, showcase hundreds of new products and host free seminars and workshops. Foodservice Australia offers the opportunity to connect with food industry professionals and improve your bottom line. foodserviceaustralia.com.au

Drinks Industry Show 18–19 June The Drinks Industry Show has been redeveloped for 2018 and will be held at Dockside in the heart of Sydney’s Darling Harbour. The show is Australia’s leading trade-only annual gathering, promoting new and high-quality alcohol brands to attendees. The show will include workshops, seminars and taste testing opportunities. There will also be networking events, offering a chance for attendees to connect with peers. drinksindustryshow.com.au

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November 2017 Hospitality 33

5 minutes with...

The Saké chef talks Nobu, the ups and downs of the industry and returning to Rockpool Dining Group.

I

Shaun Presland group executive chef, Saké

34 Hospitality November 2017

was inspired to get into Japanese cuisine after I went to Yamagata (central Japan) in 1993 straight out of university and worked in the kitchen of a traditional ryokan in a hot spring town for two years.

Coming from Queensland, it was such a radical change of life, culture and cuisine and I fell in love with all of it. The cuisine — especially sushi and sashimi — fascinated me and I knew I wanted to spend my life cooking and learning as much as I could.

After learning traditional Japanese methods and techniques for the first 12 years of my culinary career, it was so cool to work for Nobu San to see and understand how these rules can be broken while still having integrity.

I have massive respect for the Nobu group and for all the people who taught me while I was there in the Bahamas. Nobu San is the culinary godfather of Japanese fusion and style, and a really down-to-earth human being.

I think the biggest rush in my career was when I was awarded my first Chef Hat at Sushi e, working with Merivale at Establishment.

It was a turning point and a realisation that as an Australian chef, my Japanese food and style was well received by the guests we served.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from the industry is that nothing comes to you handed on a plate. It’s a tough industry and it’s important to do the hard yards. It’s also a very forgiving industry when mistakes are made — you just need to learn from them and better yourself.

When Urban Purveyor Group acquired Neil Perry’s Rockpool Group in November 2016 Rockpool Dining Group became a powerhouse of talent and opportunities. Having Neil at the helm as culinary director was a huge incentive to come back to the group. I had an amazing time with Chris Lucas and his group in Melbourne, but there is nothing like taking the reins back and cracking the whip on a brand I helped create over eight years ago. n

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