Hospitality Business - August 2018

CULINARY MASTERMIND • REGIONAL EXPERTISE • ROOFTOP HOT SPOT

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz AUGUST 2018 Vol.5 No.7

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Editorial

AUGUST 2018 Vol. 5 No. 7

PASSIONATELY PROFESSIONAL! Welcome to an august issue of Hospitality Business! August not just in its monthly print date but august in its reflection of the passion and professionalism displayed across the hospitality sector as recorded on its pages.

Seeking excellence is a resounding theme as we celebrate the Restaurant Association’s Rotorua award winners – especially Ray Singh, aptly named an industry icon, and The Hotel Industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award presented to hotelier extraordinaire, Kathy Guy. This coupled with the achievement of barista John Graham at the World Coffee Championships, and a special interview with Australian Master Chef, Luke Mangan on his recent trip to Auckland to showcase local seafood at FISH restaurant, highlight the depth of dedication, and heights that can be achieved. And we continue our coverage of the Fine Food New Zealand Show, where nearly 9000 delegates and industry participants networked and had the opportunity to enjoy seminars, exhibits and new products!

Catch you all in Queenstown next month for the Hospitality New Zealand conference – September 24-26!

Enjoy!

Kimberley Dixon kdixon@ intermedianz.co.nz 0274 505 502

Kimberley Dixon

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 MANAGING DIRECTOR - PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Wootton The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, Australia www.intermedia.com.au EDITOR - HOSPITALITY Business Kimberley Dixon kdixon@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 0274 505 502 PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz SALES DIRECTOR Wendy Steele wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 300 473 SALES MANAGER - THE SHOUT Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz 021 256 6351 CONTRIBUTORS Sue Fea, Jes Magill, Catherine Milford GRAPHIC DESIGNER Adrian Tipper – atipper@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock – cblacklock@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper – jacqui@intermedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Eclypse Lee – Publishing Assistant elee@intermedianz.co.nz PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

CULINARY MASTERMIND • REGIONAL EXPERTISE • ROOFTOP HOT SPOT

ON THE COVER: CHEF® LIQUID CONCENTRATES

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz AUGUST 2018 Vol.5 No.7

INTENSE

FLAVOURS

AT ANY STAGE OF

CREATION INTRODUCING

CHEF® Liquid Concentrates

Serving Suggestions

Visit www.nestleprofessional.co.nz for more information.

NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST HOSPITALITY AUDIENCE

4 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

New CHEF® Liquid Concentrates are the game-changer chefs have been waiting for. Bursting with intense flavours and aromas, CHEF® Liquid Concentrates are set to become a kitchen staple. Available in a range of exceptional flavours - Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Fish, Vegetable and Mushroom - they come in handy ready-to-pour bottles.

For a free product demonstration with sampling call 0800 830 840 today. www.nestleprofessional.co.nz

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Copyright © 2017 - The Intermedia Group Ltd ISSN 2382-1892

Contents REGULARS

18

06 N EWS

A taste of what’s happening in hospitality

10 I N SEASON

Seasonal meat, fresh produce and seafood.

11 N EW OPENINGS

Restaurateurs commit to our industry

16 PROFILES

Rotorua icon & an Australian Master Chef

FEATURES 22 AUCKLAND’S BURGEONING HOTEL SECTOR New landscapes reflect gowth

26 C AFÉ BUSINESS

John Gordon takes 6th place at World Championships

32 E VENTS

Fine Food New Zealand 2018 attracts key delegates

26

16 33

31 Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 5

NEWS

As We See It Getting more women in to leadership Recently I was asked to chair a panel discussion at the HOTELS WORLD conference in Sydney. The topic of discussion was “The next great industry opportunity - Getting more women in to leadership.” To be honest I felt some ambivalence about chairing the panel; a part of me said, “are we really still having this conversation?” And yet I also acknowledge that Hospitality women are under-represented New Zealand in leadership roles in Hospitality, Vicki Lee, CEO just as they are in leadership roles in most sectors.

So … who needs to take responsibly for getting more women into leadership in Hospitality - and how best to go about it?

One thing that seemed obvious to me from the outset is that this needs to be an issue for everyone involved, not simply something only management or only men must do something about. I’ve always been a firm believer in hiring the best person for the job, but often women need help to believe they’re up for it. It’s long been said that women don’t apply for jobs or promotions unless they feel 90 -100% qualified and can check each individual job requirement off the list, whereas men are said to feel comfortable putting themselves forward when they believe they meet only 40 60% of the job requirements. So what role do gender approaches and women’s confidence play in women attaining senior roles in hospitality? In other words, what barriers are self-imposed - and what barriers are external?

Mentoring women who want to succeed seems key to resolving the issue. I have mentored many women in my 20

years in CEO roles in Australia and NZ, and I’ve often felt as women we can sometimes be our own worst enemy – imposter syndrome still exists today. It’s all our jobs to help women escape that mindset. Yes, it can be a challenge… but I believe it’s one worth fighting for, just as it is a challenge championing diversity in the work place in general (be that around gender, age, ethnicity or disability). We know that diversity and gender diversity is good for business. Further, women make up a significant proportion of the hospitality customer base, and those women want to see other women in management roles. But currently woman make up about 25 percent of senior managers in the Hospitality sector.

Career advancement, irrespective of gender, is never a oneway street – it requires the employee and employers to work closely. Growing women in Hospitality is a mix between the employee’s own abilities and efforts and the company’s support, encouragement, and openness to provide the opportunities and the networks.

Effective mentors and role models help people identify goals.

Mentors show a personal interest in their career; they encourage, motivate and seek out opportunities that highlight their talents.

As an industry example we’ve seen a recent case of this kind of mentoring in the IHG - InterContinental Hotels Group programme, RISE, launched last year, which inspires women leaders in Australia and New Zealand to ‘lean in’ to General Manager roles.

Change may not have come as quickly as we would have wanted, but the hospitality work place is changing. Our industry has traditionally demanded long hours, late nights and travel of its workers - which may have been barriers for some women to grow in our sector - but now with an increased appreciation of work/ life balance, the accepted importance of diversity, flexible hours, and the number of stay-at home-dads on the rise, the future looks bright for women in the sector.

WorldChefs honour Dilmah founder More than 1,000 of the world’s top chefs have feted Merrill J Fernando of Dilmah tea at their 2018 WorldChefs Congress.

Known widely in New Zealand for his Dilmah catch cry “do try it…”, Merrill J Fernando was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his “extraordinary passion and commitment to tea and his unique philosophy of making business as a matter of human service”.

The award was presented by WorldChefs’ President Thomas Gugler at the biennial global congress for 100 Chefs’ Societies held in Kuala Lumpur in July.

The Sri Lankan tea pioneer was saluted for his commitment to tea, especially the harsh early years when he fought for value addition at source and against the colonial economic system that saw his country’s prized crop sold as a commodity at auction in London.

When his brand Dilmah (named after his sons Dilhan and Malik) was born in 1988, it was a victory for farmers around the world as it was the first time that tea, coffee or cocoa was available that had been grown, picked, packed and branded at source by a farmer.

Merrill J Fernando points out that a farmer’s desire is for quality and that’s fundamentally different to the objective of a trader, who buys and sells tea purely for profit from and to any source in any market.

Less well known is Merrill J. Fernando’s commitment to family values and their embodiment in his brand through the philosophy of making business a matter of human service.

6 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

That principle requires each of the Dilmah Tea, plantation, packaging and ancillary businesses to contribute a minimum 10 percent of their pre-tax profits to the Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation (www.mjffoundation.org).

Among the outcomes of the Dilmah philosophy is the Empower Culinary School, a WorldChefs’ approved training school that offers culinary training free of charge to young women and men who are economically, socially or otherwise disadvantaged.

L to R: Dilmah Tea CEO Dilhan C Fernando, World Association of Chefs’ Societies Managing Director Ragnar Fridriksson, Merrill J Fernando and WorldChefs’ President Thomas Gugler

NEWS

Fine & home detention for tax failure Smiling under pressure, Hannah Love, a Wintec cookery student in competition mode at the Waikato Culinary Fare.

Students Vie For Top School Status The heat was on at the biggest culinary competition in New Zealand when 500 secondary and tertiary students took over Wintec’s Centre for Hospitality kitchens during the 2018 Waikato Culinary Fare.

Students from Hamilton Girls’ High School took out the top school award and a record four golds with distinction were handed out to entrants in the intermediate school cupcake class.

Wintec Centre for Hospitality team manager Peter Radojkovich says the competition attracts more secondary school entries year on year and increasingly, secondary school students are entering the fare’s live competitions and mystery box section.

“Culinary Fare is an opportunity for our young chefs of the future to experience friendly competition under pressure, although it was noticeable how calm and confident the competitors were this year,” says Peter.

Peter puts the calmness and the rising skill levels down to the dedication of school food technology teachers and tertiary tutors.

“The standard of work in both the live and static categories continues to impress judges and this is a credit to the teachers who spend hours training and supporting their students to achieve in this competition,” he says.

“Winning is a huge boost to student confidence.”

Wintec’s kitchens were buzzing with competition fever as future chefs iced cupcakes, got creative with hamburger and pizza combinations and grappled with the mystery box challenge. Putting their nerves aside, they demonstrated their finely-tuned knife skills and restaurant-standard table-setting.

In its 14th year, Waikato Culinary Fare promotes cooking as a career and aims to nurture young talent by providing a culinary competition platform for secondary school and tertiary students. The competition managed by Wintec and Cater Plus grows year on year, and this year attracted students from Wintec, Toi Ohomai and New Zealand Management Academies as well as representation from 25 high schools. Teams travelled from as far as Auckland, Thames, Taupo and Rotorua.

Employability Matters – AUT Links Students With Industry A week-long series of free events designed to prepare AUT students for the working world includes an opportunity for the university’s hospitality students to meet potential employers and explore career opportunities. Scheduled for Day 3, of the week (August 13 – 17), the Careers Fair includes organisations such as Air New Zealand, SkyCity, Vodafone Events Centre, Hipgroup, and Helloworld.

Called Employability Matters – Create the Future You Want, the series of events links the University with the community that many students will enter and also looks at overseas internship and scholarship information.

To register and gain further details go to www.aut.ac.nz/elab 8 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

A week-long series of free events at AUT are designed to enhance communication between students and employers.

Christchurch restaurateur Jonathon Charles Schwass has been given six months’ home detention for not passing on more than $250,000 of his employees’ tax deductions.

Schwass was sentenced on 21 charges relating to BTS Restaurants Ltd in Christchurch District Court.

He had failed to pay Inland Revenue $265,689 in PAYE, child support, student loan, and KiwiSaver deductions over a 21-month period.

Inland Revenue spokesperson Tony Morris said Schwass had used the money he deducted from his employees’ wages to pay creditors in order to keep trading.

“Mr Schwass was effectively using money that should have gone towards paying for important social services as a free loan to keep his business afloat,” Mr Morris says.

“That’s completely unacceptable – the money employers deduct from staff wages is held in trust on behalf of the Crown. It’s not theirs to use, because it belongs to taxpayers.”

Schwass had been in business for many years and fully understood his tax obligations. An analysis of the business bank accounts showed there were sufficient funds to make the payments in eight out of 21 monthly periods.

“We got in touch with Mr Schwass only a couple of months after the first payment was missed, warning him of the consequences of nonpayment, yet he continually failed to meet his obligations.”

Schwass was also ordered to pay $130,000 in reparation. From this, $13,870 would be directed to his former employees’ KiwiSaver accounts to cover the KiwiSaver employer contributions he had not paid.

New Zealand’s largest hospitality audience eNewsletter

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Hospitality Business is New Zealand’s leading source of business information for hospitality industry professionals.

Our media community consists of 87,939* industry professionals. Key decision makers & influencers include: • Restaurant and Bar owners • Directors • Restaurant managers

• Bar managers • Café managers • Hotel Managers

The backbone of the Hospitality Business brand is the magazine (11 Issues annually, print & digital). The circulation is 8000 print copies nationally and 12,136 digital.

A weekly eNewsletter sent four times a month reaches 48,544 hospitality industry professionals. Subscribers are kept up to date with the latest content, tips, trends, events, product releases and giveaways.

Magazine (print & emag) eNewsletter monthly reach Social Media followers Website page views*

In addition www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz is the online content library, and includes an extensive array of news items and content plus an internal search engine.

Hospitality Business also has a rapidly growing social media reach of 11,867 followers courtesy of content shared through dedicated Facebook,Twitter and Instagram pages.

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Total Cumulative Audience 87,939* every month

%

23

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55

%

To discuss print, digital and social media advertising opportunities contact

Wendy Steele - 021 300 473 - wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz

(* as at 1.7.18)

IN SEASON

MEAT d BEEF CHEEK Beef cheek is a wonderful flavoursome cut to use on winter menus. Using a slow braise is the best way to bring out the flavour and create a soft buttery texture which can be used in a variety of dishes. The dish pictured here by chef Andrew May of Amayjen Restaurant in Feilding caught our eye and features smoked beef cheek with sticky glaze, cauliflower and truffle emulsion, pickled carrots & crushed garlic tuile. Andrew says he braises the beef cheek for four hours before shredding the meat and rolling into a sausage shape to set. He then smokes it again on the plate under a cloche when serving at the table which goes down a treat with his customers. Served with the sharp flavours of pickled carrots and home-made pickles works well with the rich flavours of the beef cheek. nzexcellenceawards.co.nz

SEAFOOD

c MOKI Blue moki are caught year-round in east coast waters as far north as the Bay of Plenty and as far south as Kaikōura in depths up to 150 metres. Blue moki belong to the Latrididae family - a cousin of the Trumpeter. They have deep, compressed bodies, thick, fleshy lips and grey-blue skin with a silver belly and sides. A broad dark band across their back is what distinguishes them from a trumpeter.

They are an exceptionally large and long-lived species – reaching 80cm in length, 10kg in weight and live to about 30 years old. Preferring cooler temperatures, they migrate to Mahia Peninsula and the Gisborne coast during winter for spawning season and return to the cool waters of the South Island during summer.

Blue moki are delicious to eat. They are extremely versatile, good value for money and have bold earthy flavours owing to their kelp-based diet. Fillets are firm, hold their shape well and have pink flesh that lightens upon cooking. An ample amount of fat between the fillet and the skin make them a popular choice among chefs. Cooking moki with its skin on melts the fat and bastes the fish while creating that crispy skin. The fish is equally good crumbed, steamed or smoked. For a dish full of flavour, try stuffing blue moki with lemon, sage, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, butter and olive oil and bake in foil or roast whole in the oven.

For more ways to enjoy blue moki, visit www.seafood.co.nz/recipes.

FRESH PRODUCE d TOMATOES Tomatoes are the second most popular fresh produce sold in New Zealand and with exciting new varieties hitting the shelves, sales are soaring. Great tomatoes are no longer restricted to the colour red. Orange, yellow, and mocha coloured tomatoes are offering even greater variety to tomato lovers in terms of flavour and texture like the new Chefs Selection from Beekist®.

Smaller, sweeter Angel tomatoes from Beekist® give a burst of colour to pizza tops and are a juicy accompaniment to a cooked breakfast or brunch dish. Eating tomatoes has long been linked to heart health and fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol. They’re also a rich source of lycopene known to potentially reduce the risk of heart disease – another reason to add tomatoes to hearty dishes this winter. Members of the foodservice sector can purchase fresh produce from T&G’s 12 marketfloors or online www.tandg.global www.firstpick.co.nz c MANDARINS Citrus is renowned over the winter months not only for its bursting flavour on plates but for its high Vitamin C and the ability to help protect us from winter’s ills and chills. Mandarins are grown in Kerikeri and Gisborne and are sold available across New Zealand. Sun is extremely important for the mandarin trees as they need between 8 -10 hours of sunlight a day to thrive. Satsuma mandarins are a favourite here as they’re deliciously juicy, seedless and their loose skin makes them easy to peel - perfect for dropping into salads even in winter.

They’re harvested between May and August but also look out for Encore and Richards Special.

10 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

NEW OPENINGS

“Ivy-Style”

Hotel Opens in Frankton

WYNDHAM GARDEN HOTEL

32 Red Oaks Drive, 9300 Queenstown, +64-3-2227058 Queenstown’s swanky new Wyndham Garden Hotel lives up to its name with plenty of fresh greenery, natural wood and earthy tones.

The 75-room property – 21 hotel rooms and 54 fully-equipped studios and apartments – features a conference and meeting room which seats 60 people theatre style or 30 in a boardroom format.

Just a stone’s throw from Queenstown’s busy international airport at Frankton, this meeting facility has already proved popular within weeks of opening.

General Managers Gary Hyde and Karen Barr say they’ve already hosted corporate groups for meetings and small conferences. “A lot of corporates say they enjoy the fact that they don’t have to travel into the centre of downtown Queenstown. It’s five minutes from the airport and they can come here for a weekend and leave without heading into town if they don’t want to,” says Gary.

The décor in the common areas and rooms fits beautifully with the whole ‘Gardens’ greenery and ivy-style theme and that relaxed environment flows through to the hotel’s landscaping.

There is a sunny, relaxed on site deli-café leased by a private operator in the hotel foyer. The 70-seater Frank’s Pantry fits the modern, contemporary hotel space perfectly, offering lots of healthy breakfast, brunch and lunch options using free range, Kiwi produce and local ingredients. Pappa Salmon and the sweet Brioche Frenchie are firm favourites so far and the café offers a great ‘make your own’ homemade bagel range. Frank’s Pantry is the third member of the Frank’s family, owned and operated by local couple Victoria and Aaron Lethbridge. Frank’s Pantry was created to offer a relaxed, deli-style cafe with plenty of options to eat in or grab-and-go, from either the cabinet or menu. With the original, Frank’s Eatery, beneath the neighbouring Ramada Hotel, now increasingly busy, the vision for Pantry was to offer an alternative menu with more of a focus on brunch/lunch options, while offering the same quality and value.

The studios and apartments each have their own in-room laundry facilities, which Karen says has been a big plus so far for tour groups. “It’s a big surprise for them to see a washing machine and dryer actually in their room and they’re really pleased,” she says.

Wyndham Garden Queenstown is the global chain’s second hotel in Queenstown and the resort’s second ‘airport hotel’. It joins the hospitality giant’s Ramada Hotel and Suites Queenstown Remarkables Park, which opened in 2016.

The Wyndham Garden chain has about 8000 hotels worldwide. Both Queenstown hotels are owned and operated by Marsden Associates and are among the company’s five Wyndham Hotel Group franchises in New Zealand, alongside properties in Auckland and Christchurch.

As the fifth completed collaboration between Wyndham Hotel Group and experienced local developer Safari Group, Wyndham Garden Queenstown also follows four Ramada developments in Auckland, Albany, Christchurch and Queenstown.

The Queenstown hotel’s already clocked weekends of 97 percent occupancy this ski season with an overall occupancy for the month of July sitting at about 60 percent and August almost the same.

Strong spring and summer bookings are already locked in, particularly from American and Asian tour groups, so since the so-called ‘soft opening’ in April Gary and Karen have been working pretty hard.

“We’re delighted with how busy we’ve been so far,” says Karen, who worked at the ‘Duke Marlborough Hotel’ in Russell for over eight years as front office manager. Gary worked as caretaker of private estates in the Bay of Islands. Both Karen and Gary have worked in hospitality for more than 20 years combined, for the past 10 years both managing motor lodges in Tauranga and Gisborne and moving recently from jointly managing Ramada Christchurch for two years.

The plush new hotel was officially christened by Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult earlier this month.

Wyndham Garden managing director of franchise operations for South East Asia Pacific Ben Schumacher was also on hand for the celebrations as was Rob Neil of Safari Group, the hotel development company.

Wyndham’s president and managing director of international operations, Barry Robinson says it’s been exciting for the chain to open its first property under the flag in New Zealand. It’s the perfect positioning in the booming Remarkables Park precinct – within walking distance of both Queenstown Airport and the shuttle bus to The Remarkables Ski Area, and only a short drive from Coronet Peak Ski Area, he says. >> Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 11

NEW OPENINGS MIRO

176 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch Ph: 03 9259909 www.miro.nz Wanaka’s Francesca Voza has done it again, launching her 10th new South Island venue – Miro in central Christchurch. “I really love setting up new businesses, finding a need somewhere and filling that gap,” says Francesca. Miro has a big focus on breakfast, brunch and lunch, with its breakfast cocktail line-up accompanying great breakfast favourites like Eggs Benedict, waffles, hotcakes, smoothie bowls and smoothies. Miro also turns out some great twists on old classics. There’s even a Spanish-style Huevos Rancheros – eggs, corn tortilla and beans – breakfast option. A custom-made charcoal grill serves up delicious fish and meat cuts. Gluten, dairy-free and vegan options are all very well covered on the menu, with free range and organic produce to the fore here.

THE CRAFT EMBASSY

CANYON FOOD & BREW

Morning Star Reserve, 1 Arthur’s Point Road Ph: 03 4428692 www.canyonfoodandbrew.co.nz There’s plenty of action inside and out at Canyon Food & Brew, newly opened alongside the Shotover Jet base at Arthur’s Point, near Queenstown. Craft beer and food lovers are fully entertained inside, enjoying the open space microbrewery in action, as well as the chefs at work in the open theatre-style kitchen.

Classic Kiwi fish and chips, hearty cuts of meat, pasta and authentic woodfired pizza made in a pizza oven imported from Italy, have been delighting the crowds, with Canyon Beef Burger and local Cardrona Merino Lamb taking top spots as favourites. Canyon beans on toast and granola are popular in the breakfast line-up. With seating for about 45 inside and more than 50 outside, Canyon Food & Brew offers front row seats right on the Shotover River bank, overlooking the adventure action of the Shotover Jet jetboat ride.

HAWKER & ROLL

Level 1, 126 Oxford Tce, Christchurch Ph: 03 3666055 www.craftembassy.co.nz The Craft Embassy in The Terrace, overlooking the Avon River precinct, sports an incredible selection of 30 independent craft beers – a craft beer lover’s dream. The décor is warm and inviting and head chef Jason Smith, who’s clocked some impressive stints on his CV during time working in Australia, is turning out great food. There’s an extensive selection of shared plates on offer, including Southern Fried Fish Tacos, Mac ‘n’ ‘Cini Balls, Southern Fried Chicken and Lamb Koftas. Co-owner Seth Hamilton says the burgers have also been going down a treat with a beer, as have blackened market fish, Canterbury lamb rump, smoked beef fillet and crispy skinned duck breast.

Top of Queenstown Mall, Queenstown Ph: 03 2651041 www.hawkerandroll.co.nz Hawker & Roll is MasterChef maestro Josh Emett and business partner Fleur Caulton’s latest gig in downtown Queenstown. The pair, who now own five Madam Woo Restaurants around the country, including Queenstown, and the exclusive Rata Restaurant in the resort, recently opened Hawker & Roll, their Madam Woo spin-off, in Auckland’s Sylvia Park.

Hawker & Roll Queenstown has now joined the stable, turning out great, fast and casual Madam Woo favourites with the hawker roll at the heart of the menu. These delicious, flakey roti rolls come filled with six different Malaysian flavours – prawn, chicken, duck, the very popular cold sticky pork and beef rending. Dumplings, spring rolls and Malaysianspiced chicken wings, grace the sides menu, alongside slaws and rice salads.

12 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

AWARDS

M i llion s of s at i s f i ed di n ers

Entries Open For Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards

1 0,000 beef & lamb dishes assessed

2 ,000

3,500

chefs involved

1 50

culinary trained assessors

gold plat es awarded

&

80

BEEF & LA M B AMBASSADOR CHEFS

T w en t y FI V E A m b as s ador S er i es Di nners

23 23 y ea r s t he Awa r d s hav e been ru nn i ng . t he longest- ru nn i ng c u li n a ry awa r d s i n New Z ea l a nd

NINE

Platinum Ambassador Chefs

ONE

Beef & La m b Excellenc e Award s

ENTRIES OPEN 23 JULY 2018

nz excellence awar d s.c o.nz

Hospitality New Zealand Annual Conference Held in stunning Queenstown across 26 & 27 September 2018 at Rydges Resort.

Guest speakers: kiwi entrepreneur Al Brown Lonely Planet innovator Gus Balbontin The conference is a great opportunity to hear from trendsetters, mix with peers, and celebrate successes in the industry. Two evening events will culminate in the National Awards of Excellence (Black Tie). www.hospitality.org.nz/conference

New Zealand is renowned for its world-class beef and lamb by locals and visitors alike.

The intention of the Beef and Lamb Excellence awards is to further extend the country’s food story by acknowledging the great work New Zealand chefs are doing in creating innovative and cutting-edge cuisine. The Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards are not about restaurants being ranked against their culinary peers, instead they result in each recipient being grouped among leaders in the food service industry. Entries for the 23rd annual Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards opened on July 23. Applications can be made online at www.nzexcellenceawards.co.nz

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AWARDS

And the 2018 Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards finalists are!

Celebrating Regional Excellence The finalists for the 2018 Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards have been announced, with up and coming establishments and familiar faces vying for top spots.

Presented by the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, the Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards recognise outstanding hospitality professionals making a positive impact on the local hospitality scene. Marisa Bidois, CEO Restaurant Association of NZ says “We think it’s important to celebrate one another in the hospitality industry. Our work is physical and demanding and there are limited

opportunities to come together to support each other. The Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards represent the occasion to do just that – celebrate the hard work and success of the hospitality industry within the Hawke’s Bay region.”

The winners will be announced at the awards evening, held at the MTG Hawke’s Bay on Monday, 6 August. Guests will then be transported to Shed 2 and enjoy a ‘Mexican Fiesta’ themed evening of delicious tapas, selection of local beverage offerings and entertainment by DJ Hurricane.

2018 HAWKE'S BAY FINALISTS Meadow Fresh Outstanding Barista of the Year • Aydan Apiata, Mister D Dining • Benjamin Fernandez, Georgia on Tennyson • Ryan Huthnance, Crazy Good Coffee Bidfood Hawke’s Bay Outstanding Café of the Year • Adoro Ahuriri Café • Hapi • F.G.Smith Nova Energy Outstanding Coffee Establishment of the Year • Cupple • Georgia on Tennyson • Hawthorne Coffee Roasters Simply Squeezed Outstanding Bartender of the Year • Claudia Hintz, Loading Ramp • Dave Morris, Funbuns • Jonathan Lopez, Matisse Wine Bar Restaurant Association of NZ Outstanding Bar of the Year • Loading Ramp • Monica Loves • Matisse Wine Bar

Unison Fibre Outstanding Local of the Year • Common Room • Rose & Shamrock • Westshore Beach Inn GrabOne Outstanding Front of House Team of the Year • Deliciosa • JARKs Cityside Restaurant & Bar • Loading Ramp EIT Emerging Chef of the Year • Auden Smith, Gin Trap • Dom Michau, Diva Bar & Bistro • Dylan Olsen, Clearview Estate Winery Service Foods Outstanding Chef of the Year • Ashley Jones, Elephant Hill • Casey MacDonald, Terrôir Restaurant, Craggy Range • Hayden Esau, Matisse Wine Bar Shed 2 Outstanding Sales Rep of the Year • Bryce Weir, Bidfood Hawke’s Bay • David Thompson, Gourmeats • Shaye Bird, Liquor King

Clearview Estate Winery Outstanding Ambience & Design • Funbuns • Matisse Wine Bar • Mamacita Restaurant Association of NZ Outstanding Wine & Beverage List • Deliciosa • Emporium Eatery & Bar • Matisse Wine Bar Restaurant Association of NZ Outstanding Winery Restaurant of the Year • Clearview Estate Winery and Restaurant • Elephant Hill • Te Awa Winery Restaurant • Terrôir Restaurant, Craggy Range Eftpos NZ Outstanding Ethnic Restaurant of the Year • Funbuns • Indigo • Sai Thai OneMusic Outstanding Restaurant of the Year • Mister D • Hunger Monger • Malo

Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 15

FEATURE

Rotorua Icon Of Industry Award Winner -

Ray Singh A positive thinker with a passion for hospitality.

BY SUE FEA

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Ray Singh, industry icon, at his award winning The Indian Star restaurant!

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is highly successful, award-winning restaurant is aptly named ‘The Indian Star’, but so is the hospitality icon who makes it happen.

Long-time Rotorua restaurateur Ray Singh not only cleaned up Rotorua’s “Icon of Hospitality’ award at the recent Restaurant Association of New Zealand Rotorua Hospitality Awards, but The Indian Star scooped the Outstanding Ethnic Restaurant of the Year for the second year running. The Indian Star also took an award for “Outstanding Front of House Team” last year. In fact Ray and his popular, upmarket 110-seater restaurant have taken out 15 or 16 awards – the first accolade landing on the doorstep only a year after the restaurant opened in 2001.

For Ray, who has worked hard with his wife Kashmir Kaur and an awesome team to make the business successful and sustainable, it’s a great honour and privilege to be recognise as a recipient for the prestigious “Icon of Hospitality” award.

He’s pretty chuffed to be at the top of the restaurant game after a hospitality career spanning more than 30 years, both in India and New Zealand.

16 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

It all started for Ray after he graduated back in his home region of Punjab, India, as a young man, scoring a role as general manager of a two-star hotel there. “Hospitality was really in my blood as I was always thinking to open my own business,” says Ray. “I’m a front man. I don’t cook, although I know how to cook, but I’ve never cooked in a restaurant. I just eat,” he grins.

In the mid-1990’s a restaurateur from Papatoetoe in South Auckland came to visit him at the hotel in India as he was looking for chefs and staff. “I helped him and organised three staff to come here to New Zealand in 1995. After that he wanted to sponsor me as manager to run his restaurant, Taj of India.” Ray worked there for six months before the business was sold, then scoring himself a job at the Poenamo Hotel in Takapuna, it was renowned on the North Shore for hosting high profile guests like the All Blacks.

By 2001 he’d bought his own restaurant, The Indian Star, which has undergone three refurbishments during the past 18 years – the biggest and most expensive in 2009. “It was a complete refurbishment,” says Ray. “I spent about $200,000, pulling out everything – the ceiling, floor,

“There are three vital ingredients to Ray’s recipe – the quality of the food, flawless service and cleanliness.”

kitchen, bar and toilets. People said, ‘Ray is crazy. He should be saving his money’, because it was in the middle of the global financial crisis,” he says. “However, I didn’t listen to them and I did what I thought was the right thing to do for the business. I’m a positive thinker and I have a passion for hospitality. I knew it would work.” He and Kashmir had already turned the business around in those first eight years, and that 2009 investment has certainly more than paid off.

Indian Star Restaurant turns out close to 200 covers on a normal weekend and between 60 and 70 each week day, depending on conference activity in the city.

“The highest number of covers we’ve turned out on one night was 276 all seated in the restaurant, that’s excluding our takeaways,” says Ray. Success doesn’t come without a lot of dedication and efforts though, and there are three vital ingredients to Ray’s recipe – the quality of the food, flawless service and cleanliness. “That’s what I’ve learned in my 31 years of hospitality.”

He’s always careful to hire good chefs with the right skills and at The Indian Star they wouldn’t be without their authentic clay Tandoori oven, used to prepare Ray’s favourite, Tandoori Chicken.

“My wife usually cooks for us at home, but when I do eat in the restaurant I always love that. It’s a barbecue-roasted boneless chicken marinated overnight in many different herbs and spices - a garam masala including ginger, garlic, coriander and yoghurt, then skewered and roasted in a clay oven,” says Ray. “A lot of customers get excited that we have a traditional clay Tandoori oven and they often ask to come to the kitchen and watch us how we roast our meats and Naan bread in there.” n Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 17

LEADING SUSTAINABILITY

We’re Feeling The Love,

Luke!

Chef Luke Mangan talks exclusively to Hospitality Business on sustainable success!

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ne of Australia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs, Sydneybased chef Luke Mangan is a breath of fresh air. Yes, he’s a celebrity chef but he’s real too. He applauds the return to “honest, real food” and raves about New Zealand’s produce, restaurants and wine, and we love that.

He was at the Hilton Auckland recently recreating his iconic signature seafood dishes for the Cheers to Local event, held to highlight the increasing need to support sustainable practices and use locally sourced ingredients.

For the five course collaborative degustation, Luke was assisted by his head chef from glass brasserie, and FISH Restaurant’s executive chef Wallace Mua, who contributed two dishes to the stellar culinary line-up.

Tell us about your philosophy on food and those famous signature dishes: I’m all about a clean simple approach to cooking and light, healthy eating. I think people tend to overcomplicate things. If you have

18 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

beautiful ingredients all you need to do is show them respect. I think food is coming back to its roots and that’s a good thing. Thank god we’ve gone through the molecular stage!

Signature dishes are really up to the customer. At glass we do about 5000 covers a week and the sashimi, crab omelette and liquorice dessert are still our biggest sellers. Every month I’m looking at sales, what’s popular and what’s not and when things start to drop off, I look at evolving dishes on the menu.

For Cheers to Local, the beautiful thing about our sashimi dish is we can use local kingfish or salmon, and served with shallot, soy and a simple picked ginger (ginger is one of my favourite ingredients), it’s all very clean and simple.

The crab omelette is served with a mustard/miso broth – you’re seeing a little Japanese influence in my food which I love, and the liquorice parfait we used to serve here at when it was White. I asked our pastry chef at glass to evolve the dessert for me, keeping the same flavours of liquorice and lime. Natalie made it more into a type of

LEADING SUSTAINABILITY

CHEERS TO LOCAL Hilton Sydney glass restaurant & Hilton Auckland’s FISH restaurant collaborative degustation held last month featured: • Kingfish, ginger & eschalLots, feta, rocket - glass • Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc • Bay of Plenty scampi carpaccio with ginger gelato – FISH • Cloudy Bay Chardonnay • Crab omelette, enoki mushroom salad and miso broth - glass • Cloudy Bay Te Koko • Belly of lamb, veloute, candied walnuts and dehydrated cauliflower - FISH • Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir • Liquorice and lime trifle - glass • Cloudy Bay Pelorus Rose

Chef Luke Mangan

mousse and has done a really good job. A lot of our chefs have input with our menus in that way.

You juggle a lot of plates with your commitments. Your team no doubt helps you but what else keeps them in the air?

You’ve got to make the most of life and I love what I do. I like nice wine, good experiences and travel. And when I arrive in a new city, the first thing I do is head to the food markets. I can’t sit at a five or 10 course tasting menu for three hours. I get bored pretty easily and I think my staff will get bored if they don’t have fun. Our head office is in a warehouse with a bar and a ping pong table so people can go and have a drink after work and have some fun. I think that’s important.

What impresses you from our line-up of fresh, sustainable produce and how do you find our dining scene?

The produce and the chefs here are amazing. There’s so much passion and commitment from everyone – the chefs, restaurateurs, right through to growers and producers. We deal with a lot of Mt Cook Alpine Salmon and Ora King Salmon, which we serve in some of our restaurants in Asia and Sydney. Ora King salmon works really well for sashimi because of its rich flavour and high oil content.

How about our wines? Red, pink or white?

I love Cloudy Bay Te Koko, a stunning sav blanc and it’s on our wine lists. I love your pinot noirs too. Sam Neill’s wines and Gibbston Estate; they’re all on our lists. We feature a high number of New Zealand wines in our restaurants because I like to showcase what Australasia is all about, not just Australia.

What has been your biggest lesson?

I opened Salt in Sydney when I was 29 as a young and arrogant chef.

Sure we were doing good things, but I wish I could have been more relaxed. I guess that comes with age!

Hospitality doesn’t seem as appealing to the younger generation as it used to. Why? Sadly we see Gordon going off in kitchens and hear stories of long hours and low pay. I’ve never worked a hard day in my life because I love what I do. When I started cooking I worked 95 hours a week. Now I probably still work 14 to 15 hours a day but I love it.

We don’t sell the industry well enough and what you can gain from it. But don’t come into it just to become a celebrity chef; you’ve got to come into it wanting to learn. I say to young cooks, it’s what you put in.

It’s like making stock, what you put in is what you’re going to get out of it. Beautiful herbs, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, let them cook slowly and simmer – that’s the best thing ever. If you can do that with cooking, or anything, you’re going to get so much more out of it.

Tell us about your passion projects, The Inspired Stories and Appetite for Excellence: We created The Inspired Stories programme with industry leaders to help educate and support our young up-and-coming chefs and hospitality students. It’s in partnership with Sydney TAFE and we are now taking it into schools so kids from 15 to 17 who are wondering what they’re going to do career-wise can take a look at hospitality. Appetite for Excellence is Australia’s only national hospitality program that recognises and awards talented chefs, waiters and restaurateurs who are next generation industry leaders. We’re thinking of bringing both initiatives here too because we know you have similar industry shortages.

How big is too big for a hospitality group?

When I walk into one of my restaurants and I’m not getting what I envisaged in the first place, that’s a problem. The music has to be right, the flowers, the uniforms, so I get the look and feel. When the touches start to go that means you’re not in it for the right reasons. I’m not saying we get it right all the time but we try. n THE LUKE MANGAN & CO HOSPITALITY GROUP OWNS & OPERATES: • Sydney: Luke’s Kitchen, Chicken Confidential, and glass brasserie • Singapore: Salt grill & Sky bar and Salt tapas & bar • Tokyo: Chicken Confidential. Coast Café + Bar and Bridge Bar • Sydney Airport: Salt grill, A Taste of Salt • Menus on board five P&O Cruise liners • Business Class consulting chef for Virgin Australia

Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 19

ASIAN EXPERTISE

Modern Chinese Cooking

Enthusiasts Compete

A trip to Hong Kong to compete in the Lee Kum Kee International Young Chef Chinese Culinary Challenge 2018 plus a twelve month ambassadorial role awaits the NZ Hospitality Championships ‘Modern Chinese Cuisine’ class winner.

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and many chefs from all over New Zealand, under the age of 40 and skilled in the art of Chinese cuisine, have signed up for the challenge after sending in their video entries,” says NZ Chefs Association Executive Janine Quaid.

Linda Ho, Chair of the Hong Kong competition’s organising committee, said the winner will represent New Zealand among 51 other talented chefs from 17 participating countries and regions at the third annual Lee Kum Kee culinary challenge. These include China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Columbia and Australia. It is an international platform for chefs from around the world to learn and interact with each other in order to raise the global standard of Chinese cuisine.”

The Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner will be held at the Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong on Thursday 20 September. Lee Kum Kee is celebrating 130 years of operating.

Linda Ho also confirmed that the NZHC winner would be financially rewarded for any work done while carrying out the Lee Kum Kee Ambassadorial role.

“However, before jetting off, the entrant must first win the New Zealand Hospitality Championship’s Modern Chinese Cuisine Cooking Class at the Logan Campbell Centre, ASB Showground, Greenlane, in Auckland on Sunday August 12. Contestants will have 75 minutes to produce four entrees and four main courses for the judges to taste, each identically plated and using at least three Lee Kum Kee products,” said Janine Quaid.

NZHC ‘Modern Chinese Cuisine’ Cooking Class Winner will represent New Zealand in Hong Kong

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HOTEL NEWS

Kathy Guy – General Manager

S

Extraordinaire

Wairakei Resort & Chateau Tongariro General Manager Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

he’s about to retire after an impressive hospitality career spanning some 40 years so being awarded the New Zealand hotel industry’s highest honour recently was a fitting tribute for Taupo’s Kathy Guy. General manager of both the Wairakei Resort and sister hotel, the Chateau Tongariro, Kathy was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the New Zealand Hotel Conference late June.

Raised in Te Puke, Kathy’s hotel industry career began back in 1990.

Prior to that she had worked in food and beverage, in both Taupo and Brisbane. “I started as a conference coordinator, then an event manager, and moved on into sales and marketing,” says Kathy. She obviously impressed the boss as by 1999 she was given the opportunity to manage one of the country’s most legendary historic hotel properties, the beautiful Chateau Tongariro. “In 2005 I had the opportunity to come back to Wairakei Resort as group manager of both of those properties.”

One of the highlights of her career was overseeing the 40-room extension development of the Chateau as project manager, bringing the stately heritage property to its maximum capacity of 106 rooms. That extension opened in 2004.

“The year after that the owners asked me to come back to Wairakei Resort and manage both properties.”

It’s not such a common pathway to a hospitality career these days with so many great tertiary and training institutions turning out young hospitality graduates, but learning on the job is still a very valuable option, says Kathy.

She and her secondary school teacher husband ended up in Taupo with their young family when he scored a job in the town. Hotel work suited their young family environment at the time. “I could go to work when he got home,” says Kathy. “I really enjoyed working in hospitality.

I’m a very driven person so it was easy to move through to a new career in hotels.”

She’d been part of the operations team at Lane Cove, a high end, 5-star motor inn in Taupo during the 1980’s, then at The Lake Hotel, a Lion Breweries property that in its heyday had one of the country’s busiest Cobb & Co restaurants. Kathy then moved on to Huka Village Estate – a purpose-built convention centre and her first introduction to conference management.

“A role then came up as conference co-ordinator at Wairakei Resort.” The resort had just been sold by the then THC (former Tourist Hotel Corporation) to Bay View International Hotels and Resorts,

22 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

a Singapore-based, Malaysian-owned company that owns 15 hotels throughout the world.

“A lot of hotels still advocate learning on the job like I did and offer in-house trainee options. There are a lot of great tertiary and training institutions available, but nothing beats pragmatic experience – that experiential side of training,” says Kathy. “You learn quickly if you’re that kind of personality.”

Learn quickly she did, stepping into an extremely impressive career that has seen her travel the world, both professionally and privately.“I’ve travelled considerably in my role, particularly in sales, all throughout Asia. There have been so many wonderful opportunities like project managing the Chateau extension, for example. It’s been pretty rewarding,” says Kathy.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award is by no means her first major accolade either. In 2009 Kathie was named Hospitality Personality of the Year at the Hospitality Association Awards, recognising her contribution to the industry. She was also made a New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List.

However, Kathy says she doesn’t do any of it for the accolades. “I’m a firm believer in giving back to the industry and I guess serving is one way I can do that.”

Kathy served for two terms on the National Board of Tourism New Zealand from the late 1990’s, was a regional chair for the New Zealand Hotel Council and has been involved in many regional tourism destination campaigns. She sat on the Visit Ruapehu and Destination Great Lake Taupo boards, as well as the Lake Taupo Economic Development Board and the Lake Taupo Airport Authority. However, after about 40 years of business and community service it’s time for Kathy to pull back and enjoy some “me time”. She’ll continue to serve on the board of the Lake Taupo Hospice though.

She hopes the industry that she loves will continue to thrive with plenty of young blood taking up the career options that she did. “It’s always a challenge in our industry to attract good people. Hospitality has traditionally been viewed as the job you can do until you get a job,” says Kathy. “It’s about creating pathways for young people and convincing parents to allow their children to pursue hospitality as a career. It’s not often seen as glamorous, but it can lead you all over the world,” she says. “There are opportunities in so many different departments now, including back end roles like revenue management, IT and engineering to name a few.” >>

HOTEL NEWS

Ten-Storey Luxury Britomart Hotel Under Way Construction of The Hotel “The Hotel Britomart is An artist’s impressions of the new hotel and Britomart has kicked off an exciting new challenge the adjacent Masonic and Buckland buildings. in downtown Auckland and the start of a new launching another phase of evolution for phase in the 15-year urban Britomart,” Matthew renewal of the heritage Cockram, chief executive of waterfront precinct. The Cooper and Company said. hotel will have 99 rooms Cheshire Architects and five suites, and will decided on brick to give feature a distinctive brick the hotel a sense of exterior and an irregular solidity and to reference pattern of windows. its links with the adjacent The bricks are heritage buildings. designed to link with the Key architectural many heritage buildings features were irregular in the Britomart precinct. patterned bricks and Ten storeys high, the hotel will provide luxury accommodation and windows. The rustic nature of the bricks contrast with the sleekness of developers are targeting a five-Green Star rating. the modern windows, Hansen said.

The construction project also includes the refurbishment and Cheshire has been involved with the Britomart Precinct for several restoration of the adjoining Masonic and Buckland heritage buildings. years from the master planning to the development of restaurants and It is being developed by Cooper and Company, the Auckland company other hospitality services. Cheshire also designed the 99 rooms and five which has developed the waterfront complex of heritage and new suites interiors. buildings into a mix of restaurants, bars, boutiques, offices and services “The Landing Suites” will have crafted furniture and “spacious living and is to be built by Bracewell Construction. and dining areas”. Three of the suites will have garden terraces.

Construction is expected to take 20 months with bookings opening Cooper and Company also manages The Landing, a vineyard with about six months prior to completion. Designed by Cheshire Architects, residences in the Bay of Islands. the hotel will be built at the corner of Gore and Galway streets.

“Our experience in providing luxury accommodation and hospitality The site was occupied for seven years by a highly popular popat The Landing in the Bay of Islands made us want to create a city hotel up bar, the Britomart Country Club, which closed its doors recently that expresses all the values of the Britomart precinct,” Peter Cooper, and work is now under way on the heritage buildings after the site executive chairman of Cooper and Company, said. was cleared.

In addition to the lobby,The Hotel Britomart’s ground floor will have Cooper and Company has appointed international hoteliers TFE retail,food and beverage outlets. It will be connected to the adjacent heritage Hotels as operator and manager under the TFE Collections brand, a buildings by a laneway that will lead to the hotel’s main entrance and also portfolio of hotels in Australia and New Zealand which “have a sense of form a new connection with Customs St through the Masonic Building. The story and place”. two heritage buildings will be refurbished and leased as commercial tenancies.

Rooftop Hot Spot Planned The highly anticipated SO Auckland is gearing up to open in the latter part of 2018. Located in the heart of Auckland’s central business district and neighbour to the revitalised Britomart precinct and waterfront, SO Auckland occupies the once home of the Reserve Bank housing the country’s gold stockpile.

Inspired by its surrounds and Auckland itself the audacious design of the 130 guest rooms, restaurants and bars will be a blend of traditions with the avant-garde. The hotel will feature a restaurant and three bars including a roof top bar, Club Signature Lounge, So Spa, So Fit and a 20m indoor heated pool.

According to SO Auckland General Manager Steve Gould, the hotel brings new, audacious and stylish experiences to downtown Auckland and as a result, it is set to become a popular hangout for locals. “ With rooftop bars being such a hit internationally, SO Auckland’s rooftop bar will be the new hot spot for Auckland’s socialites. Offering uninterrupted views of the harbour, an outdoor terrace and private booths, the rooftop bar will be one of the most anticipated elements of the hotel. “ So Auckland’s French inspired restaurant on the 15th floor will boast a refined ambiance complemented by panoramic views of the harbour, a walk in wine cellar and inspired cuisine.

Every SO collaborates with a renowned designer for key elements of the hotel, and SO Auckland continues this legacy. The Club Signature,

the hotel’s Executive Lounge, is the focal point for the signature designer and this exclusive area is spread across two floors, including a large outdoor terraced area with private bar. The hotel’s opening is a highly anticipated event and the identity of the signature designer remains a secret for now.

Former Reserve Bank set to house rooftop hotspot.

(Artists impression)

Photo credit istock photo

Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 23

HOTEL NEWS

Kiwi Chain’s Seventh Hotel Underway

Sudima Hotels to build $65m hotel in Auckland CBD

And Sudima plans to rebrand

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t’s not just houses that are in short supply in Auckland: the demand for hotel accommodation in the City of Sails – especially four and five star properties – has never been higher, and developers are struggling to keep up. A recent New Zealand Trade and Enterprise report projects that Auckland will require up to 4,000 new rooms by 2025 in order to keep up with current demand.1 Sudima Hotels intends to build a new four and a half star hotel in the heart of Auckland’s hospitality and events precinct, opposite the highly anticipated New Zealand International Convention Centre (which is expected to attract around 33,000 delegates a year). The new hotel on the corner of Nelson and Wellesley Streets will feature 180200 rooms pending final design, a gym, a rooftop bar, and a separate restaurant and bar. The hotel is scheduled for opening in the summer of 2019/2020.

The new Auckland CBD hotel is Sudima Hotel’s seventh investment in New Zealand hotels and infrastructure, adding to the hotel brand’s nationwide presence with properties at Auckland Airport, Hamilton, Rotorua, and Christchurch Airport along with the in-development $40m Christchurch CBD hotel due to open in early 2019 and recently announced $30m Kaikoura hotel scheduled to open in the summer of 2019/2020. Sudima Hotels’ current hotels in-development represent an investment of $135m across the country, adding approximately 400 rooms to the national accommodation stock, and around 190 additional jobs.

The Auckland based founder and CEO of Sudima Hotels, Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, says all three new hotel developments represent the expansion of Sudima Hotels New Zealand-wide portfolio in the leisure, corporate and transit traveller markets.

24 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

“This Auckland CBD development is a significant addition to our portfolio in a sought-after location. The area around our site has been extensively developed in recent years and is now a hub for hospitality, entertainment, events and major conferences, so we are looking forward to introducing a new accommodation choice for leisure and corporate travellers who want a high level of service and comfort in a hotel with a focus on sustainability and social responsibility.

“With the volume of properties under development for Sudima Hotels across the country, we have welcomed a new project manager into the team, Taryn Murray, who brings with her a wealth of project management experience in the property sector, to oversee all developments and refurbishments going forward.”

The new Auckland CBD hotel will be single-use plastic free upon its opening in alignment with the companies goal to be single use plastic free across its entire portfolio by 2020. Sudima Hotels undertakes a range of environmental, social change and community support initiatives around the country, such as supporting Make-A-Wish Foundation, free breakfasts for school children in Rotorua, and the Sudima Hotels at Auckland and Christchurch airports are the first, and only, carboNZero hotels in the country. Each of its hotels are also accessible and have been rated Bronze to Gold for their accessibility features.

Before the hotel opens, Sudima Hotels will have unveiled a comprehensive rebrand across its properties. The new brand will reposition this iconic Kiwi hotel group in the market with a modern, contemporary and guest centric identity; details of the rebrand will be announced later this year. n 1. www.colliers.co.nz/news/2018

CAFÉ BUSINESS

John Gordon in action.

INSANE GENETIC DIVERSITY INSPIRES TOP

BARISTA One man’s obsession with finding the perfect coffee has seen him named the 6th best barista in the world.

26 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

A

uckland-based John Gordon claimed the sixth spot in the World Barista Championships in Amsterdam on June 23, after telling his own unique ‘coffee story’, competing against baristas from 56 countries, for a team of 70 international sensory judges. Gordon’s 15-minute coffee presentation consisted of three coffee varieties from Ethiopia, over three ‘courses’ – Espresso, Milk Beverage (formerly called Cappuccino course), and a Signature Drink Course, along with an explanation of the coffee, its processing and farmers.

“There’s a lot of power in being able to explain to people the effort that goes into producing and processing these tiny little beans, often by people with limited resources and technology. Ethiopian coffee has a very distinctive flavour profile, and is of incredibly high quality,” he says.

“Because Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, there’s an insane genetic diversity of varietals growing naturally in that environment that you don’t get anywhere else. I truly believe Ethiopia produces the best coffee in the world.”

Gordon’s love of coffee began in Melbourne 13 years ago, when he was in his early 20s. A career in security left him unfulfilled, so when he was offered the chance to work as a barista in a café, he jumped at the chance, despite having no experience in the field.

“My ex-wife worked for a small coffee roaster, and I was working nights in bars and nightclubs, so I was able to go along to coffee tasting sessions during the day. That’s when I started tasting real coffee – and it was incredibly high quality,” says Gordon, whose only previous coffee experience was drinking milky instant coffee through a straw when on holiday with his grandmother as a child. “I took the barista job because I was looking for something new, and I found a passion.

Learning about the origins of coffee, how it’s produced, the people behind the small coffee farms, the range of different flavours of coffee from different regions and the different processing methods – there’s so much to discover.”

Talking to Gordon isn’t so different from conversing with a master of wine. He talks of terroir, of the thousands of different varietals, and how he worked hard to truly understand acidity, with the same passion as any top sommelier. The owner of Auckland custom coffee equipment supplier Gorilla Gear, Gordon’s knowledge of and palate for coffee is

CAFÉ BUSINESS

“For me, a great coffee comes down to sweetness, but getting the balance of sweetness, acidity and bitterness is vital,” – John Gordon

extraordinary; he explains that just as with wine, coffee experts can divine both country and region at a blind tasting, with some beans creating coffee so unique, people often assume they are flavoured. “For me, a great coffee comes down to sweetness, but getting the balance of sweetness, acidity and bitterness is vital,” he explains. “Many people see bitterness as negative, but some bitter flavours are more reminiscent of that’s country’s produce, rather than something created in the roasting process.”

It was Gordon’s hunger to learn more about coffee that led to him entering national barista competitions, both in the UK and New Zealand, and later the World Championships, in which Gordon has competed four times. “I started competing because I was fascinated with every aspect of coffee,” he says. “I’m very mechanically-obsessed - I like to know how things work – and I’d reached a point where although I was pushing myself to learn all I could about the technical process of coffee, and I was tasting every coffee I could get my hands on, I needed more. There are people who taste coffee for years, but never get to the level of tasting you acquire at an international level.”

It’s not just Gordon’s coffee knowledge that’s expanded through competing; he’s also learned how to teach and present. “From high school I hated talking in front of people, so entering the competition, and having to stand up and talk in front of people, was a form of training – it really challenged me. Now, part of what I do is training others. Competing at this level has taught me how to do that.”

Although Gordon’s position as the top barista in New Zealand is secure, he’s still keen to go for the ultimate prize – number one in the world. “The dates for the 2019 national competition, which I have to win to go to the World Champs, have been released, and as long as I can find a coffee I love enough to be able to tell its story, I’ll do it,” he says.

“For me, it’s all about learning. There’s always more to learn.” n

Stands and partnerships

NOW AVAILABLE don’t miss out this year!

Over

7,000

visitors lov ed the show in 2017

6&7 r 2018, Octobe d, The Clou d Aucklan

www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz Contact: Sam swood@intermedianz.co.nz | Heather hlowrie@intermedianz.co.nz

CAFÉ BUSINESS

Prototype

Social Media Cafe

for Takapuna

In New Zealand Gong Cha is owned by the ST Group, led by CEO Tatt Ghee Saw.

A cafe concept designed specifically for social media users is set to open in Auckland.

T

he idea of an ‘instagrammable space’ is already common throughout Asia and has been created in response to the number of younger consumers who are increasingly looking to social media for their inspiration.

Gong Cha Takapuna, set to open at the end of this month on Hurstmere Road, has been crafted by award-winning commercial interior design specialists Spaceworks in response to Gong Cha’s decision to take the company’s New Zealand look in a new direction.

“The team at Gong Cha wanted a space that felt fresh, clean and bright, and somewhere customers would enjoy coming to drink tea, and taking photos to post on Instagram – a lot of their customers are very social media-oriented and want somewhere they can get a great image,” says Spaceworks commercial director Bradley Keys. “The look is very clean and minimal, with a space within a space where customers can take photos and share them with their friends.”

At the entrance to Gong Cha Takapuna, customers will be able to sit on a swing in a faux grass area, behind which is a graphic of one of Gong Cha’s teafields, creating the illusion of customers swinging above a real tea field. “Creating a unique area within the store like this, with the company’s own particular brand logo, is a great way of allowing customers to enjoy their visit, while also providing something different and eye-catching that makes a great photo, as well as telling the company’s story,” says Sam Elliot, lead designer on the Gong Cha project for Spaceworks.

The Takapuna store is the first of five new Gong Cha stores scheduled to open in New Zealand in 2018, adding to the company’s existing four outlets throughout Auckland. Marcus Teh, New Zealand manager

28 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

for Gong Cha, says the fresh, minimal design has been inspired by customer needs. “Our customers are always our priority, and we get this inspiration from them to always think outside of the box,” says Teh. “Whenever we do something, we think about our customers and how to improve our services and quality. We want customers to feel welcomed and comfortable in our stores while treating themselves to their favourite bubble tea or dessert. We want our customers to share a good time with their friends and family just at Gong Cha.” Gong Cha’s latest brand ambassador is the South Korean actor Park Seo-joon, whose TV credits include the popular Korean drama Be With Me and Youn’s Kitchen.

Since launching just over a decade ago, Gong Cha has opened 1500 stores, including more than 600 outlets in USA, South East Asia and Australia - making it the fastest growing tea brand in this part of the world, says Teh. “Bubble tea has been well received in the New Zealand market and is growing at around 20 percent per year here,” he says.

The new Gong Cha Takapuna bubble tea rooms, will create jobs for 20 people in the area and at least 80 jobs in other new outlets.

Gong Cha was recently voted one of the finalist cafe of the year in Newmarket, the most popular food and beverage brand in Singapore, and was also named the most popular tea brand in Korea.

In New Zealand Gong Cha is owned by the ST Group. The company also manages other retail brands such as Papparich and Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts turning over $8 million in sales and employing over 60 staff. n

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

INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT

Members Respond To Levys

Industry Feedback To Govt

We recently submitted our feedback on the consultation document on the Immigration Fees and Levies and International Visitor Marisa Bidois Conservation and Tourism Levy.

- Chief Executive We chose to focus on the visa programmes and services that affect our members. In preparation for our feedback we surveyed our 2,300 members in order to gather the views of our members. The results were not surprising: The government is proposing to increase some classes of work visas by up to 54%. What impact do you think the fees increases will have on the hospitality industry?

Very positive 2.82% Positive 1.41% Neutral affect 11.27% Negative 35.92% Very negative 48.59%

In addition to this, the Association believes updating the ANZCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) job classification of the position in the hospitality industry would assist in creating more efficiency in the application process.

The majority of the respondents did not support the proposal to increase visa fees and employer accreditation, with most believing this will intensify and increase pressure on an already challenging recruitment market for the hospitality industry. The majority of our members believe increases in fees will act as a deterrent for prospective migrant workers coming to New Zealand.

Of those that did not agree with the levy the main concern was the cost discouraging visitors to the country. However, the introduction of a levy was supported by the majority of our members, with the majority who supported the levy stating it should be $25 or under. We support the views of our members and agree with this position. In summary we do not oppose the introduction of a levy fee however agree that it should be $25 or under.

30 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL VISITOR CONSERVATION AND TOURISM LEVY

In a survey sent to our members on 11 July, 2018 we asked the following question: The Government is proposing to introduce an international tourist levy so that tourists are contributing to the tourism infrastructure and helping conserve the natural environment. Do you agree with the introduction of a tourism levy?

Yes 64.54% No 21.28% I don’t know 14.18%

KITCHEN SCENE

Commercial Kitchen Giant Launches in New Zealand Stoddart, a premier supplier of food service equipment in Australia launched their services and products to the New Zealand market at the Fine Food Show in Auckland late June. Stoddart’s signature is their ability to combine traditional and high level customer service with the complexities and technological demands of kitchens today.

Family owned and managed for three generations Stoddart walk their talk. Manager of Strategy and Development, Tony Stoddart says “We are extremely excited by the prospect of launching in New Zealand. We bring proven brands to the market which offer innovation and value for money.

Moreover we will offer the New Zealand market alternatives that it has not previously had access to. With support from our customers we look forward to making it a real success. “ From simple beginnings 54 years ago with two brothers, Tom and Albert, Stoddart is Australia’s one stop shop for exclusively made and distributed brands. Of their entire workforce, at least 115 employees have been with the company for over 10 years – that’s quite an achievement with workforce disruption inherent in manufacturing today.

Their product list shouts innovation. From a manufacturing base Stoddart ssay they have always pushed the boundaries to deliver the results in the kitchen with patented technologies bringing cost, time and space savings. Their own warehouse in Onehunga, Auckland will operate electric forklifts, “and manufactured brands Woodson and Culinaire use intelligent technology and customisation for satisfied customers every time.”

As an example, the latest Culinaire Combi Oven delivers outstanding savings of more than 30 percent in running costs and takes up 40 percent less space. Corporate Executive Chef Michael Zorzo and the Stoddart team attended the recent Auckland based Fine Food Show, which attracted nearly 9000 visitors . Chef Michael has over 18 years’ experience working with the Stoddart range and has fully trained staff in kitchen work for fine dining, large scale institutional set-ups, venue catering and high production kitchens.

With a 22,500 m2 manufacturing facility in Brisbane, Stoddart has undertaken a four year lease for a warehouse, showroom and office located in Onehunga, Auckland.

Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 31

EVENTS

Fine Food NZ 2018 Highlights

Fine Food New Zealand attracted nearly 9000 keen and influential visitors this year to the ASB Showgrounds’ in Greenlane Auckland. With more than 330 exhibitors, 10 interactive feature zones and over 200 new products on display the show provided networking opportunities, seminars, trade deals and cooking demonstrations to an audience eager to see what is happening in the food and hospitality industries.

It is the country’s largest trade event for the foodservice, food retail and hospitality industries, rolling out just once every two years and delegates were treated to a wealth of innovative and inspirational ideas and products. The three day show – June 24-26 – provided a wealth of photo opportunities to record the new, improved, exciting and delicious on display – as Fine Food New Zealand official photographer Matt Hunt captured for Hospitality Business.

For more information visit www.finefoodnz.co.nz

32 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

EVENTS

Hospitality BUSINESS | August 2018 | 33

WORKPLACE LEARNING

Chloe’s Catering Career Plus

C

– Earning While Learning

hloe Sowden’s two favourite things in life Earning as she learned, Chloe not only gained the are food and people. In her career, qualification, she also managed to fit in having her she has risen quickly from barista, first child. to professional catering cook, to “It worked out perfectly. As a mother, I could Business Development and Training Coprovide for my family as well as continue ordinator at one of New Zealand’s fastest developing my career and all without a growing food service companies. student loan.”

It’s a huge achievement. Her impressive Two promotions came next. First, she was story proves that workplace training with a made Site Manager leading a two-person team switched-on employer who is dedicated to at Cater Plus in Auckland. Then, after three excellence, can be a fast and deeply satisfying years, she applied and won her current role route to success. of Business Development and Training CoChloe grew up in Auckland, and on leaving ordinator. school she did a stint at university followed by travel But that’s not all. The up-and-coming abroad. When the young traveller returned home a professional added yet another serious course to her Chloe Sowden. couple of years later, she was thrilled to get a job with training menu: this year she successfully completed the Cater Plus. It was an ambitious and innovative new company New Zealand Diploma in Hospitality (Level 5). where she could kick-start a career in her favourite industry.

“It’s been another really great challenge. The Diploma reinforced the “Ever since my first after-school job at 14, I’ve loved working in skills I’d learned on the Catering Apprenticeship, plus I gained lots of hospitality,” says Chloe. other knowledge I’d not been exposed to such as staff recruitment and Cater Plus is an award-winning, privately owned catering business selection. It has really helped me in my current role where I need to serving a wide range of customers from corporate cafes, aged care identify and fill skills gaps, and offer real opportunities for employees to facilities, private hospitals and boarding schools to universities and develop their careers.” polytechnic cafés. Based in Hamilton, with branches from Whangarei to Today, she relishes her role attracting new business, and arranging Nelson, the company is also involved in initiatives such as The Waikato training. She has around 58 staff who are upskilling on-job with Culinary Fare, and it runs The Cater Plus Foundation dedicated to a healthy smorgasbord of ServiceIQ programmes including: New providing support for staff and community.

Zealand Certificate in Catering (Level 3) in Café or Food Service Cater Plus Chief Executive and founder Paul Hodge, says: “We aim to leave strands, New Zealand Certificate in Business (Level 4), New Zealand the food service industry better than we found it by investing in areas of Catering Apprenticeship (Level 4), and New Zealand Diploma in youth and training, best practice, service excellence and industry innovation.”

Hospitality (Level 5).

Chloe’s first gig with the business was as a barista. But with all the “It’s really exciting. The business has grown so fast and it’s so right ingredients to be a chef, she was soon given the opportunity to satisfying to see the benefits our people are getting out of the training. upskill on the job with ServiceIQ’s New Zealand Apprenticeship in They gain real skills, a great sense of satisfaction, and plenty of Catering Services (Level 4). opportunities for advancement on the job.

“I had a fantastic few years! I had always cooked at home, but with “One of our talented people is a mature trainee who had limited the apprenticeship I essentially learned how to cook in a professional schooling. Years later, she’s so grateful to be getting the opportunity to capacity. I also discovered how to design and adapt menus, and I learned advance her skills and gain a qualification while she earns.” a lot about self-development and team leadership.

For the business, she says on-job training helps Cater Plus increase “It’s a wonderfully useful programme that covers so many important staff retention rates, and develop a higher-skilled workforce who aspects of hospitality that I would recommend it to anyone.” provide an even better service to customers. n 34 | August 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

New Zealand Chocolate week is coming!

Welcome to New Zealand’s national celebration of all things chocolate!

The inaugural NZ Chocolate Week is designed to highlight the phenomenal talent we have in New Zealand who create with chocolate, make chocolate or just have a love affair with chocolate products.

New Zealand has a strong emerging chocolate industry with bean-to-bar producers and chocolatiers through to those creating amazing desserts, milks, hot drinks, beers, ice cream and much more!

NZ Chocolate Week is here to encourage Kiwis to support these businesses, those in big cities through to producers doing great things in the regions.

You can get involved‌ register an event today!

Chocolatiers, Chocolate Makers, Restaurants, Cafes, Schools, Bars, Bakeries and others can get involved by listing an event, sell tickets, sell product, receive social media promotion and educate on your involvement with this exciting new national event!

Just head to www.nzchocolateweek.co.nz to list your event for as little as $29.95

FOUNDATION PARTNERS

www.nzchocolateweek.co.nz @nzchocolateweek

www.theshout.co.nz

August 2018

Made by a

World Barista

Judge.

Just chill, shake, pour.

PLUS VERMOUTH • AROMATICS • STRANGE BEER N E W Z E A L A N D ’ S L A R G E ST L I Q U O R AU D I E N C E

New Zealand’s

LARGEST liquor audience

www.theshout.co.nz

April 2018

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September 2017

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April 2018

o.nz

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Introducing

KONO WINES

comes home to Aotearoa

NEW CR AFTED SY RUP AND E. TOPPING RA NG

PLUS VODKA • WINE IN A CAN • PILSNER N E W Z E A L A N D ’ S L A R G E ST L I Q U O R AU D I E N C E

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VIGNON BLANC

TLIGHT ON SAU • BEERVANA • SPO

PLU S PIN OT GRI S n MEE T THE WIN EMA KER www.th

ENCE L I Q U O R AU D I D ’ S L A R G E ST NEW ZEALAN nz o. .c ut

n HIG H-S TRE

NGT H NEW esho Z Eut A.co LAND’S LA RGEST LIQ .nz 18 UOR AUDI ENCE

July 2018

June 20

BEE R

esho www.th er 2017 Novemb

The Ultima Naturate Germa l Ice Winn e

E

ID GIFT GU RISTMAS S • CH E AWARD C D N IL E I S GU AUD BREWER QUOR NAY • E ST L I ARDON LARG ND’S PLUS CH ZEALA W E N

PLUS RUM • LIGHTER WINE • GLUTEN FREE BEER N E W Z E A L A N D ’ S L A R G E ST L I Q U O R AU D I E N C E

EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz

PLUS

NZ LIG

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WINE

FESTIV NEW ALS & ZEAL AWAR AND ’S L DS n PI ARG NOT EST LIQU OR A UDIE NCE n

NOIR

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz

www.theshout.co.nz

EDITORIAL

The Shout Editor Charlotte Cowan EDITORIAL

It’s a classic When you think of a classic cocktail, perhaps the first thing that jumps to mind is a martini. Shaken or stirred, dirty or not-somuch, the martini has been a sophisticated addition to cocktail lists (and James Bond movies) for many years. But what exactly IS a martini? Can you use vodka as well as gin? What about the newcomer with a caffeine hit – the espresso martini? Spirits writer Tash McGill gives us the lowdown on all things martini on pgs 8-9, and tastes some martini essentials on pg 10.

One martini essential that is making a comeback as a delicious drink in its own right is vermouth. Actually a fortified wine, not a spirit, vermouth may have been a regular in your parents’ liquor cabinet but you’ll struggle to find a straight vermouth drinker today. But not for long. Vermouth is heading back into style both in New Zealand and overseas and you can read all about it on pgs 11-13.

Plus, we share a delicious mulled wine recipe on pg 7, Cameron Douglas MS tastes aromatics on pgs 14-15 and beer writer John Oszajca goes crazy for hazy New England IPA on pgs 16-17.

For more from us, don’t forget to like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @theshoutnz and sign up to our eNewsletter at www.theshout.co.nz if you haven’t already! Proost!

Published By The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand Managing Director-Publisher Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz Editor Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz 021 774 080 Sales Manager Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz 021 256 6351

Contents 04 Industry news and insights 07 M ulling it over

Warm up winter nights with a batch of mulled wine

08 M ake it a martini

Spirits writer Tash McGill delves deep into this classic cocktail

10 M artini essentials Tasting notes from spirits writer Tash McGill

12 B ringing back a classic

Q&A with two Kiwi Vermouth producers - Anna Riederer from Mount Edward and Stephen Menzies from Karven

14 A romatic wines

Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

16 C razy for hazy

John Oszajca looks at the both controversial and celebrated New England IPA

11 T he Book of Vermouth Book extract about the global spread of this classic aperitif

THE COVER: ESPRESSO MARTINI BY JUSTIN METCALF

Developed by coffee experts, Justin Metcalf World Barista Judge™ Espresso Martini is designed to retain a crisp and bright espresso flavour and perfectly blended with vodka and a coffee liqueur. The base is a cold brew coffee, ground coffee steeped in chilled filtered water to extract the bittersweet coffee flavours. For orders and information, visit www.espressomartini.co.nz

www.theshout.co.nz

August 2018

Made by a

World Barista

Judge.

Just chill, shake, pour.

PLUS VERMOUTH • AROMATICS • STRANGE BEER

Editor’s picks

N E W Z E A L A N D ’ S L A R G E ST L I Q U O R AU D I E N C E

JIUJIU VODKA

From Kiwi Spirit Distillery, JiuJiu Vodka is made by combining triple distilled, charcoal filtered grain alcohol with spring water from Golden Bay’s crystal clear aquifer. Available in JiuJiu Blue and Supreme (for those wanting a bit more punch), JiuJiu is the perfect addition to an afternoon martini. For more martini essentials, check out spirits writer Tash McGill’s tasting notes on pg 10.

NAUTILUS ESTATE MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017

Pale straw in colour with vibrant aromas of honeydew melon, white peaches, ginger and five spice, this Pinot Gris is just one of the delicious aromatics tasted by Cameron Douglas MS this month. For more, head to pgs 14-15.

KARVEN ROSSO VERMOUTH

Sweeter than your average vermouth, Karven Rosso Vermouth is made from New Zealand Malbec and an eclectic combo of botanicals, including feijoa flowers and native Koromiko.

Amber red, crisp and spicy, this vermouth is the perfect addition to a Negroni. For more on the resurgence of vermouth, head to pgs 12-13.

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 3

NEWS SPONSORED NEWS

Juno brings four seasons in one day For gin lovers, Taranaki-based distillery Juno Gin has launched Four Seasons In One Box – a selection of four seasonal gins.

Each box contains four 200ml bottles capturing unique aspects of every season: Limes, lemon verbena and gorse flower in spring; bergamot oranges and angelica in summer; black fruits and thyme in autumn; and chillies in winter.

If a particular seasonal gin is sold out or unavailable, Juno will arrange a replacement gin of your choosing.

Perfect for a gift or as a treat to yourself, Four Seasons In One Box has an RRP of $159.00. For more information, visit www.junogin.co.nz

What’s on AUGUST 10-11

Beervana Westpac Stadium, Wellington www.beervana.co.nz

AUGUST 11-14

EVENT NEWS

2018 Patrón Perfectionists dates Entries are now open for the 2018 Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition and will close later this month.

Bartenders are encouraged to enter their Patrón cocktail inspired by New Zealand by August 31, with six bartenders moving on to the national competition taking place in Auckland on 8 October.

The national winner will head to Mexico in January 2019 to compete against bartenders from around the world in the global finals week, with the grand finals being hosted at the home of Patrón Tequila, Hacienda Patrón in Jalisco, Mexico.

“The incredible bartending talent and sense of community demonstrated at the Patrón Perfectionists Finals is truly inspiring,” says Lee Applbaum, Chief Marketing Officer, Patrón Spirits International. “I’m proud to see how our previous winners have grown in recognition not just in their respective markets but globally.”

For more information, or to enter, head to www.patronperfectionists.com.

The 2017 New Zealand Patrón Perfectionists finalists

NZ Hospitality Championships 2018 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland www.nzchefs.org.nz

AUGUST 18-20

Wine & Food Celebration The New Zealand School of Food and Wine, Auckland www.event.foodandwine.co.nz

AUGUST 22-23

Hawke’s Bay Wine Celebration Generator @ GridAKL, Auckland and Mac’s Function Centre, Wellington www.hawkesbaywine.co.nz

SEPTEMBER 8

Pinot Palooza Shed 10, Auckland

www.pinotpalooza.com.au

SEPTEMBER 14

BMW Oktoberfest Shed 10, Auckland

www.neuseeland.ahk.de

SEPTEMBER 15

BGNZ NZ Beer Awards Gala Dinner Trafalgar Centre, Christchurch www.brewersguild.org.nz

4 | August 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

What awards will you be taking away this year?

SABRINA KUNZ Executive Director, Brewers Guild of New Zealand

Entry to the Brewers Guild awards 2018 is open and I’m thrilled to tell you about what changes we’ve made this year. For those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Sabrina Kunz and I’m the relatively new Executive Director for the Brewers Guild of New Zealand. Our awards week is the pinnacle of beer awards in New Zealand and as my first year being involved with the planning, I can absolutely see why.

Aside from the heart and soul our team has put into organising this hugely talked about week of events, I’m proud to confirm that Cryer Malt has come on board as Principal Sponsor for the next three years. Working with Dave Cryer’s support and all our other sponsors means there’s even more chance for our members to earn recognition for their beers and breweries with our new additions of New Zealand Champion level awards.

Yes, we’ve upped the ante a little and our members can now win from an added pool of awards; Champion NZ Exhibitor sponsored by Gladfield Malt, Champion Small New Zealand Brewery sponsored by Kegstar, Champion Medium New Zealand Brewery sponsored by Enpac, Champion Large New Zealand Brewery sponsored by NZ Hops, and Champion New Zealand Beer sponsored by Cryer Malt.

Some things of course will stay the same. We encourage all those writers out there who love our

members’ beers and support them through the year with reviews and stories to enter our Beer Writer of the Year Award, and the Morton Coutts Trophy will be awarded to the individual or group that has demonstrated innovation or achievement in our industry of New Zealand.

Speaking of innovation, we have been working on building a new awards-focused website for our members to easily engage with and find the information they need. It’s now live and we’d love to know what you think of it, go check it out – www.brewersguild.org.nz One thing you’ll find on our new website is the ability to register online for all our events during awards week. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, starting with Mashing In on Thursday 13th September, followed by our trade show conference on Friday 15th, brewery tours on Saturday 16th all topped off by our awards gala drinks and dinner where we’ll celebrate our award winners and our industry as a whole with MC’s Mike Lane and Matt Heath of Radio Hauraki fame – it’s set to be a fantastic night and one you don’t want to miss.

Our awards week events promote the best networking opportunities, updates on the latest trends and of course socialising with your industry mates, in the country. Space is limited for these events, so hop to it and reserve your spot for the week. I can’t wait to meet you all over a beer or two!

Last year’s Champion Brewery award winner, Garage Project

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 5

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards

ANGELA WILLIS New Zealand Winegrowers Global Events Manager

The best of New Zealand wine will be discovered at New Zealand Winegrowers’ refreshed wine competition later this year.

The New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards is the official national wine competition of the New Zealand wine industry, replacing the Air New Zealand Wine Awards and the Bragato Wine Awards, two of the industry’s major wine competitions.

The New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards will combine the very best components of the previous competitions, with a focus on rewarding the grape grower and their single vineyard wines, as well as championing New Zealand wine excellence on a larger.

After 31 years of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, it’s a fresh approach to celebrating excellence in New

Zealand wine and the opportunity to recognise the achievements of our grape growers and winemakers in one competition is exciting.

Judging of the wines will take place in the first week of October in Auckland. Highly regarded Hawke’s Bay winemaker and Chair of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, Warren Gibson (above), will lead as Chair of Judges, with Marlborough winemaker and Chair of the Bragato Wine Awards, Ben Glover, alongside him as Deputy Chair.

Entries for the New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards open on 1 August, with the winners celebrated at the New Zealand Wine Awards on Saturday 3 November in Wellington.

More information on the New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards can be found at www.nzwine.com/events.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

A lesson in how to feed beer lovers

DYLAN FIRTH Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand

This year’s Beervana continues to show us how to not only appreciate fantastic beer, but how to enhance those beers by matching them with some iconic New Zealand foods.

At the time of writing this, nearly 60 breweries and 16-or-so food vendors are set to be crammed into the Westpac Stadium’s concrete tunnel of taste. The sheer variety of foods on offer highlight the versatility that beer has when matched with food.

Which beer goes well with what food is something most beer lovers know, but often those who are less familiar find themselves having to make educated guesses when dining out. I’ll get to that shortly.

Beervana itself has strived to match brewers with food vendors. Organisers encourage those breweries attending to match their beers with the food on offer, so we get awesome combos like: Pravda Café’s Emerson’s London Porter Glazed Pork Ribs, and Pie Hard’s half dozen pies each containing a different beer. Wellington success stories Black Dog Brewing and House of Dumplings offer up delicious matches like Shanghai Pork and Savoy Cabbage dumplings with a full-bodied IPA.

6 | August 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

We at the Brewers Association have got together with our members and some guest breweries to give punters a flight of beers matched with an array of Mexican tasters including: Ceviche matched with a refreshing lager, Pork Pibil Tacos with several IPAs and Chicken Mole and Porter. A big shout out to Mesita Bar of Martinborough for the amazing food lined up.

What all these fantastic combinations remind us is that beer can belong with any meal, snack or even dessert. We just often don’t know how to match those flavours. Almost every restaurant and bar these days will have, at least, a reasonable range of beers to choose from. I’m sure you all know it’s hard not to come across an IPA of some variety.

What we need now is for venues to take the next step and actively promote beer and food matching either through directly matching foods with beers on their menu or ensuring staff are giving good recommendations during service. There is real opportunity for businesses to improve both their food and beverage sales if they can show customers how best to enjoy them together.

WINE

Mullingit over If you’re sick of chilly winter nights, cheer yourself up by whipping up a batch of the ultimate winter warmer, mulled wine.

C

ruise around the backstreet markets in the UK at Christmas and you’ll often find vendors selling hot, spicy mulled wine to defrost your fingers and warm your heart. But while it may not be a Christmas tradition down here in New Zealand, mulled wine is still a popular alternative to a glass of Merlot or Cab Sav over winter. But how do you make the perfect mulled wine? Take a look at these tips from our friends at Vinomofo…

• Keep it simple – your ingredients list should include citrus, spices, sugar and red or fortified wine.

• Don’t overdo the spices – the more spices you add, the less it tastes like Christmas and the more it tastes like medicine.

• Have a good base - don’t choose a wine that you wouldn’t drink on its own. Pick one that makes you think: “Oooh, a glass of that would be lovely, but if only it warmed me up that little bit more…”

THE ORIGINS

THE SPICES

THE METHOD

While the Brits may love their mulled wine, the first wine that was recorded as spiced and heated was actually from Rome in the second century. The Romans heated the wine to defend their bodies against the cold winter and, as they conquered much of Europe throughout the next century, their love for mulled wine spread across their empire.

A medieval cookbook from 1390 called The Forme of Cury mentions grinding together cinnamon, ginger, galangal, cloves, long pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, cardamom and grains of paradise and mixing them with red wine and sugar.

You can add whichever spices you love. The traditional spices include: • Cinnamon (one to two sticks) • Star anise (two stars) • Cloves (six whole) • Nutmeg (one nutmeg, grated)

Peel your chosen chosen citrus (traditionally lemon and/or orange but you could also use lime or mandarins), and add the peel to a nice clean pot with the freshly squeezed juice.

Add your spices, remembering that less is more, and some caster sugar to taste.

Barely cover the ingredients with your selected red or fortified wine and bring to a boil to reduce to a syrup.

Add the rest of your wine (two bottles in total) to the syrup and heat through, but don’t boil.

Strain and immediately ladle into your favourite heatproof drinking vessel, garnish with cinnamon sticks, star anise or orange peel and enjoy!

But you could also try adding: • Bay leaves (three fresh leaves) • Cardamom (two pods) • Vanilla (one bean) • Ginger (one teaspoon, freshly grated)

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 7

SPIRIT ON SHOW

Martini Make it a

O

Gin, vodka, espresso, shaken, stirred, dirty… spirits writer Tash McGill asks, what exactly IS a martini?

f all the mixology myths, legends and origin stories to understand, my favourite is perhaps the most simple and the hardest to resolve – what is a martini, what is it not and where did it come from?

Let’s begin with the vital tools of the trade, not frequently mentioned here but often the difference between a spectacular drink and a mediocre experience: the cocktail glass. A libation poured into a martini glass, no matter how delicious, does not a martini make. In fact, the iconic shape of the martini glassware was established long after the original martini recipe was in circulation. A true martini glass is a slight variation on a regular cocktail glass, recognisable by it’s entirely conical shape, a long delicate stem and a widened straight rim. A mere cocktail glass is slightly narrower, rounded and smaller but both give us the requisite option to serve a cocktail ‘up’.

This version of the glass was to give benefit and showcase the primary ingredient of the original martini, the gin. A wider rim let the botanicals rise buoyantly while the stem does the important work of keeping the vessel out of the warm hands of the customer. The glass, kept frosty until being served, stays cooler longer.

There are a few theories about the origin of the recipe itself; some who would credit The Bartender’s Guide and ‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas and others who claim it was a stroke of branding genius by Martini & Rossi, the sweet vermouth company, making it easy to order a gin & martini at the bar.

Perhaps the most sweet, but impossible to verify, story is that of a barman in the famous New York Knickerbocker Hotel who would serve this recipe to John D. Rockerfeller. His name was Martini di Arma di Taggia.

It’s gin then, you say, that makes a martini? Well, no. It’s truly the vermouth if we are to follow the International Bartenders Association guidelines. Five parts gin, one part vermouth, perhaps with a dash or two of bitters and finished with olives or lemon. The first appearance of the martini was around 1870, but you wouldn’t recognise it now.

It was sweet, with a 1:2 or even 1:1 ration of gin to sweet vermouth.

Today’s version of 5:1 is more ideally suited to tailoring a drink to the customer’s taste by adding dry or sweet vermouth depending on their mood and palate. Like a little brine? Add olives or make it lighter by adding a lemon peel twist.

That being said, I’m yet to find a gin that didn’t suit a martini cocktail, especially on a long summer’s day or on a particularly bright mid-winter dusk. It is a drink that carries an air of sophistication, that can ground you in present reality with a wake-up to the taste buds.

8 | August 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

WHAT ABOUT DIRTY? SHAKEN OR STIRRED?

There ought to be no judgement if a customer truly loves the briny, salty burr of a dirty martini. However, a purist could argue the olive garnish itself is more than enough salt quality to add to a simple recipe. But for those who love a salt lick, brush up on your dirty, extra dirty and filthy lingo. That’s how to judge the quantity of brine added to your drink.

Just remember vermouth is meant to be the modifier. The complexity in making the perfect martini is in achieving the satisfaction of the customer’s palate. With only the simplest of ingredients, it is the mix of those ingredients that matters most. The best gin, the most appropriate vermouth and the right touch of garnish. And just like a Manhattan, you can order a perfect martini – 50% sweet and 50% dry vermouth. As for shaken or stirred? Here’s a chance to myth bust – it is best to leave some things to the imagination of a writer, such as a shaken martini in the hands of James Bond. Stirred over ice to chill and not dilute, then poured into a chilled glass, garnished and served is the only way to serve a martini. Shaking it will disrupt the texture of the spirits and add air to the mix, along with tiny shards of ice and eventual over-distillation.

You’ll lose the clarity of the final pour. But if a customer insists on impressing with a Bond quote here and there, by all means shake away.

SO LET’S TALK ABOUT VODKA.

Yes, you can make a martini with vodka, after all, vermouth is the defining characteristic of the classic drink. Some will tell you the Americans are responsible for the vodka martini, substituting it for gin in a post-war glut. However, the vodka martini first found itself in print thanks again to Bond author Ian Wright. Vodka martinis are more often found in a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 and with a cleaner, more vermouth driven flavour profile provoked more extreme garnishes at the height of popularity. Pimento olives, blue cheese, hot peppers – you name it.

The crucial factor in making a good vodka martini is the quality of the base spirit. As with gin, the essential martini recipe is so simple that lackluster ingredients will expose themselves in a heartbeat. Quality really does matter, so the better your vodka, the better the experience. A clean and pure vodka such as JiuJiu will provide a velvety base for the vermouth to meld with and liven. It’s important to remember that vermouth is not a liqueur, laden with sugar. It’s a fortified wine and as such adds complexity, depth and character to any drink when used as a modifier.

Usually, we drink a martini because it’s crisp, refreshing and works equally well as an aperitif or a digestive. It’s variable to your mood and the

SPIRIT ON SHOW delicate balance of ingredients allows each variation of the classic to reflect your mood. It’s a wonderful way to showcase the characteristics of a new gin, the purity of a vodka and the peculiarities of the vermouth.

It’s the emergence of vodka as a base spirit that leads into dangerous territory for the martini. In the height of the ’80s and ’90s and in some dive bars around the world, you can still find ‘martinis’ being served in a variety of fruit and artificial flavours. Three parts vodka and one part fruit liqueur served up in a martini glass does not a martini make.

Or does it? Raspberry, peach, blueberry or passionfruit martini on the menu? Vodka provides a clean base spirit for the sweet fruit liqueur modifier to be added. Without the complexity in texture or flavour of using the fortified wine, the whole character of the drink is lost.

BUT THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION THAT PROVES EVERY RULE, AND THIS IS IT.

The espresso martini is possibly the only ‘non-martini’ martini to have a lasting following. This vodka and coffee liqueur modifier recipe harkens to the original pull of the martini when the coffee liqueur or spirit hits the right note of earthy roast and bitterness to ground the vodka. It’s also a drink that never goes out of style for a late-night pick-me-up or an after-dinner night cap.

The very best espresso martinis are made using fresh or extremely wellcrafted ingredients that don’t rely on sugar to provide flavour. The basic recipe is fresh espresso, coffee liqueur and vodka. This is the only time to expect a ‘martini’ to be shaken, as the aeration and chilling helps to blend the flavours.

This classic base is also a playground for invention, in much the same way an essential vodka martini paved the way for adventurous garnishes.

Arjun Haszard of Quick Brown Fox Coffee Liqueur recently ran an espresso martini competition to highlight and bring out the best New Zealand has to offer. “Every bartender tells me they make the best espresso martini, so thought it would be only right to host an espresso martini competition, a throwdown to be exact, where bartenders try to make the best espresso martini they can,” says Haszard.

“For me, it’s a pre-dinner drink and one that’s sophisticated and energising, the perfect example of drink that sets off a fun night out with friends. I keep hearing from bartenders that when one is ordered, it sets off a chain reaction for another wave of espresso martinis.”

The rules were simple, the bartender simply had to make the best espresso martini variation they could, making sure they used Quick Brown Fox Coffee Liqueur as an ingredient. “We hosted two competitions: in Auckland and Christchurch,” says Haszard. “The judges were blown away with the quality and originality that was produced.

The winning cocktails were, in Christchurch from Corbin Parker

(Strange and Co, Christchurch) who made a walnut, maple, and bacon fat washed bourbon espresso martini, and from Auckland (Hugh Bovaird-Roberts) who created a rich raspberrry, black forest espresso martini.”

MARTINIS TO GO-GO

If the classic martini is an iconic drink to order once you’ve pulled up a seat at the bar, the popularity of the espresso martini has led to an emerging premium pre-mixed market. Metters Martini was created by Justin Metcalf, a world barista judge. “Using a cold brew coffee, made over 48 hours with filtered water, we add our own, bold coffee liqueur and vodka base. These are then nitro infused into the bottles which stops the coffee going bitter,” says Dave McLelland from Sweet As Distribution.

Following the trend toward more ethical and sustainable consumables, Metters is dairy- and gluten-free, ethically sourced and maintains a focus on being a premium product available at a competitive price point for both trade and consumers.

Batched Premium Cocktails is a New Zealand company taking the hard work out of the mixology. They offer a 750ml premium espresso martini option, designed to serve six and made from local New Zealand ingredients – cold brew, vodka and coffee beans.

For a more classic gin martini, JMR Cocktails produce individual serves of a classic dry gin martini, alongside their Negroni, Manhattan and Old Fashioned recipes. You can order them as a mixed pack or single options online, when all you want to do is chill, garnish and serve. n

Corbin Parker’s walnut, maple, and bacon fat washed bourbon espresso martini

Shaking a martini will disrupt the texture of the spirits and add air to the mix

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 9

TASTING NOTES

JIUJIU VODKA BLUE (40% ABV) The triple distillation is evident - this vodka leaves no trace of anything but silk. It’s suitably luxe in finish, given the gold leaf burst of lucky 8s and 9s in the bottle.

Slight citrus (lemon peel) dances around the edges of the palate.

Very clean, probably due to the Takaka aquifer.

Cocktail or food match: A very dry martini, garnished with lemon peel.

RRP $65.00 Distributor: Kiwi Spirits Email: sales@kiwispirits.co.nz www.kiwispiritdistillery.co.nz

Martini Essentials Tash McGill is a spirits and hospitality writer who regularly hosts tastings and education classes for those wanting to know more about spirits and their uses - from cocktails to culinary food matches. She has been in the spirits and cocktail industry for more than 10 years, writing, tasting and judging competitions.

MOCHA ESPRESSO MARTINI

BY JUSTIN METCALF For a pre-mixed cocktail, the quality of the base ingredients is evident. The addition of cacao nibs to the cold brew infusion is a delicate process, to ensure a sophisticated result without bitterness or overpowering sugar. Here the cacao adds an earthy richness and deep chocolate enhancement to the martini structure. Delicious beverage to serve from the fridge.

Cocktail or food match: Almonds, dried apricots and cherries.

RRP $14.99 300ml Glass Bottle (Martini for 2) – also available in Original and Irish Distributor: Luxe Brew (NZ) Email: luxebrewnz@gmail.com www.espressomartini.co.nz 10 | August 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

JIUJIU VODKA SUPREME (50% ABV) At 50% ABV, the JiuJiu Vodka Supreme is a more robust but still silky vodka. The clarity of Takaka water is buoyed by vanilla notes, adding texture and richness to the mouth feel. Straightforward citrus notes are well-balanced with the heavier alcohol content.

Cocktail or food match: Take your martini one notch drier and slightly more robust.

RRP $68.00 Distributor: Kiwi Spirits Email: sales@kiwispirits.co.nz www.kiwispiritdistillery.co.nz

BATCHED COCKTAILS - ESPRESSO MARTINI The bottle appeal is high, along with the big batch quality. A slightly mellower coffee finish than expected after a big nose. Slightly fruity notes in the coffee. Finish lingers longer, this is sweet but not overly sticky. Worth popping into the fridge for your next dinner party or as a quick serve on Friday and Saturday night.

Cocktail or food match: As is or with an addition of an extra espresso shot. Pour over ice or shake and serve up in a Martini glass.

RRP $40.00 Distributor: Premium Liquor Email: matt@premiumliquor.co.nz or sales@batched.nz www.batched.nz

SEPTEMBER'S SPIRIT ON SHOW: SPRING COCKTAILS How do you make a sublime spring cocktail? Submit your spring cocktail essential for September's tastings by Tash McGill, please contact Sam Mackey-Wood on swood@intermedianz.co.nz or 021 256 6351.

BOOK EXTRACT

The Book Of

Vermouth The Book of Vermouth by Gilles Lapalus and Shaun Byrne explores every aspect of this classic drink – from its history, to a comprehensive guide to the essentials of Vermouth, to the many different ways to serve, drink and store it. Here we share an edited extract about the global spread of this classic aperitif…

VERMOUTH AROUND THE WORLD

A

ntonio Benedetto Carpano is credited with the creation of the first modern vermouth – a blend of wine, sugar and alcohol infused with herbs and spices – in a little wine shop opposite the Royal Palace in Turin’s Piazza Castello in 1786.

He named his creation ‘wermut’ or ‘vermuth’, after the German word for wormwood, and it was a big hit with the burgeoning bourgeoisie in Turin.

They came for the medicinal properties of this ‘tonic wine’, and stayed for the social enjoyment. Carpano’s little shop soon thronged with eager customers, and had to start opening 24 hours a day to cater to the demand. It became the prototype for aperitivo bars across Italy and, soon, other producers jumped on the bandwagon: producers with now-famous names such as Cinzano and Martini. Turin became vermouth central, and these brands, even though production has mainly moved to other parts of Italy, still dominate the global market today.

Inspired by what was happening in Turin, the first French ‘vermouths’ were made in the first two decades of the nineteenth century by pioneering manufacturers Joseph Noilly in Lyons, and Joseph Chavasse in Chambery, just across the border from Turin in Savoie.

The companies these two men founded – Noilly Prat and Dolin – are still major players in the market.

Unlike the traditional Italian style of vermouth, which is sweeter, darker and more bitter, the French style is drier, paler in appearance and relies more on its herbal characters.

The third major traditional vermouthproducing country is Spain, where the drink is known as ‘vermut’. Production, mainly centred around Catalonia, started here in the late 1800s and, by the beginning of the twentieth century, vermut culture had reached its peak. The Café Torino, a spectacular Art Nouveau temple to the drink built in Barcelona in 1902, was designed by some of Barcelona’s leading architects of the day, including Antoni Gaudi.

Spanish vermut tends to be richer and darker than its Italian or French counterparts, and has enjoyed a revival over the last few years. It is regularly served as an aperitif in

tapas bars, over ice, with a slice of orange, an olive and a splash of soda water (club soda).

As the early Italian and French vermouth producers grew their businesses in the mid-nineteenth century, they started exporting, shipping to Sydney as early as the 1850s and New York in the 1860s. Americans took to vermouth enthusiastically, with bartenders latching on to its potential as a component in the newly fashionable mixed drinks called cocktails.

It’s here, in America’s bars, that vermouth cemented its place in global drinking culture as an essential component of now-classic cocktails such as the Martini (using the French dry style) and the Manhattan (using the sweeter Italian style), both created in the 1860s. Vermouth’s popularity grew, surviving Prohibition and the Great Depression, powering cocktail culture until World War II. The post-war generation, however, came to associate vermouth with their parents. Cocktails were seen as oldfogey drinks. Vermouth sales declined in the United States, and, although the category maintained steady sales in Europe – and enjoyed a burst of popularity in Australia in the 1970s – by the end of the millennium it looked as though vermouth’s star was on the wane, with only a handful of large brands surviving.

Surprisingly, considering how far the drink had fallen out of fashion in that country, it was a handful of American craft producers that kickstarted the revival of interest in high-quality vermouth in the early years of the twenty-first century, when makers such as Vya, Imbue and Atsby reasserted the primacy of vermouth as a standalone drink, not just a cocktail ingredient.

In the last few years other artisan producers, from South Africa to England, from Australia to Europe, have joined the revival, launching highquality vermouths that take the classic Italian and French styles as a starting point and add twists and layers of regional individuality. n

“It’s in America’s bars, that vermouth cemented its place in global drinking culture”

Edited extract from The Book Of Vermouth by Shaun Byrne & Gilles Lapalus, published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $45.00. Photography by Jack Hawkins.

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 11

Q&A

Bringing

back a classic Vermouth may be making a comeback but here in New Zealand, there are only a handful of vermouth producers. We chat to two such producers to get some insights from both sides of the bottle - the winery and the spirits producer.

VERMOUTH ΄və məθ,və΄mu θ/ From the German word wermut (veer-moot) but pronounced vermooth in English.

Vermouth is an aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with various botanicals.

THE WINERY

A

nna Riederer is a winemaker at Mount Edward, a Central Otago winery which has been producing vermouth since 2015.

Mount Edward photography by Rachael McKenna for NZ Life & Leisure

Why did you decide to produce New Zealand’s first vermouths?

After extensive taste-testing of vermouths from Australia and South Africa, we realised that it was a good way of showcasing some of the botanicals found in Central Otago. It was a fun little project to do at the time of the year [October/November] when there is not much else happening in the winery.

How is the production of vermouth different from traditional winemaking?

The base wine is made exactly the same way as our traditional wines are made, however it is then fortified with spirit that is produced from our own wine. Then a whole selection of botanicals and spices are added, to give the bitterness and flavours.

Which grapes are used in your vermouth?

Ours is based around Riesling and Chenin Blanc.

Can you tell us a bit about the use of botanicals used in vermouth and specifically your vermouth?

Anna Riederer

The name vermouth comes from the German name for wormwood (wermut), which is what gives vermouth its bitterness. We grow this botanical at the winery and add it sparingly. However, the predominant botanical in our vermouth is elderflower, which grows like a weed on the hills of Central Otago between October and November each year. We also add thyme, which again grows wild and flowers at the same time as the elderflower. Other than that, there is a list of 15 or so botanicals that are added to a traditional vermouth - anything from cloves to juniper berries.

Vermouth is a typical ingredient in a martini – how else can you drink it?

We have been smashing it over summer with soda water, plenty of ice and a slice of orange peel.

The botanicals used to create Mount Edward Vermouth

12 | August 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

“Vermouth can be a natural progression for consumers once they have exhausted their gin palate”

Q&A THE SPIRITS PRODUCER

Stephen Menzies is the director of Karven, an Auckland-based spirits company that began producing Bianco Vermouth in 2016, followed by Rosso Vermouth in 2017.

Can you describe how your vermouth is produced and why you chose your base wine and selection of botanicals?

Our vermouth is very botanically driven, so we neutralise the wine base we use. We are currently using a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for our Bianco and New Zealand Malbec for the Rosso. Our batch size is small and every batch can be slightly different. We use a range of aromatic New Zealand botanicals and up to three different types of wormwood, which we grow ourselves. Our Bianco Vermouth is produced in a semidry style, suitable for martinis, and our Rosso is sweet.

Why don’t you think many Kiwi winemakers or distillers produce vermouth?

I would guess that it is because vermouth is very much a niche product here in New Zealand and it is also quite difficult to produce, especially getting the flavours right.

Why should bartenders utilise vermouth more often?

I think a few bartenders are starting to use vermouth more. They like the idea of having a 100% New Zealand vermouth in their repertoire and they are also impressed by the complexity of our flavours. It is not just bartenders though, our vermouth is used by some of New Zealand’s leading chefs in their cooking, often replacing imported products as provenance becomes more important.

Why should consumers try vermouth if they haven’t before?

Vermouth is a delicious drink and can be a natural progression for consumers once they have exhausted their gin palate!

Vermouth on the rocks, with tonic or soda is refreshing and also a lower-alcohol option compared to many other drinks. It’s a great aperitif or digestif - we have even converted some devout wine drinkers to our vermouths! n

MOUNT EDWARD CENTRAL OTAGO VERMOUTH

Vermouth over ice with a cut of orange, anyone? Mount Edward Vermouth is based around Riesling and Chenin. It’s dry with the dominant aromas and botanical flavour of Elderflower, picked straight from our gardens at home on Felton Rd - plus it’s organic, so is obviously good for you as well.

As an aperitif, over ice, a touch of soda, some orange peel, a Negroni or just to make that martini just a little wet… get some!

RRP $49.00 Contact Mineral Wines, orders@mineralwine.co.nz www.mountedward.co.nz

VERMOUTH FYI • There are a number of different grapes that form a base wine for vermouth - including Muscat, Tempranillo, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Malbec.

• Vermouth is a highly regulated wine, especially in Europe, where it must: Be at least 75% wine; use Artemisia (a genus of plants of which wormwood is a member); be between 14.5% and 22% ABV; include a spirit.

• Botanicals often used in vermouth include cloves, cinnamon, quinine, citrus peel, marjoram, chamomile, coriander, juniper, hyssop and ginger.

•A s vermouth is fortified, an open bottle can be kept for longer than regular wine (a month or two) but it should be kept refrigerated.

KARVEN MARTINI • 75ml Karven Dry Gin or Karven Grain Vodka • 15ml Karven Bianco Vermouth Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish with a chilled olive or twist of lemon.

KARVEN BIANCO VERMOUTH AND ROSSO VERMOUTH

Karven have two vermouths in their stable, both of which are deliciously bold and unique. Beautifully crafted from local botanicals and premium New Zealand wine, their complex flavour profiles are a favourite with mixologists and also chefs who are searching for flavours that are exclusively New Zealand.

Served as a delicious aperitif, Karven Bianco Vermouth with its semi-dry style is also perfect in a martini, partnered with Karven Dry Gin or Grain Vodka. Or try a New Zealand Negroni with Karven’s sweeter style Rosso Vermouth, Dry Gin and Amaro.

RRP $39.95 Contact Quench Collective, (0800) 946 326 www.karven.co.nz

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 13

TASTING NOTES

Aromatic

BY CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

A

ll wines have aroma, a signature set of smells that define the variety or blend of varieties used. The style and particular winemaking techniques, such as the use of oak or extra time spent on lees post ferment contribute to the final package of smells referred to as aroma.

The term ‘aromatic’ refers to a specific category of white grape varieties that contain an extra set of naturally occurring compounds called ‘terpenes’. Terpenes enhance an even amplify the floral scents of wine, making them particularly distinctive. Terpenes emerge in certain varieties to a greater or lesser degree based on growing conditions, such as soil, climate and viticulturally practices.

The following wines are classified as aromatic or semi-aromatic and are regularly available in New Zealand: Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Torrontes, Albarino, Riesling, Muller Thurgau and Pinot Gris. Each of these wines are floral, fruity and intense on both the nose and palate with moderate acidity. Textures ranges from soft and creamy to satin or silky and crisp.

wines

Gewürztraminer is the most intense and exotic of the aromatic varieties with aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, roses and spices.

Descriptors such as lavender, talcum powder, pineapple, white pepper and even apple strudel have been used to describe the variety.

For readers keen on food to serve with aromatic wines look to dishes that are lush and creamy in texture like paté, tofu or cream of pumpkin soup. Wet textured proteins such as pork or sous-vide chicken and turkey also work well. Asian cuisine is a common pairing with aromatic varieties, but be careful to stick to fragrant spiced menu items. Heat spices in Asian dishes in general inflame the spice and alcohol in the wine rendering the pairings impossible. If you do like spicy dishes with aromatic wine select examples that have plenty of residual sugar to counter balance the spice. n

Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order.

Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

14 | August 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

BIO: Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. He is a Senior Lecturer at AUT University in Auckland, local and international wine judge, wine commentator and wine educator as well as a speaker and presenter in New Zealand and internationally. Cameron is also an examiner with the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide. He writes the wine lists for a variety of establishments including Mekong Baby, Nanam Republic and Michelin-Starred New York establishment The Musket Room.

TASTING NOTES ESTATE DOMAIN ROAD THE WATER 1 NAUTILUS MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017 2 RACE CENTRAL OTAGO DRY Varietal, fresh, fruity and precise bouquet of Gris then flavours of Asian pear, spice apple and a layer of citrus peel. Crisp and dry on the palate a crisp and precise flavour array reflecting flavours of white fleshed tree fruits and a touch of citrus and spice. Balanced, refreshing and packed with flavour leading to a dry finish. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 93 RRP $29.00 Distributor: Nautilus Estate Phone: (03) 572 6008 www.nautilusestate.com

FAMILY 4 BABICH ESTATES

MARLBOROUGH ORGANIC ALBARINO

Varietal with white and yellow peach, red apple and lemon; a light saline layer and some wet stone mineral notes. Weighty, fruity and spicy with a white peach to citrus transition on the palate, some juicy fruit gum flavours and a floral note. Just dry, fleshy texture and balanced. A lovely example sure to please many who try. Drink now and through 2021.

Points 93 RRP $24.95 Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (09) 833 7859 www.babichwines.com

RIESLING 2016

Enticing aromas of wet stone and minerality with flavours of red apple, baked lemon and mandarin, abundant floral aromas and lime. A residual sweetness layer gives way immediately to high acidity and flavours that reflect the bouquet. Crisp texture highlights the citrus and green apple flavours. Lengthy finish. Drink now and through 2028.

Points 93 RRP $25.00 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (09) 412 9137 www.domainroad.co.nz

ROAD WAIPARA 3 GEORGES PINOT GRIS 2017

Enticing and alluring bouquet with aromas and flavours of fresh and baked orchard fruits, some ginger spice and exotic flowers. Fleshy, juicy, fruity and just dry. Flavours reflect the nose with medium plus acidity and spiced fruits. Lovely flavour package and finish, creamy, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2024.

Points 93 RRP $25.00 Distributor: Hop and Vine Phone: (03) 348 8278 www.georgesroadwines.co.nz

MARIA SINGLE HILLS 5 VILLA 6 WAIPARA VINEYARD SEDDON RIESLING 2017

7 LOVEBLOCK MARLBOROUGH

Intense varietal bouquet of whitefleshed fruits and citrus, soft layers of spice and dried flowers, wet stone and mineral. Dry with flavours that reflect the nose, lush and fruity with contrasting acidity and lengthy moderately complex finish. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 91 RRP $29.99 Distributor: Villa Maria Phone: (09) 255 0697 www.villamaria.co.nz

Aromatic, exotic and fruity with flavours of peach, apple, a little grapefruit and yellow rose. Dry on the palate with a vibrant and lightly spiced texture with a hint of white pepper then a return to yellow stone fruit, citrus and apple flavours. Crisp, dry finish. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 89 RRP $21.99 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants Phone: (09) 365 1471 www.loveblockwine.com

MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017

Mineral-laden bouquet with aromas of green and red apple, citrus and peach moments.

Off-dry with flavours of fleshy red apple, white peach and lemon.

Fresh with abundant acidity, floral with a gentle fruit spice, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2024.

Points 90 RRP $21.90 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants Phone: (0800) 699 463 www.waiparahills.co.nz

SAUVIGNON GRIS 2014

SEVEN

SIX

FIVE

FOUR

THREE

TWO

ONE

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 15

BEER FEATURE

Crazy Whether you prefer to call it juicy, hazy or just simply, New England IPA, this fresh style of beer is both controversial and celebrated, writes John Oszajca.

T To contact John Oszajca regarding beer features or samples, please email him at john@newzealandbrewer.co.nz

en years ago, if you ordered an IPA, you’d have a pretty good idea of what you were going to get. Chances were, you’d be handed a gold-to-amber pint of bitter beer, which usually smelled and tasted of either citrus, herbs, flowers, pine, or sometimes tropical fruit. There were three distinctly different versions of the IPA - American West coast, American East Coast, and English. Bitterness was the name of the game and a virtual IBU (International Bitterness Units) arms race was in full-effect, as breweries would try to outdo one another by adding more and more hops to their beers, while boasting about how theirs was the most bitter of all.

My how things have changed. Today we see all manner of IPAs dominating the tap lists at our favorite brew bars. In addition to the ‘classic’ West Coast, East Coast, and English IPAs, today’s craft beer fans can commonly choose from: black, brown, red, rye, white, Belgian, sour, brett, double, triple, session, fruited, spiced, coffee, smoked, and even pumpkin IPA. But of all the newfangled variations of the IPA to capture the attention of craft beer fans in recent years, it is the New England IPA that arguably tops the list. The New England IPA essentially represents the hoppy pendulum slamming back in the face of brewing convention. As compared to the (typically) clear, and bitter ‘classic’ IPA, a New England IPA is a smooth, fruity beer, renowned for its cloudy appearance. The beer’s signature creamy, opaque appearance is often the result of the using protein-

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for hazy rich malts such as oats and/or wheat. The mouth-feel that these residual proteins contribute to, coupled with the judicious use of late (aromatic) hops and considerably less early (bittering) hops, produces a unique, hazy IPA, upon which the controversial descriptor of ‘juicy’ has been bestowed.

The story of the New England IPA more or less begins in the early 2000s when John and Jen Kimmich opened a brewpub – The Alchemist - in the US state of Vermont, which is located (needless to say) in the New England region. Not long after opening, they began brewing their take on an IPA, which became known as Heady Topper. Unlike the clear, bitter IPAs that were popular at the time, Heady Topper was an unfiltered IPA that emphasised late and dry hop additions rather than bittering additions. They also used their signature ‘Conan’ yeast strain, which was less attenuative and produced fruitier esters than the cleaner, dryer ‘Chico’ strain from the American West Coast. All of this also happened to coincide with the rise in popularity of a number of new hop varieties (such as Mosaic, Citra, Galaxy) that were known for their tropical fruit-like qualities, as compared to the citrus, pine, and resinous qualities of most popular hops prior to that time.

The result was a hazy, pillowy beer that abounded with tropical fruit flavours, and which stood out as completely unique for the style. Initially the beer was only produced two times a year. As its popularity grew, production increased and demand began to get out of control. Initially the beer was only available at the brewpub. Demand became so fierce that fans of the beer were said to sneak pints into the restroom

“A New England IPA is a smooth, fruity beer, renowned for its cloudy appearance” where they would pour their glasses of Heady Topper into bottles, tighten the lid, and then abscond out the door, their pockets bulging.

Then one day, a severe storm flooded The Alchemist and nearly destroyed everything that the Kimmich’s had built. However, they ultimately saved their company by opening a cannery nearby, where – for the first time – Heady Topper became available for off-premise sales.

Demand exploded. Within two years of opening the cannery, production increased from approximately 46,000 litres to 1,050,000 litres.

Because the style is meant to be drunk fresh (its flavours diminish as it ages), distribution was limited. To this day, The Alchemist only distributes Heady Topper within 25 miles of the brewery. The Kimmich’s goal was not to make as much money as possible, but rather to create a great product, and run a sustainable business with a focus on local. As such, people went crazy trying to get their hands on a can of Heady Topper. There were traffic jams near the brewery, a woman was arrested for selling cases of Heady Toper on Craigslist for as much as $825 USD, and one fan of Heady Topper is said to have flown all the way from South Africa in their private jet, picked up their daily limit of the Heady Topper, and then turned around and flew home. Eventually the beer was ranked the number one beer in the world on Beer Advocate, one of the world’s largest beer-review websites.

It wasn’t long before other breweries in the area started brewing similar beers (often using the same strain of yeast) and soon the style was officially christened what we now call the New England IPA (aka Vermont IPA).

THE NEW ENGLAND IPA HITS NZ

While the style has technically existed since The Alchemist first brewed it in the early 2000s, it has only been in the last few years that the moniker ‘New England IPA’ has become familiar to the masses.

In New Zealand, we first saw the style make a splash in 2016 when Garage Project cheekily entered its New England IPA into the annual West Coast IPA Challenge. The beer was named after the song Party

and Bullshit by Notorious B.I.G., who helped spur an infamous rivalry between America’s East and West Coast rap scenes. While the beer may have been initially released, as a bit of a gimmick, it has become one of the more highly-regarded craft beers in New Zealand, landing a 97 out of 100 on Ratebeer.com.

Today, we see a large number of New Zealand craft brewers adding New England IPAs to their line-ups. Though, typically, Kiwis eschew the geographically specific label of New England IPA in favour of more subtle descriptive clues such as ‘hazy’ or ‘juicy’.

The key to this style is freshness. And being a style of beer that does not travel well, it’s not likely we will be seeing any indigenous examples making their way to New Zealand. If we did, they almost certainly will be past their prime. Fortunately, we have a number of world-class examples to choose from that are being produced right here at home. The following are a few examples of locally produced New England-Style IPAs worth seeking out.

LID RIPPER - BEHEMOTH BREWING COMPANY

Behemoth’s Lid Ripper was one of just 14 beers out of approximately 500 to win a Gold medal at this year’s New World Beer & Cider Awards, and a well-deserved medal it is. Their hazy, unfiltered IPA uses what they call a “stupid amount of American hops” and an English ale yeast. The beer is extremely juicy and aromatic and a fantastic example of a ‘juicy’ IPA.

NEW ENGLAND IPA – DEEP CREEK BREWING COMPANY

Auckland’s Deep Creek Brewing Company has released its humbly titled ‘New England IPA’ as part of the Lupulin Effect Project. The Lupulin Effect Project features a series of new and somewhat experimental styles of India Pale Ale. The New England IPA is a “cloudy, East Coast, New England-style” IPA, with a smooth mouth-feel, mild bitterness, and fruity tropical hop flavours”.

THE 802 SERIES - MCLEOD’S BREWING COMPANY

The next time you find yourself heading to Northland, it’s worth making a stop at McLeod’s Brewery in Waipu. Their ‘802 IPAs’ are an ongoing series of unfiltered India Pale Ales brewed in the New England Style.

The series name – 802 - is a nod to the Vermont area code, which also happens to be the home state of McLeod’s head brewer, Jason Bathgate.

Currently available are the #8, #9, and #10 IPAs. Each version features a different array of hop varieties, bringing out flavours and aromas ranging from “tropical fruit bowl” to “creamy lemon”. These beers are available on-tap-only throughout New Zealand.

Despite its popularity, the New England IPA has attracted its share of controversy and cynicism. There is a fair deal of myth, fanaticism, and gimmick surrounding the style. That said, it also represents a refreshing reprieve from overly bitter beers that have often been self-described as ‘palate crushing’. This author, for one, thinks that the New England IPA is a delicious style of beer that offers the drinker an opportunity to enjoy an overtly hoppy beer, without the challenging bitterness normally associated with the style. Just remember to drink them fresh, whenever possible on-tap, and ignore the hype. n TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | August 2018 | 17