Hospitality Business July 2018

FINE FOOD NZ 2018 • EDUCATING BARISTAS • FRESH FONDUE

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz JULY 2018 Vol.5 No.6

THE MOFFAT TEAM FINE FOOD NZ 2018

NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST HOSPITALITY AUDIENCE

Contents 06

REGULARS 05 NEWS

Our round up of industry events

09 IN SEASON

Seafood, Meat & Produce

10 NEW OPENINGS

26 08

Queen Street rises again

FEATURES 15 S ILVER FERN FARMS HAT TRICK Nelson restaurant nails it!

16 LEASING TO SUCCEED We look at the benefits to hiring equipment

20 FINE FOOD NZ 2018

Exhibitions, seminars innovation & networking on display

10

30 CAFÉ BUSINESS

Training & Catering for the deaf

15

Hospitality BUSINESS | July 2018 | 3

Editorial

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

JULY 2018 Vol. 5 No. 6

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136

CONGRATULATIONS!

MANAGING DIRECTOR - PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz

Readers beware! This issue of Hospitality Business is filled with celebration and recognition of innovation and excellence in our industry! Our first shout out goes to Nelson chef and restaurant co-owner, Allan Ballantyne for his brilliant hat-trick - taking out three premium awards in the Silver Fern Farm restaurant competition this year. This is no mean feat when you look at the calibre of the finalists recognised at a special function at Mantells Restaurant at the Viaduct.

Our second shout out goes to the Maitre d’ and venue manager at Auckland’s White + Wongs, Sonya Chan, who was recognised for her outstanding skills at Auckland’s annual Lewisham Awards.

Moving along to the highly successful Fine Food New Zealand Show, where not only did thousands of industry people take the opportunity to network with each other to secure opportunities, but the Intermedia sponsored Fine Food Most Innovative product awards celebrated Kiwi ingenuity at its finest.

We also celebrate diversity – with a story which highlights the skills of a Wellington based company helping baristas to communicate with deaf people when they order coffee – while also training deaf people on how to become baristas!

Our July issue is heart warming!

Enjoy!

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Wootton The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, Australia www.intermedia.com.au

Kimberley Dixon

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper – jacqui@intermedia.com.au

EDITOR - HOSPITALITY Business Kimberley Dixon kdixon@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 0274 505 502 EDITOR - THE SHOUT Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 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 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Adrian Tipper – atipper@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock – cblacklock@intermedia.com.au

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Eclypse Lee – Publishing Assistant elee@intermedianz.co.nz PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

FINE FOOD NZ 2018 • EDUCATING BARISTAS • FRESH FONDUE

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz JULY 2018 Vol.5 No.6

THE MOFFAT TEAM FINE FOOD NZ 2018

NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST HOSPITALITY AUDIENCE

4 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

ON THE COVER: MOFFAT At Moffat we pride ourselves on providing the very best in commercial kitchen equipment. From food preparation, meal distribution, cooking, chilling, handling to baking or serving, we deliver unique, adaptive solutions to our clients worldwide.

From our development processes through to our production capability to our supply partnerships and our ongoing support network, nothing is left to chance. www.moffat.co.nz l 0800 663 328 l sales@moffat.co.nz

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Copyright © 2018 - The Intermedia Group Ltd ISSN 2382-1892

NEWS

NEW 4.5-STAR HOTEL FOR KAIKOURA Style and opulent guest rooms will feature in the refurbishment of Wains Hotel, Dunedin.

Grand Old Dunedin Dame To Step Up In Style Already occupying a much-loved heritage building in Dunedin, Wains Hotel is set to relaunch as a five- star boutique hotel later this year revealing an opulence and standard not seen in Dunedin.

Wains Hotel is situated at 310 Princess Street and dates from 1862. As the oldest hotel in Dunedin, it is a heritage building steeped in history. She is a grand old dame with quirks and personality. Located perfectly in the CBD to take advantage of Dunedin’s business district and retail shops, all of which are key features for corporates and leisure visitors.

With its blend of solid stone, extravagant carvings and luxurious materials, the hotel is sure to impress on arrival. The revamped Wains Hotel will cater for those looking for the ultimate in boutique hotel experiences. An investment of over $3 million will be spent on the refurbishment covering all areas of the hotel.

Classic luxury within the 50 guestrooms over seven levels of the hotel is planned. Its design has embraced not only the history of the hotel but also the early culture of the city and its Scottish links and the gold rush era of the 1800’s. Guest rooms and public spaces will boast rich materials, tones and soft luxury fabrics.

The completed hotel will also include a restaurant, bar, gym and meeting facilities. Refurbishment is due to be completed by late 2018.

Wains Hotel General Manager Sally Reiber says “This is extremely exciting news for Wains Hotel and Dunedin City. This boutique level of hotel product has been long awaited, and we look forward to welcoming our guests to the refurbished hotel later this year”.

Sudima Hotels has received the go-ahead to build a new, purpose-built 4.5-star hotel in Kaikōura, designed for domestic and international leisure travellers and offering 118 rooms, a restaurant and bar, conference facilities and a gym and pool. The hotel is scheduled to open during the summer of 2019/20.

Sudima Kaikōura will be located on the shoreline of the Kaikōura township, with an exceptional outlook to the mountains and sea and within walking distance of Kaikōura’s variety of offerings. The town has long been a major destination for domestic and international tourists, and following a 13-month, post-earthquake repair project to restore the damaged part of State Highway 1, tourism spending and visitor numbers are rising once again.

Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, the CEO of Sudima Hotels, says, “We’re very pleased to be able to announce the new hotel at this time, and to be playing a role in the recovery of Kaikōura following the earthquake that badly affected the town and its economy.

Kaikōura Mayor Winston Gray is excited that the development will proceed, “There has been talk about a new hotel in Kaikōura, and the investment and opportunities it would bring, for many years. Seeing this talk come to fruition is really special for me. I believe this development will be an absolute game changer for our community. The employment opportunities with a hotel of this scale are great. It will also add another quality venue for locals and visitors for events or conferences.

“Since the earthquake we’ve had a lot of disruption, including a few times where accommodation in town was completely sold out. This project sends a positive signal to locals, visitors and investors that Kaikōura is on a path to becoming better than ever. It will give confidence to other investors that Kaikōura is really on the move and I’m really looking forward to the development getting underway.”

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NEWS

Anton Mosimann OBE confirmed Nestlé Toque d’Or Judge Culinary powerhouse Anton Mosimann is set to headline this year’s panel of judges at the annual Nestlé Toque d’Or competition.

Mosimann’s involvement in the event will be a milestone occasion, given that he Anton Mosimann, OBE was the first ever winner of the competition when it was first launched overseas.

Recognised internationally for his culinary expertise, Mosimann has held many high-powered positions and received numerous accolades throughout his career. Mosimann’s Limited holds a Royal Warrant as caterers to HRH The Prince of Wales. In recognition of his work for the wedding reception of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London. In 2004, Mosimann received an OBE for services to the Tourist and Food Industries.

Mosimann will join an elite group of chefs and industry experts who have been drafted to judge at this year’s event including Darren Wright and Chetan Pangam. .

NZChefs National President and event organiser, Graham Hawkes, said it will be an incredible privilege to host Mosimann in Auckland.

“To have such an important icon in the culinary world as guest judge at this year’s event is a great honour. His culinary prowess is world class and his insights will be of great benefit to the competitors,” Graham said.

Now into its 28th year, Nestlé Toque d’Or is considered by those in the industry to be the premier student culinary and front of house competition in the country. The event shines a light on New Zealand’s emerging culinary and restaurant service superstars as they compete for the top title in a live kitchen cook off.

This year, 27 students and apprentices from the country’s leading training institutes including Sky City have signed on to compete.

Each representative team comprises two culinary and one restaurant service. They must create and present a menu they have developed to judges and special guests within a set timeframe. Last year, a team from the Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Rotorua took out the title.

Mosimann and the other judges on the panel will assess teams against WorldChefs judging criteria which covers a range of areas including: timing, taste, food preparation skills, service, presentation and hygiene.

Aside from judging at the New Zealand Nestlé Toque d’Or competition, Mosimann will also be in town to promote his latest book Life is a Circus: an autobiography.

The 28th Nestlé Toque d’Or will be held on Monday August 13 at the Auckland Showgrounds. An awards dinner will be held later in the evening at the Heritage Auckland where the winning team will be announced.

As seen at Fine Food NZ 2018

NACHO CRUMBED MEXICAN BEEF BITES Our Mexican Beef Bites are made using beef, kidney beans, corn and spices to provide authentic Mexican flavour. To top it off, these irresistable morsels are crumbed in nacho chips. Perfect for catering, they’re delicious served with a dollop of sour cream and fresh quacamole.

30 g bites | approx. 34 pieces per pag Hospitality Business - Angel Bay Crumbed Bites - Half Page June 2018.indd 1

6 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

For more information contact your distributor or visit www.angelbay.co.nz 28/06/2018 10:29:49 AM

LEWISHAM AWARDS 2018

Five minutes with Sonya Chan!

Outstanding Maître d’ Winner 2018 Q. How and when did you get into your career as a maitre d’?

After selling up a retail business and taking some time out travelling abroad about 12 years ago, I started working at the iconic VBG in Parnell. From there, I worked at Pontoon and then stayed eight years at Sonya Chan, of White + Wong’s Molten in Mt Eden.

In 2016, I was offered an opportunity to be part of the exciting opening of a brand new site on the Auckland Viaduct, becoming the venue manager at White + Wong’s Restaurant and Sardine Bar. Q. Did you come from a hospitality background at home?

At various times my parents were involved in restaurants and catering. Coming from a large Chinese family of seven siblings, and being the eldest daughter, food always played an important part. This combination of regular family dinners at home on Sunday and dining out with the family on special occasions inspired an interest in hospitality.

Q. What inspired you to become a maitre d’?

Technically, my role is not maitre d’, however as venue manager, I feel there are many skills I utilise that would traditionally fit within that role. What I enjoy most is the relationship-building with regulars, managing the sequence of service, ensuring the feedback of the guests is communicated to the team and encouraging the team to achieve certain targets.

Q. Where did you train?

I gained experience through working from the ground-up in all areas of the front of house and learnt aspects from the different styles of management.

Q. What is the most challenging part of the role?

Hospitality is such an organic and ever-evolving industry in which you are constantly learning from the network of people around you.

For me, people are at the heart of the hospitality industry and it can be challenging at the best of times. Every day is unique, and each dining experience is made up of individual interactions between the customer and the team. Not only are you challenging yourself to exceed the expectations to ensure a positive dining experience, but also to work efficiently under pressure while maintaining excellent friendly customer service.

Q. What special attributes do you require to be a good maître d’?

In any hospitality role, communication is key and having the listening skills to the hear what the customer is really saying. In a given situation, often it is in the tone of their voice and their body language which will help give a better understanding of their expectations or needs. Not only does this apply to your guests, but also recognising your team’s strengths or weaknesses throughout the shift, and the ability to give support.

A good attention to detail and having environmental awareness will allow you to oversee the big picture and know exactly what is happening in your venue. It is always important to maintain focus and be able to drive the service with a positive attitude without compromising your integrity.

Having a good memory - recognising your regulars, and doing your best to accommodate where you can.

Q. What have been the highlights of your career and what aspects of the job do you enjoy the most?

Hospitality has given me the opportunity to learn and develop personally and professionally. A career highlight would be the opening of White & Wong’s and completing the first service. More recently, receiving a Lewisham Award and to be acknowledged among your peers is something quite special and humbling.

One of most enjoyable aspects of my job is meeting people and building a unique social network from all walks of life. One of best parts is being in an industry which combines my love of photography, food and people together.

The Lewisham Awards, named after Richard Lewisham, who was a pioneer in the Auckland hospitality scene, were established in 2002 to encourage excellence in the city’s hospitality community. Finalists and winners come from a mix of both new and established businesses.

2018 LEWISHAM AWARDS WINNERS:

Crombie Lockwood Outstanding Waiter – Loz Colwill, Apero Antipodes Water Outstanding Maitre d’ – Sonya Chan, White + Wong’s Federal Merchants & Co Outstanding Bartender – Prateek Arora, Cassia Restaurant Association of NZ Sales Representative – Craig MacKenzie, Sunshine Brewery Hospitality Association of NZ Outstanding Supplier – Hancock’s Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants EuroVintage Outstanding Wine List – Apero Negociants Outstanding Wine Service Professional – Ismo Koski, Apero Southern Hospitality Outstanding Local – Mo’s Hellers Outstanding Caterer – Urban Gourmet Clyth Macleod Outstanding Street Food – The Lucky Taco Hancock’s Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants Outstanding Bar – Caretaker Meadow Fresh Outstanding Barista – Sai Okesene, Super Bidfood Outstanding Cafe - Kokako Cafe Independent Liquor Outstanding New Venue –Parasol & Swing OneMusic Outstanding Establishment – Amano Moana New Zealand Emerging Talent – Jami Kerrigan Winterhalter NZ Outstanding Chef – Che Barrington, GoGo Daddy, Chop Chop/Woodpecker Hill/Bluebreeze Inn Pernod Ricard Outstanding Restaurateur –Sid Sahrawat, Cassis/Sidart Moet Hennessy Outstanding Hospitality Personality – Nicola Richards, Monsoon Poon

Hospitality BUSINESS | July 2018 | 7

NEWS

SWISS CHEESE FONDUE FOR TWO

Head chef Josh Barlow.

NEW HEAD CHEF JOINS SUGAR CLUB Josh Barlow, former head chef at three-hat restaurant The Grove, has been appointed executive chef of Peter Gordon’s iconic Sugar Club at SKYCITY Auckland.

Having left The Grove at the end of 2017 to spend time with his young family, Mr Barlow says it was a case of ‘right place, right opportunity’ that arrived sooner than expected.

“I’m really looking forward to joining SKYCITY and the Sugar Club team, and working with Peter Gordon. It’s going to be a fresh challenge working with Peter and learning about his particular fusion cuisine. I believe there’s lots of room to grow in this restaurant, and it’s where I want to develop my cuisine,” says Mr Barlow.

Set on level 53 of the Sky Tower, The Sugar Club couples Peter Gordon’s internationally-renowned fusion cuisine with spectacular views over the city and Hauraki Gulf.

Chef Peter Gordon says Mr Barlow has impressive drive and a huge amount of talent.

“When Josh’s CV came across my table, I was thrilled. It is exciting to have such a talent in Auckland, especially as he has worked in restaurants I admire both here and in the UK. Fortuitous timing has led us to soon start working together, which is going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to producing some memorable dishes together when I return to New Zealand at the end of May, as are my kitchen and front of house teams in The Sugar Club.”

After working seven years abroad, first in Australia and then in Michelin starred restaurants in the UK, Mr Barlow returned to Auckland in 2015 to make his mark on the restaurant scene. He started as senior sous chef at the award-winning The Grove and in 2016 took over as head chef.

Mr Barlow will be replacing executive chef Neil Brazier, who has been with The Sugar Club since opening in 2013, and is stepping away from the kitchen to spend time with his growing family in Northland.

“I was incredibly lucky five years ago to meet Neil, who has been a hugely talented executive chef, is a fantastic sounding board, and remains a great people manager,’’ says Mr Gordon “I am sad to see him leave of course, but he leaves us in great shape.”

The Sugar Club at the Sky Tower is the fourth incarnation of The Sugar Club, which celebrated 30 years in 2016. The Sky Tower Sugar Club celebrates its fifth birthday this year.

8 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

Fondue is a delectable Swiss culinary experience and the history of fondue dates back to the 18th century. The team at Swissôtel Sydney has recreated a traditional fondue recipe for guests to enjoy during the city’s colder months.

Swissôtel Sydney’s fondue recipe is a combination of Swiss cheeses including Emmental (a yellow, medium-hard, savoury and mild tasting cheese) and Gruyere (a traditional, creamy, unpasteurised, semi-soft cheese), Kirsch (a clear, colourless fruit brandy), white wine and garlic, all blended together and served in one warm pot.

By adding Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese, Gorgonzola Dolce blue cheese or truffle on request…or all three, the fondue has flexibility of taste!

The fondue is served with traditional crusty baguette bread, pickled onions and a farmer’s garden salad. Other delicious dip-able additions to choose from include spiced meatballs, ‘mac and cheese’ croquettes, potato rostis, beer battered chips, seasonal vegetables, mushrooms, cured speck, pork salami, and even nashi pear.

To complement the experience, Swissôtel Sydney has also curated a unique beverage menu which pairs perfectly with the fondue. Their selection includes Kirsch, mulled wine, peach schnapps, calvados and apple schnapps. Guests are forewarned… fondue tradition dictates that if a person loses their bread in the fondue pot they owe the group a round of drinks!

Ross Buchanan, General Manager Swissôtel Sydney says, “We have been working on this concept for months now and we are absolutely thrilled to finally launch it in time for winter.

Fondue is an authentic Swiss culinary tradition which is perfect to enjoy with friends when the weather turns cold.”

Diners are forewarned… fondue tradition dictates that if a person loses their bread in the fondue pot they owe the group a round of drinks!

IN SEASON

MEAT d LAMB RUMP Lamb rump is a versatile cut to use year-round on restaurant menus. Whether it’s a robust main course dish or a small shared plate, the distinct hearty flavour and tenderness of lamb rump is suitable to take on a wide range of flavours. Using the sous vide cooking method ensures the perfect degree of cooking each time, making the lamb rump ready for any menu application. Pictured here by chef Greg Piner of Vault 21 in Dunedin, is lamb rump bruschetta smoked in plum wood with edamame and feta smash, black vinegar marmalade and a pomegranate essence. www.nzexcellenceawards.co.nz

SEAFOOD

c ALFONSINO Alfonsino, a member of the Berycidae family, are slender, brilliant red coloured fish with silver-tinged sides and a pearlescent underbelly. Alfonsino’s strikingly large red eyes and deeply forked tail give them a particularly unique appearance.

The vibrant red colour is an adaptive response to deep water surroundings, where red is filtered out of the light spectrum.

Being a benthopelagic species, Alfonsinos inhabit deep offshore reefs between 200 and 800 meters and are typically found around the North Island and northern areas of the South Island. During the day, they occupy the bottom of the seabed in schools, feeding on crustaceans, squid and small fish; swimming to shallow waters to feed on plankton at night.

With a lifespan average of 17 years and a moderate growth rate, they reach approximately 50cm in length and 2.5kg in weight at full maturity. Although not an abundant species, they are widely available in New Zealand waters all year round.

Extremely versatile and relatively inexpensive, Alfonsino is a real treat to grace the table. Their delicate, slightly sweet flavour is wonderful in richness and has a high oil content – meaning fillets cook quickly, becoming firm and flaky while retaining moisture. Although it is renowned for being the best fish to eat raw, Alfonsino also lends itself to being baked, sautéed and poached lightly in coconut cream. The flavour profile of the fish is often paired with Japanese cuisine, where its vibrant skin is left intact for nigiri sushi or complemented with umami to form a delicious and vibrant dish.

For more ideas on the best way to enjoy Alfonsino visit www.seafood.co.nz/recipes.

FRESH PRODUCE

b LOWLY POTATO RISES TO THE TOP Expanding waistlines, and a rush toward lower carbohydrates as the solution by Kiwis, is what led New Zealand’s largest fruit and vegetable grower to launch Lotatoes potatoes last year. Grown naturally in Pukekohe and Ohakune, Lotatoes from T&G are 40 percent lower in carbs and calories than their nearest rival the Rua, but taste just as great. They’re also equally versatile and the perfect meal accompaniment to hearty meals now the weather is truly colder.

At this time of year, it’s all about comfort and keeping warm inside and out. Lotatoes, and other potatoes, are the original mash and always a hit on the side of roast meats and gourmet sausages.

Spice your mash up by adding browned butter, fresh garlic and parmesan. If you want to make your mash really, really low carb, make it half-and-half of Lotatoes and cauliflower; the Lotatoes will give a nice fluffy texture and the ever-popular cauli will take those carb levels even lower!

Take your mash to the next level by making your mash with herbinfused cream. In a small saucepan mix together cream, chopped spring onion, thyme, rosemary and throw in some bay leaves and peppercorns.

Bring to a simmer until the cream is reduced then strain through a sieve.

Work the cream mix through boiled potatoes, mixing constantly – finish the mash off with chives, salt and pepper. And don’t overlook other winter favourites like carrots, pumpkin and kumara. Fashionable yearround, they add a healthy dose of colour and minerals to menus from start to finish. www.firstpick.co.nz

Hospitality BUSINESS | July 2018 | 9

NEW OPENINGS

Queen’s Rise

Ottoman Mezze Lounge offers traditional Turkish dishes and an emphasis on shared eating alongside a hand-picked wine, craft beer and boutique whisky menu.

Bell boys greeted invited guests to the official opening of 125 Queen Street ‘s new laneway dining precinct.

QUEEN’S RISE

125 Queen Street, Auckland Queen’s Rise, a new laneway-style dining precinct has opened its doors at the iconic former Bank of New Zealand façade that remains at 125 Queen Street, providing a much needed new casual dining destination to Auckland’s CBD. Kerry Woods of Winton, development manager for Queen’s Rise, says that the opening of the new dining precinct has been something they have been working towards for a long time. “It was very important to us to create an unrivalled hospitality offering that would be a first in the Auckland market, so we took our time and were careful to ensure Queen’s Rise had the right mix of independent operators that we knew would deliver an exceptional overall experience. We are extremely happy with the group we have brought on board!”

Introducing Lowbrow, the baby brother to the successful contemporary yum cha restaurant, Culprit. Understated yet quirky, Lowbrow servse what they call ‘good food’ to those who are after a quick meal and relaxed environment. Lowbrow dishes up fresh and seasonal food with an edge, complemented by natural wine and bespoke cocktails.

Also in the mix is Grace, a culinary twist on elegant yet affordable dining that uses clean flavours and New Zealand sourced produce. A theatre kitchen and bar is the prominent feature in the compact yet cleverly appointed dining room.

10 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

Another major highlight is Ottoman Mezze Lounge, a Turkish inspired concept brought to life by top restaurateur Alex Isik from the Nazar Group. The laidback lounge offers traditional Turkish dishes and an emphasis on shared eating alongside a hand-picked wine, craft beer and boutique whisky menu.

Rounding out the selection is Italian cuisine at Dante’s Pizzeria, Nourish Pod - the original Acai bowl dealers, potato joint and watering hole Potato & Me, as well as fresh and healthy options from Poke Bar; traditional Chinese dim sum and dumplings at Panda Town, clever takes on Donburi from Tokyo Loco Bowl, guilt-free goodness at Jar Story and deli style sandwiches from Dolly Bird.

Drawing inspiration from the bustling dining precincts of Australasia, Europe and New York, Queen’s Rise is a laneway that incorporates high quality finishes, feature lighting, mosaic tiling and strong attention to detail throughout. The design is sympathetic to and complements the heritage facade that it sits behind which has previously had a mixed range of retail offerings.

“New Zealand is jumping on board with the rising trend of modern dining precincts, popular in metropolitan areas across the globe. Consumers are increasingly drawn to casual yet classy eateries combining contemporary architecture with a relaxed environment which is what we wanted to reflect with Queen’s Rise,” says Woods.

Queen’s Rise is open for all-day service, seven days a week catering to inner city crowds in search of the latest in food and beverage.

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VIEWPOINT

As We See It

Welcome to the babysitter club…what happened to a bit of personal responsibility?

I thought that title might grab your attention. In recent weeks Hospitality New Zealand has found itself defending Hospitality the industry across a number of channels.

New Zealand What’s new? You might ask and to this Vicki Lee, CEO we say not much actually but, my point is increasingly the industry is being made to feel like has to be responsible for everything that human beings do when they go out.

We would be naïve to suggest that people don’t do dumb things in pubs, restaurants and bars. Sadly, when alcohol is consumed irresponsibly people do stupid things and part of the host responsibility requirements of any licence holder means they are required to mitigate against it happening in the first place or manage it when it does occur. It’s worth more than an operators’ business or livelihood to allow a person to be served, or even allowed into the bar, who is already intoxicated yet they regularly find themselves dealing with or looking after people who may have had a bit too much to drink before they even make it into town.

Increasingly it’s not just alcohol that contributes to the ‘people doing dumb things’ statistics, with drugs or a combination of the two adding another layer of responsibility on the operator. The issue is such that Hospitality NZ is currently working with other agencies to develop a resource to help operators identify and deal

“...Socialising on licensed premises is the safest place to be...” with drug intoxication. This is because under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act any form of intoxication, not just alcohol, needs to be managed by the operator.

Another initiative we are also working on is the “It’s Our Business” sexual harassment training which will be rolled out around the country. Essentially this training gives staff the skills and coping mechanisms to identify and manage situations in their bar if they see a situation developing that might be putting a customer at risk. As well as this training, the industry has been very proactive in this space for quite some time with initiatives such as Ask for Angela, Angel Shots, Chill Out Zones and Council/ Sector led street safe initiatives.

But we should always remember that the majority of the time people go out, have a great meal, drink responsibly and get home safely. We have always said that socialising on licensed premises is the safest place to be and that our sector takes their host responsibility very carefully. But host responsibility does not mean ‘babysitting’ and some personal responsibility needs to be taken here also.

Coca-Cola – Millennial drinking trends THE TOP FIVE MILLENNIAL DRINKING TRENDS

Success in hospitality has always relied on keeping in tune with the latest trends and it is millennials who are calling the tune for the drinks industry. That means bar, restaurant and café owners, as well as beverage manufacturers, need to pay close attention to what millennials want. Carl Edkins, Knowledge and Insights Manager at Coca-Cola, has identified the top five trends, giving you a taste of things to come:

1. SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS A recent Nielsen report showed that 62% of millennials in New Zealand would reject products due to environmental concerns.

“As well as being the right thing to do, showing commitment to sustainability, such as our ambitious goal to help collect and recycle a bottle for every one we sell by 2030, shows people you’re serious about your impact on the environment and that boosts customer engagement with your business,” Edkins says.

2. MILLENNIALS LIKE A NATURAL BALANCE Organic and natural ingredients are extremely popular, including the likes of coconut water, organic juices and tea beverages.

Edkins calls it a “global mega-trend”. Coca-Cola NZ1 has seen strong growth in sales of its own Zico Coconut Water, Deep Spring Naturals and MOST® Organic juices which use locally-sourced apples and recently launched Coca-Cola Stevia No Sugar to tap into the natural trend.

3. QUALITY BEATS QUANTITY An Australian study shows 60% of millennials are willing to dig deeper into their pockets for a more quality product. Edkins sees 1. Coca-Cola NZ consists of Coca-Cola Amatil NZ and Coca-Cola Oceania 12 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

the next big opportunity for the New Zealand drinks industry being the “sophistication” market, allowing people to express their individualism by choosing products with more niche flavours.

Think sour over sweet, unusual taste combinations like chilli and lime L&P, the limited edition Coke Ginger or Coke Raspberry.

4. PORTIONS ARE SHRINKING More individualism also translates to individual portion sizes.

“People are more concerned about presentation over volume. Kiwis recognise that a good experience requires you to pay a bit more, and the best experiences aren’t always the biggest.”

Think individual glasses over pitchers and smaller bottles over 2L family sizes and multi-packs.

5. MILLENNIALS ARE DRINKING LESS ALCOHOL Across the UK and Australia, alcohol-free bars are starting to appear, including a “mindful drinking” movement called Club Soda, which promotes nonalcoholic cocktails.

“Young people still enjoy alcohol, but they’re increasingly choosing non-alcoholic beverages as well to moderate their intake, just as they’re doing with sugar.”

“While we have a smaller market there’s still a lot of potential for local bars and restaurants to follow the overseas trend,” Edkins says.

SPONSORED BY COCA COLA

Nestlé Professional is proud to support New Zealand’s hospitality stars of the future, as they compete against the best of the best for the coveted supreme title at the 2018 Nestlé Toque d’Or. Find out more information at nestleprofessional.co.nz/nestle-toque-dor or livestream the action at www.facebook.com/nestle.toquedor/ Toi Ohomai Rotorua Winners 2017

MONDAY 13 AUGUST 2018 AT NZ HOSPITALITY CHAMPIONSHIPS, LOGAN CAMPBELL CENTRE, ASB SHOWGROUNDS FROM 11.00AM

New Zealand’s Best Red Meat Chefs The Silver Fern Farms Restaurant Awards are a nationwide search for dishes that deliver the very best, inspirational and delicious food experiences, using Silver Fern Farms naturally raised, grass-fed beef, lamb and vension.

Head judges Catherine Bell and Geoff Scott commented: “It is great to see that chefs are showcasing Silver Fern Farms red meat as the hero of the plate, celebrating the premium cuts and naturally raised, grass-fed red meat. It was clear that these winning chefs completely understand and have mastered the techniques involved in delivering perfect meat to increasingly discerning diners.”

WINNER CHEF OF THE YEAR + BEST RESTAURANT + BEST VENISON DISH

Aaron Ballantyne Hopgoods, Nelson Silver Fern Farms venison, chestnut polenta, caramelised celeriac, fig and wild mushroom tapenade

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

BEST BEEF DISH

BEST LAMB DISH

Paul Limacher Chameleon Restaurant Wellington

Mat McLean Palate Restaurant Hamilton

BEST REGIONAL RESTAURANT

EMERGING CHEF OF THE YEAR

Silver Fern Farms Reserve beef tenderloin, green pea crust, black garlic mash, carrot pickle, shiitake, edamame salad and umami butter

Silver Fern Farms lamb cutlets, lamb shank moussaka ravioli, eggplant purée, black garlic with minted hollandaise

Logan Coath Archive Bar & Bistro Waiheke Island

Patrick Pope-Moody Chameleon Restaurant Wellington

Slow cooked Silver Fern Farms lamb shoulder, carrot, sunflower tahini, pomegranate, burnt red cabbage and dukkah

Silver Fern Farms venison short loin, fig, cauliflower and goat curd purée, beet kraut and beetroot tile with sorrel

To source Silver Fern Farms premium quality cuts, contact service@silverfernfarms.co.nz or call 0800 362 362 today

www.silverfernfarms.com

SILVER FERN FARM AWARDS 2018 Described as “total harmony on a plate” the tenderloin and crumbed slow cooked neck croquette combined beautifully and the venison was the hero of the dish.

NELSON BISTRO’S HAT-TRICK!

H

e was nurtured under two of New Zealand’s best awardThe flavours of caramelised celeriac and chestnut polenta worked winning, five-star chefs at one of the country’s most perfectly with venison. exclusive lodges, but that’s not something Aaron Ballantyne Focusing on seasonal produce is nothing new for him, or Hopgood’s talks up. His humility is almost as impressive as his food. owner Kevin Hopgood - a former London chef who sought a fresh The ever humble Silver Fern Farms’ Restaurant Awards 2018 Chef of lifestyle in New Zealand for his family. “Kevin was ahead of his time – one the Year is the first South Island supreme winner since the awards began of the first in the country to be focusing on local Farmer’s Market produce in 2013. Hopgood’s & Co in Nelson, the classy casual bistro where he’s and Nelson wines when he opened Hopgood’s in 2005,” says Aaron. head chef and also a partner, scored a hat trick at the awards, also scooping “I was only coming to Nelson for a holiday 10 years ago when I ended the award for the country’s Best Restaurant and Best Venison Dish. up enjoying it so much that I got a job with Kevin and never left,” he says.

Press him a little and you’ll find that these are by no means Aaron’s He’s been a minor partner in the restaurant since 2016. first awards. The 39-year-old has bagged gold medals before during the For Aaron, his love of cooking all started in his hometown of height of a competitive chef career during the early to mid-2000’s while Wellington when he was just 15. “I’d bake cakes at home with Mum when working at Blanket Bay, an exclusive five-star lodge near Queenstown.

I was little like most kids, but I got a job washing dishes after school in the “We’re pretty modest. We come to work and do our best for the old motor lodge across the road,” he says. “I just really enjoyed the buzz customer and if we win awards that’s great,” says Aaron. of washing dishes in that kitchen.” From there he went on to Wellington He was “pretty chuffed, shocked and surprised” with his recent Polytechnic to study hospitality and cookery for two years. He worked in a national wins though, especially as he was up against some of the couple of Wellington restaurants before heading to Japan and Australia. “I country’s most experienced chefs – people he’s always looked up to. taught in an English school in Japan in 2000 and 2001, just for something However, while they’re a wonderful accolade, awards are not what different, then I worked in restaurants in Australia. Aaron met his Japanese drives Aaron when he’s creating beautiful dishes. Pleasing the customer wife, Satomi Kashihara, at home in Wellington, and Satomi is also a foodie, is foremost in his mind, and it’s often those with having run her own Japanese Bento Box business the most money who are most easily pleased. in Singapore.

He’s cooked for plenty of famous people during There have been many good mentors – chefs his time, especially at Blanket Bay where a and kitchen hands - who have fed Aaron’s famous Hollywood actress simply requested appetite for hospitality, but Jason Dell and Mark a burger for dinner. “Most of them are quite Sycamore – two of the country’s most highlyhumble people,” he says. acclaimed chefs had a big impact on him during It’s all about creating something spectacular his time at Blanket Bay from 2002 to 2005. with seasonal produce and his winning dish of “We used to do a lot of competitions while Silver Fern Farms venison, chestnut polenta, I was down there and regularly win a lot of caramelised celeriac, fig and wild mushroom regional ones.” tapenade was the perfect autumn showcase for The ‘magic box’ category was always one of his love of seasonal food.

Aaron’s favourites – a surprise combination Described as “total harmony on a plate” the of ingredients, which always brought out his tenderloin and crumbed slow cooked neck creative flair. croquette combined beautifully and the venison These days he’s keen to mentor the younger was the hero of the dish. generation coming up through the ranks and “I was running late with my entry so I just keep them keen. “A lot of young kids now don’t jotted down my ideas using what was coming see a working restaurant in action and those who into season. You’ve just got to try and come do don’t stick with the profession,” says Aaron. up with combinations that make sense using Each year for the past three years he’s helped local those ingredients,” he says. “We’re mostly polytechnic students to stage a dinner, helping Aaron Ballantyne - Silver Fern Farms’ very traditional French and English style them prepare and serve a tasting menu using local Restaurant Awards 2018 Chef of the here at Hopgood’s and I just add my own produce. “It’s a chance to do something different Year, from Hopgood’s & Co – Nelson. twist to that using what’s fresh and available.” and give a little back to the industry,” he says. n Hospitality BUSINESS | July 2018 | 15

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– Nothing goes out of date!

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Guard against built in obsolescence by leasing equipment.

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easing plant and equipment is becoming increasingly popular in the hospitality sector as a cost-effective way of keeping establishments on trend and well-presented. Having that stateof-the-art coffee machine front of house not only looks good but will keep the customers happy and ensures efficiency behind the café counter as well.

LeasePlus owner Earl Stevens says there’s been an increased demand from hospitality operators, especially in the accommodation sector, to lease instead of buy, everything from televisions, menuboards and beds, to deep fryers and coffee machines.

“When we first took over the company a year ago we were mainly leasing the likes of TV’s, but we’re now responding to a demand for all plant and equipment,” says Earl.

“It’s easier for operators to get finance from us as we have security over the asset because we own it, so it helps with the cashflow of their business. A motelier might pay $38 a month to lease a new 50-inch Smart TV from us, instead of buying one for $1500,” he says.

Technology is advancing so rapidly that buying new is no longer the most economical way of fitting out rooms. Staying up-to-date and competitive in look, feel and equipment requires hefty capital outlay.

“We recently supplied 120 TV’s to a small accommodation provider that would’ve had to outlay more than $100,000 to fit out rooms with new ones.”

With more than 25 years’ experience in leasing to the accommodation and hospitality industry LeasePlus has built long-standing relationships with its suppliers and customers.

“All of our equipment is modern and new and we buy directly from our trusted importer or wholesaler to offer the best deals,” says Earl. Customers also get free installation, servicing and peace of mind knowing that if any piece of equipment breaks down or malfunctions under warranty LeasePlus ensures it’s fixed or replaced from its warehouse stock immediately.

These days savvy customers are constantly checking TripAdvisor and social media for reviews to ensure they’re getting the best value

for money. “Some of them can be pretty savage and if your rooms or equipment are looking a bit tired or shabby then people start to talk about that, so almost all of our plant leasing is based on a 3-year term allowing customers to regularly replace or upgrade to keep ahead.”

Technology is typically upgraded every three years to a better model for the same price, just to keep up with the rapid advancements.

“Technology is pretty cheap now and most customers have the latest models at home so they expect nothing less than that when they stay in a motel or hotel. It’s is the perfect way to guard against obsolescence,” says Earl. “Nothing goes out of date.”

LeasePlus also supplies the latest in restaurant and café kitchen plant – everything from glassware washers to ovens and microwaves.

“When a café is turning out 1000 coffees a day, the coffee machine can be looking a bit tired after three years. We can also facilitate upgrading and refreshing the rest of the place while we’re in there.”

The company’s also increasingly being hired to fit out properties for Airbnb. “We’ve even fitted out a stately home with fittings and furniture for an ambassador to New Zealand recently.”

It’s a popular move for motels, especially if the owners are leasing their property as they don’t have a lot of security for a bank, says Earl. “We can probably fit out a room for about $80 a month and the motelier could rent that room out for between $3000 and $4000 a month, depending on the season, so it certainly pays off.”

Accommodation operators are realising that a small monthly leasing cost to upgrade can mean higher room rates and improved occupancy levels.

Leasing costs are also tax deductible – essentially an operating expense to be claimed as profit and loss for the year, says Earl. “Depending on the requirements, say you buy an oven, you can only depreciate a certain percentage of that each year. If you’re leasing that then 100 percent of that cost is tax deductible as it’s just an operating expense.”

It’s a move that’s becoming popular in situations like that in which operators don’t have a lot of extra capital available, he says. n

“All of our equipment is modern and new and we buy directly from our trusted importer or wholesaler to offer the best deals.”

Hospitality BUSINESS | July 2018 | 17

LEASING

REDUCE YOUR SET UP COSTS Now Wellington-based, Hospitality Rentals’ Hardy Supply Company was founded in 1989 to service the hospitality market with new and used food equipment, as well as supplying disposables for the catering and office market.

“While we were selling disposable cups we found there was a demand for rented water coolers with full maintenance contracts,” says owner Mark Hardy. In response Hardy Trade then set up the company, Hardy Rentals, to rent water coolers to the office market.

By the late 1990’s New Zealand’s tight monetary policy and lending criteria had the hospitality market calling for better financing options to buy equipment, rather than relying on banks and more expensive avenues.

“We decided to sell the water cooler business and concentrate on what we knew best - the hospitality sector,” says Mark. The new focus brought about a name change to Hospitality Rentals.

Since then the company has offered rental contracts on foodservice equipment, furniture and associated equipment, all with a full maintenance programme. This enables existing businesses to upgrade old unreliable equipment with new equipment, allowing the customer to enjoy more efficient equipment without any large capital outlay by operators, he says.

Hospitality Rentals also caters for new businesses whose

owners have discovered that renting expensive foodservice equipment saves thousands of dollars in initial set-up costs. “It also protects them from high exposure to banks and finance companies.”

Mark’s company is also enjoying increased demand. “More and more customers are seeing the benefits of renting equipment with a full maintenance contract so that they can focus on delivering top quality food products without the stress of expensive break downs.”

Hospitality Rentals remains the only family-owned and operated hospitality rental company in New Zealand. “By dealing directly with manufacturers and skipping the middlemen we can offer customers the lowest priced equipment rentals on a vast range of hospitality equipment,” says Mark.

Customers enjoy claiming 100 percent tax deductibility off each weekly rental and they don’t have to worry about costly equipment breakdowns for the entire length of the contract. “If the equipment suffers a major breakdown we will often simply replace the equipment with new equivalent, updated equipment at no extra cost to the customer.”

Hospitality Rentals has experienced sales consultants all over the country who can meet with clients and ensure they get the best advice, tailormade for their business.

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

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FINE FOOD NZ 2018

Pictured from left at the awards ceremony to celebrate the Most Innovative Hospitality Product or Service for 2018 at the Fine Food Show are the winners from iMonitors:- Shakeel Ahmed (Food Scientist), Craig Wilson (Business Development Manager), Ludy Colenbrandor (Business Development Manager), Martin Keogh (CEO), Aiden Javan (Embedded Software Engineer), Minesh Raniga (Program Manager).

SIMPLY THE BEST

FINE FOOD INNOVATION AWARDS 2018 A total of 8918 visitors attended this year's Fine Food NZ show !

S

howcasing innovation and ingenuity in the hospitality, food service and retail sectors is a major feature of the Fine Food Show. This year the Fine Food Innovation Awards, sponsored

by Intermedia NZ– publishers of Hospitality Business and FMCG Business magazines – attracted double the number of entries of previous years overall, proving Kiwis still sparkle when it comes to thinking outside of the square.

The judges of the awards were Al Baxter of The Foodbowl, Countdown’s Nikhil Sawant, AUT’s John Kelleher, Hospitality Business editor, Kimberley Dixon and Marisa Bidois, the CEO of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.

The winner of the Most Innovative Hospitality Product or Service award for 2018 was iMonitor, a company based in Mt Wellington, Auckland that has developed an essential system for wireless temperature monitoring, of food storage units that can inform customers when action is required to maintain food safety. The monitored temperatures link to iMonitor’s online Food Safety Plan to enable companies, restaurants, hotels and food related businesses to accurately maintain food safety. iMonitor’s Food Safety Plan has been adapted from the Ministry of Primary Industry’s “Simple Safe and Suitable” templates, creating a system that reflects exactly what is required by food service providers and restaurants in order to be compliant with the Food Safety Act 2014, 20 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

Intermedia Managing Director & Publisher, Dale Spencer (right), presented the awards and is pictured with the winners of the Most Innovative Retail Product or Service, from Cabernet Foods for their Everton Dry Aged Beef.

FINE FOOD NZ 2018 which became law on March 31 2018. This impressed the judges along with its ease of application, versatility and innovation.

It is believed to be the only product in New Zealand which combines Internet hardware technology with industry specific food safety plan software – eliminating the need for manual temperature recording and improving accuracy.

The Most Innovative Foodservice Product Award and James & Wells Champion of Innovation Award went to KaitahiTM Frozen Superfood Smoothy Drops. Kaitahi is a new company who have produce a new advance on the frozen smoothie blends currently on the market. “ Delivered in the form of frozen drops, trapping in the flavour and goodness it is a refreshingly different product that delivers delicious and nutritious functional food in a highly convenient way. The drops include Maori ingredients such as kumara, puha and kawakawa, made by ringawere (cooks) who are familiar with the old way of doing things,” says judge Nikhil Sawant of Countdown.

And adding yet another award to their trophy cabinet is the winner of the Most Innovative Retail Grocery Product, Cabernet Foods’ Everton Dry aged Beef.

A finalist also for the most innovative foodservice award, the Everton Dry Aged Beef of Carterton impressed the judges with the taste and versatility of the beef.

The beef also won the bronze medal in the 2018 Steak of Origin Awards’ wholesale and foodservice categories.

Lorrane Smith, event manager of Fine Food New Zealand said the competition for the innovation awards this year was exceptionally strong. “The judges certainly had their work cut out for them with high quality entries from diverse companies in every corner of New Zealand and internationally. Reflecting changing attitudes to food and hospitality, many of them were innovators in ec-conscious and healthy living – but what every entrant has shown is the high calibre of food production, food service and hospitality we enjoy in this country.” n

Kaitahi Frozen Superfood smoothy drops won the Most Innovative Foodservice or Product.

INNOVATION AWARDS 2018 FINALISTS & WINNERS MOST INNOVATIVE RETAIL PRODUCT OR SERVICE

• • • • •

Winner: Cabernet Foods - Everton Dry Aged Beef Molly Woppy - Chewy Ginger Delight Kaitahi - Kaitahi Frozen Superfood Smoothy Drops Five Percent - Gault’s Tomato Ketchup The Spirit Workshop - Curious Gin

MOST INNOVATIVE FOODSERVICE PRODUCT OR SERVICE

• Winner: Kaitahi - Kaitahi Frozen Superfood Smoothy Drops • Handcrafted by Loaf- Cricket Burger Bun • Cabernet Foods - Everton Dry Aged Beef

MOST INNOVATIVE HOSPITALITY PRODUCT OR SERVICE

• • • • • •

Winner: iMonitor - Integrated Wireless Temperature Monitoring & Digital Food Safety Plan Searchfield Electrical Ltd - Noodoe Table Direct - Eco Burner Burns & Ferrall - VarioCookingCenter® Burns & Ferrall - Winterhalter polish free UC Excellence Southern Hospitality - Moretti Forni Neapolis

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FINE FOOD NZ 2018

WINNER MOST INNOVATIVE HOSPITALITY PRODUCT OR SERVICE

iMonitor Food Safety Act 2014 compliance is a significant cost to many hospitality providers as it often requires hourly and or daily temperature checks and time consuming compliance record keeping.

This year’s winner of the Most Innovative Hospitality Product or Service Award at the Fine Food Show, Auckland based company, iMonitor, has developed two products designed to simplify food control plans whilst providing substantial cost savings.

Developed through extensive industry research and feedback, the iMonitor systems are:

1/3 Vertical

Digital Food Safety Plan (FSP) – this online service is based on the Simple Safe and Suitable” templates designed by the Ministry of Primary Industry (MPI) for adherence to the Food Safety Act 2014 which became law on March 31 this year.

It includes:• Checklists • Temperature Checks

• Supplier Module • Diary Entry • Reports

Automated Temperature Monitoring – this service provides real-time monitoring of fridges and freezers, alerting via email or text, the nominated person, when temperatures change outside of the specified threshold. This ensures food safety at all times and significantly reduces exposure to risk.

In practical terms an example of how these systems can benefit a restaurant’s compliance to the Act and provide peace of mind to an owner or manager can be described by this scenario.

The owner of a major restaurant, needs to travel frequently overseas for business reasons. While overseas the owner can opt to receive, via SMS, alerts regarding fridges and freezers operating in their foodservice operation back home. The restaurateur can also track the completion of food safety related tasks and follow up any exceptions that need addressing back home.

Leading chef Simon Gault said this about iMonitor: • “iMonitor’s compliance solution provides us more accurate information and captures all temperature data so it is easily available when we need it.

• “it brings peace of mind knowing we have this information as part of our Food Safety compliance. The real-time monitoring and recording means we are able to focus on what we do best, with the knowledge that our perishable products are being stored in their ideal environmental conditions, maintaining their premium quality and freshness.”

Evolution.

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IMonitor’s innovative food safety compliance product impressed the judges at the 2018 Fine Food Innovation Awards for its ease of application, cost saving abilities, versatility and practical applications to meet the requirements of the Food Safety Act. For more information contact iMonitor on 09 2747014 . email: - sales@imonitor.co.nz or www.imonitor.co.nz

moffat.co.nz 0800 66 33 28

FINE FOOD NZ 2018

CHEF MANU FEILDEL DUCKS INTO FINE FOOD SHOW

Chef and celebrity Manu Feildel– gave two duck cooking demonstrations on the Quack A Duck stand at the Fine Food New Zealand Show and took time to have Selfies taken with many of the attendees!

FOOD SAFETY PLAN An online tool that creates a digital Food Safety Plan in minutes and enables ongoing compliance for your business

Eliminate paperwork and focus on your customers Complete end to end service Stores all your records for instant access Intelligent alarms & notifications avoid product losses

TEMPERATURE MONITORING Automated temperature recording using wireless sensors - linked to your food safety plan. Proactive alerts will reduce product losses, giving you peace of mind

www.imonitor.co.nz

FINE FOOD NZ 2018 Three weeks and two days after demonstrating the delicate art of cooking duck at the 2018 Fine Food New Zealand Show, charismatic chef and entrepreneur, Manu Feildel will be embarking on filming My Kitchen Rules’ tenth series at Channel 7’s Sydney studios. And in between travelling to France with his wife, Clarissa and two children, Charlee, 3 and Jonti, 13, Manu will continue to manage his latest restaurant venture – Duck In Duck Out – a casual dining destination in downtown Sydney. So when Hospitality Business had a 20 minute window of opportunity to catch up with the star of screen and kitchen at the show, we made the most of it!

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icked out of school at the age of 15, French born Manu, who hails from a family of culinary aficionados, ( his father was a chef, as was his grandfather, and his great grandfather, a pastry chef ) - was sent to live with his Dad to work in his brassiere for a year, – and he literally found his forte in the world of cooking.

“I’ve been a chef now for over 30 years and it really is my passion. As a teenager I went to work at my dad’s restaurant in Saint-Nazaire on France’s Atlantic coast where I was eventually left on my own behind the kitchen burners at night.

“Filled with enthusiasm, I enrolled in the French equivalent of AUT’s Culinary Arts Department and moved to Rotisserie du Palais; in my second year we worked through the complete works of the French master chef Escoffier leading up to graduation. Upon completing my apprenticeship I travelled and began working in a famous kitchen brigade of 30 chefs at Oscar Wilde’s favourite watering hole, the historic Café Royal in London.”

The Cafe Royal was hard, to say the least, as Manu didn’t speak any English. But his perseverance paid off and, after working at restaurants such as Les Associes and Cafe des Amis du Vin, he took up a position as Chef de Partie at the seafood restaurant Livebait and that’s when he says he really began to understand and love the career he had chosen. Manu stayed with Livebait for 3 years, progressing to Sous-Chef and then Head Chef with the nomination of best seafood restaurant in the UK in 1998.

In 1999 Manu flew to Melbourne where he worked at Toofeys for about 6 months before heading north to Sydney. After 6 months with Hugo’s at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, he opened the kitchen at the then new Hugo’s Lounge in Kings Cross. Manu ran the kitchen for about 18 months before he moved to Restaurant VII with its exciting fusion of his favourite French and Japanese cuisines, which won two Chef’s Hats from the Sydney Morning Herald.

“First & foremost follow your dreams and set out to achieve them through hard work” In 2004, Tony Bilson approached Manu to open his new venture, Bilsons at the Radisson Hotel. In its second year of opening, the restaurant won two Chef’s Hats, and in its third year, this accolade had increased to three Chef’s Hats. In 2008 Bilson’s won three chefs hats for the third year running. In March 2009 Manu opened his first restaurant, L’etoile in Paddington, Sydney, where he shared his passion for French Bistro food.

Fast forward to 2010 and the advent of My Kitchen Rules. The rest they say is history!

Together with partner Phil Davenport, Manu opened casual dining restaurant Duck In Duck Out six months ago at World Square, featuring an all-duck menu, based on just fifteen recipes - from confit duck, to duck burgers to duck hot dogs and fried duck legs. And it was this connection with the popular poultry that led to his attendance at this year’s Fine Food New Zealand Show – giving two cooking demonstrations on the Quack A Duck stand. Quack a Duck is the largest producer of ducks in New Zealand, supplying fresh and frozen product both nationwide and to international export markets.

And because everyone wants to know, we had to ask – were those two contestants that left the last MKR Australia show really that bad or was it a set up to increase ratings? According to Manu the teams in that series were highly competitive and the duo were asked to tone it down by the show’s producers and those contestants chose to ignore the request, leading to the untenable situation where they had just gone too far, and were asked to leave.

“People find it difficult to believe that there are such people who act that way – but there are and there were consequences.”

So finally we asked Manu for some advice for people toying with the idea of entering the hospitality industry.“First and foremost, follow your dreams – and set out to achieve them – through hard work. If after the first year in the industry you don’t like it, change your job. It is important to love what you are doing – if you don’t after one year it is highly likely you won’t after ten and that can make you unhappy and unhappy to be around.

“I have people who have worked with me for fifteen years who share the passion for cooking and serving delicious food for customers because they enjoy the challenge and creativity the kitchen and good food offers.”

To round off the interview we asked what his two most important pieces of kitchen equipment were and unsurprisingly Manu replied – “firstly a good knife, and secondly a good quality non stick frying pan for cooking fish.” n

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Take control.

The Turbofan Series offers an expanded platform of products, with a wider range of oven footprints, side hinged and drop down doors and increased tray loading capacity to suit virtually any application. Ease of use has also been a major focus within the range, and with manual control, digital display and the one touch options, kitchens now have even greater choice.

moffat.co.nz 0800 66 33 28

FINE FOOD NZ 2018

Helping put the The Moffat team - helping to achieve customer success

Fine

into Food

A

sk Stuart Murray about the mood of the Moffat team leading up to the Fine Food NZ exhibition and the answer is to the point. “They were fired up, ready and raring to go”. The General Manager/ Group Export Manager provided an overview of the company’s work as it prepared for New Zealand’s premier hospitality showcase.

Moffat General Having recently arrived back ‘home’ to Manager / Group Export the Rolleston manufacturing facility from a Manager Stuart Murray stint in North America Stuart and the team rolled up their sleeves in anticipation of the expo.

With oversight of New Zealand and international business, customer service, parts and technical support teams he’s got a lot on his plate.

Planning for Fine Food was front-of-mind though, and the team “looked forward to making a great impression in 2018” Which indeed they did.

“New Zealand has always had a healthy offering of brands from around the world. While many have come and gone, confidence in Moffat’s locally produced product is at an all-time high, and I expect to reinforce this further as a result of this year’s event,” says Stuart.

“Fine Food NZ is really maturing as our country’s top hospo showcase,” he says. “It provides a fantastic opportunity to meet and connect, to see and experience the latest trends and innovations.”

Stuart can speak with some authority on the matter. His work takes him around the globe, where he regularly attends international exhibitions. In his travels he also works with his sales and distribution channel partners, consultants, support teams and, of course, the kitchen teams using the equipment each and every day.

Whether it’s the Middle East, Asia, Latin Markets, North America, Pacific or New Zealand, Stuart is passionate about this work. After 35 years in the business he still gets excited meeting new people and talking about new product solutions. >> 26 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

Meet the Moffat team: - From left; Erin Hall, Toni Hawkins, Steve Roberts, Brian Davies, Tony Crump, Belinda Clarke, Andrew Mustoe

FINE FOOD NZ 2018

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“The great thing about Moffat's company culture is that everyone can make a difference for the customer..... we live for repeat business!”

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FINE FOOD NZ 2018 “I love this business,” he says. “I get a buzz out of seeing people’s plans come together to achieve success – and how our products are instrumental for these plans and in this success.”

“There’s nothing better than poking your head into a busy restaurant or café kitchen and seeing our products hard at work,” he says.

“I was in New York and happened upon a couple of our ovens installed behind the counter in a deli. The server noted my accent and when I told them I was from New Zealand, just like their ovens, they got excited and the owner wanted a photo with me in front of the ovens.

We had a great chat over a sandwich and a coffee”.

Such encounters are only possible due to the company-wide expertise and commitment from over 200 staff in New Zealand and 400 worldwide.

From his office at the manufacturing facility just south of Christchurch, Stuart reiterates just how important this is to Moffat’s ongoing success.

“The great thing about the culture here is that everyone can make a difference for the customer,” he says. “Everyone is focused on making their (the customer’s) experience both during and after the product selection a positive one. We live for repeat business.”

It is a sense of community that drove the team as they prepared for Fine Food. Stuart appreciates the equipment as well as the service of their people is responsible for creating stronger relationships and communities once out in the field.

“Great things happen when people get together with good food,” he says. “We learn something about the other person. Memories are made.

Friendships are celebrated. Business is done.”

With Fine Food NZ expecting its highest attendance yet in 2018 there are sure to be plenty of opportunities here for such connections to be made. n

ITALIAN TRADITION MADE IN NEW ZEALAND The departure of Glenys Casci, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader, from her 27 year career training chefs and students with AUT’s hospitality, tourism and culinary arts department has opened another door for the well known and loved baking Bella Donna.

Glenys decided to put her money were her tastebuds are and invest in herself, establishing Ghiotto Limited at her new home in Stanmore Bay, where she literally lives above her busy new working kitchen producing award winning authentic Italian baking!

All of her range is made to true Italian recipes –and it helps to have family support, including a daughter – Diane Bell and her husband Daniele Camardella – resident in Milan, helping her to locate recipes from Italy’s distinctive 20 regions, each with its own renditions and specialities of delicious sweet treats. Son Steven, a dentist by profession is also heavily involved, often helping out in the bakery and at her market stalls.

Glenys is a familiar face at La Cigale in Parnell and the Clevedon Farmer’s Markets where her sweet treats are a hit with gluten free and non gluten free consumers alike. This year – just 6/7 months after setting up her bakery kitchen in Whangaparoa, her Amaretti Morbidi have won Gold at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards for 2018.

Her favourite piece of kitchen equipment is her Thermomix which enables her almonds – an essential ingredient in the classic Italian biscuit to be finely ground. With medieval origins Amaretti are the great great grandfather of the modern macaron, and today boast hundreds of variations throughout Italy. Glenys has introduced her own flavours with a more NZ approach – such as Tropicale – which uses lime rind, unsweetened passionfuit, pawpaw and mango – coated in shredded coconut. For more information go to: www.ghiotto.co.nz or email : contact@ghiotto.co.nz Ghiotto Ltd owner Glenys Casci and her fine Italian biscotti, amoretti and panetonne.

Novacart Baking Moulds Confoil offers an extensive range of the exquisite Italian-made Novacart decorated paper-baking moulds to the baking industry.

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Freephone: 0800 107 620 Email: info@confoil.co.nz

www.confoil.co.nz 28 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

CON_Slice_83x131_Novacart_FineFoods.indd 1

7/06/16 9:49 PM

FINE FOOD NZ 2018

Mindset Matters Most The Restaurant Association is a proud supporter of Fine Food NZ organised by Northport events. This year’s show was, from our perspective and the many members we spoke to, a huge success. Every year it continues to grow and expand. As part of the show the Restaurant Association Marisa Bidois - Chief Executive presented two seminars in the seminar series – Managing your online Reputation and the other was about Starting the Wellness Conversation in our industry. Below I have shared an article written by one of our wellness panel members Jamie Ford and covers off some of his key points in the panel discussion which address wellness in our industry.

With figures showing the world is facing a tsunami of depression and tragically high rates of suicide here in NZ, there is good reason to be concerned about mental health and wellbeing. Particularly for people working in high stress, fast paced, pressure cooker environments like the hospitality industry.

The good news is science has uncovered a kind of ‘vaccine’ for depression. Not only can this ‘mental toughness vaccine’ help prevent depression, but it can also enhance our lives by increasing productivity, creativity, motivation and physical health.

The core ingredient of ‘mental toughness’ is having an optimistic mindset. Fortunately, this type of mindset is a learned skill – not just being lucky when the genes get handed out at birth. When we think of optimism, we tend to think of happy people who look on the bright side of life, ‘glass half full’ types. While there is some truth in that, what we’re talking about is deeper, more specific than simply seeing the world as full of all things good.

The recipe for an optimistic mindset is based on the ground breaking work of Dr Martin Seligman, one of the most influential psychologists of the 21st century. His work has led to hundreds of scientific studies exploring the benefits of learning to use an optimistic mindset.

Seligman examined the thinking styles of people who are able to bounce back from adversity, and who can easily get on a roll after brief success. It’s about keeping our internal ‘self-talk’ on the right track, and using more helpful thoughts to drive how we feel and act, rather than letting momentary emotions take charge.

When faced with a setback, unfortunately it’s human nature to catastrophise the event in our mind. It can often be one of three default settings we use to explain the cause of adversity (a fire in the kitchen, a rude diner, a mistake with an order). There is permanent (“customers are always ungrateful”), global, affecting all aspects of our life (“everything is so stressful”), and personal (“I’m hopeless at all this stuff”).

When something good happens, often we’re too quick to think of it as a temporary success, one specific only to this particular situation and mainly due to external forces, rather than our own skill or talent.

The proven style of optimistic thinking is about seeing our setbacks as temporary or fleeting. That they are specific to that one event or situation and mainly due to circumstances or factors outside our control (“Tough day, last night’s big night out has made a few people cranky”.)

Just as importantly, when things go well, we need to capitalize on that success, big or small, by thinking of it as permanent - “I always…” and applicable to other areas of life. We need to find aspects of that success that are due to ‘me’ – my efforts, skills or talent.

Data from thousands of New Zealanders who’ve had their thinking styles tested show that we are quite a pessimistic bunch when it comes to how we see the causes of our successes. We love to be humble and knock those tall poppies down, but we actually need to high-five ourselves more.

So there’s work to be done, but it can be learnt, and the pay-off can be huge.

A summary on the main points: 1. When the proverbial hits the fan think PIP – “put it into perspective’. Treat it like a speed bump on the highway of life, not a landslide that has destroyed the whole transport network.

2. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

3. Put your energy into what you can control and let the other stuff slide away.

4. Think of bad events in terms of being temporary, specific and the ‘result of many factors’ alongside your part in it.

5. Think of the good stuff that happens in terms of permanent / always, everything / universal and ‘me’.

It’s your mindset that matters most.

Jamie Ford is the director of Resilient Minds, a consultancy that thrives on teaching people the skills that drive motivation, enhance performance and unlock potential.

1/3 Vertical

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CAFÉ BUSINESS

CoffeeTeach Educators Sign Language

BY SUE FEA

The love of conversation over coffee is universal regardless of deafness or disability - Hospitality Business talks to one Wellington based company which has embraced this belief with a passion, as Sue Fea discovered.

W

hat started with a request to train some high school students in how to make good coffee in 2014 has become a fulltime business for experienced Lower Hutt barista and café owner Claire Matheson.

Claire and her partner Dan Burford own Coffee Educators – an organisation that trains people in everything coffee, including the deaf and those with other disabilities, channelling them into good hospitality careers.

They’ve consolidated their cafes and coffee school, launching Colab Café in Lower Hutt, where deaf and hearing staff communicate freely with customers and other staff using sign language.

Customers can also watch barista training while they wait for their coffee. Dan is their coffee roaster and the couple also owns Able Coffee Collaborative – a social enterprise - collaborating with the Mexicanbased Lucy Foundation to provide a market for their inclusive and accessible Mexican coffee beans.

“I’ve been working in coffee internationally for more than 20 years,” says Claire. “It’s my passion and life blood. I’d always thought that coffee and cafes were part of a very inclusive industry until I had the opportunity to teach barista skills to four profoundly deaf students from Newlands College in Wellington. It was then that I realised that we are far from it.”

Until then I’d always thought cafes were accessible to everybody and that every customer was treated with the same high level of service.

Working with these deaf students enlightened me and I realised there was a huge sector of our community, both in front of and behind the counter, who weren’t accessing that service, or those employment opportunities,” says Claire.

“I was really impressed with the attention to detail that these deaf kids displayed and we laughed together. Coffee is such a common language and something that people can share a conversation over regardless of whether they’re deaf, suffering from neurological or psycho-social issues, or whatever.”

Claire made it her mission to change the hospitality industry to ensure that all people, regardless of their barriers, were provided not only with the same high level of customer service but also given the same employment opportunities.

30 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

She and Dan have led by example, employing a number of deaf staff in different hospitality positions – a chef, barista, manager, designer and New Zealand Sign Language Tutor. Claire learned NZ Sign Language herself and also provides training to all of their staff, free of charge. Her mission is to promote the use of sign language in cafes, with restaurants and bars next on the hit-list, as a means of promoting diversity and inclusion in the hospitality industry.

One of their key staff, barista and qualified NZSL tutor Amber Shaw, is profoundly deaf and also works for the company, training up other café baristas on Coffee Educators’ courses.

Deaf award-winning short filmmaker Jared Flitcroft, of JPF Films Ltd, was contracted to make videos of Amber at work using sign language in Colab Café and this is shown on a large TV screen above the counter at Colab. Customers are encouraged to follow suit and order using sign language.

The concept has been such a success that Claire and Dan have scooped four awards in the past four years – two NZ Sign Language Awards and two Diversity Works NZ Awards – as well as being named finalists in the Attitude TV Awards.

There’s been such a demand from café owners for their sign language training courses that they’ve now been adapted and released these online. Participants are taken through eight course sessions online with Amber, who is also available for interactive Skype sessions.

“Colab Café in Lower Hutt, where deaf and hearing staff communicate freely with customers and other staff, using sign language.”

CAFÉ BUSINESS They’re now working on sign language courses for bars and restaurants as well and these will be available from the middle of this month (July).

It’s taken a lot of hard work and there have been some heartaches along the way in developing the café course, but Claire says it would be a waste not to pass on that knowledge. She’s launched a helpful handbook, Learn To Order Your Coffee in Sign, featuring 35 essential signs to help baristas understand deaf customers. There’s a QR code on the back of the book that gives people access to Amber’s instruction video as well.

“We initially set this up for our own three cafes, then we set up the school because we wanted everybody to be treated the same way in cafes,” says Claire.

“I like to memorise little personal details about my customers so that I can show an interest in them when they come in. Deaf people shouldn’t be treated any differently. All of our customers have the same value – deaf, young, those who buy one or those who buy 10 coffees a day.”

All eyes have been on them as they launch into new ground and while there have been a lot of losses personally to this small business enterprise, Claire is adamant that what they’ve learned must be shared to bring about change. She managed to score a small amount of sponsorship from Meadowfresh towards the publishing of the sign book, but the whole process has inspired her to lobby for better funding mechanisms to help those with disabilities. “We struggle day to day because we’re passionate about changing societal attitudes. This country needs more funding for small businesses to be able to create more inclusive and accessible spaces for those with disabilities,” says Claire.

“The love of conversation over coffee is universal. We just need to ensure we understand each other’s languages and methods of communication.”

Her dream is to ensure that what she’s learned in the past four years will help the hospitality industry to take charge on this issue, paving the way for other industries to follow suit. n

Learn to Order Your Coffee In Sign - a handbook to help communicate with New Zealand's third official language - sign language.

3,000 proud members choose Hospitality New Zealand!

From starting a new business, to running a successful one, you will always be a proud member of Hospitality New Zealand.

Hospitality New Zealand are the best at what we do, because: We go beyond expectation – here when you need us, 24/7 We don’t give up easily – in your corner for as long as it takes We’re a trusted advisor – give sound advice that protects your business We have service in our DNA – passionate about adding value everyday Hospitality New Zealand, a trusted ally to 3,000 members focused on reducing stress levels for members by offering the best advice on employment, industry compliance, training and advocacy – saving members time and money.

Experience for yourself why Hospitality New Zealand is the best and call us for membership on 0800 500 503.

BUSINESS

Keeping your stock moving for improved profit A well-curated beverage list should be a central feature of every licensed venue. The perfect drinks menu can set you apart from your competition and keep customers flocking through your doors.

Yet choosing brands and styles can often overshadow the important task of maintaining the right volume of stock. In our experience, most venues will at some point grow their stock to an unmanageable level.

This is generally a result of poor planning, where new product continues to be ordered despite old stock still sitting on the shelves.

This can end up costing thousands of dollars in lost profits. So how do you get the right stock level for your venue?

ON THE MONEY

The first thing we ask our clients to do is to stop thinking of their product as stock and start thinking about it as cash. The reality is that many people have no idea just how much money they have tied up in product.

If your bar has $20,000 stock, for example, that’s $20,00 you don’t have available as cash. Once venue owners are aware of the monetary value of their stock, we then ask them if they would knowingly purchase that amount of product again. In most cases, the answer is no.

THE RIGHT MIX

It’s a fine balance between offering a great beverage selection and having too much product on hand.

A thorough stocktake will reveal what is selling well and what isn’t.

Knowing your client base and what they drink will also give you a good indication of what is currently popular, and therefore what you should be stocking. You should also compare previous years’ transaction histories

to make sure your stock levels are in line with expected sales.

The general rule is that if it takes longer than six months to move a Peter Nelson, Sculpture Hospitality Managing Director product, you should try a new brand New Zealand, Australia and or replace it with something else. If Pacific Islands it has been gathering dust for more than nine months, you should get rid of it entirely.

GET CREATIVE

If there is product you are struggling to move, develop a plan to get rid of it. Ask your mixologists to get creative and come up with a number of concoctions using the unsold product. Pair each option with a specially created bar snack and ask customers to vote for their favourite.

If you own or manage multiple venues, you could try transferring your dead stock to one of the other locations. A change of scene might be all that’s needed to turn this product into liquid gold.

In some cases, you may be able to exchange unopened bottles for something more valuable. It’s worth giving your supplier a call and seeing if you can strike a deal.

TIGHTEN THE STRINGS

Once the problematic stock has gone, you need to have systems in place to make sure it isn’t replenished. When your order arrives, ensure you check the invoice against both your order form and the stock received.

Implementing a simple system like this could save you a lot of hassle, time and money.

MANAGE YOUR LIQUID ASSETS More than 20% of your bar sales may be lost to “Shrinkage”.

We can help.

Wellington and Christchurch For more information contact, Peter Nelson:

p.nelson@sculpturehospitality.nz 021 466567

32 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

AUSTRALASIAN GAMING EXPO 2018

HIGH TECH TELEPORTALS & VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS The Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) - the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere takes place in Sydney August 14-16. This year’s programme focuses on technology and innovation across the entire sector, featuring over 200 local and international exhibitors, as well as industry-led seminars covering new technology, gaming, hospitality, service, and the end customer.

Ross Ferrar, CEO, Gaming Technologies Association, shares his insights into the changing industry and what that means for the future, “Our event is crucial for the health of the industry – we promote connections, education, regulation, technology and trends, business and more, to casinos, pubs, clubs and hotels.

It’s about empowering local businesses to thrive.

“We’ve got a jam-packed show floor this year, featuring the latest innovations direct to the industry. It’s these new technologies driving the evolution of gaming and it’s our job to embrace, explore, train and innovate alongside them. We are proud to provide such a platform for our industry,” said Mr Ferrar.

This year’s event will incorporate technology into the visitor

experience offering Teleportals, or virtual assistants, across the show floor to aid guests with their enquiries.

All AGE registered delegates will also have a Konduko reader in their lanyard – a small digital platform that can be tapped at exhibitor stands they visit. At the end of each day a “Daily Digest” email containing a full round-up of information from the day is delivered to the delegate’s inbox, in either PDF, PowerPoint, or short video format.

“For 2018, we are really aiming to provide a 360 degree digital-focus, to elevate our event and provide real ROI to our stakeholders. We want to be at the forefront of the industry, to make Australasian gaming, global gaming,” added Mr Ferrar.

In Australia, gambling expenditure increased from $22.7 billion in 2014–2015 to $23.6 billion in 2015–2016 (up 3.9 per cent)1.

Held annually, the Australasian Gaming Expo is the world’s third largest hospitality and gaming tradeshow and will take place at International Convention Centre Sydney, August 14-16 2018.For more information or to register, visit www.austgamingexpo.com.

1. Queensland Government Statistician’s Office, Queensland Treasury, Australian Gambling Statistics, 33rd edition.

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GUEST EDITORIAL

Tourism & Hospitality Need To Tackle Concerns About Impact

By Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chief Executive Chris Roberts

T

ourism and hospitality are booming and environment and delivering incredible experiences. We delivering huge benefits to communities across don’t need a glossy PR campaign; we just need to get better New Zealand. at sharing these genuine achievements with the public.

But the rapid growth has brought challenges TIA’s fourth focus is funding and investment. like congestion and pressure on infrastructure. Then The Government recently released details of its proposed there are the reputational issues. A small number of International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. badly behaving freedom campers can colour the public’s If it goes ahead as proposed, many international visitors overall perception of visitors. And every case of a café will pay $25-$35 (it will not apply to New Zealanders, or restaurant failing to meet minimum employment Australians, Pacific Forum member countries, transit standards damages the entire industry. passengers, diplomats, some business travellers and New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality operators must children under two). be committed to addressing the concerns raised by New The main collection method will be a new Electronic Zealanders – it’s a responsibility we all share.

Travel Authority, which visitors from visa-free countries Chris Roberts As an industry, new thinking is needed on how we can like the UK and USA will have to complete before travel. operate smarter and more sustainably so that New Zealand They will pay an estimated $9 for the ETA, on top of the benefits as much as possible from tourism, through social and economic visitor levy. The levy will be added to the cost of visas for visa-required prosperity for communities. countries like China and India.

It’s worth remembering that 60% of New Zealand’s total tourism The money collected – an estimated $57 million to $80 million a year spend comes from domestic visitors, and our international visitor – will be split between conservation and tourism. arrivals are not high by global standards.

Ensuring the extra tax revenue is spent wisely will be the focus New Zealand’s ratio of annual arrivals to population is 0.8 to 1. That’s for TIA. No final decisions have been made on the split between relatively low compared to some similar destinations. In Ireland, it’s 2 to conservation and tourism, what sort of projects should be funded, or 1, Croatia 3.3 to 1, and in Iceland, it’s more than six times our ratio, at how the decisions should be made.

5.1 arrivals for every resident.

We are seeking a robust and constructive discussion on these New Zealand does not need to emulate these other countries. We crucial details. have to define our own tolerance levels and we must remain firmly Our key priority is ensuring the revenue is directed to where it can focused on growing value faster than volume. do the most good, relieving pressure on infrastructure and ensuring we A cornerstone of the tourism industry’s response is the New Zealand continue to deliver outstanding visitor experiences.

Tourism Sustainability Commitment, which TIA launched in late 2017.

Our international visitors will be more accepting of being charged This provides benchmarks and advice to tourism and hospitality to come to New Zealand if they can clearly see it is going to support operators about how they can improve their businesses across four infrastructure and services that enhance their visit. elements of sustainability: looking after the environment, thriving as We look forward to working with the Government to reach the best businesses, building welcoming and supportive host communities, and possible outcomes for New Zealand. n pleasing customers.

TIA is aiming to sign up 1000 businesses to the TSC by April 2019, with almost 300 making the commitment so far.

A second priority this year is a thorough review of the Tourism 2025 Growth Framework, which was launched in early 2014.

T2025 has been incredibly beneficial in providing alignment across the industry, but we need to ensure it remains fresh, relevant and focused on the important issues. We’ll be looking to incorporate the sustainability goals and other emerging issues.

Telling our stories better is a third priority.

Tourism and hospitality businesses are doing amazing things every day across New Zealand, working with their communities, enhancing the

“Our international visitors will be more accepting of being charged to come to New Zealand if they can clearly see it is going to support infrastructure and services that enhance their visit.”

34 | July 2018 | Hospitality BUSINESS

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EDITORIAL

The Shout Editor Charlotte Cowan EDITORIAL

Going organic While just a few years ago, ‘going organic’ was seen as something that only hippies and vegans had on their radars, the local and global organic industry is booming.

The 2018 OANZ Market Report, released late last month, shows that the value of the New Zealand organic sector has swelled to $600 million, up 30% since 2015, and that close to 80% of New Zealanders purchase organic products at least fortnightly. And that includes wine.

More than 10% of the country’s wineries now hold organic certification and this number is increasing.

We spoke to James Millton, founder of New Zealand’s first organic and biodynamic wine estate, to learn more about the expansion and future of the Kiwi organic wine industry on pgs 11-12.

Also in this issue, Tash McGill delves into the world of white spirits and tastes some of the best on pgs 8-10 and John Oszajca explains why you can’t just drink your beer out of any old glass or (gasp) a bottle, on pgs 16-17. Plus, don’t forget to check out this month’s must-try products on pg 7.

For more amazing liquor news (and even a few giveaways), make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook @theshoutnz and sign up to our fortnightly eNewsletter at www.theshout.co.nz.

Contents 04 Industry news and insights 06 S uccess behind bars Q&A with Lewisham Award winner Prateek Arora

11 T he organic way

Q&A with Millton Vineyards founder, James Millton, plus organic wine stats from the 2018 OANZ Market Report

13 O rganically speaking

07 T ake your pick

This month’s must-try classics and new releases

08 A ll white on the night

Spirits writer Tash McGill explores innovations in white spirits

10 W hite spirits: Gin

Tasting notes from Tash McGill

There’s no better time to opt for one of these organic wines

14 S avouring Syrah

Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

16 W hat’s in a glass?

John Oszajca explains why it does matter how you drink your beer

THE COVER: STOKE BEER

www.theshout.co.nz

July 2018

From Nelson’s McCashin’s Brewery, Stoke Beer is made from the finest organic hops and premium malt, bespoke yeast and 14,000-year-old Paleo water. The range includes Stoke IPA, Gold, Pilsner, Dark and more.

For orders and information, contact (03) 547 5357 or orders@mccashins.co.nz, or visit www.mccashins.co.nz.

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’s picks VICTOR GIN

Thomson Whisky’s Victor Gin is a heavy botanical style craft gin packed with juniper, lemon, lemongrass, cardamom and coriander flavours. See spirits writer Tash McGill’s tasting notes for this, and other premium Kiwi gins, on pg 10.

KARIKARI ESTATE SYRAH 2015

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

From New Zealand’s northernmost vineyard and winery, KariKari Estate Syrah 2015 is deeply coloured and full bodied with typical ripe aromas of forest fruits and herb-like spice. Pair with your favourite game meat or cheese. To see tasting notes for this, and other Kiwi Syrahs, head to pgs 14-15.

MOA 6-PACK CANS

Moa Brewing Co has announced its classic range of beer - Moa Classic Original Lager, Station IPA and Dry Hopped Pilsner - will be available in canned 6-packs from this month! Start stockpiling for summer, cans will be your go-to for the beach and barbies when the sun (finally) comes out.

For more info, visit www.moabeer.com

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 3

NEWS AWARDS NEWS

The Shout NZ announced as a sponsor of NZ Food Awards 2018 The Shout NZ is proud to announce it is the sponsor of the Alcoholic Beverage Category at the 2018 New Zealand Food Awards.

Running for more than 30 years, the awards - in association with Massey University - enable food and beverage operators to boost the profile of their business and brand, grow sales and achieve national and international recognition.

The Alcoholic Beverages Award is open to all beverages (beer, wine, spirits, RTDs and mixers) containing more than 0.5% alcohol and winners are eligible for prize packs including business support, product promotion and product development assistance.

Assisting with this year’s judging is Josh Scott, New Zealand’s first Certified Cicerone (beer expert), founder of Moa Brewing Company and winemaker for Allan Scott Wines. Winners will be announced at the gala dinner on October 17 in Auckland.

AWARDS NEWS

Former winners of the category include Epic Brewing Company, Villa Maria and Waiwera Global Ltd. For more information on the New Zealand Food Awards, visit www.foodawards.co.nz

WINE NEWS

Vintage 2018 benefits from warm summer

Brewers Guild of NZ Beer Awards: Key dates Key dates have been announced for the Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards, with entries opening on July 23, 2018.

Breweries have until August 17 to get their entries in, before the judging takes place from September 7-9 in Christchurch. Applications for the Morton Coutts Trophy and Beer Writer of the Year Award close on August 10.

The conference, trade show, AGM, industry reception, Mashing In and the brewery day tours will take place from Thursday, September 13 to Saturday, September 15, with the grand finale – the NZ Beer Awards gala dinner - on the Saturday night. MC’d by Hauraki Radio Personalities Mike Lane and Matt Heath at the newly renovated Trafalgar Centre, the formal dinner will see the announcement of the all-important medal winners – and the muchanticipated Champion Brewery award.

For more information on the Brewers Guild NZ Beer Awards and how to enter, head to www.brewersguild.org.nz/awards

A warm summer benefited New Zealand’s winegrowing regions, with 419,000 tonnes of grapes harvested during Vintage 2018.

This is up 6% on the 2017 tonnage, but is still lower than initially anticipated in a season marked by a very early start to harvesting.

New Zealand Winegrowers CEO, Philip Gregan, says many wineries had been hoping for an even larger vintage, given 2017’s small harvest.

“However, we now expect export growth in the year ahead will be modest. It will be up to wineries to manage any product shortages from the vintage,” he says.

In addition to prompting an early harvest, the warm summer produced fruit with good ripeness levels.

A highlight from Vintage 2018 is the increased production of red wines.

“Production of both Pinot Noir and Merlot has lifted more than 20% on last year, which will be welcomed by both wineries and consumers. These varieties were down sharply in 2017 and it is very positive to see a return to more normal production levels this year,” says Gregan.

New Zealand Winegrowers is confident Vintage 2018 wines will add to New Zealand’s reputation as a premium producer of cool climate wines.

“Every vintage is different and ultimately the final test is the quality delivered in the bottle to consumers. We are certain that consumers will enjoy the benefits of the warm summer when they get to taste the wines from Vintage 2018,” says Gregan.

4 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Cutting-edge science, research and innovation to lead the wine industry

MJ LOZA New Zealand Winegrowers Research Centre CEO

How New Zealand wine innovates into the future will be a key driver of the newly established New Zealand Winegrowers Research Centre (NZWRC).

To be based in Blenheim, the NZWRC will carry out world-leading scientific research and innovation to benefit New Zealand’s burgeoning wine industry – which is set to reach exports of $2 billion a year by 2020.

Now New Zealand’s fifth largest export good, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Regional Research Institute funding for the NZWRC of up to $12.5 million over the next four years will support the continued growth and profitability of the New Zealand wine industry. The Marlborough District Council and New Zealand Winegrowers are also investing.

The NZWRC team is working on the establishment of the research centre, with building expected next year, which will include a research winery as an important part of the design.

We are also in the process of hiring a Head of Research and Innovation, who will take the lead on

our mandate to conduct research focusing on the whole supply chain, from grape to glass.

Although the centre is based in Marlborough, research will be national in focus and with global reach.

Vision: Transforming the New Zealand grape and wine industry through research, innovation and extension Mission: Delivering world-leading research outcomes from grape to glass Our Purpose: Research to support the profitable growth of wine from New Zealand. Research to protect the competitive position of wine from New Zealand.

3 November 2018 Founders Park, Nelson 12 noon - 6pm

Relax in sunny Nelson with your friends and family.

Listen to live music while sampling fine NZ Ciders and tasty local artisan fare.

Over 80 Cider Varieties Souvenir Glass Family Friendly Live NZ Music Local Artisan Food Kids Zone +

www.nzciderfestival.com Oct 31st - Nov 4th

Cider New Zealand

& EVENTS

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 5

Q&A

Success behind bars

Prateek Arora from Cassia, Auckland’s popular modern Indian restaurant owned by Sid and Chand Sahrawat, took out the title of Outstanding Bartender at the 2018 Lewisham Awards. The Shout NZ grabbed a quick chat with Arora about his win…

How did it feel to win the award for Outstanding Bartender at the Lewisham Awards?

I was shocked and speechless - I probably did the worst speech of the night! But I am so proud of myself, it was so unexpected. I worked really hard to be where I am and so grateful of the opportunity I have been given from Sid and Chand [Sahrawat].

How did you get into bartending and where have you worked so far?

Before Cassia, I worked at Urban Turban in Wynyard Quarter and Sugar Club in Sky City. I learnt a lot about food, New Zealand hospitality, service and definitely improved my English!

I started at Cassia as a food runner in 2015. It was quite easy for me to learn about the food, thanks to my origins. I started to ask a lot of question about drinks and worked really closely with the bar manager at the time. We were so busy that the only way for me to learn the bar was coming in on my mornings off, or a couple of hours before my shift started. I learnt everything watching the guys behind the bar and I did a lot of reading. On my days off, I would go and taste drinks around Auckland.

What traits do you think a great bartender should have?

Creativity. It is one thing to know how to make classics but you also have to know how to create your own! Auckland is full of great bars and drinks lists, being creative is a must to compete and stay in the game. And passion - hospitality is a hard industry, only passion makes you succeed!

What are the biggest mistakes that bartenders make?

That’s a hard one! Going too far with flavour combinations, missing orders or reading dockets to fast, not having enough preparation and misreading customers.

What is your advice for Kiwi bartenders just starting out in the industry?

Always learn from your mistakes and always taste everything. Your way of making a cocktail is not the only way - do not judge others for making the same drink differently but learn from it to improve your drink.

What do you say to people who think that bartering is an ‘easy’ job?

Please try it for a week and we’ll talk again! Hospitality itself - chefs, waiters, managers, bartenders, dishwashers - is super-hard! We do not need a seven-year diploma but we need a strong mind! Don’t get me wrong, the downside of hospo is also the best part of hospo but ... it isn’t easy!

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully still in Auckland! I want to travel but come back to Auckland and work with really passionate people like Sid [Sahrawat]. I would love to work in Melbourne and travel the US. My must go to bar is in the US is the Dead Rabbit - I cannot wait to go! I am also dreaming to go to Europe.

I follow a few great bars on Instagram and before having my own place, I want to go to all of them! n

MORE 2018 LEWISHAM AWARDS WINNERS Outstanding Bar – Caretaker Outstanding New Venue – The Parasol & Swing Company Outstanding Wine List – Apero Outstanding Wine Service Professional – Ismo Koski, Apero For a full list, visit www.lewishamawards.co.nz

What is your signature cocktail?

Saffron Gin Sour - a twist on a gin sour. I love sours! I tasted Saffron Gin randomly one day and thought about it straight away. I always try to have a little twist to every classic I do. [It’s made from] Saffron Gin, St Germain Elderflower, Domain de Canton, lemon and egg whites.

Prateek Arora with PJ Murdoch from Federal Merchants and Co.

Arora’s signature cocktail, the Saffron Gin Sour 6 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

NEW RELEASES

Take yourPick...

This month’s must-try classics and new releases.

KONO MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC

The Māori-owned food and beverage business, Kono, has brought its namesake wine back to Aotearoa, after gaining accolades all over the world. Kono Sauvignon Blanc has garnered numerous gold medals and 90+ point scores from wine shows from San Francisco to Berlin; and has most recently won the prestigious Platinum medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2018. A classic Marlborough Sauvignon with vibrant, fresh flavours and characteristics of fresh cut grass, passionfruit pulp, pink grapefruit and zingy citrus acidity, this is a highly-awarded and yet affordable wine.

Available in restaurants only Contact (0800) 864 894 or info@kono.co.nz www.konowines.co.nz

THE DOCTORS’ PINOT NOIR 2017

The Doctors’ Pinot Noir 2017 is New Zealand’s first ever lower alcohol Pinot Noir (under 10% ABV) from the pioneers of lower alcohol wines since 2009.

Sustainably grown and naturally produced from The Doctors’ Wairau Valley vineyards, this Pinot Noir has full flavour, texture and palate weight.

Bright, red summer fruits and lifted floral notes, follow through to a rich palate of dark cherry, dried fruits and a nutty, savoury undertone.

All wrapped up in unique premium packaging with new-look label.

RRP $25.00 Contact sales@ quenchcollective.co.nz www.quenchcollective.co.nz, www.doctors.nz

AMSTEL PREMIUM PILSNER

THE BOOK OF VERMOUTH

By Shaun Byrne & Gilles Lapalus The Book of Vermouth explores every aspect of this classic aperitif and shows just how much you can do with it on top of a delicious Martini or Negroni. The book includes an introductory section offering a comprehensive guide to the essentials of Vermouth, including the grape varieties, production, botanicals and wormwood and the main section is dedicated to the many different ways to serve, drink and store Vermouth, including cocktail recipes!

RRP $45.00 www.hardiegrant.com/au/books

For almost 150 years, Amstel has brewed a unique beer for people across the globe, and now that premium Pilsner brew is in New Zealand. Born in Amsterdam, the brand is named after the Amstel River, the iconic main artery of the city of Amsterdam. Brewing is one of the first, and most enduring, industries of Amsterdam, and Amstel is known the world over for its refreshing taste, distinctive golden hue and excellent quality. The 4.6% ABV sessionable premium Pilsner will be a welcome addition to beer chillers and addresses the growing demand for quality premium beers.

RRP $22.99 for 330ml bottle 12-packs www.db.co.nz

MOA 6-PACK CANS

Moa Classic Original Lager, Station IPA and Dry Hopped Pilsner is now available in canned 6-packs, as well as current bottle format. Lightweight, infinitely recyclable and convenient, the cans are a lifestyle appropriate product for craft beer drinks and deliver a superior product to Moa consumers. Now distributed by mobev, the Moa cans are available this month.

RRP $15.49 Contact mobev on (0800) 662 456 www.moabeer.com

BELVEDERE SINGLE ESTATE RYE SERIES

New from Belvedere is the Belvedere Single Estate Rye Series - two distinct vodkas each named after the village of their estate; Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek.

Each vodka represents an exploration of terroir in vodka. When tasted side by side, the two new vodkas deliver demonstrably different taste profiles despite using the same rare Diamond Dankowskie Rye. The vodkas can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or as an alternative in classic rye whisky cocktails.

RRP $90.00 www.belvederevodka.com

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 7

SPIRIT ON SHOW

All white on the night Spirits writer Tash McGill searches for Kiwi brands and bartenders who are thinking outside the box and creating products that will make you think twice about ordering a white spirit during the colder months.

M

id-winter isn’t usually the time bartenders or customers turn to white spirits like vodka or gin. Dark spirits shine at this time of year for their warming characteristics, but there are only so many variations on a Manhattan that can be served in a season. This year, we are searching for creativity, cocktail craft and locally-made products that are transforming the way we consume white spirits as the days get shorter.

Traditional aquavit aromatics sit on a base of caraway seed (pictured) and dill

INFUSIONS AND LESS COMMON SPIRITS

If you love gin, why not try something a little different? Aquavit is a Scandinavian spirit that is infused with aromatics or botanicals, producing flavour profiles not dissimilar to gin. The process differs as aquavit is usually made by taking a neutral spirit, such as vodka, and infusing it for 48-96 hours, depending on your preferred depth of flavour. Traditional aquavit aromatics sit on a base of caraway seed and dill, supported by cardamom, coriander, cumin, fennel and anise.

Occasionally lemon or orange peel might be used. Depending on the geographic origin of your aquavit, it may be aged once the infusion is complete, where it may take on colour from the oak over time.

But at The Parasol & Swing Company, you’ll find a house-made aquavit that infuses local ingredients like feijoa and kawakawa and is crystal clear.

Owner Jason Rosen calls it a ‘Kiwi as’ aquavit. By using readily available vodka, it’s an ideal way to create unique products and house-made ingredients that can work behind the bar in seasonal or permanent menus.

Obviously, the use of seasonal ingredients in the aquavit creates a seasonal drink. The ‘Kiwi as’ aquavit is used in the cocktail called Native Flora, which combines a dynamic range of flavours for a very enjoyable result. Aquavit, grappa, carrot juice and kombucha are sweetened and spiced with a touch of coriander maple syrup. The result is bright enough to cheer up even the greyest of winter days, with an aroma and flavour punch that warms you up.

The international trend toward house-made infusions, tinctures and syrups continues to become embedded in New Zealand mixology.

Rosen’s team also produces a cocktail called The Colonies Are Rising, which promises a taste of tropical markets. The base ingredient is London Dry gin infused through Indian lime pickle, topped with strawberry herbal liqueur and pineapple. White or light spirits lend themselves best to this technique, as darker spirits can require more delicate and careful flavour matching.

8 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

Grappa can be used as a flavour modifier

The Colonies Are Rising is infused with Indian lime pickle

Vodka, white rum, gin, sake and even tequila all work as a great base for creating your own range of house infusions but it’s crucial to begin with a good quality base spirit, as the end product will only be as good as what you started with. Contrary to assumption, you can’t hide poor quality spirits under a base of infused flavour!

Select your herbs, spices and fruit or vegetable combination, wash and cut or prepare them as required. The ubiquitous Mason jar works well as a vessel to fill with your infusion ingredients and your liquor or choice.

It’s crucial to have an airtight seal on your jars and then to shake them gently three to five times a day, while storing them in a cool, dark place.

The time to infuse will vary depending on the strength of flavour, and bartenders in the know recommend keeping a notebook and detailed records of experiments. Key to producing a great house-made ingredient for a menu is the guarantee of producing consistent reproduction.

You can then experiment from the cocktail backwards or from the ingredient up, depending on your preference and available resource.

SPIRIT ON SHOW USING SPIRITS AS MODIFIERS

The traditional cocktail recipe template calls for a base spirit, a modifier and then a combination of flavouring or colouring agents. Typically, recipes call for an aromatic such as vermouth, or a liqueur such as Cointreau, absinthe or maraschino as a modifier. For an accent, a bartender will reach for bitters of choice, or syrups such as orgeat, grenadine, and falernum. While syrups, bitters and even the base spirit are a playground of infusions, the use of other spirits as modifiers is another way of creatively playing with the cocktail structure.

Grappa is an Italian-style brandy, usually made from grapes and clear or very pale in colour. In Rosen’s Native Flora, it’s used as a modifier for the infused vodka.

Boundary-pushing bartenders are also playing with infusions, and even gin, as modifiers as they play with flavour profiles. In the recent New Zealand final of the Bacardi Global Legacy competition, Ollie Mason used sake as a white spirit modifier in his rum-based cocktail.

FLAVOUR-PUSHING KIWI-MADE WHITE SPIRITS

If you’re not tempted to get into the prep kitchen yet, there are plenty of boundary-pushing white spirits on the market to play with. Auckland distillery, 1919 A Kiwi white Distilling, has produced a gin that is robust and punchy dog, Thomson enough to hold up to winter storms. Distilled eight White Rye times and made with nine botanicals, including local ingredients such as Manuka honey and Otago cherries, the end product has layers of pine, green herbs and warm complex cinnamon. Heavily aromatic, my first impression of this gin reminded me of trading peat for herbs in new make white spirit, in the best possible way. It came bursting through the lemon and tonic like a fire engine and made for a long, slow sipper of a drink.

Altogether different but still made in New Zealand with pride, New Plymouth’s Juno Gin is batch-made by husband and wife team, Jo and Dave James. They are committed to developing a thoroughly local and

innovative product that provides economy to their local suppliers, as well as choice to the consumer. A range of 200ml and 700ml bottles are available, along with seasonal releases that allow the distilling duo to experiment with profiles and botanical ingredients. Their seasonal releases sell out fast but are worth grabbing hold of and they are available exclusively online. They’ve done the work of creating fascinating infusions to play with.

White dog has been increasing in profile on the global stage, with nearly all the major American whiskey and bourbon brands releasing a ‘white dog’ or new make spirit in recent years. White dog isn’t just moonshine, as some might think. When just made, before barrel-aging influences the colour or the flavour of the spirit, white dog is the skill of the distiller on display. You’ll taste the dominance of the grain of choice – sweet if it’s corn and spicier, the higher the rye balance. Oats, butter and cream will indicate a strong barley dominance. Taking your favourite whisky cocktails and replacing aged whisky with white dog is an exciting variation on an ever-popular category.

Swap in white dog and white vermouth to try your hand at a clear Manhattan – try Thomson White Rye and then use Martini Bianco or white Dolin vermouth as your modifier. You may need a little more vermouth than usual for balance. Then accent with your bitters of choice and an orange peel. n

“Vodka, white rum, gin, sake and even tequila all work as a great base for creating your own range of house infusions”

The Parasol & Swing Company’s Native Flora

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 9

TASTING NOTES

Gin

White spirits:

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.

1919 DISTILLING GIN Green herbal qualities on the nose. Sweet and sour cherry fruit and juniper with underlying spice on the palate. Robust and punchy flavour is mildly balanced by citrus. Mouthfeel is velvety and full with a long finish. Matched with tonic and lemon, this gin has a big flavour profile and stands up.

Cocktail or food match: East Imperial Tonic and lemon.

RRP $69.99 Distributor: 1919 Distilling Phone (021) 024 22067 www.1919Distilling.com

VICTOR GIN Straightforward, full frontal juniper and aromatics. The nose is well-balanced and the mouthfeel is silky and light. Juniper is a consistent base but the other notes of lemongrass, coriander and cardamom ring clear, while the citrus is present through to the finish.

Cocktail or food match: Stands up in a The Last Word, Mother’s Ruin or with tonic or soda, spliced with grapefruit.

RRP $74.99 Distributor: Thomson Whisky New Zealand Email: contact@thomsonwhisky.com www.thomsonwhisky.com

JUNO EXTRA FINE GIN This gin is the lightest and most delicate of the three but also has layers of complexity starting on the nose – beginning with black tea, bergamot orange, lemon and lavender before the base notes of black pepper, thyme and sage. The mouthfeel is light and clean but with a dry finish. Flavours emerge over time with the appearance of cinnamon and juniper a consistent thread.

Cocktail or food match: A Tom Collins or with tonic and lime.

RRP $88.00 Distributor: Begin Distilling Ltd Email: admin@junogin.co.nz www.junogin.co.nz

AUGUST'S SPIRIT ON SHOW: MARTINI ESSENTIALS How do you make a perfect Martini? Submit your Martini essential for August’s tastings by Tash McGill, please contact Sam MackeyWood on swood@intermedianz.co.nz or 021 256 6351.

10 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

Q&A

Organic way The

With 10% of New Zealand wineries now holding organic certification and the recent release of the Organics Aotearoa New Zealand 2018 Market Report, we asked James Millton – founder of New Zealand’s first organic and biodynamic vineyard – why Kiwis should opt for organic.

The Millton Vineyard was established in 1984 and was New Zealand’s first organic and biodynamic wine estate - why did you decide to create an organic vineyard?

W

James Millton

WHAT IS ORGANIC WINE

e really think this desire and direction was an intuitive response from youthful experiences gained from working in famous wine estates overseas. In the early ‘80s, our work was called Integrated Pest Management and this resulted in a high level of observation of plant and animal life. We were enthusiastic with abounding energy and enjoyed growing our own food and working and observing the rhythms of our activities on the land.

These directions were confirmed when environmental disasters, such as Chernobyl and Mad Cow Disease, came about and the demand for our products increase exponentially. So that helped justify our chosen path. This never has been a career change pathway, nor the result of an emotional catastrophe. And why would you ever want to ferment the juice of the fruits from the plants you have grown if systemic chemicals, which kill fungus and yeasts, have been used? Imagine the taste!

Organic wine is made from grapes which have not had any herbicide, insecticide, systemic fungicide or soluble fertiliser used in the vineyards. Instead…

• Mechanical weeding is used to maintain a healthy sward under the vine.

• Flowering plants, such as buckwheat and phacelia, are planted in the vineyards as a polyculture to help attract beneficial parasites and predators who, in turn, feed off any insects which may otherwise chew on the leaves, or suck on the sap of the vines.

• Soft chemicals, such as sulphur and copper, may be used to protect plants from fungal attack, however the quantities allowed per hectare are strictly controlled to international levels.

• Composts from the property, seaweed teas and other plant tonics can be applied to enhance soil microbial activity.

What are your biggest challenges?

As time goes on and the vines grow older, a natural balance is found in the right conditions, and very little or no additions of tartaric acid or enzymes or animal products are used.

Getting the market to accept the difference and the amount of work that goes into a certified product and accepting the resulting price.

Thus, being a price maker and not a price taker. [Other challenges include] being taken seriously by trade and media and the need to prove our integrity to third parties of the standards we work with and how we uphold these.

Invariably, climatic conditions may be considered a challenge, however these seasonal events affect all producers. After 35 years of this practice, our plants and soils are very embracing of most of the seasonal climatic pressure and so the supposed challenges regarding not using chemicals to control pests and disease go greatly unfounded.

Employing sensitive and passionate people to work within our vineyards and winery could [also] be a challenge in this age of scientific learning and political correctness. However, I am amazed at how many people enquire about coming to work here in this wonderland. The challenge is to forget what may have been taught and understand that we are ‘Farming Ease, not fighting DIS-Ease’.

Can you taste the difference between an organic and a non-organic wine?

Providing the wine is of good quality then yes, you can taste a difference.

For many years I have said no, that there wasn’t any difference in taste but I now know that was being a little too humble. With organic, and more so biodynamic wines, there is a texture and density to the taste and feel of the resulting wines which appeals. The liquid seems to ‘cling’ to the sides of the glass. And compared to non-organic wines, where aroma-enhancing yeasts may have been used, the smell of organic wines may not be as lifted but then the organic wine smells of the place from where it was grown. With organic wine there is a sense, smell and taste of ‘Somewhereness - Turangawaewae!’ >> TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 11

Q&A Why would you encourage New Zealanders to produce and buy organic wine?

To produce organic wines is extremely rewarding in many ways. It puts you in touch with meaningful people and practitioners. It allows you to use your true natural talents to work with. It has many benefits in the terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability.

To buy organic wine is to do so because it formulates a category and disciplined consumption of specialised products which are enjoyable.

You might surprise yourself with the taste. It might require you to shop in different areas that you may not have already discovered. Because the wines are grown by people who love their land. They come from New Zealand. There is a unique taste and smell. To encourage New Zealanders to produce more organic wine may be seen as increasing competition, when it is really increasing cooperation and diversity.

A vineyard must adhere to their certifier’s organic production standards for three full years before becoming certified organic. The standards stipulate that only natural and biologically sourced inputs can be used in the growing and winemaking process.

Where do you see New Zealand organic wine production heading in the future?

There is an annual in-person audit for all organic producers. Currently, four certifying agencies carry out certification in New Zealand: BioGro, AsureQuality, Demeter and Organic Farm New Zealand.

The international markets are really starting to demand certified organic production and we see this being supported by the new New Zealand Government, as well as Ministry of Primary Industries. The younger generations, the millennials, are becoming very supportive of conservative alcohol consumption and may prefer to pay a little more and drink a little less. We are seeing quite large producers now starting to bring these SKUs into their portfolio and while this may increase the competition it is also raising the awareness.

We made a statement in 2012 that our goal by 2020 was for 20% of New Zealand vineyards to be certified organic. With the massive planting of bulk white varieties in several New Zealand regions, this goal might now be hard to achieve. So we would rephrase that now ‘By 2020, 20% of the New Zealand wineries will be certified organic’. That’s pure physical wineries, not brands. And you just need to look at some of the high profile wine estates in this country and find they are either already certified or moving quickly in this direction. Why? Is it demand or supply or just simply good taste? Because as it has been said, ‘Before a wine can be great it must first be true’. n Millton Vineyards is the oldest biodynamic wine estate in the Southern Hemisphere and one the 10 oldest biodynamic wine estates in the world.

Phacelia are planted in the vineyards to help attract beneficial parasites and predators

The Ministry of Primary Industries is currently in the process of consultation to make organic standards and certification a matter of law. The regulations are likely to bring New Zealand in line with international best practice, in order to ensure both maximum integrity in the domestic organic market, and strong market access overseas for New Zealand organic producers.

– Rebecca Reider, Coordinator, Organic Winegrowers New Zealand

Millton’s Clos de Ste Anne Vineyard

The NZ organic wine industry by numbers

Out Of

New Zealand wineries are certified organic

Smaller regions with a greater focus on artisanal production have higher percentages of organic vineyard area Central Otago 16.7%, Nelson 8.9%, North Canterbury 7.9%, and Wairarapa 7.4%

Out of the 67 wines selected for the Fine Wines of New Zealand 2018 list, 29.7% of the wines were certified organic Statistics taken from the 2018 OANZ Market Report. For the full report, visit www.oanz.org

12 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

Curated lists of top New Zealand wines routinely feature 30% or more organic content As of 2017,

of grapevine area in New Zealand was certified organic

Organic wine exports are up

WINE

Organically speaking There’s no better time than now to

CHURTON MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017

Certified organic and grown under biodynamic vineyard management from the Churton hillside vineyard, this sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc offers precision and minerality. The Churton Sauvignon Blanc combines aromas of yellow flowers and white peaches on the nose. The textured palate is intense with creamy layers of stone fruit. It is a wine that reflects its organic origins with beautifully balanced fruit.

13% ABV RRP $27.00 Contact Jack Weaver: jack@churton-wines.co.nz or 021 083 04764 www.churton-wines.co.nz

TERRACE EDGE LIQUID GEOGRAPHY RIESLING 2017

A rich, medium style, the complex aroma in this BioGro Certified Organic Riesling shows nectarine, mandarin and lemon/lime zest characters with subtle spicy nuances. The palate delivers excellent power and concentration, with ripe citrus and tropical fruit along with honey and musky botrytis.

13.5% ABV RRP $19.50 www.terraceedge.co.nz

CLOS HENRI PETIT CLOS MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017

French for ‘small enclosed vineyard’, Petit Clos wines from Clos Henri come from younger vines and a mixture of soil types. This Sauvignon Blanc has a welcoming nose with a zesty and citrusy character (lime and lemon) along with some herbal and minty notes. Fresh, well-balanced and round on the palate offering a silky mouthfeel dominated by stone fruits (peach, apricot) with a soft lilac and minty touch.

13% ABV RRP $20.00 www.closhenri.com

GREYSTONE WAIPARA VALLEY RIESLING 2017

The 2017 Riesling is the first official organic wine to come from the Greystone vineyard since starting the conversion to organic viticulture in 2014. It’s expressive on the nose with lime, lemon curd and jasmine flower.

The palate carries a long thread of complex fruits including mandarin, mango and lime zest. Balanced with natural sweetness and acidity, this wine will age beautifully or can be enjoyed immediately.

12% ABV RRP $27.00 www.greystonewines.co.nz

try an organic drop – here are a few of our favourites.

MILLTON GISBORNE LES TROIS ENFANTS NV

A co-fermentation between Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Muscat a Petit Grains. Picked together and then fermented together in stainless steel tanks and larger format oak barrels, they weave a delightfully aromatic wine, intriguing reflected colour and a long, broad, lingering flavour.

14% ABV RRP$24.00 www.millton.co.nz

THE DARLING MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017

Made from grapes sourced from two organic vineyards in the Wairau Valley of Marlborough and Certified Organic by BioGro New Zealand, The Darling Sauvignon Blanc is classic, yet complex.

With an intense aroma with notes of citrus and tropical fruits, the wild fermentation in barrels adds weight and texture to the wine.

13.5% ABV RRP $23.00 www.thedarlingwines.com

HANZ HERZOG SPIRIT OF MARLBOROUGH MERLOT CABERNET 2013

Sumptuous, sophisticated and sexy, this classic Bordeaux-style gem boasts crème de cassis, elderberries and dark chocolate, with a distinguished cedar scent. Cellar aged for more than five years, with the ability to mature for many years to come, this one is made to last forever.

14.2% ABV RRP $69.00 www.herzog.co.nz

PACIFIC POTION HAWKE’S BAY ORGANIC SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017

100% Sauvignon Blanc, Pacific Potion is organically farmed and vinified with minimal intervention.

Passionfruit, peach, floral and vanilla aromas are obvious on the nose with a rich texture in the mouth.

On the palate, lime and grapefruit flavours predominate initially, followed by honeysuckle and then a honeydew melon and peachy finish with a hint of spiciness.

11.6% ABV RRP $25.00 www.greatlittlevineyards.com

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 13

TASTING NOTES

Savouring Syrah

BY CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

S

yrah is an incredibly popular wine with connoisseurs of the variety, as well as a great wine to consider suggesting when a guest or customer is indicating taking a rest from Pinot Noir, St Laurent and even Grenache.

Syrah combines the best of all the fruit, tannin and flavour attributes of Pinot Noir and amplifies them and at the same time showing off its own version of charm and sophistication. Like Pinot, Laurent and Grenache, it has its own tannin and acid signature that identifies it as distinctive.

Syrah also has an uncanny ability to pair well with the same foods as other red wines.

All Syrah have a pepperiness about them, as part of the aromas and palate package.

This can be anything from freshly ground black or white ground peppercorn, to olive and a brambly dried herb quality. Climate and soil can have a significant impact on Syrah, such as the galets (pudding stones) of the southern Rhone to the gravels of Hawke’s Bay, to the red soils of the Barossa.

Each of these bringing a layer of earth or mineral flavours, as well as richness and ripeness of fruit. Oak and Syrah are great

friends, though Syrah doesn’t require or need new oak or even any oak at all and can still be tasty and delicious.

New Zealand Syrah continues to show its potential across nearly all wine regions.

Where the climate allows for drier warmer free-draining soil conditions, the resulting wine will show a better fruit concentration with raspberry and black currant, black cherry and more focussed spice flavours.

The key is to try before you buy. Try with food, or look to wine reviews first if you’re considering Syrah seriously.

Genetic mapping (finger printing of plant material) has proven the origins of Syrah to France. Its popularity there and amongst visiting winemakers has led to much of its spread around the globe. A legion of winemakers discovered Syrah’s adaptability and versatility from Italy to Washington, from the Northern Rhone to New Zealand.

The range and selection of wines for this month’s tastings confirms Syrah’s place amongst the best wine produced in New Zealand. Wines offered for tasting and review from further afield confirms Syrah as a serious wine enjoyed by many. n

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

Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

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.

“New Zealand Syrah continues to show its potential across nearly all wine regions”

14 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

TASTING NOTES

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

KARIKARI ESTATE SYRAH 2015

BABICH BLACK LABEL HAWKE’S BAY SYRAH 2017

TOHU HAWKE’S BAY SYRAH 2015

ASKERNE HAWKE’S BAY SYRAH 2015

Sweet, ripe and fruity bouquet with vanilla oak aromas, dark berries of plum, black currant blueberry. A freshly ground pepper note adds lift and freshness. Dry, toasty and oaky on the palate with flavours that reflect the nose.

Loads of tannins and acidity, loads of pepper spice and sweet oak flavours. Earth qualities emerge as the wine opens up. Very youthful, so no rush on drinking.

If you must, a rare piece of meat or very cream-laden pasta dish is suggested. Best from 2021 through 2030.

Points 94 RRP $52.00 Distributor: Kemp Wine Merchants Phone: (09) 529 0935 www.karikariestate.co.nz

Rich, toasty oak and dark spices bouquet laced with spicy raspberry and dark cherry aromas, blackcurrant, dark rose and leather. Dry with fine fruit tannins and toasty oak flavours.

Plenty of fruit at the core, with an abundance of acidity and texture.

Pretty lengthy finish, balanced and very well made. Drink from 2019 and through 2024.

Points 93 On-premise only Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (09) 833 7859 www.babichwines.com

Varietal and fruity with a mix of aromas - from red peppercorn, to raspberry and dark cherry, some meaty spicy and savoury qualities, to dark spices of oak and toasty wood. Dry, firm, youthful and spicy with peppercorn and red berry flavours, firm youthful tannins and abundant acid line. Integrating slowly this wine will reward those who wait. Best from late 2019 through 2025.

Points 91 RRP $26.95 Distributor: Kono Beverages Phone: (0800) 864 894 www.tohuwines.co.nz

Dark and ripe red berry fruits, quite toasty and smoky, with clove and vanilla, dark cherry, redcurrant, raspberry and plum. Dry, dusty chalky tannins, medium+ acidity then flavours of red berries, currants and toasty oak. Youthful, needing some cellar time. Decant for service, best from 2019 through 2024.

Points 90 RRP $22.90 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (09) 412 9137 www.askernewines.co.nz

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 15

BEER FEATURE

Glass?

What’s in a

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

Does is really matter what kind of vessel you drink your beer from?

John Ozsajca says yes, and here’s why.

ne might be tempted to dismiss the idea of having a cupboard full of different glasses – each one dedicated to a different style of beer – as being nothing more than a bunch of pretentious nonsense. After all, most beer drinkers still drink their beer out of (insert disdainful expression here) a bottle. Well, it turns out that there is actually something to the fact that each style of beer has its own optimal serving vessel, and the right glass actually does improve your perceptions of flavour and aroma, while also enhancing the overall drinking experience.

Let’s begin with the (sadly) far-too-commonpractice of drinking a beer straight from the bottle or can. By doing so, you are cutting off the majority of a beer’s aroma. Perhaps you recall holding your nose to choke down that medicine as a child?

This is because aroma influences our perception of taste dramatically. In fact, research has shown that between 75% and 95% of what we perceive as flavour is coming from aroma. While there are five perceivable tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, acidic, and umami), there are more than 10,000 distinctive aromas. When you drink beer from a bottle or can, much of that beer’s aroma is trapped in the container, greatly reducing the amount of aroma – and thus, perceived flavour – you are able to experience.

Let’s not forget the most obvious benefit of drinking from a glass - a glass allows you to actually see what you are drinking. Much in the same way that aroma impacts our perception of flavour, what we see actually impacts what we taste. Sight, is a shortcut to our mind. Before we even take one sip, neurons begin firing and our brain begins passing little notes

16 | July 2018 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

to our palette, hinting at what we might be about to taste. That cloudy IPA suggests body, suspended hop oils, and words like ‘juicy’ form in our mind before we even take the first sip. That black and syrupy Imperial Stout suggests a burnt, roasty, espresso-like beer. When we take our first sip, our mind much more quickly aligns the flavour experience with our expectation. In other words, when we look for tangerine, we taste tangerine (assuming that it is there, and sometimes even when it is not).

This connection between our senses (other than taste) and our actual experience of flavour was perfectly demonstrated when Frédéric Brochet - then a PhD candidate at the University of Bordeaux II in Talence, France - performed a sneaky little study in which he dyed a white wine red and gave it to 54 wine-science students. This panel of supposed experts overwhelmingly described what they tasted as though it were a red wine. They had been completely fooled by their senses. None of this is to suggest that flavour is not a very real thing, or that sophisticated tasters are really just charlatans, but rather that our other senses are incredibly powerful and that perceived flavour is the sum of many parts.

With that in mind, it becomes imperative that every self-respecting craft beer fan forgo the bottle or can in favor of the glass, but more importantly, that we use the right glass for every style of beer. With so many styles of beer in the world, it should be no surprise that there is a wide array of beer-glasses to compliment the specific character of every beer style.

Let’s take a look at some of the more essential of these different glasses and what styles of beer they are designed to complement…

BEER FEATURE AMERICAN PINT GLASS

The American pint glass is the most common beer glass in the United States and is very common in New Zealand, as well as elsewhere in the world. This is a fairly straightforward, utilitarian glass that neither enhances nor detracts from a beer’s flavour and aroma.

The glass itself is strong and cone-shaped, being slightly wider at the rim than at its base. Most American pint glasses hold approximately 475ml of beer (though the amount can vary). Its popularity is largely due to the fact that it’s easy to manufacture, clean, and stack, and is non-pretentious in appearance. Use an American pint glass to serve Pale Ales, Lagers, IPAs, and Pilsners.

IMPERIAL PINT GLASS

The imperial pint glass is the English equivalent of the American pint glass. However, as its name suggests, it holds a full imperial pint (568ml). It also has a curved lip, about five centimetres from the top of the glass. Like its American counterpart, the imperial pint glass is strong, durable, and easy to stack, making it your go-to English beer glass. Use an imperial pint glass to serve English Bitters, Lagers, IPAs, Brown Ales, Stouts, and any other style of British beer.

PILSNER GLASS

The Pilsner glass is tall, slim, and slightly wider at the rim than at its base. It is designed to showcase the desirable clarity and carbonation of a Pilsner. Its shape also aids with head retention, which locks in the beer’s delicate aromatic compounds. A Pilsner glass tends to be smaller than a traditional pint glass, holding somewhere between 355 and 415ml. Use a Pilsner glass to serve Pilsner, American Lager, European Lagers, Japanese Lager, Blonde Ale, California Common, and Witbier.

TULIP GLASS

A Tulip glass is a short, bulbous, stemmed glass that flares out at the top. This design helps aid in head retention and traps aromatics. Its short stem also facilitates swirling, further accentuating the olfactory experience. Use the Tulip glass to serve aromatic Belgian Ales, Bière de Garde, Pale Ale, IPA, Sour Beer, Old Ale, and Barleywine.

STANGE GLASS

The stange glass (stange means ‘poll’ in German) is a tall, cylindrical glass. Similar to the Pilsner glass, the stange glass is designed to aid with head retention and concentrate the delicate aromas of many German beers. Stange glasses tend to be smaller than many other beer glasses (ranging from approximately 175ml-475ml) because the beers that are typically served in a stange glass are meant to be consumed quickly, while still cold. Use the stange glass to serve Altbier, Kolsch, Gose, and Gueuze.

GOBLET/CHALICE

The Goblet (or Chalice) is a wide, head-retaining, bowl-shaped glass, which sits atop a short, thick stem. These glasses are typically used with big, higher alcohol, beers and the wide mouth of the glass promotes sipping. Chalices typically have thinner walls than Goblets but the terms are used somewhat interchangeably. Use a Goblet to serve Trappist ales, Belgian Ales, Dubbels, Tripels, Dark Strong Ales, Belgian IPAs, Doppelbocks, and other strong beers.

“The right glass actually does improve your perceptions of flavour and aroma, while also enhancing the overall drinking experience” WEIZEN GLASS

Weizen (or wheat) beer glasses are tall, thin glasses that are wider at the top than they are at the bottom, but which have an attractive inward curve in the lower middle half of the glass. Often confused for the Pilsner glass, the Weizen glass is designed to showcase the colour of wheat beer and trap the beer style’s signature banana and clove-like aromas.

The Weizen glass also promotes a pillowy white head that is typical of the style. The tapered bottom is said to trap yeast sediment at the bottom of the glass. Classic wheat beer glasses are 500ml, though smaller versions do exist. Use a Weizen glass to serve any style of wheat beer.

BEER MUGS

Beer mugs (also known as ‘handles’ here in New Zealand), are thick, sturdy glasses which, as the Kiwi nomenclature would suggest, are set apart by the fact that they have a handle protruding from the side of the glass. The thick glass is meant to insulate the beer and keep it cold (though, unless chilled first, the opposite can be true), while the handle prevents your hand from warming up your beer. Having evolved from the German Stein, the beer mug is a classic, durable glass that comes in many shapes and sizes and can be found at pubs and taverns across the globe. Use the beer mug to serve a wide array of German, American, English, and Irish Ales.

A WINE GLASS?

Ironically there is a solid case to be made that the wine glass is, in fact, the ideal beer glass. And indeed, a growing number of beer drinkers are casting aside their pints in favour of a thin, stemmed, bowl full of frothy goodness.

So why is the wine glass the perfect beer glass? As a general rule, the more curved a glass is, the more it will accentuate aromatics. However, the curve of a wine glass is just gentle enough to accentuate aromas, but not trap many of the hot alcohols you might find in a higher ABV beer. So it’s really the perfect complement to any aromatic beverage.

And though it is counterintuitive, the thin wall of a wine glass actually helps keep the beer cold. This is because, when a glass is warmer than the beverage being poured into it, there is a heat exchange as the temperatures of the glass and the beverage find their equilibrium. This means that a room temperature glass actually draws cold out of the beer upon contact (unless chilled first).

So the thicker the glass, the more quickly your beer will become warm.

Additionally, because CO2 dissipates faster at warmer temperatures, a beer served in a thin-walled wine glass holds its carbonation longer.

And much like the handle on a beer mug, the wine glass’s stem prevents your hand from warming the beer. However, it could also be argued that there is something to be said for time-honored customs.

As we’ve discussed above, many things impact our perception of flavour. Most classic beer styles, and their dedicated serving vessels, have many decades’ worth of tradition behind them. While each nuance of an English Bitter may technically be better expressed by a wine glass, the idea of pulling up a barstool at one’s favorite pub for a ‘stem’ of ale, doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. And at the end of the day, it is the sum of all parts that make up the drinking experience. As such, one should use the glass that best accentuates their favorite beer in precisely the way that they like to experience it. Cheers! n TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | July 2018 | 17