Digest In association with Hospitality Business’ online newsletter www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz
UKHospitality magazine has called on the UK government to boost consumer confidence and a return to cities throughout the UK to underpin recovery with support, including extending the 5% VAT (GST) rate and a business premises rates holiday for 2021. “The success of the vaccine rollout thus far is hugely encouraging and offers not just hospitality but the whole of society a clear exit from this current lockdown,” says UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls. “However a delayed reopening will come at the cost of even more jobs and more business collapse – this is an industry that is clearly already on its knees and that has already lost one million jobs, including those lost amongst our ailing supply partners. Prolonged closure risks the longer term economic recovery and makes no sense on the grounds of safety.” The magazine has produced a 10 point roadmap for recovery to the UK Government. To read more details of their suggestions go to: www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2021/02/18/Roadmap-publishedfor-hotels-pubs-and-restaurants-to-reopen-after-lockdown-three
…And Save A Date
Spare a Thought… No one underestimates the impact of alert level lockdowns on the New Zealand hospitality scene, however, the situation in the UK should provide a little perspective. The UK hospitality industry has lost 72 billion pounds ( NZ$149.39 billion) in sales in 2020. Its worst year on record and from March 8, the earliest day for any end to the country’s current lockdown, hospitality will have been closed nationally for more than half a year – 28 weeks.
Fine Food New Zealand When: Sunday, 13th June 2021 - 10:00am till 5:00pm, Monday, 14th June 2021 - 10:00am till 5:00pm, Tuesday, 15th June 2021 - 10:00am till 5:00pm Where: ASB Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane Road, Auckland About: See cutting-edge food, drink, and equipment from leading producers, learn the latest industry trends, make vital new contacts, and network with your peers at this high quality, trade-only event.
The Great Toastie Challenge Returns The Great NZ Toastie Takeover is back for a fourth year – and this time it’s casting the net even wider in the hunt for the country’s supreme toasted sandwich. The popular competition has previously followed an invite-only format but 2021 is the year organisers Cook & Nelson and McClure’s Pickles decided to see what the rest of the country can do. The competition is now open to all New Zealand eateries, whether they’re cafes, bistros, hotel eateries, food trucks or hole-in-the-wall nooks. If your eatery knows what it takes to create a top cheese toastie, then your entry is welcome.
Toastie Rules Apply
There are, of course, a few competition rules. Each toastie creation must be sandwiched between two slices of bread and able to be eaten by hand if necessary. The toasted sandwich must also contain cheese and some tasty morsels from the McClure’s Pickles range. Everything else is up to the toastie maker’s imagination. Each entry must be on the establishment’s menu for the full duration of the competition (May 13 to June 30) and be available to customers during lunch hours. Like previous years, each toastie will be scored on a set criteria, including presentation, effectiveness of preparation technique, eatability, taste, innovation, and originality. Entries open today (March 8) and close on April 30. Judging will then begin from May 13 with the competition finalists announced on July 1. The supreme winner will be revealed on July 30. A group of approximately 30 judges will be casting their eyes (and taste buds) over this year’s entrants. Those judges will be split 6 MARCH 2021 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS
across the following regions, with eateries from each area going through to the final: • Auckland / Northland (as far south as the Bombay hills) • Hamilton/Waikato, Thames/Coromandel, Tauranga/Rotorua/BOP • Central - Taupō /Napier Central North Island, New Plymouth and Whanganui/Taranaki • Wellington Region – north to Wairarapa and Palmerston North and east to Gisborne • Nelson and Blenheim south to include Christchurch and West Coast as far south as Greymouth • Remainder of South Island to include Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill All finalists will receive a case or pail of McClure’s pickles and $300 worth of dine-in vouchers which will be given away to locals via social media. The competition’s grand toastmaster will then visit the finalists incognito to sample the entries and liaise with McClure’s Pickles cofounder Joe McClure and head judge Kerry Tyack to determine New Zealand’s top toastie for 2021. The supreme winner will walk away with a year’s worth of pickles, $500 worth of dine-in vouchers, a toastie trophy and, most importantly, bragging rights to the best toasted sandwich in the country. Joe McClure, co-founder of McClure’s Pickles says the time is right to open up entries to all eateries. “We are now in our fourth year and welcome all eateries large and small, so whether you’re from Stratford or Stewart Island, Coleville or Culverden, if you think you make an epic toastie then we would love to hear from you”.
