Hospitality Business October 2020

TED BRYANT QSM HONOURED | APP-ROPRIATE TECH | KIWI MUSHROOMS GO GLOBAL

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz OCTOBER 2020 Vol.7 No.5

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Contents REGULARS 06 DIGEST NZ Cheese month begins and we celebrate the great meatloaf toastie!

PEOPLE 10 TED BRYANT HONOURED AUT honours Ted Bryant QSM for his contribution to New Zealand’s culinary history.

14 CHEF OF THE MONTH Logan Coath – Executive Chef at Auckland’s latest venue – Saxon+Parole.

18 FISHBONE HIBERNATES Darren Lovell of iconic Fishbone restaurant tells why they have hibernated!

FEATURES 09 HOSPITALITY NEW ZEALAND CEO Julie White talks about our industry’s expectations from the incoming Government.

12 T ECH TALK

14

Adapting to new technology, and contactless receipts aid hospitality businesses.

20 LIQUIDATING LIQUID ASSETS

26

Looking at the assets languishing in your wine cellar.

24

24 HOTELS A five star boutique hotel opens in Ponsonby, and Invercargill has a new build on the horizon.

26 BUFFETS Are they the latest Covid -19 casualty?

28 ICONIC AUCKLAND EATS October spells spotlight month on 100 top Auckland dishes.

30 REGIONAL REPORT Hamilton's Paddock To Plate defies COVID-19

31 T HE THIRSTY TUI A small rural hotel with 1950s style

28

32 RETAIN, MAINTAIN, RETRAIN Under COVID-19 new staff management techniques assist retention.

34 CAFE SCENE How will the coffee scene evolve by 2025?

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 3

Editor OCTOBER 2020

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group (NZ) Ltd PO Box 109 342 Newmarket, 1149, Auckland, New Zealand

Vol. 7 No. 5

Yo-Yo vigour

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

MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover

Well done to the first three New Zealand eateries exposed to COVID-19 via customers, for their textbook responses for dealing with the situation. Kreeme Café Cook in Henderson, Crave Café in Kingsland and Bricklane Bar & Bistro in New Lynn each responded, once informed by the Ministry of Health of their exposure, promptly and professionally. In doing so they minimised the ongoing risk to their employees and their customers and to community spread.

Each shut down and deep cleansed their establishments and advised employees to monitor their health for symptoms. In particular Kreeme Café Cook manageress, Fezz Levi said they were relatively unfazed by the challenge because of the strict adherence the café’s owners and team had towards hygiene and sanitation as a matter of course, and they followed new industry guidelines to spacing and seating.

Let’s hope this vigour continues as the industry yo-yo’s between levels!

In this issue we look at contactless receipts and the role technology can play in keeping us all safer in the ‘new normal’ COVID -19 environment, and the growth of high spec apps that will keep business rolling in through your doors.

Our features this month include an iconic Queenstown bistro who’s owners invested in their property despite the challenging loss of inbound tourism from overseas; a Spanish competition celebrating the versatile mushroom, and we celebrate industry icon Ted Bryant QSM’s latest accolade from AUT. We round off this issue with insight into the growing cafe scene, looking at automation and speed and how our coffee might brew in 2025!

Kia Kaha

Kimberley Dixon Follow us on

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz On the Cover: EMMA-JANE’S – A TIMELESS CLASSIC The Madeleine is a small cake that is distinctively French.

Fits all gourmet moments throughout the day; breakfast, brunch or sweet snack with your coffee.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Craig Hawtin-Butcher craig@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Kimberley Dixon kdixon@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 0274 505 502 SALES DIRECTOR Wendy Steele wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 300 473 PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz GRAPHIC DESIGNER Adrian Tipper atipper@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

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TED BRYANT QSM HONOURED | APP-ROPRIATE TECH | KIWI MUSHROOMS GO GLOBAL

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz OCTOBER 2020 Vol.7 No.5

DISCLAIMER French Madeleines - a timeless classic to enjoy every day

Available in three different flavours: Pure Butter, Chocolate and Lemon.

For more information visit: www.emmajanes.co.nz/product-category/madeleines NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST HOSPITALITY AUDIENCE

Proudly supported by

GROUP PUBLISHER Paul Wootton

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ISSN 2382-1892

4 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

Worldof Wine CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

VOLUME 2 WINTER 2019

IT'S A MATCH

CELLAR SECRETS

Food and wine pairs to love

Backstage at the vineyard PLUS finding your favourite drop

C O M I N G S O O N !

WINE LABEL LANGUAGE EXPLAINED

Reds on the Rise

THE SUMMER ISSUE OF

Liquid Gold

GROWING GRAPES ON FORMER GOLD-MINING CLAIMS HAS HELPED PRODUCE SOME 24-KARAT WINES FROM DOMAIN ROAD VINEYARD

18 WORLD OF WINE – SUMMER 2019/20

Dry River Craighall Tempranillo 2016, RRP $65

Coopers Creek The Little Rascal SV Gisborne Arneis, RRP $21.99

NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING CONSUMER

Leftfield Gisborne Albariño, RRP $17.99 Waimea Estates Grüner Veltliner 2018, RRP $29.99

WORLD OF WINE – SUMMER 2019/20 27

WINE MAGAZINE IN COLLABORATION WITH MASTER SOMMELIER

XXXXXXX XXXXXX

Wine

CAMERON DOUGLAS

Tour

SIP YOUR WAY FROM ONE END OF THE COUNTRY TO THE OTHER VIA THIS NATIONWIDE GUIDE TO OUR FINEST DROPS

TRUE NORTH Northland remains a small yet important region with a handful of wineries continuing the story of viticulture and wine. Marsden Estate has shown its value to the New Zealand wine industry overall with value and consistently well-made wine.

Ake Ake, Paroa Bay and The Landing produce wines with warmth and generosity, representing the region’s dedication to the production of fine wine from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Syrah.

The Auckland wine region reaches as far north as Matakana, south to Clevedon and across the water to Waiheke Island – it’s a key centre for fine wine production. The region supports many varieties – from Bordeaux-style red blends and Syrah on Waiheke Island to Pinot Gris from Matakana.

Brick Bay, Cable Bay, Tantalus Estate, Mudbrick, Stonyridge, Man O’ War and Puriri Hills are among many quality producers. World class Chardonnay from Kumeu River and the third most recognised winery brand on the planet Villa Maria (based at Ihumãtao in Mangere) are two cellar door and wine tasting experiences that should not be missed.

The Waikato and Bay of Plenty form a single wine region. Once well known for its aromatic wine production, it is now home to only two estates.

Gisborne’s own wine story began in the 1800s with early settlers producing wine

for their own consumption, and by the 1920s it was well into significant volumes for commercial sales. Gisborne is home to the Millton family – James and Annie are pioneers in biodynamic viticulture practices and unquestionably set a benchmark in this important method. A few of my favourite wines from producers in the region include Tohu, Toi Toi, Odyssey Wines, Huntaway, Spade Oak, Coopers Creek, Matawhero and Millton Vineyards.

Hawke’s Bay is a beautiful place to visit – with warm summers, mild winters and a stunning landscape. It contains a range of different soil types, from free-draining river stone soils to red metals and limestone,

which ensures Hawke’s Bay is able to ripen a wide variety of grape types and make some excellent wines.

Many notable producers are situated here – examples include Elephant Hill, Clearview Estate, Bilancia, Te Mata Estate and Pask with their Syrah stories; great Cabernet-led blends and Chardonnay from Villa Maria, Sacred Hill, Esk Valley, Craggy Range and Te Awa Estates. Be sure to look out for some great wines from Radburnd Cellars too.

North east of Wellington is the Wairarapa, where the important sub-regions of Gladstone, Masterton and Martinborough are located. Every producer in the region seems to have a fascinating story underpinning their Ostler, Waitaki Valley, North Otago

22 WORLD OF WINE – SUMMER 2019/20

TASTING NOTES SAUVIGNON BLANC

1

Summerhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Marlborough

1

Classically styled Marlborough SB with flavours of passion fruit and white peach, lemongrass, wet stone and white flavours. Juicy and flashy texture with a core of fruit and contrasting acidity.

Balanced and well made, ready to enjoy from today and through Summer 2021.

POINTS: 90 RRP $19 summerhouse.co.nz

3

2

Rapaura Springs Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Marlborough

Enticing and sophisticated bouquet of SB with aromas and flavours of passionfruit and apple, a touch of gunflint and lemon, wet stone, lemongrass and hay. Juicy, fleshy and quite delicious on the palate. Flavours reflect the nose with a core of passionfruit, sweet Cape gooseberry and lemongrass, loads of crisp refreshing acidity and a long finish. Drink now and through 2021.

POINTS: 94 RRP $19 rapaurasprings.co.nz

4

Smith & Sheth CRU Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Wairau, Marlborough

Intense, fruity, quite pungent and varietal with aromas and flavours of fresh pineapple and basil, a sting of grapefruit, lemon and white peach. A touch of fruit spice, lees and hay. Loads of texture from plenty of acidity with a flinty salty layer. Well made, vibrant and ready, in fact delicious!

Drink now and through 2022.

POINTS: 94 RRP $28 smithandsheth.com

2

5

Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Marlborough

4

3

Pyramid Valley Sauvignon+ 2019 North Canterbury

Exacting aromas and flavours include fresh citrus and a leesy spice, white peach and grapefruit, a gentle stony and chalky earthy layer and lifted floral moments.

Crisp, refreshing and dry on the palate with flavours that mirror the nose, especially grapefruit peel, sweet lemon and apple.

Pristine acidity and lengthy finish. Well made, balanced and ready to enjoy from today and through 2023.

POINTS: 94 RRP $28 pyramidvalley.co.nz

6

5

Unmistakable aromas of tropical fruits and citrus, sweet grass and wet stone. On the palate – flavours of pineapple and passionfruit, red apple and peach. Additional flavours of lemongrass and galangal, wet stone and minerals. Crisp and dry on the finish. Drink now and through 2022.

POINTS: 92 RRP $20 wairauriverwines.com

6

Greystone Sauvignon Blanc 2018 North Canterbury

Varietal SB greets the nose with a sweet herb and angelica leaf tease. Golden kiwifruit, apple and grapefruit follow close behind.

No mistaking the sweet sweaty lift of barrel ferment and lees as well as natural ferment flintiness.

A youthful reductive note swirls away easily. Very citrusy and crisp on the palate with lees and barrel flavours to follow. Grapefruit, apple and peach to finish. Youthful and delicious, lengthy and exciting.

Drink now and through 2022.

POINTS: 94 RRP $29 greystonewines.co.nz

THE SUMMER ISSUE WILL FEATURE: Sparkling Wines New Zealand’s Heroes: Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir Central Otago Aromatic Whites

A Wine Lover’s Guide to Christmas How to Build a Wine Cellar Top 20 Winemakers in New Zealand And much more!

WORLD OF WINE – SUMMER 2019/20 43

Worldof Wine VOLUME 3 SUMMER 2019/20

CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

CAM’S BEST OF

2019

RAISING A TOAST TO

Summer

P R O M OT E Y O U R W I N E S TO A N A U D I E N C E O F M O R E T H A N 2 0 , 0 0 0 W I N E LO V E R S

108 WINES

Tasted & rated

SIMON GAULT’S BBQ FAVOURITES

+ the perfect wine matches

SWAP YOUR DROP

Delicious alternatives to tried-and-trues

CONTACT BRIGITTE KOLVER: bkolver@intermedianz.co.nz or +64 (0)27 294 5113

Digest In association with Hospitality Business’ online newsletter www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz

Meatloaf Toastie Takes Top Prize Good old-fashioned comfort food using Grandma’s meatloaf recipe has reigned supreme in this year’s Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover competition with a small Dunedin eatery and its delicious meatloaf creation taking top honours.

Romeo Dowling-Mitchell of Hungry Hobos can now officially lay claim to the best toasted sandwich in the land with his “Bat out of Hell” entry, featuring homemade meatloaf, creamy mashed

Romeo Dowling-Mitchell of Hungry Hobos potato, gravy, aged cheddar and McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles slathered between herb-buttered ciabatta.

The win will come as no surprise to Dunedin locals. Romeo has been doling out mouth-watering, American-style toasted sandwiches and soups from his George Street eatery for the past two and a half years after a career that spanned cooking for Team New Zealand at the America’s Cup in San Francisco and cheffing on super yachts in Spain.

His “Bat out of Hell” sandwich beat 80 other entries from around the country in the annual Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover, impressing judges with its combination of simple ingredients served with confidence.

Head Judge Kerry Tyack says the “Bat out of Hell” combination is at once wholly expected and a total surprise.

“After all, who would put meatloaf, mash and gravy in a toastie? Answer: Romeo – and it fits!” says Kerry.

New F&B operator

wanted for captive patrons Fantastic opportunity for an experienced Food & Beverage Operator to design and build a new outlet as a part of AUT University’s new 700-bed student accommodation building due to open in February 2021.

With more than 700 hungry students above you in our new, modern student apartments, you’ll be just off Queen St on the corner of Wakefield St and Mayoral Drive – a highly visible location with huge potential. As well as being a high foot traffic area for the university, it’s also a high-density housing area with thousands of potential customers living in nearby apartments. Furthermore, it’s within close proximity to a number of major bus routes.

At 185 square metres, the space can be developed according to your vision - whether that’s a mini food hall with 2-3 different offerings, or a general café style operation. The outlet can be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

AUT is looking for operators that are focused on quality and a high level of service, and willing to develop a long term partnership of mutual benefit.

For more information or to register your interest in this exciting opportunity email david.green@aut.ac.nz

DIGEST

NZ Cheese month begins October represents NZ Cheese month and everywhere, everyone agrees that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years across the board. For many New Zealand cheesemakers that has meant quickly adapting and finding new markets as farmers’ markets, some specialty retail food stores, cafes and restaurants closed during the lockdowns.

However, there is a silver lining, while New Zealanders hunkered down staying safe they used their free time to explore and support NZ made produce, including New Zealand cheese, which is enjoying record sales.

To share stories of New Zealand’s cheesemakers, the New Zealand Specialty Cheese Association launched its new website, www.cheeseloversnz.co.nz on 1 October –and it is designed to become an information hub for favourite local cheese companies.

It features a directory of New Zealand cheesemakers and a link to information about where to buy including cheese factory stores as well as offering tips on storing and serving cheese.

Additionally – to meet the growing interest in cooking with cheese the site has recipes for cooking with NZ cheese, including some new twists on old favourites created especially for NZ Cheese month by renowned cook Kathy Paterson.

Head North to Hone’s Garden The best of Northland’s hospitality has been recognised via a virtual ceremony celebrating the Restaurant Association of New Zealand’s inaugural awards for the region.

The awards recognised outstanding hospitality professionals, all of whom are making a positive impact on the local café and dining scene.

Known for its rustic pizzas, Hone’s Garden has won two of the top accolades, winning Gilmours Supreme Award, and the Whangārei District Love It Here! Outstanding Local Establishment award, proving just how popular it is.

Northland Sales and Operations Manger for Gilmours, Leah Greenall told Hospitality Business she believed that the Northland hospitality industry is changing all the time.

“Everywhere you go in Northland there is a beautiful place to eat, drink and look at the scenery, it just brings people back here time and time again.

“And with no overseas travel this year, I believe we are going to have a very busy summer in Northland and more New Zealanders will truly get to see what our region has to offer.

I am super excited that these awards are showcasing the amazing talents of all the establishments that work so hard in bringing the community back together.” For a full list of Northland’s winners go to: hospitalityawards.co.nz/northland

New Space at SkyCity for High Rollers SkyCity Entertainment Group has opened a new VIP machine gaming area as part of the Auckland casino’s $35 million property upgrade.

The area on the ninth level was previously a partially open air deck and is at the top of the SkyCity Hotel Auckland and casino building on Victoria Street.

Chief operating officer Michael Ahearne says the new invitation-only zone, called Black was twice the size of the previous VIP machine gaming space.

“A previously little used open air balcony has been given a complete transformation to create a tactile, voluptuous and highly refined space.

Black is open for SkyCity’s highest value customers,” said Ahearne.

The floor was previously accessed via stairs from level eight but chief executive Graeme Stephens said the extra floor space had been added on to the Federal Street side to create an entrance from existing lifts. VIPs could also get to Black directly from the basement car park.

One hundred and fifty gaming machines now have more space around them, better seating and bars and foodservice areas within the level nine VIP zone.

Gilmours is your one stop shop from food & beverage, to packaging, cleaning, sanitising & PPE – we have what your business needs at wholesale prices.

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NZ Proudly supporting New Zealand business to grow New Zealand businesses North Shore | Mt Roskill | Manukau | Hamilton | Tauranga | Central | Wellington

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OPINION

Kingi – naming debacle

By Dr Lindsay Neill

Claude Levi-Strauss’s mis-attributed maxim “food is good to think with” provides an ideal way to consider the recent Kingi restaurant naming debacle. I think Kingi can be a fine name for an eating establishment, however both sides need to pause for thought.

To recap the stouch, Tom Hishon and Josh Helm raised the ire of Coco’s Cantina co-founder Damaris Coulter when they decided to name their new restaurant Kingi.

For Hishon and Helm, the name honoured the very edible kingfish or haku. However, Kīngi, with a macron is the Māori word for King.

Additionally, Kingi is a Māori surname, so using it without consideration of whakapapa may be ill-advised. Interestingly, neither party considered the latter meaning.

Coulter proposed that Hishon and Helm had in naming their eatery appropriated the Māori word for King. For Coulter that was a step too far.

While Hishon and Helm consulted local iwi, Coulter maintained that Hishon ignored the concerns of Māori.

As social media entered the debate it was suggested Coulter was guilty of culturally appropriating Latinx culture in naming her own establishment Coco’s Cantina.

There is no doubt that in using te reo and Māori iconography Māori must be consulted and considerations given to whakapapa.

However, that’s a starting point.

The multicultural evolution of our nation and perceptions of language and of food also need to be considered. Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley’s latest book The New New Zealand: Facing Demographic Disruption tells us our nation is well on the way to demographic change.

He found nine of the top 10 surnames of babies born in Auckland have Asian surnames, with only one – Smith – reflecting a Pākehā, Māori or European identity.

The 2018 Census also shows us that more than 40 per cent of Auckland residents are now born in another country.

The emergence of Chinese, Korean, Indian and Pasifika businesses and festivals are markers of our multicultural diversity.

My own research indicates that Pacific Islanders, Chinese and Latinx realise te ao Māori and Māori culture are Aotearoa New Zealand’s original identities and points of socio-cultural distinction.

So, biculturalism and multiculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand are dynamic works in progress.The same can be said for language. No contemporary language is static.

Consider the dictionary and cultural meanings of the word gay.

Initially, gay inferred being light-hearted and carefree, albeit with a touch of lasciviousness.

Later, the word denoted being beautifully and showily dressed.

In the late 1890s a “gay house” referenced a brothel. From there, “gay cat” and “gay” became synonymous with male homosexuality.

The word gay, while reclaimed by ‘gays’ now holds no gendered or sexual inferences, but rather suggests, within its urban use, something “bad or inferior” or “undesirable”.

The language of food too is dynamic. We engage food’s conversation through consumption, reflection, and interpretation.

And, let’s not forget, enjoyment!

In sharing a meal, we share more than just food; we engage a metaphor transcending food’s nutritional value.

Some theorists, suggest that food, particularly that of ethnic and migrant cultures, symbolises within dominant cultures the acceptance of that ethnicity or migrant group.

For example, in Britain, Iranian kebabs were years ago rebranded Middle Eastern because many Britons found fundamentalist Islamic beliefs unpalatable.

In similar ways, the British people’s love of Indian food has also failed to reflect their acceptance of Indians living there.

New Zealanders dining preferences mirror these notions. Consider the meaning within your sushi lunch-stop, or your weekend yum-char excursions.

Our theorist Carolyn Morris looked closer to home in her paper The Politics of Palatability: On the absence of Māori restaurants (in Aotearoa New Zealand).

Within the voice of research participants, she suggested Māori food was unacceptable to many Pākehā – due to uncomfortable feelings about Māori activism.

So how does all this inform the Kingi debate?

The language of food, particularly the name of a business, is, like business itself, a dynamic process.

Part of this is its glocal expression (something both global and local).

Naming something Kingi, with or without a macron, expresses the local albeit within considerations of whakapapa.

That should be recognised and celebrated because it is within such words that we as Kiwis create our uniqueness in a rapidly globalised world.

As Kiwis we are uniquely placed to celebrate our bicultural and multicultural base by embracing the diversity others bring to our shores.

Considering the language of food or verbal communication to be static is wrong. Levi-Strauss was right, food is good to think with.

Dr Lindsay Neill is a Senior Lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology, specialising in the culture of food.

New Dates For Foodtech PackTech Show Due to ongoing COVID-19 developments and current Government imposed restrictions, XPO Exhibitions Ltd has rescheduled the Foodtech Packtech show.

The new dates are: Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 April 2021.

“Industry trade shows are integral to helping any economy rebuild and recover.

Foodtech Packtech is one of New Zealand’s

8 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

strongest examples with growth rates that continue to exceed other events – evidenced by a whopping $447.8m in visitor buying power to the prior edition of this show.

“The food manufacturing and packaging sectors are strategically vital for NZ’s economic future. We’re entirely confident the new April 2021 dates will see a strong

attendance and CAPEX investment from the industry to get New Zealand moving again. Our promise is that the show will be jam packed with even more technology, innovation and education to meet the future needs of pasture and sea to plate capability, whether here or around the world,” said XPO Exhibitions Managing Director Brent Spillane.

HOSPITALITY NEW ZEALAND

Moulding the new normal

By Julie White, CEO Hospitality New Zealand

W

ith the election date looming, policy promises are being announced daily and proposed roadmaps to the nation’s economic recovery are being presented. As most industries are still in survival mode, it’s fair to say the political climate is electrified this campaign season.

We’re all well aware of the difference Government funding and support can have, especially in today’s climate. The allocation of the $14 billion COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund has been closely watched, and with each round of funding and policy announcements there have been winners and losers.

What the new Government brings to the nation in the next term, will play a huge part in moulding the new normal as our nation looks to rebuild from the devasting impact of COVID-19.

COVID-19 and hospitality Since March, the country has dealt with fluctuating in and out of Alert Levels, which has had an immense impact on the operations of all hospitality businesses. Pre-COVID, the hospitality sector contributed $6 billion annually to New Zealand’s GDP, yet the call for sector-specific assistance has fallen on deaf ears – we’ve been the forgotten industry. Every subsidy, grant and support package delivered has failed to recognise the value we bring – not only economically, but socially too.

We continue to be one of the most affected industries, as alert level restrictions require costly pivoting and border closures have resulted in a significantly reduced market and skill shortages due to very limited access to migrant workers. Coupled with the fact that Kiwis now have less disposable income, the ability for the hospitality sector to rebuild its cashflow is heavily impacted.

It isn’t working While hospitality businesses have gracefully abided by these restrictions and put the health and safety of Kiwis front of mind, many operators face impending closures. The solutions offered by the current Government to

accrue more debt simply isn’t sustainable for the majority of operators.

For instance, with rent averaging 30% for accommodation businesses and over 10% for food and beverage service operators of outgoings across the industry, the wage subsidy barely scratched the surface of operational costs. Couple with the fact that in recent years, the sector has also seen increased fees, the introduction of complex regulations and poor Government policy, hospitality has been one of the biggest losers.

To overcome the challenging recovery ahead, it’s more important than ever that we strengthen cash flow, help consumers continue to support the local economy, and enable hospitality operators to continue ordering stock, paying fixed costs and running their businesses in this restricted environment.

• Invest in hospitality career pathways and training programmes – to fill the labour market skills shortage and ensure a vibrant future for the sector.

• Introduce a consistent and fair approach to the funding of core infrastructure – where the benefit principle applies, to ensure the sector isn’t unfairly targeted with new taxes or targeted rates.

• Adequately fund the Tourism Sustainability Commitment – to support and better incentivise all New Zealand businesses to implement sustainable practices.

• Understand and mitigate issues relating to Class-4 Gambling – working with the sector to uncover insights and find viable solutions to combat problem gambling.

The outlook for our sector remains The path to survive, revive bleak without additional Government and thrive assistance. We will inevitably have an So, as the election approaches, influx of lay-offs and business closures Hospitality New Zealand has put across New Zealand’s once vibrant forward our discussion document– hospitality sector.

Let’s Talk Hospitality 2020 – and We understand that there is only so identified the following key areas for much money the Government has, but the incoming Government to consider as an industry, we’ve pivoted countless so hospitality has a fighting chance: times through the various alert levels, • Design and implement a targeted upskilled our teams, and where support package for the hospitality possible, created and implemented sector – in the form of a working innovative cost-saving measures to capital grant, working with industry adapt to the changing environment. bodies to identify where the greatest Our hope is that the incoming needs are.

Government recognises the value of • Appoint a Minister of Hospitality our industry and can help us survive, – so the hospitality sector revive and thrive once again.

“The call for can be better understood The latest GDP numbers and integrated into policy 12% drop, support what we sector-specific strategy. have been feeding into the assistance has fallen • Conduct a regulatory review Government, businesses are on deaf ears – we’ve of hospitality – to improve doing it tough. Only hindsight regulations, ease compliance will tell if our elimination been the forgotten and give businesses a clear strategy was right, comparing industry.” operating framework. to our Trans-Tasman friends in • Create a national framework for Australia who economy fared better Short Term Rental Accommodation at drop of 7%. Treasury’s suggestion – to ensure a level playing field that the borders will not be fully and regulated standards within the opened until 2022 is concerning, not accommodation sector. only do we need support we need • Establish regulations around Freedom to understand the game plan -this is Camping – so local facilities and the the call from Hospitality NZ to the environment aren’t overburdened. incoming Government. n HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 9

PROFILE

Ted Bryant QSM Honoured By AUT

J

Words By Kimberley Dixon

oining an august roll of high achieving recipients of the AUT Honorary Reeves Fellowship Award this year is bon viveur extraordinaire, Ted Bryant, QSM. Few hospitality personalities could claim parity with his achievements both past, present and future when it comes to New Zealand’s imprint on the culinary world. Ted’s vision, ebullient personality, coupled with sheer persistence and persuasion, contributed to the establishment of New Zealand’s leading culinary school with the opening in 1996 of Auckland’s purpose built School of Hotel and Restaurant Studies, on the corner of Wellesley St and Mayoral Drive.

Hailed as the cutting edge of hospitality education, the then Auckland Institute of Technology’s (AIT), new $20 million complex was considered the most well equipped and high tech hotel and restaurant studies facility in the world. It had taken eleven years of dedication and sheer College in the Caribbean. Rising from AUT Honorary Reeves determination to realise Ted and his junior to senior lecturer over four Fellowship team’s dream of establishing the world years, the role required teaching local recipient, Ted class facility, which today continues students to function in five star hotels Bryant, QSM to produce graduates with world class and gain international qualifications. skills under its new status as Auckland Next stop, Wellington New Zealand.

University of Technology, (AUT).

Assigned to open and lecture at the Ted arrived in New Zealand with Wellington Polytechnic professional a wealth of experience gained in his cookery school Ted later took on home country, England and later the the project of commissioning and Caribbean. His training started in the operating The Country Club at Oharu, early 1960s at the South West Essex before joining AIT in February 1974.

Technical College catering school in The period 1974 through to his London, and he later became a trainee retirement in 2010 witnessed a major executive with the Trust House Forte growth for hospitality training at AIT. Group – once Britain’s largest hotel Under his stewardship as Head of School chain, - with brands ranging from the five storey state of the art culinary the Travel Lodge to the luxurious school was built, providing a centrallyGrosvenor House Hotel on located, dedicated hospitality Park Lane. Moonlighting as training facility for all aspects A favourite toast master at the House of of the industry, from cooking, quote of Ted's Commons at the age of 21, he baking, and foodservice - “The roots of recalls this time as one of his to computer and education are bitter, through greatest challenges. hotel management skills. but the fruit “You only needed to make Bringing together the various is sweet.” one mistake and you would departments facilitated the never get another job!” streamlining and co-ordination - Aristotle As toast master his job involved of a previously disparate array of going to Buckingham Palace and courses. Prior to the complex being discussing State banquets, advising on built Bryant spent two years visiting the menu and the wine. “The bottom hotel schools around the world in order line was that if anything went wrong it to ensure the new complex was best was the toast master’s fault!” practice at the time.

From London his next port of call Describing Ted’s management was the Bermuda Hotel and Catering style, Senior Lecturer Lindsay Neill 10 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

said Ted, while not managing the multitude of responsibilities of an organisation the size of the AUT School of Hotel and Restaurant Studies, could often be seen around ‘the Parish,’ getting to know the people at the coal face.

“I recall after having taught at the School for about six months Ted, after coming into class unannounced, asked me to come up with a teaching unit that the school hadn’t done before. I remember creating a class on how to toss salad at the table – this concept of adding value or being encouraged to use my initiative was refreshing, and went on to create an informal but healthy sense of competition among staff as we all attempted to out do each other.”

“I believed in doing things in house – so that if we had a problem that could be solved by another School within AUT, it could be easily remedied.” – says Ted. Today Ted has a worldwide reputation among restaurateurs and is probably one of the few people able to ask at any restaurant in New Zealand, the UK and America “Who’s in the kitchen tonight?” with the assurance that it is likely he knows the person – either as a friend, graduate or former colleague!

A ceremony to present Ted with the prestigious Reeves fellowship is planned once COVID 19 levels allow. n

 

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TECH TALK

Hospitality rapidly adapts to online tech Leading entrepreneurs find ˋan app for thatʹ with fresh capital.

12 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

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businesses.

For big national operations with much simpler. We’ve thrown out the Mojo multiple outlets, like Mojo Coffee, ring binder full of scribbled orders uses Upstock and moved into the future” says Upstock has been transformational. to coordinate Mojo uses Upstock to coordinate Joe Slater orders between their Matt Watson, Founder of orders between their roastery, roastery, bakery and 35 bakery and 35 cafes in New Zealand Upstock, says the hospitality cafes in New Zealand and the US. Katy Ellis, General sector acutely understands the and the US and say importance of robust online Manager of Mojo, says they now ‘they now can’t live can’t live without it. systems as they’ve navigated without it’.

Covid-19 in 2020. It’s also an “Upstock has made things run smoother and faster in issue he understands well as a our cafes and our HQ supplier through Foxton Fizz.

“Any steps businesses can take operation. It’s given us to reduce costs are crucial when control and visibility they’re working so hard to keep over what stock is being ordered the doors open during these across our entire turbulent times.

Every day new customers operation, and across New Zealand are we spend a tiny fraction of the signing up to Upstock and time we used to joining a long and growing managing orders. It’s list of major brands like Mojo Coffee, Six Barrel Soda Co., Best been a game-changer lin m Up for us,” says Ellis.

Ugly Bagel, Chow, WBC, and a e sto st r ck's a Pomeroy’s Coffee. Any retailer can Streamlining pp helps to operations in today’s use the app to order from any of their existing supplier. climate is crucial for suppliers, Upstock is designed to be extremely both large and small. Joe Slater, the Co-Founder of Six Barrel Soda, was easy, accurate and fast to use – providing a smart ordering solution for one of Upstock’s early adopters. He says using the app has significantly the hospitality sector. It reduces errors to almost 0% and minimises waste simplified their business.

- enabling hospitality businesses to “Upstock has helped us streamline both our customer on-boarding and cut costs while they focus on creating amazing products and experiences for ordering processes massively, as well as making our order entry and dispatch their customers. n e

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pstock, an online ordering app for hospitality businesses, has raised $3.5 million in its first capital raise to grow its New Zealand presence.

The app is used by restaurants, bars, cafes, and industry suppliers. Started

by Matt Watson of Foxton Fizz, and developed by Philip Fierlinger (CoFounder of Xero) and Duncan Ritchie (Former CPO of Xero), it claims to reduce ordering errors to almost zero percent; minimises waste, giving time back to hospitality businesses.

Upstock embarked on its capital raise during the initial wave of Covid-19 and the Level 4 Lockdown in March/April 2020. Philip Fierlinger, says despite the uncertainty of Covid-19, the raise was vastly oversubscribed and eventually was capped at $3.5 million.

“Immediately, there was interest in what we’ve created. In the hospitality sector margins are slim, so every dollar counts. We reduce errors to almost zero percent, saving money and reducing food waste – which is a huge problem in the sector.

“Our investors immediately saw the power of Upstock as a marketplace platform – they could see it’s inevitable that software will replace pen and paper. That became even more obvious when Covid-19 hit and hospitality started rapidly adopting online tech,” says Fierlinger.

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A solution that will serve everyone at the table RIP Global has been swept up in Britomart and in the new Commercial Bay development. “They’re loving having new customers walking through the door and being able to offer them contactless receipts.” sales systems, so neither the customers nor the merchants need to handle or print a receipt ever again.

“We use patented systems to code and justify the purchase at the point of sale and this is deposited directly with the purchase data,” she says. In other words, it zaps the customer’s receipt straight from the till through to their phones.

Expense reporting is the largest pain point for corporate customers, with many needing to go back and get receipts reprinted weeks later.

Merchants providing a way around this are saving both themselves and their customers time and money.

“We are pretty excited to be working with businesses that love their customers as much as we do. While we want to be where our customers spend money, we are also able to drive their business through to where we are,” says Mel. The company has integrations with two large POS companies, giving them 83% merchant access across New Zealand.

Simply plug our scanner into your till and you’re good to go, says Joe Webb, RIP Global Business Development Manager.

“Merchants already on-board are loving it,” he says. “We’ve been swept up in Britomart and in the new Commercial Bay development. They’re loving having new customers walking through the door and being able to offer them contactless receipts.”

While one might argue that you can just opt-out of getting a receipt, it’s not always as simple as saying ‘no’, when asked if you would like one.

“Not only do your corporate customers need their receipts for reimbursement”, says Mel. “But if they need to on-charge the expense to a client then line-by-line tax compliant data is necessary.”

On top of that businesses are required to keep all tax records for seven years – electronically or paper-based.

“Your customers may need a receipt, but do they want one?” questions Mel. “We have engineered a solution that will serve everyone at the table – and that is very exciting.” n

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“We give merchants free advertising on our app to connect directly with our customers.”

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ontactless. It’s the mood of the moment. It’s the revolution of today. It might just take the cake for the most used word of 2020 -just scraping past ‘unprecedented’ and ‘bubble’!

Whether you’re signing into a restaurant or paying for your meal – you name it, it’s contactless, however what this ‘new normal’ often forgets about is the humble receipt, and that’s what Mel Gollan, Founder and CEO of RIP Global, is out to change.

“The world is embracing contactless payments now more than ever due to our current climate,” says Mel. “Our contactless receipts and expense technology is free for merchants and only enhances that experience.

“Not only is it great for the health and safety of merchants and their customers, but it is also a massive leap forward in reducing the carbon footprint the trillions of carcinogenic, PBA enriched bits of paper create.”

One person generates around 2 kgs of waste a year from receipts. Multiply that by our team of five million and we’re producing a whopping 10 million kgs of waste – purely from receipts.

RIP Global was born on the floor of Mel’s lounge and grown with immense passion. Having worked in the hospitality industry for eight years, she knows that customers are at the heart of business but also grasps just how tough the sector is. Meaning questions like ‘how does this help my customer?’ need to be followed with, ‘how does this help my business?’

“We know how tough this year has been,” says Mel. “We give merchants free advertising on our app to connect directly with our customers.

“The hardest thing about advertising is knowing the method you choose actually hits your target market – with us, you reach 100% of that target market.”

RIP’s technology is globally unique as they integrate directly into existing

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 13

CHEF OF THE MONTH

Logan Coath Saxon + Parole Executive Chef Hospitality Business editor Kimberley Dixon talks to the Kiwi star of Auckland’s latest culinary experience to open downtown in Commercial Bay. Please tell us how you became a chef – your training/ education/experiences and road to success. was born in Auckland and grew up out west. I went to culinary school at AUT around the year 2000. Moved overseas for a while then have most recently have been on Waiheke Island for eight years.

People, produce and provenance: these are the three things that motivate me through my working day. Cooking has taken me all around the world: London, Europe, South Africa.

Everywhere I go, people need to eat!

I was previously based at the Archive Bar and Bistro at Mudbrick vineyard, a restaurant I started almost four years ago born from a loose concept of ‘ NZ food’. The Archive has really defined my cooking style and is something I’m immensely proud of. We were awarded the Best Regional Restaurant in the Silver Fern Farms Restaurant Awards, which led to me being chosen as one of their ‘select partner chefs’ three years running.

During this time, I also took over Augustus Bistro in Ponsonby as Executive Chef. We were fortunate enough to be included in the Metro top 50 and also nominated for best smart dining restaurant.

With both restaurants, I have strived to promote NZ food and producers. I also take my team along for the ride.

In conjunction with my restaurant manager we run regular trips to meet our suppliers. We genuinely know who farms our meat, who catches our fish and who makes our cheese.

They thought I was joking when I said I was organising a trip to an abattoir. I can almost guarantee we are the only restaurant in NZ that has had the whole front-of-house team watch

whole beast processing from start to finish. I also know it was the first time Lee fisheries had hosted 12 restaurant staff for a tour at 5am! Knowing where your food comes from is integral to what I do. Getting my team to buy into what I do and translate that to the customer is what makes our team so strong. It’s what makes our dining experience so authentic, I honestly feel like the people around me, love what we do as much as me.

I

Restaurants, chefs, family & friends who have influenced you?

My time in London at a French restaurant in the city truly changed the way I looked at food. The exec chef had worked with the best in Europe and decided he just wanted to cook and feed people. I was lucky enough to spend

“I learnt to cook lamb shoulder properly in London.

Everywhere I put it on the menu it’s a hit!”

Stunning views and ambiance make Saxon & Parole a new star on the Auckland dining menu.

14 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

about four years working with him. I believe that’s where I truly learnt to cook and develop my own style and ideas of things that were important to me.

What is your favourite cuisine – to a) Cook b) Eat on your days off ?

I love to cook with fire. On my days off you will usually find me cooking something over wood or charcoal. I spent a year working in South Africa with a guy who became a good friend of mine. He wasn’t afraid to embrace the unpredictability of fire and we would cook functions for 100 people with no electricity.

Are you able to define your style of cuisine?

I would say it’s simple and honest.

Ingredients, bought in season and

CHEF OF THE MONTH Logan Coath : - People, Produce & Provenance

treated with respect. I think sourcing the best produce is key to making tasty food.

Do you have a signature dish?

Actually lamb shoulder. I learnt to cook it properly in London. Everywhere I put it on the menu it’s a hit!

What are your thoughts on tasting menus….and experimental dining – do you believe people come to a restaurant for the whole experience, food and ambience ?

I truly believe the dining experience is why people will always go to restaurants: the service, the ambiance, the theatre of a restaurant in full swing. The reason I’m so passionate about our industry is that we get to make memories – birthdays, wedding anniversaries, first dates then engagements. It’s magic.

When did you join AvroKo? I was lucky enough to join in February this year. It’s not often you click with a bunch of strangers immediately. To find so many passionate people at the top of their game working together and opening a stable of restaurants will surely be a career highlight!

Please explain the Saxon & Parole raw bar selection.

Well, where do we start… If you look at New Zealand, we are surrounded by coastline. Some of the seafood we are getting has been out of the water less than 24 hours when it hits the plate. Our oysters are world class. Just the other day I connected with a new oyster farmer. We will be the only restaurant in NZ that is serving his oysters and they are delicious!

With the Saxon Burger and the 28 day dry aged beef – is this beef sourced in NZ? We don’t serve any international proteins in Saxon + Parole. Everything is sourced in New Zealand, even the cured meat products which were butchered by our chefs and cured down the road with a local specialist. Our meat comes from Landsdowne Farm and Black Origin Wagyu in Canterbury and Silver Fern Farms.

Could you provide top tips on creating a great restaurant like Saxon + Parole?

People. I truly believe surrounding yourself with amazing people, together you can achieve amazing things! I’m so lucky to be part of the opening team for Saxon + Parole. n

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 15

PROFILE: QUEENSTOWN SPIRIT Jonathan and Lou, keeping the ‘Flame’ alive.

Iconic institution Flame sticks to expansion plan Nine chefs, 12 front of house staff and a baker make up the team at Flame's new Queenstown venue

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16 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

ms up

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Ro physically,” says Jonathan. “Flame is an institution in Queenstown and we didn’t want to frighten people away by changing locations, so we googled how to safely relocate and couldn’t find any successful relocations,” he says.

They decided the most important thing was to retain critical touch points and maintain as much of the old atmosphere as possible. “So we changed out some of our existing table tops with the new ones and hung up new artwork well in advance,” he says.

“We bought all of the new crockery for the relocation two years ago and started using that and also incorporated our new branding photography at least two years ago to take people on “Flame is the journey to the new Flame. an institution The late Grant, and Dawn in Queenstown who still lives locally, are very much part of the new and we didn’t want restaurant and that original to frighten people South African heritage has been carried through. “Grant’s away by changing nickname was ‘Sunny’ so we locations,” still have our ‘Sunny Burger’ in pride of place on the menu and a

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he owners of Queenstown’s iconic Flame Bar and Grill weren’t about to let the Covid-19 lockdown crisis get in the way of a substantial reinvestment and expansion plan.

Owners Jonathan Bisley and Lou McDowell were seven months into a major refit in a property across Beach Street from their original premises on Queenstown’s prime, lakefront Steamer Wharf when lockdown occurred in late March. “We were so far in that we decided we had to proceed and we’re so glad we did,” says Jonathan.

It was the culmination of a three-year project as the hugely popular steakhouse and grill, a regular staple for locals, had outgrown its Beach Street premises.

Founded 11 years ago by a Queenstown based South African couple, Grant and Dawn Sneddon, Jonathan and Lou took over the restaurant in 2016 and began their dream plans for expansion the following year.

“We were really confident that we’d done as much as we could in the existing premises. We were constrained

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PROFILE: QUEENSTOWN SPIRIT story about Grant and how the Flame journey began in Africa on the menu and hanging on the wall,” says Jonathan.

“The end result has been a transition into this wonderful new space and not one of our regular customers has said that they miss the old Flame.”

There’s even a celebration of the staff, the ‘Wall of Flame’, featuring photos gathered of them during the past two or three years that now hang proudly at the top of the staircase.

The new venue sports 120 seats, with another 30 bar seats, something there just wasn’t space for in the old building, only a 70-seater.

“Our aim was to ensure it retained its original vibe and was comfortable and accessible to everybody, because we have locals, chief executives of public companies, young people in beanies and tradesmen all coming in,” says Jonathan. “We’ve worked hard to ensure it’s not intimidating.”

Rough-sawn black timber teams up perfectly with aged-copper bar fronts and steel liquor displays, and the restaurant and bar now encompass three different zones. A huge skylight opens

“We were so far in that we decided we had to proceed and we’re so glad we did.”

- Jonathon Bisley

over the new large garden room and large windows open over neighbouring lakefront Earnslaw Park with fantastic views of the Remarkables.

The expansive, new open plan, theatre-style kitchen incorporates plenty of capacity for storage and there’s been a strong emphasis on sustainability.

“We’ve done a lot of work to improve emissions as we do a lot of chargrilling and sell large volumes, including a tonne of ribs a week and 300 to 400 kilos of steak, so it’s a busy place generating lots of smoke,” says Jonathan. The latest technology has been installed in the form of electrostatic precipitators that capture smoke and reduce smoke emissions by upto 90 percent. “It was expensive to buy but provides a wonderful environmental benefit,” he says.

Even in the post-Covid environment Jonathan and Lou are constantly trying to hire staff and with opening hours extending from five to six nights a week from mid-August, Jonathan says they’re hoping to get the new venue opened for seven nights soon. He now has a baker on board and nine chefs, but needs more. “Interestingly, there have not been many Kiwis applying.

We have 12 front of house staff on the floor and none are Kiwis.” n

The new venue sports 120 seats with a further 30 bar stools, adding to its capacity.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 17

NZ SEAFOOD

Fishbone Bar & Grill Temporarily hibernating Words by Sue Fea

18 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

ov e

away from our excellent commercial the Fishbone staff get to keep their fishing supply chains in New Zealand, jobs and are turning their experience but it was a smaller market before to some more interesting experiments we closed and we were getting some with the Love Chicken pop up menu. delicious fresh species off Nate.” That Fishbone will re-open, maybe in included butterfish, hapuka, blue cod, a different form that doesn’t rely so flounder, octopus and crayfish. heavily on tourism, but the mission Fishbone customers have never found will remain strong. “We’ve always been threatened species on the menu and the about sharing New Zealand seafood restaurant has always used fish caught with the world as we have the best under the Quota Management System. seafood, fish and shellfish here and “It’s not perfect but it’s probably the it would be a pity if people couldn’t best management system in the world,” come here and enjoy our beautiful says Darren. “The industry is constantly kaimoana,” says Darren. n trying to improve and is probably the most highly self and government regulated industry in New Zealand. We are constantly trying to improve our stock handling and fish management.” ll “When I first took over Fishbone we couldn’t sell orange roughy as the stocks were depleted, but New Zealand’s done a great job of bringing that species back,” says Darren. It’s great to see people starting to buy some of the lesser-known species now and not just using blue cod and snapper.

“Dressing the Gravity Fishing aligns with Darren’s ethical fish was the right and sustainable amount of butter principles perfectly flavoured with some – one boat, one crew lemon juice and fresh and 100 percent herbs. It was the most traceability and transparency. All beautiful piece of fish I fish are harvested by had ever eaten.” hook and line and Nate – Darren Lovell. uses the ancient Japanese technique, Ikijimi to kill each fish once it’s landed and measured.

Darren and Kareem are not resting on their laurels. They’re busy running their popular organic chicken, casual dining option, Love Chicken, at Frankton, using Fishbone as a ‘pop up’ for Love Chicken. That way Dar ren L

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ew chefs in New Zealand know how to tap into a great fresh fish source while saving the planet like Queenstown’s Darren Lovell!

Renowned nationally for his passion to protect our fisheries, the Fishbone Bar & Grill owner has been forced to ‘hibernate’ the iconic central Queenstown seafood restaurant temporarily until New Zealand’s borders re-open. It was a hard decision for Aussie-born Darren and partner Kareem Harvey with Fishbone due to hit its 30th anniversary year in 2021.

Darren bought Fishbone in 2006 a year or so after landing a job there as head chef. It was a simple little fish and chip shop renowned for its fresh fish and grilled fish dishes.

“The first time I ate at Fishbone, in the summer of 2004, I dined on grilled lemon sole, with steamed potatoes and a simple salad,” he recalls fondly.

“Dressing the fish was the right amount of butter flavoured with some lemon juice and fresh herbs. It was the most beautiful piece of fish I had ever eaten.

It was also one of the freshest pieces of fish I had ever eaten.” Fishbone sourced the freshest fish imaginable, straight off the boats in Bluff. Blue cod was caught that morning and was served at Fishbone that evening.

So when Darren took over he made a promise to always continue serving up that legacy - that was until the Covid-19 crisis hit. “I could no longer keep that promise,” he says. “I could compromise, use inferior or frozen fish, but that’s not what I have spent the last 14 years working towards.” With 75 percent of Fishbone’s customers from overseas it took a big hit. “We’d become very reliant on overseas tourists and they appreciated New Zealand seafood more than a lot of New Zealanders.”

More recently he’d been taking the fresh fish thing to a whole new level, serving up a hand caught catch daily from Nate Smith at Gravity Fishing in Bluff. The line caught fish arrived whole and was processed onsite. “We noticed a remarkable difference in the quality,” says Darren. “That’s not taking anything

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BUSINESS

Liquidating Liquid Assets Selling your wine stock could generate much needed revenue.

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re you sitting on a wealth of realisable assets in your wine cellar? Perhaps a $1290, 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut or an $1180, 2002 Dom Perignon Pleuritude 2 Epernay , literally just gathering dust, awaiting the right diner to ask for this delicious accompaniment to your fine dining meal?

As dining rooms closed in the UK and USA, in response to COVID-19, rare wine sales have provided a muchneeded revenue source for restaurants — and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for astute collectors.

The pandemic has caused many restaurants that take their wine seriously to drastically rethink their lists. This is partly down to hygiene precautions of the actual list being passed around from table to table, but mainly about cash flow.

Restaurants with valuable cellars they have been building for years and even decades are in some cases liquidating their liquid assets by selling the rarities they have been sitting on, to private buyers and loyal customers. Having money tied up in stock unnecessarily has become an unaffordable luxury for many.

As soon as the staff at New York’s Manresa learned that they would not be able to keep their dining room open, wine director Jim Rollston thought their small but premium wine inventory could bring a quick injection of cash to help keep a few people

employed. While Manresa’s kitchen transitioned into a takeout operation, and its management refunded a month’s worth of Tock* reservations to diners, Rollston started plucking higher-priced bottles from the cellar and offering them to wealthy Manresa regulars who had expressed interest in collecting rare wines.

“Our pricing was way below the market price, intentionally, because I wanted people to see that and swoop in, which they did,” says Rollston.

Among the bottles he sold were several “unicorns,” like the rare Keller G-Max. In the open market or on a restaurant’s wine list, the German dry riesling might sell for $1,500-$2,000. A collector snapped it up from Manresa for $800.

Word of Manresa’s wine sale spread quickly among collector groups throughout the region, and within the first week, the restaurant had raised over $40,000 from rare wine sales made to wealthy collectors, some of whom work in tech. One patron, who Rollston says was primarily interested in Manresa’s “trophy bottles,” spent $20,000 singlehandedly. “I probably left some dollars on the table,” adds Rollston, “but things are changing really quickly right now.”

In New Orleans, cocktail bar Cure is auctioning off its most

20 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

highly allocated spirits via Instagram.

In Washington, D.C., Jack Rose Dining Saloon is liquidating much of its whiskey library, which was the most extensive in the country. Countless restaurants and bars are scrambling to transform into retail operations to sell off their wine lists. And at fine dining restaurants, cellars full of scarce, “once-in-a-lifetime” bottles represent big investments that operators now need to recoup as quickly as possible.

Selling one of the world’s most coveted rieslings for nearly halfprice is just one of the ways in which restaurant operators, faced with catastrophic conditions, are desperately trying to survive.

“Selling wine, whether as add-ons for food pick up like we are doing at the Alinea Group, or directly to consumers, makes a ton of sense right now,” says Nick Kokonas, CEO of Tock and co-owner of the Alinea Group. “The wine and liquor cellars are long-term investments… the best part is that these are not perishable goods, and we already have them on site.”

Many restaurants are taking the time to revisit their wine lists to reduce their inventory, selecting just 10 reds and 10 whites with two Champagnes. n *Tock is a Chicago based culinary reservation service.

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The first Coke is on us Coca-Cola helps drive Kiwis back to their local

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rom October 1 Coca-Cola is shouting Kiwi’s their first non-alcoholic drink at participating bars and restaurants around Aotearoa, through their First Coke Is On Us programme.

The First Coke Is On Us is designed to help the hospitality industry which has been hugely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown and treat Kiwis to a free non-alcoholic beverage of their choice whether it’s a Coke, Coke No Sugar, Sprite or Schweppes.

Richard Schlasberg, Country Manager at Coca-Cola Oceania explains “over the past few years, CocaCola has run a Designated Driver campaign, shouting the legends that are sober drivers a free Coke.

This year, we’re using the same technology to offer Kiwis their first non-alcoholic drink on us at participating bars and restaurants, whether it’s a Coke, Coke No Sugar, Sprite or Schweppes Ginger Beer – right across the

country. We want to help Kiwis visit their local bars, and restaurants, and support the hospitality industry.”

The First Coke Is On Us campaign is set to encourage Kiwis who enjoy eating and dining out, to socialise with friends and family at their local bars and restaurants. Coca-Cola will take care of the first non-alcoholic drink by offering one free Coca-Cola product per person, including the CocaCola Range as well as other selected beverages within the Coca-Cola portfolio to anyone who registers via TXT. The campaign recognises the needs of the hospitality industry and is working to help get Kiwis back to their locals.

Julie White, Chief Executive of Hospitality New Zealand says: “2020 has been an incredibly tough year for the hospitality industry all across New Zealand.

Many operators are diversifying, innovating, and changing their operating hours but it’s been a

It’s simple to redeem, just TXT “ENJOY” to 345 and you will be TXT back with a free drink voucher

rollercoaster of a journey so far. “With the amazing support from our local hospitality communities and incredible initiatives like this from Coca-Cola supporting our revive and thrive strategy, go a long way.”

Marisa Bidois, Chief Executive Officer from the Restaurant Association of New Zealand believes this will be helpful to restaurants around NZ. “Our industry has had a very tough year so we applaud Coca-Cola for taking the initiative to get consumers back into hospitality businesses.

“We can’t wait to welcome our locals back, as well as new customers!”

To get involved, Kiwis can text “ENJOY” to 345 and by registering their details and choosing a participating bar, receive a voucher for 1 x free non-alcoholic beverage from the Coca-Cola range. Limit one use per day; text ENJOY to 345 to get a new code and redeem this offer throughout the campaign. n The full list of bars and terms and conditions for The First Coke Is On Us can be found at coke.co.nz/enjoy

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 21

MUSHROOM CONGRESS

Kiwi mushrooms go global Top chefs take our fungi online

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s the hospitality industry grapples with Covid-19 restrictions, some of New Zealand’s top foodies are finding innovative new ways to showcase Kiwi produce.

Next month, New Zealand will make its debut at the eighth Soria Gastronomica, considered to be the most important International Mushroom Congress in the world. The biennial event is held in Soria, Castilla y León, Spain and attracts famous chefs and scientists from all corners of the globe.

But this year, thanks to Covid-19, the conference will be held entirely online.

“Participants for 2020 will include two chefs per country with representatives from Spain, Portugal, Mexico, China, Japan, Canada and New Zealand, and although most of us can’t attend in person, technology is enabling exciting and fresh ways to participate on the global stage,” says Jasbir Kaur, General Manager of cookery and hospitality school Ignite Colleges and President of NZChefs’ Auckland chapter.

The top chef has teamed up with esteemed mushroom scientist Dr Alexis Guerin and Huka Lodge executive chef Paul Froggatt, to shine the spotlight on

niscalo mushrooms grown in the South Island of New Zealand.

“We want to let chefs from all over the world know what fantastic quality New Zealand mushrooms are, and we also want to share some different ways of cooking with them.”

The talented trio have developed a high end documentary video for the conference, including Jasbir’s stepby-step guide to making mushroom caramel and kawakawa custard.

“First, I ferment the mushrooms in a bed of salt for four days, which is a technique traditionally used in Russia and India. Flavour is added through bay >>

A high end documentary video for the conference, including Jasbir’s step-by-step guide to making mushroom caramel and kawakawa custard has been developed.

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MUSHROOM CONGRESS

Jasbir Kaur, General Manager Ignite Colleges with her mushroom ideas!

leaves, garlic, cinnamon and star anise and then I caramelise sugar, and slowly infuse the mushrooms and cream into it, creating a salty mushroomy caramel.

This is accompanied by custard made from milk and dried kawakawa leaves.”

While mushroom caramel and kawakawa custard are an unlikely pairing, Jasbir believes they make a winning combination, and is enjoying inspiring her Ignite Colleges cookery students with this, and other equally original creations.

“It’s important that New Zealand chefs stay relevant and keep pushing the boundaries – even while we are navigating the challenges of a global pandemic. This is something that I strive to instil into all my student chefs at Ignite Colleges.”

Meanwhile chef Paul Froggatt will be transforming his niscalos mushrooms into an “Autumn walk”, a dish inspired by a stroll with his son, when the pair stumbled across mushrooms growing up through the undergrowth. Like Jasbir, Paul will present his dish to conference participants via video link.

“I like to eat a variety of mushrooms, and I think niscalos play well in the mix. I find them very interesting to use because they bring a different texture to the dish,” says Paul.

Soria Gastronomica runs over four weeks, and New Zealand will take

“Soria Gastronomica runs over four weeks, and New Zealand will take centre stage on October 5 in a day dedicated to the Lactarius mushroom steak has a very good image here,” family” says Dr Guerin.

centre stage on October 5 in a day dedicated to the Lactarius mushroom family – a large genus of mycorrhizal mushrooms that exude milk when damaged or cut. The variety New Zealand will be promoting at the event are commonly referred to as saffron milk caps. Harvested here since 2002, they are remarkable for their distinctive orange flesh and milk.

While they are not unique to Aotearoa, Dr Guerin believes there is great potential for New Zealand to boost its niscalos production and grow its marketability.

“Niscalos is extremely popular because it is a meaty mushroom species. You can grill it on the barbecue and it doesn’t turn spongy, it remains firm. We call it a mushroom steak and

“There is a real opportunity for New Zealand to become a famous producer of niscalos. We are in the off-season from most countries, our technology is almost ready to be scaled up and we have plenty of land. What’s more, our image as a green country with high quality produce will help us develop a worldwide market, especially in places like Asia.”

Soria Gastronomica could be an excellent first step to achieving just that. n For more information about Soria Gastronomica visit: www. congresosoriagastronomica.com

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 23

HOTELS

Seventeen Southland companies build new Invercargill landmark Contemporary hotel pays homage to history.

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new $40 million hotel build for downtown Invercargill is well underway and has already given the city a huge injection of business confidence in the post-lockdown economic climate.

The Invercargill Licensing Trust’s new 80-room Langlands Hotel is being developed on the site where an old Category 2 heritage building had fallen into disrepair.

The new hotel, which will pay homage to the rich Invercargill history, is now set for completion at the end of 2021. While lockdown caused major delays, ILT Chief Executive Chris Ramsay says they’re well ahead with the build.

“However, with the current Covid challenges and the yo-yoing in and out of alert levels we are really programming our actual opening for early 2022,” he says.

Construction was already well advanced before the Covid crisis and lockdown struck in March this year, and Chris says the trust board was faced with having to decide whether or not to carry on.

“It made sense to carry on as we are committed to the future of Invercargill and ensuring there is a quality level of accommodation being grown and developed in the central city.”

There’s already provision in the plans to extend the hotel by another 40 rooms when demand allows.

The four-and-a-half star rooms are mostly executive suite style with a handful of apartments.

The Langlands is named after the developer who was involved in the original heritage building on the site, which had been left to a point

“The new hotel is a huge shot in the arm for Invercargill and is expected to create 100 jobs.”

24 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

where it wasn’t really salvageable.

Chris says, however, the trust has made a real effort to ensure that heritage is carried through into the hotel design. “We’ve committed with the designers to ensuring there will be a real nod to the past.”

The modern décor and its soft furnishings and colour palettes pay homage to Waihopai, Invercargill, and the surrounding Murihiku, Southland, area.

“This is a contemporary hotel right in the heart of Invercargill so it has to be attractive and inspiring,” says Chris.

A full range of food and beverage options will be on offer. On the ground floor there will be a standalone restaurant, separate café and a laneway bar, at the end of an adjacent covered laneway, which will have a great indoor outdoor flow.

A higher end lounge-style bar is being developed on the seventh floor with a function space for cocktail events and the likes, catering for up to

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An artist’s impression of the new $40 million Langlands Hotel in Invercargill.

HOTELS 80 people. This is in addition to the hotel’s provision for small conferences and meetings for up to 120 people.

The trust also owns two other major hotels in Invercargill, the Ascot Park and Kelvin hotels. The 116-room Ascot Park is renowned for its conferencing and events and Chris says the trust didn’t want to compromise that at all. “We wanted to keep the Ascot Park as our major conference facility so we’re not competing with our own property.”

General Manager of the Ascot Park, Bryan Townley, has already been appointed as the general manager of the new Langlands though, well ahead of opening.

“It was important to appoint our general manager well in advance to ensure he could be very hands on in implementing the design details that will optimise operational efficiency,” says Chris.

“Bryan will make that transition across and work with our designers, Warren and Mahoney, on the finer details.”

The new hotel, which will also have its own gym, is a huge shot in the arm for Invercargill and is expected to create 100 jobs, some of those part-time. “The aim will be to recruit locally,” says Chris.

Seventeen Southland companies will be working on construction of the hotel under the direction of Leighs Construction, of Christchurch.

“There’s been an element of a construction boom and so our other businesses are benefitting off the back of that and also off the back of a major redevelopment of Invercargill’s CBD, so it’s very positive,” says Chris.

There’s been a general response, postlockdown, of positivity, he says. “The city is excited about the commitment the trust has made to continue with this hotel build and add to what is going to be a thriving new hospitality scene in the new Don Street precinct.”

The trust also owns two motels in Invercargill, one in Dunedin and one in Christchurch. n

Ponsonby welcomes 5 Star Hotel Fitzroy means allows them to mold each stay in a way that perfectly fits with every guest’s wishes. Because tailor-made experiences and instinctive service equates to an unforgettable stay. It will be a story that stays with you. “After all that’s why we’re here, to care for our guests” says Chris Dickinson.

The hotel opened its doors on, 17 September at 43 Richmond Rd Ponsonby. www.fablehotelsandresorts.com and indulge in the

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Breakfast designed by award-winning Group Executive Chef Jinu Abraham, is delivered to each guest’s room in the morning. Each breakfast has a focus on local inspiration, whole foods and sustainable produce grown and raised in the region and is included in the room rate. So too is the tumbler of whisky in the library and customselected minibar.

For guests wanting a nightcap, a place to read the newspaper or catch up on work, the intimate Fitzroy library has been designed with exactly this in mind. There is a wellstocked bar and extensive collection of books for guests to enjoy a moment of quiet.

Into these shared spaces, the artwork has been carefully selected to include pieces by local artists who have an international presence.

As a new hotel brand, Fable Hotels & Resort was founded on the principles of an environmentally friendly policy, social responsibility and local suppliers.

But it is the hosted moments that separates Hotel Fitzroy curated by Fable from all other hotel experiences.

Fitzroy’s hosts get to know each guest and understand what they’re seeking from their Auckland stay. Their skills and commitment to what redefining luxury

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Nothing was left to chance when it came to creating a refreshing guest experience at Ponsonby’s latest accommodation provider – the Hotel Fitzroy curated by Fable.

For every guest that checks into the five-star boutique hotel, the host has been charged to do whatever it takes to make customer stays as memorable as possible.

Guests are encouraged to make themselves entirely at home and indulge in the complete and utter comfort on offer and to join in every evening for cocktails and canapes.

“Hotel Fitzroy has been designed to be a five star addition to the vibrant Ponsonby neighbourhood but will also set a new benchmark for boutique hotels in Auckland,” says General Manager Chris Dickinson.

Inside the heritage two-storey villa on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Richmond Road in Ponsonby, are elegantly styled rooms that allow guests to relax in complete style and comfort. On arrival, guests are welcomed into an intimate reception area comfortably sinking into overscaled Moooi designer chairs and refreshed with a Manuka, lemongrass and ginger sours tea with parmesan and sumac shortbread.

The landmark villa is juxtaposed by a contemporary building with a dramatic black slatted exterior, an external sculptural spiral staircase and four superior rooms.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 25

HOTELS

Buffet - No Way! Breakfast is set to become the biggest casualty from COVID-19, with the traditional buffet concept as we once knew it now all but condemned. Matt Lennon chats with several leading designers to discuss the changes hotels are seeking to this morning routine.

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t’s the most important meal of the day. Anybody who has ever wandered down to a hotel’s main restaurant for breakfast has experienced the jostle and shuffle of a buffet with barely a care other than who grabs the last hash brown.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a sledgehammer to life as we know it in many ways and as society becomes more socially distant, a spotlight and calls for change have been cast on the pantomime that is the hotel breakfast buffet.

The obvious solution to managing a socially distant society in a finite, confined area is to reduce the number of people within it, but this then presents the problem of how to manage demand, particularly during the 7am – 8am rush. Buffet reservations and table bookings may become the way forward for breakfast across many hotels, brought on by enforced change.

In a way, hotels have been preparing for a change in the breakfast routine for some time by introducing innovations such as the ‘Grab & Go’ style convenience store, loaded with fresh fruit, packaged cereals, smoothies, shakes, protein bars and an assortment of other delicacies. These quick-service options have long been on the wish list for hotels catering to their ultrabusy clientele, with interior designers developing mini-market concepts which are now becoming marketing tools in their own right.

“Right now, F&B has to be different,” says Dalman Architects Managing Director, Richard Dalman.

“The buffet is an area that people are bound to become a lot more interested

in and a lot more careful about. I think there are going to be more ‘Grab & Go’ type breakfasts like which are coming into trend at the moment anyway – particularly with the three-star products and corporate hotels where people were on a timeframe. You can get a coffee and a muffin or a coffee and a croissant.

There might be a place to sit and there might not be.”

The prognosis is blunt from Vertex Project Management Director, Aaron Lawrence, who has issued the Last Rites to the longstanding self-serve model.

“Buffets are certainly off the table for a lot of the people I’m talking to,” Lawrence said.

“The feedback I’m getting is geared toward a la carte rather than any buffet for both breakfast and dinner.

Unfortunately, I think the buffet will be a thing of the past.”

According to Lawrence, hotels are taking the right steps forward by reinventing and revolutionising what were already highly robust cleaning regimes.

“Hotel cleaning has always been really good, but now it needs to be a lot better,” he added.

According to interior design firm Chada, positive industry feedback is already being received for what it calls its ‘fasttrack COVID-19 future-proofing design plan’, which

26 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

Citadines Sydney Airport’s meticulously organised Grab & Go offering

the company says is highly adaptable to a low-touch and antimicrobial environment and able to revert for normal occupancy.

“Properties that have an option to use outdoor spaces can benefit from a purposeful integration between indoors and outdoors. There’s ways to rethink design of food service,” said Chada Creative Director, Juliet Ashworth.

“With occupancy being so low, it’s an ideal time to refresh or refurbish and so owners can turn this to their advantage,” she added.

As kitchens and restaurants evolve to cater to the ‘new normal’, even the most minute detail overlooked can have a negative impact. For a company like GroutPro, commercial kitchens must consider detail all the way down to tile grouting when devising renovation plans to meet new social distancing guidelines.

“To achieve best practice and a nonporous surface, cement based grout needs to be removed and replaced with epoxy grout,” says GroutPro’s Geoff Biddle.

“Depending on the type of kitchen, it may be necessary to install a special grade of epoxy grout that is resistant to Oleic Acid which is a by-product from frying foods.”

Times may be tough in the short term but travellers will adapt, much like it did when supermarkets removed single-use plastic bags. We all got there in the end. It’s not a comfortable norm, but an essential one and soon, we’ll wonder why we ever did things the old way at all. n

HOTELS Just mutter the words and QT Hotels & Resorts will book you in for a playfully luxurious designer dog sleepover.

Fur-friendly stays with menus for mutts!

Award winning chef adds Head of Treats to his title!

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T Hotels & Resorts are dishing up puppy love with the introduction of Pup Yeah!, fur-friendly stays across New Zealand and Australia.

From poodles to pugs and staffies to schnauzers, Pup Yeah! offers guests the chance to get away with their best friend. Those checking in with their pooch across New Zealand hotels will be met with fetching features including designer bedding and bowls, a pooch approved mini bar and a decadent in-room doggy dinner menu designed by each property’s executive chef at QT Wellington, QT Queenstown and soon-to-launch QT Auckland, when the new hotel opens its doors in November.

At QT Wellington, Executive Chef Jiwon Do, of the awardwinning Hippopotamus and Hot Sauce restaurants, has added Head of

Treats to his title, developing menu items like Woof Tartare made with pasture-fed beef, sautéed mushrooms and egg yolk, and a gluten-free and vegan Nourish Bowl to suit even the most discerning dogs’ dietary requirements.

Creating its own breed of dog indulgence, each Pup Yeah! room features a QT-curated mini bar with local goodies from dog wear extraordinaire Wolves of Wellington and luxury pet goods purveyor and bakery Smack Bang.

Dapper dogs in need of new threads can shop for Wolves of Wellington bowties and bandanas, with prints specially selected to match each QTs decor. Plus pups can freshen up with a deodorising spritz, tuck

Menus are designed to suit even the most discerning dogs’ dietary requirements.

into a selection of deli snacks, and even stock up on compostable poop bags.

A nightly turndown service features cookies from Smack Bang’s bakery and Wellington dogs with a treat tooth can beg their owners to pre-order a two-tier celebratory cake to elevate the occasion.

Just mutter the words and QT Hotels & Resorts will book you in for a playfully luxurious designer dog sleepover.

To celebrate the launch of Pup Yeah!, local Wellington dogs are invited to sample Executive Chef Jiwon Do’s in-room dining menu at a special event in the Hot Sauce courtyard on Sunday, 25 October. From 9:00am to 12:00pm, humans can enjoy breakfast and coffee as their dogs devour the new selections. n

Queenstown hotels remain on track Fresh on the heels of the launch of a brand new hotel in the midst of central Queenstown, construction is progressing well post-lockdown on two more new hotels for the resort.

The Holiday Inn Remarkables Park is well under way and construction’s also forging ahead on the 4.5-star, four-storey Sudima Hotel at Five Mile with both new hotels due to open in spring next year.

Naylor Love Construction regional manager Greg Boland says at the peak, next autumn, both hotels will each have 200 construction workers on site and it’s a real boost for the town.

“It’s great that our clients have the confidence in Queenstown to proceed during these times,” says Greg.

Meanwhile, Holiday Inn Express and Suites Queenstown opened to a wonderfully positive response in the school holidays with 98 of the hotel’s recently-completed 227 rooms proving to be in strong demand.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites Queenstown general manager Jason Sabin, says the rest will open once demand in the current environment picks up. He’s seen some long lead bookings through to the New Year and strong MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Conferencing and Exhibitions) inquiries coming through. The new hotel’s two meeting spaces can cater for from four to 40 people in different configurations.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 27

REGIONAL REPORT The list helps uncover those hidden gems across the Auckland region, at all ends of the budget.

Iconic Auckland Eats

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Top 100 dishes initiative set to boost Auckland

new initiative to boost Auckland’s hospitality sector will hit the spotlight this month. Iconic Auckland Eats, developed by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), will feature 100 Auckland dishes, as selected by well-known Aucklanders and the public.

From food trucks to fine dining and farmers markets, Iconic Eats can be found everywhere across Auckland and on any budget: from Orata Oysters & Manaaki Whitebait Fritters at the Matakana Farmers Markets to the Turbot sliders at Depot Eatery & Oyster Bar and Nyonya Fish Head Curry at Bunga Raya Restaurant in New Lynn.

Mayor Phil Goff hopes Iconic Auckland Eats will encourage

Aucklanders to explore their region sector and it’s vital that we continue to and try something new. support our local food and beverage “COVID-19 border restrictions mean businesses because a vibrant and thriving that overseas travel isn’t an option at hospitality sector is important for present, but as one of the most diverse Auckland’s economic recovery.” cities on earth, Auckland is home to a “Food is central to how we connect world of flavours and meals,” he says. with each other and our culture “I encourage those who can and it is important that we do so to support their local continue to build our region’s businesses by getting out and reputation as a food and experiencing some of the beverage destination,” fantastic food and beverage says Armitage. options available across “This list helps uncover our region.” those hidden gems across ATEED General our region, at all ends Manager Steve Armitage of the budget, and we says the region’s food story hope that this encourages is ready to be told.

Aucklanders and the rest – Marisa Bidois, CEO Restaurant “This has been a particularly of New Zealand to explore Association of NZ tough time for the hospitality our region.”

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“It’s a chance for us all to get those insider tips, try them out, and then also share our own,”

REGIONAL REPORT Marisa Bidois, CEO, Restaurant Association of New Zealand has endorsed the initiative.

“We know from speaking to members just how important this kind of publicity has been for them in the past and we are hopeful that a spotlight on some of the best dishes our hospitality businesses have to offer will encourage people to get out to try them.

“Iconic Eats highlights the diversity of our Auckland hospitality industry with a number of different styles of food and types of establishments highlighted. The fact there will be 100 menu items really highlights just how much is on offer.

“It is actually about discovering the hidden gems on offer around the region – it’s a chance for us all to get those insider tips, try them out, and then also share our own.

“ATEED has been really proactive in helping promote our Auckland businesses who have been some of the hardest hit by this pandemic. We encourage everyone to get involved in this initiative, be it recommending some of your favourite dishes or getting out to try the recommendations of others.”

Hospitality New Zealand CEO Julie White says the initiative is a great way to encourage community connection and spirit.

“It’s creating reasons for Aucklanders to come together and showcasing the amazing hospitality we’re known for all around the world. Our sector has been hammered by the pandemic, and this initiative will go a long way in supporting the revitalisation of both the day

and night-time economies of New Zealand’s largest city.

“Pre COVID-19, hospitality contributed more than $6 billion to our GDP annually. Hospitality initiatives like Iconic Eats have the ability to get money into the economy quickly and that will be a crucial part to the economic recovery of this country,” concludes White.

The initial 50 dishes will be nominated by well-known Aucklanders, including chefs and food writers, with the Auckland public getting their chance to submit their favourite 50 recommendations during the upcoming Elemental AKL festival, which kicked off around the Auckland region on 1 October.

Restaurant Hub has supported the campaign by hosting the specially developed Iconic Auckland Eats website where all 100 Eats can be viewed.

The Iconic Auckland Eats programme is an outcome of the Destination AKL Recovery Plan to support local food and beverage businesses and build Auckland’s reputation as a food and beverage destination. n

Photo credit Josh Griggs.

From food trucks to fine dining and farmers markets, Iconic Eats can be found everywhere across Auckland

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 29

REGIONAL REPORT

Hamilton’s Paddock To Plate Defies Pandemic

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Look out for the 18 hour cooked rib eye steak!

pening a new restaurant amidst a global pandemic is not for the faint hearted.

There is a certain element of risk involved at the best of times but with Covid-19 hitting the hospitality industry hard this year, it was a real challenge for Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef Tejas Nikam to take on.

However, a new challenge was just what Tejas was looking for and the excitement of returning to the Waikato and curating a brand-new menu using local produce has been the lift he has needed as a chef weathering the Covid-19 storm.

It has been a big year for Tejas – becoming a father for the first time, being named as a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef for the first time and just when everything was going to plan, the global pandemic hit. The hardest thing during the first lockdown was waiting for the levels to lift so he could make the move from Christchurch back up to the North Island, while keeping his family safe and looking for a new job.

It was not an easy time but with the support of family and friends and his contacts within the hospitality industry, he is delighted that they have ended up living back in the Waikato.

Having lived here before while head chef at Zealong – it was like coming home for them.

Tejas loves the philosophy behind the new restaurant, titled Paddock to Plate Waikato. The new steakhouse will showcase the produce grown on the fertile land of the Waikato. As much of the ingredients as possible will be sourced locally including meats, dairy, vegetables and even some local wines.

The Waikato is becoming known as quite the foodie hub with many artisan producers popping up in and around Hamilton, which is good news for local chefs. Tejas sees this as an opportunity to champion and support 30 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

local food producers, especially in these difficult times.

He feels confident that local people will come and support the new restaurant, especially as New Zealand moves back down the alert levels. Traditionally the Waikato doesn’t rely heavily on international tourists, and Tejas feels certain that the style of restaurant will influence locals to dine out again.

Tejas has always wanted to be at the helm of a steak house, where he can focus on the meat which sits well with his 2020 title of Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef. Diners will know that they will not only get the perfectly cooked steak, but the meat suppliers are confident that their products will be

“Becoming a father for the first time, being named as a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef …and just when everything was going to plan, the global pandemic hit.”

presented to a very high standard, so it’s a win-win situation.

A stand out on the menu is the 18hour cooked rib eye on the bone. Tejas says this is going to be a big seller and he has created a range of delicious sides to sit alongside this and other items from the grill menu. Diners can mix and match their own accompaniments to complement their steak which also helps to cater for people with special dietary needs.

He also recommends the lamb rump, which he presents as an entrée with flavours of beetroot and roast garlic hummus, harissa, tahini yoghurt and cucumber. Tejas says it has been exciting creating a new menu and settling his family back into the Waikato. Lisa Moloney, promotions manager for Beef & Lamb NZ asked him what kept him going through the tough times this year and he says it was being patient, staying positive and believing these times will eventually pass. He feels grateful that we have been kept relatively safe here in New Zealand compared to the rest of the world and for the support available for those in the hospo industry. n Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef Tejas Nikam.

REGIONAL REPORT

The Thirsty Tui

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Paparoa Hotel Owners Turn Documentary Makers Words By Sue Fea

resourceful hospitality couple in Paparoa have turned their awardwinning creative and documentary-making skills towards a post-lockdown revival of their picturesque, and largely undiscovered, little town.

Pam Goode and Chris Williams had invested heart and soul into their friendly Paparoa Hotel and its quaint 1950s’ restaurant The Thirsty Tui, both lovingly restored in the era in which they were founded.

When the Covid-19 lockdown hit, the enterprising pair who never do things by halves, decided to think outside the square. With the government encouraging Kiwis to get out and ‘see the country’ once the lockdown lifted, Pam and Chris began creating minidocumentaries showcasing the plethora of fresh harvest that their Kaipara region has to offer.

Tucked away off the main road north, Paparoa is on State Highway 12, south of Dargaville - a quaint and peaceful little backwater serving up an abundance of great food from its surrounds.

Overseas tourists normally make up 40 to 50 percent of Pam and Chris’s market between October and March so they decided to communicate with New Zealanders via social media and inspire them to discover the beautiful Kaipara region.

They have created a series of mini-documentaries, most of which they’ve aired, telling the story from producer to plate. They feature the local fisherman who lands fresh flounder and oysters for them daily, the local kumara grower, a local olive oil producer and even a bush walk.

“People feel like they’re coming home when they come here,” says Pam. “At the Four Square everybody knows your name. The people behind the bar know what the locals like to drink.”

A post-lockdown piece on television aired some of their great footage,

Flounder &

chip

s.

Guests are wooed not by luxuriously-appointed rooms but an overabundance of friendliness, genuine hospitality and great food.

The Thirsty Tui restaurant has been restored to its true 1950s’ origins.

helping to put their wonderful story on the map and business has been booming ever since. The richness of their ‘story’ is now attracting destination diners from as far away as Whangarei and Auckland to tuck into a taste of Paparoa at their restaurant.

It’s a story that has even more special significance for Pam. The only child of English immigrant parents, she grew up here when her family took over the hotel in 1971. “I tied my horse up in the paddock out the back,” she says.

“When I was about eight I used to watch Hudson and Halls (cooking show) on TV and I became very enthusiastic about it and later started cooking in the hotel kitchen for my parents when I was a young kid,” says Pam. She thought she’d like to be a chef but instead has clocked an eclectic mix of careers from a small stint at medical school, to a job as a journalist, fashion

designer and now, with Chris, a photographer and film producer.

The hotel only has five bedrooms and Pam says they work in with other local hospitality operators feeding them any surplus, as it’s all about promoting the whole Kaipara region. Guests are wooed not by luxuriously-appointed rooms but an overabundance of friendliness, genuine hospitality and great food.

The property had been leased and was in a state of near ruin when Pam and Chris stepped in four years ago.

It’s been beautifully-restored retaining most of its original features and they’ve captured that original 1950’s ambience perfectly. n To see the mini-movies that Chris and Pam have created so far through their photography business go to: www. goodewilliams.net/motion

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 31

TRAINING

Retain, Maintain, Retrain Staffing has always been a major problem for the hospitality business – and it’s just as difficult in Australia right now.

We look at how two Australian companies taking the COVID-19 impact on staff retention seriously.

Words by Madeline Woolway

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f you asked any hospitality operator what their main concern was when the imminent closure of venues was announced, it’s more than likely their answer was ‘staffing’. A solid team is what makes a restaurant.

Finding the right individuals has always been a challenge, and no manager wants to let good people go without a fight. But trading restrictions and safety concerns have made losing staff a probability, not a possibility.

Hospitality speaks to Fink General Manager Jeremy Courmadias and Pilot Co-Owner Dash Rumble about how they are steering their teams through the industry’s darkest days and how they’re leading them now there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Pilot, in the Canberra suburb of Ainslie, was one of many dine-in-only venues that pivoted to takeaway when government restrictions forced them to pack away chairs and tables. The restaurant closed for a week while the team regrouped, with chefs working to reinvent the menu to suit the new model. “We knew we wanted — needed — to do takeaway,” explains Dash Rumble, who co-owns Pilot along with partner Ross McQuinn. “We all came in and had a big chat about what we

should offer and [the chefs] rewrote the whole menu.”

The move paid off. Initially, Rumble thought the head and sous chef would be able to handle the load, but quickly had to call in three more kitchen staff. Between taking orders, running delivery and looking after a bottle shop, many of the floor workers were kept on as well, even if just for a shift or two instead of the usual four.

“That’s mainly why we offered delivery and did takeaway; because it meant we could keep them as well,” says Rumble. “We chatted to them and said, ‘We want to keep you busy’.”

Fink took another route, closing all six of their venues. General Manager Jeremy Courmadias says JobKeeper played a big role in retaining staff who were eligible, while the group still managed to retain many of their visa holders, too. Unsurprisingly, a strong communication strategy was vital.

“Communication was a really big part of our plan during the shutdown so the staff remained connected to the businesses, connected to the culture and to each other,” says Courmadias.

“We quickly created communication groups, so we could talk to particular restaurants, particularly groups in each

32 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

restaurant, or everyone. We also had a regular eDM that went out to staff to ensure they knew what was going on from a bigger picture point of view, but also with each other.”

While the venues had ceased trading, there was more than enough to communicate. Going from 450 to four staff in the space of a week meant the skeleton team had an enormous amount of work to do.

“I never realised how much there is to do to run a restaurant group with no restaurants,” says Courmadias. “We really pushed ourselves through that shutdown period to ensure staff were well cared for and assessed where the business was at and how we were going to reopen. We really made sure that when we reopened, we reopened with a slightly different model, knowing that it has to be so much more viable than it was.”

Whether staff were utilised in other roles while offering takeaway and retail services or temporarily stood down, returning to dine-in operations required retraining for front of house staff.

“Restaurants need momentum, they need to be constantly moving; they’re an organic beast,” says Courmadias.

“You can’t just turn them off and come

TRAINING back and expect them to be in as good a state as you left them.”

At Pilot, selling wine and condiments through the bottle shop format kept front of house staff in touch with their service skills, but everyone was still a little rusty when it came time to welcome guests back to the venue. “During the break, we definitely retained our wine knowledge,” says Rumble. “But in terms of serving people, we had to figure out how to do that in a takeaway environment.”

Pilot is known for its paired-back menu, so guests usually trust wait staff to guide them through the experience.

Takeaway, on the other hand, saw the team simply recording customer orders over the phone. There was less back and forth and less knowledge transfer. “We all really missed serving people and using those skills to make someone’s night,” says Rumble.

Fink’s biggest challenge wasn’t rusty staff when selected restaurants opened after months of hibernation. Instead, many of the more experienced team members were pushed to unlearn processes that previously made them part of a well-oiled machine.

“Restaurant staff follow very strict rules about the way in which particular tasks need to be done in the order of service,” says Courmadias. “It’s a very well-documented and trained sequence. Now, the challenge is around changing new protocols for staff who were a little more experienced in the sequence.”

And new protocols abound in the era of COVID-19 dining.

The Pilot team has eased the transition for both front and back of house staff by tweaking their model. À la carte and share-style set menus are on the backburner for the time being, with a degustationonly sitting the new order.

“With restrictions, we can only have a certain amount of people in; how do we make sure we’re making money or surviving during this time?” says Rumble. “We don’t know how long this is going to go for, so we may as well make the business model work indefinitely.”

It means staff have less on their plates, making room for new concerns, such as keeping an eye on capacity, spacing, sanitising and contact tracing. Digesting all the new health information has been confusing at times, but ACT Health has been hands on and responsive

Jeremy Courmaidias

to queries. Thankfully, many of the requirements — such as sanitising tables — have always been a part of staff duties at Pilot. So it has been smooth sailing once staff have wrapped their heads around the COVID-Safe plan and square meterage rules.

Fink began working on a plan before the 22 March shutdown, after a regular at Otto Sydney approached the team about what they could be doing to mitigate some of the risks around the transmission of COVID-19.

Although the conversation was put on hold when trading ceased, Otto Sydney General Manager Graham Ackling and Courmadias began collaborating with University of Sydney Clinical Associate Professor Eugen Molodysky three to four weeks into the shutdown. Associate Professor Molodysky, who specialises in preventive and primary health care medicine, helped the team work out how to make their restaurants a safe environment. The goal was to reopen in a way that was safe and sustainable.

“I think the challenge is not around reopening; it’s around staying open,” says Courmadias. “What’s happening in Melbourne at the moment with suburbs closing down is exactly what we’re trying to avoid.”

There are a number of key components to the COVID-Safe House Plans being implemented at Fink venues, all of which are guided by an overarching

principle: assume everyone has COVID-19 in an asymptomatic form.

“It was about running the restaurant safely, but running it like a restaurant and not a hospital,” says Courmadias.

“We didn’t want to go too far. We did a lot of research around whether PPE was necessary. We explored whether gloves were going to be necessary or face masks, because they really change the whole dynamic within a restaurant space.”

The plan has affected the allimportant order of service, with staff now designated pre- or post-guest tasks.

A waiter who runs food won’t collect used tableware, for example. “That’s about mitigating cross-contamination by allocating particular tasks to particular people,” explains Courmadias.

To ensure accurate implementation of Fink’s COVID-Safe House Plan, COVIDSafe officers have been appointed; one for back of house and one for front of house on every shift. Staff received oneon-one training so they understand their responsibilities and can check off the tasks they need to deliver on.

It’s a complicated world, but for both Pilot and Fink, one thing is clear: from retaining staff to maintaining their skill sets and retraining them for work in the COVID era, communication is a must. n Source : hospitality magazine, photo credits Lean Timms and Nikki To. Dash Rumb le

“Restaurants need momentum, they need to be constantly moving; they’re an organic beast.”

– Jeremy Courmadias HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - OCTOBER 2020 33

CAFÉ SCENE

Fast Versus Slow A projection of the café experience in the next five years Words By Dr Adam Carr

S

even Miles Coffee Roasters have recently released a Cafe 2025 report, which forecasts shifts the café industry is expected to see over the next five years.

From automation to the increase of cheap coffee and dairy alternatives, there’s much to think about.

Specialty coffee automation While automated coffee machines are nothing new in places like hotels and convenience stores, cafés and espresso bars have long resisted the advance of robotic assistance.

However, with devices like the PuqPress (an automated tamper) and the Ubermilk (an automatic milk steamer), it seems baristas and café owners are warming to the potential of these labour-saving devices.

When you consider how rising labour costs continue to eat into café profits and the ongoing struggle to retain quality staff, the shift seems inevitable.

In the near future, manufacturers will be launching more high-end machines that combine everything into one such as the Eversys Cameo and the Scanomat TopBrewer.

This new generation of superautomatic machines combine the kind of precision brew ratio control that speciality cafés expect, along with the ability to ‘dial in’ these parameters by themselves.

While some cafés will want to adopt this technology as their primary espresso machine, it’s likely that many more will use it as a secondary machine to compete for the ‘fast coffee’ customer.

Dr Adam Carr

Fast vs slow coffee The gap between fast, takeaway coffee and the full sit-down experience looks certain to keep getting wider.

The rise of $1 self-serve coffee is increasingly putting the pressure on

smaller, convenience-focused cafés to lift their game. To stay competitive, cafés in this segment of the market will need to take advantage of new technology to speed up their service while also maintaining their quality positioning.

At the other end of the scale, larger cafés offering the full sit-down ‘slow coffee’ experience are increasingly moving into restaurant territory through extended trading hours, an expanded menu and everything that goes with it.

Ultimately, both fast and slow business models have the potential to grow over the next five years.

The real danger is for cafés stuck in the middle — not fast enough to meet increasing customer expectations, yet not providing the right space and menu to be a destination for the slow coffee crowd. ■

Fancy a ginseng soy latte with a splash of bean curd?

Forget choosing between full and skim milk for your coffee. Trend monitoring company Mintel is predicting a surge in the uptake of plant-based milks, yoghurts and ice creams that might make a soy or oat milk sound de rigueur.

As oat and pea protein-based recipes continue to flourish, the latest Mintel research reveals new flavours will lead the innovation when it comes to the growing market for plant-based drinks.

From milks made of tofu, roasted rice milk, mung beans and edamame to weird and wonderful flavours such as ginseng soy milk, cheese-flavoured nut milk, and basil seed and bean curd skin flavoured soy milk, the sky is the limit.

34 OCTOBER 2020 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

Jodie Minotto, Global Mintel Food and Drink category manager said customers want brands to not only come up with new flavour combinations, but demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while targeting specific health needs.

“Unique flavours and new protein sources can drive consumer interest,” Minotto said.“But brands need to also call out their product’s functional benefits, such as for gut health, to stand out from the crowd and meet this health demand.”

Jodie Minotto said there were still great opportunities for more plant-based yoghurt and ice cream innovation in the Asian Pacific region. While APAC is a leader in plant-

based drinks (89%), it lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to yoghurt and ice cream innovation, with North America (27%) at the forefront of frozen plant-based innovation, compared with APAC at just 6%.

“We have already welcomed everything from almond-based yoghurts and avocado smoothie ice cream in Asia, to almond milk and coconut-based ice creams in Australia and New Zealand,” she said.

“The demand is there, and consumers are wanting to see more of this innovation. But trust is key – consumers switching from dairy milk to plant-based alternatives need to be assured that they are still getting their essential nutrients.”

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