Hospitality February 2022

NO.780 FEBRUARY 2022

Raised with care

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NO.780 FEBRUARY 2022

CARBONARA • MASTER STOCK • MIDDLE EASTERN DIPS

CONTENTS // February

Contents FEBRUARY 2022

30

36

46

Regulars

36 // PROFILE

Features

8 // IN FOCUS

John Paul Twomey has traded the kitchen for baking.

46 // CARBONARA

A look at French bistro and all-in-one venue Loulou.

14 // NEWS The latest openings, books, products and more.

24 // BEST PRACTICE Digital management technology to make life easier.

28 // PRODUCE Discover taro and its myriad uses.

30 // DRINKS The Ramos gin fizz in the modern bar world.

4 | Hospitality

42 // PROFILE Brendan Hill on working with the best in the industry.

82 // EQUIPMENT Piping tips are essential for decorating, garnishing and presentation.

84 // BEHIND THE SCENES Little Lagos’ jollof rice, goat stew and plantains.

86 // 5 MINUTES WITH …

Kat Harvey on stepping out of her chef role and taking up cheese making.

The dish is one of four iconic Roman pastas.

52 // MASTER STOCK The historic broth is an essential in Chinese cooking.

60 // DIPS From hummus to baba ghanoush, dips have plenty of substance.

68 // HR AND ADMINISTRATION Hospitality professionals on their go-to resources for people management.

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Chef Neil Perry

Leave Nothing to Waste We can help you cut the rubbish. We’re a nonprofit that connects businesses and people to compost services.

Start Composting

Businesses can find their local composter

Compost Club Map

End users can support cafes, businesses and councils that are composting

Compostable Packaging

Businesses can find certified compostable packaging suppliers

wwcompostconnect.org w.compostconnect.org

Education Support

Educational content for businesses and end users

EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello

Social

Keep up with the Hospitality team

BREAK-TIME BAGEL A pastrami, kraut and pickle-filled dream from Small Talk in Glebe. @aristinedob

Kick off WHAT A YEAR 2022 has been already, and

We profile former Carlton Wine Room

it’s just started. The industry is in the midst of

chef John Paul Twomey, who has traded the

a fierce battle with staff shortages. The lack

kitchen for a commercial bakery environment

of overseas arrivals teamed with staff who

at Baker Bleu, and talk to fellow fine dining

are ill or isolating has seen many businesses

chef Brendan Hill, who has moved to

slash their hours and reboot takeaway

Canberra to work alongside James Viles.

in order to keep afloat. It’s a tough slog,

There are features on master stock,

but we’re here with you and will continue

carbonara, the role of dips in Middle Eastern

spotlighting the people who make up our

cuisine and an ode to the Ramos gin fizz. I

resilient industry.

have high hopes there’s a story in here that

This issue, Hospitality has been supersized. You’ll find a deep-dive on Loulou, a

ROLL UP Sang by Mabasa’s gimbap is not to be missed when it hits the lunch menu. @hospitalitymagazine

will capture your attention and perhaps serve up a little inspiration.

French bistro that’s a triple threat — think a bakery, bistro and deli offering that’s been

Until next time,

a huge hit with the waterside suburb of

Annabelle Cloros

Lavender Bay in Sydney.

Editor

THE PERFECT TEAM There’s nothing better than tomatoes in summer. @annabellecloros

Follow us @hospitalitymagazine #hospitalitymagazine PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Annabelle Cloros T: 02 8586 6226 acloros@intermedia.com.au ARISTINE DOBSON Journalist adobson@intermedia.com.au

ADVERTISING NATIONAL Simon York T: 02 8586 6163 F: 02 9660 4419 syork@intermedia.com.au GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY Kea Thorburn kthorburn@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

CIRCULATIONS To subscribe please call 1800 651 422. hospitalitymag azine.com.au facebook.com/ HospitalityMagazine twitter.com/Hospitalityed instagram.com/hospitalitymag

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia: 1 year (10 issues) = $99.00 (inc GST) 2 years (20 issues) = $158.40 (inc GST) – Save 20% 3 years (30 issues) = $207.90 (inc GST) – Save 30% SUBSCRIPTION RATES New Zealand: 1 year (10 issues) = $109.00 Asia/Pacific 1 year (10 issues) = $119.00 Rest of World: 1 year (10 issues) = $129.00

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media, a division of The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2022– The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd

6 | Hospitality

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IN FOCUS // Loulou

French connection Lavender Bay has welcomed a French-inspired bistro, traiteur and boulangerie that’s doing it all.

WORDS Aristine Dobson IN FRANCE, IT’S common for a restaurant to incorporate a bakery and a retail space

being a part of a venue that’s the first of its

The boulangerie, or bakery, paved the

kind in the area.

way for the addition of a traiteur and

From a coffee and a baguette in the

The idea for Loulou came about in March

coming together to offer a day-to-night

a single venue can become a destination

locations for their first venue. A generous

with a revolving assortment of goods.

morning to a glass of wine in the evening, for patrons. New hospitality group

Etymon Projects has taken this idea and

channelled it into the launch of their debut venue Loulou, which opened in Sydney’s Lavender Bay late last year.

Culinary Director Sebastien Lutaud

speaks to Hospitality about crafting unique takeaway offerings, providing a multi-

faceted experience for local diners and 8 | Hospitality

2020 when Etymon Projects was scoping out space in Lavender Bay soon caught their

attention. “We didn’t know the concept at the time, but we wanted to do something [that operated] all day,” says Sebastien Lutaud.

“There was a 170sqm shop next to it and we always [thought] of doing a bakery. French cuisine is something we are all passionate

about (even the owner), so we said, ‘Let’s do a French bistro and a boulangerie’.”

a bistro, with all arms of the business option for patrons. “Most bakeries in

Sydney open early and then shut around 3:00pm, and we didn’t want that,” says

Lutaud. “We wanted people to still be able to get fresh bread when they finish work.

Being French myself, I said, ‘Let’s just do a traiteur’, because you have a boulangerie, patisserie and a bakery in France.

“Sometimes it’s a shop where it is mixed

all into one with a butcher and a traiteur with charcuterie.”

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IN FOCUS // Loulou A boulangerie is not to be confused with a

patisserie. “When you go to a boulangerie,

“These include two baguettes, sesame and

Smart ovens from German brand Miwe

olive oil loaf, sourdough and a bâtard.”

ensure bakers are working smarter, not

cakes and entremets,” says Lutaud. Loulou

Chef Brendon Woodward is heading up

allows for remote automatic preheating and

pastry and dough-based goods along with a

in Queensland and Bread Ahead Bakery

you don’t expect to see patisserie or layered customers can sample tarts, choux, puff

range of breads. “We wanted to do artisanal bread; everything is done on a levain (a

sourdough starter). We are doing a classic baguette with yeast, but everything else

including the croissants are done on levain.”

An assortment of traditional French

breads are on offer and encompass unique flavour combinations thanks to the use

of sweet and dry starters. “We have eight

types of bread at the moment,” says Lutaud.

10 | Hospitality

the boulangerie after stints at Chouquette in London. To ensure the kitchen puts out fresh goods around the clock, Woodward and the team carry out multiple bakes

throughout the day until 5:00pm. “We do four bakes a day as opposed to doing one big hit in the morning,” says Lutaud. “We

do cycles in the boulangerie to make sure

harder. The state-of-the-art equipment

proving. “We can program it so the ovens

come on and are ready to go before a bake,” says Lutaud. “Same thing with the provers; we program what time we want them to

start proving the croissants so when we get here, they’re ready to bake straight away.

Instead of getting the bakers to start at 2:00am, they can start at 4:45am.”

items are nice and fresh, so when you come

Quality is of the utmost importance at

hasn’t been sitting there for six hours.”

of the business. Cyprien Picard is leading the

in and get a croissant, it’s warm, crispy and

Loulou and is woven throughout each part

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IN FOCUS // Loulou traiteur after time at Victor Churchill, with exGuillaume chef Billy Hannigan running the bistro. Loulou’s chef line up has upped the

ante in the area, with the team differentiating the venue from other businesses. “It’s not fine dining at all, but the standard is there from a

bistro and takeaway perspective,” say Lutaud.

Keeping things in-house is a key perk of

operating an all-in-one venue. At Loulou,

the traiteur and boulangerie complement each other while delivering a bespoke offering. “Everything works together;

the breads in the bistro come from the

bakery and the pâté en croute is from the traiteur,” says Lutaud. “If we serve the

pâté en croute with a great chutney, we jar it and sell it in the retail space; the connection works really well.”

Loulou’s prime location has been

advantageous from the jump and it has fast become a local favourite. Lutaud details

plans for an online takeaway service for the residents in the apartment building above.

“There are 125 apartments above us, so

people will scan a QR code to order and we can deliver food to them,” he says.

The venue is also looking to cater to

nearby suburbs with delivery. “We will also

launch our e-commerce platform so people will be able to order and pick up,” says

Lutaud. “From Covid, people are now used

to having quality restaurant food to cook at home.” ■

12 | Hospitality

“Everything works together; the breads in the bistro come from the bakery and the pâté en croute is from the traiteur.”

— Sebastien Lutaud

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NEWS // Entrée

Hop to it Lanka Food O Tama Carey Hardie Grant; $55 O Tama Carey opened her debut restaurant Lankan Filling Station in Sydney’s Darlinghurst in 2018, and now she’s letting us in on the processes behind some of her most iconic dishes. Lanka Food

Entrée The latest openings, books, events and more.

is chock-full of recipes such as vegetablecentric curries and hoppers, with the chef providing essential tips for nailing the crispy pancakes. There’s also information on spices and curry powders that are foundational in Sri Lankan cookery, which are a must when it comes to creating unforgettable dishes.

EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

Milpa Collective welcomes Londres 126 Londres 126 has opened in the Quay Quarter Lanes development and is the latest venue from Milpa Collective. The concept is inspired by parties thrown

by Frida Kahlo in the 1940s and sees a culinary direction that includes Milpa’s signature guacamole with chicharron crackling, Tasmanian scallop ceviche and a range of tacos covering Moreton Bay bug and Wagyu options. Rare mezcals feature heavily on the drinks list along with Australian and French wines. Open from 12pm until late Tuesday to Saturday. londres126.com.au

Sydney restaurant group makes it official Restaurateurs Ibrahim Moubadder and Jorge Farah have merged their Sydney venues under a collective called Esca. The pair are behind Nour, Lilymu and Cuckoo Callay and have plans to make 2022 a year of growth, with three new concepts (including Aalia) and an expansion into Melbourne underway. “Every venue will hold a strong synergy throughout, distinctly appearing as owned by Esca,” says Farah. The group is slated to launch up to three venues per year and hire 700 staff over a five-year period. “We want to help all our staff to grow professionally and achieve their dreams alongside ours,” adds Moubadder. esca.group

14 | Hospitality

NEWS // Entrée

Jane arrives in Surry Hills Tristan Rosier has expanded his Sydney restaurant footprint with the launch of Jane, which is located a mere stroll away from Arthur. While Rosier is heavily involved in the kitchen, Arthur’s Victoria Scriven has taken on the head chef role.

An a la carte menu is on offer and guests are encouraged to drop by for a snack or a meal. Debut dishes include cocktail honey bugs, a 1kg ribeye with shishito peppers and accompaniments along with vanilla sponge with pink icing. Drinks see more than 25 by-the-glass wine options available plus a focus on retro cocktails that hone in on local ingredients. Jane is open Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm until late. janesurryhills.com

Bistrot 916 team open Pellegrino 2000 The trio behind Sydney neo-Parisian eatery Bistrot 916 have opened venue number two: Pellegrino 2000. The Surry Hills venue is inspired by neighbourhood restaurants found in Rome and Florence and has a menu that’s anchored by all the staples; think handmade tortellini, pappardelle bolognese, fritto misto and tripe. The wine cellar holds more than 1,000 bottles and cocktails have an old-school approach with bellinis, Negronis and a generous amaro selection taking centre stage.

Flour power

Blaq restaurant debuts in the Kyah Boutique Hotel The Blue Mountains dining scene has a newcomer in the form of

The Miller’s Daughter

Blaq, which has opened in the Kyah Boutique Hotel in Blackheath.

Emma Zimmerman

The 170-seat restaurant and bar is headed up by Executive Chef

Hardie Grant; $40

Mate Herceg who has designed a menu that heroes produce

If you want to discover a new world of flours and heritage grains, The

sourced within an 80km radius. Blaq is open for all-day dining with

Miller’s Daughter is a must read. Emma Zimmerman and her father

menu highlights including lamb rack with rosemary and lemon; local

Jeff are behind Arizona’s Hayden Flour Mills and champion the growth

portobello mushroom with braised baby cos and a kingfish ceviche

and use of ancient grain varieties on the brink of extinction. The book

tostada with avocado and jalapeno. The wine list has been curated

is split into sections covering a range of grains including corn, barley,

by Sommelier Andres Aragon and solely comprises bottles from New

white Sonora and red fife. Each chapter has sweet and savoury recipes

South Wales producers.

including chickpea cookies and pink polenta.

Photography Steven Woodburn February 2022 | 15

NEWS // Drinks

Drinks cart Thirst quenchers, slow sippers and all things beverage related.

EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

Zero-alcohol ‘tequila’ hits shelves Lyre’s has ventured into the agave world with two zeroalcohol options that pay homage to tequila. Agave Blanco and Agave Reserva feature notes of citrus, peppers, pine, spices and oak and are ideal for making a margarita or a Paloma sans the booze. Both spirits are priced at $44.99 for 700ml and are available online and at select bars and retailers. lyres.com.au

A sweet throwback The Point Group’s Ed Loveday started making bottled cocktails during the 2020 lockdown which led to the creation of Big Mood; a passion project that’s small but mighty. The range has been steadily expanding since Big Mood’s inception with seasonal drops and core additions covering everything from a Negroni to the newly released lychee martini, which sees Bombay gin combined with lychee syrup, five serves in the bottle, which has a three-month shelf life. Pour over

Mexico calling

ice and you’re good to go. $45 for 500ml. drnks.com

Modus Operandi’s new release is inspired by coastal Mexico and has

Photography Nikki To

been crafted for summer drinking. Cerveza is brewed with Mexican

St Germain elderflower liqueur and Supasawa. There’s approximately

ingredients including corn and is light bodied with a crisp finish. Simply chill and cut a wedge of lime for optimum enjoyment. Six ($24.99) and 12 packs ($39.99) are available from Dan Murphy’s stores in New South Wales, online and at select retailers. mobrewing.com.au

Clear cut Sydney-based ice company Bare Bones Ice Co. has moved into the retail sector for the first time. The brand’s

Coffee run

signature crystal-clear ice cubes were previously only available to fine drinking establishments, but the team

Coffee roaster Seven Miles is tapping into the on-the-go market

have launched an eight pack of Old

with two cold brew cans: Nitro and Black. The Black coffee option

Fashioned blocks which are now in the

has a smooth finish with notes of strawberry, mint and brown sugar.

freezers of Dan Murphy’s in Alexandria,

“We’ve upped the ante so Australia’s coffee drinkers and lovers

P&V Merchants in Newtown and Four

can have access to delicious and refreshing expertly blended and

Pillars in Surry Hills. If Hoshizaki ice is

brewed cold brew drinks,” says CEO Jenny Willits. The cans can be

more your thing, there are 2kg bags

purchased individually for $4.95 or $19 for a four pack.

stocked at the Dan Murphy’s location.

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18 | Hospitality

NEW

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NEWS // Pantry

Dry storage

Get it while it’s hot Gaspar Tse launched his Sydney-based business Hotluck when the pandemic hit and the chef has been expanding his range of electric condiments ever since. The mushroom and black garlic XO sees mushrooms and leeks undergo

Pantry staples and essentials.

fermentation before being combined with a base of garlic, ginger, shallots, chilli and

EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

a hit of black garlic. The XO “goes with anything that needs a flavour kick”, which means the world’s your oyster when it comes to adding some serious flavour to your meal. $15. hotluck.club

Truffle season arrives early Cobram Estate is kicking off 2022 with a new addition to its range: truffle infused extra virgin olive oil. Black

Totally wrapped Australian company Great Wrap has

truffles have been used to create a balanced and earthy infusion inspired

by Chief Oil Maker Leandro Ravetti’s childhood memories. “It took us more than 10 years to develop this truffle oil,” he says. “My Nonna Yaya’s handmade egg tagliatelle with truffle and Grana Padano still remains one of my all-

created the world’s first compostable catering wrap for hospitality businesses.

The cling wrap is made from potato chip food waste and is made locally in a solar-powered facility on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. The catering wrap is 400m long and 33cm wide and is ideal for a range of venues from bakeries and delis

time favourites.” $9.50 for 250ml.

to restaurants. $33 per roll. greatwrap.co

cobramestate.com.au

Jimoto’s ponzu lands After teasing the launch of ponzu last year, Chef and Jimoto Foods Founder Max Smith has delivered. Smith’s take on the foundational Japanese sauce sees local lemon myrtle combined with tamari soy, fresh yuzu juice and Japanese bonito. The ponzu is the ideal accompaniment to fresh oysters and can also be used as a dipping sauce for everything from sashimi to steak.

Move fast because the bottles are very much in demand. $19.99. jimotofoods.com.au

20 | Hospitality

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BEST PRACTICE // Technology

2022

technology trends What’s new and worth investing in this year.

WORDS Ken Burgin

IT’S EASY TO be overwhelmed by new

feeding into the kitchen on the same

Smart marketing

technology and shiny butterflies. COVID-19

screen or do you need separate displays?

It’s connected with the final pillar

restrictions have led to a massive take-up

Integrations are available and essential with

(customers). There are so many ways to

of new digital management and marketing

volume. The paperless kitchen should be

connect with new and existing patrons

options over the past two years. Change will

on the list for 2022. Chefs are embracing

through tailored email, text messaging and

not stop: make 2022 all about integration

kitchen display systems which are already

social media based on data from online

and getting more from the services you’ve

used by baristas. When supplies are ordered

orders, POS transactions and messages.

invested in. Let’s look through the five pillars

online, it should be easy to integrate orders

Loyalty schemes are now much easier via

that support your business and see how to

with a menu management system and make

apps that create solid relationships and

use the ‘tech stack’ more effectively.

stocktaking much more accurate. Expect the

reward positive behaviour. If your website

cost of automation and robotics to fall and

provides essential information such as

become much more available.

opening hours, location, social media

Productive staff There’s a great range of affordable rostering

handles and menus as well as tells the story

options and competition is growing — can

Financial management

behind your business, engagement will

your system provide predictive rostering

In the new world of digital efficiency, profit

increase; plus Google and directory listings

based on sales figures? Is payroll integration

and cashflow tracking is more accurate

put you at the top of the list when people

easy? Employee record management is

and instantly available. It starts with POS

are searching.

another helpful feature that assists with

and bookkeeping. Sales data should

recruitment and onboarding. Online staff

be categorised and easy to view, with

Happy customers

training gets new hires up to speed and

all information flowing directly to your

Speed and trust are a priority for most

improves everyone’s ability. The best

bookkeeping system. An accounting chart

people, with rapid replies, helpful

systems include information on critical areas

of accounts that follows industry standards

information and positive reviews going a

including safety and alcohol service.

should be utilised to ensure cost percentages

long way. With the prevalence of online

reflect reality and tax obligations are handled

services, is your phone system falling

Menu and production

on time. EFTPOS payment systems are

behind? Most customers find it easier to

Spreadsheet costing is so 2019, and there

competitive, and standby credit is affordable.

order through a platform, but some prefer

are a host of options for online recipe and

With payroll, COGS, operating costs and sales

to talk to a person, so it’s important to

menu management, catering management,

figures flowing into centralised bookkeeping,

manage both equally.

ordering supplies and safety monitoring.

there’s no reason not to have an accurate

If you’re using a delivery platform such

dashboard of profitability and forecasts on

the combination of these pillars. What’s first

as DoorDash or Uber Eats, are the orders

your phone whenever you need it.

on your improvement list for 2022? ■

24 | Hospitality

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ADVERTORIAL // Lyre’s

The Everleigh’s Italian spritz Michael Madrusan makes Gary’s Toupee, a non-alcoholic take on the Garibaldi.

THE EVERLEIGH SWUNG open its doors on Gertrude Street in Melbourne 10 years ago, and Co-Owner Michael Madrusan has seen plenty of trends come and go. But one of the most welcome has been the rise of customers looking to enjoy quality cocktails without alcohol. “There’s been great movement in the non-alcoholic cocktail world; from this side of the bar, we’re really glad it’s happening,” he says.

Madrusan uses Lyre’s Italian Spritz for his take on the classic Garibaldi, a drink that originally uses orange as one of the core components. In place of orange, the bartender uses grapefruit instead.

“I am a massive fan of the Italian Spritz and we have a drink called Gary’s Toupee, which evokes my love affair with pink grapefruit juice, bitter lemon and Lyre’s,” he says.

To start, freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice and Lyre’s Italian Spritz are poured into a shaker before being whipped. “You don’t need to shake it because it’s going over a big block of ice,” says Madrusan.

The formula is then simultaneously poured into a glass with StrangeLove Bitter Lemon tonic before the drink is garnished with a generous slice of pink grapefruit. ■ Scan the QR code to watch the cocktail masterclass

26 | Hospitality

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The root is a

PRODUCE // Taro

Nigeria is the largest taro producer

great source of fibre

in the world

Prefers moist, warm tropical climates

Taro plant leaves are cooked and consumed in India

All parts of the plant from the root to the leaves must be cooked before eating

Can be used in sweet and savoury dishes

Plants must be 60cm to 90cm apart with 2 metres between rows

Taro The purple root vegetable is prized for its nutty notes and starchy character.

WORDS Aristine Dobson

TARO IS CONSIDERED to be one of the

and Northern Africa, South-East Asia, South

oldest vegetables in the world. The purple-

America and Japan.

hued root belongs to the Araceae family

In Australia, taro is farmed in the wet tropical

potato-like texture on the inside.

Harvest occurs between nine and 12 months when the leaves begin to turn slightly

and can be likened to purple yam (ube) or

regions of North and Central Queensland, the

yellow and the tubers lift up. Similar to any

sweet potato. The name taro was taken from

Northern Territory and Northern New South

root vegetable, taro can be removed from the

the Maori language when Captain Cook

Wales. The average production rate across the

ground by lifting the tubers.

observed its growth in New Zealand in 1769.

country is 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes a year.

Origins

Growth and harvest

Flavour profile and culinary applications

Taro’s scientific name is Colocasia esculenta,

Taro can adapt to a range of climates, but

Taro must be cooked as it can be toxic when

but it is also referred to as dasheen, eddoe

thrives best in warm, humid weather. Cooler

eaten fresh. It turns purple when boiled and

and kalo. It is found in many countries across

temperatures and overcast weather can

can also be fried and mashed. In Hawaii, it is

the globe, but is first thought to have been

delay the growth needed for a mature crop.

commonly thinly sliced and turned into chips.

grown in Malaysia and India as far back as

The ideal environment for cultivation is one

Although the root is the most desired part of the

5000BC. Cultivation spread west to Egypt,

that maintains an average temperature of 20

plant, the leaves can also be cooked and eaten.

Greece and Rome and then east towards

degrees Celsius and has evenly distributed

China. It is estimated to have been produced

rainfall and moisture. Provided there is no

across sweet and savoury dishes. It is rich,

in Japan for around 2,500 years.

frost, taro can grow any time of the year.

creamy and nutty in flavour, making it the

Early Polynesian sailors brought taro

The taro plant can grow 1 to 2 metres tall

Taro is a versatile ingredient and is used

perfect addition to desserts such as puddings

with them on their travels, which led to its

and has large light-green heart-shaped

and cakes. In Asia, taro is often paired with

introduction to the Oceania region and

leaves, similar to an elephant’s ear. At the

tapioca and is used in milky, sweet drinks. Like

becoming a staple food. Today, it is prevalent

base of the plant, the roots or corms have

potatoes, taro can also be added to stews,

in some parts of the Caribbean, Western

rough, brown almost scaly skin with a starchy

stir fries, tray bakes and dumplings. ■

28 | Hospitality

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Shake it off

DRINKS // Ramos gin fizz

The iconic 12-minute drink may no longer necessitate a brigade of bartenders, but its theatrical nature lives on.

WORDS Annabelle Cloros

134 YEARS AGO, a pioneering cocktail was incepted in New Orleans. At its

peak, the drink necessitated a brigade of bartenders known as shaker boys who

passed an ice-cold shaker wrapped in cloth between each other over a bicep-busting 12 minutes. The drink is of course the

Ramos gin fizz; a concoction created by

Henry “Carl” Ramos who launched it at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, which he owned with his brother Charles.

The Ramos’ creamy body, citrus tang

and fluffy crown skyrocketed in popularity, resulting in the bar moving to the much

larger Stag Saloon in 1907. But the Saloon was forced to close its doors a few years later due to the Prohibition, with Henry famously stating, “I’ve sold my last gin fizz”, at midnight on 27 October.

Thankfully, the barman shared his recipe

and the drink has lived on, much to the joy or dismay of bartenders who have a love– hate relationship with the fizz.

Hospitality speaks to Gimlet’s Cameron

Parish and Lark Distilling’s Niall Maurici

about selecting the right gin, Ramos riffs

and if you really need to shake the tin for 12 minutes (hint, there are shortcuts).

The Ramos gin fizz is a divisive cocktail.

There are two camps of bartenders who consider themselves fizz friends or foes.

Melbourne Bartender Cameron Parish is a firm friend. “All the annoyances about

the drink are outweighed by what it is,” he says. “It’s such an indulgent and rich cocktail, but at the same time, it can be so delicate and light, which is a bit of a

wonder. When you present the drink, the crown of the foam lifts above the lip of

the glass. It’s a sight to behold for people who have never seen it before. Even

perfecting the technique is rewarding;

it can sometimes send you down while

you’re busy, but the outcome of what it is

and how good the drink is — it’s worth it for me.”

30 | Hospitality

loves to drink a Ramos, but sees the

limitations when it comes to the labour side. “Number one, the Ramos is a

delicious drink,” he says. “When you read the ingredients, you think it’s

going to be a heavy, rich cocktail, but

it’s a light and effervescent drink. But

in terms of construction, the traditional

method exercised in New Orleans is not something any of us want to be doing

on a busy Saturday night; it’s a labour-

intensive drink. It’s difficult to construct

and it’s not a drink we keep on our menu for that reason.”

The OG Ramos gin fizz recipe is anchored by cream or milk along with orange

blossom water, lime and lemon juice, gin,

egg white, soda water, powdered sugar and crushed ice. And like most classic cocktails, the formula hasn’t swayed too much from the original. “The way we make ours at

Gimlet is the usual egg white, but we use two bar spoons of sour cream instead of

normal heavy cream,” says Parish. “If you’re using heavy cream, I recommend three

parts cream, one part milk and whipping it with a few sugar cubes so it has some

sweetness. We also throw a lemon peel into the shaker so you get a more tart, really

dry, rounded, rich but light drink. It’s a little revelation I picked up when I spent time at Bar Americano.”

Lark Distilling’s Gin Bar is the flagship

space for the brand’s Forty Spotted gin, which means the team have a wide

range to utilise. “For the Ramos, you see cream and egg, so you imagine a heavy drink when it’s actually floral and quite

refreshing,” says Maurici. “For a refreshing style, we would go with a citrus and

pepperberry gin; it’s dry in a traditional

sense, but preferences bright citrus over

heavy juniper. Our wild rose gin is also a natural pairing for floral drinks.”

February 2022 | 31

DRINKS // Ramos gin fizz

Niall Maurici is a little more on the

fence — the Hobart-based bartender

“When it’s made right and you drop it down to a guest, you know you’ve won them over before they’ve even tried it.”

– Cameron Parish

DRINKS // Ramos gin fizz Photography Sharyn Cairns

Lark’s distilling methods lean towards the

London dry style with a localised twist, which lends itself perfectly to a Ramos application.

“We don’t preference a heavy juniper character on the whole; it’s more citrus-driven,” says

Maurici. “We use native Tasmanian pepperberry, grapefruit peel and different combinations of Lark’s Wild Rose gin is ideal for a Ramos

orange peel varieties or black lime; the gins are more modern in style.”

Bar (and most likely never will be), which means it’s rarely ever made. “When it’s ordered, it’s a bartender sitting as the customer and taking

the piss to test their bar compatriots,” laughs

Maurici. “It’s not a listed drink, so the only way I can describe the process is laborious because

we would be following the traditional method of

well-balanced cocktail.”

Gimlet’s bar menu evolves seasonally, but when

following a certain style and technique —

process by putting the glassware in the freezer

and ensuring the soda is chilled, too. Lemon and

lime juice, orange blossom, syrup, egg white and cream are added to a tin before the ingredients

are given a dry shake. “A good dry shake before

ice shaking is essential,” says Parish. “One of the

biggest hacks I figured out while working at The Everleigh was using block ice — shaking with

block ice cuts down half your time and you get the same aeration, texture and foam.”

The bartender says the process takes around

and the cream.”

level it and create a head. The glass is then placed

But that’s not to say the Ramos never graces

the bar. “It’s one of those drinks where we’re recreate it in a similar fashion with much

quicker production methods,” says Maurici.

“Some bartenders like to use an Isi whipper.

If we were going to make the drink for a

function, we would preference a more modern

32 | Hospitality

I hate to adjust something that’s already a really

three minutes. The mixture is poured into a glass

continually looking for innovative ways to

New Orleans fizz

whipper, to make it easier. I am a classicist and

shaking for a long time on as little ice as possible to create that soufflé character between the eggs

Originally called the

been able to find a hack, other than the cream

practice makes perfect. The bartender begins the

The Ramos is not currently on the menu at Gin

invented in 1888

head, and that’s a matter of chemistry. I’ve never

juniper notes makes for a better drink,” he says. best for a Ramos.”

The cocktail was

easier to construct; the unique thing is the fluffy

it comes to making a Ramos, Parish recommends

“Gins with citrus and floral characteristics are

a key ingredient

explorations, there’s not a lot to do to make it

Parish lists Plymouth as his gin of choice. “It’s

my favourite, but any gin that is light on the

Orange blossom is

rather than changing the recipe. In my

and topped with a small amount of soda water to into a freezer for around one minute until the

top of the drink slightly hardens. “It gives you an opportunity to create that meringue-like foam,”

says Parish. “But if you leave it in the freezer too long, it causes separation between the foam and the drink. You don’t want a whack of fizzy foam and a flat, creamy drink at the bottom.”

After a minute or so, the drink is taken out of

construction using a canister to create a fluffy,

the freezer for the finishing touches. “You poke a

biggest innovation we can look at is construction

so it rises above the glass to create a crown,”

light character and dispense it very quickly. The

hole through the foam and add a splash of soda

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DRINKS // Ramos gin fizz

says Parish, who serves the Ramos in a thin water/latte glass. “The glass we use has

a smaller volume; I find a lot of bars use

Collins or highballs and the cocktail to soda ratio is far too much,” says the bartender.

In terms of hacks, using block ice

is a massive time saver in a busy bar

environment, but there are other methods to turn to when you don’t have a team of shaker boys around. “There are a lot of

ways to lower the time shaking to make it

an easier drink,” says Parish. “As time goes

on, people realise there are other ways to do things and get the same result. If you shake with Hoshizaki ice, I would use four to five

cubes and whip — it gives you aeration and it doesn’t over-dilute your drink.”

Parish estimates using the freezer cuts

the cocktail-making time in half and says bartenders can also experiment with dry

shaking the egg white without the cream. “It helps you keep that foam; it’s not something I recommend, but some people do that.”

The bar menu at Gimlet has charted a

few riffs on the Ramos during the cooler months, and it’s set to make a comeback this year. Parish’s twists have seen the

addition of fior di latte gelato and neroli,

Niall Maurici

with the drink proving to be a huge hit

firm comeback to the mainstream bar

blended with in-house gelato and neroli,”

its theatrical roots behind the bar. “It’s a

with guests. “It had gin, lemon and lime

says the bartender. “It was more floral and green rather than that intense perfume

from the orange blossom and we topped

it with Champagne instead of soda.” The team employed the use of a blender to

keep up with demand. “It was a delicious drink and ordered quite often.”

As a Ramos fan, Parish makes mentions of some variations he’s seen during his

travels overseas. “Coupet in London had an

world, the Ramos has yet to return to

sad situation it doesn’t appear on more

menus; in my career behind the bar, I’ve seen it less and less,” says Maurici. “But

the construction creates limitations; you

can’t have a line up of shaker boys trying

to create a textured drink over 15 minutes.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were so many Ramos’ that every bar had a pre-prepared

batch? We’re talking a perfect world there.

I just hope it doesn’t become extinct.”

Parish is doing his part to ensure that

amazing riff with a strawberry Ramos and

doesn’t happen. “I am all for it,” he says.

oranges,” he says.

it’s made right and you drop it down to

a Seville Ramos, which had three different

While classic cocktails including the

martini and the Negroni have made a 34 | Hospitality

“The Ramos is such a great cocktail. When a guest, you know you’ve won them over

before they’ve even tried it. It’s a drink that

should be made more often and enjoyed.” ■

“It’s one of those drinks where we’re continually looking for innovative ways to recreate it in a similar fashion with much quicker production methods.”

– Niall Maurici

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PROFILE // John Paul Twomey

36 | Hospitality

PROFILE // John Paul Twomey

John Paul Twomey He’s worked for one of Melbourne’s most prolific culinary groups, but for John Paul Twomey, his latest career move is his biggest learning curve yet.

WORDS Monique Ceccato PHOTOGRAPHY Jana Langhorst

JOHN PAUL TWOMEY got his first break

was like stepping back into the kitchen after

made yeasted breads which are pretty

the coastal town of Dingle, Ireland. He

have traded it all in for early mornings.

delved into actual sourdough,” he admits.

in the kitchen at his uncle’s restaurant in was just 15 years old. By the age of 19,

a developmental role and how he’s happy to

he’d completed culinary school, worked

Baking was never something John Paul

way to carving out a name for himself on

some 25 years after making his debut in the

a few summers in Spain and was on his Australian shores.

Like many, Twomey’s career started fairly

linearly, ascending the ranks from student to apprentice chef and, eventually, head

chef. But when he met Andrew McConnell — the owner of Trader House which runs

restaurants including Cumulus Inc, Cutler

Twomey took a strong interest in. Now,

kitchen, it’s become his entire career. In the

straightforward, but I haven’t really

“Sourdough is a whole different kind of

beast, especially on the level of Baker Bleu.

Also, it’s a big bakery, so there’s lots of machinery I’ve never used before.”

Not only are there provers and

first half of 2021, the Carlton Wine Room

industrial-sized ovens to familiarise

swapped the pass for all manner of pastries,

sourdough fermentation process to get

head chef hung up his kitchen apron and

moving into the role of production manager at Melbourne’s Baker Bleu.

“I’ve still got so much to learn,” says

himself with, but there’s also Baker Bleu’s his head around, which is longer than a

traditional ferment, allowing extra sugar

caramelisation and a deeper, richer flavour

& Co and Supernormal — his career path

Twomey, whoʼs done everything from

his creative and managerial bounds beyond

casual pub fare. But never has he spent his

learn something new, but it scares me as

pastries he does now. On a busy day, Baker

says. “Every day is different, and there are

delineated and took him places that pushed what he could achieve on the pass.

In the 12 years that followed, Twomey

exited the kitchen for a developmental

role, left McConnell’s group and stepped right back into the kitchen again. Now, his latest move sees him in another

developmental role; one that’s brought

about a complete lifestyle change and an

finessing fine dining dishes to cooking

days working with the volume of bread and Bleu’s two outposts — one in Caulfield

North and another in Prahran — can pump out up to 4,000 ancient grain loaves as well as hundreds of sweet and savoury croissants, bagels, buns and cookies.

Though he’s previously overseen the

opportunity to learn new skills.

menus and activity of multiple kitchens

time working within one of Melbourne’s

Bleu’s operations presented a whole new

The chef talks to Hospitality about his

most successful hospitality groups, what it

at once, the industrial scale of Baker

challenge for the seasoned chef. “I’ve

in the crust.

It’s a whole new world. “It’s exciting to

well because bread is pretty difficult,” he

so many variables with the bread and with the equipment.”

The bakery floor is a far cry from the

environment where Twomey spent the

bulk of his lengthy career. After landing on

Australian shores on New Year’s Eve in 2000, Twomey completed stints at the Park Hyatt

and Botanical Hotel before finding himself a

home under the wing of Andrew McConnell.

February 2022 | 37

PROFILE // John Paul Twomey from that and getting through the week at all the different restaurants gave me

the time to train a lot of the younger staff, oversee the day-to-day stuff and help the

head chefs develop dishes. I had more time to focus on creativity and training. I could actually spend one or two days at each

restaurant developing dishes. I wasn’t so Once in with McConnell, Twomey

“It’s the lifestyle change that’s the biggest thing for me. I get more time with my family. The bakery is good like that.”

– John Paul Twomey

worked the breadth of the chef’s illustrious

By 2018, Twomey had taken his career as

else in Melbourne that I was interested

ready for a new challenge. Once again, the

portfolio. “There wasn’t really anyone

in working with,” says Twomey, citing

McConnell’s constant boundary pushing

and positive encouragement as part of the

reason why he stuck with the group for an impressive 12 years.

His time with McConnell began in 2005

when he was poached from St Kilda’s

Circa dining room to head up the kitchen at Three, One, Two. Then, in 2009, he

was given the position of founding head chef at Cutler & Co. His last role with

the company saw him stepping out of

the kitchen into a developmental chef

position for Trader House, overseeing the

far as he could with McConnell, and was

lure of the kitchen reeled him in. The chef joined Andrew Joy (the former manager of Marion and Cumulus Up) and Travis Howe (Coda and Tonka sommelier and co-owner) at a rebooted Carlton Wine

Room. “We’d spoken briefly about working together someday,” says Twomey. “Then, we caught up and had a coffee one day, which led to him asking if I wanted to

come in and run the kitchen. I said, ‘For

sure’. I didn’t really have to worry about the floor because that was all covered. I only had to worry about the kitchen.”

The Carlton Wine Room was where

menus at all of McConnell’s restaurants.

Twomey believed he peaked as a chef. “I

McConnell’s right-hand man.

cooked when I was [there],” he says. “I’d

In 2013, he essentially became

“It was a little bit less stressful than being

at Cutler, which was a leading restaurant

at the time,” says Twomey. “Breaking away 38 | Hospitality

much on the pass.”

think I was cooking the best food I’d ever matured a lot as a chef.”

The skills Twomey picked up while

working as a developmental chef away

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PROFILE // John Paul Twomey

“Sourdough is a whole different kind of beast, especially on the level of Baker Bleu.”

– John Paul Twomey from the heat of the kitchen were what

cooking since I was 15,” he says. “I’m 40

he managed his role at The Carlton Wine

early, early mornings at the bakery, but

made the most significant impact on how Room. “Working as a development chef

had given me better skills for dealing with people; I had a lot more time with them,” he says. “That benefited me in my head

chef role. I was a bit more cool and calm, and I just dealt with staff a lot better.”

Twomey temporarily shelved his knives during the first COVID-19 lockdown

in 2020 while The Carlton Wine Room took a brief hiatus. During that time, Mike Russell, owner of Baker Bleu,

approached him with an opportunity. At

first, it was just a request to cook and sell pizzas together for two months. Then, a production manager role came up over

a casual lunch together post-lockdown.

“He said he had some stuff happening in Sydney with Neil Perry and was

wondering if I would think about coming on as a production manager.”

It wasn’t necessarily working with

leaveners and baking loaves that sold

Twomey on the job, but the lifestyle this

new avenue would afford him. “I’ve been 40 | Hospitality

now. That’s a long time in the kitchen. It’s I’m usually home by two or three o’clock in the afternoon. It’s the lifestyle change

that’s the biggest thing for me. I get more time with my family. The bakery is good like that.”

Though early mornings and developing

new cookie flavours are a little different from Twomey’s past life as a restaurant chef, there’s really just one degree of separation. Many of the same skills he’s picked up over the years are

still applicable, just within different

parameters. Still, he’s not ruling out a

return to his previous cheffing life. “I’m

baking now, but there’s no reason why I

can’t do pop-up dinners and stuff,” he says.

“There’s always the ability to be flexible in this industry.”

Twomey’s career has taken him in and

out of the kitchen and seen him cook, create, manage and bake. There’s not

much he can say he hasn’t done over the years, which is the ultimate display of

adaptability, flexibility and fluidity when it comes to a cheffing career. ■

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PROFILE // Brendan Hill

Brendan Hill The chef is part of a serious shake up of Canberra’s dining scene.

BRENDAN HILL HAS spent the past

20-odd years in the kitchen, working at

What interested you about joining Harvac Group?

Wilma. It all happened pretty quickly;

a raft of venues from island eateries to

fine diners. Two decades culminated in

I think the opportunity to work with

umming and ahing about what was going

a move to Canberra to join a growing

James. I crossed paths with him a few

times over the years and I had eaten at

hospitality group and work alongside

James Viles. The chefs make a formidable force and are moulding a culinary

experience at Wilma that sees primitive cooking techniques teamed with standout produce.

Hill speaks to Hospitality about the

journey that led him to Harvac Group,

championing cooking with fire and the

perks that come with true collaboration in the kitchen.

Biota. During the three-year kitchen hiatus, I was working in foodservice as a sales rep and supplying Harvac. James reached out

to me and asked if I knew anyone who was looking for a job as I had a lot of contact

to TAFE in Toowoomba and began my apprenticeship and then I moved up

to The Whitsundays for a while. I then

went to Victoria before going to a little

place doing modern Asian cuisine on the

Sunshine Coast. I decided to go to Sydney

have inside at the time. So they sped up

the process and decided to do a refit and that happened over five weeks.

We opened on 3 December and had

weeks before opening and nailed down

I came on board in the first week of

July and Loquita opened in the first week of August. I hit the ground running:

the concept was done and James and I

and coaching the young team in there.

got me started in the food scene. I went

people, which was the maximum we could

and it organically happened from there.

Brendan Hill: I grew up in Queensland in

bakery when I was around 13 and that

venue, it couldn’t sustain opening with 25

a couple of weeks to come up with the

the idea of getting back into the kitchen

developed the menu. I oversee the kitchen

I worked with my father in a commercial

to happen to Kokomo’s. Being such a big

with restaurants. I had been toying with

Hospitality: How did your career in the industry begin? a small country city called Toowoomba.

we had come out of lockdown and were

at Loquita day to day, maintaining standards

“As a chef, you’re aware of the hours you work; it’s draining and taxing, but I’ve always had to scratch that itch.” – Brendan Hill Loquita’s business structure doesn’t

menu. James and I got in there a few

what we were going to do; looking at

recipes, suppliers, what was in season

and refining everything. With the menu

development side of things, we wanted to pay homage to our own backyard using

native Australian ingredients while heroing classic dishes such as char siu pork, XO

pippies, prawn toast and roast duck. We’re recreating those flavours with a bit of a

twist. We wanted the menu to be pretty big and grand like the fit out.

We have a wood-fired oven and added a

big custom grill made by a local blacksmith to the kitchen. Some deep fryers were

taken out and there were some woks put in before [Wilma] in anticipation of the location’s next move.

in 2010 and worked at Aria for four years

[necessitate] a hierarchy; it’s quite fast

eight months later and stayed there until

We probably do upwards of 350 covers on a

Friday and Saturday night. We try to be fairly

Cooking with fire is a key part of Wilma’s ethos, what are the pros and cons that come with the medium?

authentic with what we’re doing and we use a specialist Mexican supplier from Sydney.

There’s something really primitive about

People’s perception of Mexican street food

cooking over fire and wood and we wanted to emphasise that on the menu. We are

as a commis chef. I was made junior sous 2014. I went to Bentley as a sous chef

and spent time there working under Brent Savage and Aidan Stevens, but decided to take a step away from fine dining.

I moved into high-end catering for

brands like Dior and Cartier for a couple of years until my return to fine dining. I

opened 12-Micron with Australian Venue

paced and the kitchen is less than 15sqm.

is quite murky and Westernised from the

reality of what it is. The Canberra market is a little bit of a hard one to crack.

using applewood and ironbark from

Blackheath Firewood. The flavour you get

out of cooking with fire is so different and it’s a lot harder to cook with. You need to

wife became ill, so I stepped out of the

pay attention and use your intuition. It’s

kitchen for few years. I decided to get

Wilma has taken over the former Kokomo’s location, what prompted the team to develop a new concept?

back in with the Harvac guys in mid-

2020 at what was Kokomo’s and has now

We anticipated launching in early 2021,

easier to stuff things up. For me, it keeps

become Wilma.

but the idea was always to rebrand

Kokomo’s and separate The Pearl and

Co. and spent 18 months with them. My

42 | Hospitality

not set and forget like a combi oven; you have to manage the temperature and it’s me in touch with food more. It’s not so generic, if that makes sense.

PROFILE // Brendan Hill

Brendan Hill and James Viles

February 2022 | 43

PROFILE // Brendan Hill

Would you say the opportunity to work with a high-profile chef is a big drawcard for the kitchen team?

James is a well-known chef and he has a

diverse background having worked all over the world. He’s incredible knowledgeable; I’ve learned a lot from him over the past

seven months. He’s passionate and he lives and breathes food 24 hours a day. When we were about to open, he stayed on a

What are some key lessons you have picked up working alongside Viles?

place called Spice Star and I was given

property outside of Canberra that’s pretty much an old farm hut, but he loves it

I think just being in touch with the food and

left. There is a message in the front saying,

because it’s like camping.

where it comes from; he’s a champion of

regional produce and local produce. There

A lot of the team are thriving on learning

new techniques and ideas. We have such

a good core team and it’s not just a ‘James and I’ project; everyone has risen to the challenge to get it off the ground.

We retained 95 per cent of staff within

is a real emphasis on provenance and we didn’t want to skimp on quality. We have Hiramasa kingfish, oysters from Tathra,

lobsters from the South Coast, pippies from Ballina and prawns from Yamba.

Working side by side and bouncing ideas

Neil Perry’s Balance and Harmony when I

‘Life should be like cooking, it should have balance and harmonyʼ, and that’s been ingrained in me ever since.

You’ve been back in the kitchen for a few months now. How are you feeling about the decision to jump into the deep end?

the group after lockdown. We’ve added

off each other is another thing. There is

It’s been pretty exhausting. I can’t say

to having a bigger menu and a bigger

mentor. He has his way of doing things and

invigorating. I never wanted to get out

to the brigade as we’ve needed to due

offering. It’s hard to find skilled chefs out there who have experience cooking over

fire. We had some people come and go in the first few weeks and it’s been a hell of a challenge; we’re in the same position as everyone.

“There’s something really primitive about cooking over fire and wood and we wanted to emphasise that on the menu.”

– Brendan Hill 44 | Hospitality

no question that’s stupid; James is a good comes from quite an old-school mentality with classic techniques and whatnot. But

we have flipped that on its head at Wilma with the volume we’re doing and we had

to find new ways to get great results. He’s

not set in his ways. It’s not, ‘My way or the highway;’ he lets us figure things out.

I forgot what it’s like, but it’s been

of the kitchen, but I made the decision to be with my wife. As a chef, you’re aware of the hours you work; it’s draining and

taxing, but I’ve always had to scratch that itch. I had to follow my passion and my

heart and that’s all I’ve done for the past 20 years, except for the hiatus.

I don’t know how many other jobs where

Are there any resources that have been inspirational to you in terms of Asian cookery skills?

you can really express yourself. Cooking is

I have a pretty extensive cookbook

consistency, there’s always individuality.

collection that I like to read from well-

known, respected chefs like Kylie Kwong and Neil Perry. My first look at Asian

cuisine was on the Sunshine Coast at a

a real individual thing. There’s producing

food day in day out, and while we aim for [Harvac] is growing; I think there will be

an emphasis on sustainability and off-grid cooking moving forward. The belly is still burning and it’s full steam ahead. ■

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FEATURE // Carbonara

46 | Hospitality

FEATURE // Carbonara

Back to Rome Carbonara has always been a hit, but nailing the historic dish requires a deft hand.

WORDS Aristine Dobson PHOTOGRAPHY Andrew Wilson for Sonny; Anne Papadakis

PASTA IS OFTEN the first foodstuff that

It is uncertain exactly when or how

cuisine. And there is no better place to

there are three main origin stories. The first

springs to mind when you think of Italian discover pasta than Rome, which is the birthplace of four foundational dishes.

Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale and

black pepper make gricia, which is cooked with spaghetti or rigatoni. Hold the

spaghetti carbonara was invented, but

known iteration dates as far back as 1839

when a similar dish comprising beaten eggs and melted lard was published in Ippolito Cavalcanti’s Neapolitan cookbook.

The second comes down to the name

guanciale and go heavy on the pepper and

itself. Carbonara derives from the Italian

a hint of chilli for amatriciana. Not to forget

with the dish regularly enjoyed as a lunch

it becomes cacio e pepe or add tomato and carbonara; a lush combination of eggs,

cured pork, black pepper and hard cheese.

These dishes have been around for more

than 2,000 years and have shaped the

landscape of Roman cuisine. The simple,

word carbanaro, meaning charcoal burner, option by charcoal workers. The third points to American troops, who brought a great

supply of pork products and eggs from the United States to Italy during World War II. Sonny Head Chef and Co-Owner

everyday meals enjoyed by imperial

Matthew Breen’s early experiences with

Italian restaurants around the globe.

original. “When I was growing up, it was

Romans are now staple menu items at While gricia and amatriciana remain

less prevalent, cacio e pepe has been on

the rise for a while now. But no pasta is as ubiquitous as spaghetti carbonara. While

it’s the youngest of the Roman pasta family, carbonara is rich in flavour and history.

Hospitality speaks to Sonny’s Matthew

Breen and Alberto Fava from Tipo 00

about their go-to ingredients for making a good carbonara and techniques to pull off the classic.

spaghetti carbonara differ greatly from the made with bacon and cream and that’s

how I was told to make it by the Women’s Weekly,” says the Hobart-based chef. “I

think the misconception with carbonara, especially in Australia, is that it needs to be really creamy. When I was travelling

through Rome, it was always quite dry, al dente and moreish.”

Over at Tipo 00 in Melbourne, Co-

Owner Alberto Fava sees carbonara as a

reflection of traditional Roman cooking.

“The Roman style is famous for using

February 2022 | 47

FEATURE // Carbonara quinto quarto, which is what they call the

“The misconception with

cooking. Yolks are preferred to the whole

“It’s all the offal of the animal and itʼs very

carbonara, especially in

“You can use both, but I like to use just

fifth quarter of the animal,” says the chef.

common in Rome to use these parts of the

pig. It’s why [they use] things like pancetta and guanciale. Now they are premium, but back in the day, they weren’t.”

Australia, is that it needs to be really creamy.”

— Matthew Breen

egg in order to achieve a glossy finish.

the yolk so you’re not adding more water content to the dish and you’ve got a bit more control,” says Breen. “It’s almost

like adding butter right at the end; you’re adding a piece of fat and the yolk gives it

Carbonara is only as good as its ingredients

seasoning it with salt, a touch of sugar

boils down to quality. Although pancetta

pepper). You basically cure that from 30

and recommends keeping them at room

Fava sources guanciale from Salumi

here because sometimes the kitchen gets

and because there are just a handful, it all (cured pork belly) serves as a good

substitute, guanciale is favoured for its

and aromats (some rosemary and black days to three months.”

high fat content. “It’s a different part of the

Australia, a smallgoods company based

the ratio between the fat and the meat is

types of pecorino sheep’s cheese on

animal,” says Fava. “The consistency and

a little bit different in guanciale. It’s more fatty than pancetta and it’s a premium

product. You can make it with good-quality pancetta, but I think guanciale is the king for carbonara.”

Top-tier produce is not hard to come by

in Tasmania, and Breen has dabbled in

making his own guanciale. “I have made guanciale in the past; it’s not as difficult

as people might think,” says the chef. “It’s

just a matter of sourcing a pork cheek and 48 | Hospitality

in Byron Bay. The restaurant has various hand, but preferences pecorino Sardo

from Sardinia over pecorino Romano.

Personally, Fava favours parmigiano

Reggiano. “Originally they were probably

that shine and richness you want.”

Fava uses pullet eggs for added flavour

temperature. “We store them in the fridge extremely hot, but a room-temperature egg is ideal for carbonara,” says Fava. “They

shouldn’t be too cold. When you toss the pasta through it, you want everything to

be warm. A cold egg will need more water

to warm it up and make it emulsify better.”

only making it with pecorino cheese, but

The pasta is the vessel for the sauce,

Reggiano and pecorino mix,” Fava says. “I

spaghetti in-house. Carbonara is a recent

sometimes you can do it with a parmigiano don’t mind a mix.”

Carbonara’s viscose mouthfeel comes

down to the eggs, which play a crucial

role in the emulsification process during

with Breen and Fava both making fresh addition to Sonny’s rotating seven-

dish menu, and it’s all thanks to a new

equipment purchase. “We just bought this

little pasta-making device called a chitarra,

www.anchorfp.com.au

FEATURE // Carbonara

“I think guanciale is the king for carbonara.”

— Alberto Fava which means guitar,” says Breen. “It’s a

wooden box with strings tightly wound on it. You put your pasta sheets on there and press it through with a rolling pin, so it

comes out like a square-shaped spaghetti.”

While spaghetti is the most prevalent

shape, rigatoni is another option. “It’s

commonly used in Rome, so it’s [either]

one or the other,” says Fava. “It’s more of a preference. If I was to do fresh pasta, I would do spaghetti, but if I was using a

dry pasta, I would probably use rigatoni.”

Arguably, the same end result can be

achieved with fresh or dry pasta, but

portioning needs to be adjusted for freshly

made pasta. “We have an extruder machine in the restaurant and we make pasta fresh

every day,” says Fava. “[Because it’s fresh],

the content of water is a little bit higher, so we generally use 120g portions of pasta. If you use a dry pasta from the supermarket, it would be too much because the pasta is very, very dry.”

With so few ingredients, carbonara could

fool chefs into thinking it’s an easy dish to make, but it necessitates a great deal of

finesse to get right. The emulsification of the sauce is perhaps the trickiest part of

the process. “It begins with lots of olive oil, chopped garlic and guanciale,” says Breen.

“All your fat will render out of the guanciale and then you’re just tossing your pasta

through that fat. If you add a little bit of

pasta water, the sauce starts to emulsify and coats the pasta with a glossy sheen.”

For Fava, it comes down to preparing each

component individually. “The only cooking

part is the guanciale and boiling the pasta,” he says. Crisping up the guanciale is the

starting point, but the majority of the steps are completed away from the burner. “The tossing and the emulsification of the pasta

happens in a bowl or in a pan, not on direct fire,” says Fava. “You fry your guanciale in a pan over medium heat and when it’s crispy,

you let it cool down. In a separate bowl, you whisk the yolks, cracked pepper and grated pecorino cheese. When the pasta is ready, 50 | Hospitality

eggs and the pecorino. You do this off the

fryer because it can scramble or you could make a frittata.”

Maintaining a lower cooking

temperature is a must. Breen suggests

starting with a medium heat before turning it down. “It doesn’t really require that

much heat,” he says. “You can almost make

Salumi Australia’s

Zanetti specialises in an

guanciale sees

assortment of traditional Italian

free-range pork cheek cured

cheeses including pecorino

with sea salt and

sheep cheese which is aged for

black pepper

a minimum of eight months

While fresh pasta is often used

Tipo 00 uses pullet eggs from

for carbonara, dry pasta can

Summerleigh farm in the

also achieve a similar result

Macedon Ranges

it on a really low temperature off the heat.

Once you’ve rendered down your fat in

the guanciale and cooked your garlic and

added your pasta, pasta water and cheese, it’s all going to come together within a

minute. The key with the egg is to add it in right at the end just before you put it

onto the plate. If you add it while you’re

cooking your pasta, it’s going to scramble and curdle.”

A classic carbonara recipe is hard to beat, but the simplicity of the dish leaves room

for different iterations. While Fava mostly sticks to tradition, he has experimented

with smoked eel to add depth of flavour.

“We use parmigiano Reggiano, guanciale and eel from Victoria,” says Fava. “We

clean the eel after it’s been smoked and

cut it into the same size as the guanciale.

Then we take the bones and the skin of

the eel and we make a smoky stock. Once it’s cold, we make an emulsion with egg yolks and parmesan and stick blend it.”

A vegetarian carbonara option at Tipo 00

sees white asparagus used as a substitute

for meat products. “We lightly chargrill the tips of the white asparagus for a charred

flavour,” says Fava. “Then we make a white asparagus cream which goes with the egg

[mixture] before it’s tossed with the pasta.”

Carbonara may be simple in composition, but the technique required to make it is not to be scoffed at. “Now, people are

making it traditionally with guanciale

and are doing it correctly,” says Breen.

“They are like, ‘Wow, this is what it

should taste like?’ and that’s probably surprising to some.”

Many chefs are choosing to return to

old favorites, recreating classic dishes

according to the history books. “Everything is going back to its origins in a way,” says Fava. “You go back and learn about the history and then try to make it new.” ■

February 2022 | 51

FEATURE // Carbonara

you add it straight into the bowl with the

FEATURE // Master stock

Taking

stock

Master stock is nothing short of ubiquitous in Chinese cookery.

WORDS Annabelle Cloros

ACCORDING TO HERESY, some master stocks are more than a century old. You might take that with a grain of salt (or a splash of soy), but there’s no question master stock is a foundational part of Chinese cuisine, specifically Fujian and Cantonese cookery.

The stock comprises just a handful of elements: water, soy, sugar,

cooking wine, aromatics and a protein. The idea is to continually add

to it as it depletes, resulting in a complex flavour profile that’s hard to pinpoint — and that’s part of what makes it so great.

Hospitality speaks to Lotus Dining Group Head Chef Steve Wu and

Mongkok Tea House Head Chef Jack Tsai about starting a master stock from scratch and why the process is a choose-your-own adventure.

Steve Wu learned how to make master stock from an all-time great

— his mum. “Every family in China and Taiwan have their own secret recipe,” says the chef. “Master stock means stock with a meat flavour.

It plays an important role in Chinese cuisine — we cook quite a lot of

things with it; mainly pork and sometimes beef. It’s very well received by Chinese people because it’s soy-based and they like soy-based dishes.”

Wu calls on his closely guarded home recipe when building master

stocks for Lotus Dining Group’s restaurants across Sydney, with the

chef going heavy on spring onion and ginger to start the process. “It’s a

combination of soy sauce, spices and herbs,” he says. “We put star anise, cassia bark and coriander seeds as well. Some restaurants use whole coriander to increase the flavour.”

Pork is a key component in the embryonic stages of making Wu’s master

stock, with the chef opting to use the belly cut. “It has high fat and gelatin, 52 | Hospitality

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www.nestleprofessional.com.au/gravy

FEATURE // Master stock

“Over time, it becomes more complex, which means it should be harder to distinguish what’s in the stock.”

– Jack Tsai

so it gets thicker and thicker,” says Wu. “You can’t start without protein.”

Melbourne-based Chef Jack Tsai says

master stock’s foundational status in

Chinese cuisine is twofold and comes

down to flavour and economics. “The idea is to repeatedly braise or poach meat and add more flavour every time so it builds

depth from the aromatics and the protein/ veg you’re cooking,” he says. “It’s also

good for economic reasons. When I was

growing up, my sister was responsible for

cooking for the family at one point and she Star anise and

A large stock

cinnamon are

pot is

core aromatics

essential

would use the same liquid to cook pork,

tofu and vegetables day to day. She wasn’t doing it in terms of thinking of using a

largely come down to how you plan to use soy sauce is

master stock

recommended

the stock. “When I worked in the UK, we did a test with fish master stock, which

was lighter on the aromats,” he says. “It

was more of an English restaurant, so we

changed our approach and used European

ingredients including leeks, onions, carrots and fresh herbs.”

Over at the Tea House, the kitchen takes

a more traditional route. “Typically, you

season with soy, rock sugar, shao xing wine, spring onion, ginger, citrus peel, star anise, 54 | Hospitality

The best part about master stock is that you don’t have to weigh anything or stick to

specific measurements. For a standard stock

pot (5–7L), you’d add half a bunch of spring onions, a knob of sliced ginger, a couple of

cloves of garlic and a few pinches of spices.

It depends on what flavours you want more of. I don’t mind more spring onion and

ginger because I think they’re not as strong, whereas if you add too much star anise, it becomes overpowering.”

straightforward. Wu starts with pork

things simple” and says the ingredients

belly in their

pretty much add anything you want to it.

and over’.”

Mongkok Tea House. Tsai prefers to “keep

Premium

peppercorns are also options — you can

When it comes to cooking and later adding

Master stock is always on the go at

Group use pork

Tsai. “Coriander and fennel seeds and white

master stock, it was more, ‘I have this

liquid to flavour things, so let’s use it over

Lotus Dining

cassia bark or cinnamon and garlic,” says

to master stock, the process is relatively

belly. “After you cook it, there will be fat

on top of the stock, so you need to take it out,” says the chef. The aforementioned ingredients are then added before the liquid is boiled, strained, chilled and

stored in the fridge. “Because it has a high amount of soy sauce — which is salt — and sugar, it preserves itself,” says Wu.

There are varying tiers of flavour when

it comes to master stock. “We try to go

from level one to 99,” says Wu. Technically, you can use the first batch, but the stock will taste very different in its original

form compared to top-up number 30. “At the beginning, all your elements won’t

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FEATURE // Master stock bind together very well,” says Wu. “You

The chef replenishes the supply as it

can taste the soy sauce and the separate

dwindles, adding more ingredients each

good thing about master stock is that it has

essential to ensuring master stock remains

flavours of ginger, shallot and spices. The

the ability to bring every flavour together.

After you cook it over a long period of

time, it tastes very mild; it won’t shock your tongue.”

Wu estimates a restaurant could have a

complex master stock ready in around two weeks; it depends on how many times you add to it. “It becomes more valuable,” says Wu. “If I cook 10kg of pork belly, I’ll top it

up. It’s like a program; if you continuously

top it up during lunch and dinner shifts, the product will be ready faster. I would say it

needs 20–30 top ups with a cooked protein.”

When making master stock, Tsai uses

water as a base and brings soy, aromats and the other ingredients to the boil. “You let

time. Adequate straining and storage are in tip-top condition. “If you’re using it

every three to five days, I’d keep it in an air-tight container so other things don’t make their way in,” says Tsai. “I bring

it up to the boil to kill off any bacteria

and then add more aromatics so you’re developing the flavour every time. If at any point you want to go in a different

direction, you can add other ingredients to it. After you use it, cool it down over

an ice bath so it spends minimal time in

the danger zone. If you take proper care of it, boil it every time and cool it down

properly, theoretically, it should maintain its shelf life.”

it cook for half an hour; that’s the simplest

There are myriad culinary applications for

type of stock; typically you’d use chicken for

be used to make congee or enjoyed as a

version,” he says. “Then you can use any

poaching chicken, so you can start with a

white or brown chicken stock, add aromats, let it boil and infuse it for a bit.”

56 | Hospitality

master stock beyond braising meat. It can broth with noodles — basically, you can

add it to whatever you’d like for an instant flavour boost.

“The good thing about master stock is that it has the ability to combine every flavour together. After you cook it over a long period of time, it tastes very mild; it won’t shock your tongue.”

– Steve Wu

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FEATURE // Master stock Jack Tsai

At Lotus, master stock is found in one

of the restaurant’s signature dishes. “We

use it for our pork hock,” says Wu. “In the morning, we take the fat off the master

stock, top it up with sugar, soy and spices and we boil the pork hock for up to six hours until the meat breaks down. We

strain it, break up the meat and form it

into a cube which is refrigerated before it’s deep fried and served with Chinese chilli caramel.” It’s also used in a cold

dish. “After we cook the pork belly in the

stock, we chill it, slice it and serve it with coriander,” says the chef.

While the word ‘master’ implies a certain

level of achievement or status, Tsai says

the name more relates to the application rather than the age of a stock or how

many times it’s been built upon. “The term

really great flavour and enhances the stock,”

old,” he says. “I think you can pretty much

soup so you can throw noodles in and drink

‘master’ makes it sound like it’s 10 years call it a master stock after one use; it’s about what you’re using it for.”

Mongkok Tea House’s current master

stock-centric dish sees a protein traded with lion’s mane mushroom. “We’re

braising lion’s mane and then pressing and searing it like a steak,” says Tsai.

“With the flavouring in the stock, we’re going for more of a char siu style, so

there’s red bean curd and maltose in the stock as well.”

On a more personal note, Tsai tips chicken

as his most-enjoyed master stock application.

“Poached chicken breast on the bone has a 58 | Hospitality

he says. “Eventually, it becomes a really tasty the whole thing.”

The ever-evolving nature of master stock makes it difficult to nail down a distinct flavour profile, with its robust character chopping and changing with time. “The

best way to describe it is you’re not quite sure what’s in it,” says Tsai. “You can’t pinpoint the ingredients; maybe there

are notes of ginger or star anise, but over time, it becomes more complex, which

means it should be harder to distinguish

what’s in the stock. It’s a choose-your-own adventure thing.” ■

MARCH 2022

VOL 1

COMING SOON!

MAGA ZINE

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FEATURE // Dips

All on the table In Middle Eastern cuisine, there are few limits when it comes to dip applications.

WORDS Aristine Dobson PHOTOGRAPHY Kristoffer Paulsen

THERE IS MUCH debate around what constitutes a dip. By definition, a dip is a condiment that

accompanies a variety of foods for added texture or flavour and requires the physical action of dipping for consumption.

Dips are in a league of their own compared to

sauce, for example, and although there is a fine line between the two, the key role of a dip is to

to Middle Eastern cuisine.

Hospitality speaks to Chef Tom Sarafian and

Anthony Sofy from Emma’s Snack Bar about the basics of making hummus and baba ghanoush, their ideal dipping vessels and the cultural

significance of dips in Middle Eastern cooking.

enhance the experience of a meal. Dip iterations

In Lebanon, dips are not to be taken lightly. They

salsa, taramasalata and pantzarosalata (beetroot).

served with an assortment of goods. Emma’s Snack

are found in multiple forms from guacamole to

There is a plethora to choose from, but Middle

Eastern dips including hummus and baba ghanoush have long shone in the spotlight. Followed by toum 60 | Hospitality

and harissa, the dips are a stalwart when it comes

are commonly found at family spreads and can be

Bar Owner Anthony Sofy emphasises the importance of dips in everyday Lebanese meals. “In Lebanese

culture, dips are a bit more than just dips, they’re a

seriously and they’re more substantial,” says Sofy.

Melbourne-based Chef Tom Sarafian also

holds dips in high regard, making mention of his namesake hummus. “You can by all

means dip straight into the jar and enjoy it with breads and crackers, but you can also turn it into a dish topped with things such as ground lamb or barbecued calamari

with roast pumpkin in a Middle Eastern-

pumpkin with a little bit of spice then we lightly mash it and whip it through.”

Other variations such as the spicy

hummus are home recipes that have made their way to the restaurant.

“The spicy hummus is a version that we personally made at home, and I

just thought it would be interesting to

combine it on top of the hummus rather than on the side,” says Sofy.

Sarafian’s hummus was a hit at

these products seasonally; garlic season is in full swing and it means [toum] might

not be around for the whole year,” says the chef. “I’ve never used imported garlic, so when the garlic season finishes, it might

not be available until the next season. I’ll

continue to do that with harissa in summer when chillies peak and maybe a baba

ghanoush in autumn when eggplants are at their best.”

style way,” says Sarafian. “You can’t really

Melbourne’s Bar Saracen, which closed

When making dips, the end result reflects

the supermarket.”

now continues to make the same hummus

Eastern dips vary in composition, tahini

do that with other hummus you buy from

Dips are a big part of the menu at Emma’s, which sees different types of hummus,

baba ghanoush and toum listed. Hummus

options range from plain to spicy, with the

dip playing a staple role in the restaurant’s set banquets and a la carte menu. “The base of the hummus is the same for all

three, but then there’s stuff we add such

as roasted pumpkin,” says Sofy. “We roast

in January 2021. The former head chef enjoyed at the restaurant, which is

available online and through almost 30

stockists in Melbourne. “It’s real hummus made by chefs and by hand with top-

quality ingredients,” says Sarafian. “It

takes three days to make and it’s quite a labour-intensive process.”

Toum is a recent addition to the Sarafian

brand and marks the beginning of more

products to come. “I’m going to introduce

exactly what you put in. While Middle

is prominent. In Australia, the range of

tahini is limited, but Sofy relies on several importers to access premium products.

“Tahini comes from Lebanon; there are a lot of different brands, but the one that

we are using at the moment is Al Kanater,” says Sofy.

For the most part, Sarafian opts for local

ingredients, but also seeks out Lebanese

tahini for his hummus and cites Al Nakhil

“My grandfather used to … dip a fork into water and then into the paprika and garnish the edges of the hummus.”

– Tom Sarafian

February 2022 | 61

FEATURE // Dips

big part of our cuisine; we take them very

FEATURE // Dips as his go-to. “Out of all the tahini I’ve tried

right after they’ve been cooked and again

most delicious one,” says Sarafian. “It’s just

to get it smooth, but then you blitz it

(and I’ve tried quite a few of them), it’s the

got a beautiful, sweet sort of smoky flavour to it.”

Unlike tahini, chickpeas are in great

abundance here in Australia. “We always

use Australian chickpeas because they are available and they’re the best ones,” says

Sofy. “But stuff like tahini and those types

of things have got to come from overseas.”

Sarafian uses Ord River premium

chickpeas from Western Australia and

the next day. “You blitz it when it’s hot when it’s cold and add things the next day, so you don’t get a cooked lemon

and garlic flavour, you get a raw, fresh

lemon and garlic flavour. And with the tahini, it actually incorporates a lot of

air and becomes quite rich and creamy,”

says Sarafian. “It’s a bit of a crazy cheffy process, but I think the results are definitely worth it.”

Sarafian’s recipe hasn’t changed for

says they are the best product for the job.

three years, but the retail product required

that the bigger the chickpea, the better,”

quantities. “To put it to scale, the machine

“I found through a lot of trial and error he says. “They seem to soak up more

water when you soak them, which results in a softer, creamier chickpea when you cook them.”

There are multiple steps involved in the process of making hummus and baba

ghanoush that go beyond just blending together a combination of ingredients.

Hummus takes time and the process begins with preparing the chickpeas. “It starts by washing the chickpeas; I soak them for

two days and change the water a bunch of times during those two days,” says

Sarafian. “The reason being that I cook them in a pressure cooker until they’re very, very soft and then I blitz them.”

The chickpeas are blitzed twice, once

62 | Hospitality

slight adjustments to accommodate larger is about 10 times the size as the one I

was using at the restaurant, so I’ve just

increased the batch about 10 times, which

Sarafian uses

Hummus can

a Robot Coupe

be traced

machine to blitz

back to ancient

his hummus

Egypt

Sarafian’s dips are

Baba ghanoush is

available at Baker

$13 at Emma’s

Bleu in Melbourne

Snack Bar

is pretty hard work handling that much

at once,” says Sarafian. “It just took a bit of math and figuring out the best way to

achieve the exact same result as what we would serve at Bar Saracen.”

Baba ghanoush takes less time to make, but still requires plenty of effort to get right. “It’s really, really simple, but it’s

actually the hardest dip to make because it’s so simple,” says Sofy. “The smallest

change will affect it and you’ve lost it.”

The main focus of the dish is eggplant

which is cooked over an open flame to

achieve depth of flavour. “We’ll flame them

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FEATURE // Dips

on top of a fire, so they’ll blister and burn,” says Sofy. “We peel them and get the flesh out; it’s really smoky and that is the key.

If you roast them in the oven, it’s not bad, but you don’t get that smokiness.”

The consistency of baba ghanoush is just

as important as the taste. “We’ll put a cup

of tahini then salt, lemon and only a touch of water because the eggplant holds a lot of water,” says Sofy. “We put the smoked

eggplant in and we don’t blend it to a fine paste, we pulse it and keep it chunky.”

Presentation and plating is the final step.

Across the Middle East, dips are shaped and decorated with a generous slug

of oil or dusting of spice. “It’s a pretty

traditional method in most Arabic cuisines, especially Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian and Palestinian, to shape it into a mound or

ball on a plate and smooth it out with a

warm spoon to create a bit of a dip in the centre,” says Sarafian. “That’s when they

fill it with things like ground beef or olive oil in a typical Lebanese style.”

A trademark for hummus is a sprinkling

or imprint of paprika. “The paprika is sort

having breakfast with family early in the

touch; it’s something my grandfather used

up some fresh cucumber, tomato, radishes

of a ’70s retro/sliced lemon/curly parsley to do,” says Sarafian. “He would dip a

fork into water and then into the paprika and garnish the edges of the hummus.

That’s why there are three red lines on my hummus label.”

Dip-centric dishes such as bil lahme

see spiced ground beef or lamb nestled

morning, they put dip out on the table, cut or something crunchy,” he says. “There

are always pickles and chillies which are common things that are always on the

table. It could be as simple as that, or it

could be lunch or dinner where we have dips with meat.”

The addition of toppings add a textural

on a bed of hummus, with similar

contrast, with nuts or chillies frequently

seafood. “A signature dish of mine

decorations and they change according to

iterations switching out meat for

was spanner crab and king prawn

hummus cooked with lots of spices and chilli garlic,” says Sarafian. “It’s pretty versatile and you can swap out the

seafood for roast pumpkin or beetroot.”

used. “We don’t go over the top with

what’s available,” says Sofy. “Sometimes

I don’t have a particular herb and I might substitute it; a lot of the time we use

double-roasted dried chickpeas on top of the hummus [with] fresh parsley.”

More often than not, dips call for

The world of dips is rooted in tradition

with. “Because it holds such importance to

Middle Eastern cuisine. “This is stuff we’ll

accompaniments or vessels to eat them

us, we don’t just serve a dip with crackers,” says Sofy. “There is always Lebanese bread any time of the day. If there is dip, there is Lebanese bread.”

For Sofy, variety is a must when eating

dip. “In Lebanon, if we are snacking and we want to be really casual or we are 64 | Hospitality

and represents flavours that are intrinsic to be doing for generations, and it really hasn’t changed,” says Sofy. “I’d like to think people have noticed that and are thinking, ‘You

know what, this is good’. It’s a completely different taste to anything else; you can’t

compare hummus or baba ghanoush to any other dip you’ve ever had before.” ■

“In Lebanese culture, dips are a bit more than just dips, they’re a big part of our cuisine; we take them very seriously and they’re more substantial.”

— Anthony Sofy

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FEATURE // HR and administration

People first

Hospitality is all about people — and the same notion applies when it comes to managing your workforce.

PROVIDING THE CUSTOMER with a seamless and memorable dining experience is constantly front of mind for operators and their teams. So much so, it can be difficult for hospitality professionals to carve out the time to complete tasks that ensure the very people who make a venue so great are taken care of.

Technology platforms have come a long way in recent years, and are constantly boosting efficiency when it comes to everything from rostering and payroll to team communication and forecasting.

Six industry figures speak to Hospitality about their go-to platforms for all things hospitality admin, the core challenges when it comes to managing people as well as their tech wish lists.

68 | Hospitality

• C ompliance: The Modern Award system is notoriously complex.

Systems with builtin, automated award interpretation will help provide peace of mind

Alexandra Preece and Cherie Bunn HR department, Gradi Group What are the key challenges of hospitality admin?

Any challenges the business is facing as a whole will naturally follow through to administration. One of the key challenges is due to the physical, handson nature of hospitality. Our primary business is providing service to our guests/customers and this means employees must be present and attentive.

But this necessary emphasis can push administration tasks onto the backburner.

Providing our service-orientated employees with the time and focus to complete administrative

with compliance.

• All-in-one: Don’t risk your data integrity with multiple systems.

Look for a solution that

“Any challenges the business is facing as a whole will naturally follow through to administration.”

– Gradi Group HR team

incorporates all the features you need to provide clarity over your entire workforce.

• Efficiency: Creating efficiencies is key for a thriving business.

Workforce management software should allow you to understand

tasks is a big challenge. After all, all areas of the

staffing costs in real

business must work together to provide a high

time and enable agile

standard of service to our guests as well as to

decision-making.

external and internal stakeholders.

What platforms do you currently use?

Microsoft Office suite; we are calmest when we are

your team or regular employee chats; they are

• C ommunication: When

essential for keeping your finger on the pulse of

it comes to employee

the required administration.

experience, effective

Forecasting is also something we are trying

communication is key.

buried in a mountain of Excel documents that track

to utilise more, particularly for rostering. Pre-

Providing easy access

our work life. As the name administration suggests, the

bookings assist forecasting, and forecasting is

to rosters, pay slips and

work is data- and people-heavy, so we use software

essential to managing staff levels and wage

more via a mobile app is

platforms to simplify where possible. Recruitment

cost levels.

a must.

platforms such as Talent Propeller are used to attendance system Adi Insights to roster employees

What features would you like to see rolled out across tech systems?

and measure employee time for payroll.

The key features that need improvement are

centralise administration. We also use our time and

flexibility and integration. While helpful, these

Can you list some tech platforms that have boosted efficiency?

platforms are not efficient when we need to double

Tools for tracking task completion are extremely

through the gaps.

useful such as Monday.com. It ensures important

check different software for items that have fallen Further, no two hospitality organisations are

• Innovation: Cloud technology is evolving at a lightning-fast pace.

Choose a software provider who is staying ahead of the innovation curve to provide solutions that will scale with you into the future.

tasks and deadlines are not missed and more

exactly the same, and platforms need to be flexible

support can be allocated to tasks that are lagging.

to cater to different needs. It is as simple as being

Find out more at

able to allocate a specific name to a task or adding

roubler.com/au

Employee chats and meetings have been sorely missed. Whether it is a quick weekly WIP with

a specific payment type to a location.

February 2022 | 69

FEATURE // HR and administration

Roubler’s tips for selecting workforce management, rostering and payroll software

FEATURE // HR and administration

Rachel Checinski general manager — human resources, Australian Venue Co. What are the key challenges when it comes to managing people?

Communicating with a workforce that is geographically spread out across Australia. Not all employees have

Ben ClearyCorradini co-founder and owner, Gnocchi Brothers

a company email address, so when we needed to communicate directly with front-of-house staff, we had to rely on sending emails to personal email addresses, which not everyone checks frequently.

We’ve recently started working with LiveTiles Reach, which is an app that enables direct two-way communication between management and staff and

What are the main obstacles that come with hospitality admin?

among staff members. The newsfeed, which all staff can post to, has been really popular with our team.

Time is money! There is not a lot of time left at the end of the day for owner– operators to do admin. We have found the more automated the process and

Which platforms do you find the most useful?

less time-intensive, the better. We have gone from trying to do everything

LiveTiles has had an amazing uptake by staff; people post

ourselves (where it would take forever to work out multiple casual staff pay

photos from all over the country every day to share with the

rates under industry pay levels for weekday, weekend public holidays) to

team and there’s been some great banter! It’s been good for

using FoundU. It’s an automated HR system which translates casual pay

sharing useful reminders with the team during busy periods.

rates and is set up to pay correctly; it makes life so much easier.

What platforms do you currently use across the business and what features do you find most useful?

Are there any features you’d like to see on tech platforms that are currently not available?

We’re working directly with Reach and their team on providing

We use FoundU for HR and payroll and Xero for accounting. FoundU’s

feedback for developments we’d like to see improve within

rostering tool is great as it shows your labour costs per shift, per day and

the app. Most of the feedback is about functionality such as

per week, allowing us to better plan our labour model.

notifications and the speed of the software.

How could admin processes be improved through tech innovation?

Integrated hospitality metrics or benchmarks would be a great addition. It would be very insightful for measurement and comparison across multiple sites if you could automatically extract key performance indicators from your POS and HR systems.

Across our locations, we measure indicators such as cost of labour/ sales revenue and sqm of area/revenue on a weekly basis. A system that could provide this information automatically and accurately per site would be very well received in our industry.

“There is not a lot of time left at the end of the day for owneroperators to do admin. We have found the more automated the process and less time– intensive, the better.”

– Ben Cleary-Corradini 70 | Hospitality

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FEATURE // HR and administration

Leigh Robbins venue manager, Sebastian How would you describe the obstacles that come with hospitality admin?

The biggest challenge by far is finding the time to complete critical admin roles. I find myself squeezing important tasks into any spare minute I can find, however there is always the feeling that you never quite have enough time to get it all done. Juggling management admin while leading a large team and working on the floor is extremely difficult.

What platforms do you currently use at the venue?

Deputy for rostering; Excel for sales reporting; Xero and Excel for business KPI reporting; Cooking the Books for food cost control; Monday.com for job applicants; Any Do for tracking my own tasks and tasks that I need my leadership team to complete and WhatsApp for group communications.

Can you list some tools you have been relying on the most in recent months?

Any Do and WhatsApp are probably used the most as they are focused on tasks and comms — I use them

Karli Ostle

dozens of times every day. Any Do is particularly useful

group brand and marketing manager, ETO Collective

as it allows me to track tasks assigned to different remember everything. When I meet with each person

What are the main touchpoints when it comes to managing admin within the business?

each week or fortnight, I just refer to Any Do. WhatsApp

The key challenges for us are getting the balance right between customer

as well. Reporting and KPI tracking tools are used on a

experience, stakeholder management and efficiency and effective data

weekly basis.

gathering for marketing. Finding the right mix of tools and technology that

people, which is important as it means I don’t have to

deliver on all of that — while being cost-efficient and creating processes that keep things streamlined and easy to manage for our venue teams — is an ongoing battle.

Can you list the platforms you currently use?

We use OneDrive for file sharing, Microsoft Teams for communicating remotely and many spreadsheets. It’s a lot!

At the moment, One Drive is our most useful tool in terms of crossfunctional communication. We have a system of shared drives to ensure everyone has access to the latest menus and collateral suites, so there is no confusion. At a venue level, the teams have dedicated WhatsApp groups that help with rostering and group comms, which they find quick and useful.

What innovations would make administration more efficient?

As we operate in a complex environment, the main thing I would like to see is more integration across key platforms. A team rostering and messaging system that lives within [a guest experience and retention platform] and helps with labour planning based on forecasted covers would also be amazing.

72 | Hospitality

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FEATURE // Craft beer

74 | Hospitality

Craft beer tastes may be evolving, but IPA is still king when it comes to the preferences of Odd Culture patrons, according to Jordan Blackman, Odd Culture group beverage manager.

“Hazy in particular, although there’s definitely a callout for a return to the bold and bitter West Coast,” he says.

Crafting a brand new offer

“There is a much better understanding of hopforward beers now with a focus on fresh and local.

Australian breweries have really stepped it up in the IPA field and now easily stand up to the previously untouchable Americans.”

Sours continue to gain

Wild fermentation is a key feature of Odd Culture Group’s latest venture based on King Street in Sydney’s Newtown.

popularity, Blackman says, with demand extending beyond the regular beer drinker, particularly with

A NEW HYBRID space in Newtown, Sydney, is the biggest project yet for Odd Culture Group and has been in the works since late 2020.

Odd Culture Newtown is a unique concept

born out of a management trip to Europe preCovid, according to Odd Culture Group GM James Thorpe.

“Not really a bar, not really a fine dining

including Condimental, Ziggy’s and Angie’s Food.

Head Chef Jesse Warkentin (ex-Continental

Deli) and Sous Chef Caleb Venner (ex-

Continental Deli) work alongside Odd Culture Group’s Executive chef James MacDonald (exHubert). The food menu is an amalgamation

of MacDonald’s and Warkentin’s backgrounds

the more approachable, fruited sours.

“Not to mention our warm climate lends itself to anything and everything farmhouse, gose and the like — ultimate refreshment

working to an overarching fermentation theme.

for all.”

really a cocktail bar, not really a natural wine

with delivery in 30 minutes for the local area.

to low-alcohol and non-

but there is really nothing like it anywhere else

Culture group beverage manager, Odd

growing trend.

fermentation — particularly wild fermentation.

alcohol beers being treated

restaurant, not really a craft beer venue, not

bar … we don’t really know how to categorise it, in the world,ˮ he says.

It’s also the first new development on King

Street allowed to trade all night until 2am, with

An online delivery service will also be on offer, According to Jordan Blackman, Odd

Culture Newtown is on a mission to explore “More than just a mass accumulation of

its doors opening again from 7am.

anything sour, we have spent the past year

fermentation and includes a rotating taplist of 12

who best represent our philosophy,” he says.

The drinks offering has a strong focus on wild

in the bar, leaning heavily on sours, farmhouse and lambic, as well as a wide range of organic and biodynamic wine, natural cider and sake.

Located just a few doors up, the Odd Culture

Newtown bottle shop is an extension of the main bar, offering a range of fermented beverages as well as condiments including pickles, vinegars, shrubs and hot sauces from local producers

curating an offering of like-minded producers “We look for an expression of terroir, something

that speaks of time, place and the people that

created it. I think this extends well beyond beer

with more conscious consumers who are interested in more than just a product, but a story.”

Blackman also points alcoholic beers as a “It’s great to see zerowith the same respect as their boozy counterparts, now a viable option on a night out because they actually taste good.

“Many craft breweries now have a mid-strength in their core range. It’s great to see such a positive trend in the industry and I think our

This story originally appeared in Australian

bodies will thank us for it.”

Hotelier December 2021

February 2022 | 75

FEATURE // Craft beer

BREWS TO WATCH

FEATURE // Craft beer

Upwardly mobile Consumer research from CGA reveals some interesting insights on who’s behind the rise and rise of craft beer.

IT’S CLEAR THE craft beer category is

Splashing out

sort of patrons are driving the momentum,

prepared to spend more on craft beer when

going from strength to strength, but what

According to CGA, pub patrons are

and how can venues capitalise on this?

compared to domestic alternatives — at

Researcher CGA asked around 3,000

nationally representative Australian

consumers about their beer habits in order

least 25 per cent more on average across all craft formats — draught, can or bottle.

Craft beer drinkers also typically spend

specific in their perceptions on what defines the category. 34 per cent say the category

is defined by its unique flavour profile, 31 per cent point to the use of high-quality

ingredients and 22 per cent say craft beer

must be owned by an independent company.

CGA says these perceptions are worth

to shed light on craft’s appeal.

more on eating and drinking out than the

considering when curating and positioning

drinkers are more likely to be younger

month, and they also have a household

to focus on quality and brand locality when

CGA found that in Australia, craft beer

and more affluent than non-craft beer

drinkers. In good news for venues, these

average beer drinker — $284 vs $220 per income that is 18 per cent higher.

“The shift towards craft represents a

young, affluent craft beer drinkers are

significant opportunity, with craft beer

70 per cent visit hospitality venues

the On Premise,” CGA says.

also highly engaged with the on premise. weekly, compared to 60 per cent of

drinkers spending more time and money in

average beer drinkers — highlighting a

Defining craft

to tap into.

drinkers? Not surprisingly, they are quite

lucrative consumer segment for operators

76 | Hospitality

So what else is common to craft beer

a craft beer range. “Craft beer drinkers tend it comes to factors influencing their purchase and value unique flavours and high-quality

ingredients when it comes to their choice of craft beer brands,” it found.

“From a marketing perspective,

highlighting the quality of the ingredients

and the brand’s reputation is very important for craft,” CGA says. “These aspects should

be emphasised when it comes to positioning

FEATURE // Craft beer

craft beer brands from a marketing

perspective to ensure trial and adoption.”

Shifting tastes At a category level, typically craft beer

consumers prefer pale ales, with over a third

choosing it when out as opposed to lager (30 per cent) and IPAs (19 per cent). Growing in popularity, however, are more sophisticated

craft serves such as fruit beer, craft stout and

craft brown ale which are all being consumed more frequently compared to a year ago.

From a marketing perspective, highlighting the quality of the ingredients and the brand’s reputation is very important for craft.

When selecting craft beer in the on

premise, patrons are more willing to

explore the category, according to CGA, and are also over-indexing for “new

and interesting brands” and “bar staff

recommendations” when compared to average beer drinkers. ■

This story originally appeared in Australian Hotelier December 2021

February 2022 | 77

FEATURE // Customer loyalty

Building customer relationships Fifty Merivale venues, will soon be dipping into customer data to provide a more personalised service to patrons.

MERIVALE IS ROLLING out SevenRooms software across 50 venues between

November and March in a bid to build brand loyalty, provide a more personalised service and enhance its reputation post-COVID-19.

SevenRooms is a data-driven guest

experience and retention platform, and Merivale will use the software across its reservations, waitlist and table

management, review aggregation and marketing automation operations.

Importantly, the software will provide

Merivale with a single view of a guest’s

spending and preferences across the entire portfolio, regardless of where they dine.

Insights drawn from approved customer

data will allow Merivale to offer a more personalised service that recognises a guest’s preferences, rewards their

patronage and builds customer loyalty and advocacy.

“The challenges of the last 18 months

have demonstrated how vital hospitality is in our lives,” Merivale’s Food & Beverage Director Frank Roberts says.

“As the industry moves forward,

Merivale is excited to bring together bestin-class technology with our outstanding talent to create unique and magical

experiences for every person who steps into our venues.”

Laura Whittaker, Merivale’s head

of reservations, says the business had

“As the industry gets set to reopen and move forward, Merivale is excited to bring together best-

the world including local restaurants and bars, and international, multi-concept hospitality groups.

The software company says its product

in-class technology with our outstanding talent to

deliver exceptional experiences, and

guest data to build direct relationships,

create unique and magical

increase repeat visits and orders. Last year

experiences for every person

and pub operator Australian Venue Co. is

who steps into our venues.” – Laura Whittaker seamless booking journey, so customers

wanted so much more.”

our entire portfolio.

As a data-driven, guest engagement

operators in more than 250 cities around

increases operator profitability by leveraging

grown beyond the need for a basic table management system. “We needed and

SevenRooms software is used by venue

can book into any one of our venues across “This will give them a global view of

SevenRooms opened an Australian office, among its local customers.

“Few industries have been hit harder

by the pandemic than hospitality, with even the biggest established operators

like Merivale identifying the importance

of data and technology as the foundation for which operators can stand out and

build brand loyalty,” Paul Hadida, general

platform, SevenRooms has numerous

all our offers, so they can see what else is

but two capabilities in particular stand out,

of Merivale in a more enabled way, and it

continue to offer guests the experiences

of the future.”

decisions through 360-degree insights

features that Merivale will benefit from, Whittaker says.

“The first is being able to better profile

our guests. SevenRooms will give us

available. It will open up the entire world will do all of this online, which is the way According to Whittaker, the system does

tools to profile them and capture their

all the heavy lifting. “That means behind

more elevated experience.

its magic and maximise every single service

preferences so we can deliver an even “The second is to provide a more

78 | Hospitality

the scenes we can trust the system to work the way we do currently via our staff.”

manager APAC at SevenRooms said.

“Through SevenRooms, Merivale can

they desire by making more informed

across their customers’ journey, on- and off-premises.” ■

This story originally appeared in

Australian Hotelier November 2021

FEATURE // Business automation

At your service The emerging tech known as RPA can enable some major efficiencies, prevent errors and reduce the potential for fraud for venues.

ROBOTS HAVE BEEN embraced by

undertaking a process compared to a

for hundreds of clients, he says, that’s a

introduced into the business world to

to redeploy that time into higher-value

the bot, that staff member can now be

the industrial sector and are now being automate digital tasks.

Colloquially known as ‘bots’, RPA is

human,” Barber says. “This allows us

activities and better serve our customers.”

The use of a bot to conduct highly

full-time role for one person. Thanks to

repurposed into higher-value activities.

Another process that’s been automated

simply software that automates mundane

sensitive activities, especially around

is an error-prone stage of the supplier

information, interpret it, and undertake

of human error — or worse, fraud, he

undertakes on behalf of clients.

rules-based processes. A bot can take follow-up action.

The origins of bots can be found in banking

to remove repetitive tasks. RPA has evolved and is now being used in many industries and has grown into a $3bn industry.

Professional services firm Quantaco is no

stranger to bots, having this year invested in automation to serve its hospitality clients better.

Quantaco provides its clients with a

range of hospitality-focused solutions and services, and it has begun using bots to

boost the efficiency and reduce the chance of error or fraud in some of these tasks.

finance, can also remove the chance

says, which together cost the Australian

payments process that Quantaco

At the stage after a final approver signs-

economy as much as $100 million per day.

off on a payment, the process is open

administrative tasks and providing easy

file sent for approval can potentially be

“We help create time by reducing

access to informative data on the business’s operational success. We also help increase compliance and security while reducing the risk of fraud and personal liability.”

Quantaco is now using RPA on behalf of

its hospitality clients, Barber says. “This is

quite new for us — we’ve been working on

it for the last six months and we’ve now got

four processes live, which doesn’t sound like

to error and fraudulent activity, as the manipulated, according to Barber.

“We now use a robot, so after the

payment is approved at a venue, a robot takes that approval and uploads the

payment file into the bank. That gives

absolute assurance that the number you

press is the number that goes out, and it’s also much faster.”

A similar process is now used in payroll

much but in terms of volume, it’s massive.“

after the pay run has been approved, he says.

of technology, and we feel RPA provides

RPA is in reconciling bank statements.

to enable better outcomes for clients – we

including accuracy, speed as well as

download a statement and reconcile every

ago, and we are again ahead of the curve,

“We have always been at the forefront

significant benefits to our customers

security,” says Scott Barber, Quantaco’s chief commercial officer.

“By embedding RPA in our workflow,

we have seen an up to 80 per cent increase in efficiency with a bot

One area in which Quantaco is using

“Historically every single day we would

line. We now have a robot that logs in to the bank and downloads the statement, although although our team still do the reconciliation,” Barber says.

When you’re downloading statements

“We’ve always used tech in our business

gave them enterprise technology ten years embracing better tech to create better outcomes for our clients.” ■

This story originally appeared in

Australian Hotelier November 2021 February 2022 | 79

FEATURE // Tech focus

Local solutions to common problems We take a look at how the latest digital offerings are helping Australian pub operators solve some of their trickiest business problems.

Digitising daily takings Sydney Collective has found relief from

the dreaded daily takings sheet with a new

POS, Gaming, ATMs, CRTs and CRs into the Wirely hub, the cash up process is simple.”

digital solution called Wirely.

Computerised compliance

specifically to help Aussie pubs and clubs

pub operator with venues in Victoria and

Wirely has been locally developed

Collective Heads, a fast-growing Australian

manage daily business transactions and

Queensland, has implemented a workforce

cash movements more efficiently and effectively.

According to Sydney Collective Founder

Fraser Short, by streamlining the daily

cash up process, Wirely saves the group hours of valuable labour costs.

“We wanted to lessen the burden on our

management platform called Ento.

The group is rapidly growing and has

plans to open three to four new venues in

the next six months. Prior to Ento, however,

it found managing, securing and onboarding its growing workforce a challenge.

Last year, the group turned to Melbourne-

using the Resdiary online table booking

system for its dining offering for five years, and he recently renewed his commitment to the platform when it launched

independently in Australia this year.

Resdiary was originally the back-end

management team in cashing up. We did

based Ento for a new workforce management

technology for Dimmi (which later became

venues and it went very well so we signed

a number of features, according to Collective

and Resdiary and The Fork went their

a trial run for a couple of months at a few up to take it across every venue.”

Short says the major saving has been in

solution, and the business has benefited from Heads CEO Duncan Thomson.

The contactless onboarding feature

The Fork), until things changed this year separate ways.

“We had a choice at that time to stay with

time. “Wirely has probably saved three and

enables the business to communicate with

The Fork and move to its global software

in the bigger gaming pubs. Also, there

setup as an employee, providing them with

which was becoming a direct booking

a half hours per pub per night, especially was a manager in each venue compiling

reports, so that’s another eight hours per week per venue saved.”

Excel spreadsheets are still widely used

in venues across Australia for everything from performing safe counts and

movements, recording daily sales, gaming,

new starters in an engaging way as they are all relevant documentation and a setup on payroll through the Ento platform.

Labour management, roster forecasting

and upskilling are other useful features, he

says, as well as having the reassurance that staff compliance is covered.

“We need to be in touch with the changing

Tab & Keno and petty cash transactions.

world of awards and the like,” he says. “A

industry has been operating its daily

back-end around that to make sure you don’t

Wirely’s CEO Simon Etchells says the

takings with these outdated systems that are both time-consuming and prone to

modern system like Ento has the AI and solid get caught out by new changes.

“We want to take ownership to develop

errors for too long.

our people. We want to be an employer of

spreadsheet to make it easier and

are paying people correctly.”

“Wirely has digitised the daily takings

faster to record the many different

transactions that take place in pubs and clubs every day.

“By connecting multiple systems such as

80 | Hospitality

choice, and we want to be confident we

booking solution or migrate to Resdiary,

solutions company. We chose to migrate to Resdiary as it met our pub’s needs.”

According to Deale, unlike most pubs,

even before Covid, the Dove & Olive used a table booking solution.

“We always needed this as our trivia is

popular, so we may have 80 to 100 people

pre-booked, and the only way to manage that was with a table booking software solution.

“What we wanted was a ‘Book with

Google’ feature, which sees a Google ad

pop up whenever you Google a restaurant.

“Resdiary was offering a fixed flat

monthly fee and they also had ‘Book with Google’ so they ticked the two boxes, and it’s worked really well for us.” ■

Booking solution ticks boxes Publican Chris Deale from the Dove & Olive in Sydney’s Surry Hills has been

This story originally appeared in

Australian Hotelier November 2021

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VIDEO // Little Lagos

Jollof rice, goat stew and plantains Three Nigerian dishes combine to create the ultimate meal.

PHOTOGRAPHY 1Oh1 Media

LITTLE LAGOS IS located in Sydney’s Newtown, with the restaurant serving up some of the city’s best Nigerian food.

Head Chef and Restaurant Manager Kemi Fajemisin grew up eating jollof rice, goat stew and plantains and has recreated the flavours of home.

“Jollof rice is one of the most popular dishes in Nigeria,” says the chef. Fajemisin begins the process by frying off tomato paste and capsicum before adding diced onion, bay leaf, chicken seasoning, beef flavouring, coriander, thyme and long grain rice. The ingredients are left to cook over a low heat for 45 minutes to an hour to allow a smoky flavour profile to develop.

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5 MINUTES WITH ... // Kat Harvey

Kat Harvey The former chef turned cheesemaker on her signature goat cheese and working with some of Australia’s finest produce.

ABOUT SEVEN YEARS ago, I wanted to

I quit my Sydney jobs and moved to the

get out of fine dining after 15 years as a

Northern Rivers to start making cheese at

Surry Hills and quickly realised cheese is

cheese shops over the last three years,

chef. I went to work for Formaggi Ocello in my one true love. I love cooking, but you

don’t want to chef for your entire life; it’s a bit of a young game.

I went to Holy Goat for a couple of

months and learned how to make their goat cheese, which is pretty much the

best in the country. I learned about their practices, farming, the feed they give to

the animals and how they treat the milk.

Nimbin Valley Dairy. I’ve had two pop-up

establishing a name in the community I’m in. I finally have my own site where I sell

The cheese that you make will choose you.

I was really inspired by it, so I went back to Sydney and decided I would take a

all the cheese that I make; cheese from

Ivan Larcher, who now has a cheese

Australia and some from France, Spain,

store [Long Paddock Cheese] in Castlemaine, Melbourne.

86 | Hospitality

process and it has really beautiful wrinkles

on the outside. It takes around 24 hours to go through acidification, another 24 hours to settle and a couple of days to shape. It takes about five days to get the wrinkles and you can sell it anywhere from eight

days to six weeks depending on the quality of the milk.

[Working with Holy Goat] taught me

that cheese is a process that’s either in your fingertips and your heart or it’s

not. A whole lot of love and nurturing

along with quality milk will give you a

trip to France. I went and learned how to make a raw milk camembert from

favourite thing to eat and make. It’s a slow

beautiful cheese.

In its own time, the cheese will do what

my friend’s farms, great producers around

it’s going to do to be its best; all you can

America and the Netherlands.

the right environment. Basically, the cheese

Lactic goat cheese is pretty much my

do is encourage the right kind of growth in that you make will choose you. ■

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