Hospitality March 2016

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NO.722 MARCH 2016

Capital gains CANBERRA'S THRIVING RESTAURANT SCENE

Reinventing the chip

THE POPULAR SIDE GETS A MAKEOVER

Get a life

HOW TO WORK ON – NOT IN – YOUR BUSINESS

Welcome return DAMIEN PIGNOLET TAKES THE REINS AT REGATTA

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Editorial

R

eaders, I’m sorry, but I have to have a little rant.

I’ m a journalist, so I believe in holding organisations, businesses and individuals to account where necessary. And while I love the foodservice industry and want nothing more than for its operators to survive and thrive, I still think there’s a place for honest restaurant reviews.

They shouldn’t all be glowing, because not all restaurants are great. They should, however, all be fair.

Two ‘scathing’ restaurant reviews are being widely discussed in the media as we go to print: one written by The Australian’s John Lethlean, a man with incredible knowledge and expertise in the industry, and another written by an ex-My Kitchen Rules competitor, Kelly Ramsay, who, as it turns out, fibbed about the details of her dining experience, throwing what credibility she may have once enjoyed out with the “too salted” salted caramel she rejected at Perth’s West End Deli.

I don’t think these reviewers sat down to pen their critique with the sole aim of hurting a restaurateur’s reputation. I believe that Lethlean thought long and hard about his criticisms of Adelaide Oval’s Hill of Grace before writing his honest opinion which was then handed over to a swagger of sweating lawyers. But I don’t think the same consideration was given by Ramsay or her bosses.

Unfortunately, this sort of reckless publication is not uncommon. Thanks to the rise of social media, bloggers and the ‘foodie’ movement, many people assume that if they enjoy food, then their criticism or praise of a business’ offering is as valid as anyone else’s.

Well, it’s not. By publicly criticising the food or slamming the service, you’re kicking the shins of an operator who’s lucky if he's pocketing a profit margin of five percent.

Do I think that only the glowing reviews should be published? No. But do I think reviews should be left to those who are truly in a position to be critical?

Absolutely.

Danielle Bowling dbowling@intermedia.com.au

March Contents 7 In focus 8 Openings

8

10 Flavour of the month 12 Trends 14 Fast casual

10

15 Best practice 16 Cover story 20 Fine Food QLD 22 Reinventing the chip

12

25 Shelf space & diary

20

22

26 5 minutes with...

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March 2016 Hospitality 5

advertorial

Impos reveals new look, new offering

“We’ve been in the market for 10 years. What we were, and what we represented 10 years ago has substantially changed,” says Sean O’Meara, CEO of hospitality point of sale (POS) supplier, Impos.

The company, which has partnered with leading hospitality venues including Pei Modern, MoVida, Tonka and Domaine Chandon has revealed a fresh new look, complete with a new logo which better represents the company’s immersion in Australia’s foodservice industry.

“Over the years, the company has changed and become a full service, hospitality specific point of sale provider. It’s very trusted within the industry, and we wanted our logo to show that. It was also about having a point of differentiation, because we’re very different from most other POS companies in the market. We’re very much part of the industry.”

The logo comprises a pink circle with a hollowed centre and the company’s name printed underneath.

“The circle represents the hospitality industry, and the fact that we are an integral part of that industry. We live the industry more than our competitors. The hole in the middle of the circle signifies the transparency that we strive 6 Hospitality March 2016

for. One of our major aims is to be completely transparent with our customers, never hiding anything and never shying away from admitting mistakes.”

He continues, “The purple font represents prestige. We are proud of the fact that we have more top-end bars, restaurants and cafes as clients than any other POS provider. And lastly, the pink represents friendship, loyalty and the closeness between Impos and our clients. At the end of the day, our goal is the success of our clients. If they run successful businesses then we have done our job,” O’Meara told Hospitality.

Complementing the release of the new logo is Impos’ new software for smaller, more agile foodservice businesses. Impos Go is targeting those businesses that might find the company’s flagship software, Impos Plus, too feature-heavy.

“Impos Go is our new cloudbased product. It’s perfect for small venues – so food trucks, pop-up stores, hole in the wall cafés, your back-lane burger joint, small bars et cetera. Places that are small, stuck for space and don’t mind using an iPad, whereas for the bigger venues – like our hatted restaurant clients – an

iPad-based product is something that they just wouldn’t consider,” he said.

Over the next three to six months, Impos Go will be best suited to smaller hospitality businesses, after which the developments currently being undertaken will be complete, ensuring it’s also appropriate for use in larger, more complex organisations.

In 2015, Impos partnered with a number of key hospitality service providers, including reservations website, Dimmi; work scheduling platform, Deputy; and fellow POS brand, Cooking the Books. O’Meara is confident

that 2016 will be just as exciting, with the company committed to continuously improving and enhancing the service it provides to hospitality businesses around the country.

“If you’re a nightclub or a busy restaurant or café, you’re in business to make money when you’re really busy, so it’s just imperative that you back up your own offering with really good service and support from your POS provider.

And that’s something that we’re just so well known for in this industry,” he said. www.impos.com.au

Sean O’Meara, founder of Impos, says the new logo represents the fact that the company is totally immersed in the hospitality industry.

in focus

When reviews get nasty...

Two scathing restaurant reviews were published recently, causing one venue to call the lawyers and the other to hit back via social media. In my eyes, one is defendable while the other is not.

Two former My Kitchen Rules contestants, Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay reviewed West End Deli in Western Australia for STM Magazine. It delivered a score of nine out of 20, recommending potential diners to “consider takeaway pizza instead”.

Meanwhile, The Australian’s John Lethlean reviewed Hill of Grace restaurant at Adelaide Oval.

His experience was fairly dismal, handing down zero out of five stars. “Hill of Disgrace occupies some kind of sad, ill-informed contemporary fine dining void ...

I'm trying hard to think of someone I’d recommend it to. I just can’t,” he wrote.

Andrew Daniels, CEO of Adelaide Oval claims the review is defamatory and says he’s seeking legal advice.

Despite Lethlean’s rating of Hill of Grace being worse than that given to West End Deli, his review is probably the more defendable.

A defamation lawsuit starts with defamatory imputations. These are things which come out of a review (even if it’s implied) which will make the reader think less of the person defamed. Negative restaurant reviews frequently convey that the owner and/or chef is incompetent because of the bad food and/or service.

Restaurant reviewers tend to rely on honest opinion and fair comment as a defence against defamation. They require the reviewer to state an opinion, include the facts which are accurate and support that opinion, and honestly hold that opinion.

Lethlean talks about the food, service, menu, staff, uniforms, decor and price. Assuming the descriptions of those things are true, the review looks fairly defendable.

West End Deli hit back at James and Ramsay (who have since

been given the boot by News Ltd) via Facebook, claiming that the dining experience occurred almost two months prior to the review’s publication, and revealed that the credit card used for payment was declined, resulting in an arduous weeks-long toing-and-froing process which resembled an attempted dine-and-dash.

The lynchpin is this. West End Deli’s owner claims that “Only Kelly Ramsay was in attendance on this evening ...The scathing review reads “On the walk home, Chloe sighed, ‘Shall we head to Leedy for dinner, take 2?’ Not only was this a cheap shot but it’s a fabrication. We would love to know how Chloe can fairly put her name to a review of a restaurant and food that she has not actually experienced?”

James’ manager has since confirmed that she wasn’t there, and because of that, she will find it impossible to hold the opinion that the food was unpalatable and it deserves to be skipped and

replaced with takeaway pizza. Her defence will fail. News Limited will go down with her.

Matthew Evans’ long running litigation over his 2003 CocoRoco restaurant review was lost for similar reasons. There were two restaurants at the one location, with two different offerings. Evans dined at one, but cast judgment on both. Evans could not hold an opinion about the other restaurant. That cost Evans and Fairfax newspapers around $600,000 and the operators of CocoRoco their restaurants.

Defamation is notoriously complicated, but less so for these two reviews. Lethlean’s is an example of carefully explaining the experience, giving an opinion and, ultimately, allowing the reader to make up their own mind. The MKR contestants’ review seems to be an example of a fictitious story creeping into a factual review. n Richard Edwards is the founder of Whites Legal. whiteslegal.com.au

Defamation details...

Who can sue over restaurant reviews?

• Very small companies (10 or fewer employees) • Owners • Managers • Chefs Who is at risk?

• Journalists • Editors in chief • Publishers • Bloggers • Review platforms Biggest payout for a review? $623,526 + interest + legal costs Maximum damages for non-economic loss? $376,500

March 2016 Hospitality 7

Openings Some of the latest venues to swing open their doors in Australia’s foodservice scene.

Peacock and Jones Restaurant & Wine Bar 1

Hobart, Tasmania Housed within the historic three-storey IXL building, Peacock and Jones celebrates Tasmania’s quality produce in an intimate setting.

2

Lot.1

1

Sydney CBD, NSW Set in a 1878 sandstone warehouse, the three level Lot.1 focuses on quality spirits, liquor and cocktails, as well as offering a contemporary dining menu curated by chef Adam Swanson.

Assembly

3 Sydney CBD, NSW Complementing its existing sister cocktail bar of the same name, Assembly is a new modern Italian restaurant that takes inspiration from popular dishes throughout Italy, from Sicily through to the northern regions.

4

Amaru

Armadale, Victoria Chef Clinton McIver’s 33 seat restaurant offers a tasting menu of 12 to 13 courses. The cuisine is contemporary Australian, focusing on high quality, seasonal ingredients.

2

3 8 Hospitality March 2016

4

6

5

Barista & Cook

5 Waterloo, Sydney, NSW Barista & Cook serves contemporary café food paired with excellent coffee.

The menu comprises both healthy and indulgent options including coconut puddings, fresh house-made juice, grass fed beef burgers, and the signature coffee slider with ice cream, honey and brioche.

6

Ceru

Potts Point, Sydney, NSW At Ceru, chef Tom Kime has designed a menu to share, comprising unique dishes that employ authentic ingredients, spice blends and flavours of the Levant.

7 8

Wok St Chow House

7 Northbridge, Perth, WA Serving “authentic Thai food done sexy”, Wok St Chow House offers dishes that showcase the best seasonal ingredients in an informal setting. Think raw yellowtail with lime, coconut, mungbean and cane vinegar; and Som Tum with green papaya, dried shrimp and peanuts.

Up in Smoke

8 Footscray, Melbourne, VIC Launched by the team behind 8bit burgers, Up in Smoke is an Americanstyle ‘smoke joint’ specialising in barbecued, smoked and slow cooked meats as well as imported and local craft beers.

March 2016 Hospitality 9

Flavour of the month With the peak season between March and July, chestnuts can be a delicious inclusion in Autumn and Winter menus, suitable for both sweet and savoury dishes.

Chestnuts SOURCING

Around three-quarters of Australian chestnuts are grown in north east Victoria around Beechworth, Stanley, Bright, Mt Beauty, Wandiligong and Myrtleford with the remaining harvest grown in: ■■ VIC: south east – Dandenong Ranges ■■ NSW: Batlow, Orange, Southern Tablelands ■■ SA: Adelaide Hills ■■ WA: Manjimup, Bridgetown, Mt Baker, Carlotta ■■ TAS: north west

WHAT’S THE APPEAL?

Australian chestnuts are equally delicious in savoury or sweet dishes and marry well with a wide range of southern European, north Asian and modern Australian cuisines. Many Australian chefs and diners are still discovering the distinctive flavour, texture and versatility that chestnuts offer.

FLAVOUR MATCHES? ■■ Savoury:

mushrooms, cauliflower, pumpkin, potato, poultry, rabbit, venison, pork, Brussel sprouts, beans, pasta, pancetta, speck, pinenuts, cabbage, celery, bitter salad greens, sausages.

■■ Sweet: cinnamon, sugar, chocolate, cream, coffee, custard, vanilla, brandy, rum, cranberries, apple, pastry, honey, port, orange zest.

TASTY APPLICATIONS

■■ Serve roasted chestnuts with meats or in

wintery casseroles ■■ Add chestnuts to burger patties

10 Hospitality March 2016

■■ Mash chestnuts with potatoes or sweet pota-

toes to serve as a side dish ■■ Stir diced chestnuts through your favourite

lentil, barley or risotto dishes ■■ Puree chestnuts with cauliflower, pumpkin or

mushrooms, stock and a splash of cream to make a flavoursome soup ■■ Create unique desserts with chestnut purees

STORAGE

Refrigerate uncooked chestnuts in their original packaging in the cool room for two to three days or in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Cooked chestnuts can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to four days. For longer storage, freeze cooked and peeled chestnuts in small freezer bags for up to six months.

PREP TIPS

Before roasting, microwaving, barbecuing or grilling, cut a shallow cross into the flat side of the chestnut shell. This prevents the nut from overheating and bursting while cooking.

If boiling, cut the chestnuts in half across its width before cooking.

LOOK OUT FOR

Chestnuts that have a glossy brown firm shell and feel heavy for their size. There are numerous varieties of chestnuts; some are easier to peel than others. n Credit: Sue Dodd, fresh product consultant at Sydney Markets

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Sydney | 22-24 May | 2016

Trends Sydney and Melbourne tend to dominate the headlines when it comes to Australia’s bustling hospitality industry, but Canberra is making serious inroads, offering one of the country’s most vibrant dining scenes.

Canberra

W

e can all remember drudging through Old Parliament House in our school uniforms, enduring the tedious tour only because Questacon was the next stop. We’ve all been taken to the country’s capital by our mothers or grandmothers, who promised that Floriade was so much more than just a bunch of flowers swooned over by overzealous photographers.

But Canberra’s come a long way. It now has one of the country’s most exciting food and beverage offerings, with a long list of bars, restaurants and cafés where much more enjoyable memories can be made.

One of the city’s most recent openings is that of Molto Italian, a restaurant on Eastlands Parade in Kingston, which seats 130, and boasts sleek, modern interiors, high ceilings, an open kitchen and bar and a wood fired oven.

It’s run by Carlo Tosolini, the man who operated Tosolini’s in Civic for 29 years, before it closed in April last year. He says that while Canberra has always had great restaurants, the city’s foodservice industry is evolving and offering a broad range of business models, from the more traditional Italian fare at Molto, to quirkier café concepts in booming areas such as Acton, Barton and Braddon.

“There’s certainly been a shift. For example, down on the [Kingston] Foreshore, it’s now a destination; it’s a hub of restaurants. But having said that, I’ve also noticed hip cafés popping up in some of the suburban areas. Ten years ago, no one would have thought there would be a market here for people to just open a little place in a suburban area and for it to be an instant café house.”

Tosolini says the city’s industry and its diners have matured to the point where he’s comfortable for Molto to offer two seatings – something he’s never done before.

“When you see your restaurant full and you see people enjoying food and wine, it’s really hard to tell them at 7.50pm that they’ve got to leave by eight because there’s another booking.

12 Hospitality March 2016

Molto has a traditional Italian offering

That’s certainly challenging. “[But] I guess the dining scene has changed. Canberrians are starting to understand that if they ring to book for 7pm, that’s not really a good time, particularly on a Friday and Saturday night so with not too much convincing, and a nice demeanor, you can let them know that you’ve actually got two seatings. A lot of them are embracing that now. That’s because the dining scene has changed so much that they’ve become used to, I suppose, getting told what to do – in a nice way,” he says.

According to Tosolini, the city’s restaurants are enjoying the patronage of both interstate

visitors keen to escape the rat race, and professional locals with decent disposable incomes.

“A lot of young kids are getting into the housing market and rather than buying houses, they’re getting into apartments. They have designer kitchens, and while they’ll use those kitchens, generally it’s a lot easier for them to whip downstairs,” he says.

“For someone in the corporate world, who works long hours and is living on their own, the last thing they want to do is sit in front of the TV and see what MasterChef is cooking up.

They can just go downstairs and – particularly at our place – grab a quick pizza or pasta then go back upstairs and get back on the laptop.”

Bacaro, a wine bar located in the back of Italian & Sons

CREATING A BRAND

Pasquale Trimboli operates Italian & Sons in Braddon as well as Mezzalira on London Circuit.

He agrees that Canberra’s foodservice industry is in a period of considerable growth.

“There’s certainly a lot of growth coming from the new precincts that are popping up, like Acton, Braddon and Barton. We’re probably experiencing the most significant period of growth in cafés and restaurants that I've seen in the past 20 years.

“I think it’s been born out of a lack of choice in previous years, where we all felt like we were going to the same old areas, the same old places, and now we’ve got these places that are delivering their own character. We’re all working together to create a brand for the city, and we’ve got a collection of businesses and restaurants that complement each other,” he says.

Despite the growing demand from diners, running a business in a city the size of Canberra can be a real challenge, Trimboli adds.

“We find that it’s an easy place to make a big splash, but it’s a very hard place to run a good operation, and that comes down to a few things. One is that it’s very hard to find full time, professional staff. Most of the talent runs off to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and other places.

So it’s hard to keep the good guys in town because obviously there are a lot of lifestyle attractions that go with the large capital cities.”

Growing competition and a relatively small population don't help either, says Trimboli.

“We deal with a regular, loyal clientele, so it’s easy to make a really good reputation for yourself because you’re dealing with that repeat business. But at the same time, it doesn’t take long to lose a few people, and you can go the other way. In Sydney, Melbourne, and the large capital cities, they can almost afford to lose a regular, because they’ve got tourists walking

through the door,” he says.

While Trimboli is realistic about what the increased competition means in a city the size of Canberra, he says it’s for the greater good.

“More competition should be a worry to everyone, but at the same time, it’s one of those things that we thrive on because it keeps us on our toes. It pushes us harder and makes us hungry to maintain our standards.

“Competition is always good. If it’s not there, it breeds complacency ... While we view every restaurant as competition, we only view the serious operators as serious competitors. The general feedback, however, is that there still isn’t enough good restaurants around in Canberra, so there’s opportunity-plus. There’s a big opportunity to do something different and really make a name for yourself here.” n

“Competition is always good. If it’s not there, it breeds complacency” March 2016 Hospitality 13

fast casual

Beyond the burrito Enjoying impressive growth since its inception in 2007, Mad Mex has decided to diversify its offering by launching a more relaxed dining concept called Cantina. the middle of the CBD for lunch.

It’s an amazingly well designed business that delivers a really fast, high quality convenient food. But it never really knew how to deliver a family dining experience.”

Cantina has provided a welcome boost to alcohol sales, which on average are 500 percent greater in the new dining concept than they are at Mad Mex stores. It’s also allowed the team to expand its food offering to include items such as jalapeno poppers, empanadas and fish tacos.

SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS

At a glance Mad Mex brought something new to the fast casual scene when it launched its first store in Australia almost 10 years ago. At a time when the public was becoming increasingly concerned about its health and wellbeing, it showed consumers that Mexican food didn’t have to be stodgy, greasy and unhealthy.

“We had a real challenge, which was educating consumers that we’re not offering hangover [food]; it’s not refried beans and giant ice cream scoops of sour cream; it’s a really lean, healthy, no additive kind of food,” says Mad Mex’s founder, Clovis Young.

“We probably helped to change the perception of Mexican food from greasy, unhealthy party food that you’d only eat once a quarter if you couldn’t avoid it, to something you would happily have three times a week and feel good about because it is that much healthier.

The quality is there.”

About three years ago the company went through its most aggressive growth period, expanding from 15 outlets to 35 in a 16 month period.

But other than that, Mad Mex’s growth has been steady, with an average of 10 new openings each year.

“Ultimately, I think that if you grow too fast, you make poor deci14 Hospitality March 2016

sions and that can be costly in the long run. In terms of our sales, we saw stronger sales growth in that early stage and as the category has matured, we’ve settled into what would be closer to industry market growth levels as opposed to 25 percent year on year same store sales growth,” says Young.

Another key to the business’ success, he adds, is that it’s still privately owned. Mad Mex only has two stakeholders: Young and Phillip Blanco, who joined the company two years ago and had previously worked as the general manager of coffee franchise Gloria Jeans, bringing the brand Down Under in 1992.

“Because we have that experience and we don’t have to answer to a variety of different shareholder needs, we run the business for its best interest as opposed to [running it] for private equity returns.”

DELIVERING A NEW EXPERIENCE

In December last year, the company launched its flaghip Cantina de Mad Mex restaurant in the rooftop dining precinct at the Westfield shopping centre in Sydney’s Kotara.

“The key word is fun,” says Young. “Our customers want somewhere fun where they can take

When was the business established? January 2007 Number of locations? 63 stores Australia wide and nine in New Zealand.

Number of staff members?

990 Most valuable asset in the business? The very loyal customers that love the fun and healthy Mad Mex product and experience.

Plans for 2016? Continue to have steady growth in Australia and New Zealand.

Also, now that Cantina de Mad Mex has launched, we are hoping to expand to five more locations in 2016-17.

On top of that, expansion into the international market will be a big focus.

their families and Dad can have a margarita, Mum can have a glass of wine, the kids can have crispy tacos ... and they can hang out and have a solid meal for 45 minutes then go see a movie.

“Mad Mex is perfectly geared to doing $6,000 worth of burritos in a two and a half hour period in

There are a number of lessons that independent owner-operators can take from successful franchise models like Mad Mex. The most important one, Young says, is to ensure that your existing outlet(s) can survive without you.

“If you go from one to two stores, or two to three, you need to be able to - with a very high degree of confidence - know that the first one or two can operate at [a performance of] about 85 percent without you. So if you haven’t built your existing business to the point where it’s reasonably self sustainable with a good management team, then doubling or tripling will be hard.”

When the first Mad Mex store opened, the company had a policy of cooking everything in-house, but by the time the third outlet was launching the more complicated elements of various meals were being prepared at a central cooking site. It also invested $30,000 in an online training platform to ensure consistency in regards to both service and food preparation.

“It’s about trying to figure out the key systems that need to be in place ... to allow you to make that leap and be able to focus on things that will determine your success.

“Everyone talks about the importance of people, and without a doubt people are the most important thing, but people can only be successful if the systems that support them are right.” n

best practice

Get a life!

More often than not, hospitality is a seven day operation. It’s not just a business; it's a lifestyle.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t strike some sort of balance. Ken Burgin shares some pointers.

Have a life and a business. It works fine if you have a Monday to Friday café in a business area or the CBD. But if you’re part of the raging weekend cafe market, Saturdays and Sundays are top earners – they can’t be neglected. Maybe you can’t have office hours like your corporate friends, but there’s a lot you can do to have more time away from your business, and still have control of its operation.

1. BUILD YOUR REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEMS

Modern POS systems are designed to share information in the cloud, which gives you access from your phone, iPad or PC. They can also be set up with email or SMS alerts to zap you with the final sales or variations that indicate problems (like a fridge motor that’s failed). Surveillance cameras are inexpensive and can give a view of anywhere in the business – the till, the spirit shelves, the front door and the storeroom.

There’s a whole industry based around remote control monitoring.

2. DELEGATE COUNTING AND REPORTING TASKS

Now that online bookkeeping, rostering, reporting and communication are so well established, you can have a skilled helper doing the bookwork, checking invoices and making phone calls from anywhere. It might be a relative or a virtual assistant working from their home office.

Google ‘virtual office assistant in Australia’ and see the choices – basically, you get an admin assistant without the need to provide a desk. Tedious office jobs are often the ones that suck up your recreation time.

3. GOOD SYSTEMS HELP STAFF DO A GREAT JOB

Amazing people are hard to find, and they usually have a job already. Once you systemise your business with easy-to-follow startup lists, ordering sheets, cleaning rosters, recipe cards and manager checklists, it’s much easier for everyday employees to perform well. Get these forms onto an iPad

or PC, so you watch the input from somewhere else. You can be out of the building and still in control.

4. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY

Sometimes it takes an outsider to cast a cool, critical eye over the crazy, complex menu you’ve created, or the eccentric way the counter is set up. The flavour, the smiles and consistency are the things that matter – most menus could be cut by 20 percent and noone would notice.

5. BUILD SALES SO YOU CAN AFFORD BETTER STAFF The place that is the cheapest on the strip usually has all of the owner’s family there, all the time. That’s not what you want.

If there’s a price-war on, don’t join it. I recently spent a week in a tourist town south of Sydney and it was depressing how 95 percent of the cafés were selling the same-old food with the same sloppy service and mediocre coffee. And the business owners were running the show. There

were two places doing a great job, and no obvious sign of an owner in attendance. Good staff need to be paid more, and if you’ve cut profits to the bone, you probably can’t afford them.

6. EMPLOY STAFF WHO WANT WEEKENDS

There are plenty of people wanting part-time work, and they’re increasingly aware they should be paid more on Saturdays and Sundays. Once you have the good systems and monitoring in place, the weekend team can be as strong as it is when you’re around.

Watch the numbers and give regular feedback. Remember the saying ‘When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the improvement accelerates.’ The weekend team needs its own care and attention – they can do a great job even if you’re at the beach. n Ken Burgin is owner of Profitable Hospitality. profitablehospitality.com March 2016 Hospitality 15

A delicious Chef, restaurateur, and mentor Damien Pignolet muses about his past, present and future in Australia’s culinary scene, writes Aoife Boothroyd.

A

life

household name in the Australian restaurant industry, Damien Pignolet is a man that needs no introduction.

Along with running 11 successful venues and driving the evolution of the Sydney pub dining scene, Pignolet was the co-founder of one of the nation’s most coveted competitions for young chefs, the Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year award. The award celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and boasts a stellar alumni including Mark Best (Marque), Mitch Orr (ACME) and Phil Wood (Rockpool).

After a number of years in consulting, 2016 has seen Pignolet return to the kitchen, taking on the executive chef role at Rose Bay fine diner, Regatta. Speaking with Hospitality, Pignolet shares his experiences from the past, and excitement about the future of Australia’s culinary landscape.

“Going back to the 70s was when the revolution – as I call it – began both in Sydney and Melbourne, with Adelaide following a little later. In Sydney it was Gay and Tony Bilson at Berow-

16 Hospitality March 2016

cover story

ra Waters Inn, and in Melbourne it was Stephanie Alexander in her restaurant Stephanie’s in North Carlton. Both restaurants were doing amazing food that was so far away from the prices that were being charged by other establishments. The apprenticeships at the time were very broad too, meaning that young people could become very good chefs and support the growing industry. The movement of the press in magazines and newspapers at the time was also encouraging, but most particularly, it was when chefs started writing books. That really fuelled the excitement in the industry.

“At that point there was still a good intake of people doing apprenticeships but the pay was appalling. I remember in the early days at the bistro (Bistro Moncur) I had one really talented young boy working for me. The week before he was about to qualify, I asked him if he was going to stay on with me and he said “Chef, I’d love to but the money is just not good enough. I can earn more money in a surf shop.” It brought tears to my eyes.

And today, there are less and less apprentices coming into the market so it’s really difficult to secure good staff, but for chefs that are really talented, they now have an opportunity to get really good money because there is a such demand.”

PUB DINING REDEFINED

As the pioneering force behind the evolution of pub dining in Sydney, we have much to thank Pignolet for. A number of years after purchasing Woollahra fine diner Claudes with his late wife Josephine, Pignolet went into

partnership with Ron White and purchased the Woollahra Hotel. It was here that Pignolet revolutionised pub dining in Sydney by creating Bistro Moncur. The venue was the first real ‘’gastro pub’ of its kind, offering refined bistro food that was an immediate hit amongst diners. The venue quickly became an eastern suburbs icon and it was at Bistro Moncur that Pignolet mentored talented head chefs including Colin Holt, Jason Roberts and Michael Morrison.

“What we achieved at Bistro Moncur was beyond anything that I could have ever imagined,” says Pignolet. “I thought we would do maybe 800 covers a week; we were doing 1,800 covers per week. It was completely out of control because no one had really done anything quite like it. The predecessor in casual dining was Bayswater Brasserie, but nobody did it like we did. We had tablecloths, the food was genuine and had incredible style. The place looked terrific and was launched just out of the recession.

It just exploded.”

Although Pignolet sold the Woollahra Hotel back in 2011, following the death of White, the legacy of what the pair started lives on today in esteemed, quality pub offerings like that of The Imperial in Paddington, The Botany View Hotel in Newtown, The Riverview Hotel Balmain and Merivale’s The Paddington, just to name a few.

After a number of years in consulting, 2016 has seen Pignolet return to the kitchen, taking on the executive chef role at Rose Bay fine diner, Regatta.

March 2016 Hospitality 17

cover story

ABOVE: Scallop souffle at Regatta RIGHT: Pignolet with front of house manager, Peter Neil

RIGHT: Roast king salmon fillet on a potato and eschalot gratin, with chunky anchovy butter

A NEW CHAPTER

Pignolet’s new role as executive chef at Rose Bay institution Regatta, which launched in 2014, marks a return to his fine dining roots. The menu stays true to the venue’s seafood focus, but with the addition of Pignolet’s French flair, reflected in dishes such as double lamb cutlets with onion soubise, crispy chat potatoes and French-style peas; the roast king salmon fillet on a potato and eschalot gratin with chunky anchovy butter; and the slow cooked free range chicken breast with tarragon and garlic cloves.

Pignolet says his team at Regatta is one of the best he's ever worked wih. “The front of house team was already here and is run by my colleague Peter Neil. The kitchen is 18-strong with two from the previous team.”

After successfully running 11 venues, it’s safe to say that Pignolet knows a thing or two about how to conduct a good service. The hard part of course is maintaining energy both in the kitchen and front of house, day in and day out.

“After a few services you really get to fine tune everything to look the way you want it to look, and to taste the way you want it to taste, but the most important thing about a restaurant is the way a customer feels as they approach the building.

The restaurant needs to have a feeling of hospitality and people need to feel comfortable. Then when a customer walks in, the most incredibly important thing is acknowledgement.”

Once the diner is greeted with warmth and positivity, shown to their table, and presented with a menu and wine list, Pignolet stresses that the quality of service must be maintained throughout the whole dining experience.

A stellar career...

Josephine is tragically killed in a car accident which also leaves Pignolet seriously injured. He is unable to cook at Claudes so enlists the help of Colin Holt and Tim Pak Poyl.

Pignolet is appointed exec chef of Pavillion on the Park. He's also coowner at Butlers and The Old Bank.

1978 Pignolet and his wife, Josephine, purchase Claudes in Woollahra.

1981

1987

1992

Pignolet goes into partnership with Ron White and purchases the Woollahra Hotel, where Bistro Moncur is born. The pair also purchase The Sackville Hotel.

18 Hospitality March 2016

1993 Tim Pak Poyl purchases Claudes off Pignolet.

“If something is wrong, how you go about rectifying the situation is important. By saying ‘Oh, we’ll just take it off the bill,’ - that doesn’t solve the problem at all... Some may see a situation as negative, but if it’s properly handled it’s not a negative at all – it’s a positive. And finally and absolutely importantly, when the diner wants the bill, they get the bill. It must be handled correctly and positively.

“In terms of the kitchen, the two most important people are number one, the dishwasher, and number two, the head chef.

If a kitchen isn’t kept clean, if the dishes aren’t washed quickly enough, if the place isn’t kept in order, you don’t have a kitchen.

“That’s what you’ve got to do to make a service work and as far as I’m concerned, that only works if the people that are providing the service, either in the kitchen or on the floor, have one desire: to make the customer happy.” n

White and Pignolet purchase The Bellevue Hotel in Paddington.

2005

2008

Pignolet becomes co-owner of the Cleopatra Restaurant and Guesthouse in Blackheath.

The Woollahra and Bellevue hotels are sold and Pignolet goes into consulting full time.

2011

2015

Pignolet joins Regatta as exec chef

MONDAY 21 MARCH 2016 Venue: Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND “The summit is a great opportunity to be in a room with so many of the industry’s leaders. We’re looking forward to picking the brains and learning from some of the best and most experienced people out there.”

Guy Greenstone, The Local Taphouse

“With our ever-changing landscape, the summit represents an opportunity to come together as an industry to discuss opportunities and challenges.”

Justine Baker, Solotel

“I’m looking forward to attending the Pub Leaders Summit to gather information on trends and ideas which I can take back to my hotel and implement. I am also keen to share my own ideas and bounce them off industry leaders. There really is no other format like it.”

Brett Strauss, Chippendale Hotel

ALL THOSE WORKING IN HOSPITALITY ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Take advantage of our earlybird savings ($195 + GST) when you purchase tickets before February 20!

After February 20 regular ticket prices are $295 + GST.

REGISTER NOW AT WWW.PUBLEADERS.COM.AU

finefood

Success in the Sunshine State Fine Food Queensland represents an opportunity for savvy operators to track down the people and products that can deliver the best returns for their business.

Talking Food Stage Industry leaders will share their experiences and knowledge on how to best grow a foodservice business and achieve success. All sessions are free to attend, and while an up-to-date program will be published on Fine Food’s website closer to the event, here’s what’s been confirmed so far.

SUNDAY 10 APRIL Loyalty programs – what’s the point? Adam Posner, CEO of Directivity Taking on the giants – health grocers doing well: Mike Shanley, owner of Fundies Wholefoods Making your business sustainable: Andy Buchanan & Alejandro Cucino, coowners of Urbane Restaurant

ueensland’s hospitality industry is one of the strongest in the country.

There’s a steady stream of new concepts opening up across the state, and existing operators are displaying their confidence in the sector by growing their portfolio and juggling a number of successful outlets at once.

But that doesn’t mean there’s room for complacency. When times are good, there’s still plenty to learn and countless opportunities for growth. Fine Food Queensland - the state’s biggest food trade event - is returning in 2016 with a fresh face and a program designed specifically for the local market.

Organised by Diversified Communications, the show aims to provide visitors with access to both local and national foodservice experts, as well as new products and innovations, and a host of events which will discuss industry issues and best practice.

The 2016 event has been designed to maximise opportunities for companies to do business on the show floor, as well as stay ahead of industry trends from around the state, country and the world.

Event director Minnie Constan says, “We’ve listened to what people want from this show, and we’ve reinvigorated it as a result. The show has a fresh feel, which is a perfect match for our focus on fresh, healthy food and eating. From direct access to the state’s best growers at Fresh Produce Lane to the experts at Talking Food Stage who will be translating international trends into Queensland’s local needs, Fine Food Queensland provides access to all facets of the industry under one roof. It’s the perfect opportunity for those in foodservice and hospitality to learn, network and grow their businesses.”

20 Hospitality March 2016

AUSTRALIAN CULINARY CHALLENGE REGIONAL COMPETITION

The 2016 Australian Culinary Challenge Regional Competition, held on the show floor, will see chefs, trainees and apprentices pit their skills against each other and the clock, competing for a share of cash and prizes.

Categories include: ■■ Most Outstanding Regional Chef ■■ Most Outstanding Regional Apprentice/Trainee Chef ■■ Most Outstanding Regional Pastry Chef ■■ Most Outstanding Regional Pastry Apprentice/ Trainee

WORLD’S RICHEST BARISTA COMPETITION

Designed to reproduce the pressure of working in the world’s best and busiest espresso bars, this competition will see teams of baristas from around the globe battle it out on stage while maintaining the three elements of a café experience that are most important to consumers: fast service, excellent presentation and of course a quality product.

With $50,000 up for grabs, the competition will take place on the show floor and will run over the course of Fine Food Queensland.

FRESH PRODUCE LANE

Presented by the Brisbane Produce Market, the Fresh Produce Lane will bring together the best growers and providores that Brisbane has to offer in one dedicated space. Visitors can discover what’s new from the state’s growers and gourmet food suppliers as they wander through the Lane, checking out seasonal displays and new products which will no doubt inspire tomorrow’s menus. n

MONDAY 11 APRIL Coffee – Liquid Gold: Wayne Fowler, director of The Coffee Economist Incorporating lifestyle trends into your business: Madeline Bliss and Sofie Van Kempen, Pressed Juices; Ian Henderson, Primal Pantry Property aspects of independent retailers: Vicki Keast, BD manager of Metcash Attracting and retaining the right staff: Ken Burgin, CEO of Profitable Hospitality How to increase your online social profile – top trends across Australia: Tony Percucco, owner and head chef of Tartfuto; Ramon Olsen, owner of Xalo TUESDAY 12 APRIL Will insects feed the world?

Skye Blackburn, Edible Bug Shop Big data and technology applications – why they are critical to business success: Dave Malcolm, Marley Spoon

The details...

When: 10 – 12 April, 2016 Sunday & Monday, 10am – 5pm Tuesday, 10am – 3pm Where: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Info: finefoodqueensland.com.au

Fine Food Queensland is strictly a trade only event.

March 2016 Hospitality 21

chips

Reinventing the

chip While it’s hard to go past a fresh batch of perfectly fried chips, a little sprucing up of the classic side can go a long way on a menu, writes Aoife Boothroyd.

22 Hospitality March 2016

Electrolux E-Chef, ensures perfectly repeatable cooking results!

I

f there’s one menu staple that’s stood the test of time, it’s the humble chip. Laborious methods of perfecting these delicious bite-sized morsels have been well documented by world-class chefs – most famously Heston Blumenthal - but what if you just want to add a little something extra to your chips without going so far as to triple cook them in duck fat? What if you could add value to them by simply using ingredients that you already have in your kitchen?

Greek street food purveyor, Zeus Street Greek uses a number of different flavours when serving its chips. From traditional Greek Yiros to fries topped with feta and oregano, Zeus’ creative interpretations of the deep fried potato are loved by diners in both Sydney and Brisbane.

“We try to go to the origins of Greek dishes and that’s where you have the feta and chips. It’s more of a wintery sort of comfort food,” says Zeus co-founder, Peter Augoustis.

“We’ve all been through stages where we’ve stacked crisps in sandwiches, so Yiros being part of our menu isn’t too intimidating. It’s also in line with the Greek street concept - it’s similar to what you’d get if you go to the streets of Athens and order a proper Yiros. We are releasing a new menu in the middle of March as well, with two new products that also incorporate chips due to popular demand. We’re starting to use some piccalilli mustard, and we’re also doing a wagyu beef kefta with chips, so there’s some interesting stuff coming out.

My job as director of product is to monitor what people like and what they don’t like and create a menu that represents that. These kind of products really work and I’ve got the numbers to prove it.”

Augoustis is so confident in the popularity of Zeus’ chips that he’s willing to going out on a limb, replacing the existing product with that of ‘Yia Yia’s’ chips - Yia Yia being Greek for grandmother.

“So we’ve actually mass produced our chips to be cut in the exact way that Yia Yia made chips at home. It’s a tedious process. You have to custom-make templates and blades that fit into potato cutting machines. Going to the factories and developing these kinds of things is one of the most enjoyable parts of the job for me. In March, we’ll be revamping all our chips to be exactly hand cut like Yia Yia’s chips."

“My job is to monitor what people like and what they don’t like and create a menu that represents that. These kind of products really work" THE ULTIMATE: CHIPS AND GRAVY

Poutine is the Rolls Royce when it comes to chips and gravy. With its roots in French-Canadian cooking, the decadent dish of chips, gravy and cheese curds has taken on many different forms, and one of Australia’s most popular interpretations is served at Sydney’s Hartsyard.

Comprising beef shin meat, smoked tomatoes, seasonal potatoes and cheddar beer sauce, Hartsyard’s poutine is one of the venue’s best-selling dishes, and has been since the venue first opened its doors in 2012.

“There are thousands of variations of poutine but I think ours is great because it’s consistent,” says Gregory Llewellyn, head chef and co-owner of Hartsyard. “Parts of the recipe are smoked, lots of steps go into making the gravy, and the meat is salted for 24 hours. It’s roasted, it’s braised with vinegar and tomatoes that have also been smoked and then a bouillon of beef neck stock is added. That’s made two days before so it’s quite lengthy in process but quite simple as well. Lots of steps go into making it the way it is.”

Llewellyn says that Hartsyard’s poutine has evolved quite a bit since the venue launched, specifically in relation to the cuts of meat used to make the beef gravy.

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March 2016 Hospitality 23

chips

A selection from Lord of the Fries

Hartsyard's poutine

“It used to be beef oxtail but now it’s shin meat. It’s less fickle, the flavour’s better and we’re using David Blackmore wagyu shin meat which is quite beautiful. We also used to do a hand cut beef chilli poutine with cheddar and jalapeno hot sauce.

“We still get Canadians whinging that it’s not proper, but we are starting to make our own cheese curds.”

A UNIQUE TRADITION

Somewhat akin to Australia’s late-night kebab institutions, the streets of London and Glasgow are filled with vendors offering chips and curry at all-hours. While it might be a favourite amongst late night revellers, curry and chips actually has its roots in classic British fish n’ chippers, and British expat, Adrian Warner of Chumley Warners decided to recreate this in Brisbane back in 2009.

“I was a chef back in the UK and I thought that I wasn’t going to cook commercially when I moved to Australia but everyone kept asking me about traditional British fish and chips. It was the one thing that people from the UK said they missed the most, so over time, I thought, ‘there’s a hell of a demand for this, let’s see if we can actually do it.’”

Warner imported the majority of his kitchen kit from the UK in order to create the most authentic offering possible. This included a rumbler, which is capable of peeling 25kg of potatoes every 40 seconds, and a chipper that cuts a 14mm chip at the same rate.

ElagPochetta Designs Flyer A4.pdf

ElagPochetta Designs Flyer A4.pdf

1

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• MARKETING – a fabulous marketing tool with unlimited opportunities.

• BE UNIQUE – make a difference to your business. Design your own pouch or choose one of our stylish designs and add a decorative touch to your venue.

ELAG Australia

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info@elagaustralia.com | www.elaggroup.com 24 Hospitality March 2016

At Chumley Warners, you’ll find cheesy chips with pour over curry sauce; chips with mashy peas; and chips with gravy, all of which can be topped with “battered bits, fish bits and scrimps”, otherwise known as leftover crispy batter from the fryer.

“The curry sauce is not like an Indian curry, it’s specifically designed for the British chip shop trade,” says Warner. “It’s very mild, it hasn’t got much spice to it at all but you can taste the turmeric and the cumin in it. Chips and curry sauce is just the best thing ever.”

One important thing to note, however, is that the texture of British stylechips differs quite significantly to what Australians are used to, and initially Chumley Warners' chips didn’t go down so well with the locals.

“For someone who hasn’t been to England, trying that product for the first time is one of the major issues. They say, ‘I don’t get on with the chips very well’ and that’s because they are a softer chip.

“Being a fresh chip, our product is made with potatoes that are around 96 percent water, so they are never going to be really crispy. All we do is skin the potato, chip it and fry it, we don’t freeze dry them, which is actually how you get a crispy chip. But being a softer chip, they soak with the vinegar and sauces really well.”

JUST ADD SAUCE

As the name suggests, Melbourne’s Lord of the Fries has become quite the institution when it comes to chips. Starting out as a food truck on the festival circuit in the mid-2000s, the business has since moved to a bricksand-mortar business model with stores across Sydney and Melbourne, and plans to open in Perth in the not-too-distant future.

Following a year of late night snack excursions in Taiwan in early 2004, co-founder of Lord of the Fries, Mark Koronczyk, says that he and his wife and fellow co-founder Amanda Koronczyk, had a desire to create the perfect French fry and pair it with sauces inspired by international flavours.

“At the moment, we have 13 sauces on offer,” says Koronczyk. “From six classic flavours such as American (Southern BBQ sauce), to six deluxe flavours including French Canadian (shredded vegetarian cheese and hot gravy – a la poutine), with a special limited edition Sauce of the Month to change things up. This month’s Sauce of the Month is Green Peppercorn Dip, which takes inspiration from the classic French bistro steak frites.

We love introducing new limited time only sauces each month; we find it keeps the menu fresh and it’s a great experiment for future permanent menu fixtures.”

Koronczyk says that he’s seeing growing demand from consumer for fries served with unique toppings.

“We are always trying to think of new sauces and toppings to make our fries stand out. Our sauces are inspired by flavours around the world that we have experienced on our travels. We’d like to think we have something to do with the demand for fry toppings, but it also lends itself to the trend towards American cuisine that is sweeping our nation – Americans know how to top their sides. Our focus is to take it to the next level at Lord of the Fries. Our fries are the hero of our menu and so we should have the sauces to dress them up accordingly.” n

shelf space

Pineapple cider

Bear Essentials has created Pineapple Cider, made with 100 percent fruit juice from Queensland pineapples. Due to the sweetness of the fruit, the cider is made from fermented pineapples only, with no added cane sugar. It also contains no preservatives, no sulfates and has been fully pasteurised. The cider comes in 275mL bottles and has an 8% ABV. pineapplecider.com.au

MKN’s FlexiCombi Team

The FlexiCombi Team has two cooking chambers which can operate two separate cooking modes simultaneously. The appliance is operated using the MagicPilot touch control and the touch screens for both cooking chambers are situated at eye level in the upper part of the appliance.

The FlexiCombi Team is available in various model versions and equipped with features such as the automatic WaveClean cleaning system or the FlexiRack capacity concept. phoeniks.com.au

Barakat Juices

Sim Fresh is distributing 26 Barakat juice flavours for hoteliers, restaurateurs and cafes, including the 100 percent freshly squeezed mandarin juice, black grape juice and beetroot orange juice. Other flavours include kiwi mint lemonade, pomegranate, strawberry, watermelon, orange, apple and carrot. The juices will be distributed frozen, and are available in 1 litre volumes with a range of other sizes available. All juices can be stored for up to six months. simonettagroup.com.au

The Syracuse China Slenda Verve collection

Libbey Foodservice has released its Syracuse China Slenda Verve collection. The Slenda Verve tea service and trays are part of the Royal Rideau collection, providing mix and match options with six other Syracuse China patterns. The design of the Slenda Verve teapot, sugar pot and creamer bring an upscale and chic vibe to polished casual dining. The range also includes a 23 oz. teapot with lid, as well as a large oval tray, with a distinctive sloping effect, providing chefs a wide surface area for plating foods to accompany the tea service. foodservice.libbey.com

For the diary Upcoming events in the hospitality industry. Find out more at hospitality magazine.com.au

Canberra Craft Beer & Cider Festival

19 March, 11am – 6pm The festival will be staged in the gardens of the heritage Mercure Canberra in Braddon and will feature breweries from across Australia along with live bands, food and family entertainment. canberrabeerfest.com.au

Pub Leaders’ Summit

21 March With speakers including chef Matt Kemp and Jaime Wirth

of the Drink N Dine Group, the conference will cover a variety of topics including the pub food revolution, social media marketing and how to manage multiple sites. publeaders.com.au

Aussie Wine Month 2016

1-31 May Aussie Wine Month encourages consumers and industry to discover something new about Australian wine. Now in its fifth year, the month long campaign

will see events taking place in wine regions and city locations around the country. australia.com

Foodservice Australia

22-24 May This year’s show will include a new patisserie competition and a Foodservice Conference on the show floor as well as regular favourites including the Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year and the Global Pizza Challenge. foodserviceaustralia.com.au March 2016 Hospitality 25

5 minutes with

David Hall – head chef, Pure South Pure South Dining might be located in Melbourne’s Southbank, but it calls the Apple Isle home.

Since it swung open the doors 11 years ago, it’s had a steadfast commitment to producers from Tasmania, King Island and Flinders Island.

I

became a chef because when I was a child, I was around food all the time. My father was a chef and every night we had a home cooked meal which I always helped out with, so I fell in love with food from an early age.

I decided to come to Australia when my partner Aimee told me we were going! Well, that’s sort of true. We had always planned to travel and we both decided Australia was the place to go. I had heard a lot about restaurants in Australia and there seemed to be some exciting things happening.

So after 10 months of travelling through Africa, India, China and south east Asia we arrived here and have loved it ever since.

Pure South is in Melbourne but we’re all about Tassie. That’s because I believe it has some of the best produce in the world. At Pure South I get to work with some of the best fish, meat and dairy on a daily basis. It all comes from independent farmers and artisans and I love the personal relationships that Pure South has with these suppliers, which have been built up over a number of years. Having recently visited Tasmania I felt it to be a lot like back home in Scotland and I believe the produce is of the same quality. They also have some great whisky which is good for a Scotsman!

I’m loving the fruit that we’ve been getting from Tasmania lately. We’ve been getting some of the best plums I have ever eaten! On any given day we’ll get a call from a small producer offering us three kilos of josterberries, for example, which is something I had never heard of. It’s then exciting for us to come up with dishes that get the best from that ingredient.

Diners are really starting to take notice of provenance. Even at the local markets I’ve noticed customers asking the butcher what breed the pork is and what farm it’s from. That’s one thing that’s great about Pure South ... because of our close relationships with producers, we know a lot about our food - from the breed of the pigs to the waters the octopus is caught in. n 26 Hospitality March 2016

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