Hospitality May 2022

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NO.783 MAY 2022

TARTARE • CRÈME CARAMEL • JAPANESE KNIVES • DYLAN CASHMAN

CONTENTS // May

Contents MAY 2022

26

Regulars 8 // IN FOCUS Civico 47 has a fresh outlook when it comes to local dining.

12 // NEWS The latest openings, books, events and more.

14 // PRODUCE Thai basil is a staple ingredient across South-East Asia.

16 // COLUMN Food and travel writer Sylvie Bigar on her French culinary journey.

20 // BEST PRACTICE A sustainable business requires a holistic approach.

4 | Hospitality

56

22 // BAR CART Thirst quenchers, slow sippers and all things beverage related.

26 // DRINKS Australia’s first soju brand: Gyopo.

30 // PROFILE Chef Dylan Cashman on opening The Blue Door and collaborating with local farmers.

70

Features 40 // KNIVES Discover the difference of Japanese knives.

50 // SAGANAKI The mezze dish starts with choosing the right type of cheese.

78 // EQUIPMENT An oyster knife makes shucking a breeze.

56 // TARTARE Steak tartare is the original, but chefs are diversifying when it comes to proteins.

80 // 5 MINUTES WITH …

Monopole’s Head Sommelier Zoe Brunton.

62 // CRÈME CARAMEL The self-saucing dessert is a global staple.

70 // WOMEN IN LIQUOR A profile series on the women shaking up the industry.

Is Your Council Composting?

Tackle Climate Change

By Composting

Compost Connect has joined forces with compostable packaging supplier BioPak and has released brand new data detailing what types of residential composting is offered across Australia.

Head to our website to find out if your council is composting and what they accept in your green/ FOGO bin. If your council is not composting, sign our petition to let them know it’s important to you. We can all make a difference and reduce our carbon emissions by composting organic waste and compostable packaging.

compostconnect.org

EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello

Social

Keep up with the Hospitality team

ALL ON THE TABLE Enmore’s Cairo Takeaway delivers variety with a plate of pickles, dips, kofta and more. @aristinedob

A word from the editor

BLINK AND YOU’LL MISS IT Supernormal’s Bar Paradox pop-up combined cocktails with a stellar snacks menu. @hospitalitymagazine

IF YOU HAPPEN to be reading this at the

exclusively) with New South Wales ingredients

Hospitality Leaders Summit — welcome!

at his Surry Hills restaurant The Blue Door.

And if it’s before 23 May, tickets are still on

We also chart the story behind Australia’s

sale. Hospitality is thrilled to host the event

first soju distillery Gyopo, which is run by

for the first time since 2019. I hope you enjoy

three siblings who are changing the liquor

coming together with industry peers once

landscape for good.

again and find the day to be a positive learning experience.

There are also features on crème caramel, saganaki and what makes Japanese knives

Our May issue has been supersized and

some of the most essential tools in the kitchen.

sees Ken Burgin pen a piece on building a sustainable business, a look at one of my

Until next time,

favourite herbs — Thai basil — and a profile

Annabelle Cloros

on Dylan Cashman, who is working (almost

Editor

LONG LUNCH Highly recommend the bug pasta at the ultra-luxe Ursula’s in Paddington. @annabellecloros

Follow us @hospitalitymagazine #hospitalitymagazine

PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Annabelle Cloros T: 02 8586 6226 acloros@intermedia.com.au JOURNALIST Aristine Dobson 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

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6 | Hospitality

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IN FOCUS // Civico 47

Local

approach Civico 47 is ushering in a new era for an iconic Sydney dining destination.

WORDS Annabelle Cloros PHOTOGRAPHY Steven Woodburn

IT’S NOT EASY being the new kid on the

house number in Italian,” says Matteo

And it involves taking a pared-

into the shoes of a legend. Lucio’s Italian

like a house, and we wanted to create an

culinary direction. “We’re trying to do

block, especially when you’re stepping

Restaurant in Sydney’s Paddington operated for close to 40 years before it bowed out

of the dining scene, with many wondering what would open in its place. The answer

is Civico 47, an Italian eatery that’s taking a casual yet refined approach to local dining.

Hospitality speaks to Executive Chef

Matteo Zamboni about designing a menu

that takes an umbrella approach to Italian cookery and why a pasta dish with bok choy is stirring up plenty of interest.

They say it’s all in the name, and Civico 47 is not only a nod to the restaurant’s location on 47 Windsor Street, but the

concept’s overall ethos, too. “Civico means 8 | Hospitality

Zamboni. “The building looks so much

experience where people feel like they are going to a friend’s place to have simple and beautiful food.”

The Italian-born executive chef is

leading the kitchen after time at Michelinstar restaurants in his home country and Japan as well as stints at Ormeggio, Pilu and Jonah’s in Sydney. Civico’s General

Manager Andrew Donaghy reached out

to Zamboni with the opportunity to take on the role. “I worked with the general manager before and I knew the people

who were opening the restaurant,” says

back approach when it comes to the

uncomplicated food that is refined with a level of sophistication, but instead of

combinations of flavours or techniques, we’re putting attention to detail into

presentation and even the crockery, which was carefully selected as we wanted to

keep the food very simple,” says Zamboni. “[Simplicity] is what people enjoy most, especially during a time where we’re

coming out of the pandemic. We want

guests to come in, enjoy and forget about what’s happening outside.”

Civico’s menu is split into starters/

the chef. “We are doing Italian food, but

snacks, entrées, pastas, mains, sides and

did; we are humbly going our own way.”

Northern and Southern Italian traditions.

we don’t want to replicate what Lucio’s

desserts, with dishes influenced by both

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IN FOCUS // Civico 47 “It’s more general; there’s no particular region we follow,” says

Zamboni. “We aren’t necessarily inspired by tradition; we just look at the dishes we like.”

The chef recommends beginning a meal at Civico with house

focaccia served with a generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil plus eggplant and miso croquettes; both of which have been popular

with diners. “Everyone should start with a snack,” says Zamboni.

“We don’t particularly encourage people to share, but they can when it comes to the entrées and pasta dishes before getting their own main if they want.”

Beef carpaccio with rocket, macadamia, vincotto and Brussel

sprouts has proven to be a runaway hit; the burratina with

salsa al basilico and confit tomato is another must-order dish.

Zamboni veers away from ‘tradition’ in some dishes more than others. Ravioli with burnt leek, capsicum and black garlic is

a stellar example along with mafalde with king prawns, bok

choy and tomato. “The dish is made with a prawn bisque and it has tomato, garlic oil and chilli; quite classic Southern Italian

flavours,” says the chef. “The bok choy has a bitter flavour that

marries well with the prawn bisque and tomato, which is sweet and acidic, so it’s a nice contrast. Cooking in Japan was a big

learning curve, and there are some ingredients I worked with during my time there that I use now when they marry with Italian ingredients.”

Mains revolve around proteins including wild-caught market fish

fillet with caper sauce; chuck tail flap with shishito peppers, celery

and dates; lamb rump with leek, linseed and desert lime and whole market fish with orange and saffron emulsion. As for desserts, Hospitality tips the chocolate and coffee bundino with orange

caramel as the winner. While Zambino also names the dish as his

go-to, “The burnt butter and sage milk gelato with Davidson plum and rhubarb is lighter and more unique,” he says.

Civico 47 has been open for just over a month, but it’s already

made itself right at home. “The restaurant is in the heart of the

neighbourhood and the feedback has been positive so far,” says

Zamboni. “I think people were curious as to what would replace Lucio’s and were looking forward to something new.” ■ 10 | Hospitality

NEWS // Entrée

Entrée

The latest openings, books, events and more.

EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

London calling The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards is returning to London for the first time since 2015. The ceremony will be held in Old Billingsgate, with a range of events hosted across the city including a Chef’s Feast and 50 Best Talks. 2022 also marks the launch of a new series that will see London chefs and visiting talent team up to create one-off dining experiences. “We can’t wait to bring the global gastronomic community back together in full once again as well as share the incredible developments in London’s restaurant scene,” says Director of Content William Drew. Attendees will count down the top 50 and find out which restaurant will take the number one position from current holder Noma.

Creature comforts The Spanish Home Kitchen José Pizarro

Toby’s Estate unveils new flagship

Hardie Grant; $55

Coffee Roastery Toby’s Estate has opened the doors to a new HQ in Sydney’s

José Pizarro is behind a raft of London restaurants, and

Chippendale. The store has an enhanced coffee experience that encourages

the chef has curated more than 80 recipes in his new book

guests to observe the entire process from roasting to brewing. “The whole

The Spanish Home Kitchen: Simple, Seasonal Recipes from

space is geared towards interactions; you can sit at the bar and watch coffee

My Home. Pizarro travelled back to his mother’s town in

being made or you can take a table and talk to your waiter about the options,”

central-western Spain to rediscover the dishes and flavours

says Jack Stapelfeldt, flagship manager. The venue is serving 10 rotating coffee

he grew up with including seared squid with caramelised

options at a time along with an expanded menu of toasties, baguettes and

fennel and onion; Iberico pork shoulder in tomato sauce

pastries from Tuga. tobysestate.com.au

with zesty couscous; and migas (crumbs) with fried egg.

Some recipes have been passed down over generations, with readers sure to capture a taste of Spain.

12 | Hospitality

Autumn is in full swing, and Cutler & Co is celebrating the cooler weather with a bespoke offering until 29 May. Andrew McConnell and Head Chef Tana Rattananikom have collaborated on a menu that sees the freshest produce hit the flames. “Five-year-old live jumbo Pacific oysters are grilled to the point of just opening and brushed with beef fat mignonette; chestnuts are slow-grilled and seasoned with rosemary salt and new-season potatoes are roasted in coals and served with caviar and crème fraîche,” says Rattananikom. Head Sommelier Penny Vine has created weather-appropriate drinks including a mini Boulevardier with The Gospel’s rye whiskey and secured an allocation of the super-rare

Matteo Downtown returns to Sydney’s dining scene

Plageoles Gaillac l’Ondenc; a white wine made in southwest France. cutlerandco.com.au Photography by Jo McGann

Italian restaurant Matteo Downtown has reopened with a new executive chef at its helm. Giovanni Astolfoni is leading the kitchen and working alongside Head Chef Adam Szynankiewicz and Pastry Chef Layla Giovannoni to create a Northern Italian-centric experience. Highlights include Roman-style wood-fired pizzas made with fermented low-yeast dough, handmade pastas and traditional porchetta along with a 1.5kg tomahawk. The drinks menu includes spritzes, a selection of four Negronis and Italian spirits. matteosydney.com

Bake the day away A Good Day to Bake Benjamina Ebuehi Hardie Grant; $39.95 Benjamina Ebuehi was of The Great British

Wagyumafia arrives at The Star Sydney

Bake Off in 2016

Wagyumafia is bringing its ramen brand

and has gone on to

Mashi No Mashi to The Star Sydney this

make a name for

month. The venue’s signature 1kg Wagyujiro

herself as a cook,

will make its local debut, which sees

food stylist and

100 per cent Wagyu char siu and house

author. A Good Day

noodles served in soup and topped

to Bake is Ebuehi’s

with bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and

second book

organic Japanese garlic. Mashi No Mashi

and celebrates

uses Kobe beef sourced from the top 20

simplicity,

farmers in Japan including Muneharu

mindfulness and

Ozaki of Ozaki Beef. Wagyumafia Co-

the therapeutic

Founder and Chef Hisato Hamada says

perks that come

the opening made perfect sense. “I spent

with baking. There are more than 70

a number of my adolescent years living in

sweet and savoury recipes to make, with chapters split into ‘Herbs

Sydney, and I consider it the birthplace of

and Tea’, ‘Stone Fruit and Berries’, ‘Vegetables’, ‘Best of Beige’,

my appreciation for food,” says Hamada.

‘Spice Cupboard’ and ‘Chocolate’. Try your hand at the miso and

“It is very exciting to open the first

white chocolate cookies or perhaps the hibiscus mint granita with

international shop outside of Hong Kong

salted butter biscuits.

and the first Wagyumafia restaurant in the

in the quarter finals

Southern Hemisphere.” star.com.au

May 2022 | 13

NEWS // Entrée

Changing seasons

PRODUCE // Thai basil

High levels of vitamin A

Leaves do not wilt as fast as sweet basil

Needs regular watering

Can be frozen and stored for up to one week Infuse in vinegars, oils and teas

14 | Hospitality

PRODUCE // Thai basil

Available in most Asian grocers

Thai basil The herb is an essential ingredient in South-East Asian cookery.

WORDS Aristine Dobson Origins Thai basil is known by the scientific name O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora and is a cultivar of sweet basil. The herb is native to South-East Asia and has been selectively bred and grown for its distinctive flavour profile.

Thai basil is called káu-chàn-thah in Taiwan and is known as húng qu ế (cinnamon basil) in Vietnam, but the name can also refer to a separate type of cultivar.

Thai basil is believed to have first been cultivated in India or Asia before it spread to parts of the Mediterranean via spice routes linking eastern and western parts of the globe. It has been grown and consumed for more than 5,000 years.

Should be used quickly after harvest

Today, the herb is commonly used in Thai, Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian cookery. It is one of three types of basil used in Thai cuisine alongside holy basil and lemon basil.

Growth and harvest Thai basil is best grown in warm, tropical climates that have no frost. It is a tender and compact herb with smaller foliage than sweet basil. Although Thai basil is technically considered a perennial plant, it is usually grown as an annual and has a lifespan of up to two years.

For optimum growth, Thai basil requires enriched soil with compost and should be planted in an area that gets full sun. Regular watering of the soil is required, especially during hot, dry weather, and mulch should be added to reduce the amount of water evaporation.

Leaves should be harvested above the node by hand or with scissors; care should be taken to ensure the leaves aren’t damaged as they bruise easily.

Flavour profile and appearance The plants have long square purple stems that grow upright with matching purple flowers heads that can grow up to 4.5cm. The leaves reach between 2.5-5cm in size and are deep vibrant green in colour with serrated, jagged edges.

Thai basil can be eaten fresh or cooked and has an anise or liquorice flavour that can also be a little spicy. The herb has the ability to withstand higher cooking temperatures than sweet basil, which is why it is commonly used in stir fries and other wok dishes.

Culinary applications Thai basil is a frequent addition to red and green curries in Thailand and is an essential ingredient in drunken noodles. In Vietnamese cooking, the herb is a topping for soup noodles such as pho and bún bò Huế as well as bánh xèo. It is also the hero ingredient in Taiwanese chicken dish san bei ji (three cup chicken). ■ May 2022 | 15

COLUMN // Sylvie Bigar

Cassoulet Confessions How a simple journalistic assignment sparked a culinary obsession and transcended into a quest for identity.

WORDS Sylvie Bigar

I DIDN’T EAT cassoulet for breakfast

it comes from, how it travels from the

France extensively. Geneva lies only four

Carcassonne, and I didn’t sip red wine,

kitchen. I know you’re itching to get your

school vacations, my family would often

that first morning at the Garcias’ in

even though they all did. Yes, the kids

too. The dish played a crucial role in the family’s diet. Or perhaps it was more

bounties of the regional soil and into the

hands dirty, but I think you literally need to get your feet in our dirt first.”

I was instructed to stand at the counter,

than their diet. The chef made cassoulet

my hands thrust deep into an immense

some left over and that was that. It would

a stream of white beans, the size of beads,

three times a week and there was always

sustain, it would support. In the Aude, one of the poorest French départements, food was no entertainment. Food was life.

I had café au lait and a thick tartine,

a hefty slice of peasant bread. Laurence

cut for me. Creamy, yellow butter made

it scrumptious. For once, Garcia stayed at

the table. He’d seemed gruff on the phone when I had called from New York, but it was this very morning that I first felt he

was intrigued by my obsession and, dare I say it, touched that I was back to learn

bucket, and pick through what looked like

to remove any that were broken or stained.

They felt soft, almost like an immense

rosary. I thought I’d be done quickly, but

it took more than two hours. Every time I called him over to announce I was done, he’d find more I’d missed. My legs were

hurting, but I held on: how many hours could I stand like that without moving?

Finally, he asked me to step away and

poured the beans into a massive pot filled with water and fresh bay leaves and left

or five hours north of Provence, so for

drive south on the iconic Nationale 7, the

ancient Roman way that connects Paris to

Menton near Nice, through lavender fields and rows of cypress with elongated limbs, but the Aude landscape was completely

different. Garcia and I rode first through

lush forests of chestnut trees and venerable oaks — “Where elk and boars roam,” he said, “but you’ll never see them” — and then alongside dramatic, rocky peaks

crowned by ruins of Cathar outposts and

castles. The Cathars were a religious group that emerged in the early Middle Ages

and flourished in the Languedoc until the Catholic Church, invoking heresy, called for a deadly Crusade against them.

We turned into a small lane and got out

them to soak.

in front of a stone house with wooden

my resolve?

Back in the car, no smell of blood this time,

duck had been carved, and above the door,

softly, “it’s another to understand where

to the duck farm. I had travelled through

more. Had the pig’s head been a test of

“It’s one thing to master a dish,” he said

16 | Hospitality

we headed towards the hills on our way

doors. On each one, the naïf profile of a

a stone duck heralded the entrance. There was no mistaking where we were.

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COLUMN // Sylvie Bigar “Ducks were domesticated since Roman

times,” explained the farmer, Patrick Lauzy, as we toured the farm, “and duck confit is

blame the Americans. Without them our foie gras would be boche.”

He was using the French derogatory term

days, we didn’t use domesticated ducks for cassoulet. We shot wild partridge.”

I wasn’t even sure what a partridge was,

a crucial part of cassoulet.”

for Germans that originated during World

besides a kind of wild bird, but from his

To make duck confit, a cook salts a piece

she recounted her flight from the soldiers

of information mattered. One of the first

of duck, usually the leg, and lets it rest

overnight or longer to drain the moisture

War II, a word my mother spoke every time who had invaded her beloved country.

“Je les emmerde les Américains,” (f**k

out before cooking it in its own fat. The leg

the Americans) said Lauzy.

jar. This may sound utterly disgusting, even

Were we going to be thrown out from the

even healthy (more on fat later). Through-

Occitan and I strolled ahead, as if this debate

is then preserved in yet more fat in a glass

inedible to some, but it is both delicious and out the southwest of France, the best

chunks of pork, goose, rabbits and game

are confit and installed into prized cans and glass jars — a far cry from spam!

It had started to rain as we left the

house and walked towards the forest, the

duck farm too? But Garcia started barking in did not concern me one bit. Soaked and

muddy, I approached the immense fenced-in

was a child.

“It’s the Americans’ fault,” said Lauzy.

“What do you mean?” asked Garcia. “With the foie gras.”

“What about the foie gras?”

“They say it hurts the animals, ha!” said

Lauzy. “Can you imagine?” “Well, it can’t be pleasant,” I said.

Garcia shot me a dark look.

“Anyway, Lauzy,” he said, “let’s not 18 | Hospitality

Le Cuisinier François (The French Cook),

fresh herbs were introduced for the first time, replacing the exotic spices of the

medieval times. “That’s when cooks started

appreciating the flavour of the ingredients.”

Side by side, we cleaned and prepped

days, really — all the simmering, skimming,

I remained silent on the way back,

harboured few opinions about food. While

the world of duck had changed since he

Pierre de la Varenne. In his early cookbook,

be transformed into carnal delicacies.

lives, blissfully unaware that they would soon

he couldn’t believe I had shown up so

story of the five-generation farm and how

explained, and was written by François

veal and beef bones, vegetables and a

remembering that my father, who always

unprepared. I acquiesced as Lauzy told the

recipes for partridge dates from 1651, he

area where dozens of ducks led their peaceful

path quickly flowing into mud.

“You need boots,” said Garcia, as if

secretive attitude it was clear that this piece

said he ate to live and didn’t live to eat, his parents were notorious bon vivants,

towering bouquet garni. Hours later —

and praying would create what chefs call

‘stock’ — the broth that serves as the base for most French sauces, and is crucial in the making of cassoulet.

“There were tons of partridge in the

enjoying white wine or champagne with

vineyards in the old times,” he continued,

meats, and often visiting Michelin-rated

a bit tough, we had to stew them slowly.”

their appetisers, then noted reds with the restaurants, my father didn’t seem to care what he was served. Then it struck me:

the only dish he ever professed to love was

canard à l’orange, an elaborate and ancient recipe of roasted duck cooked with bitter

oranges. How odd for a man who seemed so austere to relish such an extravagant recipe!

Later, back in the kitchen, Garcia leaned

towards me and whispered, “In the old

“since they fed on grapes, but they were I was only half-listening. Domesticated

duck or wild partridge? I was elsewhere, thinking about my father. Who was he really? Domesticated or wild? ■

This is an edited extract from Cassoulet

Confessions: Food, France, Family and the Stew That Saved My Soul by Sylvie Biga.

Hardie Grant Books; $32.99

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BEST PRACTICE // Sustainability

Sustainability is about success, not just recycling Cover all the bases from recipe costing to promoting a strong work culture.

WORDS Ken Burgin Sustainability is about survival

a quick win for bringing down

want the business from a table

prioritise good work conditions,

and prosperity. With soaring

costs in just a few weeks.

of four people: the three who are

fair pay and establish a strong

supply prices, staff shortages

meat eaters and the one who is

feeling of engagement. High

and crazy weather, sustainability

know profit is their lifeblood.

vegan — creating options isn’t

levels of communication and

makes sense across all business

Without it, rent, suppliers and

hard for smart chefs.

good leadership are essential

areas now more than ever.

staff aren’t paid. The operators

It’s much more than recycled

of these venues are big on

locally when they can because

Peter Drucker said, “Culture eats

packaging and local vegetables,

increasing sales, recipe and

disruptions across the country

strategy for breakfast”. Staff

so let’s look at how it can make

menu costing, watching utility

and globally remind us supply

shortages aren’t such an issue if

your business stronger.

costs and having daily figures.

lines are fragile. The local

they don’t leave.

Let’s start with the areas not

Sustainable businesses

The cliche about sustainable

Sustainable businesses buy

vendor is suddenly a lot less

for this. As management guru

Finally, sustainable

usually associated with ‘green

meaning ‘anti-business’ is a long

expensive when they are 100 per

businesses share their success.

and sustainable’.

way from the truth, and open-

cent reliable compared to the

Cornersmith in Sydney publishes

book management is often a key

large chain that gives you an

personal stories, cooking

innovators who are always

driver — everyone knows how

invoice with 30 per cent of items

classes and local produce

looking for ways to be leaner

business finance works. Good

not available.

pics to demonstrate their

and more efficient. It means

profits mean business owners

embracing change and new

are less stressed and can avoid

are fast with communication

one shortcoming of most

technology and being keen to

crazy hours and the worries

because it keeps back of house

sustainable businesses, it’s that

measure the effectiveness of

that are part of many small

on their game and builds trust

they don’t tell their story very

old methods and new ones. Are

enterprises.

with customers. They have a

well. Post a steady stream of

helpful website, online bookings,

photos and happy snaps of a

Sustainable operators are

you worried about power costs?

Sustainable businesses track

Sustainable businesses

anti-waste ethos. If there’s

Use simple measuring devices

food trends and customer

respond quickly to emails and

new trainee’s first coffee, the

to check peak consumption

enthusiasm and are ahead of

social media messages and keep

bookkeeper at work, cheerful

periods and find the equipment

the curve when it comes to

employees regularly updated.

customers and recycling

that is the heaviest user of gas,

alternative milks, proteins and

Sustainable businesses

electricity and water. It is often

special dietary requests. They

have loyal staff because they

20 | Hospitality

programs. This sustainable thing can be contagious! ■

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Learn more restaurant.opentable.com.au (02) 8188-7167

NEWS // Drinks

Bar cart

Thirst quenchers, slow sippers and all things beverage related.

EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

Teamwork Swillhouse Group and Joe Holyman have come together to create the ultimate smashable drop: the Swillhouse x Stoney Rise Chardonnay. Holyman is known for minimalintervention wines and a hands-off approach, two drawcards for Swillhouse CEO Anton Forte, who helped bottle the Chardonnay in the Tamar last year. Forte describes the wine as “white Burgundian, spritzy, texture and groovy”. Find it on the menu at Restaurant Hubert and Alberto’s Lounge in Sydney. swillhouse.com

Bacardi gets bottled up Spirits giant Bacardi has ventured into the pre-batched category with the launch of Tails; a selection of four ready-to-drink cocktails. The range covers a Dewar’s blended scotch whisky sour, Bombay gin gimlet as well as an espresso martini and a passionfruit martini both made with 42Below vodka. Each bottle has a QR code that provides tips on how to create the perfect cocktail plus glassware and garnish options. Available from leading liquor stores across Australia. tailscocktails.com

Yuzu goes steady Four Pillars’ yuzu gins have been some of the most

Jewel of the sea A grape-based Australian spirit has hit the market in the form of Mother of Pearl Vodka.

Mother of Pearl is made from Pinot Gris grapes grown on the Mornington Peninsula and the Limestone Coast in South Australia, resulting in a neutral base without the burn.

The vodka secured 91 points and a silver medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, with judges describing the spirit as having a “creamy nose with toffee,

in-demand releases from the Victorian distillery, and

chocolate and apple sweetness. Lemon

now one has made its way into the core range. Fresh

candy, mint and jelly on the palate with

Yuzu gin is made with fruit sourced from Mountain Yuzu

hints of white pepper”. The 700ml bottle

and distilled with botanicals including ginger, turmeric,

sits at 40 per cent ABV and retails for $66.

sencha genmaicha and Japanese green tea with roasted brown rice. “A canvas of strong pine needle juniper and a bit of lemon myrtle add a touch of lemon curd,” says Co-Founder and Distiller Cam Mackenzie. Fresh Yuzu is best enjoyed in a highball with tonic or soda. Available for $80 at Four Pillars locations and good bottle shops. fourpillarsgin.com

A real zinger Local hard seltzer brand Fellr has continued to add to its range since launching in 2020, with the latest addition inspired by a global hit. The passionfruit martini joins the brand’s cocktail range and sees passionfruit combined with citrus. The 6.5 per cent ABV martini has a slightly higher alcohol content compared to other seltzers on the market; a deliberate move based on trade feedback. $23.99 for a four pack; available nationwide through leading liquor retailers. drinkfellr.com 22 | Hospitality

motherofpearl.vodka

FIND OUT MORE

ADVERTORIAL // Karmine Leather

Karmine Leather aprons Whether it’s in the kitchen or behind the bar, Karmine’s apron range has the hospitality industry covered.

FOR MORE THAN 30 years, Karmine Leather’s Founder Ray Borda has

In addition, kangaroo leather is proven to be heat, water and stain

pioneered the use of kangaroo meat in Australia. After putting it on

resistant, making it a practical choice. Whether it is cooking with hot

the menu, the skin was a natural byproduct.

pans in a restaurant kitchen, making drinks behind the bar or serving

Now, Karmine Leather is giving back to the hospitality industry in more ways than one by crafting kangaroo items such as knife sleeves, menu covers and aprons for many different types of venues.

Aprons are an essential tool of the trade for those working in the

customers on the floor, Karmine’s kangaroo leather aprons work perfectly in any industry setting.

Karmine Leather aprons and menu covers are used at Grünthal Brew & Udder Delights Cheese Cellar in South Australia. Founder

food and beverage sector. The job requires staff to handle tough and

Sheree Sullivan has seen the many benefits that come with

at-times messy tasks, which means strength and durability is a must

the aprons, which are crafted from 100 per cent ethically and

for uniforms. Both qualities can be found in kangaroo leather, which

sustainably sourced kangaroo skin.

has long been praised for being a stronger, more lightweight and flexible option compared to cattle hide.

24 | Hospitality

“We are using a full-bib floor apron which covers the chest and legs of our staff and Karmine makes our menu covers as well,” says Sullivan.

the samples they dropped off and found it to be a

knew Karmine were attached to macro meats. For

seamless and positive experience.”

me, it was a way of using the whole animal.”

Easy care and longevity are two other benefits

With the industry moving towards a more sustainable future, locality has always been

that come with Karmine Leather’s aprons. “They look

important. Karmine Leather aims to be a part of

so much better as an ongoing product for a year or

the shift by providing thoughtfully made, bespoke

two,” says Sullivan. “From a maintenance point of

items that will always have a place in Australia’s

view, I love how you just wipe them and condition

hospitality sector.

them as opposed to laundering and ironing to keep

ADVERTORIAL // Karmine Leather

“One thing I really love is that it’s kangaroo, and I

Each hide has unique individual markings that

them looking nice. I think everyone is proud to wear

reflect the animal it came from, making each

their aprons because they look really good.”

Karmine item a truly standalone piece. ■

The range includes two main styles: the classic apron and the deluxe pocket apron. Each option

For more information, visit karmineleather.com.au

comes with a tea towel strap and large pockets.

While the classic apron is an unfussy and original design, the deluxe pocket apron comes with a larger pocket with more room for tools. In addition, the style also comes with upgraded hardware and finishes that are available in antique brass or nickel with sizes ranging from S-XL. For any business, brand identity and presentation are of the utmost importance. All aprons are easily customisable and come with the option to engrave a business name or logo and rearrange the pocket to create a product that is truly one of a kind.

The craftspeople who work in Karmine’s Adelaide workshop build trustworthy and longstanding relationships with venues, tailoring products to suit their everyday needs. “We had our logo added through an embossing procedure and we had the pockets moved so they function best for our team,” says Sullivan. “I was really impressed with

May 2022 | 25

DRINKS // Soju

New flame Australia’s first soju brand Gyopo is a family affair.

WORDS Annabelle Cloros

26 | Hospitality

DRINKS // Soju

WHEN YOU THINK OF soju, a green bottle

most distillers now using grain and starch

the global market is dominated by just a handful

or tapioca in place of rice, which has largely

likely springs to mind. And it’s no wonder, given of players. But what if the bottle was clear

instead of emerald and the liquor was distilled with grapes not grains? Enter Gyopo Soju; a

family business run by three siblings who have launched Australia’s very first soju.

Co-Founder David Park talks to Hospitality

about creating a product that incorporates

Korean culture with a local twist, the nuances of working with Barossa grapes and why the craft soju movement is just getting started.

The earliest records of Korean soju can be traced back to the Goryeo dynasty in the

14th century. The rise of the Mongol Empire essentially facilitated the transfer of soju,

bringing distillation techniques from what is now known as Syria to Korea. Hit the fast-forward

button, and it’s estimated adults in Korea drink 87 bottles of soju each per year, with domestic consumption continuing to rise.

Soju is ubiquitous and of immense cultural

significance in Korea, but what exactly is it?

Traditionally, soju is a distilled spirit made

alternatives such as wheat, barley, sweet potato become the domain of niche craft producers.

“Soju means distilled fire water if you translate

it traditionally,” says David Park. “It’s generally a distilled spirit.”

David and his siblings Monica and Michael Park are second-generation Koreans from Sydney

who always wanted to go into business together.

The trio would travel to Korea every two years

or so, and it was here where the idea for Gyopo

Soju came about. “We would go out with friends and see a lot of craft distilleries doing their

own takes on soju,” says Park. “There are a lot of varieties in Korea, and we wondered why it wasn’t the case in Australia, which has maybe

two brands imported in mass quantities. So, we decided to take things into our own hands and

create something that allowed us to incorporate

who we are and our culture into it. Gyopo means ‘foreigner’ and refers to a Korean national who has moved abroad as an immigrant, and it’s essentially who we are.”

While green grape is one of the most popular

with rice, water and nuruk, a starter culture

flavoured soju options, Gyopo decided to forgo

process. It has since gone on to evolve, with

sourced from the Barossa instead. “Being

that produces alcohol during the fermentation

“We decided to take things into our own hands and create something that allowed us to incorporate who we are and our culture into it.”

– David Park

grains for a combination of white grape varieties

May 2022 | 27

DRINKS // Soju

“We distil three times, which takes away the impurities and colour and results in a crisp, clean spirit that’s undeniably soju.”

– David Park Australian, we wanted to incorporate something that’s really well known and easy for people to understand,” says Park. “We tested out a few Online

The soju

natural

is made

beverage

using

retailer Drnks

Barossa

stocks Gyopo

grapes

it soju.”

across the ditch to New Zealand and eventually,

out the sweetness and aromas necessary to make

The grapes are fermented before the distillation process begins, which also includes coconut

takes away the impurities and colour and results with soju

manufacturers

for a

in Korea use the

somaek

same bottles for recycling purposes

in restaurants and bars and hopes to expand Korea. Diners and drinkers at Jane, Marble BBQ, Where’s Nick, Tokki and WonJo BBQ

restaurants in Sydney will spot Gyopo on the menu, with the brand recently moving into select BWS and Dan Murphy’s stores, too.

in a crisp, clean spirit that’s undeniably soju,”

While the local drinking public’s preferences are

necessary for getting the right flavour. There’s

Gyopo is out to expand the average consumer’s

says Park. “It’s quite time-consuming, but it’s not much taste at the start because of the

smoothness, but the back notes have sweetness and fruitiness from the grapes.”

The ABV of soju varies considerably from

largely anchored by beer, wine, gin and vodka, perception of soju and shed some light on a

spirit that can be enjoyed as much as it is at Korean BBQ as it is in a fine-dining setting.

It’s a notion that can be likened to that of

brand to brand, with some sitting at 16 per cent

the global craft beer movement. And who’s to

soju is 17.5 per cent; it’s a little stronger in terms

soju? Small-batch soju distilleries have steadily

and others reaching as high as 53 per cent. “Our of alcohol, but it’s cleaner,” says Park.

Unlike some sojus that are crammed with

artificial flavours or additives, Gyopo’s iteration eschews such an approach, instead creating a

premium product that sits in a lane of its own.

“Most people drink sugary flavoured soju to get drunk at Korean restaurants,” says Park. “But Gyopo is made from grapes and is a product

that’s enjoyable by the glass. It can be consumed with Korean or Australian dishes.”

That’s not to say Gyopo can’t be shotted “as

Koreans normally would”, says Park, who’s

partial to a shot or a slow sipper. “I put it over ice in a big cup and drink it with a meal or it

goes well in cocktails with juice or Sprite,” he

says. “You can also use it in a somaek with beer.

28 | Hospitality

While Gyopo can be purchased online, the

soju has been steadily increasing its presence

copper drums. “We distil three times, which Soju

that’s how true Koreans take it.”

different bases and found grapes and wine bring

charcoal filtration and a resting period inside

Mix beer

We mix a shot of soju with two shots of beer and

say the same trajectory can’t be followed by begun to increase in prevalence in Korea as

well as the US, with one brand (Tokki) even

making soju with glutinous rice from Chungju.

“Craft distillers in Korea are booming and the

craft beverage market has been going off,” says Park. “They have a smaller capacity, but more attention to detail, and that’s what I believe

differentiates them from the main players. The

market has always revolved around three massproduced soju brands, but Koreans love to be

different and create new trends, so people are happy to pay the price for the quality and to

taste something that’s not mainstream. To see that movement start has been great, and we pride ourselves on being the first to do it in Australia.” ■

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PROFILE // Dylan Cashman

30 | Hospitality

PROFILE // Dylan Cashman

Dylan Cashman The chef is encouraging diners to think twice about where their food comes from.

WORDS Aristine Dobson PHOTOGRAPHY Luisa Brimble

IT’S NOT OFTEN you go to a restaurant and find out who is

providing the food on the table before the plates arrive, but that’s exactly what happens at The Blue Door in Sydney. Guests are

given a menu that lists the farms the ingredients are sourced from,

emphasising provenance as much as produce. Sustainability is at the forefront of the pocket-sized Surry Hills venue that’s the brainchild of Dylan Cashman, who opened The Blue Door in late 2021.

The head chef and owner is known for his head-to-tail

approach to cooking, a holistic sentiment that is not only seen on the menu, but exercised during day-to-day operations.

Sustainability has long been a buzzword in the industry, but

Cashman is well and truly practising what he preaches. The chef talks to Hospitality about his formative years in the kitchen,

collaborating with New South Wales farmers and creating dishes that bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “locally sourced.”

Dylan Cashman first stepped foot in a professional kitchen in high school when he worked for a local restaurant in his hometown

of Crescent Head. “I was a kitchenhand at The Curl and I used to work at Red Rooster as well,” he says.

Becoming a career chef wasn’t on the cards for Cashman at the

time, who moved to Lismore to study human movement science at May 2022 | 31

PROFILE // Dylan Cashman

“It just makes sense you should want to know where your food comes from.”

— Dylan Cashman

university. He switched cooking for cocktails and

Cashman opened the first iteration of The Blue

“I also helped out a mate who ran one of the

Gold Coast. At the time, the chef was cooking for a

worked as a bartender while studying at uni.

kitchens at a bar,” says Cashman. “Once I finished

my degree, I was like, ‘I don’t want to do anything with that’.”

Making a more permanent move into the

kitchen was a natural step, and it wasn’t long

different market of diners. “It was super producerfocused, but it was a different concept,” he says.

“Obviously, the Gold Coast is a different beast; people didn’t really understand it so much.”

Cashman closed the venue due to leasing

before Cashman started his apprenticeship at

issues, but quickly bounced back and forged

Bangalow and then went to Fins and went back

in Brisbane for a year and then I went back to

Bangalow Dining Room. “I started working at

and forth between [the two] and a few places

around Sydney,” says the chef, who also picked up shifts at Sean’s Panorama and Cottage Point Inn.

Cashman fast developed a network within the

industry, which would go on to broaden beyond Australia to Europe. “I went to Germany for 16

months and worked over there at a few different places from a pizza to a hamburger store,” he says. “Then I came back and worked at Paper Daisy with Ben [Devlin].”

A reappearance at Fins led to a head chef role

where he would learn from and work closely with Owner Steven Snow. “I worked there

overall for more than four and a half years, and I

ahead. “I helped open a few different places up Europe and worked at a three Michelin star in Germany called Vendôme,” says the chef.

Working in top-tier restaurants taught

Cashman a valuable lesson about the importance of seasonal produce. “One of the biggest things

I learned is what not to do,” he says. “You learn a lot of things you don’t like from places. What you’re doing now is what you liked the most.

But at three Michelin stars in Europe, you see everything that’s wrong with restaurants, like

spending four days trying to figure out how to

make a tomato taste like a tomato when they are just not in season.”

The experience would go on to become a

was around when they needed a head chef,” says

defining pillar of Cashman’s cooking style, with

(I cooked at his wedding), and everybody always

“Snowy once said to me, ‘If you buy the best, it

Cashman. “I’ve known Snowy for 15 years now stayed in touch.”

32 | Hospitality

Door (The Blue Door on 5th) in Palm Beach on the

the chef recalling wise words from a friend. takes a lot of effort to stuff it up’.”

www.dayseven.com.au

PROFILE // Dylan Cashman The ethos is at the core of The Blue Door, which

along with bone marrow were core components

While it still bears some similarities to its Gold

cow came from. “When we were finishing off our

Cashman opened in Surry Hills late last year.

Coast predecessor, the concept is firmly centered on provenance, with almost all ingredients

sourced from farms located within state borders. “[The Blue Door on 5th] was based on the same principles, but this one is a little more refined

and pretty much everything is from New South Wales,” says Cashman.

of a beef course that championed the farm the half cow from Gundooee Organic Pasture, the

beef course had beef marmalade (tail and chuck that we braise down), bone marrow sauce and eye fillet,” says Cashman. “We used everything that was left after the ageing process in the one dish.”

Gundooee beef was also used in another

When opening the new venue, the decision

course that was more relaxed in style. “We did

dining. Instead, the chef has taken a more fluid

beef, sauce with cheddar from Port Macquarie

was also made to scrap traditional à la carte

approach to the experience. “We don’t have a menu per se, all seven courses change every

single week,” says Cashman. “Our style is very

reactive. We try to do the best we can with what

we have and reconnect people to why we have it and why we are doing it.”

The ever-changing offering has given the

kitchen more flexibility and ensures nothing

goes to waste. “A tasting menu is so much more flexible,” says Cashman. “Some weeks, we’ll

a Wagyu cheeseburger tartare with Gundooee

and potato crisps,” says Cashman. “People went

nuts for it. It sort of sums us up because we don’t

want to be known as fine dining, it’s ‘fun dining’.”

Evidently, each dish is determined by the

farmers and the produce that’s available. “We

Cashman has

we sort of work backwards,” says Cashman. “We

cook the opposite to how everybody else does;

made apricot

of the wine

chicken with

program is from

work directly with the farmers, and we only

Nimbin Valley

New South

brown rice

Wales

work with farmers who we know.”

The Blue Door cooks with ingredients from

change one of the courses every day depending

farms the team has personally visited, with the

in the most appropriate way rather than being

restaurant manager to back of house. “You can

on how we’re working through the whole animal locked into pork belly. We do pork belly for one day and then we change it to shoulder with a different garnish the next.”

The use of whole animals is just one

sustainable practice that has led to the creation

of memorable dishes. Cuts such as tail and chuck 34 | Hospitality

95 per cent

entire staff brought along for field trips from the really see the difference, especially with front

of house, when somebody has been there and

they understand what the farmer is doing,” says

Cashman. “They have a connection, so it’s easier for them to [explain a dish] to customers.”

The chef is all about educating diners as well

The restaurant

Gundooee was

uses fish from

the first certified

Chris Bolton

organic Wagyu beef producer in Australia

merchants@payo.com.au

www.payo.com.au/payo-checkout

PROFILE // Dylan Cashman

as serving them, which means there’s a lot more

room for a spin-off concept later down the track.

makes sense you should want to know where

very best,” says Cashman. “The bigger thing

served at the table besides the food. “It just

your food comes from,” says the chef. “No one does it, and I don’t understand why people

don’t do it. Everybody wants traceability with everything else, but they seem to turn a blind

“I’d rather stick to what we’re doing and do our would be starting to use more whole animals

and giving other chefs access to them, but that’s a while away.”

The Blue Door’s “produce is king and always

eye for restaurant dining.”

will be” approach has been a gamechanger in

The Blue Door is only open four days a week and

firmly focused on relaying the stories behind the

sustainable rostering has created good work–life balance for staff. Running a smaller restaurant also means the team can focus more on

execution when they are in the kitchen or on the floor. “I think the future of our industry is small restaurants; the time of the 300-seat fine diner is gone because the workforce just isn’t there,” says Cashman. “We seat 36 people a night and

do seven courses with two chefs who make every single thing in-house and it doesn’t kill [us].”

The chef hopes The Blue Door can set a

precedent for guests and usher in a different

way of thinking. “It makes people see that they can buy produce and support the farms to do more, which sets a new standard,” he says.

“Maybe they’re a bit more conscious about where they purchase big products from …

it can help create a better environment and a more sustainable industry.”

For now, Cashman is content with the

progression of The Blue Door as it accelerates towards its first birthday. Although the chef is

intent on staying on the same path, there may be

36 | Hospitality

the local dining landscape, with the restaurant

ingredients it uses. “For us, it’s more important to tell them why they are eating what they are

eating and why we’ve chosen to use that farm as opposed to what the dish is,” says Cashman.

“The dish is supplementary.” ■

“We work directly with the farmers, and we only work with farmers who we know.”

— Dylan Cashman

Make sure it’s

Request your sample

ADVERTORIAL // Grana Padano

Wheels of fortune With 800 years of history, Grana Padano outdoes generic parmesan at every turn.

PASTA IS A staple dish in foodservice, and one

Unlike parmesan, the quality and consistency

The three vintages are:

of the most-loved meals around the world. In

of Grana Padano is strictly enforced by a

Grana Padano PDO: a softer and grainier

most cases, a crucial step in serving a pasta

regulatory body. Established in 1954, the

version aged between nine to 16 months

dish is the final grating of cheese over the top.

Consortium for the Protection of Grana

for a mild and milky flavour. It’s perfect as

Even if the quantity is small, the quality of the

Padano PDO cheese — or the Consorzio

a topping for meats and vegetables and is

finishing cheese can make all the difference to

Tutela Grana Padano — ensures each wheel

great as an appetiser or a snack.

the flavour of the dish as a whole.

of Grana Padano cheese is made according

Grana Padano Over 16 Months: has a

to production specifications so it can be

grainier consistency and a stronger, tangy

fine to fine dining, most standard parmesan

awarded its PDO (Protected Designation

taste. It’s ideal for grating, cheeseboards,

doesn’t cut it. Parmesan, as a generic cheese

of Origin) status and fire-branded with the

meat and vegetable fillings and to make

product, is unregulated by any governing

Grana Padano mark.

crispy wafers.

For chefs looking to elevate dishes from just

Every maker of Grana Padano is required

Grana Padano Riserva: aged over 20

inconsistencies in quality. Generic grated

to strictly observe the guidelines laid out for

months and required to pass additional

parmesan products contain up to 10 per cent

the production of the cheese, which regulates

quality tests. The end result has a dark

fillers and preservatives and are often aged

everything from the cow’s diet to the milk

straw-yellow colour and a rich, full,

for just six to 12 months — not nearly long

supply area and the ageing process. After nine

persistent taste. Aside from being a

enough to establish a flavour profile robust

months of ageing, each wheel undergoes strict

special ingredient in a great variety of

enough for top restaurants.

testing for appearance, aroma and texture

dishes, Riserva also works well when served

before receiving its fire-branded certification.

as part of a luxurious cheeseboard with

body, meaning producers can get away with

Grana Padano, on the other hand, is a superior alternative. The original recipe is

The final product is a crumbly, delicate

thought to have been invented in 1135 by a

cheese with an intense flavour profile and a

group of Benedictine monks in Northern Italy,

granular structure that’s capable of elevating

who transformed surplus raw milk into a cheese

sweet and savoury dishes. Grana Padano is

to finish a meal, create a meal or to enjoy

with a distinctive and intense flavour profile.

differentiated into three separate vintages,

as part of a cheeseboard, the high quality

For almost 900 years, the original recipe

the consistency of which can be relied upon

and consistency of the historic product is a

from wheel to wheel.

guaranteed way to satisfy customers. ■

for Grana Padano has remained unchanged.

38 | Hospitality

nuts, fruits and chutneys and aged balsamic vinegar.

Whether you are using Grana Padano

https://ww w.

granapadan o.it/en-ww

/default.as px

FEATURE // Knives

Blade Runner Japanese knives are lauded by chefs the world over — here’s why.

WORDS Annabelle Cloros PHOTOGRAPHY Guy Davies for ProTooling

40 | Hospitality

in Sydney. Zhang started building his own

honing a specialised craft that combines

adequate knives. “In 2009, there weren’t

hands; ones that have often spent decades

tradition with performance. The knives are

forged from Japanese steels, which range from 58 to 68 on the Rockwell scale, making them considerably tougher than any counterparts.

Skill, knowledge and superior materials are

just three of the X factors that have contributed to the iron-clad reputation of Japanese knives,

which are in near-constant demand from chefs.

Hospitality speaks to ProTooling’s Paul Tayar and Knives and Stones’ James Zhang — two of the main importers of Japanese knives —

collection and found it difficult to source

many choices, so I had to go through different sources to buy a knife,” he says. “Towards the end of 2013, I had quite a bit of knowledge

about Japanese knives. I went to Japan to meet with a few manufacturers and explained my

understanding of knives and provided feedback

on how they could make better tools. They were quite impressed and said, ‘Do you want to sell

our knives in Australia?’ and that’s how I started Knives and Stones.”

Establishing meaningful relationships with

about building a kit, the art of sharpening and

makers has led to Knives and Stones selling

longevity of a knife.

Kurosaki, which are often snapped up as soon

why small acts go a long way to ensuring the

Paul Tayar and James Zhang didn’t start out in the knife business, but both saw an untapped

opportunity when they couldn’t find what they

were looking for. Tayar was surrounded by food and cooking growing up with woodworking in the background, while Zhang was an engineer and a fishing enthusiast. “I was collecting

knives and tools and fell into the rabbit hole

of Japanese blacksmiths,” says Tayar. “I started

importing for my own collection, but after years

of speaking with smiths and suppliers, I brought in larger numbers to distribute myself and the

FEATURE // Knives

JAPANESE KNIVES ARE made by experienced

tools from Sakai Takayuki, Sukenari, Tanaka and as they’re released. And for good reason; the

products aren’t just given to any supplier. “When I met Hinaki san from Sukenari in the Toyama

“Broadly, a Japanese knife is a sharper, more accurate knife. The steels used are harder, which means they hold a sharper edge for longer.”

– Paul Tayar

company fell into place.”

Tayar is behind ProTooling in Sydney’s

Camperdown, a store that sells knives along with whetstones and other kitchen tools.

ProTooling stocks knives from blacksmiths

including the pioneering Terukazu Takamura based in Echizen and newer Nagano maker Jiro Nakagawa. ProTooling’s range covers

knives crafted by more than 17 smiths, with the relationships all built over time. “There are only a handful of blacksmiths creating

knives to the level we are looking for, and they basically all know each other,” says Tayar. “My network grew because we got on so well; they knew they could trust me, and we enjoyed

speaking with each other about the tools we

were passionate about. I speak daily with many blacksmiths and suppliers, and we work with them to help create new products and give

feedback. They are all striving to improve their work and appreciate the honesty.”

It’s an experience echoed by Zhang, who

initially opened Knives and Stones as an online store before moving into a retail premises in St Peters and recently expanding to Glebe

May 2022 | 41

FEATURE // Knives prefecture, he said I could keep a knife if I could

Zhang compares the construction of Japanese

put an edge on it,” says Zhang. “I was able to

knives, referred to as San Mai, to a sandwich.

who was able to provide a service to customers

to give knives an acute angle,” he says. “Europe

sharpen a nice edge, and he saw I was someone and was therefore happy for me to sell the

products. You have to demonstrate you’re not just a middleman.”

One of the key attributes of Japanese knives is

the material; the handling and the way a knife is made are other critical components. So what are the defining characteristics of Japanese knives?

“Broadly, a Japanese knife is a sharper, more

accurate knife,” says Tayar. “The steels used are

“Japan has high-carbon steel, and they are able

and the United States have nice steel as well, but the Japanese also forge them into what we call

Sen Mai structure. You have the soft steel or iron on the outside as the bread, and then you have the steel in the middle, which is like the meat.

They forge knives in that way so they are easier to sharpen, and it’s very special to Japanese

knives. You also have many different shapes of knives; each task has a corresponding knife.”

harder, which means knives hold a sharper edge

Suffice to say, there’s a Japanese knife for every

be thinner and generally cut better. The shape of

(sashimi/slicing), petty and Funayuki (filleting),

for longer. The harder steel also means they can the grind, the profile and the way a knife tapers all have an effect as well.

“This is also true for the steel itself, harder

isn’t always better; too hard and they become brittle, too soft and they don’t hold an edge.

Many people get caught up on the technical

specifications of a knife, and while these things

do play a part, the blacksmith and the sharpener (two different specialties in Japan) will play a

job. From a Gyuto (chef’s knife) to a Yanagiba

chefs can build a kit according to the tasks they need to perform. Zhang and Tayar both tip the

Gyuto (which means beef sword) as the perfect starting point. “We always recommend getting

your main chef’s knife sorted first,” says Tayar.

“Focus on one good Gyuto knife as your primary tool and then you can spend much less on auxiliary knives.”

Japanese knives vary greatly in terms of price

larger role. The way in which a steel has been

points, but you can pick up a Gyuto for a little

this, the way in which it has been shaped and

thousands. “You don’t have to spend that much

treated will affect its performance greatly. After sharpened will as well.”

42 | Hospitality

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FEATURE // Knives

“Some say two knives cover up to 85 per cent of jobs in the kitchen, and they are a chef’s knife and a smaller petty knife.”

– James Zhang

performing knife for $300 or so,” says Tayar,

or a higher grit whetstone. If you do this each

“It’s a smaller utility knife that is super useful

of our chefs use a strop daily and do a quick

who also tips a petty knife as another must-have. for chefs. We have some who use it as their main knife; it’s very adaptable and a great little knife to have in your roll. Another shape that’s good is the Honesuki, which was made for poultry

break down, but we’re seeing many chefs in the

sharpen once a week. It’s good for most people

to bring them in once or twice a year to get the bevel reset and repair any profile/shape issues that can happen over time.”

One of the worst things a chef can do is let

US and Europe use them as an all-purpose utility

their knife reach the point of bluntness. “You

knives, but have more height at the heel, which

days and sharpen every week, but a lot of chefs

knife. They are generally a bit thicker than petty can make them easier to use.”

Zhang suggests chefs start with a Gyuto and

a petty knife and acquire additional knives

according to their needs. “Some say two knives cover up to 85 per cent of jobs in the kitchen,

and they are a chef’s knife and a smaller petty

knife,” he says. “You can expand to a cleaver or a

should strobe your knives every two to three

sharpen daily,” says Zhang, who recommends

ceramic stones. “We stock Naniwa sharpening

stones, but anything from Japan will do a decent job. You need 400 grit if the knife is blunt; 1,000 if the knife is well maintained and between 3,000–6,000 for finishing.”

Education and taking the time to learn how

boning knife, which is thick in the spine but good

to sharpen a knife properly is a must when

sturdy kitchen knife [boning knife] in a rougher

no idea about the actual logic or theory,” says

for trimming or scraping things. I tend to use this way to a chef’s knife, which will get blunt fast.”

The longevity of a high-quality knife all comes down to how much care chefs exercise day-today. Rust and bluntness are two of the most

common issues, but can be mitigated by regular sharpening and acts such as wiping down a blade between tasks.

While professional sharpening is

recommended on an annual basis, chefs should

take the time to consult with professionals, who

investing in quality tools. “A lot of people have Zhang. “They scratch the blade on the stone and don’t know when to stop or even if they have

the right angle. You need to give the edge the correct angle to sharpen it properly. The next

big thing is thinning — you must get the knife sharp for it to cut properly, so you need to lay

the knife flat on the stone to get that sharpness.

We provide tutorials in-store, and many chefs

take advantage of this — they don’t have to be our customers.”

There’s no doubt sharpening can be daunting,

can provide tips on maintenance products. “The

but Tayar has some tips for chefs looking to up

“We recommend using a strop (with compound)

the angle does play a part, but the most important

more you sharpen, the easier it is,” says Tayar.

44 | Hospitality

day, you don’t need to sharpen very often. Most

their game. “Sharpening can be very technical;

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FEATURE // Knives thing is to maintain a consistent angle,” he says. “The key point is to feel for a burr, which is a small amount of metal that will curl

over the edge of the other side of the knife. It feels rough when you run your finger over the knife’s edge. Once you can feel it, it means

you have ‘apexed’ the edge and you can flip the knife over to do the other side. If you’re not getting a burr, you won’t ever get the knife as sharp as it can be.”

Cutting boards can also play a sinister role in a knife’s lifespan.

“People complain their knives get blunt really fast, and the first thing I ask them is, ‘What’s your cutting board?’” says Zhang.

“Modern Japanese cutting boards are made from antibacterial

rubber and are quite soft compared to harder timber. Wood and

bamboo boards destroy the edge of a knife. Hasegawa boards have a wooden core, but the outer layer doesn’t have any timber and

the board remains flat after dishwashing at high temperatures.”

The final component of taking care of a knife all comes down to

where it is when it’s not in use. There are a realm of options that

span from storing blades in a soft kit to wrapping them in a towel or placing knives inside covers. “A saya is a wooden cover that

protects the entire blade,” says Tayar. “It’s best to get a custom

fit as the shape and size of knives varies greatly. We also have a

lot of chefs who keep them in the original boxes, which are easy to stack and they have anti-corrosive paper inside them for any carbon steel knives.”

Zhang preferences a towel to prevent moisture and damage to a

blade if a chef isn’t using a roll. “The towel protects the knife from bumping into things,” he says. As for sayas, Zhang recommends them for transportation purposes only and cautions chefs to

limit the amount of time knives spend in covers. “Wood contains

tannins that can damage the surface of a knife if you leave it long enough,” he says. “Sometimes, people leave a knife in there for months and it’s all rusted when they pull it out.”

Building a knife kit with quality tools goes a long way to getting

the job done right. It’s a passion project for everyone involved

from the people who forge the blades to the enthusiasts who sell

them, the chefs who use them and the diners who enjoy the dishes that couldn’t be made without them. ■ 46 | Hospitality

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FEATURE // Saganaki

The art of saganaki Cheese is integral to Greece’s food culture, and saganaki is proof.

GREEK CUISINE IS known for many iconic

WORDS Aristine Dobson

offer and is typically served at the start of a

and Greekdoor’s Matina Spetsiotis about its

showcase the variety of cheeses Greece has to

kind of cheese for the job and mastering

foundational. It is one of the best ways to

mezze spread.

prevalence in Greek venues, choosing the right the technique.

An early version of saganaki appeared in

Peter Conistis is a Sydney-based chef who has

Greektown, Chicago, which saw the owner

years, including the latest: Ploos in Campbells

the late ’60s at the Parthenon restaurant in

bring a piping hot pan of cheese to the table,

add a dash of alcohol and set it alight in front of guests. The result was a slice of cheese

with a crisp outer layer, a gooey centre and a memorable flavour. It’s just one of the many interpretations of the dish, with another iteration drizzled with lemon, oregano and honey.

50 | Hospitality

Hospitality talks to Ploos’ Peter Conistis

dishes, and saganaki is nothing short of

opened a raft of Greek restaurants over the

Cove. He says diners often have the wrong idea

when it comes to saganaki, confusing ingredients with technique. “People think saganaki is the

cheese, but it is a word that refers to the style of

cooking; it’s the pan it’s cooked in,” says the chef on the two-handled pan. “In the northern parts of Greece, seafood is done saganaki style with prawns and muscles.”

“The consumption of cheese is very broad in

they can accompany it with fruit flavours such as roasted grapes or figs.”

Spetsiotis selects a semi-soft or a semi-hard

Greece,” says Matina Spetsiotis, chef and owner

cheese, opting for talagani from Chios in the

cheese is one of the mezze items that make up

stringy type of cheese for saganaki,” says the

of Greekdoor in Sydney’s Balmain. “Saganaki

a Greek spread because cheese is a part of the meal; it’s not a specific course.”

There are myriad cheeses found in Greek

cookery, but kefalotyri or kefalograviera are the most popular options and both offer distinct

south Peloponnese at Greekdoor. “You need a chef. “It’s all about texture and how it holds itself when you cook it. During the cooking process, it becomes nice and crisp on the outside and

remains gooey and soft on the inside, which is the texture of saganaki cheese.”

Softer cheeses can be used, but there is a

eating experiences. “If you’re going with the

risk they might not hold together if precautions

works beautifully combined with fruit,” says

like manouri, they need a little bit of extra care

graviera, it’s less salty, a little nuttier and

Conistis. “I’d normally use a kefalotyri because it’s punchier, saltier and has real bite when

the cheese is aged. When it roasts, it becomes the star, with honey and lemon accentuating the flavour.”

Both cheeses are a blend of sheep milk and

aren’t put in place. “With feta and other cheeses in the preparation because they are so moist

and soft,” says Spetsiotis. “You need to wash all the brine off and put them through flour. These cheeses require a thicker coating to keep them intact while cooking.”

goat milk, which is commonplace in Greece.

Perfecting the cooking technique starts with

determine the best option. “With a kefalotyri and

things simple. “In different parts of Greece, a lot

Conistis recommends chefs try each cheese to

graviera style, pan roast them and see which one is your preferred taste: do you like it nuttier and milder or do you preference a real punch?” he

says. “A purist will always go for a kefalotyri so

preparing the cheese. Conistis prefers to keep of people add flour before they fry the cheese

in the pan,” says the chef. “I tend not to do that because I like to get a natural crust as opposed to the crust building from a wheat protein, but

“People think saganaki is the cheese, but it is a word that refers to the style of cooking.”

— Peter Conistis

May 2022 | 51

FEATURE // Saganaki

As for the cheese component, there are several

options that can be used to make the dish.

FEATURE // Saganaki

“You have to be attentive: I can’t stress that enough; you can’t just walk away from it.” — Matina Spetsiotis there are other ways. If you dip it into a little bit of water and coat it with some black and white

sesame seeds before frying, you’re building up an

180 degrees Celsius.”

Once the cheese is placed in the pan, it is slowly

extra crust and another flavour component.”

cooked until both sides are browned. There is

cheese, with feta as the exception. “I don’t like

a couple of minutes per side. “You have to be

Spetsiotis preferences tapioca starch for her

using flour unless it’s for a soft feta cheese; it’s

really thick and solid and can even come out raw,” she says. “The tapioca starch is very light; we

put the cheese in it and dust it off. It just needs

enough coating to provide protection on the hot

no exact time frame, but it is estimated to take attentive: I can’t stress that enough; you can’t just walk away from it,” says Spetsiotis. “You will see the cheese becoming crisp and golden, which is the way it should be.”

Saganaki cheese must be consumed straight

plate and get a beautiful crispness.”

after cooking, which is why it is usually served in

next step of the process. “You need a pan that

plate, it’s always served in the pan,” says Conistis.

Using the right equipment for the job is the

can heat up fast so you can get it nice and hot when you put the cheese in and retain the

heat,” says Conistis. “A heavy heat-conducting

pan is the best way to start when you’re making

the pan. “Saganaki is never taken out and put on a “It keeps it hot and bubbly, and you’ve also got

that wonderful dressing on the bottom by the time you finish it, which can be enjoyed with bread.”

saganaki cheese.”

There is no denying cheese is the star of saganaki,

find here in Australia, but there are alternatives.

take it to the next level. Quintessential Greek

A traditional saganaki pan can be tricky to

“You don’t need to have a saganaki pan, you can

use a regular frying pan with a heavy base,” says 52 | Hospitality

Spetsiotis. “We cook it on a hot plate at around

but seasonings, dressings and accompaniments ingredients such as lemon, olive oil, thyme,

oregano and honey are traditional elements, with

www.orderup.com

FEATURE // Saganaki In the

other options including fruits, nuts, alcohol and

another take sees the cheese wrapped in fine

saganaki has a beautiful Greek honey over it, a

crunchy and fine,” says Conistis. “You get the

sometimes even pastry. “At the moment, our

piece of honeycomb on the side, roasted pecans on top, some fresh thyme leaves, little flowers (if we find them) and lemon,” says Spetsiotis.

“It’s an ideal balance with the saltiness from the cheese, the sweetness from the honeycomb and the acidity from the lemon.”

The options are endless when it comes to riffs

and ingredients can be switched out depending on personal taste and seasonality. “You can use

different fruits such as figs, conserves and things like relish,” says Spetsiotis. “In the past, we’ve used walnuts or sesame seeds on top.”

Conistis has experimented with many

different variations, but says a splash of

kataifi pastry. “We roast it and it becomes really crunch on the outside and soft, molten cheese

on the inside. We used to serve it with roasted

plums finished off in the pan with the cheese.”

If you go to a Greek restaurant in any part of the world, saganaki is almost always on the menu.

It’s a dish that both modern and traditional

eateries gravitate towards. “I’ve been cooking

for more than 30 years and I’ve had a version of it at every restaurant,” says Conistis. “The more Greek restaurants that have opened over the

years, the more saganaki I’ve seen, and that’s great because people seem to love it.”

The dish is a representation of the importance

ouzo is always a crowd pleaser. “One of the

of cheese within Greek cuisine and it is the

especially in Greece, is hitting it with some

cheese was plonked in the middle of the table

purest ways I know that everyone loves,

lemon juice, a shot of ouzo and a sprinkle of oregano,” he says. “Ouzo is one of the best

flavour combinations with saganaki cheese. It personifies Greek cuisine with its herby, anise flavour and it just adds to the cheese.”

The chef’s most popular version of saganaki is

halloumi with pistachio and sesame seeds, but 54 | Hospitality

centrepiece of the table. “Growing up, Greek

regardless of what you eat, and the rest of the

food just finds its way around the cheese,” says Spetsiotis. “It’s not just important for saganaki, but it’s very important in the Greek diet. For

me, there wouldn’t be a menu with the style of

cooking I do without saganaki cheese as part of the mezze spread.” ■

Saganaki

northern

cheese

parts of

is often

Greece,

paired

brandy is

with

added to

pita

flambé

bread

Spetsiotis

Conistis

sources her

has made

cheese from

a graviera

Miloway

saganaki with

Wines in

pan-roasted

Earlwood

watermelon

Take a squiz

Enquire now to see how we can help - hello@squizify.com

0425 841 682

squizify.com

FEATURE // Tartare

56 | Hospitality

FEATURE // Tartare

RARE breed

Tartare is an iconic dish that continues to evolve and never fails to impress.

WORDS Annabelle Cloros PHOTOGRAPHY Jo McGann for Gimlet; Nikki To for Jane

A TRADITIONAL TARTARE comprises

to Hungarian, Chilean, French, American

and Collins both subscribe to the idea that

and pepper, punctuated with onions and

been an ever-present staple at all types of

shouldn’t the food be, too?

a dish of raw meat seasoned with salt capers, splashed with Worcestershire

sauce and finished with an egg yolk on

top. It’s an iconic creation that has various iterations across different cuisines from Lebanon’s kibbeh nayyeh to Korea’s yukhoe and Turkey’s cig kofte.

Beef has long reigned supreme (and for

good reason), with chefs simultaneously championing the original while putting other protein options such as fish,

kangaroo and lamb in front of diners.

Hospitality speaks to Jimmy Richardson

from Leonards Bar & Bistro, Victoria

Scriven from Jane and Samy Mir-Beghin

from Gimlet about essential meat cuts and the steps required to make the palatestarting dish.

What we now recognise as tartare can

be traced as far back as the 13th century when Mongol warriors called Tatars

tenderised meat under their saddles to

later consume raw. The story is potentially

and Ethiopian. Here in Australia, it’s

restaurants, with most diners shedding any qualms about consuming raw meat over the years.

At Trader House’s Gimlet at Cavendish

House in Melbourne, the steak tartare is a collaborative lunch-only dish courtesy of

Restaurant Manager Samy Mir-Beghin and

Head Chef Colin Mainds, who compare the iteration to a perfectly balanced martini

or a freshly shucked oyster dropped with lemon juice.

“What we do is very close to what you’d get if you went to a bistro in Paris; the idea was to stay as close to the experience as possible.”

– Samy Mir-Beghin Mir-Beghin and Collins have long had

a myth — and has questionable origins and

an affinity for tableside tartare, with Mir-

again six centuries later. This time, as a

during an after-work meal at Le Relais Plaza

sources — but tartare went on to appear Hamburg steak at New York restaurants,

which saw salted and smoked minced beef served with onions and breadcrumbs.

Various forms of tartare have enjoyed a

mainstay status across cuisines not limited

if cocktails are made in front of guests, why Gimlet’s tartare process naturally starts

in the kitchen where chefs hand cut up to eight portions of O’Connor grass-fed beef

from Gippsland for service. “We use rump

cap, which is very tender when it’s raw and doesn’t have much fat,” says Mir-Beghin.

“The beef is cut into pieces and then it’s

put in the fridge until the dish is ordered.”

The tartare is not on the official menu at

Gimlet and is only available on weekdays and in limited numbers. It takes around

five minutes for Mir-Beghin to put together the tableside tartare in front of guests,

kicking things off by mixing an emulsion

of mustard, olive oil and egg plucked from his tray of ingredients. “We season it with

white peppercorns and salt, and then I ask

the guests how spicy they would like it and add Tabasco according to their tastes,” he says. The degree of heat is the only part

of the process guests are involved in, with

the rest of the dish composed according to Gimlet’s recipe.

Worcestershire sauce and salt and

Beghin watching the dish being assembled

pepper are put in the bowl with the

in Paris and Collins sampling the dish at

the ketchup and lemon juice is added.

Brasserie Georges in Lyon as a young chef.

So, it made perfect sense the pair would

recreate both the dish and the experience

at Cutler & Co and now, Gimlet. Mir-Beghin

emulsion before the meat is mixed in and “We incorporate the classic condiments of capers, cornichons, chives and shallots

and do a final mix where I incline the bowl so people can see it,” says Mir-Beghin.

May 2022 | 57

FEATURE // Tartare

“It really lends itself to so many different iterations from steak to tuna and even lamb; it always feels really indulgent.”

– Victoria Scriven

“We use a ring to plate the tartare and finish

and believes it’s the perfect way to start

an Ortiz anchovy is dropped on top, which is

quintessential menu item,” she says. “It really

the dish with fresh pepper and chives before Andrew’s [McConnell] touch.”

The tartare is served with a generous

selection of vessels for diners to scoop the

meat onto including fries, green salad and

lends itself to so many different iterations

from steak to tuna and even lamb; it always feels really indulgent.”

Kangaroo with bush tomato tartare is

grilled croutons. It’s the final piece of the

ordered by almost every table and is served

experience. “Everyone is so surprised,” says

popular dish and I think it showcases what

puzzle, which concludes the theatrical

Mir-Beghin. “The waiter briefs them, but when people see me bring the tray over,

they are amazed. Having something like

with shoestring fries, naturally. “It’s a very we are about at Jane and our approach to Australian cuisine,” says Scriven.

The team works with kangaroo from

this happening in a busy restaurant is like a

Paroo, a premium supplier that sources

close to what you’d get if you went to a bistro

the Paroo Darling region in far west New

performance in a way. What we do is very in Paris; the idea was to stay as close to

the experience as possible and the tartare

comes exactly how it should be — nothing is missing.”

Jane restaurant opened its doors in Sydney’s Surry Hills last year, with Victoria Scriven taking on the role of head chef. It’s the

second venue for Owner and Chef Tristan

ethical and sustainable wild kangaroo from South Wales. A naturally lean cut, sirloin is used for its tenderness and earthy flavour.

Chefs begin by slicing the meat. “It needs to be slightly firm, so we freeze the slices

and then dice them into 1/2cm cubes,” says

Scriven. “I enjoy tartare with a little bite; we

don’t want miniscule cubes that disappear on the palate.”

Next, the kangaroo is seasoned with salt

Rosier, who created the first kangaroo tartare

and pepper and mixed with chilli, bush

opening dishes, so it made a lot of sense

is really bold, so we wanted to complement

for Arthur’s menu. “It was one of Arthur’s

to bring it back when we were writing the menu for Jane,” says Scriven.

The chef is personally a big fan of tartare,

58 | Hospitality

a meal. “I love tartare and think it’s a

tomato harissa and chives. “The kangaroo it with the slight sweetness of tomatoes,

fermented chilli and the bitterness of bush tomato,” says Scriven. “We serve it with a

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FEATURE // Tartare

“Tartare is better than most steaks, to be honest.”

– Jimmy Richardson

kefir cream, fried capers and fries. The result is

don’t want it to be too small with no texture

it’s topped with the crispy fries!”

Richardson. When a 50g portion is achieved, the

robust, savoury and a sensory awakening when

Over in Brisbane, lamb is the protein of choice

at Leonards Bar and Bistro in Brisbane. Jimmy

or so large you have to chew on it,” says

meat is placed in a chilled bowl to ensure it is kept at a low temperature.

Marination is the next step, which sees 1 per

Richardson has recently taken on the executive

cent salt, smoked harissa and toum combined

Bistro and describes the experience of eating

mix the sauces together, water content naturally

chef role at the venue after time at Gerard’s

tartare as ‘primal’. “Tartare is better than most

steaks, to be honest,” he says. “I like to have it before eating any warm dishes.”

And that’s exactly how the dish appears on the

menu: in the starters/snacks section. Leonards’

tartare is served in an almond crisp with carrot

escabeche and ordered by the piece. “If you want

four or five to yourself, you can,” says Richardson.

“It’s quick for us to plate and it’s a great

introduction to what we do; when it arrives at the table, it almost looks like a taco cross cannoli.”

Lamb shoulder from Margra or a Tasmanian

with the lamb just before service. “Once you

seeps out and the lamb can cure if you leave it for too long,” says Richardson.

Fermented carrots are a key component of the

dish and represent the escabeche element. “We

use cumin, fennel and coriander and marinate the carrots with olive oil, vinegar and 2 per cent salt,” says Richardson. “We hang them in the kitchen

for up to two weeks depending on the heat and then we drain off the liquid, remove the spices and they’re ready to go. It ends up having the traditional Spanish escabeche flavours.”

The fermented carrots and lamb are served in

producer is trimmed down to ensure there’s no fat

an almond shell, which is made in-house. “We

two days, which takes away excess any moisture

oil before moulding around metal pipes and

or sinew present. “We age it in the fridge for up to and intensifies the flavour,” says the chef.

A chopping board and bowls are placed in

the fridge to ensure the meat is kept as chilled

as possible throughout the preparation process.

“I like there to be various sizes of meat, but the maximum is probably a quarter of a cm; you 60 | Hospitality

Jane

Fries are

sources

commonly

kangaroo

served with

from NSW

tartare

make a ‘taco’ dough, cut it and soak it in olive

baking them in the oven until crispy,” says the chef. “People who order it love eating it, and

the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Before, people wouldn’t eat tartare unless it was from a specific restaurant, but now it’s so common.” ■

Leonards

Meat needs to

ferments

be kept chilled

carrots for

throughout

two weeks

preparation

www.anchorfp.com.a u

FEATURE // Crème caramel

S

o c m t e f o e rt w

Crème caramel may look simple, but the dessert requires finesse to get right.

WORDS Aristine Dobson CARAMEL AND CUSTARD are stalwarts

original inventors of the dish. After Arab

“Pudim is what crème caramel is called

two create crème caramel (aka flan), a

Spanish cooks developed a sweet, soft

staple desserts we have, and regions have

in the pastry world. When combined, the dessert that has long been revered for

its simplicity. Different versions are set apart by ingredients, preparation and presentation, but linked together by

foundational crème caramel markers.

Hospitality speaks to Sweet Belem’s

José Silva and Institut Polaire’s Gabriela Macedo about the makings of a good

crème caramel, their takes on the dessert and why it will always be on the menu.

Crème caramel is ubiquitous within French cookery, but Spaniards claim to be the 62 | Hospitality

traders brought sugarcane to Europe,

custard that would go on to inspire spinoffs across the globe.

in Portuguese,” he says. “It’s one of the different recipes.”

Pudim has been a long-time favourite for

Today, crème caramel is a classic dessert

Silva, with the dish eliciting fond memories

leche flan uses evaporated and condensed

one of my favourite things (I love anything

within multiple cuisines. The Philippines’ milk to form the custard, with the same

ingredients found in crème caramels made in parts of South America. In Japan, purin skips the cooking process altogether by using gelatin to set the dessert.

Sweet Belem Owner Jose Silva hails

from Portugal where crème caramel is made and enjoyed across the country.

of his upbringing. “I grew up with it and it’s custardy),” he says. “I came to Australia when I was 12, so I spent a lot of my

childhood in Portugal. Crème caramel was my go-to dessert as a kid and my aunties always made it for special occasions.”

Institut Polaire’s Head Chef Gabriela

Macedo has similar sentiments towards crème caramel, and considers it to be a

Silva tips vanilla bean as a opposed to extract

the classic out of all the French desserts,” says

to flavour the custard for an enhanced taste

— it reminds you of home — and that’s why we

obviously the quality of the ingredients is going

the chef. “Everybody has an experience with it picked the dessert for our menu.”

The restaurant has a seasonal approach to

profile. “You can use extract if you want, but to determine the end product,” he says.

Institut Polaire in Hobart sources ingredients

its offering, and crème caramel is found on the

from local farms, opting to forgo chicken eggs

are always available because it’s a pretty simple

recreate the recipe with Tasmanian ingredients,

menu during the cooler months. “The ingredients recipe, but we like to put it on during winter

because you’re looking for something rich, sweet and comforting,” says Macedo.

Sweet Belem and Institut Polaire use a classic

for duck eggs in the dessert. “We decided to

and that’s why we use duck eggs,” says Macedo.

“They are really rich and make the crème

caramel creamier; we use the yolk and the whole egg for the custard.”

While most French recipes call for milk, Macedo

recipe to make a base crème caramel custard,

prefers cream. “We use pure cream; it’s really rich

core components are milk, sugar, eggs and

flavour to the crème,” she says. “It’s from a lady

with other additions tweaking the result. “The we also add vanilla bean,” says Silva. “Some

Portuguese like to use a little bit of cinnamon

and lemon zest in the milk instead of vanilla.”

and the percentage of fat is high, so it adds more who has farms in the west of Tasmania.”

As with any dessert, divvying up the ingredients comes first. “We separate the eggs, we measure

the sugar, milk and pure cream and then blend it all together,” says Macedo.

The white to yolk ratio in the eggs can be

adjusted depending on the intended size of the

crème caramel. “The amount of yolk and white

you’re using really depends on the portions you are making, but generally it’s a 1:1 ratio,” says

Macedo. “Normally, you have double the white

in an egg, so you’re going to double the amount of yolk. When you get eggs from a really small [farm], you can’t control the exact size, so we

weigh the eggs and always use the same amount of yolk and egg white.”

Cooking the custard comes next. “You infuse

the milk with vanilla bean by bringing the milk

to the boil and letting it sit for half an hour to an hour,” says Silva. “Then bring it back to the boil

and [separately] whisk your eggs and sugar. You

add your hot liquid to the eggs, whisk it and sieve it so there isn’t any shell or lumps from the egg.”

The caramel element sees chefs brown white sugar in a pan on the stovetop, but there are two common techniques used to achieve the

best result. “There is dry caramel where you put sugar straight into the pan and then you stir it,” says Silva. “Or there’s wet caramel where you

make a sugar syrup with sugar and water and

reduce it until it’s amber. We normally do a sugar syrup because we make big batches and it’s

easier to control. But you have to be very careful as it’s about 165 degrees Celsius; we add warm water because it can steam up like a volcano.”

May 2022 | 63

FEATURE // Crème caramel

universally lauded dessert. “Crème caramel is

FEATURE // Crème caramel

“Crème caramel was my go-to dessert as a kid and my aunties always made it for special occasions.”

– Jose Silva The sauce component of crème caramel acts as a barrier between the custard and the tin it’s cooked in, with Macedo also seizing the

opportunity to include additional flavours during the syrup-making stage. “We add kumquats for a little contrast,” she says. “It really complements the flavour, and we do it as a seasonal special.”

The kumquats are cooked separately from the

caramel and are also added as a garnish during the final plating of the dish. “We combine them with star anise, cardamom and syrup and cook

for an hour at a low temperature,” says Macedo.

Once the caramel has been completed, it’s

poured into a lined mould and covered with the custard mixture, a step that ensures the crème caramel self-sauces when it’s flipped. Once

assembled, the tin is partially submerged in a

bain-marie. “You fill it up three-quarters of the way, so it cooks gently and not from the dry heat of the oven,” says Silva. “Otherwise, you curdle the eggs and it becomes like scrambled egg, not custard.”

Cooking times vary depending on the size of

the crème caramel. Low and slow is the name

of the game when it comes to gauging time and temperature. “It’s about 150 degrees Celsius in

the oven; it can be lower, but it will take longer,”

says Macedo. “I time it for 55 minutes or an hour depending on the eggs and the yolk.”

64 | Hospitality

Sweet Belem sells large crème caramel ‘cakes’

and individual portions which both require

different cooking times. “I’d say 40 minutes for

a ramekin depending on the heat you’re using,”

says Silva. “If it’s a steam oven, it’s usually about 10–15 minutes. The steam conducts a lot better than the dry heat, which takes about 30 to 40 minutes. The bigger the crème caramel, the

longer it takes to cook and set. When you’re

cooking a large crème caramel, the outside cooks faster than the inside, that’s why they put a hole

FEATURE // Crème caramel

“Everybody has an experience with it — it reminds you of home — and that’s why we picked the dessert for our menu.”

– Gabriela Macedo

in the middle in Portugal, so it cooks evenly. It’s quite easy to do, but it’s also easy to get it wrong. If you don’t cook it enough, it doesn’t set, which means it falls apart (which has happened to me before) when you turn it out.”

Much like panna cotta, crème caramel is served cold and

needs to set completely before it’s plated. Most chefs bake ahead to leave time for the crème caramel to rest. “We let them set and cool down at room temperature,” says Macedo. “Then we rack

them and leave them in the fridge overnight, so they cool down and are at the proper temperature to be served.”

Crème caramel may only be a combination of two elements,

but for many chefs, it is a dessert that has always held its own.

“I am Brazilian, and we have crème caramel in a traditional

way,” says Macedo. “It’s a multicultural dessert everybody likes, and it reminds people of home in some way.”

For Silva, pudim or crème caramel is something that has

been a big part of his personal life and career. “The Portuguese love crème caramel and obviously our clientele also like it,” he

says. “It’s one of those classics that is quite hard to achieve. It’s a skill to get a good crème caramel.” ■

66 | Hospitality

Crème

Sweet

caramel is

Belem uses

also called

free-range

pudim in

eggs in the

Brazil

custard

Macedo

Silva

serves

recommends

crème

browning

caramel

the sugar for

at 18 degrees

longer for a

Celsius

darker caramel

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FEATURE // Women in liquor

Breaking barriers Hinchcliff House’s Alissa Gabriel on challenging unconscious bias and backing yourself.

WORDS Brydie Allen

ALISSA GABRIEL HAS achieved

won her first cocktail competition and

career thus far. The Bars Manager at

Bacardi Legacy. It was also the year the

incredible milestones throughout her Hinchcliff House in Sydney got her start in the industry in Far North Queensland when she was still in high school and looking to apply to the military. But

was named the 2015 national winner of international final was held in Sydney, which saw Gabriel experience the bar scene of the city.

Gabriel would go on to move to

instead of enlisting, Gabriel “fell in love

Sydney and join Speakeasy Group,

drink and curating an experience”.

across venues including Mjølner and

with hospitality, the art of creating a There wasn’t much of a thriving

cocktail environment during her first

gig, so Gabriel moved to Brisbane and went on to develop her skills at some

of the city’s best bars over the next two years. It was during this time Gabriel 70 | Hospitality

where she spent five years working Eau De Vie, where she was head

bartender. Today, the bar whiz works for House Made Hospitality, the

group behind Hinchcliff House which encompasses four levels of dining,

drinking and events in the CBD. “I’ve

At just 27 years old, Gabriel admits she has

the building,” says Gabriel.

to her strong work ethic, but it doesn’t mean

have had the privilege to open four bars within

As Bars Manager of Hinchcliff House, Gabriel curates the drinks and cocktail lists for each

concept within the venue, with more to come in the months ahead. “I like being able to create

the guest experience from the second they walk in the door and then see them [leave] and talk about your venue to other people,” she says.

“Word of mouth really inspires me and keeps me going.”

Although there have been ups and downs

during Gabriel’s career in the bar world, the joy of crafting a concept’s offering has provided a

excelled “pretty fast” through the ranks due there haven’t been bumps along the way. In her roles, she has recognised the common

challenges women face in the industry, with the most significant revolving around being underestimated. “It is a male-dominated

industry, and you always have that guest who wants to talk to the male bartender next to

me about whisky, not knowing I taught him

everything he knows,” says Gabriel. “Situations like that [occur] where we’re constantly being

underestimated when we actually might be the most qualified person in the room.”

The bars manager says the viewpoint isn’t

positive challenge. “With a new venue, you have

coming from within the industry, but from the

nothing,” she says. “I’ve helped open about seven

Gabriel believes the best response is to wait for

so much opportunity to create something out of venues now, and it’s definitely been a highlight [of my career]. Those first couple of weeks

where you’re racing to get everything done and then you finally stand back and get to see what you’ve created is a really happy moment.”

customer side of the equation. In such situations, an opportunity to step in and prove yourself to

the person without reacting, hence challenging them to recognise their unconscious bias.

Another challenge Gabriel has identified for

women in the industry is imposter syndrome;

May 2022 | 71

FEATURE // Women in liquor

jumped over to this amazing new company and

FEATURE // Women in liquor

the experience of doubting your own abilities and

being afraid of people discovering you are a fraud or don’t belong in a certain role. It’s an obstacle

Gabriel believes is mostly experienced by women in the bar industry. “I think there’s a gap with

imposter syndrome where we don’t know what

our worth is,” she says. “A male might ask for more

money because they have the confidence to just ask, whereas we constantly underestimate ourselves.

“There’s a gut feeling of, ‘Maybe I’m not worth

that; maybe I’m not good enough’. Just work hard

to prove yourself and know your worth. Everybody is capable of doing the same job and being paid the same … I think it starts with having the

confidence in yourself and knowing you can do it.”

In the grand scheme of things, Gabriel is positive about the role of women in the industry and

believes the sector is moving in the right direction as a collective, for the most part. “The right

conversations are happening,” she says. “I think we’re doing everything we can and it will be a

fight to the end. It’s about putting women at the

forefront and … part of the general conversation, which is constantly evolving. It will develop over time and people’s ignorance will get better.” ■

“Everybody is capable of doing the same job and being paid the same.” – Alissa Gabriel

This story has been edited and was originally

published as part of The Shout’s profile series on women working in the liquor industry

72 | Hospitality

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FEATURE // Women in liquor

High flyer

Two Birds Brewing Co-Founder Danielle Allen on launching the country’s first female-founded brewery.

WORDS Brydie Allen

74 | Hospitality

Being Australia’s first female-founded brewery

role model in the industry. Allen didn’t start her

why International Women’s Day has been an

Birds Brewing and an extraordinary female

working life in the beer sector and found her

feet in liquor through marketing. In the early

2000s, she got a taste of the industry in a role

at Metcash, where she became familiar with the independent side of retail, followed by a job

at Woolworths around the time private label activity was beginning to take off.

During her marketing roles, Allen was involved

with product development from start to finish and

is something that drives the brand and is

important event for Two Birds for many years. It led to the creation of the limited annual Warrior Woman beer release along with events and a

recent fundraising collaboration with Endeavour Group around the Summer Ale SKU. “It means

justice and dignity, which I think are two great values for us as a business to hold ourselves accountable to,” says Allen.

A move to help lead the beer industry

everything in between. She garnered significant

towards more gender equality has come about

brands and companies in the early stages and

landscape. “As we’ve gotten older, wiser and

knowledge on global routes to market with

gained a solid understanding of how the liquor industry worked.

After touring American craft breweries with

Jayne Lewis, Allen had a lightbulb moment

which would go on to inspire Two Birds Brewing.

Lewis had taken on roles at Little Creatures

and Mountain Goat and shared the ambition

of wanting to launch a business. “We realised

with the background and skill set I had, and her brewing skills, we could team up and start a

brewery together,” says Allen. “We launched Two

Birds in 2011, built a brewery in 2014, and we’re still here 10 years later. Obviously, we have a

slightly different structure now we’re part of Lion, but in terms of owning and driving the brand

direction and deciding where it goes, that’s still very much on Jayne and my shoulders.”

with time as Two Birds has become part of the more settled into the business with the brand being more established, it has really been

about driving awareness around equality and diversity and helping lead the conversation down that path,” says Allen. “[But] it was

“Every day, we’re still confronted with people assuming the beer industry is all about men and women don’t participate.”

– Danielle Allen

never the objective or the priority of starting a

brewery or a beer brand. Being Australia’s first

female-founded brewery was just about making good beer because why shouldn’t we start a

brewery? Now, we want to not only be a female voice in beer, but to inspire women to have a second think about the industries they might not automatically think they’re allowed to step into.”

It’s why the fundraising initiative with

Endeavour Group is so special, because it’s

intended to provide boots to women who can’t

May 2022 | 75

FEATURE // Women in liquor

DANIELLE ALLEN IS the co-founder of Two

FEATURE // Women in liquor

afford them, but need them for workplace

Allen believes there is still a gap in

safety purposes in industries such as

visibility and opportunities for women

was signing a “groundbreaking” sports

notions of what people think is possible.

brewing. Another defining moment

sponsorship deal with Melbourne AFL

team the Western Bulldogs. It was the first time an independent craft brewery forged a partnership with a major football club and led to Two Birds not only entering

the mainstream, but celebrating women’s

AFL, too. “It was a great alignment of two brands coming together for the greater

good and was when women’s AFL had just started,” says Allen.

From being involved with different

sides of the industry to co-founding a beer brand, Allen has witnessed and

experienced the challenges women face in

in beer based on preconceived ideas and

be “taken seriously”. But she does see

successful business and a voice for

positive change in the works. “There are

some leading women who have done such great work to break some of those biases

down,” says Allen. “There’s a small pocket of the industry that does really well, but it’s about spreading the word into more

mainstream areas around Australia. I’m not sure if there is one big solution or remedy, I think it’s a lot of small efforts and starts with every community and everybody being responsible and accountable.”

One such effort Allen references is Beer

day, we’re still confronted with people

Australian beer industry. The group is

men and women don’t participate; women don’t drink beer and women don’t enjoy

beer,” says Allen. “I think we’re still a long way from breaking down that first basic bias about beer, although we’ve already come a long way.”

76 | Hospitality

for a lack of desire [there are still issues].”

Allen is an excellent role model for

challenge of having to work harder to

Agents For Change, a collective of women

assuming the beer industry is all about

right already,” says Allen. “It’s definitely not

On top of this, Allen says there is the

the industry firsthand. One of the greatest revolves around unconscious bias. “Every

people interested in it who are getting it

seeking to lead meaningful shifts in the working on information and resources the industry can use so every business

can create positive codes of conduct and guidelines around gender equality. Allen

women in beer as the co-owner of a positive change. Her advice to other

women in the industry who have similar aspirations is to always stay true to

yourself and your motivations. “People

often say you’ve got to get insights from

as many people as possible, but it’s really important to first have your own vision,

your own objectives and your own goals,”

says Allen. “People will offer you a variety of opinions, and if you’re not 100 per

cent confident and believe in yourself and what you’re doing, it can be easy to [veer off] that path. Being absolutely 100 per

cent authentic to yourself is paramount in starting a business and getting it off the

ground. It’s not going to be easy, nothing

is easy in this world, and it’s not going to fall into your lap.” ■

says it will provide invaluable materials

This story has been edited and was originally

is trying to do better. “There are a lot of

on women working in the liquor industry

to the industry, which for the most part,

published as part of The Shout’s profile series

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5 MINUTES WITH ... // Zoe Brunton

Monopole’s head sommelier on championing French and Australian winemakers.

PHOTOGRAPHY Kitti Gould

Zoe Brunton I’VE ALWAYS PAID attention to drinks

I started my way as a sommelier

and beverages. I was a barista from 14 or

when I was about 24. I tried to get into

a busy café in the Sutherland Shire called

tricky at the beginning. It was almost a

15 and by the age of 18, I was managing Grind. I geeked out on coffee; we did

lots of coffee tastings and I always really enjoyed it. There was a lot of palate

training, which was super helpful when I started in wine.

wanted to give me any, so it was frustrating.

My favourite types of wines are generally

restaurants and the wine scene, but it was

the ones people don’t really pay attention

protected environment, at least on the

lot of diners don’t know about. People drink

outside, so I went ahead and educated

myself and started pushing, nagging and asking questions.

I began working at Kensington Street

to. There is a whole world out there that a

red wine and are like, “It just tastes like red wine”, but there are a million other things in the glass you can taste.

Monopole exclusively focuses on

Once I got into wine, I stayed on that

Social as a bartender, which was pretty fun.

Australian and French wines, so we’ve

at 17 or so. I was not quite old enough to

and I did some courses, and as luck would

Burgundy selections and Bordeaux, but

pathway. I tried my first wine as a teenager be drinking, but it was Father’s Day, and

my Dad opened a Mount Pleasant Shiraz.

It was 25 years old and decanted and I was like, “Hey can I try some of that?” It was like nothing I’ve had before.

80 | Hospitality

They had a really cool wine program there

have it, a spot opened up on the wine team and I was offered a junior role there.

The team I worked with at Kensington

were great and inclusive, but before, it was like, “You need experience,” and no one

obviously got the classics like all your

there’s quite a few other regions. Savoie in Southeastern France on the Swiss border has some beautiful whites and reds and

there are a couple of producers who are

a little unattainable. Nicole Deriaux from

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5 MINUTES WITH ... // Zoe Brunton

We want the direction of Monopole’s wine offering to be inclusive and educational.

Domaine de Montbourgeau is based in Jura and the Bentley Group have quite a lot of wines from Jura in France that are on the cult-y side and come with a high price tag. Her wines are absolutely delicious and are at a better price point for people to access.

A couple of Australian makers have come across my way and

are really interesting when it comes to producers. I can get into a bit of a barrel on the web just finding new people who are

making cool things. Jess Di Giorgio from Bande Apart and Tessa Brown and her partner from Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown at

Beechworth are all making wines that just keep getting better and better each year.

We want Monopole’s wine offering to be inclusive and

educational as well. We obviously have some vintage-age

Bordeaux coming in at a high price, but then we have some

beautiful entry-level stuff, too. We do small offerings by the glass so guests can have a little taste of these wines.

I change the wine list quite a lot to keep it interesting for guests

and myself. We did a wine list for the month of March with all female producers. We were planning on doing a little feature,

but it just didn’t really make sense as there are so many amazing female producers out there, so we gave them a stage and a platform for the whole month.

The reception at Monopole has been really positive. The wine

list at Potts Point had a large international offering, and this has just been really focused. It has given us a chance to hone in on

areas that sometimes get lost on wine lists. We’ve got a couple of

regulars who get excited when there are new wines on the list; it keeps me engaged and on my toes when I’m finding new things for everyone to drink. ■ 82 | Hospitality

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