RC May 2013

Restaurant Catering

May 2013 $6.95 GST incl.

SushiGuru

<Geoff Lindsay of Dandelion reveals why he likes young people, cheap rent and no competition <Opening the audiophiles, page 28 <The secret to after-dinner

drinks sales revealed, page 26 <Grab the tourism dollar! <Rebuilding Fu Manchu

Shaun Presland reveals how he combined his passion for Japanese food with his vision for his dream restaurant to create the Saké chain

Start-up spectacular: Wisdom, advice and experience from Maurice Terzini, Matt Moran, Andrew McConnell Chris Lucas!

Official Journal of

Restaurant & Catering

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . for more information visit meiko.com.au or call 1300 562 500

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The M-iQ series

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Good things come in threes Saké has opened in three cities in four years, defying the trend when others are closing their doors. Executive Chef and ‘Sushi Guru’ Shaun Presland explains what it has taken to get the ingredients right

Cover story

In this issue ...Upfront4 From the Association:

John Hart and Brien Trippas talk about the challenges facing the industry under the Restaurant Award

6 News and events: Attica rockets up the World’s Best list; retail turnover increases; and more...

Wisdom13 Putting out the welcome mat

State governments want you to grab your share of the tourism dollar—but how do you go about it?

16 Four of the bestWish you had advice from some of the best in the business when starting your restaurant? Now you do

24 What I’ve learntThe owner of Dandelion on why you should look for young people, cheap rent, and no other restaurants when you’re starting up

stuff26 Drinks

How to keep your customers basking in the afterglow of dinner

28 The audiophilesNowadays, you can’t just plug your iPod into speakers—a proper restaurant sound system is a combination of smart hardware, clever software, and appropriate content

32 New productsThe latest and greatest stuff

33 Winter warmers product guide

Everything you need to keep customers warm this winter.

42 DetailsArchitect Mark Pearse took the old and added the new when he designed this eatery in Sydney’s Darlinghurst

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May 2013 $6.95 GST incl.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . for more information visit meiko.com.au or call 1300 562 500

Advanced engineering features takes these advantages even further

a better environment for everyone

The most efficient dishwashers in the world!

• Standard integrated blower dryer works with the airflow management system.

• The M-Filter system actively and continuously removes food from the wash water, further reducing detergent consumption.

• Warm waste air is recycled to pre heat incoming rinse water.

• Exhaust emissions reduced by as much as 90%.

• An active tank management system continuously monitors and adjusts water levels in the machine automatically.

The M-iQ series

4 RESTAURANT & CATERING

Restaurant & Catering magazine is published under licence on behalf of Restaurant & Catering by Engage Custom Media, Suite 4.17 55 Miller Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009 www.engagemedia.com.au

Editorial Director: Rob Johnson Creative Director: Tim Donnellan Sub-editor: KerrynRamsayContributors: Sharon Aris, Nicole Azzopardi, John Burfitt, Ben Canaider, Kellie Morle, Kerryn Ramsey, Danielle Veldre

Commercial Director: Mark Brown Sales Director: Anna BannoDirect: (02) 9660 6995 ext 502Fax: (02) 9518 5600Mobile: 0433 223 100 Email: [email protected] all editorial, subscription and advertising enquiries, ph: 1300 722 878Print Post approved PP: 2255003/06505, ISSN 1442-9942

©2013 Engage Custom Media. Views expressed in Restaurant & Catering magazine are not necessarily those of Restaurant & Catering or that of the publisher, editor or Engage Custom Media.

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The process that the Association has had to go through to get a review of the Restaurant Industry Award has been extraordinary. It has been all consuming. One of the most important considerations was to ensure that our award was to be considered as a whole. This was the

only way that the Fair Work Commission can properly consider the interaction of each of the provisions of the award. For the other awards there was a ‘split off ’ of issues—penalty rates were considered separately to public holidays etc. The Association successfully argued that the interplay between these provisions is, in part, what causes the challenges, particularly penalty on penalty.

The upshot is that the Restaurant Award will not be heard until mid-May. The unions have decided not to call any employers to answer questions in the hearings and have withdrawn all the evidence from employees. This will make for a much shorter hearing program and means all of the witness evidence that the Association has tendered stands as read. R&C is pursuing the award review with every ounce of energy we have. All of the feedback we get from members makes it very clear that reducing the direct cost of payroll is the only way that businesses can afford to operate. Business are closing at an alarming rate. We can only hope that the principles of the legal system prevail in the Award review.

John Hart CEO, Restaurant & Catering

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Award seasonAfter a long process, the Restaurant Award will finally be heard by the Fair Work Commission

from the association

Restaurant & Catering AustraliaAddress: level 3, 154 Pacific highway, St leonards NSW 2064Tel: 1300 722 878Fax: 1300 722 396Email: [email protected]: www.restaurantcater.asn.au

President: Brien Trippas (NSW)Senior Vice President: Kevin gulliver (QlD)Junior Vice President: Matteo Pignatelli (VIC)Treasurer: Richard harper (VIC)Chief Executive Officer: John hartR&C is a federation of the following associations, working together on national issues on behalf of their members.

Restaurant & Catering SAPh: 8351 7837. Fax: (08) 8351 7839Email: [email protected]: Michael SferaChief Executive Officer: Sally Neville

Restaurant & Catering NSWPh: 1300 722 878. Fax: 1300 722 396Email: [email protected]: Mark Scanlan

Restaurant & Catering QLDPh: 1300 722 878. Fax: 1300 722 396 Email: [email protected]: Con Castrisos

Restaurant & Catering ACTPh: 1300 722 878. Fax: 1300 722 396 Email: [email protected]: Malisa Reggente

Restaurant & Catering VicPh: 1300 722 878. Fax: 1300 722 396Email: [email protected]: Matteo Pignatelli

Restaurant & Catering WAPh: 1300 722 878. Fax: 1300 722 396Email: [email protected]: Warwick lavis

Restaurant & Catering’s mission: To lead and represent the Australian restaurant and catering industry.

Contact details

RestaurantCatering

8,329 - CAB Audited as at September, 2012


Too big to ignoreThe Coalition has promised to look at the FairWork Commission’s approach to the Award

There has now been an on the record statement from the leader of the Opposition that ‘penalty rates are killing jobs’. This comes after a visit by Mr Abbott to South Australia where he spoke to cafes & restaurants about their businesses. This would have been the straw that broke the

camel’s back! I am sure that every MP would hear this message from your busi-nesses. The understanding that the Coalition has now provided us is that they will ‘intervene’ in proceedings in the FairWork Commission that will support ‘adjustments’ to penalties. This is a very positive and supportive statement that creates a significant contrast with the government. The Association would obvi-ously like Mr Abbott to go further. Our submission is that penalties are no longer relevant to Saturday & Sunday per se and should be applied to the sixth and seventh day of work instead. This concept is based on the genesis of weekend penalties which were days worked after a 9 to5, Monday to Friday working week. Our public campaign has been supported by the ‘Too Big To Ignore’ advocacy championed by the Cham-bers of Commerce. To support the Association campaign, go to www.newrestaurantaward.com.

Brien TrippasPresident, Restaurant & Catering

PLATINUM: American Express International • Bidvest • OAMPS • Vittoria Coffee

GOLD: Australian Mangoes • ALSCO • Dimmi • The Entertainment Book • Lion • Treasury Wine Estates

SILVER Bartercard • Meat & Livestock

DIAMOND


The Roca brothers, owners of El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, have claimed the coveted number one spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. El Celler

de Can Roca has long been hailed as one of Spain’s most exciting places to eat and having spent two years at number two on the list, it has swapped places with Denmark’s Noma, which held the top ranking for the past three years.

The Roca brothers’ restaurant has gained global acclaim for its combination of Catalan dishes and cutting-edge techniques and the passion that they share for hospitality. El Celler believes in freestyle cooking, with a commitment to the avant-garde, but remaining faithful to the memory of different generations of the family’s ancestors, all dedicated to feeding people.

Melbourne’s Attica wins the Acqua Panna Best Restaurant in the Australasia award and takes home the Highest New Entry award, sponsored by LesConcierges.com, making its debut on the list at number 21. Executive chef Ben Shewry has carved himself a reputation for respecting nature and the environment, and working carefully with ingredients to demonstrate their pure flavour and texture.

Peter Gilmore’s restaurant, Quay, overlooking Sydney harbour, ranks number 48 and appears on the list for the fifth consecutive year. Gilmore prides himself on being one of the first chefs to refocus on the natural world and an organic aesthetic, and describes his cuisine as “food inspired by nature”.

For the complete list of this year’s awards and more, go to www.theworlds50best.com.

The Catalan restaurant has knocked Noma from the top of the list, while Attica has shot up to number 21

Roca rocks the World’s Best

News&events

Retail turnover rises in February The latest ABS Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turn-over rose 1.3 per cent in February 2013, seasonally adjusted, follow-ing a rise of 1.2 per cent in January 2013. Through the year, Australian retail turnover rose 4.6 per cent in February 2013, seasonally adjusted, compared to February 2012.

The largest contributor to the rise in February 2013 was food retailing (1.1 per cent), followed by household goods retailing (1.6 per cent), other

retailing (1.6 per cent), cafes, restau-rants and takeaway food services (1.3 per cent), department stores (1.6 per cent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (1.2 per cent). The state which was the largest contributor to the rise was New South Wales (1.4 per cent), followed by Queensland (1.9 per cent), Victoria (1.1 per cent), Western Australia (1.8 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (2.6 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in

South Australia (-0.4 per cent), the Northern Territory (-1.4 per cent) and Tasmania (-0.6 per cent). Over the longer term, Queensland was the strongest contributor to growth (up 0.6 per cent in trend terms).

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.4 per cent in February 2013. This follows a 0.3 per cent rise in January 2013. Through the year, the trend estimate rose 3.2 per cent in February 2013 compared to February 2012.

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Clockwise from top: Brothers Joan, Jordi and Josep Roca, owners of El Celler de Can Roca, with their award. Peter Gilmore’s Quay has slipped to number 48 on the list. Ben Shewry of Melbourne’s Attica is Australia’s best and the Highest New Entry.


News&events

Fagor has now launched their new generation of ADVANCE combi ovens. These ovens are designed to be the most technologically advanced range of combi ovens available on the market and have highly competitive prices, thanks to Fagor’s unique position in the Australian market as a fully supported extension of the Spanish Fagor Industrial factory. ADVANCE ovens incorporate state of the art features in terms of technology and software and are easy to use thanks to their intuitive touch screen menu and their full range of applications for monitoring, maintenance, configuration and logging of cooking events.

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Contact Fagor on 1300 424 615 for further information and special introductory pricing!

In the pictureProminent Australian artist and 2012 Archibald Prize winner, Tim Storrier AM, has partnered with American Express to inspire Australians to create original artwork that reflects their own interpretation of a favourite store, cafe or holiday destination experience. Three winning designs will be displayed prominently in businesses across Australia.

American Express’s Picture This campaign asks creative Australians to design an original piece of art in any medium. In particular, Storrier is looking for inspiring entries that “avoid the ‘fashionable’ as implicitly it will become ‘unfashionable’”.

Research conducted in 2013 by American Express found businesses want a revamp of in-store point-of-purchase displays. Of 150,000 businesses surveyed nationally, one third who currently do not display point-of-purchase material would warmly do so if the creative took on an artistic slant.

The American Express Picture This campaign launched on April 22. Public voting will commence on May 27. Win-ners will be announced in June via the official American Express Australia Facebook page.

Organic Char closingReports have come in from Brisbane of the closure of Organic Char in Brisbane’s CBD. The organic, shared plate restaurant opened in July 2011, attached to the iconic Cha Cha Char! steakhouse. Now that it is closing, the space will be used by its sister restaurant for private functions, the owners have told local newspapers.

“Our clientele here is mainly corporate and they just don’t like the share idea. It gets awkward—who’s going to take the first bit of food, who’s going to take the last?

“Weekends were okay because it was a different crowd but during the week, diners would just tend to order off the Char menu anyway,” owner John Kilroy told a local newspaper.

The 50-seat Organic Char, which featured all organic produce and sustainably caught fish, was the only fully certi-fied organic restaurant in Brisbane. According to Kilroy, it will become a private dining area for functions.

“It’s a shame it didn’t work but I think you can do this kind of thing in the suburbs but not in the CBD. The last 18 months have certainly been a learning experience for me.”

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News&events

9259 RedCat Half Pg Ad R&C.indd 1 21/01/13 10:04 AMRESTAURANT & CATERING 11

Australian businesses in the accommodation, cafes and restaurants sectors have recorded better performance than Australian businesses on average over the past 12 months, according to the March

2013 Roy Morgan Business Survey. Looking forward to the next 12 months, cafes and restaurants expect to improve well above the business average.

The Roy Morgan Business Survey asks businesses about their performance over the past 12 months, as well as their outlook, or expectation, for the next year.

Nigel Smith, director of business research for Roy Morgan Research, says: “Despite the high Australian dollar, it appears that the accommodation, cafes and restaurants part of the tourism sector has performed reasonably well over the last 12 months, and expect an even better year ahead.

“The exception appears to be takeaway food services—this may reflect their greater dependence on discretionary house-hold income and consumption compared to the more tourist and travel oriented divisions of this industry. If households, particularly families, have been cutting back on non-essential expenditure, fish-and-chips shops or home-delivered pizzas are likely to be among the businesses that suffer.”

“Over the past 12 months, takeaway businesses reported a far worse performance compared to Australian businesses overall (-33.2 per cent net result compared to -20.8 per cent), and are less likely to expect improvement in the next 12 months (11.4 per cent net positive outlook compared to 28.0 per cent),” continues Smith.

“Overall, more Australian businesses reported negative performance than positive performance in the past 12 months resulting in a net negative performance score of -20.8 per cent. However … more Australian businesses reported positive outlook than negative outlook for the next 12 months, result-ing in a net positive outlook score of +28 per cent. It is worth noting that the survey shows that the accommodation-and-food-services segment has a level of confidence of 124.4, well ahead of a number of other key industries,” said Smith.

Things are looking upA new survey finds a mixed year for both cafes and restaurants, but things are looking up for the next 12 months

May–June 2013

Be prepared, restaurateurs—plate smashing is a favourite sport at Brisbane’s Paniyiri Greek Festival

this weekend. paniyiri.com

18So popular, the Lovedale Long Lunch in the Hunter Valley has been running for 20 years now.

On all weekend; lovedalelonglunch.com.au

19Local restaurants and cafes offer

special menus with regional produce during Victoria’s High

Country Harvest on May 17-26. highcountryharvest.com.au

17Bigger, better, tastier—2013 marks the 10th anniversary of

the Noosa International Food & Wine Festival on May 16-19. noosafoodandwine.com.au

May16

The pumpkin soup van doles out the good stuff during

Queensland’s Goomeri Pumpkin Festival today.

goomeripumpkinfestival.com.au

26Touted as the taste of paradise, the Seafood Extravaganza is a highlight at Qld’s Port Douglas

Carnivale on May 17-26. carnivale.com.au

25Mark Best, Pierrick Boyer, Guy

Grossi, Dan Hunter, Karen Martini and Tony Panetta perform at the

Starlight Five Chefs in Melbourne. fivechefs.org.au

24

Taste local brews such as Bootleg Oatmeal Stout and

Mountain Goat Beer at Good Beer Week in Victoria on May 18-26.

goodbeerweek.com

Melbourne International Coffee Expo offers roasting

workshops and the World Barista Championship on May 23-26. internationalcoffeeexpo.com

Franchising and technology pavilions are all part of the

National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago on May 18-21.

restaurant.org/show

22 2321Best bar, cafe and restaurant designs are just some of the categories for the Eat-Drink-

Design Awards. Entry submissions are open til July 26.

eat-drink-design.com

20

Shake it up, mixologists—nominations for Australian

Bartender Bar Awards close on May 31.

australianbartender.com.au

31If you’re refurbishing, redesigning

or building from scratch, don’t miss Melbourne’s Hotel Hospitality

+ Design on May 30-June1. hhdshow.com.au

30Judging of the International

Cool Climate Wine Show takes place in the Mornington

Peninsula on May 28-29. coolclimatewineshow.org.au

28

If you love Annie Smithers’ Bistrot in Victoria’s Kyneton, fly to France for her Taste of Burgundy

cooking tour on May 20-27. tastesofburgundy.com

27

Melbourne’s Shane Delia of Maha produces Middle Eastern delicacies

during Savour Tasmania on May 29-June 2.

savourtasmania.com.au

2

Vegetable growers come together at the AUSVEG national convention and trade show at the

Gold Coast on May 30-June 1. ausveg.com.au

Jun 1

See food fans mix it up with the masters at Good Food & Wine Show’s Yum Kitchen cooking classes in Melbourne on June 7-10. goodfoodshow.com.au

7The Canberra International

Riesling Challenge offers an encouragement award for up-

and-coming winemakers. Entries now open. rieslingchallenge.com

6

Support World Environment Day’s Think.Eat.Save theme by considering the environmental

impact of food choices you make. unep.org/wed/theme

5Deck the halls and baste the

turkey—Yulefest celebrations take place all winter long at cosy restaurants and hotels

around Australia.

4Apprentice Chef of the Year and Rare Medium Chef of the Year are on at Foodservice Australia

on June 2-4 in Melbourne. foodserviceaustralia.com.au

3

Sydney Film Festival and Luke Mangan create a cinema

feast—watching Red Obsession and tasting the chef’s Bordeaux-

inspired menu. sff.org.au

See what’s brewing at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas

(worldteaexpo.com) and Coffee Fest Chicago (coffeefest.com),

all on June 7-9.

1110

The long weekend continues with the McLaren Vale’s Sea &

Vines (SA), Greek Glenti (NT) and Griffith’s unWINE (NSW).

9Queen’s Birthday food festival

frenzy in Victoria with Heathcote On Show, Tastes of Rutherglen and

Brown Brothers Winter Festival all weekend.

8

Cheer for Electrolux Young Chef winner Stewart Wesson as he boards the yacht at the

S.Pellegrino Cooking Cup in Venice. appetiteforexcellence.com

15Taste Suffolk lamb served with heirloom garden vegies at the Margan 100-Metre Meal all

weekend; all part of the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month. huntervalleyuncorked.com.au

14More than 200,000 beers,

including Australian brands, will be consumed in four days at

Singapore’s Beerfest Asia on June 13-16. beerfestasia.com

13

what’s on



ustralia’s popularity as a global tour-ism destination is booming. Interna-tional tourism to Australia continues to increase—and if state tourism ministers have their way, it will keep on rising. The Newman government in Queensland and the O’Farrell government in New South Wales

have both launched high-profile initiatives to get more tourists to visit their states and to support their businesses.

In fact, the Queensland government wants to see the amount tourists spend in the state each year double to $30 billion by 2020 under the DestinationQ campaign. Not to be outdone, in March NSW launched Destination NSW with a similar pledge to double the amount of cash spent by tourists by 2020.

The high Australian dollar might have made it more expen-sive to travel Down Under, but it’s clear that more and more international travellers want to come to Australia. Domestic tourism is increasing too—albeit at a much slower pace than international tourism.

Just how many tourists are we talking? According to Tourism Research Australia, in 2012, 5,691,791 overseas tourists came to Australia. More than two-thirds of them were on holidays or vis-iting friends and family. The group of short-term international visitors that’s growing fastest is from South-East Asia and China.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) tracks tourist num-bers—and keeps records of the economic contribution of tour-ism. There’s good news there too. Not only is the number of visitors from overseas rising each year, the amount they are spending is on the up too. When the ABS released its most recent findings in late 2011, it reported that tourism contributes a whopping $94.8 million a day to the Australian econ-omy. Sydney and Melbourne are the top tourism regions in Australia by expenditure but more than 45 per cent of tourism ex-penditure takes place outside capital cities. Tourism’s total contribution to Australia’s GDP in 2010–11 was $73.3 billion.

This is good news for restaurant owners who stand to make big gains if they can con-vince tourists to dine with them.

The international visitors who find their way to Mark Scanlan’s Garfish restaurants, with outlets in Syd-ney’s Kirribilli, Manly and Crows Nest, aren’t looking for a quick

feed. They’re discerning diners who are looking for a great dining experience. For Scanlan, reaching the tourist

market is a good way to fill tables. Holidaymak-ers are more likely to be interested in going

out for lunch during the week than local diners who are generally at work.

Location helps, that’s for sure. “There’s nothing better than hopping on a ferry and heading across the harbour to Manly, having a swim and lunch,” says Scanlan. “That’s what we try to capture at our Manly restau-

rant.” Patrons love the local seafood and the spectacular waterfront views.It’s not just that Manly is one of Syd-

ney’s top tourist spots—it helps that Manly Council is active in supporting local businesses

and keen to promote the area as a tourist desti-nation. They have included Garfish in the council’s special

State governments want you to grab your share of the tourism dollar—but how do you go about it? By Catriona Menzies-Pike

Putting out the

Marketing

welcome mat

For Sydney-based restaurateur Mark Scanlan of Garfish, reaching the tourist market is a good way to fill tables.

“There’s nothing better than hopping

on a ferry and heading across the harbour to Manly, having a swim and

lunch. That’s what we try to capture at our Manly restaurant.”

Mark Scanlan, Garfish

promotions for the area. Manly Council is involved with the state government’s Destination NSW initiative—which means the restaurant has enjoyed wide promotion to visitors.

Matteo Pignatelli, who has run Matteo’s in Melbourne for 18 years, is also seeing more and more interna-tional visitors in his restaurant.

Matteo’s is located on the bohemian end of Brunswick Street. Because the restaurant is located outside the CBD, patrons need a reason to leave the city—and getting to the restaurant has become part of Matteo’s branding. “Visitors can jump on a tram, have a look around the area and come and have lunch. It’s a classic Melbourne experience,” says Pignatelli. Increasingly, he says, he’s seeing tourists arrive at his restaurant on the strength of recommendations from websites such as TripAdvisor and Urban Spoon. He advises restaurateurs to keep an eye on these sites and to monitor their online reputation.

Like Garfish, the crew at Matteo’s work with existing infrastructure to reach Australian and international tourists. The restaurant is listed in the Destination Melbourne Dining Guide that tourists pick up when they arrive at the airport. They’re also working with the Yarra City Council to actively promote the Melbourne dining experience.

Garfish has also worked to build relationships with local hotels, such as the Manly Novotel, and with the concierges

who are asked for dining recommendations by guests. The restaurant sends out menus and promotional materials to concierges in the area and in the CBD to keep them up to date with changes. Both Garfish and Matteo’s invite concierges to lunch to showcase what’s on offer at their venues.

These relationships with concierges need to be carefully managed, warns Scanlan. Concierges are under pressure to organise top-line dining experiences for their clients. They need to have complete confidence in a restaurant and negative feedback can take time to make up.

At this stage, Garfish has made no special arrangements to accommodate tourists. Scanlan says they haven’t encountered issues with language that would require big changes. Matteo’s currently has one staff member who speaks Mandarin and now offers a bigger tea selection to cater to the needs of Asian visi-tors who tend not to be big drinkers.

If government initiatives to increase tourist numbers are successful, there will be ample opportunities for restaurateurs to take advantage of this growing market. Both Garfish and Matteo’s might be in different cities but there’s a common lesson they’ve learnt about international visitors. They’re not just looking for a great meal, they’re looking for a complete dining experience, whether that’s waterfront in Sydney, or on the tramlines in Melbourne. If restaurateurs can tell prospec-tive guests that story, they’re onto a winner.

Marketing

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Bormiolli.indd 1 9/05/13 5:46 PM14 RESTAURANT & CATERING

Start-up central


Restaurateur: Matt MoranWe know you from: Paddington Inn Bistro, Moran’s Restaurant & Café, Singapore Airlines, The Chopping Block (TV), MasterChef (TV). Flagship: ARIA

When opening a restaurant, always…“…listen to the customers. Open with a clear idea of what your offer is but do not adhere to it at all costs. Be prepared to tweak your offer to achieve a good connection with your market.

“Always open with at least four to six people that you have worked with before, spread between the back and front of house. You can’t be everywhere and these people will be tent poles to promote your culture. They know how you want things done. And always have at least two dummy runs with friends and family. Make the first one modest in numbers and really push the second one. I would much prefer to see where the issues are with non-paying friends than discover these issues with pay-ing customers once we are open.

Finally, communicate, communicate, communicate with staff, customers and suppliers. This is essential at all times but particu-larly in the first six weeks.”

When opening a restaurant, never…“…let the designer or architect have veto over design or building options. Long after the architect and designer have finished, you are left with the repairs and maintenance. Also consider work-flow in the design of the bar and kitchen and dining room. Poor design can cost thousands of dollars in loss of efficiencies.

“Don’t pay for advertising in the first four months. Instead, use that money to host an opening party for local patrons and businesses. It’s a far better investment and they can sample what you’re selling to them—good food, wine and ambience. And don’t have a knee-jerk reaction to every piece of negative feed-back. Look for patterns—if there are three or four complaints from your customers that are all on a similar vein, that indicates that you have a problem.

Wish you had advice from some of the best in the business when starting your restaurant? Now you do… by Chris Sheedy

The stars of the restaurant world —those top chefs who inhabit the very highest stratosphere of culinary accomplishment and

reputation—have earned their place because they have successfully launched new restaurants again and again. So what

exactly is the secret? Why are some able to enjoy the taste of success over and over while so many others fade into obscurity? We sought valuable advice from four powerhouses of the Australian restaurant industry in order to gain a glimpse into the secrets of their success.

Clockwise from top left: Matt Moran, Maurice

Terzini, Andrew McConnell and Chris Lucas.

of The besT

“Do not work seven days a week for the first six months as stress and fatigue can cloud your judgement. Distance can give you a clearer perspective. And finally, one thing I learnt was not to name a restaurant after yourself. This makes it al-most impossible to sell. This was our experience with Moran’s at Potts Point in 1999.”

Restaurateur: Maurice TerziniWe know you from: North Bondi Italian Food, Nield Avenue, La Macelleria, Giuseppe Arnaldo & SonsFlagship: Icebergs Dining Room & Bar

When opening a restaurant, always…“…remember originality of concept is vital and so is location, but avoid heavily modifying the concept for the location. You might modify it slightly, but don’t lose your concept to match a location.

“The first thing I do with a new business is work out what I’ll cook and what we’ll serve. That’s before we even start speaking to

the architect. And we show the architect the menu before we start talking about design because there has to be a correlation between the architecture, the food, the graphics and everything else.

“Know your commercial terms, that is something really im-portant. Understand your numbers, especially these days as the industry becomes tighter and tighter.”

When opening a restaurant, never…“…plagiarise names or concepts, whether it’s from a local or over-seas business. The world is too small now. Everything—the name and the food and everything—is part of the concept and it’s vital to have your own concept.

“Ideas are really hard to come across. Plagiarism is not good for the industry at all. Maybe customers don’t realise, but the people in the industry know what you’re doing.

“Of course we take inspiration from each other. I often try to re-interpret things in my own way. But blatant plagiarism is not cool. It’s really important to me to see originality.”


Restaurateur: Andrew McConnellWe know you from: Cumulus Inc, Golden Fields, The Builders Arms. Flagship: Cutler & Co

When opening a restaurant, always…“…remember your audience and what they want and always respond to what they want. That means always thinking about the audience you’re targeting. Sometimes it’s not exactly what you personally want because you’re putting the customer first. It may not be to your taste, but you have to put them first.

“You go into a new business with an idea and you think you’re going to hit the nail on the head. You have enough experience to think you know what people want. Then when you open the doors you learn that what people are looking for is actually a little different to what you’re offering. When that happens you have to be willing and able to respond to it.”

When opening a restaurant, never…“…go into a new project without the correct staff in place. Without them you will never succeed. In our industry the only way a busi-ness can grow and develop is through its staff. We are totally de-pendent on having the right people on board. One of my very first considerations for a new project is who is going to work there. We start training and recruiting 12 months before we open. We bring

people in for a good amount of time for staff development. It’s good for the staff and it also helps us to develop a unique culture.”

Restaurateur: Chris LucasWe know you from: The Botanical, Pearl, One Fitzroy Street, Baby. Flagship: Chin Chin

When opening a restaurant, always…“…consider that starting a restaurant is perhaps the most chal-lenging and high-risk business anyone can undertake. It all comes down to that one single day when you open the doors and hope customers will come in. In many cases they don’t come, or you just get a trickle, or you are inundated and can’t handle the pressure. Unfortunately there’s no secret recipe or magic wand. But if you want to give yourself every chance of succeeding then simply en-sure you pursue quality in food, people, design and location.”

When opening a restaurant, never…“…skimp on quality. It’s so easy to take short cuts in this game, especially in Australia where we face such enormous costs. But taking short cuts simply means that you undermine any good work you may have done in getting those doors open. The public are very discerning and competition is everywhere so stay true to your beliefs.”

Start-up central


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cover story

Saké has opened in three cities in four years, defying the trend when others are closing their doors. Executive chef and ‘Sushi Guru’ Shaun Presland explains what it has taken to get the ingredients right. By John Burfitt

Two decades ago when he was fresh out of university and after a stint in the Australian Army Reserves, Saké Restaurant & Bar executive chef Shaun Presland swapped the suburban streets of Brisbane for the meaner streets of Tokyo in the name of learn-ing the intricacies of Japanese cuisine. When Tokyo did not provide the insights he sought,

Presland took off to the Yamagata Prefecture and settled in the hillside town of Ginzan Onsen, where he worked in a ryokan (small inn). There, he learnt authentic Japanese cooking from a range of people, literally from the ground up.

“I was taken under the wing of the people in this town, so the fish guy taught me all about fish, the tofu lady taught me tofu, the alcohol guy taught me about sake and we would go into the mountains to pick vegetables,” Presland says in the wake of the lunch rush at Saké in Sydney’s ArgyleXchange dining precinct. “We worked with what we had, so sometimes we’d eat grasshoppers. One time someone shot a bear and so we had bear stew. There was no internet then, no mobile phones and so all I could do was absorb everything about the culture around me.”

Now at age 41, Presland is acclaimed as one of Australia’s masters of Japanese cuisine, and has successfully opened Saké restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane over the past four years. In the process, Presland has also earnt the moniker of ‘Sushi Guru’.

In recent times, his talents have been recognised by the industry, with Saké Sydney earning a Good Food Guide Chef ’s Hat each year it has been open, and another for Saké Brisbane. Brisbane’s Saké also earnt the 2012 HOSTPLUS Savour Aus-tralia™ Restaurant & Catering Award for Best Asian Restaurant. Reflecting on the lessons from his formative years in Japan through to today, Presland readily admits he has been driven more by blind courage rather than a firm career strategy.


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Shaun Presland took himself to the mean streets

of Tokyo to learn about Japanese cuisine.

“My whole life has been a bit like that,” he says. “I have kids who now ask me to hook them up so they can go to Japan and do the same thing I did, but you just can’t do that these days. I was working illegally, but you just can’t get away with that sort of thing now. I was lucky in that way.

“But I also feel I earnt my stripes. I did the years of cutting up sushi and every day would go to the fish market and learnt to choose the right fish.”

Those stripes were not only earnt in Japan, but also in the years before and after. For three years while studying for a business degree at Queensland University, he also completed a chef ’s apprenticeship with the Army Reserves.

After Japan, he landed a job working with at the Unkai restaurant at Sydney’s ANA Hotel (now Shangri-La), and later worked at the Establishment and Ivy, as well as at Nobu Atlantis in the Bahamas.

despite the years spent in Japan, it was working under Unkai executive chef Hiroshi Miura that provided the greatest education.

“After being in Japan, I knew my in-gredients and thought I knew my stuff as I could cut fish and do tempura, but as soon as I got to Unkai, I realised I knew nothing,” he admits, laughing.

“I knew a level of cookery to get me through in the countryside and I knew the processes, but the level of food

Hiroshi Miura was doing back then was with kaiseki food, and I just said, ‘teach me’. It was then I fell in love with sushi.”

The passion for sushi, which led to the ‘Sushi Guru’ label, did not only stem from its flavours and the range of lush ingredients. Presland admits he had a far more basic reason for falling in love, and it was largely based on image.

“They were the coolest chefs, and they got to drink with the customers,” he laughs, before adding he gave up alcohol two years ago. “They had gone through the ranks, were always nicely ironed, never got dirty and yet they knocked out art on a plate that tasted good. I wanted to be that guy. Making sushi is on a level all on its own.”

There is something of a showman in the way Presland works at the counter of Saké, as well as on TV’s MasterChef, where his personality combined with his mastery with Japanese cuisine has cut his own swathe in a kitchen full of larger-than-life personalities.

It is little surprise, then, to learn his mother is former Sadler’s Wells bal-lerina, Caroline Whitley, who danced on stages across Europe. “She was always something of a show pony,” he recalls with a smile. Away from the spotlight, it was Caroline who also had a keen influ-ence on Presland’s burgeoning love of food. “The kitchen was always the hub of our home, and mum was always in

the kitchen—not chained to the stove, but she was always happy when she was making something,” he says. “I think I get that from her. When you cook with intent, you’re giving something of your-self on a plate with love.

“Of course things change when you’re doing 280 covers on a busy night, but that always remains the intent when working.”

It was not just his mother who played a hand in guiding his food ambitions. His father John also worked in the food industry, with such giants as Copper Kettle and RM Gow. At one stage, John also worked with the iconic Australian ‘delicacy’, the Chiko Roll.

While Presland began making his name during his tenure at the ANA, and then later with the Meri-

vale Group at the Establishment and Ivy, it was five years ago when he was intro-duced to restaurant entrepreneur John Szangolies that his career embarked in a new high-speed direction.

“One week after meeting John, he called me to say he had found a space in The Rocks,” Presland recalls. “We walked into the old sandstone ware-house and he asked if I could do a restaurant here, and I don’t think it took me a second to reply yes.



“So, it’s my vision and his money. We’ve laid all the steps together and they are solid. We’ve owned it, we’ve created it and all the decisions we made were for the right reasons.” Saké Sydney opened its doors in October 2009, followed by Brisbane in November 2010 and Mel-bourne in August 2012.

At a time when many other restaurants have come and gone, and media reports have run headlines like “Restaurants in Recession”, the Saké empire has defied trends and instead grown through the nation’s three biggest capitals in less than four years.

“We map everything out and that is why this is the right place for me,” he says. “When I say all these decisions were made, they were made in black and white and there’s no grey areas in what we do. No-one can operate with grey.

“You might not like all the decisions that are made, but then you have to man up and get over it. What I’ve learnt about making restaurants is that a lot of places do not have the capacity to make losses when they first open, and it takes a lot to open a place. You are never going to make money from day one, as there are so many expenses to cope with.

“It is amazing to have a backer like John—while he doesn’t have endless pockets, he knows what is going to hap-pen as he has done it before.

“Someone told me once that when

a recession hits, many businesses try to then sell a cheap product, and then when it’s over, you are known as the place that sells a cheap product. It can take years to recover from that.

“Rather than cheapening product, you need to try to value-add. We have never cheapened our product and while we are not super expensive, we’re not cheap either, and I believe we offer a product that resembles that.”

While Sydney and Brisbane both struck the right chords since opening, he tells that getting Saké Melbourne to work required more effort. “Melbourne was a shaky start, only because you can’t just replicate what you’ve done in Syd-ney in Melbourne,” he admits.

“We were being asked things like how much local produce we were using and being on the Southbank boardwalk, there are cheaper offers around, but we didn’t bow down to that. We’ve got a great team in place and now it is all

working. In fact, it is now doing even better than Brisbane.”

As the father of Sebastian, nine, and Sasha, eight, there are other priorities that play as important a role in Presland’s life as his career in which he presides over restaurants in three markets. Work-ing seven shifts and serving an estimated 2000 customers a week, as well as travel-ling between the three Saké restaurants, means his life has become more of

a juggling act than ever. But he shows no signs of wanting to change a moment of it. “I think I have the maturity now to say this is my on-field game and this is off-field game and I need to balance all of that, and I do,” he says. “I don’t believe my life has changed a lot. I’ve just priori-tised what needs more time and what sacrifices to make, but they really have not been sacrifices as I am enjoying all of it. It is a matter of trying to live well, eat well and loving what I do. I can’t imagine doing anything that’s much different.”

Two views of Saké, which was created through Presland’s vision and John Szangolies’ money.

“the level of food hiroshi Miura Was doinG back then Was With kaiseki food, and i just said, ‘teach Me’. it Was then i fell in love With sushi.”Shaun Presland, Saké


The owner of Dandelion on why you should look for young people, cheap rent, and no other restaurants when you’re starting up

The work I did that was most formative was with Stephanie Alexander. I started with her when I was 22 and I stayed until I was 29. I worked my way up to head chef. Because she hadn’t done the traditional apprenticeship, she ran her kitchen differently too. We all had chores—watering the garden, picking salads, incidental shopping. There was a real sense you were involved in the whole organism, part of a team. Not just a ‘grill chef ’ or a ‘fish chef ’. That influenced me strongly. I still run my kitchen in a very similar way. Along with a passion for fresh produce; in fact, the best produce.

She introduced me to the idea of chefs not just running a restaurant but a business —doing TV and doing cooking classes. She was ambassadorial for Australian food as well. I did a couple of international trips with her, cooking in London and Los Angeles. She was speaking for all Australians and promoting young Australian chefs.

I left Stephanie at 29 and opened my own restaurant, Stella, on Spring Street [Melbourne]. It won best new restaurant and opened with three chef hats. We didn’t make millions but we did well. I ran the business for six years. There were three partners, all working partners, all pretty young. When we sold the restaurant everyone walked away happy. But after that I realised I needed strong business acumen, marketing nous, some promotional ideas—a lot more skills than a chef has. In fact the very skills that make you a great chef make you a bad restaurateur like costing products, costing rosters. For me to move into partnership again, I needed someone with business savvy—who had an office set up and who could handle those things.

When we opened Pearl in 1999 on Church Street, Richmond, there was no other restaurant in the area. It was the hub of creativity in Melbourne—the epicentre of design and we really targeted that creative enclave. I’m much more into cooking for a creative set, not just accountants and bankers. Again we won best new restaurant. Everything I’ve done I’ve tried to do it at its height—highly worked, highly designed and highly articulated.

We ran Pearl for 12 years and expanded to include a cafe, took over a catering company and won the catering for Gold Class Cinemas—12 different cinemas—all off site. We did a restaurant in Hong Kong, which we sold under licence. That was a two-year contract so I spent half the time in Hong Kong.

I was happy to cross between fine dining, cafe, catering. We built it to add value to the brand, not just the restaurant. Most restaurateur chefs become the brand, then the chef leaves and the restaurant dies. We tried to circumvent that—push the Pearl brand, not the Geoff Lindsay brand. We wanted

to build it to sell.

Eventually the business got to be quite cumbersome. I got to the stage

where I was cooking much less, into the creative side much less (my sweet spot) and too involved in admin—the boring bit!

I saw the writing on the wall for the fine-dining business. Now

people prefer to go to three cafes a week rather than one restaurant.

We opened Dandelion in 2011. It’s a totally different business model. I’ve gone

from 120 staff to a husband and wife shop in Elwood. The business model I wanted to go back to was being close to the customers, about food, wine and service. The concept of contemporary Vietnamese had been in my head for a long time. The menu had been in my head, and the name. Sometimes the longer these things take the better they are.

It’s a response to the market. What I saw in Church Street in the 1990s we saw in Elwood—lots of young people as well as no other restaurant. I much prefer being on a community street with a butcher, baker, fruit and vegie shop, no multinationals, just us. Our customers are thankful we’re here. And rent is cheap—with labour costs so high your rental can’t be prohibitive.

Lindsay

What I’ve learnt

“I much prefer being on a community street with a butcher, baker, fruit and vegie shop, no multinationals,

just us.”

Geoff

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When I come to power, every waiter in Australia will be back-paid—by the Federal government—a dollar for every time they’ve so optimistically, joyfully and expectantly asked the question: “Dessert? Can

I tempt you? Perhaps a cheese course, to share?”And I’ll do so because, boy, it’s a hard sell. Getting customers

to add to the bill after they’ve fought their way through the organic line-caught hormone-free tank-fresh degustations (which have been artisanally prepared sous-vide in a Thermomix) makes moon-landings look affordable, let alone believable. Yet ever the optimists, we see the cash register half full, not half empty, and there are ways to turn the late night (or afternoon) into a profit zone. There are tricks to this, however; not to mention your always uncompromising observance of responsible alcohol service. Fitting drinks into a food equation is one obvious area of sales; but that shouldn’t deter you from offering stand-alone after-meal beverages, particularly given the current celebrity of super-premium spirits. Consider these categories…

Dessert: As much as sociological changes associated with drink-driving habits have (rightly) affected the way many customers don’t drink after dinner anymore, so too have modern health and wellbeing trends affected the dessert menu. There are two ways to push customers back into this otherwise very enjoyable part of dinner, however.

Massaging palates and—more importantly—hunger can lead your customers towards a dessert course. Portion control and a resolute avoidance of any sweet-and-sour or agrodolce flavours in your menu’s main courses is one way to do this. Control the supply to a sweet-tooth and they’ll eventually break.

Yet perhaps the more adult way to enliven the dessert course is to spruik it as you nowadays do the other parts of the menu. Food and wine matching, shared plates, ‘tastes of ’ chargers sporting three or so micro-desserts... As for wine and dessert matching, there’s one immutable law: the wine has to be sweeter than the food it accompanies; otherwise, that wine will taste thin and the whole equation will be irreversibly ruined.

Dessert is also an opportunity to advertise your wine list’s superior bottles of dessert wines, by which we mean Sauternes and Barsac from Bordeaux. These are the world’s great dessert wines, produced mostly from semillon and sauvignon blanc, and

“Can I tempt you with dessert? A cheese course, perhaps,” asks Ben Canaider. Here, he explains how to do the tempting


Drinks

afterglowBasking in the

by a natural climatic and vineyard phenomenon known as botrytis cinerea. This process sees a mould form over the grape bunches, concentrating their flavours and resulting in a richer, honeyed, nutty wine with ripe stone fruit tastes balanced by keen acidity. Well-LUCed 375ml bottles of this style can be found at www.bordeauxshippers.com.au or www.vintageandvine.com.

Cheese: Cheese can form a vital bridge between the main course’s bottle of red wine to the next bottle of red wine. Cheese can also have a role to play when it comes to dessert wines. Yet furthermore cheese can open up the metaphysical realm of fortified wine. None of the aforementioned techniques work, however, if all you do is pre-plate three 50-gram wedges of fromage du jour, refrigerated for your customers’ conve-nience. If you want to make money out of cheese, then get the service temperature of the cheese right, and get the cheese-to-wine matrix right. Hard cheese can ‘chambre’ in a hot kitchen in about 15 minutes. Soft cheeses can too, but need to be ‘chambred’ more vigorously (I knew a rather grand sommelier once who used the top of the coffee machine...).

With last-bottle-of-red-merging-into-next-bottle-of-red offer hard cheeses such as Grano Padano, Reggiano, Gruyère or Manchego. Proper cheddar is good, of course.

Dessert wines of the highest calibre love semi-soft washed rind cheeses (think Raclette) and lighter blue varieties suit too.

More serious blue vein cheese such as Stilton or Gorgonzola are a great place to head if you are pushing fortified wine like tawny or late-bottle vintage port. A destination cheese platter might hold small portions of all such cheeses matched to a flight of 60ml pours of each wine.

Super premium spirits: Whisky, cognac and armagnac are riding this strong wave at the moment, thanks to a return to the more romantic and free-spirited notions surrounding such spirits’ enjoyment. As the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s marketing manager, Chris Barnes, recently told those gathered for a cask-strength single malt tasting in Melbourne: “Drinking a good single malt at the end of a night out is one of the marks of understanding fine spirits. While most people think of cognac after dinner, a smoky Islay, a creamy Speyside or a sherried Highland dram can be every bit as smooth and—if truth be known—probably more complex than brandy. It’s the differences and nuances of flavour in good single malt, espe-cially cask strength, that leads to the late night stories and tales that seem to go on and on, as yet another dram is poured.”

One final observation: A group of customers often leave a restaurant only to go somewhere else for a cleansing ale. Icy cold Euro lagers served just at the right time, say 3.30pm, are about the best profit-margin drinks category I’ve ever seen.



mbience, atmosphere or even just the vibe, whatever you call it—when it comes to dining out, everybody’s looking to either find it or create it. It’s no secret that sound has a profound effect on how we interact with our environment, and the link between consumer

behaviour and background music is well demonstrated. Getting the soundtrack right should be a no-brainer, but according to a survey of 3000 outlets conducted for Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word, “inconsistent, mismatched and out-of-place music” comes in as diners’ fourth biggest gripe.

Happily, help is at hand, with a growing number of companies offering full-spectrum sound system solutions tailored specifi-cally for the restaurant and catering industry. Given the rapid evolution of music technology, and the rather dramatic increase in the relevant Phonographic Performance Company of Austra-lia (PPCA) licence, installing the appropriate system for your venue can lead to savings as well as helping drive income.

On the technology front, the systems on offer tend to fall into

one of two distinct categories, either a hardware and content package, or a software-based delivery system that runs on the venue’s existing equipment. Most hardware offerings revolve around a proprietary digital media box, such as Trusonic’s MBOX or the DMP Xpress developed by Music Makers, that plays downloaded content on subscription. Software-only pack-ages are designed to utilise the venue’s existing equipment and network, and the focus is on providing specialised content, such as Sydney-based bartunes’ partnership with UK outfit 8Track, and their fashion-focused, European-oriented playlists.

Similarly, affordable and legal alternatives to the content covered by the PPCA licence tend to fall into one of two categories, either original music published via the content provider or packages licensed through direct negotiations with various record labels.

Troy Cooper, CEO of Trusonic, is passionate about both the technology behind his company’s offering, and the need to create an affordable alternative to the current situation. “The Trusonic MBOX is a digital media player that connects via inter-net to our servers,” says Cooper. “The strength of our system is in the simplicity of the unit itself and in the delivery of nightly updates so that playlists don’t get stale. There’s no need for

audiophilesNowadays, you can’t just plug your iPod into speakers—a proper restaurant sound system is a combination of smart hardware, clever software, and appropriate content. By Francesca Newby

The

Technology

restaurant owners to do anything once it’s installed, and most have better things to do than fiddle with a playlist.”

Almost as much work has gone into the development of those playlists as into the technology itself. Alongside its carefully curated major-label playlists, Trusonic has essentially developed its own publishing arm, allowing it to offer PPCA-free playlists that aim to deliver high quality music at a greatly reduced rate. “We’ve put together a complete music licensing package with Australian artists who are not members of the PPCA,” Cooper explains. “Our PPCA-free playlists are appropri-ate to almost every style of cafe and restaurant and they are easily specialised to the venue.”

The question for any venture that veers away from the known quantity that is mainstream music publishing is how to allay the natural suspicion that the music just isn’t good enough for the labels, the answer has to lie in quality. Justin Blank, entertainment director for Hamilton Island, is quite certain that, in the right venue, the PPCA-free playlists work as well as any other. “A resort the size of Hamilton Island is quite a complicated set-up with lots of different venues and requirements,” says Blank. When the resort upgraded its music system several years ago, they opted for a mix of major label and PPCA-free playlists depending on the needs of the venue. “The music just sounds right in whatever space you’re in. You wouldn’t pick the playlists as being one or the other.”

Dean Cherny, DJ and founder of storePlay, believes this point is key when it comes to providing quality, affordable music systems to the restaurant industry. Cherny’s latest venture, storePlay, aims to provide music that’s tailored to the individual venue without the need for investment in new hardware.

“storePlay is an app-based system. All you need is a smart-phone or tablet and wifi speakers,” says Cherny. “It’s wireless, compact and flexible. It eliminates the need for expense hard-ware and doesn’t lock you in to set playlists.”

An increasingly sophisticated approach to the various ele-ments that go towards creating a successful venture is a smart way to minimise risks and maximise profits.

With yet another bump in the licence fee due to be imple-mented next month, now is as good a time as any to look at upgrading an old system.


Above: The Trusonic equipment and playlists are specially designed for hospitality businesses.

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Some NumbersFresh Capsicum Price - $4-6 per kgonce roasted, peeled, etc – weight loss is around 50%

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And get Consistency Flavour Economy

AdvERToRIAl

Bocconcini, Roasted Kumera & Pesto Wrap 400g Sandhurst’s Roasted Kumera2 teaspoons olive oil 4 lavash or other flat wrap bread 1/3 cup Sandhurst Basil Pesto 50g rocket leaves 280g Sandhurst char-grilled capsicum, drained250g baby bocconciniPreheat oven to 180°C.Place Sandhurst Roasted Kumera and oil in a large, shallow baking pan and toss to coat. Spread out to a single layer. Bake 20 minutes or until tender. Let cool. Spread each Lavash with pesto and top with remaining ingredients. Roll up firmly.

Try Sandhurst Char Grilled Mushrooms–on us!Simply send us your address and a few details and we will send you a free sample of the Sandhurst Char Grilled Mushrooms. (limit one 280g Hexagonal Jar per outlet).These are delicate button mushrooms – marinated in oregano, balsamic and vegetable oil – made in the Italian tradition and to our specific recipe!Suitable for sandwiches, antipasto platters and all entree dishes!

Details You must be an operating cafe business to qualify limit of one jar (280g) per outlet You must have an active account with an authorised Sandhurst Foodservice Wholesaler.

Email the following details to [email protected] to claim your fREE jar.

Please ensure ‘Restaurant & Catering Mag Char-grilled Mushrooms sample offer’ is in subject header.Your NameBusiness NameAddress of BusinessYour preferred wholesalerWhat Magazines do you regularly read?Do you attend trade shows? Which ones?

We will be in touch shortly to arrange your free sample of Sandhurst Char Grilled Mushrooms!www.sandhurstfinefoods.com.au



New products

Lamb Drums in a Rosemary Jus From humble beginnings in ‘auntie’s kitchen’ to Australia’s largest manufacturer of Dim Sims and Spring Rolls, 50 years on, Marathon Foods continues to perform in an ever changing market. Utilising our strengths of being an Australian producer and working closely with local growers and suppliers, they are able to consistently deliver high quality products while supporting Aussie jobs.

A few years ago they recognised the need for readymade quality meal solutions for busy kitchens everywhere. They invested heavily in our people, supporting them with the latest technology, to create a range of ‘centre of plate’ meal solutions without the need for refrigeration, requiring minimal prep-time.

Their newest creation, Lamb Drums in a Rosemary Jus’, 2 in a pack, weighing 560g, are beautifully presented with minimal bone. Serve a single ‘drum’ for an entree, or create a hearty vegetable broth and simply add a ‘drum’ before serving. Perfect Winter Warmers!

KANMANTOO 14 Old Princes HighwayDue to the imminent retirement of the acclaimed restaurateur Eugenio Sanso and his wife Zeni, you could realise your dream of owning and operating a thriving 110 seat restaurant, living in an adjoining historic 3 bedroom cottage and being host to two 4-star B & B’s, all on an idyllic 4836 square metre property adorned with vegetables, flowers, trees and free-range chooks! View this gem of a property online at: http://www.popenitschke.com.au/Commercial-Search/Properties-For-Sale

Pope Nitschke Roger Bryson0418 368 144

Adrian Raison0407 079 626

“Osteria Sanso”

29 Gawler Street, Mount Barker Office: 08 8391 5004 www.popenitschke.com.au RLA 193520

Winter warmers Product Guide


Winter Warmers Product Guide

The Restaurant & Catering guide to the best products to warm your

customers’ hearts this winter



Soup has always been a profitable ‘upsell’ and ‘Heinz Soup to Go®’ takes that profitability to a whole new level. It’s simple and quick to prepare, there is very little wastage, the 3kg ambient foil pouch is easy to store and ‘locks in the flavour’

that customers have come to expect.“To improve your businesses margins you can even add

little things like a garnish, side serve of bread or throw in a warm drink for a ‘meal deal’, a little extra for the consumers (and some extra profit for you) on a chilly winter’s morning,” says David Wingate, Marketing Manager Heinz OOH. “With Consumers purchasing more entrée and side dishes out of home*, soup brings the opportunity to increase the amount of items purchased per trip, increase dollars spent per bill, and can potentially increase foot traffic when customers return for the experience possibly bringing family and friends with them.”

The ‘Heinz Soup to Go®’ range makes the service of soup to customers so much easier. The range of premium soups—across seven ‘cafe inspired’ flavours—is made from the quality ingredients customers have come to expect. Our traditional flavours ‘with a twist’ include ‘Minestrone’, ‘Tomato and Chive’ and ‘Harvest Pumpkin’ and can be served on their own, or you might want to get creative with a few of your own inspired additions. Each soup comes ready to serve in a 3kg ambient foil pouch to ‘lock-in’ the great taste, make it easy to use all the while reducing waste.

But for real impact, look at the other ways you can use the range to help you create delicious, cost-effective dishes. Heinz’ iconic ‘Big Red®’ Tomato Condensed Soup is recognised as Australia’s leading condensed soup and is also highly versatile. Heinz Big Red Tomato soup can be used as a rich tomato base for stunning winter dishes like pasta sauce, such as a bolognaise or napoletana sauce, for those Italian inspired meals. ’Big Red®’ can also be used in winter casseroles under a slow-cook process to make the perfectly tender ‘one-pot winter beef casserole’ and an excellent rich flavour to tomato based soups, like a Tomato & Chive.

“And remember, Heniz also offers merchandising solutions,” says David Wingate. “Soup Kettles and chalk boards are a neat, tidy and functional solution to provide customers great tasting soups, with a culinary experience. You only need to take a stroll around the city to see just how many restaurants are using such solutions to great benefit. Heinz has a extensive range of merchandise to support your business this winter. Using this type of merchandise can raise the profile of your outlet and even sway their purchase decision.”

AdvERToRIAl

Try using Heinz soups as a base in these delicious recipes!

BIG RED Spicy Tomato Meatballs1. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, egg, mixed herbs and cumin. Mix well and shape into small balls. Heat oil in a large frying pan and cook meatballs until well browned. Remove and set aside. Spicy Tomato Sauce 2. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add HEINZ Condensed Soup and wine. Simmer for 15 minutes. Return meatballs to the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes. 3. To serve, spoon meatballs and spicy tomato sauce over spaghetti, garnish with parmesan cheese.

Chicken CacciatoreA one-pot casserole full of rich tomato flavour, tender chicken pieces and fresh thyme. Ideal for the winter months or family get togethers.Cook onion, mushrooms and garlic for 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook a further 2-3 minutes. Pour HEINZ Condensed Soup and wine (or water) over chicken. Add 1 sprig of thyme and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme. Serve with rice and peas.

The Heinz Winter Warmers PromotionCommencing this month and running until the end of July, Heinz is offering you the opportunity to receive a number of benefits for simply purchasing their wide range of winter products—and look how good they are for your bottom line!

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*Limited to 3 entries per Eligible Participant.

Position: Proprietor Chef Other: ___________________________________________________________________________

Establishment: Pub Club Restaurant Café Hotel Caterer Other: _________________________________

First Name: _______________________________________________ Surname: _______________________________________________

Business Name: _______________________________________ Distributor Name: ___________________________________________

Distributor Account Number: _____________________________ Distributor Branch: _________________________________________

Delivery Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Suburb: ___________________________________________________ State: ___________________

Postcode: ___________________

Business Phone: (

) Email: _______________________________________________

Heinz Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce

Heinz Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce

Wattie’s Peas (2kg)

Wattie’s Baby Carrots (2kg)

Wattie’s Mixed Veg Asian (2kg)

Wattie’s Stir Fry Traditional (2kg)

Wattie’s Beans Green Whole (2kg)

Wattie’s Mixed Veg (2kg)

Wattie’s Peas (5kg)

Wattie’s Diced Carrots (5kg)

Wattie’s Bean Green Crosscut (5kg)

Wattie’s Mixed Veg (5kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Italian Minestrone (3kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Harvest Pumpkin (3kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Tomato & Chive (3kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Vegetable & Chicken (3kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Sweetcorn & Chicken (3kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Vegetable & Lentil (3kg)

Heinz Soup TO GO Vegetable & Beef (3kg)

Heinz Condensed Big Red Tomato Soup (3kg)

Heinz Tomato Sauce (4L)

Heinz BBQ Sauce (4L)

Heinz Tomato Ketchup (4L)

Heinz Tomato Puree (3kg)

Heinz Tomato Paste (3kg)

Our Product Range (Select the items you would be interested in ordering.)

I confirm that I am an authorised representative of the business for which I purchase this product.

Name of Business, Individual or Club: _________________________________________ Signature: _____________________________

Please complete details below:

Terms and Conditions: The Promoter is H.J. Heinz Co Australia Ltd of 2 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, Victoria 3006, Australia. The entry is open to members of the food service industry in Australia, who are 18 years and over (Eligible Participants). Members of the general public and food services distributors are not eligible to enter. The Give Away commences at 9:00AM AEDST on Wednesday 1st May 2013 and concludes at 11:59PM AEDST on Wednesday 31st July 2013. To enter, simply place an order for at least 13 cartons of any products in the Heinz Winter Warmers range. For details of Heinz Winter Warmers range go to www.heinzfoodservice.com.au Once the order has been placed, you will be entitled to receive a Heinz Winter Warmers EFTPOS card to the value of $50 (the EFTPOS Card). If at any time the order has been cancelled, there will be no entitlement to receive EFTPOS card. Heinz Winter Warmers EFTPOS card will be mailed within 40 days of receipt of the order by the Promoter, to the address provided while placing an order. For full T&Cs go to www.heinzfoodservice.com.au

Send order by: Phone 1800 254 966 Email [email protected] Fax 1800 010 307 (Please Print)

OfferSimply order 13 cartons from the range to receive your $50 EFTPOS CARD*.

*Limited to 3 entries per Eligible Participant

PROMOTION DATES 1 MAY – 31 JULY 2013

$50FIFTy

DOLLARS

Order 13 or more cartons to receive your $50 EFTPOS CARD* $50 FIFTy

DOLLARS

RestaurantCatering



Your customers remember a bad teapot. Think about it, how many times have you, personally had a dining

experience that has been perfect, until you pour your tea. With tea spilling all over the table, and a lid falling off the teapot, it does not matter how good the food or service is, your dining experience is marred.

Tea drinkers love their tea. They understand a quality leaf and expect a quality teapot. It’s easy and simple to give your customers a lovely tea

experience with Zero Japan. Zero Japan are passionate about

tea pots. They are crafted for perfect balance and pour. Like no other, each and every Zero Japan teapot has a hand carved spout, ensuring the tea falls precisely into the cup and does not end up making a mess all over the table.

Hand crafted using the highest quality materials, the Zero Japan teapots are built and baked to tough commercial standards. With replaceable lids and baskets, Zero

Japan teapots stand up to the rigours of a commercial environment.

You can choose from a wide range of colours and shapes that will help you express the exact feel of your cafe or restaurant.

Your customers notice if you are using Zero Japan. If you’re not, then you should be.

Choose the teapot that’s used in the finest restaurants and cafes around the world. Visit www.zerojapan.com.au to select a teapot and find your nearest commercial stockist.

AdvERToRIAl

Sick of cleaning up spilt tea? Time for Zero Japan.Hand crafted using the highest quality materials, the Zero Japan teapots are used in the finest restaurants and cafes around the world.

w w w. zerojapan.com.au

You spend time and passion delivering the perfect dining experience. Complement your efforts by serving the perfect cup of tea, brewed and served in a Zero Japan teapot.

Zero Japan teapots have been lovingly hand-crafted and checked by the company founder, Koji Inoue, to ensure a perfect balance and pour. They are made with the highest quality materials to ensure ongoing commercial durability.

With a large range of colours and shapes to choose from, Zero Japan will help you express the unique style of your restaurant.

Choose a teapot that’s used in the finest restaurants and cafés around the world, visit www.zerojapan.com.au

Available at quality commercial kitchenware retailers.

Zero Japan Hospitality Ad - Commercial Copy 210x297.indd 1 5/7/2013 4:16:02 PM

RC May 2013

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