Foodservice August 2011

For the professional chef and restaurateur
august 2011
PRINT POST APPROVED PP255003/00502
The new gUArd
Exclusive with the front of house team behind
the success of Porteno and Bodega
Wilson dishes up
Winners of the Electrolux
Eugenio Maiale and Luke Randall
18 Daniel
22
28
his five spiced duck
Appetite for Excellence
showcase the versatility of goat
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FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
03
inside
AUGUST 2011
Features
10
A loyal following
Brand loyalty is one thing,
but using a loyalty program
is another kettle of fish. Ellen
Ann Durey investigates the
role of loyalty programs in
the foodservice arena.
14
Family ties, Full
house
Family is a binding unit in
society. In business, it can
play the same role. At
Bodega and Porteno,
two of Sydney’s hottest
restaurants, family has been
the guiding force. Yasmin
Newman investigates.
20
A Huxtable at heart
This month Huxtable’s
Daniel Wilson pours his
heart out on a plate with
a Masterclass that would
warm the coldest of souls.
24
cover
Porteno and Bodega’s Sarah Doyle, Rachael Doyle
and Joe Valore. Photography by Anthony Huckstep.
Electrolux Appetite for Excellence
The winners of the 2011
Electrolux Appetite for
Excellence are in, and
we profile all those doing
Australia’s industry proud.
plus
30
No kidding around
A tavola’s Eugenio Maiale
and Luke Randall showcase
of one of the most
underutilised meats
in the country - goat.
34
Avocado
Don’t be fooled into thinking
avocados are only useful in
the breakfast and lunch
trade. As Matteo’s Brendan
McQueen explains, it has
many culinary applications.
regulars
10 Burning issue
12 Comings and Goings
14 Dining
18 Management
20 Masterclass
30 Chef Challenge
34 Produce
36 Mouthful
industry
Special Fine Food
Australia lift out
We preview Australia’s
premier exhibition for the
foodservice industry.
Inside.indd 3
8 Sydney gets a craving
for South America
8 Wilkinson ordained
southern sandwich king
9 Consumers demand
more transparency
28/7/11 11:12:16 AM
4 FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
rant
Fear, loathing
and flying high
I’ve obviously sided with the devil
on far too many occasions.
Methinks the big guy in the sky has
had his fill of my nonsensical
hedonistic rantings because fate has
been taking me for a ride.
After being smoked outta
Melbourne by the ash cloud (rant, July
2011), I found myself screaming
defiantly to the heavens at Port Lincoln
Airport on hearing the news my flight
to Adelaide would be delayed.
Granted, plane delays are as
common as dude food these days, but
this had deeper ramifications. The
imposition meant I’d miss my
connecting flight, the last flight of the
eve, back to Sin city (Sydney).
Now, don’t get me wrong, Adelaide
ain’t a bad place but I had a hankering
for my girl Friday’s Hainanese chicken
rice and a bit of stick foraging with our
new recruit Rhett Butler.
So, as I’d attempted in Melbourne
last month, I clicked my heels, but
again, no dice... (I’ll have to invest in
some shiny red high heels).
After throwing all of my toys out of
the pram, emergency accommodation
was arranged as I sat sulkingly over
SA skies contemplating a night of
face-stuffing and food comas before
my red eye to the land of the living.
EDITOR
Anthony Huckstep
(02) 9213 8335
[email protected]
ContributORs
Tony Eldred
John Susman
Jonathan Kaplan
Yasmin Newman
Rant.indd 4
NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER
Adam Cosgrove (02) 9213 8241
mobile: 04501 564 655
[email protected]
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION
CO-ORDINATOR:
John Viskovich (02) 9213 8215
[email protected]
Touchdown in Adelaide and I rang
the free shuttle number provided.
Within minutes a jovial woman arrived
in a van to drive me to the ‘hotel’.
“You can sit up front if you like, we’re
pretty friendly round here,” she said.
“My parents own the motel,” she
continued.
”Motel?” I inquired.
“Yep motel, and I’m the chef and
driver,” she informed me.
“Chef and driver?”....
We arrived at our destination painfully themed on the 70s - evidently
more incidental than intentional.
After a side glance at the crowd in
said driver/chef’s bar and restaurant, I
checked in my bags and caught the
next tail wind outta there for a feed.
Serial killers, anecdotally, might be
more common to South Australia than
plane delays, but surely this motel was
lifting the average for the state.
Coincidentally that morning
musselman Pugs had raved about the
food and ‘tude of Adelaide’s Gauchos
Argentinian Restaurant.
A friendly face welcomed me into a
room bursting at the seams with
punters who were onto a good thing.
Lone diners are often invisible in a
party place, but not at Gauchos, my
affable waitress - Peta - had me
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Lamya Sadi
Group Production MANAGER
Matthew Gunn
GROUP ART DIRECTOR
Ana Maria Heraud
PUBLISHER
Helen Davies
STUDIO MANAGER
Caroline Milne
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER
Martin Phillpott
DESIGNER
Caroline Milne
seated, imbibing and perusing the
menu before I could say chimichurri.
Genuine recommendations, offers
to try wine before you buy, and when I
expressed disappointment that I
couldn’t sink my teeth into a dish
designed for two, Peta smiled and
said, “let me see what I can do.”
Chef Chris Robinson’s carnival of
the flesh arrived shortly after,
encompassing a veritable noah’s ark
of slow-cooked (on the parilla) friends
getting cosy on the plate.
Lamb chops, pork belly,
sweetbread, kidney, quail, black
pudding, chorizo, pinchitos, a side of
spuds and chimichurri on tap.
Did I mention a food coma?
The feast reminded this bestial lone
diner why we go to restaurants in the
first place - for an experience that
delivers a full belly and a happy heart,
that, for a brief moment allows one to
forget all the worries in the world.
What flight delay?
Anthony Huckstep – Editor
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28/7/11 11:12:46 AM
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28/7/11 11:13:12 AM
06 FOODSERVICE august 2011
Sydney gets
a craving for
South America
The spicy and seductive cuisine of
South America will be the focus of this
year’s Crave Sydney International
Food Festival, which will see a haggle
of internationally renowned chefs
hitting our shores. The festival will
also encompass hundreds of city and
regional food events for the entire
month of October.
“South America is home to some of
the hottest chefs in the world,” said
festival director Joanna Savill,
“We have been lucky enough to
entice the best of the best to come and
share their love of food with us in
Sydney. We also have some fantastic
local chefs and businesses who create
authentic South American food - with
terrific local ingredients, of course.”
The festival’s signature event World Chef Showcase (1-2 October)
will see some of the biggest stars on
the international culinary stage, and
the coolest next generation chefs –
share their skills and passion in
intimate, interactive sessions at the
Hilton Sydney.
These include Alex Atala from
Brazil, South America’s most
cutting-edge chef behind D.O.M.
restaurant (World #7); Peru’s leading
culinary ambassador Gaston Acurio
(World #42); Daniel Patterson from
Coi, San Francisco (World #76); David
Chang, the toast of New York with his
restaurants Momofuku SSam (World
#40), and Momofuku Ko (World #65);
and Argentinian Mauro Colagreco,
whose restaurant Mirazur (World
#68) sits on the Cote d’Azur.
They will be joined by Gabrielle
Hamilton (Prune restaurant, New
ABOVE: (Front row) Martin Benn, Elvis Abrahanowicz, Mark
Best, Ben Milgate and BEn Shewry, (Back row) Dan Hong,
Peter Gilmore, Adriano Zumbo and Neil Perry.
York) who has just been named Chef
of the Year in the prestigious James
Beard awards; Los Angeles’ Vinny
Dotolo and Jon Shook – two of the
hottest and most irreverent chefs
around; and Willie Harcourt-Cooze
from London, a chocolate-obsessed
TV sensation.
Not to be out-done, Australian
legends Peter Gilmore (World #26),
Ben Shewry (World #53), Mark Best
(World #70), Neil Perry, Dan Hong,
Matt Moran and Tony Bilson are
among the renowned Australian
chefs adding a local flavour.
Aside from the World Chef
Showcase, other signature events at
the festival include the Night Noodle
Markets, Barbecue Madness and
Let’s Do Lunch and much more.
Pope Joan’s Wilkinson ordained Southern Sandwich king
Former Circa head chef and now
co-owner of Pope Joan in Brunswick
East, Matt Wilkinson, has been
crowned the Southern Final winner of
the Great Australian Sandwichship an initiative of the Australasian
Sandwich Association (ASA).
The Great Australian Sandwichship
is the only foodservice competition of
its kind in Australia and aims to
highlight the work of Australia’s true
lunch-time heroes – café workers and
sandwich makers – and see who can
create the best sandwich.
Competing against four of the best
sandwich makers from across
Australia’s southern states, Wilkinson
won narrowly with his own unique
Industry.indd 6
take on what constitutes a good
sandwich across a number of different
categories including best toasted and
creative sandwich, along with a wrap
and a roll.
Laura Neville – Cafenatics, took out
Best Wrap with her Bazaar Wrap,
which included chickpeas, onion,
carrot, tomatoes, herbs and spices
and Moroccan chicken, while Jackie
Middleton – Earl Canteen was named
Best Creative Sandwich, with her
Piggy Breakie, which included maple
& thyme pork, bubble & squeak, 65
degree egg, pork floss, and crumpets.
Wilkinson’s winning sandwiches
included The Cornish - shallots,
poached chicken, jalepenos and
mayonnaise on ciabatta, and Posh
Toasted - cooked on the bone leg ham,
green tomato relish, swiss cheese,
grated Egmont, cream cheese, white
wine, chardonnay vinegar, cornflour
and Worchestershire sauce on seeds
and grains bread toasted sandwich
with Welsh rarebit fondue.
“I am extremely proud to have been
named as the best sandwich maker
from across the southern states of
Australia. The competition was
extremely strong and the innovation
from everyone involved has been
amazing to see,” said Wilkinson.
“I’m excited to see over the coming
months if I will represent Australia at
the World Sandwichship.”
Matt Wilkinson.
28/7/11 11:14:06 AM
07
industry
Westridge is the best, hams down
Toowoomba’s Westridge
Meats has taken top honours of
Australia’s best ham, announced at
the 2011 National PorkMark Ham
Awards for Excellence during
Australian Ham Week (3 – 10 July) - a
celebration of Australia’s best, and
recognises that the best hams are
made from 100 per cent Australian
pork meat.
According to Australian Pork
Limited, 2,600 tonnes of subsidised,
foreign pig meat worth $10 million
dollars arrives on Australian docks
every week from the US, Canada, and
Denmark, destined for local small
goods makers.
Currently 80 per cent of hams
sold here are made from imported
frozen pork.
But Australia’s vague and
ambiguous labeling laws make it
confusing for consumers to make a
simple informed purchasing decision
to identify 100 per cent Aussie ham.
Australia’s pig farmers have
responded with their own label, the
Australian PorkMark label, which
easily identifies products made from
100 per cent Australian pork,
produced in line with Australian
health and safety practices.
In celebration of Australian Ham
Week, the 2011 National PorkMark
Ham Awards for Excellence
acknowledged the winners of the
nationwide quest to name the
country’s very best Australian ham.
With 121 Australian hams registered
for judging for the Awards for
Excellence, the judging criteria for
both traditional bone-in and boneless
hams includes a variety of factors
including appearance, texture, aroma
and of course, taste.
Australia’s Best Ham
Westridge Meats, Toowoomba, Qld
Boneless
1st Westridge Meats Toowoomba, Qld
2nd Schulz Butchers Angaston, SA
3rd Andrew’s Choice Smokehouse,
Laverton North, Vic
Traditional Bone In
1st Barossa Fine Foods Elizabeth, SA
2nd Grays Modern Meat Mart
Toowoomba, Qld
3rd Thompson’s Fresh Foods, Tas
We are couch potatoes who love to eat out
The nation is filled with couch
potatoes who love to surf the net and
dine out regularly, according to the
latest Citibank Frequent Dining
Survey, which asked respondents to
rank their favourite pastimes out of 10.
The survey found respondents rated
watching television or surfing the net
as their favourite pastime with an
average ranking of 6.7, closely followed
by dining out (6.5) and travel (6.4).
According to the survey,
Australians eat out regularly, with
88.7 per cent of those surveyed saying
they eat out at least once a month,
Industry.indd 7
while one in three dine out at least
once a week (35.9 per cent) and one in
four (23.4 per cent) eat out even more
than once per week.
According to Madeline O’Connor,
director of credit cards Citibank,
recent credit card expenditure from
Citibank customers supports the
finding that Australians are regularly
eating out.
“In the past, eating out at
restaurants was considered a luxury
or something you did for a special
occasion, but now dining out has
become a way of life for most
Australians,” O’Connor said.
“Our survey also shows that
Australians are eating at well-known
restaurants with one in five (47.1 per
cent) selecting fine dining restaurants
as their usual haunt. This might be a
result of the popularity of television
food programs and the rise of the
celebrity chefs,” O’Connor said.
Local restaurants are the most
frequented dining venues, as chosen
by 72.3 per cent of respondents,
closely followed by casual dining,
which was chosen by 65.2 per cent of
those surveyed.
Consumers demand
more transparency
A whopping 76 per cent of Australians
want more information about the
nutritional content of their out-ofhome meals and will even choose to
eat at foodservice establishments that
are more transparent about the
ingredients they use, according to the
inaugural Unilever Food Solutions
World Menu Report.
The global survey uncovered that
when dining out-of-home,
Australians are most interested in
knowing the fat (64 per cent), MSG
(50 per cent) and sugar (49 per cent)
content of their meals.
Unilever Food Solutions (UFS), the
foodservice arm of Unilever, conducted
the global study across Australia, US,
UK, China, Germany, Russia, Brazil,
New Zealand and Turkey.
According to nutritionist Catherine
Saxelby, the World Menu Report
findings highlight a growing need
within the Australian food industry.
“76 per cent of Australians stated
there should be more information
about the content of their meals when
eating out and a further 50 per cent,
stated they are most likely to choose a
healthier choice the next time they eat
out if they knew the nutritional value
and content of their meals,” she said.
“While cafes and restaurants are
not required by law to display
nutritional information in the same
way that manufactured foods are, a
staggering 88 per cent of Australians
did not see nutritional information
the last time they ate out of home.
“It was also interesting to see that
lunch is the meal most frequently eaten
out of home. This insight poses an
undiscovered opportunity for cafes,
restaurants and nutritionists to further
explore people’s eating habits and
nutrition around lunch,” said Saxelby.
More than half of the Australian
respondents (55 per cent) believe
restaurant operators should be
responsible for providing nutritional
information when they’re eating out.
28/7/11 11:14:29 AM
8 FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
burning issue
A loyal following
Brand loyalty is one thing, but using a
loyalty program is another kettle of
fish. Ellen Ann Durey investigates the
role of loyalty programs in the
foodservice arena.
McLean, says a loyalty program won’t
cheapen a brand if it is implemented
and marketed correctly.
McLean has operated a loyalty
scheme for four years. She wants to
encourage diners to return but also
reward those who have supported
Bluestone during its 11-year lifespan.
The scheme is about giving
privileges as much as it is about
offering discounts, the latter
leading to reputation damage if
offered excessively.
When Bluestone hit its 10-year
anniversary last year, loyalty members
were invited to the celebration and
received a free bottle of Champagne.
claim back $1. They receive a 10 per
cent discount on everything and
other member-exclusive offers, such
as priority entry to events and a free
bottle of sparkling wine with
birthday bookings.
When asked about the impact on
the Helm Bar brand, general manager
Daniel Altshuler says: “It’s a very
competitive industry, so you’ve got to
do everything you can to stand out.”
“Everyone is watching how much
they spend, so if one place is offering
discounts and special promotions and
another is not, customers notice.”
Altshuler could not provide figures
to show that return on investment
A good restaurant loyalty scheme is
a turbo-charged version of the
buy-10-get-one-free deals that Many
coffee vendors across Australia offer.
ABOVE: Helm Bar & Bistro in
Sydney has a loyalty
scheme where members
earn one point for every $1
they spend - it takes 100
points to claim back $1.
Burning issue.indd 8
Customer loyalty: it’s the Holy
Grail of the restaurant world.
Some places have it in spades due
to consistently good food and service.
Others have to work at it harder. Put it
down to a competitive industry, a
non-central restaurant location, or
financially constrained times, but
customer loyalty sometimes has to be
encouraged a little – bought, even.
Enter the customer loyalty scheme,
where punters earn points and rewards,
or receive discounts and other special
offers in return for their business.
The aim is to incentivise customers
to return more frequently, preferably
spend more, and introduce family and
friends to the venue. The ultimate goal
is increased profit.
A good restaurant loyalty scheme is
a turbo-charged version of the
buy-10-get-one-free deals that many
coffee vendors across Australia offer.
But do they work? And what impact
do they have on restaurant brands?
The owner of Bluestone Restaurant
and Bar in Melbourne, Valerie
“If you are actually rewarding and
giving privileges to your members I
think it’s okay,” McLean says. “We do try
to offer special things for our members,
so they get 10 per cent off every time
they dine, we have 20 per cent off on
Tuesdays, they get birthday specials …
we give our members priority on seating
on Valentine’s Day, so it’s more than just
trying to be a discount product - it is
trying to give privileges.”
Bluestone’s loyalty database is not
integrated with its point of sale
system, so McLean could not provide
data to support the scheme’s success.
But she says customers do return
more often and spend more money.
“The amount of revenue it brings
back in definitely far outweighs the
cost of it,” she says. “In terms of seeing
the numbers of VIP discounts we do
each week, that has increased.”
Helm Bar & Bistro in Sydney has
operated a loyalty scheme since it
opened in 2008.
Members earn one point for every
$1 they spend. It takes 100 points to
was worthwhile, but insisted it was,
saying: “I see the same faces coming
back all the time.”
He said there were no drawbacks to
running the scheme, but conceded
there were 1,800 active members out
of a membership base of 3,000, so the
scheme required more promotion to
maximise its potential.
McLean says loyalty schemes are
quite labour intensive. Managing the
program at Bluestone could easily
equate to a full-time job.
The secret to a good loyalty
program is balance: balancing
investment – in time and giveaways
– with revenue, to maximise profit; as
well as balancing discounts and
privileges so as not to tarnish a brand.
The trade-off is perhaps becoming
known for discounts and privileges
rather than a reputation for good food
and service. If diners come to you for
discounts and freebies first and
foremost, your restaurant could be
usurped by the next discount deal or
cheap meal down the road. •
28/7/11 11:15:06 AM
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28/7/11 11:15:38 AM
10 FOODSERVICE august 2011
comings & goings
comings & goings
A glimpse at the
newest restaurants
to open and those
pulling up stumps.
opened
El Capo
Dandelion ▲
133 Ormond rd, Elwood, VIC
After a huge stint with his awardwinning establishment Pearl, Geoff
Lindsay’s new project - Dandelion has blossomed in Elwood Village,
pleasing punters with contemporary
Vietnamese cuisine in a relaxed
dining environment. The restaurant
features a wrap and roll bar like a
sushi bar based on rice paper rolls
rather than sushi rolls, using fillings
like soft shell crab and avocado,
Peking duck, raw tuna, shiso and
wasabi and wrapped in the myriad
of different rice papers available.
The menu is huge and includes a
number of Phos such as Wagyu
beef, with raw sirloin and braised
brisket; or Finely shaved raw tuna
with green onion and a dash of soy.
Comings and goings.indd 10
opened
52 Waterloo St.
Surry Hills NSW
It’s motto is good food for bad people, and judging by
the response since its doors swung open, there are a
lot of bad people in Sydney. The brainchild of Omar
Andrade, this stripped back casual, if not tiny, space
has floor to ceiling murals done by Numbskull and
Roach, providing the perfect setting for cool cats to
dish up South American inspired feasts with attitude.
Chef Joey Astorga is the man on the pans pproducing
dishes like black pudding, soft cooked egg, saffron
aioli; pork cheeks, smoked passionfruit, congo
potatoes and even grits and pork - pork, puffed corn.
Chin chin
opened
125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VIC
In no time at all Chris Lucas’s new digs - Chin Chin - has
become the talk of the town, and people are queuing to get
a taste of Andrew Gimber’s take on Thai and Vietnamese
cuisine. A big open space (previously Icon Nightclub)
houses noisy but happy punters as they pull up a pew and
get busy enjoying tasty food and a few drinks without
hurting their hip-pocket. Try the School prawns with nahm
prik pla gapi, lemon basil and crudites or just grab a group
and check out the “feed me” option for $66.
The Carrington
▼
opened
563 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, NSW
Inspired by the pintxos bars in San Sebastian,
The Carrington has re-opened after a major
renovation of the veteran pub in Surry Hills’
infamous Bourke Street. Owners James Wirth
(The Flinders, Duke, The Norfolk, The
Abercrombie), James Miller (Ruby L’otel, The
Norfolk, The Abercrombie) and designer
Michael Delany (The Flinders, Duke, The
Norfolk, Honkytonks, Third Class) have
created a space where good food and a
decent vino are the primary focus in a real old
school Aussie pub environs. Chef Jamie
Thomas (St John, The Anglesea Arms and
Avido) is dishing up his take on Iberian staples
including slow-roasted goat and hommus and
kingfish pastrami with fried bread.
Closed
Omerta, Darlinghurst, NSW
Jordons, Darling Harbour, NSW
Dish, Byron Bay, NSW
Rock, Pokolbin, NSW
Perama Greek restaurant,
Petersham, NSW
28/7/11 11:16:27 AM
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28/7/11 11:17:16 AM
Photography by Anthony Huckstep
12 FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
Family is a binding unit in society. In
business, it can play the same role. At
Bodega and Porteno, two of Sydney’s
hottest restaurants, family has been the
guiding force. Yasmin Newman investigates.
Family t
Tattooed chefs Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben
Milgate are the slick face of their co-owned Latin
American empire. In kingdoms, there’s a team of
unsung heroes that support the work of their chiefs.
In the restaurant world, it’s called front of house.
Forget chef’s skill without the right people to get it to
the customers. Front of house is key to any
successful restaurant.
The boys looked close for their support. At
Porteno, Sarah Doyle, Elvis’ wife, runs the floor. At
Bodega, it’s her sister, Rachael Doyle. Co-owner Joe
Valore sees to all of the wine. It’s natural they kept it
in the family. The restaurants - Porteno and Bodega
- are inspired by Latino traditions, where food and
family rule above all else.
Joe attributes the success of the restaurants to
this notion of family, which filters from the
management of the business to the customers.
“We offer personalised service that’s quite
different from other venues. You’re greeted by same
person who brings you to the table, and the same
person sees you throughout the night.”
Sarah describes them as “family restaurants”. The
depiction warrants a double take. It’s not the first
thing that springs to mind for venues dripping in
cool. Sarah explains: “We try to treat every customer
well so they don’t feel like they’ve been lost in a big
restaurant. We want them to feel like they’ve been
welcomed into our home.”
The team members’ roles have evolved since
Bodega, the first of the two restaurants, opened five
years ago. Ben and Elvis, now at Porteno, have left
the Bodega kitchen in the very capable hands of
young guns Joel Humphreys and Nick Wong.
In the early days of Bodega, Rachael, with a
hospitality background, and Joe with wine, were
originally brought in just to help out. “It was meant
to be a couple of days a week until Bodega got off the
Dining.indd 12
28/7/11 11:18:28 AM
13
dining
y ties, full house
ground. It’s turned into six days and nights a week!”
says Rachael, laughing. The others chuckle. There’s a
lot of camaraderie between them.
“We love working together,” says Joe.
That’s all well and good, but they find it’s been
good for business, too.
“I don’t know how other people do it,” says Sarah,
who describes the industry practice of long,
awkward hours and the lack of time to see family
and friends. “At least we get to see each other.”
Understanding is another benefit. There are
conversations that you can have openly with family
that you can’t have with an associate. Sarah recounts
nights at Bodega when a mere glance at her sister
would reveal exactly what she was thinking. “It’s the
“Together we have a
massive ball of talent and
we draw on everyone’s
individual skills.”
same with Joe. We’ve worked together so long that we
know each other inside out. We know what to expect.”
The downsides? “If you have a disagreement, you
take it home with you,” says Joe. “You can’t escape
family.” Ultimately, the upsides outweigh the
disadvantages for this trio. “I take real comfort in
knowing that we’re all in it together,” says Sarah. Joe
admits the drive to progress and continually
improve comes from working with people he cares
for personally, rather than a corporation.
He hopes they have the same relationship with
staff. “Obviously, it’s not as tight, but when we
employ someone they become part of the family.”
There are now 63 staff members between Bodega
and Porteno, many of whom have been there since
the beginning. “This is the culture that passes
through to customers,” explains Sarah. “Our
Dining.indd 13
regulars often comment that they feel part of our
family.” For her, this is no mean feat and one of the
highest compliments you can pay.
Great times with the fam’ isn’t the only glue
holding the organisation together. Rachael points
out the systems in place behind all the personalities.
“If you don’t have infrastructure, your nice and
friendly staff are going to get lost in service.”
Across the two venues, daily briefings are
deployed before service as well as weekly one-hour
training sessions. Joe goes through the extensive
Argentinean wine list and coaches staff in regional
varieties. Rachael, systems queen, reiterates what’s
expected on the floor. Individual staff issues are
dealt with one on one, and immediately.
The smooth-running structure didn’t simply
materialise. Bodega was a training ground and it
was years before the joint ran seamlessly. Working
for themselves also provided the freedom to
experiment with new ideas, rather than follow the
status quo. At Porteno, they transferred principles
learnt at Bodega, but remained conscious of the
differences between the two venues.
“We took it slowly,” adds Sarah, acknowledging
the size of Porteno and their lack of experience
with large venues. “The Keystones and Merivales
have formulas for big places. We didn’t, so we did
what we knew.”
Efforts were concentrated on Porteno for the first
six months. Once the restaurant was fully
functioning, they dedicated energy to Gardel’s, the
venue’s upstairs bar, which opened four months ago.
Multiple figureheads could lead to issues with
authority, but this team keeps it kosher with mutual
respect. “We all have a lot of passion,” explains Joe of
the different interests of key players. “Together we
have a massive ball of talent and we draw on
everyone’s individual skills.”
Above: Suckling pig and Lamb cooking
over burning embers of ironbark on
the custom-built Asador.
Left: The new guard of FOH - sarah
Doyle, Rachael Doyle and Joe Valore.
Left top: Smoked Mackerel, palm
heart, avocado and pickled celery.
Decisions are made collectively, but
recognition is given to personal strengths.
Up-skilling is an added bonus. According to
Rachael, you learn from each other’s expertise.
Shared vision certainly helps keep the peace.
Rachael ascribes the collective goal to their
upbringings and personal likes.
“Our ancestry is Australian as far back as it goes,
but we come from a big family with six girls. When
28/7/11 11:23:16 AM
14 FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
dining
Below:
Roast
beetroot,
witlof,
housemade
feta,
smoked
pecans and
stuffed
olives.
we get together, we share food.” Joe’s background is
Italian. He grew up having Sunday lunch together
and seeing family at least once a week. “At home, you
eat well, you’re relaxed and enjoying the company.
That’s exactly what we offer here.”
Sarah believes it was never a question of
balancing different dreams; they had the same
vision, “without even talking about it.” The venues
feel unified, from the slick décor to the 1950’s outfits.
Even their rockabilly hairstyles are harmonious.
There’s definite cool factor, but it was never part of
the plan – these guys just have it.
“Mum always said to us that it’s better to turn up
over-dressed to work than under,” says Sarah, whose
fashion sense is just as smart on nights off.
The crew’s style is clearly catching on. As the
doors open on Saturday nights, more and more
customers arrive kitted up. Sarah attributes the
trend to the death of Sunday bests and
opportunities to get dressed up. Far from haughty,
she’s humble about their cachet.
The boys in the kitchen are equally laid back,
despite the accolades their food has received. At
Porteno, they source prime meats from around
NSW to roast Argentine-style on the Asador for
hours or over the parilla, built by Elvis’s dad, Adam.
The sides are more complex and reveal the same
creative flair found in Bodega’s dishes, such as crisp
fried brussels sprouts with lentils and mint, and
grilled tuna with charred jalapeno.
Once Porteno is set to their exacting standard,
the goal is to divide their time between the two
venues. For the time being, they’re pretty content
finishing work and heading upstairs for drinks at
Gardel’s Bar, and confident in the knowledge that
their family is taking care of the rest. •
Dining.indd 14
28/7/11 11:24:21 AM
An ocean of
possibilities.
Tuna, Elk Leaf, Avocado Yuzu, Duck skin and Cucumber Dashi
Darren Robertson – The Table Sessions, Sydney
Moving with the times is a key ingredient to a successful
to the texture and taste of just about any dish imaginable.
business. So now is the time to excite your regular guests
For instance, zesty yuzu infused avocado with fresh tuna
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_4C DATE:
DATE
AT 03/03/11
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INK
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MANAGER:
_________________PROD.MANAGER:
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CLIENT:
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ACC
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NAGER: ______
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or details of upcoming Fresh Avocados Masterclass events, visit avocado.org.au/foodservicce
HCA00203
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12/07/11 2:42 PM
28/7/11 11:26:10 AM
16 FOODSERVICE august 2011
management
Counting the costs
of wage increases
almost all
businesses are
battling with high
wage costs, but as
Tony Eldred
explains the real
wage cost battle
is in their
kitchens.
In the past we have been used to
seeing infrequent problems in one
department or another, but at the
higher market levels - particularly in
restaurants - the prevalence of
unsustainably high wage costs
appears to be universal.
The root cause of this is rapidly
changing economics. There has been
an explosion in the number of
restaurants and similar hospitality
businesses in most of our major cities,
and this competition is giving the
dining public plenty of alternatives if
they perceive your prices are too high.
In recent years declining margins
have caused many operators to drive
the price of entrees, desserts and
beverages up to levels that are now
causing the dining public to react
negatively. A recent article in The
Melbourne Age weekend magazine
about the ‘outrageous’ margins on
wine in restaurants is an example of
this. My point is that we have reached
the end of the road in price gouging in
our upper market level restaurants,
and pushing prices up to where they
need to be to ensure comfortable
profitability is practically out of the
question. Not only is it getting harder
to put a decent margin on food, the
Management.indd 16
expectation for quality and
presentation standards are being
driven upwards by ‘foodie’ TV shows
like Masterchef. The public are
expecting the complex food they see
featured on TV to be available in their
local eateries, at a ‘reasonable price’.
So, we find ourselves in a quandary
- we have to produce competitive food
to retain market share, but we can’t
charge what we really need in order to
justify this. You don’t have to be
unusually perceptive to realise that
something has to give. without radical
change, the viability of a lot of
restaurants could be at stake..
We are painfully aware that if you
can’t increase your prices and your
profitability is suffering, the only
options you have to reduce wage costs
are to increase customer average
spend or to reduce the cost of food
production. Both are tricky to achieve
and much easier said than done.
Low customer average spend is not
a problem in itself; it is a symptom.
The problem lies in a combination of
poor recruitment, training and
leadership; combined with a reliance
on relatively ineffective, traditional
marketing tools like the ubiquitous
printed menu, which is full of
impenetrable jargon and culinary
terminology. You can talk about
increasing customer average spend
until you are blue in the face, but the
practicality of achieving it may
require some fundamental alteration
to the way you run your business,
particularly regarding the way you
recruit and train your staff and
merchandise your products.
Likewise, reducing the cost of food
production may require a full-on
assault on the accepted way of doing
things. Do you really need to pick your
own herbs? Do you really need to
portion your own steaks and fillet
your own fish? Doing labour intensive
tasks in small quantities is nearly
always expensive and inefficient.
What I have observed is that
setting wage percentage targets is
unlikely to get you the result you
want. You are far better to force
change by issuing strict wage dollar
budgets to your FOH managers and
Chefs and forcing them to comply.
Most leaders will not change the way
they do things until there are adverse
consequences to failing to react.
The main catalyst that has caused
What I have observed is that setting
wage percentage targets is unlikely
to get you the result you want.
me to write on this subject is the
observation that traditional ways of
doing things are failing to achieve a
satisfactory result for many of the
operators we deal with. I know the
problem is widespread - it’s not just
you. Part of the problem is that we
seem to be shackled by the traditional
nature of our industry. The accepted
way of doing things has proven
reliable for many years. We are not
used to embracing innovation, except
in the artistic areas of our businesses.
It’s time to think outside the square. If
you don’t change your direction, you’ll
end-up where you’re headed. •
Tony Eldred operates Eldred
Hospitality Pty Ltd, ‘The Hospitality
Management Specialists’ .
Contact him on 03 9813 3311 or
www.eldtrain.com.au
28/7/11 11:26:55 AM
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28/7/11 11:27:24 AM
18 FOODSERVICE august 2011
A Huxtable at heart
This month
Huxtable’s Daniel
Wilson pours his
heart out on a
plate with a
Masterclass that
would warm the
coldest of
culinary souls.
Masterclass.indd 18
There are all sorts of restaurants.
Some are money making machines
made to feed the masses en masse;
some are hellbent on accolades; others
walk the tight rope of miniscule
margins, but there are very few that
actually make you feel like you’re in
someone’s lounge room enjoying food
from the heart.
Huxtable (yes, it is somewhat of a
play on the famous Cosby Show
family) in Melbourne’s burgeoning
foodie suburb of Fitzroy is the local
everyone deserves, where delicious
food is created by a chef that is not
caught up in the world of culinary
trickery, stardom or showboating, but
instead simply produces the food he
loves to eat at home with his family.
“My wife will come in here to eat
and she’ll say to one of the waitstaff,
‘you know, it’s just like eating at home’.
So yeah, I guess it’s food I like to eat
basically,” admits Huxtable’s affable
chef and co-owner Daniel Wilson.
Huxtable’s casual dining space is
filled with wooden table tops, kitsch
retro swivel chairs and a brick bar playing on The Cosby Show’s very own
kitchen - that provides the perfect
backdrop for Wilson to ply his trade.
“The whole premise of the
restaurant is to cook tasty food with
good wines in a relaxed, comfortable
environment where people can leave
with a full stomach and a happy
wallet, and have value.”
Wilson’s food is influenced by
chef: daniel wilson
French technique and the flavours of
South East Asia, but, even he
concedes his is not the most fancy
food, but the whole idea is that people
feel nourished and happy about what
they’ve eaten.
When that happens, repeat
business is virtually assured.
His Five spiced duck breast, hot,
sweet & sour wombok, mandarin soy
caramel is a perfect example of
Wilson’s ability to cross cultures and
deliver food that fills happy bellies.
“With this dish I have tried to use
ingredients that are in season,”
explains Wilson.
“Mandarins are in season and I
guess this is a play on that whole duck
a’l orange sweet, sour thing.
28/7/11 11:28:14 AM
19
masterclass
“With my food it is very important
to have balance, so the duck is quite
rich and it has the five spice and the
soy for seasoning, then the wombok,
which is served at room temperature,
is lightly cooked so it still has a bit of
crunch to it too.
Vinegar and sugar give the dish a
whole sweet and sour tone, while the
chilli from the toban jiang (Chinese
chilli bean paste) rounds out the dish
and gives it a warming kick to-boot.
“It’s refreshing, I suppose. The
duck’s richness with the mandarin
soy caramel which is sweet and salty.”
Although Wilson describes his food
as simple, it relies on great technique
and an understanding of flavour
balance for its success - something
many chefs take a long time to master.
“I find that sous vide is a very
even, consistent cooking process.
“The whole sous vide process is not
only for the cooking of it, it’s also
because it is vacuum packed with the
mandarin zest and the five spice and
the soy, which kind of forces that
flavour into the duck as well.”
“Because the duck is the star of the
dish I guess the most important thing
is to make sure you don’t overcook the
duck. You have to make sure you
render the fat out of the skin, make
sure it is crispy and ensure the duck
meat is pink and moist too.
“You also don’t want to be over
cooking the wombok so it still has
some crunch to it.” •
Five spiced duck breast, hot, sweet & sour wombok, mandarin soy caramel
By Daniel Wilson, Huxtable Restaurant, Fitzroy, Melbourne
Masterclass.indd 19
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 4 duck breasts, approximately
250g each
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 mandarin, zested on a microplane
• Daikon cress to garnish
then remove from bag and pat dry with
paper towel. Score skin to the flesh in a
diagonally crossed pattern. For service,
place skin side down in a medium to
hot pan and cook until the skin is crisp
and golden, then turn over and turn off
heat. Allow the residual heat in the pan
to warm the breast through.
Method
Trim the duck breasts of excess fat and
sinew and place skin side down on a
tray. Sprinkle flesh with the soy, five
spice and mandarin zest. Rub in well.
Place breasts in a vacuum bag and
vacuum at a medium to high setting.
Cook duck breasts in a water bath at
60.2°C for 30 minutes. Remove from
water bath and rest for 10 minutes
before placing in an iced water bath. For
best results allow to chill overnight and
Wombok
Ingredients
• ¼ wombok
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and cut in
one inch lengths
• 1 tbsp ginger, julienned
• 2 garlic cloves, julienned
• 1 shallot, julienned
• 1 tbsp toban jiang
(Chinese chilli bean paste)
• ½ tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp light soy
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 drops mustard oil
Method
Slice large wombok leaves lengthwise
and then cut across in one inch lengths.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a widebased pan, add the ginger, garlic and
shallots and cook until soft but with no
colour. Add the wombok and cook until
it starts to soften, add the spring onions
and cook for one minute. Add the chilli
paste, then sugar and white pepper.
Finally add the soy and vinegar then
bring to the boil then switch off. Transfer
to a tray to cool, then add the drops of
mustard oil and stir through. Reserve at
room temperature.
28/7/11 11:28:42 AM
20 FOODSERVICE august 2011
masterclass
Mandarin soy caramel
Ingredients
• 100g caster sugar
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 mandarin, zest removed in strips
with peeler
• 1 tbsp dark soy
• 100ml mandarin juice
Method
Place the sugar, spices and mandarin
zest in a heavy based pan over a
medium heat and stir as the sugar
begins to melt. Cook the caramel until it
reaches a golden colour. Stop the
caramel with the soy and mandarin
juice and then cook down until the
desired consistency is achieved. Strain
and reserve.
To serve
Slice the seared rested duck breast on
a neat base of the wombok, then drizzle
with the mandarin soy caramel. Top
with daikon shoots and serve. •
Masterclass.indd 20
28/7/11 11:29:16 AM
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28/7/11 11:30:08 AM
22 FOODSERVICE MONTH 2000
The Electrolux Young
Chef
of the
Year
The winner
Richard Ousby
Age: 28
Restaurant: Quay, Sydney
Job description: Junior sous chef
Inspiration and drive . . .
“I am driven by food,
produce and by my peers,
who inspire me and push the
boundaries of my
knowledge and
experience.”
Young chef.indd 22
28/7/11 11:30:49 AM
23
Electrolux Appetite for Excellence
The runner up
Victor Liong
Age: 26
Restaurant: Marque Restaurant, Sydney
Job description: Chef de partie
Inspiration and drive . . .
“I hope to one day be as inspiring to younger
chefs as some of the chefs I have worked with.
The constant need to improve on my own skills
and to bring out the best in me and others.”
The national finalists
Adam Sayles
Age: 29
Restaurant: Red Cabbage
Food & Wine, Perth
Job description: Head chef
Brenden Gradidge
Age: 26
Restaurant: Urbane
Restaurant, Brisbane
Job description: Sous chef
Joshua Pelham
Age: 25
Restaurant:
The Press Club, Melbourne
Job description: Chef
Suthat Sathittanakun
Age: 27
Restaurant:
The Silver Spoon, Perth
Job description: Jnr sous chef
Todd Moses
Age: 26
Restaurant:
Circa, the Prince, Melbourne
Job description: Sous chef
Inspiration and drive . . .
“Knowing that the trade
changes quickly and to keep
up with new products and
technologies.”
Inspiration and drive . . .
“I am inspired by Australia’s
vast array of quality produce.
I am inspired by suppliers’,
producers’ and farmers’
passion for the product,
which in turn inspires me to
do my best with it.”
Inspiration and drive . . .
“I’m inspired and driven by
fresh produce, people and
pressure.”
Inspiration and drive . . .
“Ethics and produce. To help
mould the industry into
ethical practises by my own
example.”
Inspiration and drive . . .
“Working alongside my
co-workers is a huge
inspiration. There is no better
feeling than knowing what
you have produced is your
absolute best.”
Young chef.indd 23
28/7/11 11:31:54 AM
24 FOODSERVICE MONTH 2000
The Electrolux Young
Waiter
of the
Year
The winner
James Sexton
Age: 25
Restaurant: Sepia Restaurant and Wine Bar,
Sydney
Job description: Senior waiter
Inspiration and drive . . .
“A passion for knowledge
in food and wine and a
stomach big enough to
fill it.”
Young waiter.indd 24
28/7/11 11:32:45 AM
25
Electrolux Appetite for Excellence
The runner up
Anthony Moore
Age: 26
Restaurant: Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Sydney
Job description: Wine waiter
Inspiration and drive . . .
“Food and wine are my biggest passions. Being
surrounded by people who create and prepare
these things is inspirational.”
The national finalists
Ellen Fletcher
Age: 22
Restaurant: glass brasserie,
Sydney
Job description: Waiter
Glenn Mills
Age: 23
Restaurant: Jacques
Reymond, Melbourne
Job description: Waiter
Kylie Hawkins
Age: 23
Restaurant: Brents
Restaurant, Brisbane
Job description: Manager
Ronald Gorman
Age: 26
Restaurant: Wasabi
Restaurant and Bar, Noosa
Job description: Waiter
Simone Spicer
Age: 23
Restaurant: The European,
Melbourne
Job description: Manager
Inspiration and drive . . .
“I’m driven by my passion for
food, service and wine. I’m
inspired by the people who
showed me what I know, the
people I work with everyday,
and the other talented
finalists of the awards.
Inspiration and drive. . . .
“My main inspiration is the
ability to be a part of someone’s
enjoyable dining experience.
Always trying to exceed the
customers’ expectations is
what truly drives me.”
Inspiration and drive. . .
“Being able to create an
experience for your customers.
To showcase flavours and
passion from all of the staff in
the establishment and create a
dining experience that wows
your customers.”
Inspiration and drive . . .
“Travel. It gives me the desire to
try something new, experience
a new taste, smell or sight. The
days are spent seeking out the
next dish, the next taste, the
next flavours. Travelling
reignites my enthusiasm for the
experience of food and service.”
Inspiration and drive . . .
“The ever-changing lifestyle in
this industry completely
inspires me to keep learning,
challenging myself and
pushing myself towards my
future goals of working in
hospitality.”
Young waiter.indd 25
28/7/11 11:33:56 AM
26 FOODSERVICE august 2011
The Electrolux
Young Restaurateur
National Finalists
Brent Farrell, Brents Restaurant, Brisbane
Key to success. . .
“Having to adapt to situations quickly, whether
they are financial, staff related or customer
related. The most important thing of all is
consistency in the product you’re presenting
from food to service.
Clint Hillery, Time to Vino, Sydney
Key to success. . .
“The most important parts to being successful
in this industry would be your staff and your
guests; keep them happy and your on your way.
The challenges are endless in this game, relax
for one moment and the game can change.”
Iain Todd, Battery Point Steakhouse, Hobart
Key to success. . .
“The most important and biggest challenge in
being a successful restaurateur is staffing.
Finding the right people for your restaurant
and keeping them there. Most of my job is
focused on keeping the work environment as
productive and positive as I can make it.
Without committed and happy staff, all you
have is an empty dining room. The best way to
go about it is to be committed and passionate
yourself and always respect the fact that staff
work for very different reasons than you do.”
clockwise from
above: Brent
farrell, clint
hillery, iain todd,
scott o’sullivan,
belinda stapleton.
Belinda Stapleton, Restaurant Botanica,
Pokolbin
Key to success. . .
“Understanding your market and realising that
being a successful restaurateur is not just about
producing great food and wine experiences; it
is about producing a business model that
allows you to support your team, your suppliers
and yourself. And most of all, believing your
customers are number one.”
Scott O’Sullivan, Red Cabbage Food + Wine,
South Perth
Key to success. . .
“My team are essential to the success of my
business. They are my biggest investment and
are my biggest asset; from my kitchen porter to
my second in charge, they all play a large role
in making my business what it is today. We
have to understand trends, yet try not to be
followers. We have to satisfy ourselves and our
customers. It’s certainly a juggling act.” •
Young restaurateur.indd 26
28/7/11 11:35:20 AM
Pure taste. Pure inspiration.
New Zealand King Salmon is one of New Zealand’s leading aquaculture companies, respected for its clean, healthy and
humane practices as well as its superior quality salmon. We offer a variety of delicious, versatile and sustainable salmon
products to a wide range of discerning chefs and distributors under the Regal King Salmon brand.
Little wonder it is the salmon of choice for many top restaurants in Australia: whether Regal King Salmon is miso-glazed
by Warren Turnbull of Assiette, served as carpaccio by Richard Ptacnik of Otto, marinated by Matt Wilkenson of Pope
Joan or - incredibly turned into a macaron by Adriano Zumbo, there is something for every taste……
Provenance
Regal King Salmon begin their lives in the crystal clear waters of the Waikoropupu Springs in Takaka. These springs hold a world record for water clarity
and this gives our smolt the best possible start in life. They are then carefully relocated to the pristine waters of New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds.
Positioned at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, the sounds were carved from the rock by glaciers during the last ice age. This has created hundreds
of sheltered, deep-water bays and the swift currents of the Cook Strait continually filter and feed the areas wildlife. The sites selected for our farms have
been carefully chosen to ensure that every harvest produces a consistent level of excellence without the need for chemicals or antibiotics.
Clean and sustainable
Throughout their life, our salmon experience arguably the cleanest rearing environment found anywhere in the world. When it comes to environmental
management and the monitoring of benthic impacts, New Zealand has one of the most stringent regulatory systems in the world.
All feed is sourced from sustainable fisheries and are certified GMO free. We use state of the art feed control devices to prevent excess feed from drifting
through our sea cages and into open water. And to ensure that our Regal King Salmon are free from unnatural stress factors, our farms have a low stock
density to avoid overcrowding. The harvesting is carried out using a natural anaesthetic developed in New Zealand and favourably reported on by the
British Humane Slaughter Association.
Healthy for your customers
Regal King Salmon is a natural source of healthy Omega 3, this high oil content means our Regal King Salmon has a wonderful rich buttery flavour
which makes it perfect for sashimi, baking, grilling and smoking. The deep orange colour makes for exceptional plate presentation and this colour is
retained even after cooking. Our salmon is also an excellent source of proteins, vitamins and minerals for overall good health.
For orders or more info call 1800 666527 or QLD 0448475777, NSW 0448475757, VIC 0447840000
regalsalmon.com.au
37206 NZKS Foodservice Ad.indd 1
FSN_NZ KING SALMON_FP_027.indd 27
22/06/11 4:37 PM
28/7/11 11:36:00 AM
28 FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
All photography by Anthony Huckstep.
1 2
3 4
Chef Challenge.indd 28
28/7/11 11:36:54 AM
29
chefS: EUGENIO MAIALE
AND LUKE RANDALL
chef challenge
Challenge: Goat.
No kidding around
a tavola’s Eugenio Maiale and Luke
Randall separate the sheep from the
goats with a spectacular showcase
of one of the most underutilised
meats in the country - goat.
1
Goat tongue, baby beetroots, heirloom
carrots, chestnuts By Luke Randall
Serves 6
All photography by Anthony Huckstep.
Ingredients
6 goat tongues
•
• Brine
• Ingredients
• 1.5L water
• 500ml white wine
• 100g salt
• 50g sugar
• 1ea cinnamon stick
• 10 peppercorns
• 10 juniper berries
• ½ bunch thyme
Chef Challenge.indd 29
Salad
Ingredients
• 6ea baby beetroots
• 12ea heirloom carrots
• 6 chestnuts
• 10ml honey
• 50g wild rocket
• Olive oil, salt, pepper
Method
Bring water, white wine, salt, sugar,
cinnamon, peppercorns, juniper
berries and thyme to boil, then cool.
Pour over goat tongues and leave in
brine for 12 hours. Remove from
brine and place tongues in pot of
cold water and bring to simmer (until
soft, 2-3 hours). Peel skin off tongues
and cut in half. Roast beetroots and
heirloom carrots. Prick chestnuts
and roast, then peel skins.
To serve
Dress beetroots, carrots and wild
rocket with olive oil, salt and
pepper. Pan fry tongue until
golden. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle
chestnuts over the top.
2
Goat meatballs slow cooked in tomato
with salmoriglio By Eugenio Maiale
Serves 6
Polpette
• 100g minced pork fat
• 400g minced goat leg and offcuts
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 ½ handful chopped parsley
• 4 slices pancetta chopped
• 2 anchovy fillets chopped
• 130ml white wine
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 3 slices fresh Italian bread
• 200ml milk
• 50g grated parmesan
• 50g grated pecorino
Sauce
• 80ml olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ tsp dried chillies
• 10 basil leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5L tomato passata
• 200ml goat stock
• 80ml extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a bowl break bread into 3cm
pieces, add milk and let it sit for
15min. Sweat garlic and onion until
transparent, add pancetta,
anchovy, rosemary and cook for
2min. Deglaze with white wine until
evaporated. Allow to cool. Squeeze
bread, removing excess milk and
add to onion mixture. Add minced
goat, pork fat, nutmeg, parmesan,
pecorino and parsley. Mix and
season to taste. Roll into polpette,
cover and set aside. In a saucepan
add olive oil, garlic and chilli. Once
garlic colours add basil, passata
and chicken stock. Bring to the
boil, add dried oregano and
simmer for 20min. Remove from
heat, drizzle with evo and allow to
cool. Assemble polpette into a tray;
cover polpette with tomato sauce.
Cover with baking paper and
aluminium foil. Place in 160°C oven
for 45min. Remove and cool.
Salsa Salmoriglio
•3
anchovies finely chopped
•4
garlic cloves finely chopped
•1
tbsp rosemary finely chopped
• 15
sage leaves finely chopped
•1
cup evo
•8
tbsp lemon juice
•2
tsp fresh oregano leaves
• Salt
and pepper to taste
Method
Place anchovies, garlic, rosemary
and sage in a bowl, add evo, lemon
juice, oregano, salt and pepper.
Mix well and let it stand for 1 hour.
To serve
Heat the meatballs through the
sauce. Line the polpette on a plate
and spot with the salsa salmoriglio.
28/7/11 11:37:23 AM
30 FOODSERVICE august 2011
chef challenge
3
Pappardelle with braised goat shoulder, red wine, bay leaves
and green Sicilian olives By Luke Randall
Serves 6
Ragu
• 1 goat shoulder
• 350ml red wine
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stick
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 10g fresh rosemary, oregano
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes
• 1L chicken stock
• 30g parmesan
• 40g butter
• 20ml olive oil
• 12
green Sicilian olives
• Salt & pepper
Pasta
• 250g
‘00’ flour
•2
large free range eggs
• 10ml
olive oil
Method
Mix together ingredients for
pasta dough until just
incorporated (rest in fridge for at
least one hour). Brown goat
shoulder in frying pan and place
in roasting tray. Dice onion,
carrot, celery, garlic and sauté in
same pan with olive oil until soft.
Deglaze with wine and reduce by
half. Add tomatoes, chicken
stock, bay, rosemary and
oregano and bring to boil. Pour
sauce over meat into roasting
tray, cover with foil and place in
oven at 160°C for six hours.
Once cooked, remove from liquid
and pull meat off the bone and
add back to the sauce in the
roasting tray whilst still warm.
Take pasta dough and roll into
strips 25cm long by 3cm wide.
To serve
Warm goat ragu in a pan with
green Sicilian olive cheeks. In
salted boiling water, add pasta and
cook until al dente (about 30
seconds for fresh and three
minutes if dried). Remove pasta
from water and add to sauce.
Constantly move the pasta in the
pan until thoroughly coated by the
sauce. Finish with butter, olive oil,
parmesan, salt, and pepper.
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Chef Challenge.indd 30
28/7/11 11:37:41 AM
FOODSERVICE AUGUST 2011
31
chef challenge
4
Confit of rolled goat belly with braised Casteluccio lentils and turnip tops
By Eugenio Maiale
Serves 6
Rolled goat
• 2 boned goat bellies
• 16 thin slices of mortadella
• Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tbsp rosemary-finely chopped
• 1 bunch of parsley-chopped
• 1 tbsp of ground black pepper
• Sea salt to taste
Oil
• 2L olive oil
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 3 cloves
• Zest of ¼ small orange
• Zest of ¼ small lemon
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 juniper berries
Lentils
• 1.5 cups casteluccio lentils
• ½ onion finely diced
• ½ small carrot finely diced
• 1 small stick celery fine diced
• ½ clove of garlic
• 2 slices lardo-diced
• 1 tsp soaked porcini
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sage leaves
• 1 tsp chopped thyme
• 1 large ripe tomato-skinned and
chopped
• 1 bunch cime di rapa
• 500-700ml goat stock
Method
Season the goat belly with the salt
and pepper, roll and refrigerate 24
hours before. Preheat oven to
98°C. Unroll the belly and evenly
sprinkle with the chopped garlic,
rosemary and parsley. Lay the
mortadella slices evenly over the
belly, covering it entirely trimming
any edges. Roll the belly, truss with
twine and set aside. Pour olive oil
into a deep, narrow baking dish.
Add other ingredients. Gently lay
rolled goat belly into the olive oil,
(totally immersed) cover with
baking paper and cook at 98°C for
3.5 hours. Once cooked, allow the
goat to stand in the oil at room
temperature for 30 minutes. Heat
one tablespoon of the olive oil in a
medium pot and add the onion,
celery, carrots, lardo, chili, garlic,
sage, porcini and thyme. Cook for
10 minutes over medium heat,
covered, or until the onion is soft
and golden. Add the lentils and
bay leaf, and stir to incorporate.
Sauté for two minutes, stirring
gently. Add the stock, the
tomatoes, and the salt. Bring to a
boil, stirring, and cover; cook over
medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cime di rape and cook a
further 30 minutes or until the
lentils are soft but not falling apart,
adding a little more broth if
needed. Consistency should be
thick, not soupy. Adjust seasoning.
To serve
Gently remove the butcher’s twine
from the rolled goat. Cut into four
even portions. Serve on warm
braised lentils and cime di rapa.
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Chef Challenge.indd 31
28/7/11 11:37:55 AM
32 FOODSERVICE august 2011
produce
AVOCADO
Don’t be fooled into thinking
avocados are only useful in the
breakfast and lunch trade. As
Matteo’s Brendan McQueen explains, it
has a myriad of culinary applications.
Having been so long confined to
the likes of salads, sandwiches and
sushi, it’s hard to imagine that once, a
long time ago, the humble avocado
was considered as we do oysters,
truffles, chocolate and champagne
– not just as an aphrodisiac, but as
something special.
In fairness, this was around 300 BC,
when the Aztec’s name for it was
‘ahuacatl’, which literally meant
‘testicle’ – a reference to how it looked
hanging from a tree. It was the fertility
fruit. Noting how revered avocados
were in the Central American culture,
the Spanish conquistadors brought
the fruit back with them along with
gold, silver and precious stones and
the rest is, as they say, history.
What I like about this story is that it
serves to remind us to rethink how we
look at avocados as an ingredient in
foodservice. Contrary to what you
might believe, it is easy to take
avocados out of the realm of the
obvious and mundane, and to use
them to give a dish a truly unique edge.
They really are a very versatile fruit.
Now is a good time to experiment,
because while most people associate
avocados with summer, they are in
peak season in winter, and as chefs we
always try and work with seasonal
produce. Avocados are at their best
quality all over the country in the
cooler months and prices are the
cheapest, giving a good return on
plate cost.
Produce.indd 32
It takes seven years for an avocado
tree to bear fruit, and they are unique
in that the avocado fruit only ripens
when they are off the tree.
Grown all around Australia and
available all year, the main variety of
avocado is Hass, which makes up
almost 80 per cent of the market. It is
distinctive for its buttery, nutty taste
and rough skin that turns a deep
purple when fully ripe. Shepards are
the next most widely available, which
are lighter on the palate and notable
for their greater resistance to
oxidisation once opened.
Aside from a burst of colour,
avocado adds an exceptional depth
of creaminess to a dish and carries
base flavours while maintaining its
own integrity. The dense texture of
avocado means that it can act as a
base ingredient in a light dish or
alternatively a great complement to
a richer meal when applied deftly. I
have used it as the basis for a silky
mouth-filling Japanese style
chawanmushi, a warm savoury
custard that subtley exudes avocado
flavour. It is just a matter of
thinking of all the sensory elements
avocados offer. In fact, parts of Asia
only use them as dessert or sweet
drinks, something quite foreign to
western thinking.
That you can do something
successful with avocados at any stage
of ripeness should greatly appeal to
chefs’ sense of creativity and
practicality. Unripe avocados can be
batter; tempura works especially well.
Because avocado is usually served
cold or at room temperature, it might
be surprising that it also works well in
warm dishes. The trick is simply to
add the fruit at a late stage in the
cooking process and not to apply
direct heat for extended periods.
Finally, the flesh of very soft fruit can
be used in avocado purées or ice
cream…or other desserts. It can only
Aside from a burst of colour, avocado
adds an exceptional depth of creaminess
to a dish and carries base flavours while
maintaining its own integrity.
used alongside, or as a crisp substitute
for, green papaya or mango. Firm
avocados are ideal for flash frying,
which amplifies their meatiness and
gives them the mouthfeel of a
vegetable. It is also possible to deep fry
firm avocado pieces protected by a
be a good thing when produce is
versatile enough to be used across the
whole menu.
Also known to the Aztecs as ‘the
fertility fruit’, avocados are an
ingredient certainly ready to thrive
– all it takes is a little imagination. •
Right: Brendan McQueen’s
Tempura king prawn &
avocado, grated daikon
salad; Chawan mushi
custard, sweet dashi sauce,
& yabbi tail; Confit Petuna
ocean trout & avocado,
toasted shiso, spiced panko
crumbs.
28/7/11 11:38:52 AM
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28/7/11 11:40:36 AM
34 FOODSERVICE august 2011
mouthfuL
LAST SUPPER
mouthful
Ever wondered what you might eat for
your final meal on deathrow?
Photogrpaher James Reynolds has
delivered a series of fascinating
photographs depicting actual last
suppers. Check it out at
http://goo.gl/XuOkW
WEDNESDAY
is the most
popular day
to book a
restaurant
according
to online
reservation
site Dimmi.
Of those that make their
restaurant booking online,
53 per cent are dining from
7-10pm, 25 per cent from
5-7pm and 20 per cent for
lunch according online
reservation site Dimmi.
REVIEWERS RHETORIC
“The value police will have their pencils out over some of the prices
but the food sidesteps those charges with sub-$20 entrees as well
as mains that offer real value for money. Riemer’s menu hangs
together by virtue of its unpretentious, easygoing nature; a
Mediterranean Europe cabal of things with the broad appeal of
that part of the globe and execution neither too fanciful nor
too minimalist.”
Larissa Dubecki on Union Dining, 270 Swan St, Richmond,
Victoria, The AGE, Epicure, Tuesday 5 July, 2011.
“La Rosa sits well as a sidecar to the buzzy, highenergy Pendolino; a place to catch up with mates
and not take things too seriously. Salumi misti, a
cold beer, a quick pizza, a little digestivo, three
Hail Marys and you’re on your way.”
Terry Druack on La Rosa, Sydney, NSW, THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD,
Good Living, July 5, 2011.
BUNCH OF TWEETS
The number one restaurant in the world and leader of the art of foraging finds
guests are doing a bit of foraging of their own..
“Mile high club is renowned. When 2 young people, during dinner, f#*@ their brains
out in our restaurant toilet, what is that called then?”
9 July, 2011 Rene redzepi Noma, - @ReneRedzepiNoma
The drought is over.
Australian rice is back.
Mouthful.indd 34
SunRice Australian rice is globally
recognised for its high quality and beautiful
texture. Grown by Australian farmers,
our rice is ready for you to order now.
Put the Sun Inside
www.sunrice.com.au
28/7/11 11:44:07 AM
Straight from the Country
Food service is all about quality
produce. That’s why High Country
Pork comes straight from our farms
in northern Victoria and the
southern Riverina.
Our carefully managed herd is
raised on a diet of high quality
Australian grain, much of it also
locally grown. Our herd combines
the best of the duroc, landrace and
large white breeds and is raised in
large breezy shelters where they forage freely in straw
and socialise naturally.
With all of our own facilities onsite, High Country
Pork is gently tenderised and then vacuum sealed
Call today to place your order
Top Cut Foods – Melbourne
Top Cut Foods – Sydney
0325 0711
FSN_RIVALEA_FP_035.indd 35
03 8371 5446
02 8594 2333
within 24 hours of leaving the farm.
That’s why our pork is so moist and
delicious – even when meals have to
be held.
High Country Pork offers a full
range
of
cuts
to
chef ’s
specifications. That means fantastic
options for every menu and
cooking style. Chefs love High
Country’s easy preparation and
excellent value, diners just love the
beautifully tender and delicious Pork.
Serving High Country Pork means confidence. Your
diners will always get the delicious taste you
intended – guaranteed.
Top Cut Foods – Adelaide
08 8245 8099
Top Cut Foods – Newcastle 02 4964 7777
Top Cut Foods – Queensland 07 5568 8800
PORK
Make High Country premium grain fed pork your choice.
28/7/11 11:44:37 AM
ARMORY_MC2854_2
Every smile is an advantage won!
From paddock to plate, McCAIN gives you an advantage.
When you’re running a busy foodservice operation,
you’ve got enough on your plate without having to
worry about the quality of your fries.
plate and have higher potato solids content, which
means higher yield per kilo, giving you a greater profit
per serve.
That’s why the McCAIN Foodservice Advantage
really works for you. McCAIN’s wide range guarantees
high quality fries that are uniform in size and shape,
are easy to cook, provide great visual appeal on the
And because McCAIN’s A-Grade Fries are made
from the highest quality potatoes not just any
potatoes, your customers will be coming back for
more. Now, that’s the McCAIN Advantage.
Ah McCain... you’ve done it again!
For more information talk to your McCAIN Sales Representative, call our National Sales office on (03) 8561 4680 or visit www.mccainfoodservice.com.au
ARM0291 FS_CHEF.indd 1
FSN_MCCAIN_FP_OBC.indd 36
19/7/11 9:00:18 AM
28/7/11 11:45:06 AM