rc october 2015

Restaurant Catering

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Contents

In this issue ...Up-front4 From the Association

John Hart reports on the association’s More Jobs, More Shifts, More Choice campaign, and Matteo Pignatelli welcomes change in the country’s highest office.

8 News & eventsA guide to the Drinks Industry Show, a sommeliers conference in Adelaide, Awards of Excellence, and much more.

Industry

14 #TrendingWondering what customers are looking for? There’s an easy—and free—way to do just that.

16 Risky businessBuying a restaurant is fraught with danger, but there are ways to safeguard your investment.

20 What I’ve learntA love of varied cultures and the best local produce has seen Jock Zonfrillo’s star rise.

On the table

29 2015 Oils GuideRestaurant & Catering magazine’s guide to the best in oils.

38 Clicks equal customersYour website is your restaurant’s most valuable marketing tool. Are you using it to its advantage?

40 Cocktail hourIt’s a complex area of alcoholic beverages, but when well-planned, can boost your bottom line.

42 DetailsAs customers increasingly crave a design experience, food courts have become the new fine dining.

October 2015 $6.95 GST incl.

RESTAURANT & CATERING 3

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Out of the ashesThis couple traded the heat of fine kitchens for the reins of their own catering business.

ON THE COVER22

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 engagemedia.com.au

Editor: Mitchell Oakley Smith Art Director: Lucy Glover Sub-editor: Kerryn RamseyContributors: Ben Canaider, John Burfitt, Nic Hogan, Tracey Porter, Clea Sherman Sales Director: Adam Cosgrove

Direct: (02) 9660 6995 ext 505Fax: (02) 9518 5600 Mob: 0404 351 543 Email: [email protected]

Editorial Director: Rob Johnson Commercial Director: Mark Brown

For all editorial, subscription and advertising enquiries, Tel: 1300 722 878Print Post approved PP: 2255003/06505, ISSN 1442-9942

©2014 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.Printed by Webstar.

A campaign for change Restaurant & Catering is right in the thick of our More Jobs, More Shifts and More Choices campaign.

From the Association

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

Contact details

8,557 - CAB Audited as at March, 2015

Restaurant & Catering AustraliaAddress: Level 3, 154 Pacific Highway, St Leonards NSW 2064Tel: 1300 722 878Fax: 1300 722 396Email: [email protected]: restaurantcater.asn.au

President: Matteo Pignatelli (VIC)Senior Vice President: Mark Scanlan (NSW)Junior Vice President: Kevin Gulliver (QLD)Treasurer: Richard Harper (VIC)Chief Executive Officer: John Hart

The campaign was effectively borne off the back of research that R&CA conducted for the Fair Work Commission hearings into penalty rates. This research found that if there was a flat weekend penalty at the Saturday rate, 39,600 jobs would be created on each Sunday and public holiday.

This job creation story has been enhanced by an examination of who the industry employs. In particular, the fact that 43% of the workforce is aged between 15 and 24. This tells a very positive story about the impact that penalty rate changes would have on youth unemployment, which is a significant issue for Australia.

The analysis of employment in the research was supported by the Productivity Commission Draft Report into Workplace Relations. This report conducted an analysis of opening hours of restaurants in New Zealand (without Sunday penalties) and Australia (with). The result was that New Zealand restaurants are open 25.6% more hours on a Sunday—compelling in a Productivity Commission report.

The reaction to the campaign has been very strong. The launch in Adelaide at the beginning of September drew attention from almost every news outlet in the state. Subsequent presentations around the country have all attracted strong support.

The level of media attention is starting to change consumer attitudes. This is evident in letters and comments. Australians are beginning to accept that Sunday and public holiday penalties are too high and that we are losing out.

John HartCEO, Restaurant & Catering

4 RESTAURANT & CATERING

Join the conversation on theSavour Australia Restaurant &Catering HOSTPLUS Awards forExcellence with #savourawards

/savouraustralia@savouraus

/savour-australia

Discover Hospitality is here to help your career take off—and stay on track. Discover the career possibilities or find suitable staff with #discoverhospitality

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Keep up to date with Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) news, events, products and programs, and ‘like’ and ‘follow’ the association on social media with #restcatering

/restaurantandcatering@restcatering

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Government initiative Who would have thought that by September, Australia would have installed its fifth Prime Minister in as many years. This demonstrates that politics has changed forever.

The real question is what this means for the industry. The answer must lie in the reaction of the general public to the change. Without speculating, it is very pleasing to see a lift in consumer sentiment as a result of Malcolm Turnbull’s appointment as Prime Minister.

Above all else, the industry is affected by changes in consumer sentiment. While other policy changes have a small impact, what really counts is how consumers feel. The better they feel the more they spend in restaurants, cafes and on catering.

Along with the lift in consumer sentiment, there has also already been a re-examination of some of the general policy considerations that Tony Abbott had ruled out. There may be some of these, such as tax and industrial relations, that a Prime Minister free of previous commitments may be able to re-visit.

There is a also a number of new ministers that will inevitably have different views and opinions than their predecessors. In the policy areas in which Restaurant & Catering is most active, there is a new Tourism Minister, Employment Minister, and Training and Skills Minister. While some of the reform processes already commenced will proceed, these ministers will put their stamp on their portfolios.

As they say, the only constant is change. Lets hope it brings good things. Matteo Pignatelli

President, Restaurant & Catering


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News& events


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Entries are now open for the Fonterra Proud to be a Chef mentoring program, which offers

a chance for Australian apprentice chefs to partake in a customised training experience. Held in Melbourne through February 2016, the all-expenses paid program includes places for 32 apprentices to train with esteemed culinary leaders, including Anna Polyviou (executive pastry chef, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney), Josh Pelham (head chef, ESP, Melbourne), and Peter Wright (a foodservice expert and global event specialist).

The four-day program, now in its 17th year, treats finalists to dining experiences at award-winning restaurants as well as culinary master classes, with this year’s program focused on the growing trend of food

sustainability. An educational field trip to Western Star dairy heartland in Cobden, regional Victoria, is included as part of this, and each chefs’ work will be photographed for Fonterra’s annual yearbook.

“This program has cultivated some of Australia’s best talent in the food industry, supporting hundreds of trainee chefs since its inception in 1996,” said the program’s coordinator Carolyn Plummer, noting successful alumnus George Calombaris. “Fonterra is committed to investing in Australia’s culinary industry, both recognising and rewarding up-and-coming chefs and future leaders in the food industry in Australia.” Entries close October 31, 2015. Visit fonterraproudtobeachef.com.au to register.

Young chef mentoring program now open2015 winner

Mitchell Tucker.

The Restaurant & Catering Association [R&CA] has launched an ambitious, nationwide campaign

—More Jobs, More Shifts, More Choice—which aims to reform enforced weekend and public holiday pay rates as a way of boosting jobs and increasing productivity. Research commissioned by R&CA indicates that many hospitality

businesses close or scale back staffing to counter higher wage bills on Sundays, which attract an extra 75 per cent per hour and can make business unprofitable or to run at a loss.

“The café and restaurant sector is the largest employer across all tourism-related sectors of the visitor economy,” says John Hart, R&CA's chief executive

officer. “The sector has a projected employment growth rate of 16.9 per cent, or 93,600 jobs to November 2019, [however] we will not reach this target if reform does not occur.”

Hart says the proposed reform will help to address rising unemployment, particularly in younger people, with 43 per cent of staff in the hospitality industry aged 15-24. The campaign was launched in Adelaide, a city with a youth unemployment rate of 14.5 per cent. R&CA’s research suggests that businesses across the sector would employ an additional 3.15 people if Sunday pay rates were reformed, with larger establishments likely to add an extra 4.25 staff.

“In South Australia, this could mean an additional 2800 jobs and 3500 more hours as a result,” says Hart. “The sector could offer young South Australians a real chance at employment and an opportunity to make a contribution to the workforce.” The campaign has since been launched in other major capital cities and will continue to raise awareness and lobby for legislative reform.

Rising youth unemployment addressed with new campaign


The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [ACCC] has concluded investigations into alleged misleading conduct in the pork industry with packaging that indicate produce is ‘free range’, ‘bred free

range’ or ‘bred outdoors’. The pork industry’s representative body, Australian Pork Limited, and leading individual producers worked with the ACCC to help address consumer concerns about the descriptions, which in certain cases were found to be incorrect.

“It is important that the description on product packaging and in promotional material accurately reflects the living conditions of the animals raised for the production of meats,” said the ACCC’s chairman Rod Sims. “Marketing material must use words that consumers can understand, irrespective of whether the words have some special industry meaning.”

At a minimum, pigs must be able to move about freely in an outdoor paddock on most ordinary days for a product to be labelled ‘free range’ or similar, and in the cases brought to light in the ACCC’s investigation, Australian Consumer Law had not been met. Confusion had arisen as to whether the description applied to the sow, the mother pig, or the pigs raised and slaughtered for the pork products.

“When claims such as ‘free range’ or ‘bred free range’ are misused, consumers may be misled into paying more for a product feature that doesn’t exist,” said Sims. “Competitors are also harmed as legitimate free range producers unfairly lose their competitive advantage. Innovation suffers when consumers and businesses lose trust in the integrity of claims.”

Reform for pork labelling standards

As online food delivery services continue to rise, with 72 per cent of Australians ordering takeaway

food at least once per week, many are unaware of the health risks associated with certain takeaway meals. While it is compulsory for restaurants with more than 20 outlets to release nutritional analyses of their menus to the public, there is little to no information available when ordering from small restaurants.

In helping to educate the general public about the nutritional value of takeaway dishes, online food delivery service Menulog has launched a new initiative, Healthy+, on its web platform. Developed by nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan, Healthy+ is aimed at demystifying many misconceptions Australians have about takeaway food, with the program comprising Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, African, Modern Australian, Italian, Japanese and Thai restaurants thus far.

“Factors that have made particular dishes on menus stand out have been healthy cooking methods, the inclusion of lean meats or seafood, and plenty of vegetables or good oils,” explains Dr McMillan of the award process. “The abundant use of antioxidant-rich herbs and spices are also major brownie points for many cuisines.”

Of the 133 dishes that have so far been certified as Healthy+, 55 of these are typically perceived as an unhealthy choice, such as Pad Thai. “Noodles tend

to have a lower GI than most white rice, so combined with the protein-rich meat, prawns and eggs, all fried in extra virgin olive oil, this dish is a Healthy+ winner,” said Dr McMillan. Similarly, Thai fish cakes were given the tick of approval. “Fish cakes are an aromatic mix of minced fish with spices, and although fried, this restaurant [Oriental Healthy, Sydney] uses canola oil, an oil that is primarily healthy monosaturated fats.”

In introducing the new tool, Menulog hopes to encourage customers to not only make better informed choices, but also to explore the full extent of the menu of the restaurants from which they order.


News& events

Mattia Cianca, a sommelier at Melbourne restaurant Attica, is the only Australian finalist in

the forthcoming Concours International des Jeunes Sommeliers. Cianca will vie for the title of the world’s best young sommelier, representing one of 14 countries, when the competition’s finals are held at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide later this month, with the winner announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on October 26th.

It is only the second time that the event has been held outside of Europe, and should Cianca take home top honours, he will be the second Australian winner of the competition following that of Pier-Alexis Soulier of Sydney’s Est, who took home the prize in Copenhagen last year. The winner receives a wine scholarship from Le Cordon Bleu, a magnum of Lauren-Perrier champagne and a Wempe Zeitmeister gold watch—not to mention bragging rights for the next year.

The competition is hosted by La Chaine des Rotisseurs, a global community of gourmet specialists dedicated to the preservation of and promotion of traditional culinary arts. The Adelaide finals are open to the public but are held in silence. For more information visit competitions.chainedesrotisseurs.com

International wine competition to be held in Adelaide

New health initiative encourages diversity in ordering

Pizza bases

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

Wed 11Take part in educational workshops and social events at the Golden Bean Coffee Roasters Competition & Conference in Newcastle, NSW, on Nov 11-14. cafeculture.com Thu 12Corporate hospitality with private enclosures is a business winner at Taste of Melbourne at Alber Park on Nov 12-15. tasteofmelbourne.com.au Fri 13State tourism awards—including the Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services award—kick off this month, starting with South Australia and Queensland tonight. queenslandtourismawards.com.au; satic.com.au/index.php/awards Sat 14Good lord! Neil Diamond’s national tour offers VIP packages at wineries and arenas, including tonight’s show at Sandalford Estate, WA. sandalford.com

Tue 20Happy International Chefs Day—a chance to celebrate the culinary profession all around the world. Wed 21BYO whip and silks—Randwick Racecourse Ballroom in Sydney hosts the Australian Liquor Industry Awards. liquorawards.com.au Thu 22Medal-winning produce and wines are tasted during the Sydney Royal Fine Food Awards at Sydney Olympic Park. sydneyroyal.com.au Fri 23CheeseFest experts show how to taste, serve and display artisan cheeses in Adelaide on Oct 23-25. cheesefest.com.au Sat 24Sip fine German pilsners, kölsh and hefeweizens during a mini-Oktoberfest in Redfern, all part of the Sydney Craft Beer Week on Oct 17-25. sydneycraftbeerweek.com

Thu 15Send your sommelier to the biannual Australian Cabernet Symposium in Penola, SA, to meet wine makers and brand managers. coonawarra.org Fri 16Be part of World Food Day by supporting Oxfam’s Eat Local Feed Global theme. oxfam.org.au/grow/eat-local-feed-global/ Sat 17A two-hour drive from Adelaide, Riverland Wine and Food Festival boasts boutique wines and regional cuisine. riverlandwineandfood.org Sun 18Here’s a chance to taste more than 1500 wines at the Australian Small Winemakers’ Show in Stanthorpe, QLD, on Oct 17-24. asws.com.au Mon 19Discover chef Peter Kuruvita’s must-have ingredients during the ‘My Sri Lanka With World Expeditions’ travel experience on Oct 9-21. peterkuruvita.com

What’s on

Event diary

Sun 25USA’s Coffee Fest in Portland, Oregon, includes the latest methods in staff training to build your business. On Oct 23-25. coffeefest.com Mon 26The national Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence ceremony in Brisbane congratulates our members. restaurantcater.asn.au Tue 27Winner of the restaurant award is announced at the Australian Seafood Industry Awards in Perth. seafooddirections.net.au

Wed 28Restaurateurs offer delicious morsels at the Night Market, all part of the Orange Wine Festival, NSW, on Oct 16-Nov 1. tasteorange.com.au

Fri 30Beer diva Kirrily Waldhorn discusses cheeky tastings at Good Food & Wine in Brisbane on Oct 30-Nov 1.

goodfoodshow.com.au

Sun 1Let’s Do Lunch, Night Noodle Markets and Hats Off Dinners are just some of Melbourne’s popular events at The Age Good Food Month. melbourne.goodfoodmonth.com Mon 2Grey nomads flock to the Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival for some ragtime jazz and paddle steamers. On Oct 30-Nov 2. artsmildura.com.au Tue 3

Is your dining venue a Melbourne Cup destination? Make sure

the bubbles are chilled and the TV

is on at 3pm EST. Wed 4

Hunter Valley wineries and eateries are busy this month,

thanks to the Wollombi Sculpture in the Vineyards. sculptureinthevineyards.com.au

Fri 6Learn about cool-climate wines at the Talk & Taste sessions at the Alternative Varieties Wine Show in Mildura, VIC, on Nov 4-7. aavws.com Sat 7More than 50 boutique beers can be tasted at the Bitter & Twisted Festival in Maitland, NSW, all weekend. bitterandtwisted.com.au Sun 8A tabletop challenge and the latest kitchen equipment can be seen at The Hotel Experience in New York on Nov 8-10. thehotelexperience.us Mon 9‘Temperature danger zone—keeping hot food hot and cold food cold’ is the theme at the Australian Food Safety Week on Nov 8-15. foodsafety.asn.au Tue 10South Australia’s Women in Hotels group come together for a Christmas function in Adelaide. ahasa.com.au

The Beer Diva.


There is a way you can use your

computer and the web to find

and attract new customers, and as Rob Johnson

explains, it won’t cost you a cent.

In the restaurant business, it’s much easier to keep an existing client than it is to seduce a new one. Just make sure every experience they have with your restaurant is awesome. New customers are a different,

and mysterious, story. They may come in on the recommendation of a friend, or because they saw an ad, or because they were just passing by. But now there is a way you can use technology to find and attract new customers, and it won’t cost you a cent.

The secret is called Google Trends, and you can find it at google.com/trends. What this page does is tell you at a glance what people are searching for in Google. You can look at all trending topics—so last month, as this magazine was being put together, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull were trending search terms. You can also look at trends by category, such as news, entertainment or health care. Or you can narrow the search by date—what is trending in the last 24 hours, for example, or the last week or month.

The analysis goes back to 2004. So, what these charts can give you is a week-by-week record of customer interest in a particular type of cuisine in a particular place, and an idea of how much those same customers are searching for that information on Google.

It’s possible that some restaurateurs and caterers may be reading this and

saying, “What has this got to do with marketing my restaurant?” The answer is, quite a lot. For starters, your customers are spending more and more of their time online, and will be more aware than ever of food trends and fads. And even though you would like to think your website is the centre of your customers’ universe, it isn’t. Google is where they go to find out things.

A few months ago, Don Cameron of Launceston’s eatery Mudbar & Restaurant told us, “In the major cities, the general trends can be driven by fads. But if you do it right, if you get the right product in the right location for the right demographic and at the right price, then you will conquer any fad.” The trick is knowing what the right product, right location and right demographic is. The best source of information to tap is the place where customers themselves are asking questions: Google.

So, just say you were thinking of starting a particular type of restaurant —a Mexican one, for instance, because that was trendy a few years ago. Type ‘Mexican restaurant’ into the Google Trends search box, and the peaks and valleys in the resulting graph will show you when people are searching for that term. Unsurprisingly, searches peak in January and dip in March. But more interestingly, you can see the overall volume of searches hasn’t increased over time. Compare that to searches for ‘Thai restaurant’ over the same period: while you would think the market is saturated,

#Trending


Marketing


Google Trends will show you

what people are searching for.

Trends may help you stay true to your vision during the first 100 days of your restaurant, which online bookings engine Dimmi has identified as the most crucial time in a new restaurant’s life. Surviving the 100-day rule, Dimmi says, is the key goal for new restaurants.

“Stay true to your core promise but improvise, refresh and adjust around that promise,” Dimmi chief executive officer Stevan Premutico told us recently. “Don’t wait until the end of the 100 days to evolve because by then it’s too late. You must react immediately. If you truly nail the product and wow the customers then people will be less likely to move on to the next big thing.”

it’s clear an ever-increasing number of people are looking for Thai restaurants online.

Joe Pulizzi, bestselling author and content marketing strategist, regularly describes Google Trends as “the most important and most underutilised tool” available to marketers today. Nonetheless, there are a few caveats on the information. The first is that the graphs represent relative searches over time—a percentage increase or decrease—rather than absolute numbers. So seeing a spike in search volume does not mean hundreds of millions of people are looking for this information. It only means that relatively more people are searching at the time the spike happens.

Having said that, it’s still valuable. And the graphs aren’t the only useful thing. You can narrow your trends search to cities and states because there’s no point in knowing about the worldwide trend for Mexican food if your target market is in Sydney alone. Also, if you scroll down the page, Google will show a list of related searches. These related searches, and the “breakout” terms that are also listed, give you an idea of the words and phrases people are searching.

The data you can get from this lets you

find appropriate information that

can help you tailor your marketing

messages, or even the style of your restaurant

itself, to appeal to a wider online audience and grow the potential market for your restaurant beyond its natural geographic appeal. A pizza restaurant in Sydney’s beachside suburb of Manly, for example, will always have an audience in the area. But a unique gourmet pizza bar with online buzz will draw patrons from all over town. If you’re good enough, you may even be drawing patrons from even further afield [which is the promise behind the current Restaurant Australia campaign].

Finally, using the data from Google

“Stay true to your core promise but improvise, refresh and adjust around

that promise.”Stevan Premutico, Dimmi

Tailor your website to the keywords people are searching for.

Management


Buying into a start-up is tough but as Tracey Porter reports, there are ways to swing the odds in your favour.

Riskybusiness


Risky

a new food service company, even the best laid plans can come unstuck.

This is particularly true when operators fail to recognise that the project management side of running a business is every bit as taxing as its actual operation, he says. “I’ve never witnessed anyone opening a restaurant or cafe in the time they set out to do it in. I’ve seen delays ranging from one week to one year.”

A former executive chef and catering operations manager who has worked for the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Guy Grossi, Keenan says most operators make their first fatal mistake before the lease on their new premises is inked.

“Where they go wrong is not investing in the right equipment and systems that will save money on a daily basis,” he explains. “Not costing a menu and not understanding the difference between a net dollar profit and profit expressed as a percentage of revenue—even more experienced operators can find this difficult.”

Urban Cooking Collective owner Vicki Uriate, who has more than 25 years’ experience as a restaurateur and caterer in Sydney and London, agrees inappropriate cost allocation can also cause headaches for those starting out in the business. “You can give too much. Giving extras to clients causes problems further down the track as they then come to expect this in every job and you end up footing the bill. It’s important that you charge for everything right from the start.”

Ben Willis, who has gone on to open a second space called Temporada, says he spent the first three years constantly honing, spending and finding ways to save money in some areas to ensure he didn’t have to compromise on quality. This covers “small background things like chemicals, printing, linen and large items like refrigeration and electricity. It’s worth taking time to have things quoted on by another supplier rather than just

For Ben and Andy Willis, the magic number was three—three weeks in which the husband-and-wife team had to settle on a menu, contact

suppliers, secure staff and complete a renovation. From learning their offer to take over a fledgling nine-year-old Canberra restaurant had been accepted, they had just 21 days until they had to be fully operational to coincide with the former owner’s wish to be out in time for the new financial year.

It was, admits Andy, a frantic period. “Things happened so fast I can’t really remember the planning anymore but I just kept sourcing advice from everywhere I could. We then had to do a small refurb—carpets, tables, recovering chairs, paint—before getting the place open as quickly as possible because we had no money at all.

“I just kept thinking it was an existing business and it was doing okay numbers financially so hopefully the money should immediately come in once we get the doors open … hopefully. That was totally against all advice you get in regards to cash flow, start-up capital and business plans. All we had was the belief that we could provide a good product and people would turn up.”

Previous experience in the industry was key for Andy and Ben Willis, and

their restaurant space, Aubergine, prevailed despite its inauspicious

start. However, not everyone is so fortunate.

Tim Keenan, director of TK Restaurant Consulting, whose clients range from suburban cafe and franchise owners to

multinational conglomerates looking to enter the Australian

market, says while he advises clients to give themselves as much time as

possible to prepare for an opening of

Investing in the right equipment from the

beginning will save money in the long term.

“I’ve never witnessed anyone opening

a restaurant or cafe in the time they set

out to do it in.” Tim Keenan,

TK Restaurant Consulting

keeping things as they are. You have to always question what the costs are.

“I didn’t do it to get rich; I did it from the fear of failing and the desire to stay afloat through hard times and to make sure I could afford to employ good quality, skilled people and put out a product I’m proud of.”

Keenan says operating a restaurant or catering business is akin to parenting a small child—it needs love and a lot of attention. But this is impossible to do if you haven’t set aside adequate finances to help you through your first 12 months of operation.

He says would-be operators should realistically bank on spending around $100,000 for a small cafe when doing most of the development themselves, or up to $1 million for a larger restaurant with professional shopfitters. “Ideally, you should start by deciding on a menu and location. The next step is to see a professional about the viability of the concept and an opinion


Management

of probable cost for kitchen equipment. Add to this your branding, marketing and packaging costs. Don’t forget to set up additional funds for restaurant operating expenses.”

Uriate, who added a management degree to her chef qualifications to help her run events more efficiently, says she expected to find bringing in new business the toughest aspect of operating her catering company.

In reality it has been finding staff that share her vision that has proven the biggest challenge. “Staffing is always a problem in the hospitality industry. Many people are working transient jobs, moving from place to place—it’s hard to continually retrain staff to work to your rhythm and style. I currently have my son working with me and that

is a joy and a challenge.”Ben Willis feels similarly and says it’s important

to remember nothing in this game is likely

to prove easy. “Restaurants are a tough business to run—the hours are long, the margins are small

and the issues that you’re dealing with

regarding staff and customers are endless.

Restaurants don’t sleep, so finding enough hours in the

day is a huge challenge.”Keenan says while passion for what

you are doing will take you a long way, on its own it will never be enough to run a successful restaurant, cafe or catering business.

Should the worst happen and the business is not the success you hoped it would be, it is also important to recognise when it’s time to cut your losses and plan for the inevitable financial fallout, he says. “It costs money to close or sell too, from employee entitlements and taxes to demolition fees, agent selling fees and outstanding invoices and loans, as well as potentially a broken lease to pay out. Franchise exit fees are usually an after-thought when signing. An accountant will say, ‘Operate for 12 months and then assess’. I say, if you’ve lost your passion then it’s time to close.”

Tips for those getting startedn Choose something you’re

passionate about.

n Do your research on every aspect and if there is something you’re not great at, get help before you need it.

n Kitchen design is key. A badly designed kitchen will slow down the team and cost you money every day.

n Plan and budget; know what it’s going to cost to fit out, and allow additional funds.

n Find a great site then don’t be afraid to negotiate a rent-free period or fit-out contribution from the landlord.

n Know the cost of each menu item and price accordingly.

n Keep up with your bookkeeping from day one and know your cash position each week.

n Ensure you are fully aware of all your health and safety responsibilities to your clients and staff.

n Learn how to mentally institute solutions to issues rather than dwell on them.

n Be clear about your vision for the restaurant, the concept and the style of food and service.

Costing out a menu prior to opening is important.

“Restaurants don’t sleep, so finding enough hours in the day is a huge

challenge.”Ben Willis, Aubergine

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Creating your masterpiece just got easy squeezy TM

What I’ve learnt


Foraging is all about using what

nature provides us, and that has always

been my passion.

An unrelenting search for the best produce has propelled the founder of Adelaide’s Orana restaurant into super-chef stardom.

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My earliest memories of having this intense connection with food and ingredients came from my family, and you can’t get a more diverse mix than half-Scottish, half-Italian. I would go from my Scottish nana and granddad’s

house making clootie dumplings, helping dry out these pungent cake-like morsels in the oven so as to form a skin on the outside, to my Italian nonno’s, where you walk into this heady environment and get smacked in the face with the smells of freshly baked focaccia, prosciutto and salami —complete polar opposites. Being exposed to such steeped traditions made me consider more than just the food, but also the cultural significance and origins of food.

When I was 12 years old, my first job was working part-time in a small restaurant washing dishes. I used to look to the chefs and admire how they worked amid this high-intensity chaos and the electric atmosphere. It was all action and as a kid, it was captivating. I was amazed at how these raw ingredients would come through the back door—game-like grouse and pheasants—and the chefs would transform these beautiful things from nature into dishes. So, I would be washing the plates looking over my shoulder thinking, “That is what I want to do. I am on the wrong side of the pans here.”

I only ended up washing dishes for two weeks. The chef in charge of the vegetable section had a motorbike accident and I put up my hand to take his spot. I did have two conditions though—one was to get a pay rise and second, I never wanted to go back to washing dishes again. And from that moment on, I worked in the kitchen.

The greatest lesson I learnt at that point, and I have learnt it over and over again, is that Mother Nature always provides the best. You can’t better what the land gives you. We can work with it, we can manipulate it, we can complement it, but we can never supersede that beauty of nature.

When I reflect back on the very early years of working with food—the ingredients we worked with then—it was very natural. There wasn’t a huge amount of interference; there wasn’t any need for ridiculously good-looking hairdos to make the food look fancy or taste better. It was always really connected to the place where we were from—the

food had authenticity. Whatever came through the back door, whether it was fish or meat, all the

ingredients that were used in a dish were all related to one another somehow. If you

look at food today, chefs have arrived back at that. Foraging is all about using what nature provides us, and that has always been my passion.

Orana restaurant is one of my proudest achievements but what

means just as much to me are the alliances I have made with Australian

communities. When I can forge a relationship with a community—to be able

to buy produce from them and make a positive difference to their lives—is hard to beat.

I’ve just been to Alice Springs where I was talking to locals about sourcing magpie geese—which up until now have been illegal to serve. The outcome was I can now legally buy through our connections. I couldn’t be prouder of moments like that because I’ve done something to help a community and to instigate change. I can highlight these ingredients that have largely been ignored or have been thought of as just bush tucker and cast aside, showing that they are world-class ingredients that should be recognised, to be a part of the Australian story of gastronomy.

Marco Pierre White always used to say to me, “Cook from the heart”, and that has always rung true for me. He wasn’t the only chef who said that to me. In fact, the very first chef I worked with in the vegie section said it and many of my mentors throughout my career have said it, and there has never been a truer word spoken. If you don’t cook from the heart then you are doing the ingredients, the dish and yourself an injustice.

ZonfrilloJock

Cover story

A year after a devastating fire forced it to close, the doors are once again wide open

at Donovans. John Burfitt visits the revitalised Melbourne icon.


Out of theashes


There is a whole lot of symbolism wrapped up in the presence of the old turnstiles that stand at the main entrance of Donovans

restaurant in Melbourne’s bayside St Kilda. In one respect, they are a reminder of the origins of the historic building, which began life in 1920 as a bathing pavilion, and in 1986 became a restaurant. Yet in another way, the turnstiles also act as a welcome as people arrive to dine, almost signaling this building is open for business.

But it is their black, almost charred, appearance that, intentionally or not, is a stark reminder of Donovans’ more recent history. In August last year, a fire swept through the kitchen roof, destroying one wing of the iconic building and forcing the restaurant to

effective crisis management, through to re-creation of a brand and direct engagement with the local community in ways never previously imagined.

“This is the tale of a 20-year-old brand that had the chance to revitalise and to adapt,” says Kevin. “What we have been able to achieve is to take what we already thought was a good product up a notch in a way that inspires us as a team and that the customers seem to be responding to.”

Victorian-born Gail and US native Kevin first met three decades ago when working together at the Grand Hyatt on Melbourne’s Collins Street. After three years, Kevin opened Chinois Restaurant, and invited Gail to join the team. They married in 1993 and opened Donovans two years later.

On that fateful night a year ago, Gail and Kevin were at home on a rare day off when they received an urgent call announcing the kitchen was on fire. When Kevin arrived at the restaurant, he was met with the sight of the northern roof of the building in flames, as the staff along with 70 diners stood outside, watching in horror at the unfolding drama.

“I was numb to see it like that,” recalls Kevin. “There were flames licking around the roof and firemen pouring water in, drenching it. They turned the ceiling into a swimming pool and that was what saved it.”

Firefighters would eventually determine the cause of the fire was a rogue spark in the canopy vents from a flare-up from the charcoal barbecue. “And yet,” Gail adds, “we had them cleaned only four days before as part of regular maintenance. It just took one spark.”

The next day, as Kevin met with their insurance claims adjustor Alan Manning, he recalls he held his breath as Manning closely examined a copy of the Donovans’ insurance policy. When Manning declared every part of the PH

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shut its doors. But just like the famed phoenix, Donovans rose again from the ashes and the doors opened again in March this year.

“I actually wanted the turnstiles to stand out a bit more to prove that we are back on the bike and travelling along again,” says Gail Donovan, co-owner of the business with her husband, Kevin. “And we have just wrapped up our best winter season in 20 years. This entire experience —from burned and closed for months to a re-opened, revitalised and better-run restaurant—has changed everything about the way we do business. Donovans is a far better and stronger business today than it was before the fire.”

That seven-month journey could become a case study to keep business colleges busy for years with the many lessons it offers. It includes everything from smart set-up fundamentals to

Donovans’ prime location bayside in

St Kilda, Victoria.

Cover story


“We both love this restaurant so much that walking away from it was never, ever an option.”

Gail Donovan

business had been covered—to a figure in the range of $5 million—Kevin finally exhaled. “At that moment, it was all I needed to hear,” he says. “We were so lucky everything was covered, and that came from having a great broker when we first set up the business who made sure we had the right insurance from the word go.

“It had been painful at times every year when we signed the cheque for the insurance policy, but when we were confronted with a burnt-out business, we were so glad we had.”

The confirmation of the insurance coverage provided even greater relief weeks later when the damage report revealed things were far worse than expected. “Aside from the fire, the smoke, water and heat all did so much damage,” Kevin says. “The integrity of the walls was fine, but everything inside had to go and we had to start over.” With builder Frank Rossi, who

had masterminded the original 1995 conversion

of the old Jean Jacques by the Sea into Donovans, leading

the project, construction work began. Headquarters for the business moved to Gail and Kevin’s home.

Rebuilding became the domain of Kevin along with head chefs Adam Draper and Emma D’Alessandro, while Gail rallied the staff, whose complete wages were covered by the insurance payout, together for a new initiative. Gail visited the local council of the City of Port Phillip, and explained she had a staff of 60 people—from experienced chefs and wait staff to a team of administrators—on offer to help the local community. She was soon in contact with a range of local charities, including the Sacred Heart Mission, St Kilda Youth Services and the Senior Citizens Centre.

“I had T-shirts made up and we became known as the ‘Donovans Army’,” she says. “Our staff went out to work with the chefs from the various

missions in the field of production cookery and to help run these organisations. It changed everyone’s approach to what we do. At Sacred Heart, they manage to turn 10 cents into $10,000 worth of service and it made us open our eyes to what they are able to achieve, and that shows such a skill. Not one person on our team said no to it. In fact, they have all spoken about what they learned from going from our à la carte dining to production work.”

Back at the restaurant, Draper and D’Alessandro seized the opportunity to design the new kitchen so it became a more functional, more efficient space. The new design offered better workspaces and more effective workflow areas, along with the installation of induction cooktops, quieter exhaust systems, higher canopies and other energy-saving appliances. Donovans’ operating systems and manuals also underwent an overhaul, with new management models applied at every level of staff.

The interior of Donovans was completely overhauled

following the destructive fire.

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Instead of most decisions being left for Kevin and Gail to deal with, the duties of the management team were re-evaluated with new responsibilities outlined for all staff.

“Through this time, we only lost five members of our staff of 60, and the remaining team have worked hard to create a new style of operating,” Kevin says. “Things are running far better than before the fire, and change is always an interesting thing—some people embrace it better than others. So, you have to give it time, but we kept reminding everyone that we wanted them to participate and hear about what they have to offer.” Adds Gail: “We have a saying that if everyone tries just one per cent better, then the entire business is 60 per cent better. So together, we make a very strong team.”

The menu was also given an overhaul, with eight signature items on the menu before the fire carried over to an expanded new offering. “We had so many clients beg us not to change anything, so we listened

to that and decided not to reinvent the wheel,” Kevin says. “It was a little surprise our biggest selling item after the re-opening was the bombe Alaska dessert. With some people, it was the first thing they ordered—they wanted something familiar to them.”

The construction hoarding at the front of the site was not allowed to go to waste either, with new update banners hung from the front of the building every few weeks to keep the community informed of each stage of the rebuilding process.

“We wanted our clients and the local community to know where we were at along the way, rather than make it a big surprise at the very end,” Gail says. “We used that space to share a message for all it was worth.”

It was as Gail went outside the building on the morning of opening day that the dams of her emotions finally burst. As she hoisted up the flags and helped tear down the hoardings, passing peak hour traffic greeted the sight with honking of horns and many

calls of good wishes. “That was the only time I cried, and I really cried,” she says. “It was the best thing—we had got there. We both love this restaurant so much that walking away from it was never, ever an option.”

With Donovans now playing host to full houses many nights of the week, and a busy advance schedule of functions already locked in, Kevin insists it is not business as usual. Instead, he likes to believe they have been given a second chance, and he refuses to waste a minute of that great opportunity.

“I know too many stories of people who had a fire and then went broke, and what happened to us could happen to anybody,” he says. “We could never have afforded to re-open like this unless we had our coverage. So, this is a very good insurance story. We thank our lucky stars that 20 years ago, we had the right advice. I hate to think where we would be now if we hadn’t. That is why we are giving this our absolute best every day.”

Co-owners and husband-and-wife team Gail and Kevin Donovan.

Cover story


Secure mobile devicesCafes, restaurants and caterers rely heavily on mobile devices such as tablets, smart phones, laptops and notebooks. Whether it’s taking bookings, placing orders, sending invoices, processing payments or analysing accounts, information is now stored on a variety of devices which are vulnerable to loss, theft or attack.

• Use robust passwords, data encryption, the latest mobile security software,

up-to-date web browser and operating systems.

• Avoid conducting any financial transactions over public Wi-Fi networks or where other people could be looking over your shoulder.

• Be cautious of mobile applications that can collect and transmit data from your device about your location, contacts and messages.

• If you access information remotely set up a virtual private network (VPN) which allows users to securely access applications via a web browser.

Encrypt emailsEmail is essential for contacting suppliers and customers, but it has risks. Ensuring emails are encrypted means they are converted into a secret code for transmission over the internet. Incoming emails can contain hoax or malicious software that can be prevented by security software. Staff should be taught how to send and receive emails safely. Business centres, restaurants and cafes may offer Wi-Fi to their customers and clients, but not all Wi-Fi location are secure. To reduce the risk of your information being accessed on a Wi-Fi network:

• Use or offer password-protected Wi-Fi networks.

• Keep your browser and internet-connected devices up-to-date with the latest versions and security software, but do this on a trusted home or work network, not on public Wi-Fi.

• Check websites begin with the secure ‘https’ rather than just ‘http’.

• Ensure any mobile devices don’t automatically connect to Wi-Fi networks.

• Consider setting up a virtual private network (VPN) to keep your mobile browsing sessions private.

Secure your phone system Restaurants and catering firms collect a lot of information about clients, products, and financial details over the phone. Internet telephony, such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is vulnerable to many of the same threats as IT networks so securing your phone system is essential.

Learning about your customers’ preferences and habits is the key to success in this sector. Every piece of information you collect from a customer including name, address, email address, telephone number, personal opinions or credit card details, must be stored and protected and destroyed in a way that adheres to the Privacy Act 1988.

Protect POS systemsPoint of Sale (POS) systems are particularly vulnerable and can be hacked to steal payment card details and PIN numbers.

• Put your POS behind a firewall. • Check there is strong encryption

for the transmission of data such as

cardholder data, between your POS system and the POS service provider. Wireless POS and web-based POS on smart phones, PDAS and mobile terminals, offer more flexibility and are becoming more popular.

• Install software that stops malicious, illegal and unauthorised software from running on your POS.

Having a business continuity plan in the face of information loss and a regular, secure back up of your data is critical. You should back up regularly and automatically and store the copies offsite or in the cloud.

Remember, the online security measures you take today can help protect your business from existing threats and from ones that are yet to emerge.

The Australian Government’s Stay Smart Online Programme offers advice to small businesses and other Australians about being secure and safe online. The Programme also offers a free email Alert Service for people who want to keep up to date with current online threats and how to address them. To sign up for the free Alert Service and further information visit the website at www.staysmartonline.gov.au

ADVERTORIAL

The information you hold online about your customers, finances, partners and business processes can be highly sensitive and just the sort of thing

cyber criminals are after. Small businesses should focus on three main areas of security—mobile devices, communication systems and privacy.

Here is what you should do…

Waiter, there is a bug in my menu!

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Deep heat

2015 Oils Guide

Restaurant & Catering magazine distills the best cooking oils in the business.


ADVERTORIAL


2015 Oils Guide

T he food you serve your guest is important to you. After all, it is your reputation—you pride yourself on offering superior

tasting and visually appealing meals, and you ensure that your staff is highly-trained to maximise your customers’ experience. Likewise, for more than 60 years Peerless Foods has been supplying restaurants with high performance frying and culinary oils to ensure that your high standards are met time after time.

Peerless FoodService recently added a new innovation to their premium frying oil portfolio with the launch of Pura Enhance 20-litre.

Pura Enhance is a specially formulated hi-oleic blend frying oil that has a superior drain-off, reducing oil absorption into food and delivering crispier and tastier results.

Pura Enhance also delivers neutral oil flavour for the life of the oil, protecting food from that fishy after taste, a common issue when frying in canola oil.

To celebrate the launch of Pura Enhance, Peerless Foodservice is giving away frying packs to ensure you get the most out of your deep frying oils.

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Get the most out of your frying oils

To order Pura Enhance, contact your Peerless Foodservice area manager or local distributor. For further oil advice or technical support contact Peerless Foods on 1800 986 499 or visit peerlessfoods.com.au

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Fry Perfect with Meris Food Equipment

ADVERTORIAL


2015 Oils Guide

F ried food generates large profits for your business from direct sales and also because of its ability to

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Meris Food Equipment now offers a solution that gives you all the profits associated with fried food without any of the hassles.

There are two fantastic models to choose from—PFA7200 and PFC5700 —and we can also arrange finance.

Why Choose Perfect Fryer?

PROFITABLEFried food is not only popular, it also offers big profit margins.

Gross margins of 70% or more are easily achievable for most business types. See the table opposite for basic gross profits based on varying levels of sales—what level of sales could you achieve in your business?

The chart on the right, for example, shows that if you can sell $200 worth of hot food a day then you can make a profit of more than $50,000 in a year.

We can also provide a more industry specific worksheet to help you better calculate estimated sales and profits for

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As a compact unit there is very little retail space required to accommodate the unit.

EASY TO USEThe Perfect Fryers are automated which means all you have to do is select the appropriate cooking cycle depending on what type of food you are cooking and then press the button.

There is no chance of over-cooking or under-cooking which means non cooks or chefs will be able to cook food to perfection and reduces the labour demand in busy sites.

There is also an easy to follow manual that comes with the units plus access to a national helpline available 24-hours per day, 7 days a week.

SAFEThe operator cannot come in contact with the hot oil when cooking making it safe for any operator.

The unit comes with a complete fire suppression system and inbuilt extinguishers which means there are none of the normal insurance issues associated with traditional fryers and canopies. The fryers meet all the safety requirements and are OH&S compliant.

EASY TO MAINTAINNo other fryer is easier to clean. Internal components completely removable in less than a minute to allow cleaning in your sink or dishwasher.

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Bowl of chips $5 $1.20 76%

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run the risk of Google favouring the competition ahead of you or even removing your listing from search results completely,” says Soler.

As well as looking great on mobile, it’s important to make sure the details a customer is looking for are front-and-centre. Don’t hide elements such as addresses, contact info and menus behind tabs, but rather make it as easy as possible for customers to get the info they need, to help them make the decision that yours is the restaurant they’re looking for. Soler adds that a written menu on your site is the way to go, as opposed to a downloadable PDF. “It’s easier to access and helps for SEO,” he explains.

Put simply, search engine optimisation [SEO] means that your website is strategically built to tell Google that it deserves to sit at the top of search result listings. SEO expert Giles White of Whiteclick points out that along with being optimised for mobile, restaurant websites must include key words that users are searching

Technology


A website should be on the checklist of every modern-day restaurant, but is yours doing enough to bring

people through your door? There are several key tactics that will make sure your site is an effective marketing tool, not just an online placeholder. A highly important element is that your site looks good on smartphones.

A recent study from the Australian Communications and Media Authority showed that over 20 per cent of Australians rely solely on their mobiles to access the internet. That’s one in five potential customers who are viewing your site on a very small screen. If it is a struggle to make out the text, they’ll move on to the next.

Restaurant website developer Marcelo Soler of St George Web Design explains that there has recently been changes to the way Google surfaces online content. “If your site is not responsive—easy to view on a smartphone, that is—you

Australians are some of the world’s most internet savvy, so your website needs to be every bit as impressive as your bricks-and-mortar venue, writes Clea Sherman.

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for. A strategic web developer or SEO advisor will be able to help you with this, researching the terms that your customers are using (“Italian Restaurant St Kilda”, for example) and help you add them to your website content. That way, Google can find them and list your establishment in search results.

According to White, many restaurants in Australia are neglecting to leverage the power of SEO—“Those that have strong potential to ‘own’ certain keywords and boost their referrals from search engines”.

Once Google knows you exist, it’s time to give your customers a reason to walk in the door. Grab their attention with mouth-watering images and show off the smiling faces of your staff. Give them a taste, so to speak, of what they can expect when they come to see you, whether it’s a fun, friendly family vibe, a highly formal setting or a hip urban eatery.

Marnie Fletcher, assistant marketing manager of North Bondi Fish, explains the restaurant’s website was purposely

designed to be streamlined and simple. After following the rules to develop a responsive site, North Bondi Fish allows the food and the location to do the talking by showcasing sensational food pictures and those that highlight the impressive views.

With tempting pictures being a huge part of its online strategy, Fletcher explains that North Bondi Fish harnesses the power of social media to keep a connection with customers between visits. The restaurant regularly posts on Facebook and Instagram, mixing it up with shots of food, beverages and the venue. “We speak to our customers through images and leverage social media to include links to blogs, reviews and special events,” she explains.

The downside of the internet and social

media landscape, of course, is that negative reviews can surface, damaging your reputation. This doesn’t have to be the end of

the world if you convey the message

that you are listening to customers by responding

to unfavourable comments.“We have a policy on response times

for comments and feedback in place,” says Fletcher, highlighting that a strategy is necessary to minimise the impact of unhappy customers who complain online.

Finally, go ahead and have some fun with your online presence. As a restaurant owner, you have enjoyed creating a venue that reflects your taste and your personality, so don’t be afraid to do the same with your website.

“You run the risk of Google favouring the competition ahead of you or even removing

your listing from search results.”

Marcelo Soler, St George Web Design

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Drinks

Cocktail

Cocktails have had more renaissances over the past decade than baristas have had shaving mistakes. Even the people who so dedicatedly make

cocktails have morphed—we’ve seen flair-tenders shaking their Sazeracs, mixologists owning the vibe and, of late, a more calm but nevertheless very professional and serious re-evolution of the bartender.

Cocktails over this time have also developed a more robust and defined presence in bars and in restaurants, and this is linked to the more general stratification of the on-premise beverage landscape. Symptomatic of this trend is that customers now expect (read: demand) the wine list to be international and alternative, and they expect the beer list to be, well, an actual beer list that’s as clever as the wine list is. In which case the key to turning your cocktails into a more powerful part of your venue’s revenue stream is to start presenting them in an organised way.

In this manner, your customers will feel more confident about ordering cocktails; they’ll also feel like they have a kind of roadmap to understanding these drinks and be doing what the über-très-posh crowd are supposed to be doing.

Start by sorting out your cocktail menu or list along style lines, thus bringing

some understanding and organisation to the ordering process. Use your cocktail list as an educational tool, empowering your customers with easily acquired cocktail information so they become instant experts. As the Culinary Institute of America has recently pointed out, customers who think they are experts (aka informed) use their credit cards twice as much as customers who are timid (aka made to feel excluded).

Below is a selection that can works as a cocktail style guide. And don’t be afraid to keep it simple. Cocktails evolve very willingly, so start with the basics.

Old or classicFirst appearing in 19th-century America, these are like the Adam and Eves to most of the cocktails we drink today. The basic recipe is a spirit base to which a sugar syrup is added. Curacao, maraschino and absinthe are other popular additives. And they’re invariably served over ice. That ice was available for such mixed drinks as long as 200 years ago is all down to the endeavour of an American in New England called Henry Tudor, who harvested chunks of ice from ponds and rivers and

distributed it to saloons. Nothing was ever the same again. The ‘old fashioned’ is the starting point, or default cocktail. In an old-fashion or tumbler glass, muddle two dashes of Angostura bitters with one sugar cube and a dash of iced water. Add two ice cubes and pour over a shot of rye whiskey or bourbon.

SoursCitrus is the main vector in these cocktails, and as such bring with them an implied lightness, refreshment and health-giving aura. Lime, lemon, grapefruit or orange—any of these freshly squeezed juices turn what is essentially an old-fashioned or classic cocktail into something a little more complex. They are shaken, not stirred or mixed, and include the whiskey sour, daiquiri, sidecar and margarita.

HighballsThese are everyone’s friend as they are

drinks that fake volume, thanks to the proportion of fizzy

water in the drink: soda, tonic, cola, lemonade,

ginger ale, even mineral water. Try the classic Tom Collins: gin, lemon, sugar syrup, ice, soda, all in a highball glass. Or an Americano:

Campari, vermouth, ice, soda and a slice

When it comes to cocktails, it pays to

be seen to be cutting edge, no matter how

ridiculous some of your cocktails

might seem.

Spring sometimes means drinks with silly umbrellas. Ben Canaider looks at ways to transform cocktails into customer-capturing profit centres.

hour

of orange for the garnish or, better still, a wedge of blood orange in the drink. A good proportion guide when it comes to highballs is around one-part alcohol and two-and-a-half parts mixer.

PunchesHot or cold, strong or virtually non-alcoholic, punches have a proud tradition that’s enjoying a return, thanks to the more communal and shared-plate mentality now infecting so many cafes and bars. Like a jug of beer, a big bowl of punch puts the customer in control —as if they were entertaining in their own home/apartment/granny flat. Bars that offer punches on certain days or at certain times find success—when the punch becomes the rallying call.

White spirits, tequila and white rum suit this drink; lots of fruit is ideal, and the use of trendy wines, such as moscato, or the use of cider, will flag to your customers that the punch contains things they like drinking. The only serious advice here concerns alcohol by

volume [ABV]: do the total alcohol by volume maths, so you can inform your customer how many standards drinks are in each cup, or serve.

JulepsJuleps and the springtime are like Wimbledon and Pimm’s. They go together without any question. Pure immutability. What makes juleps work is fresh mint. Muddled, crushed or smashed. The mint julep is sugar syrup poured into a tall glass to which a few leaves of mint are added and bruised. Now put in crushed ice and stir until the glass frosts on the outside. Add bourbon and mix again, before adorning with a fresh sprig of mint and a straw. Silver julep cups are the way to really serve these drinks but, gosh, they get ‘souvenired’ all too easily. And overlooking the bourbon element, a mojito is a julep with a thick accent.

Having set out your basic cocktail principals, it is now important to add a bit of the weird and the wonderful.

Go for super foods, exotica, ‘house-made’ infusions, and anything organic or biodynamic. This last notion works for juice bars and supermarkets, so why can’t it work for you? With cocktails, pomegranate continues to be big; tamarind, chocolate and coffee essences or infusions are continuing to flavour more or less everything. Tea infusions added to simple cocktails help to suggest the health and wellbeing psychology of so many latter-day customers; and as much as I like to say it’s true, I’ve not seen quinoa in any cocktails. Yet.

When it comes to cocktails, it pays to be seen to be a little cutting edge, no matter how ridiculous some of your cocktails might seem. Remember, somewhere at some time, a grown-up man first wore acid-wash stretch-denim jeans. Today’s ridiculousness can be tomorrow’s profitable success. It’s also wise to remember that cocktail consumption, according to Roy Morgan research, goes up 200 per cent over the summer months. Be prepared.


Cocktail

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O nce a fast-food haven for exhausted shoppers, shopping centre food courts have undergone a real transformation

over the past decade. Dining venues have upped the ante, lifting the quality of their cuisine. As a finishing touch, eateries are embracing high-level design, replacing the fast-food feel with a casual dining ambience, making them a destination rather than a pit stop.

Designer Brad Ward is well aware of this dining revolution. He was commissioned by Steven Marks and Robert Hazan, owners of Guzman y Gomez, to design their inaugural Mexican taquería in 2009.

“From day one, we didn’t want it to look like a clichéd Mexican eatery,” says the man who runs Brad Ward Design. “We wanted the same design to work whether it’s in a small-scale shopping centre or a large-scale street environment.”

Ward knew that authenticity and


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Dining establishments such as Guzman y Gomez and Din Tai Fung are elevating the offering at shopping centre food courts, writes Kerryn Ramsey.

originality were key for Guzman y Gomez to attract hungry customers. “We were one of the first in Australia to use yellow Tolix steel stools. That was quite a costly exercise as they were imported from France, but it became a signature element. Then the chairs became ubiquitous, so we now use a simpler, more tubular steel stool in red, white and black.”

Ward, who has designed 38 of the 56 Guzman y Gomez venues in Australia and internationally, had to meet many guidelines at shopping centres. “The look of the shopping centre often drives the design,” he says. “Some malls, for example, have an open dining precinct with no shop fronts. That’s why Guzman y Gomez’s strong branding means it’s easy to spot in any venue.”

Virtually unseen in shopping centres a decade ago, an open kitchen has

become a clever device for eateries, creating a fresh, vibrant feel in a busy food court. This is a case for one of the world’s most celebrated dumpling chains, Din Tai Fung, which first opened in Taipei in 1974. Now operating in 12 countries, the chain runs seven outlets in Sydney and a recently opened venue in Melbourne, designed by Kristina Hetherington of Design Clarity.

Similar to Guzman y Gomez, Din Tai Fung venues have been tailored to the customer market of the area. “Central Park [in Sydney’s inner west] is on the fringe of Chinatown and in the university district, so the restaurant has to appeal to young student customers,” says Hetherington. “The Miranda venue is more suburban and near the beach, so it’s more casual with a water theme.” And the Emporium Melbourne venue —a 235-seater on the top floor —aims at a sophisticated clientele, be it businesspeople or high-end shoppers.

While Din Tai Fung’s signature logo and other graphics are present in all venues, individuality is never ignored. Hetherington says that when she’s designing a new venue, she “keeps aside some of the budget to buy specific vases or other accessories. We always spend time selecting the artwork on the walls. They’re all researched and bought specifically for each project.”

As shopping centres keep expanding, they’re always signing up new restaurant ventures. “It’s a competitive field,” says Ward. “Shopping centre companies now spend a lot of time with you to try to get the fit-out up to a high standard.”

Food court fever

The casual feel of Guzman y Gomez

restaurants is welcoming and individual.

Each Din Tai Fung venue is personalised

to suit its location.

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