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Moist and deliciousHigh Country Pork

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TSIndustry news ........................................04

Cover story –

High Country Pork .............................05

Q&A – Paolo Zambrano .......................06

Origins of garlic ....................................07

Consultant chef ....................................07

Oils .......................................................08

Kitchen equipment ...............................14

Food to drink with ................................16

Stocks & sauces ...................................18

Products.................................................20

Culinary clippings .................................22

Oils.

08

oPen House neWs

With

memories of the holidays fading fast it’s time to knuckle down and pick up the

pace in 2012. Or is it?

London-based market research company Mintel Group has named “slow food” as one of the key trends which will shape the way foodservice operators develop menu options in the year to come, with restaurants returning to more time intensive, home-style preparation methods for their menu items.

In Australia, many consumers and chefs are already getting behind the Slow Food movement, with events to celebrate the movement’s annual Terra Madre Day, which promotes good, clean and fair local food, held around the country last month.

It seems “house-made”, “slow-cooked” and “home-style” will be the buzzwords on all our lips for 2012.

Ylla Wright Editor

@OpenHouseEditor

Editor’s word

Chef and restaurateur Neil Perry from The Rockpool Group has been named as an Apprenticeship

Ambassador by the Federal Government, along with other high-profile Australians including horticulturist and TV presenter Jody Rigby, former Geelong captain Cameron Ling and former rugby league great Andrew Ryan.

In making the announcement Minister for Skills and Jobs Senator Chris Evans said the Apprenticeship Ambassadors would play a key role in promoting the benefits of getting formal skills qualification.

“Many people may not know that AFL great Kevin

Sheedy was once a plumber, that TV landscaping guru Jody Rigby spent four years in a horticultural apprenticeship or that former Canterbury Bulldogs captain Andrew Ryan owns a landscape gardening business as the result of his studies,” Evans said.

“For each of these high profile Australians, getting an apprenticeship was the first step to entering the workforce and forging a successful career.”

Senator Evans said the Ambassadors would promote the benefits of completing an apprenticeship and the Government would implement a series of reforms to

transform how training was delivered.

“We want to ensure the system works for apprentices and trainees, and also their employers,” he said.

Over the next two years, the Government will streamline and harmonise laws and regulations for apprenticeships across jurisdictions to ensure trainees who move between states can have their training recognised.

“This will result in a simpler, user-friendly Australian Apprenticeships system that reduces costs for industry and improves completion rates,” Senator Evans said.

The Government began the reform process earlier this year with the introduction of Budget measures designed to boost completion rates and provide flexibility for employers to meet critical skills shortages. The $100 million Accelerated Australian Apprenticeships package will speed up the supply of skilled workers by advancing apprentices as they gain required competencies while the $101 million Australian Apprenticeships Mentoring Package provides apprentices with guidance in choosing the right occupation and ongoing mentoring throughout their training.

Neil Perry backs apprenticeship scheme

4 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 5

neWs

For even more industry news, in-depth reports and new product information, or to sign up for Open House weekly email newsletter, visit www.openhousemagazine.net. You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@ohfoodservice). Or download the free Open House iPad, packed with additional, exclusive content and updated monthly, from the iTunes app store.

Want more industry news?

South American flavour combinations, thermomixing and sous vide are predicted

to be some of the biggest upcoming food trends in Australia, according to Weber Shandwick’s inaugural food trend report, Food Forward 2012.

Food Forward 2012 reveals what more than 1000 consumers and leading taste-makers from around the country including food editors, chefs, food bloggers and nutritionists think about Australian food culture for the year ahead.

From nominating the top food news story of the year, to culinary trends that will hit our shelves in the coming year, survey participants were asked to share their insights and predictions about the food culture of Australia.

The top insights revealed trend clusters predicted to shape the 2012 food culture of Australia, including “Farm to Fork”, an increasing interest in where food comes from, how it’s made and whether the flavour is natural or manufactured, and “Culinary Crusading”, which comes with an expectation that brands or retailers are doing the most they can for the community.

Participants taste-makers were also asked to nominate emerging products, flavours and techniques that would find a place on the 2012 food trends list, which included:

1. Thermomixer: a kitchen appliance that can chop, beat, mix, whip, grind, knead, mince, grate, juice, blend, heat, stir, steam and weigh food.

2. Pepe Saya Butter: hand churned butter that separates the cream from the pasteurised cow’s milk.

3. Global influences: Central and South American flavours such as cilantro or cumin, and Korean flavours such as soy bean or gochujang.

4. Bitter greens including wasabi salad leaves and kale leaves such as cavolo nero.

5. Sous vide cooking.

ACT Government introduces ‘name and shame’ billThe Australian Capital Territory Government has initiated the introduction of a Bill into the Legislative Assembly that will “name and shame” food businesses convicted of an offence against the Food Act.

Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher said the ACT Health Directorate has seen an increase in the number of businesses failing to comply with the required food standards

over the past year.

The Food Amendment Bill will require all eateries to have trained food safety supervisors; businesses convicted of an offence will have their names published on a public register, and those forced to close due to a prohibition notice will have to explain why on the door of the premises.

The State government’s announcement came on the heels of an outbreak of salmonella in the ACT which saw at least 13 cases of salmonella gastroenteristis linked to a Canberra food business, which resulted in five people being hospitalised.

ACT Chief Health Officer Paul Kelly said the bacteria “been identified in mayonnaise containing raw egg”.

“Salmonella infections are most often spread via eating undercooked foods, through cross-contamination of foods or by person to person spread,” he said. “The most effective method of preventing the illness is thorough cooking of food, safe food handling, storage and practicing good hand hygiene.”

A food safety inspection of the implicated business has been conducted, with high risk foods destroyed.

Queensland fast food outlets to show kilojoulesQueensland fast food outlets will be required to display the energy (kilojoule) content of foods and drinks on their menus from next year.

Similar legislation is already in place in NSW and ACT, and several major food chains including Subway, Domino’s, McDonald’s and Hungry Jacks now voluntarily display energy content on their menus.

Queensland Health Minister Geoff Wilson said about one in every three Queensland adults is overweight and about one in five is obese. If current trends continue, about two-thirds of Queensland adults will be overweight or obese by 2020.

The CEO of the National Heart Foundation Australia, Cameron Prout, has welcomed the move.

“More than four million Australians buy meals at fast food or snack food outlets every day,” he said. “We need these kind of innovative laws to counteract the consequences of overweight and obesity in our community – it is now the leading cause of premature death and disability in Queensland.”

The Queensland government will work with industry to develop the legislation.

Second Master Sommelier for AustraliaThe Merivale Group’s group sommelier Franck Moreau has become only the second Australian to be awarded the title of Master Sommelier the highest internationally recognised accolade for sommeliers. There are only 192 Master Sommeliers globally.

The accolade is a clear indication to customers and the industry that a sommelier has reached the highest level of proficiency in wine knowledge officially attainable.

Moreau was named “Sommelier of the Year” at the 2010 SMH Good Food Guide Awards and by Australia’s Gourmet Traveller in 2011. He also won the inaugural “Best Sommelier of Australia” competition in October and will go on to represent Australia at the Asia-Pacific competition in South Korea in May 2012. OH

Top food trends for 2012

cover story

Pork perfection

Despite the increasing popularity of pork in recent years in dishes such as Asian-inspired

pork belly and cassoulet, many people still steer clear of pork on restaurant menus because of fears that it will be dry or taste “off”.

High Country Pork, produced by Rivealea Australia and distributed exclusively by Top Cut, is a brand of pork created specifically for foodservice to finally eliminate the most common complaints chefs receive from their customers.

The Rivealea research and innovation team developed High Country Pork to meet the precise needs of the foodservice market, targeting the two issues of dryness and unpleasant flavours. If they are not eliminated, research shows that 30 per cent of customers won’t want to eat your pork again. If they are resolved, however, this number falls to just three per cent.

Very careful management during farming ensures that unpleasant flavours are eliminated from High Country Pork. Rivalea is currently the only producer in Australia to make this investment and able to offer a taste guarantee. Other producers, including niche operators, force the chef and customers to take the risk.

As well as ensuring a delicious flavour, High Country also eliminates the common fear that pork is too dry when cooked. Dryness is a side-effect of customer demand for lean healthy meat

with very low visual fat (but no room for cooking error). High Country Pork has solved this issue by gently infusing the meat with a mild brine solution, ensuring that it doesn’t dry out while cooking despite the low fat content.

The unique process, developed in-house, carefully adds a small amount of brine to each individual piece of High Country Pork. The brine is made to their own recipe using pure water and a small amount of mineral salts. The result is pork that is always juicy and delicious and retains the natural flavour and texture of the meat, even when meals have to be held.

The pigs produced for High Country Pork are the result of a careful breeding program. They combine the best of duroc, landrace and large white breeds, with meat quality one of the key attributes that has been selected. All the pigs are raised entirely on site to ensure full control of the genetic makeup of the herd and consistency in the end product.

To complete the journey High Country Pork is also processed onsite and a full range of cuts is vacuumed sealed within 24 hours of leaving the farm.

Rivalea also has well established welfare credentials. Pigs are raised in large

breezy shelters where they forage freely in straw and socialise naturally, eating a diet of locally-grown, high-quality Australian grain.

The company’s stated welfare policy of “caring for every pig every day” has cemented the company’s position as an industry leader. It recently won an award for leadership in pig welfare from the Compassion in World Farming organisation based in Europe.

With so much to recommend High Country Pork, you can have confidence in the dishes you serve ticking all the boxes for your customers.

● www.highcountrypork.com.au OH

Switch to High Country and ensure delicious juicy pork is always on the menu.

Coffee price increases fall short of predictionsThe 2011 September Quarter Gilkatho Cappuccino Price Index has shown an average price increase of 15 cents per cup for take away coffee and 17 cents per cup for dine-in coffee during the past 12 months across Australia.

Gilkatho managing director Wayne Fowler said that while 63.1 per cent of the coffee shops surveyed for the Gilkatho Cappuccino Price Index in 2010-2011 have increased their prices in the past year, price increases were not as high as originally predicted by the wider market.

“Commercial pressures and the continued evolution of a more discerning cafe culture in Australia has kept the expected increases in the cost of takeaway and dine-in coffee to less than half the expected price hike of between 30 and 35 cents per cup,” he said.

While the price of beans had risen, most operators had absorbed the increases, along with other, hidden costs such as increased wages and rent.

6 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 7

Q&a

High achieverBy Sheridan Randall. Garlic

Garlic is commonly used for flavouring food but it has also

been used for medicinal purposes by more cultures than any other plant. It is one of the oldest known crops and can be traced back almost 6000 years to Central Asia where it was first cultivated.

More than 5000 years ago the garlic plant grew wild in Central Asia, from where it spread to the Mediterranean, China and India. It was highly valued for its remedial benefits and soon domesticated.

By around 3000 BC, garlic was given to Egyptian slaves, as well as the labourers who were building the pyramids to build stamina and strength and to defend from illness. According to the Bible, the Israelites were given garlic as part of their diet while they were slaves in Egypt.

Garlic was also mentioned in an

Egyptian medical text that dates back to 1500 BC. It claimed that garlic was a cure for skin disease, poisoning and heart problems and included 22 medical formulations that used garlic.

Images on tombs and pyramids show that the ancient Egyptians also worshipped garlic. They placed models of garlic bulbs made from clay in the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen. Garlic was so highly valued that the Egyptians used it as currency, however they had an aversion to eating it because of its pungent smell.

The ancient Indians valued garlic for its healing benefits but it was considered to be unsuitable for food, especially by the upper class who detested its strong smell. The Indians also believed it was an aphrodisiac and so it was forbidden by monks

who feared it would be a stimulant.

Garlic was used by the ancient Greeks to give strength to their athletes in the Olympic Games. Military leaders would give it to soldiers before battle to ensure victory, as well as use it to heal wounds. Greek physician Hippocrates mentioned the important benefits of garlic and recommended it to cure infections, bites, pneumonia and other conditions.

The Romans took garlic to Europe in the 14th century. During the Middle Ages people thought that garlic would combat the plague so it was hung in entrances and doorways to prevent evil spirits from entering. Many used garlic to ward off the supernatural, believing it could protect them against vampires, werewolves and demons. It was worn, hung in windows and rubbed on chimneys and keyholes.

During the 18th and 19th century

garlic continued to be shunned as food because of the strong odour it left behind. It was considered to be especially unsuitable for women and was mainly eaten by the working class.

During World War I garlic was valued for its antiseptic properties and used to treat gangrene. In World War II it was named “Russian penicillin” because the Russians supplemented their lack of medicine with garlic; it was fed to soldiers to prevent diseases and used to treat wounds.

By 1940 garlic was finally embraced in cooking in Europe and America. Since then it has become a major ingredient in a variety of cuisines. It is versatile ingredient that is often sautéed or roasted to form the basis of many dishes, sauces such as aioli and garlic butter used on bread and steak. OH

origins of...

A staple in just about every domestic and commercial kitchen, garlic was first prized as a medicine, discovers Megan Kessler.

Taking accountants to accountThere is an alarming increase in the number of accountants offering actual operating advice to hospitality businesses who have no hospitality background or understanding of the operational side of what is a very complex industry.

I recently sat in on a meeting with a new inexperienced operator and her accountant. She was quite cashed up but the money had come from a completely different world, mining. She had decided to buy a hospitality company that owned a number of outlets as well as an importing business and a few national supply agreements. Her idea was to further develop the importing business and let the outlets take care of cash flow along the way. Sound thinking, I thought.

The accountant advised my friend

a clear indication of how your financial side of the business is travelling, and also assist in keeping you out of the “big house” – but be careful to only extract the information from them that their skillset provides and talk to hospitality experts about hospitality matters. Each to their own.

glenn austinwww.xtremechef.com.au

consultant cHef

to get out of the outlets – rather large canteens – as they were costing her far too much money and did not represent sound business by hospitality standards; in his words they were almost bleeding the business dry.

He explained to her that the outlets or restaurants should be operating on the basis of a third, a third and a third – one third food cost, one third labor and overheads, and one third for her. This lady was devastated and her first comment was “call my solicitor, I have been cheated”. As I had recommended the deal to both her and her husband, I thought, wow, this is going to be fun.

Once the emotion had settled I explained to the accountant that he was way out of line making ill-informed statements about things he clearly had no understanding

of. The outlets that the lady had acquired were actually quite sound businesses; they attracted no rent or utilities and even though they where operating with a total wage cost of 50 per cent and a food cost of 34 per cent, they yielded a clear profit of 16 per cent. There aren’t many restaurants achieving that, I can tell you. Add together that amount of profit over four outlets and business looked quite good.

The outlets also consumed some of the imported product, which gave the distributors some initial pull through, ensuring they were not stuck with stock – all in all quite a clever operation and business model.

Your everyday tax accountant is a very helpful guy – he knows the tax laws and can interpret the figures to keep the tax man happy, give you

Q: Can you tell me a little about Alpha Flight Services?

A: It is an airline catering company with nine ports in Australia, which uplift around one million meals a month.

Q: Which airlines do you service?

A: Here in Sydney we cater for V Australia, Thai Airways, China Eastern, China Airlines, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Etihad, China Southern, Air New Zealand, Air Austral and Jetstar.

Q: What’s your background?

A: I started 20 years ago in a Michelin star French restaurant, with the bulk of my career spent in the restaurant and hospitality sector. I’ve only been in the airline catering business for around four years.

Q: What does your role entail?

A: I am the national corporate chef for operation and primarily look after the Sydney operation. However, I also have to conduct efficiency, quality and HACCP audits across all Alpha units nationally.

Q: What sort of challenges do you face?

A: The major challenge is having a third party handling the food before it is served. The proper reheating and plating, especially in the premium classes, is vital for the quality of the final product.

To overcome any difficulties we supply airline crews with reheating guidelines, culinary terminology training and some in-house cooking training. We also have monthly Void Reports from crew and passengers which help us with feedback.

Q: What steps are needed to ensure maximum flavour and taste for you meals?

A: The controlled climate of a pressurised cabin and relative dryness of the air dulls passengers’ taste buds, making them lose sensitivity. Some larger caterers have R&D departments that study and taste the meals under the same pressurised conditions so that they can develop new recipes accordingly. However, the common approach is simply to increase the seasoning in the meals. Also certain flavours withstand the effects of a pressurised plane better than others, with curry, lemon grass and cardamom holding their flavour better than sugar and salt.

Q: Do all planes use the same method to reheat food and what is it?

A: The majority of planes use Atlas ovens or Rumbold ovens, which basically use a dry heat or steam and dry heat combination.

Q: How far in advance are the meals prepared?

A: The standard food safety code allows airlines to cater 72 hours from the time of departure. However, we only use 18-20 hours before departure for economy meals and 10-12 hours for premium classes.

Q: How much of the food preparation is done by hand and how much is automated?

A: We are still mainly a manual business, with around 3 per cent of the preparation automated. In larger companies it can be closer to a 50/50 split.

Q: How difficult is it to cater for a range of dietary needs?

A: The biggest challenge is the amount of special meals passengers now require, many of which are simply a lifestyle choice. We use specialised food technicians to ensure that the nutritional values in our meals are correct and meet the requirements of the many types of special meals needed. Production chefs and assembly staff then prepare and plate the food to ensure these meals are correctly catered.

Q: How hard is it to create gourmet menus that stay true to their taste up in the air?

A: We have specialty chefs who are in charge of the many different types of cuisines we prepare. However, with so many different sections involved in the catering, from reception to despatching all working according to flight timetables, it is strong teamwork that ensures our success.

Q: What are the main menu trends in your industry?

A: We have quite a few airlines adopting renowned chefs to design their menu, such as Gordon Ramsey, Luke Mangan, Neil Perry and Matt Moran to name but a few! Also, there is now more wine pairing with the gourmet menus.

Q: There has been a huge push for new technologies in commercial

With airlines feeling the pinch, we ask Paolo Zambrano, the national executive chef for airline caterer Alpha Flight Services, what impact that is having on high altitude catering.

kitchens – do you have to pioneer new ways of cooking things?

A: I am a fan of sous vide cooking, and I’m trying to implement it here in Sydney. There is a lot of atomisation in the kitchen in this industry, such as pressurised braising pans, conveyor belt grill ovens and retort ovens (for pasteurisation).

Q: With airlines under increasing bottom-line pressure do you have to find new ways to provide more for less?

A: Airlines are feeling the squeeze across the board and that means the budget for food is getting smaller and smaller. This is forcing us to be more creative in our menu planning and recipe development to create dishes that are low-cost but still have high-value perception, such as exotic Asian dishes like curries and interesting starch dishes with a touch of originality. OH

8 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

oils

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Frytol OH Sept Ad.ai 1 5/08/11 2:29 PM

Despite being affected by last January’s flooding and extreme heat in some regions, the 2011 Australian oil harvest amounted to just over 16 million litres, according to the Australian Olive Association. While most states produce oil, the vast bulk of Australia’s olive oil is produced in Victoria, which produced 10.2 million litres in 2011, followed by WA (2.8 million litres), South Australia (1.95 million litres) and NSW, Queensland and Tasmania, which together produced almost four million litres.

Speaking about the harvest, Lisa Rowntree, chief executive officer of the Australian Olive Association, said last year, “We’re pretty happy with the final tally of olive oil this year and whilst the floods and heat wave in WA affected quantity and quality in some areas, several of

State of the (olive oil) nationOlive oil is a staple in just about every commercial kitchen but local producers are doing it tough, discovers Ylla Wright.

Last month’s news that Kailis Organic Olive Oil Groves

Group, one of Australia’s largest olive oil producers, has gone into receivership owing $18 million has raised questions about the state of the Australian olive oil industry. The company’s financial woes have been blamed on the collapse of global olive oil prices and volatile market conditions for olive oil producers from Europe.

According to industry body the Australian Olive Association (AOA), Australian olive oil producers are being undercut by cheaper foreign imports. While this may be good news for cost-conscious chefs looking for a bargain, it’s not good news for the local industry.

According to Mark Mentha, from receiver Korda-Mentha, global prices have dropped from $10 a litre to around $2.50 a litre over the past couple of years, at a time when oil production is close to its

peak, contributing to the company’s problems.

“The advertised price for imported Spanish oil at the moment is below our cost of production,” AOA chief executive officer Lisa Rowntree said. “We are also informed by our grower colleagues in Europe that they are selling their oil below cost while trying to survive the current very difficult economic conditions in southern Europe.

“I suppose it is similar to the fuel situation, once local food production cannot compete, then not only will we be completely reliant on overseas countries for our food, the long term social impact on rural Australia will be disastrous.”

The mislabelling of foreign oil sold in Australia is another issue the local olive oil industry has been actively taking steps to address. The industry’s annual conference, held in October in Wangaratta, Victoria, had a theme of “Restoring Trust

in the Trade of Olive Oil”. On the agenda were a number of issues facing the industry.

“Considering the amount of oil sold in Australia that is mislabelled, it seemed fitting that we discuss with producers and consumers the measures being undertaken to ensure that consumer confidence in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is restored,” Rowntree said.

Topics up for discussion at the conference included the Australian Code of Practice for Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO); the proposed Code of Practice for the production of Australian Table Olives, and the viability of a New World Alliance of olive oil producers. Contingents from Italy, Spain and the USA attended to discuss quality issues in their countries and the measures they’ve undertaken to help alleviate mislabelling and fraud.

Under new Australian Standards for Olive Oil and Olive Pomace Oil, implemented in June 2011, terms such as “pure”, “light” and “extra-light” are no longer permitted to be used on labels to describe olive oil as they have no relevant meaning and are potentially misleading.

The standards also introduced new testing methods which are capable of detecting modern refining techniques not currently detectable by older tests, with a view to ensuring that low grade, refined oils isn’t being passed off as extra virgin olive oil.

As it stands, olive oil is graded according to quality. Extra virgin olive oil is oil which is produced through the first press of top-quality fruit, without the use of heat, additives or solvents, contains no more than 0.8 per cent free fatty acid, and is judged to have a superior taste. Refined olive oil is produced from an oil refinery process which removes most of the components that make true extra virgin olive oil so desirable.

The standard has also seen the introduction of a best-before policy. Like other fresh products, extra virgin olive oil deteriorates with

time and poor handling such as exposure to excess heat, oxygen and light, but until recently many oils sold in Australia weren’t required to carry a use-by or best-before date. According to at least one industry expert, it wasn’t unusual for oils coming in from overseas to be sitting in a warehouse for up to two years before being distributed into foodservice channels.

The standards were developed with the help of stakeholders including retailers, importers, consumer associations, government bodies and growers, and ensure that chefs and other consumers “get what they pay for”, according to Rowntree.

As of August last year there were 230 Australian producers signed up to the Code of Practice.

Production down in 2011our 2011 extra virgin olive oils have already been judged some of the best in the world.”

Around 80 per cent of the crop was graded extra virgin, meaning that the olives met the criteria set out in the new Australian Standards for Olive Oil. Extra virgin olive oil is made from fresh, healthy olives crushed as soon as possible after the olives are picked. The oil is extracted without the use of chemicals or excessive heat to ensure that its health benefits, flavour and freshness are maximised.

When choosing an olive oil to use, Rowntree says, “fresher is better; you should always choose an oil of the current harvest.”

The 2012 harvest will run from April to July this year.

Simply spritzMoro Olive Oil has released two new Olive Oil Sprays suitable for occasions when you only want to use a little oil such as oiling pans or cake tins, lightly spraying vegetables before chargrilling or spraying bread slices before toasting to make bruschetta.

Available in two varieties, Moro Olive Oil Spray is made from 100 per cent Spanish olive oil and has no chemical smell or taste. The propellant used is flavourless, odourless, non-flammable and environmentally friendly, and a variable nozzle means that it can produce

While predominantly aimed at the retail market, Moro has started to sell into foodservice channels and anticipates greater reach in future.

10 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

Cookers refuses to use palm oil... Your choice.

CBO129O

HM

For more information phone 1300 882 299 or visit www.cookers.com.au

Cookers are proud sponsors of the Melbourne Zoo’s

“Don’t Palm us Off” campaign.

The Cookers System respects the environment and you in many ways. Not only does the unsustainable production of palm oil threaten orang-utan habitat, the oil is high in saturated fat and increases the risk of heart disease.

Cookers supply only high quality healthy cooking oils, plus no tin waste goes to land fill. You pay only for the oil you use and your waste oil is used as bio diesel.

Its time to make a sensible choice.

Australia’s native oilAustralia’s humble macadamia nut is the source of one of the healthiest and most versatile cooking oils around.

When it comes to oils, award winning chef Steven Snow

from renowned restaurant Fins in South Kingscliff, New South Wales, is a big fan of Brookfarm’s premium grade macadamia oil. Although not as commonly used as olive oil, macadamia oil is widely regarded as one of the healthiest and most versatile edible oils in the world.

“The main reason I love using macadamia oil because it has a considerably higher smoking point than olive oil 210°C compared to 100°C which means the great flavour of the oil is not diminished in the cooking process,” says Snow. “The

smooth ‘butteriness’ inherent in macadamia oils allows us at Fins to serve fish with the creaminess of butter without tainting our sauces with a burnt-oil flavour.”

Brookfarm Macadamia Oil is cold-pressed from macadamia nuts grown on Pam and Martin Brook’s farm in Bangalow, and is naturally processed to maintain the native nut’s warm honey colour, nutty flavour, aroma and taste.

The versatility of macadamia oil means it can be used for a wide range of culinary cuisines – from Mediterranean to Asian to modern Australian – and a range of dishes

such as salad dressings, fan or stir frying, sautéing and baking.

Macadamia oil is also extremely healthy. Cholesterol-free and containing 10 per cent more monounsaturates (the good fats) than extra virgin olive oil, macadamia oil is high in protein and an excellent source of antioxidants.

“The macadamia nut is native to Australia so it’s fabulous to be able to create such a unique oil with such essential health benefits for the world to enjoy,” says Martin Brook. “It is the other oil that all chefs should have in their kitchens.”

8 cleaned cuttlefish hoods (400g) 2 chorizo sausages, cut into 3mm thick slices on an angle1.5kg local organic potatoes2 tablespoons chopped parsley80ml Brookfarm Macadamia Oil250ml dry white wine2 tbls lemon juice1 tsp butter

Marinade50g papaya, roughly chopped1 clove garlic, finely chopped70ml Brookfarm Macadamia OilCaramelised onion1 brown onion finely sliced1 clove of garlic chopped1 bay leaf80ml Brookfarm Macadamia Oil

Cut the cuttlefish in half length ways.

Combine the marinade ingredients and marinate the cuttlefish for at least 3 hours, covered in the refrigerator.

For the caramelised onion, pre heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and toss to

coat. Cook for 3 minutes or until collapsed. Add the garlic and bay leaf to the onions and continue cooking until the onions become golden.

Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water over a high heat for 20 mins, or until tender. Cut in half and season with sea salt and pepper and toss with the caramelised onion and chopped parsley. Keep warm.

Lift the cuttlefish out of the marinade. Preheat the BBQ plate on high. Lay the cuttlefish on the grill and place a weight on top (such a frying pan), to keep the cuttlefish flat. Cook the cuttlefish on the grill for 2 mins on each side, or until cooked through, Meanwhile, add the chorizo to the BBQ grill plate and cook for 2 mins on each side until slightly crispy.

Divide the potatoes between the plates and top with the cuttlefish and chorizo.

To make the white wine sauce, place all the ingredients in a pan. Bring to the boil and reduce to a sauce consistency. Season with sea salt and drizzle over the cuttlefish.

Chargrilled cuttlefish and chorizo on local potatoes with saffron mayonnaiseServes 4

12 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 132 Convention & Incentive Marketing, August 2011 www.cimmagazine.com

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Avocado oil ahoyAvocado oil hailing from New Zealand is wowing Aussie chefs.

Another option for chefs looking for healthy, versatile

oil with great flavour is Grove Avocado Oil, hailing from New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty region.

Sydney-based chef and brand ambassador Bridget Davis praises the oil for its health benefits and usability.

“Made from nature’s own avocados,

Grove Lime Avocado Oil Aioli4 egg yolks½ tbsp Dijon mustard2 tbsp lemon juice1 tbsp cider vinegar2 tsp sugar1½ tbsp roasted garlic½ tsp fresh minced garlic1 cup Grove Lime Avocado Oil½ cup Grove Garlic Avocado OilSalt and pepper to taste

Using a hand held blender or food processor; add the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and both lots of garlic. Process the ingredients for 10 seconds until combined, and then, with the blade running slowly, drizzle in the two oils.

Once the aioli has come together and is nice and thick, season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until required.

Serve with crusted seared tuna, with grilled chicken in sandwich, or to dress up a simple summer salad. OH

Saffron mayonnaise

100ml water

8 saffron strands

2 eggs

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp Dijon mustard

250ml Brookfarm macadamia nut oil

Sea salt to taste

2 tbsp champagne vinegar – optional

Simmer the water and saffron strands in a saucepan over a low heat and reduce until about 10 ml of liquid remains. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Place eggs, mustard, salt, garlic and oil in a jug, beaker or food processor. Blend until combined. Add saffron water and champagne vinegar to taste.

Makes approximately one cup. Recipe: Steven Snow, Fins.

Rec

ipe/

ph

otos

by

Bre

tt B

oard

man

.

4 Asian mushrooms – shitake or abalone – finely sliced4 tbsp Brookfarm Macadamia Oil infused with lime and chilli1 tbsp sesame oil8 red shallots, finely chopped2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped1kg rock lobster, cooked, meat removed from shell and chopped into bite sized medallions 2 tsp yellow bean sauce (available from Asian food stores)3 tsp oyster sauce3 tbsp fish sauce3 tbsp chopped water chestnuts½ small cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced2 spring onions, cut into 2cm lengths 3 basil leaves, torn into small pieces8 mint leaves, cut into small pieces2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, julienned4 tbsp peanuts, fried and chopped finelyGenerous squeeze of fresh lime juice2 ripe mangoes, flesh diced into small cubes

Iceberg lettuce, trimmed with scissors to form cups3 tbsp deep-fried shallots (in packets, from Asian food stores)

Heat oils in a wok on medium heat; add red shallots and garlic and fry until golden.

Add lobster and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes while adding all the sauces. Stir in water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, cucumber and spring onions. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add all herbs, kaffir lime leaves, peanuts and lime juice. Remove from heat and add mango. Mix well.

Spoon the filling into the lettuce cups, top with deep-fried shallots and serve.

Chef’s note: You can substitute chicken, beef, prawns or fish for the lobster.Recipe: Steven Snow, Fins.

Fragrant lobster in lettuce cupsServes: 4-6, as a entrée

[Grove’s] oil is cold pressed; it has low

saturated fat, and it has the highest smoke point of any extra virgin oil on the market

so it remains stable during high temperature

cooking, making it perfect for stir frying, pan frying, roasting or barbecuing,” she says. “It’s quite simply brilliant. I love using it.”

The rich, smooth green oil has a mild nutty taste that enhances the natural flavour of foods rather than overpowering them, making it ideal for dips, marinades, dressings and sauces as well as cooking poultry, meat and fish.

Grove’s executive director Brian Richardson says he approached Davis about becoming the company’s Australian brand ambassador after she declared Grove Avocado Oil was her “favourite ingredient” during an interview with a Sydney newspaper.

To make the oil, the skin and stones are removed from the avocados, and the flesh is delicately cold-pressed in a single extra virgin process. The oil is then poured into dark bottles which are designed to preserve its freshness and flavour.

In addition to the Extra Virgin Avocado Oil, it is also available in Lime, Garlic and Horopito (a type of indigenous New Zealand pepper) varieties.

Avocado oil's distinctive green colour is just one of the things that sets it apart from other oils.

14 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 15

eQuiPMent

Simplicity the key to a smooth startAfter a decade away from Australia, chef Ross Lusted has returned to Sydney with a new restaurant, The Bridge Room, bringing Japanese robata grill cooking with a New York sensibility all powered by a Spanish-made kitchen. Sheridan Randall discovers what equipment he’s installed and why.

They say travel broadens the mind, but for acclaimed Chef

Ross Lusted, former executive chef of Rockpool and Park Hyatt Sydney’s harbourkitchen&bar, the time spent working across the globe has fine-tuned his sense of purpose.

His inaugural restaurant, The Bridge Room, exudes the type of effortless sophistication that only comes when you know exactly what is important and what can be left out. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of an iconic 1938 office building in the heart of Sydney’s “money district”. The location, which was previously occupied by an Indian restaurant, had always attracted Lusted’s attention when he worked in Sydney before.

“My wife said that I either need to stop talking about it or do something

about it, so I did something about it,” Lusted says.

The Bridge Room belies its small size, seating 60 without feeling crowded. No detail has been left to chance, with Lusted designing the ceramics and felt plate settings, while industry friends did the cutlery and the art work on the walls. This level of detail extended to the open kitchen, which is visible to the entire restaurant. Needing to pack a lot into its compact space while still allowing the eight kitchen staff to keep things running at full speed without stepping on each other’s toes, nothing could be left to chance.

With no cooling rooms, and everything coming in through the front door, simplicity wasn’t just a theme; it was a necessity across the board. Lusted first encountered the Fagor brand while he was working on

a joint venture with the late Spanish chef Santi Santamaria, but made the decision to use the 900 series in The Bridge Room after seeing it at the Fine Food trade show in Melbourne.

“What I liked about the Fagor 900 series was that with every single piece you take the facade off and you have a connecting face all the way along,” Lusted explains. “I have joined five pieces with one piece of connect so nothing moves – it looks like it is a fully suited unit, which from a cleanliness perspective is important as well as being aesthetically pleasing.”

Working with Ken’s Commercial Kitchens for the kitchen’s design and installation, Lusted says that labour costs were always a consideration as in a small business the margins are so slim.

“The series 900 burners have a water bath underneath them so if you do have a pot that bubbles over, at the end of the night you just take out those units and put them through the dishwater,” he says. “So from a labour perspective it’s very easy to maintain. We have outsourced our cleaning, but we only had to show them how to dismantle things once and they were off and running.”

With its limited space there was no space for cool rooms, so instead Lusted installed three upright refrigerators – one for meat and fish, one for vegetables and one for fruit and dairy. Each fridge has split doors, which can be ordered to open either way, so you are not exposing the entire fridge to warm air every time you want something.

“Fagor have really thought about the equipment, even small details like the levelling on the feet, which are important when you are doing an installation,” says Lusted. “And with Fagor, when you pull out a component it’s very easy to retrofit something later down the line if you want to.

“Their VPE-101 Combi oven is fantastic – it has a touch screen like an iPad, which is very user friendly, especially for the younger staff who are all tech savvy. It’s also really easy to clean, you just put a tablet in every

two days and push a button and it’s done.”

The restaurant’s ever-changing menu is centred round Japanese robata charcoal grill cooking, with Lusted taking the versatility of Fagor to another level by custom building a charcoal grill out of one of their units.

“I took one of their pieces apart and welded some structure into it and put in a fire brick insulated box to burn the charcoal,” he says. “What I like about Fagor equipment was that I could do that, it has that versatility and adaptability.”

Fagor have been in Australia for around 20 years, but only recently spread from their base in Perth to the East Coast. Having all the equipment in the kitchen, except for the bar fridge, come from a single manufacturer was a big selling point for Lusted, as it meant he only had to ever deal with a single source if there were problems.

“The clincher in the deal was the service agreement – when you buy a $15,000 convection oven, if there’s a problem I want someone here to fix it immediately,” he says. “With Fagor there is one service agent who deals with all their equipment. If I need something done I just call the one guy, and it’s always the same guy, and he’s here the same day, which for a small business like mine is vital.” OH

16 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 17

food to drink WitH

One of the most enduring food trends in recent years has

been the popularity of tapas, which has seen it pop up on menus across the country, merging with other culinary influences along the way so it’s no longer unusual to see a restaurant menu described as “Chinese tapas” or “Italian tapas”.

Yet tapas in its purist form isn’t served in restaurants; tapas is the name for the small plate of snacks traditionally served to accompany drinks in Spanish bars. Common tapas dishes include gambas (prawns sautéed in garlic, peppercorn or chilli sauce), patatas bravas (fried potatoes served with a spicy tomato sauce or aioli), albondigas (meatballs), empanandas (turnovers filled with meat and vegetables) and

boquerones (white anchovies marinated in vinegar), with different Spanish regions and bars specialising in different dishes.

From a customer’s point of view the beauty of tapas is that they can share it with friends for a fun, communal experience; try a wide variety of items, and order as much or as little as they like, to replace a meal or stave off hunger pangs until dinner.

For bars and restaurants with bars, the benefits of offering tapas dishes are a low cost per plate and high profit margin. With customers often ordering several dishes at one, the bill can soon add up, and with something to graze on, they’re also more likely to linger and, more importantly, order more drinks.

In restaurants with no-bookings

policies, offering a range of tapas dishes at a bar area can keep customers happy while they wait for a table.

With the increasing popularity of so-called “dude food” however it seems that tapas may finally have some competition for the crown of “best bar food”.

More diverse than tapas, dude food is comfort food with a dash of panache. Originating in the US but drawing on dishes from around the globe, dude food encompasses everything from sliders (a type of mini burger) and tacos to Korean fried chicken and Vietnamese pork rolls, made with premium ingredients. Dude food is, in short, perfect for casual, relaxed eating, enjoyed with friends over a few beers.

“I think tapas and dude food

Wilson has added a number of dude food items including tacos, pork ribs and bocadillas (Mexican rolls) to his menu at the Newmarket Hotel, which have been well received by customers.

“It’s fun and goes well with a diverse range of drinks,” he says. “Dining out has become younger and more of a social occasion – dude food is essentially party food without the boundaries.”

“Dude food is familiar, unpretentious and good time food,” agrees Kayne Krzanich, executive chef of Harlem on Central in Manly. “That’s what being in a bar is all about, having a good time.”

Krzanich’s menu, which has Cajun, Creole and African American influences, features feel-good dishes such as crispy fries with blue cheese and truffle sauce, pork sliders with slow cooked crispy pork, nashi pear and red cabbage slaw, and “sugar hill popcorn,” Cajun spiced squid with squaioli and hot sauce. It’s his Butter Milk Fried Chicken however that’s proved most popular with customers.

“It’s unbelievably popular,” he says. “Some people are starting to call it KFC (Kayne’s Fried Chicken). The Roque the Boats – lardons, apple, roquefort, walnuts and honey wrapped up in witlof leaves – are also tiny morsels of flavour heaven.”

High-profile proponents of dude food include Shane Delia, director and chef of St Katherine’s in Melbourne, which has a “snackburger” made with minced chicken, ginger and garlic, served with a tangy tomato relish and Japanese mayonnaise on the menu; Adam D’Sylva, the chef at Coda, also in Melbourne, who serves snacks including rice paper rolls, prawn and tapioca betel leaves and sugar cane prawns, and Sydney-chef Dan Hong, who serves cheeseburgers at his bistro Lotus, and Vietnamese-style mini banh mi (sandwiches) at modern Asian eatery Ms. G.

According to Delia, the increase in popularity of dude food comes down to Gen Xers rebelling against fine dining. Whether it will capture the imagination of diners in the same way as tapas has remains to be seen. OH

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New directions in bar foodTapas has dominated bar menus in recent years but with the increasing popularity of “dude food” it may have some competition for the title of “best bar food”.

Morcilla and jamon bocadillos with quail eggs Serves: 4 4 small bite-sized ciabatta rolls, split into halvesGarlic clovesOlive oil25ml Romesco or BBQ sauce25g of piquillo pepper pieces 25g of Morcilla sausage, sliced 25g jamon Iberico or Serrano ham, sliced 4 quail eggs Rocket salad leaves Chicharons (pork scratching), to garnish

Rub the bread with garlic, brush with extra virgin olive oil and grill on a BBQ.

Lightly pan sear the morcilla using a teaspoon of oil. Season and drain on absorbent paper.

Fry the jamon iberico in a hot nonstick pan till crisp with a teaspoon of oil. Season and drain on absorbent paper.

Carefully crack the quail into espresso cups, then gently tip into a small warm non-stick pan with a teaspoon of oil, until the yolks are just cooked.

To assemble, brush one half of each warm roll with romesco sauce. Top with piquillo peppers, morcilla slices, jamon slices, rocket leaves and sunny side up quail eggs

Top with the lids from the rolls, skewer and serve with the chicharons on the side. Recipe: Paul Wilson, Newmarket Hotel.

are both great,” says Paul Wilson, group executive chef of Melbourne’s Newmarket Hotel, Middle Park Hotel and Albert Park Hotel. “But dude food has less structure and is right on trend; it has so much global appeal. When you think of it, every nation has some sort of dude food.”

Dining out has become more of a social occasion – dude food is essentially party food without the boundaries.“

International ideas for bar menus • Pre-dinner drinks in Italy have

their own name, aperitivo, and a very specific function – to “open” the palate before dinner. Drinks will be accompanied by small snacks such as fresh mozzarella, pizza slices, cured meats such as prosciutto and bresaola, or savoury pastries.

• Antipasto is another bar favourite with its roots in Italy, where it is traditionally served as the first course of a formal Italian meal. An antipasto platter usually includes a combination of cured meats, olives, marinated vegetables such as grilled capsicum and eggplant, mushrooms and artichoke hearts, cheeses such as provolone and mozzarella, and crusty Italian bread.

• Japanese bars, known as Izakaya, traditionally serve small sharing plates of dishes such as edamame (salted soy bean pods), yakitori (grilled skewers), beef tataki (seared marinated beef) and kaarage (fried, crumbed chicken) with drinks.

• Yum cha items such as siu mai (pork and prawn dumplings), pork buns, spring rolls, gao gee (steamed dumplings), whitebait fritters and salt and pepper squid are popular for brunch/lunch but they also work well with a beer.

• Meze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as a meal or with drinks. Dishes served depend on where you are, however popular meze dishes include grilled octopus, dolmades, feta cheese drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with oregano, kalamata olives, dips such as taramosalata, tzatziki, hummus and babaganoush, kofte (meatballs), grilled haloumi cheese and souvalaki (pork skewers).

• Pastizzi are savoury pastries made from filo pastry hailing from Malta, usually stuffed with ricotta or meat.

• Tacos fit easily into the dude food category, but Mexican food is also enjoying its own upward swing right now, with taquerias such as Guzmen y Gomez popping up around the nation. Bar owners have been getting in on the picture, with promotions such as “$3 Taco Tuesday” popular.

Soft tacos with prawns, fragrant herbs and jicama slaw.

XL St Louis-style pork ribs with Mr Wilson's BBQ Sauce and summer slaw.

Ph

otos courtesy of T

he N

ewm

arket Hotel.

18 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 19

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Well actually, we’re not. Because of the 265 flavour components in our naturally brewed soy sauce, (two of which are caramel and hazelnut), these act to combine with the chocolate to add a richer, deeper more chocolate-y flavour. And the salt in our soy sauce reduces the sweetness a touch, allowing the full chocolate flavour to come through.

But be careful! Don’t use just any soy sauce. Most are chemically made and taste like it. It must be our naturally brewed soy sauce.

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stocks & sauces

A chemical reaction

Cooking is often described as an art but in reality it probably has

as much to do with chemistry as anything else. Combining different elements and using both heat and cooling to alter their physical properties is closer to the sort of experiments you would find in a chemistry laboratory, but that is exactly what happens in kitchens.

Given that taste has more to do

with smell than the actual taste on our tongue, with taste buds only accounting for around 20 per cent of the tasting experience, when we say something tastes “nice” is probably has more to do with our noses than our mouths.

Based on the fact that the aroma of foods is so important for the way we perceive them, a hypothesis can be put forward: if the major volatile

molecules of two foods are the same, they might taste (and smell) nice when eaten together. This was the foundation for molecular gastronomy, with many pioneers pushing the frontiers of what foods may actually work together, no matter how incongruous their pairing may look. Heston Blumenthal, arguably the most well-known of the molecular chefs, has dazzled with his pairings, such as chocolate and caviar, which shared several amines (organic compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair in common).

Essentially Blumenthol used the increasing knowledge around the molecular properties of foods to build a giant data base of each food that could cross reference everything – a bit like a culinary “dating website” with each food group able to “like” each other based on shared “personality traits”.

Odd couplesChocolate may not seem the obvious match for meat, but a chocolate sauce has become quite common for many meat dishes. A classic red wine sauce made with some stock and herbs can be given a whole new dimension

by adding grated chocolate into the reduced stock to give it an extra depth and added lustre. The two ingredients are well known for their antioxidant properties but they also share other molecular compounds, as do chocolate and meat.

Chef Mike Scheumann, president of the ACT chapter of the Australian Culinary Federation, describes a recent master class with two time Culinary Olympian Garry Farrell as a case in point.

“We made an anglaise sauce out of duck egg yolks as you would do with normal eggs and then set it in a bowl over ice,” he says. “Then we put liquid nitrogen into the mix and stirred until it set, before garnishing with the pancetta. The flat pancetta was very thinly sliced and dried out at 50°C in a hot cabinet and occasionally brushed with maple syrup until it was dried out completely. Here you have the savoury and the sweet. We also served quail with dark Mexican chocolate – the quail was battered with cocoa powder and the normal stuff you would use for a batter, such as rice flour, flour and eggs, and then fried and served with a dark chocolate sauce.”

Just like any relationship sometimes opposites attract. Sheridan Randall writes about unusual pairings in the world of sauces.

Salty-sweet combinations Soy sauce is a versatile condiment used in a wide range of Japanese dishes. Made by slowly fermenting and aging soybeans, it has a rich flavour and distinctive aroma. Although it has a famously salty taste, chocolate and other sweets flavoured with soy sauce have hit the market and are enjoying something of a boom. These treats have a flavour that is best described as being “salty-sweet.” The combination of sugar and soy sauce is not unusual in Japanese cuisine, with soy sauce used as a topping on vanilla ice cream.

Walkabout chef Steve Sunk says that fish sauce on mango works very well. A fragrant Thai dish, this pairing brings new aromatic dimensions to the green mango. Another “odd couple” is balsamic vinegar syrup and fruit. True balsamic vinegar is made from cooked grape juice slowly aged in a variety of wooden casks for a minimum of 12 years, developing an intense and complex set of flavours and slowly evaporating excess water.

To make the syrup the vinegar is reduced over a warm heat until it has the desired sweetness. Since balsamic vinegar is made from grapes, its reduction results in a sweet and tangy syrup that complements grilled fruits, including pineapples, mangos and peaches. Fresh fruits such as strawberries, blackberries and melon slices are also excellent with a vinegar reduction.

Darwin Convention Centre executive chef Jock Mitchell recommends wasabi mustard and honey as a great accompaniment for fish. He also says that mint sauce pairs well with pineapple and likes satay sauce on fried banana as a combination.

Adrian Esposito, head chef at Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC, uses Wood’s sauces, by Edlyn, as a back-up in the kitchen, which often combine unusual flavours such as their “chilli jam”. When the novelty factor of some of the more exotic pairings has worn off, all we are really left with, is hopefully, a pleasant aftertaste. As Esposito says, “cooking is essentially marrying up different flavours to bring people back for more”. OH

Specially brewed soy sauce is commonly used as a topping on ice cream on many Asian menues.

20 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 21

Products

Wine ’n’ dine in styleBy Megan Kessler.

Award winning cheeseManon cheese from Woodside Cheese Wrights has won three awards in the first three months of its release, including “best fresh cured cheese” at the Brisbane Cheese Awards, “champion fresh curd” in the Australian Specialty Cheese Makers Association Melbourne Competition and “ champion sheep, buffalo and goat cheese” in the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards.

The cheese is a blend of Woodside chevre and hand harvested garlic,

both from South Australia. The cheese is made from fresh local goat milk and has a very light, creamy texture. The hint of garlic gives the cheese a sweet flavour that is finished off with black pepper.

Hand shaped into a ball and wrapped in vine leaves, Manon is then left for five to six days to mature. The cheese is intended for tapas or cheese boards, and can be served with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil.Ensure your customers fully

appreciate their wine at the right temperature with innovative new wine cooler WICE. It is the perfect product to help keep your wine and champagne cool, presentable and drip free.

WICE is an Italian designed wine cooler that helps to keep bottles at the right temperature; it is suitable for restaurants, bars and functions. The design ensures the label of the bottle is always on display and makes it is easy for customers and staff to handle.

The cooler has a removable core that is filled with liquid and once frozen acts as a refrigerator. It can be placed in the freezer two hours before use, and then placed in the stand once frozen. It will cool bottles in 30 minutes at room temperature and keep bottles cold for up to three hours.

WICE is made from non-toxic recycled material and is reusable. It is available in grey, white, red, black and stainless steel.● www.wice.com.au

Get pipingBelgian family-owned company Rolph & Rolph have released a new range of frozen products to make dessert preparation easier. The 500g muffin piping bags contain a muffin mix that can be defrosted in four hours at room temperature and is ready to bake.

The piping bags allow you to get

creative and personalise the size and form of your muffins – small to go with coffee or large to be served as individual desserts. Baking time is 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the muffin.

There are four indulgent flavours to choose from: chocolate moelleux, almond, chocolate chip or apple and cinnamon. The rich flavours are already there so there is no need to add additional ingredients.● www.rolph-rolph.com

Mineral water brand sparklesTo celebrate Bulgari’s 125th anniversary, iconic Italian brands S.Pellegrino and Bulgari have paired up to create a limited edition bottle that symbolises glamour, heritage and quality.

Bulgari (famously known for their jewellery) chose a vintage yellow

gold necklace covered with diamonds, emeralds and amethysts to feature on the

bottle of mineral water.

The exclusive bottle is part of the “S.Pellegrino meets Italian

talent” project and will be available to fine dining restaurants for a limited time.● www.sanpellegrino.com

Rising star Holco Holco Fine Meat Suppliers is South Australia’s leading meat wholesaler, with the company processing and delivering around 300 tonnes of fresh chicken, beef, lamb and pork each week.

Holco delivers meat to more than 250 hotels as well as restaurants, cafes, commercial caterers and health organisations in South Australia, Western Australia and

Northern Territory.

The company has recently won the 2011 Rising Star Award at the In-Business Top 100 Awards in Adelaide.

“This award was based on our performance over the past 12 months, and I was pleased to accept it on behalf of my hard working team at Holco” says managing director Mike Rankin.

In early September 2011 Holco opened a new processing plant in Brisbane to expand business. Their extensive range of premium meat includes veal, kangaroo, poultry, sausages and small goods. The meat is portion controlled so that there is less wastage, saving on costs.● www.holcofinemeatsuppliers.com.au

Finest Sea Salt from CornwallCornish Sea Salt is the UK’s best selling sea salt and it is now available to commercial kitchens in Australia. The product is highly regarded among chefs in the UK who appreciate it for its flavour,

texture and purity, with chef and TV presenter James Martin calling it the “Gucci of British Sea Salts”.

The high quality sea salt is hand harvested, completely natural and the only English sea salt to be awarded the UK Soil Association “Certified Product Status”. It is collected via a process where salt water is steam evaporated leaving a mountain of white, flaky sea salt crystals.

Products include Original Cornish Sea Salt and Smoked Cornish Sea Salt, which is smoked over apple and cherry wood. They are available in 500g chefs tubs along with 1kg re-fill bags, making them practical and convenient for foodservice.● www.noshfinefoods.com

Coffee at the touch of a buttonIt can be hard to keep up with a busy coffee rush which is why Nespresso is offering businesses Aguila, a new professional coffee machine that maximises speed while delivering a great tasting drink.

The coffee machine is made to deal with high volumes and peak times. With four extraction heads and milk frothing technology, it can simultaneously make four coffees in less than 20 seconds.

Aguila combines traditional coffee

making methods from Nespresso with technology from Swiss company Thermoplan AG, known for its milk systems. All staff need to do to prepare made-to-order hot drinks is push a button, making it easy for anyone to use.

When not in use, the Aguila automatically turns off after 30 minutes of inactivity, saving power. The Aguila also features

a built in SIM card which enables Nespresso to monitor the machine’s status and maintenance requirements, so that service can be immediately offered if needed. ● www.nespresso.com

Market your restaurant onlineMarketing4Restaurants is a revolutionary way of marketing your restaurant, cafe or take-away shop online.

A website is vital for restaurants as customers will often go online to find the location or look up menus before visiting. Marketing4Restaurants can help by creating a website for a low cost where the client can control customer feedback, display and update menus, and run email marketing campaigns. Customers will be able to access the website on their phones, view the current menu and interact through Facebook and Twitter.

“Far too many restaurants and cafes spend too much for websites that don’t work, ” says James Eling, managing director of Marketing4Restaurants. “I’ve also seen some appalling websites built by family friends that portrays such a bad image of the restaurant that it actually puts potential customers off.”● www.marketing4restaurants.com

Comfort in the kitchenIt is important to be comfortable during long days at work which is why Crocs have designed the Bistro shoe, perfect for people in the restaurant, foodservice and healthcare industries who spend long periods of time on their feet.

The shoes are slip-resistant and have a thick closed-toe design for maximum safety in the workplace. Comfort is guaranteed with an orthotic foot bed that naturally conforms to the shape of your foot. They are also waterproof, easy to clean and dry quickly.

The Bistro shoe is made with Croslite material that is light weight and durable; perfect for wearing all day. Additional features include odour-resistance, arch support and heel strap for a secure fit. ● www.crocsaustralia.com.au OH

22 Open House, January 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, January 2012 23

OPEN HOUSE FOODSERVICE is proud to be a diamond sponsor of the ACF.

For information on ACF, visit www.austculinary.com.au,

or contact the ACF National Office via acfnationaloffice@austculinary.com.au

or (03) 9816 9859.

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Official organ for the Australian Culinary Federation; Association of Professional Chefs and Cooks of NSW; Professional Chefs and Cooks

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culinary cliPPings

President’s Message

Peter WrightAustralian Culinary Federation (ACF)

Published in Australia by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd · P.O. Box 189, St Leonards, NSW 1590Opinions expressed by the contributors in this magazine are not the opinion of Open House Foodservice. Letters to the editor are subject to editing.

Happy New YearWelcome to the new year

of 2012, and a chance to refresh and put all of your plans and resolutions in good shape. The Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) has a great year planned with many events and activities to appeal to each and every one of you. The first two big events on the calendar are Fine Foods Brisbane and our inaugural Chef of the Year competition which will be held in South Australia in April; both events attract a large number of competitive chefs and offer great prize money. We have also been busy getting organised with a detailed calendar of events to assist your culinary planning, and getting started with Facebook, so get online and get involved at austculinary.com.au.

I often have conversations with chefs who are at the crossroads of their careers, questioning what the future holds, and a recent conversation reminded me of when I had my own mid-career dilemma. Working as an executive chef in a large establishment for a large caterer in the mid ’90s, I was concerned

about what next. The issue was I spent almost every day in a kitchen working and had no idea who to go to for advice. I spoke to my boss, who told me to stay put. Then I went to an industry recruitment firm, who told me to move to Queensland, take a pay cut and get a job as a sous chef to add some credibility to my career. Both answers were fully loaded with ulterior motive and neither had my best interest at heart. Luckily for me I took neither piece of advice and by chance found a new position that gave me a direction to build a successful career.

My advice to anyone in this situation is to look at what you have achieved so far and not blow the situation out of proportion because you’re bored or need a change of pasture. Take a good hard look at who relies on you (such as your spouse and children) and also what money you need every week to live on, then plan what to do, carefully and meticulously, going over best and worst case scenarios. Another option is to find a coach or mentor who can act as a guide to

Taste of the Territory Challengeget you through the tough times of indecision, or if all else fails contact the ACF, who will be able to put you in the right hands.

Now in finishing up, people often pass judgment on the way I write this column and what I write about. The feedback goes both ways; it’s mostly good but some is not so good, saying that I am monotonous and humdrum. My point of view is I am trying to let you all know what is going on with the ACF and hopefully get you involved. So from February we will make a few changes and include a calendar of events which will allow me to be a bit more creative. I would be interested to get any feedback from regular readers and Open House is more than happy to publish your comments as well.

Finally, congratulations to the Fonterra Proud To Be A Chef finalists who have been selected from hundreds of entries and will head to Melbourne in February for a three day master class and mentoring program.

Peter Wright National President Australian Culinary Federation peter@xtremechef.com.au www.austculinary.com.au

The annual Taste of the Territory Challenge was held in October last year at CDU Palmerston Campus, Northern Territory, with seven teams vying for medals by producing dishes that highlighted their creativity, skill and professionalism. To give the competition even more of a local flavour all the dishes included local ingredients including Crocodylus Park Crocodile, Humpty Doo Barramundi and Humpty Doo Honey.

The event was a joint competition held by Charles Darwin University and the Australian Culinary Federation NT Chapter, and judged by Steve Sunk (CDU lecturer/Walkabout chef), Ty Lee (CDU

lecturer) and Leigh Harding (VET instructor – Mission Australia at Nightcliff Middle School).

Virginia Store and Waterfront Bistro tied for gold for their entrées and desserts, while the Waterfront Bistro team scooped gold again for their main. The overall winner of the competition was Waterfront Bistro (Michael Lay and Tommy Jong), who were presented with a gift from Arafura Catering Equipment and Steve Sunk, Walkabout Chef.

The judges said they impressed with the standard across the teams, with very little to choose between them, and hoped that there would be more competitions to showcase what the NT had to offer.

The ACF’s International Chef’s Day Pink BreakfastOver the last three years, the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) in Victoria has run an annual Pink Breakfast to coincide with International Chefs Day, helping to raise valuable funds as well as awareness towards breast cancer research. The 2011 event saw five leading culinary institutes coming together to cook up a breakfast feast at Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market.

Chefs from the ACF, The Gordon Institute, William Angliss Institute, NMIT, Box Hill Institute and Victoria University donned their pink uniform to put together a menu to please the hundreds of people who attended. The menu delivered on the pink theme with pink lamingtons and cupcakes, eggs and bacon, smoked salmon and poached eggs on pink rolls, sausages on pink bread and pancakes with pink berries, with all the funds raised donated to support the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and

spatulas that were given away in a prize draw.

The event raised just under $4500, up from $2500 in the previous year. Planning is already under way for next year with a goal of raising more than $10,000 in 2012.

A special mention goes to event manager Rajiv Gulshan from the ACF committee, who was responsible for the success of this year’s event, along with Hamish Rodwell (ACF Victorian vice-president), for assisting him with the operational logistics in the weeks leading up to the day.

They were fortunate to again have dedicated and generous sponsors who provided product and ingredients for the breakfast. Thanks to everyone who came on board and supported the day, not to mention the culinary institutes who donated products and ingredients as well as their hard working chefs.

If you are planning to come to Melbourne in 2012 and beyond, make sure the Sunday closest to International Chefs Day (October 20) is on your calendar for a visit to the Queen Victoria Market.

Cooking up a storm

Wellness Centre. One of the centre’s ambassadors, actress and singer Tottie Goldsmith, attended on the day to help promote the centre and assist with raising funds.

The crowd was blessed by perfect spring weather and entertained by the excellent jazz ensemble Jazz Drive, who again donated

their time and music. During the Jazz Drive’s breaks, Jo Richardson from Kitchen Aid demonstrated the ever-reliable and much sought after Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. Kitchen Aid also donated two pale pink Kitchen Aid Stand Mixers, two pale pink Kitchen Aid Hand Mixers and a selection of silicon

(L to R) Liann Filer, Dale Lyman, Tottie Goldsmith, Hamish Rodwell and Steve McFarlane.

Competitors with the organiser of the competition, Antonio Tjung.

Burley Griffin cocktail function at the 25th Southern Cross Club Grad Cooks Award, which was made all the more exciting by the presence of two-time Culinary Olympian Garry Farrell.

The preparations for the night began at the National Convention Centre kitchen, which was filled with over 200 years of accumulated culinary experience. Tom McDonnell and Paul Butler from The National Press Club shared their experience with younger chefs, while Farrell gave chefs some tips and tricks out of his “Olympic Box”, enthralling everyone with his cooking demonstration. On the night, the Chapter awarded Peter Smee from the Royal Canberra Golf Club as their Iron Chef, joining the likes of Butler, McDonnell and Basil Smith.

The following night the Chapter welcomed Press Club pastry chef Lisa Van Zanten to Canberra to assist celebrity chef George Calombaris with his two shows at the Royal

Theatre, together with George’s former boss Farell. Host Neil Abrahams kept both chefs busy, as well as having some fun with the pair over their former professional relationship.

ACF stalwart McDonnell had the honour of leading the ACT team up to Darwin for the National Apprentice Competition, with the ACT represented by Rosie Firth from Royal Canberra Golf Club, Lilly Dowden from Peppered Prawn restaurant, and Morgan Neveceral from Parliament House Catering by IHG.

The team didn’t come back empty handed, with Firth and Dowden nabbing silver for 1st year (RTO Access) and 2nd year silver ( RTO RGT ) respectively, while Neveceral scooped a silver medal and best 3rd year overall ( RTO Wollongong TAFE ). Despite the hectic schedule, the chapter still managed to find the time to start the ACF ACT Fishing Club, and catch a few beauties on

The ACT Chapter of the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) finished 2011 with a flurry of activities and competitions that engaged with the community and supported their young chefs.

The ACT Chapter sponsored the Lake

their trip up the NT.

Finally, Dan Hurley and Mike Scheumann held good to their pledge of a silent auction for the Bidvest Chefs Tour 2011 Fundraiser to cook for the highest bidder ($1400) at the family’s house. OH

Pastry chef Lisa Van Zanten assisted celebrity chef George Calombaris at the Royal Theatre in Canberra.