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Tuna dishes just got easier!

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A right, royal issueVolume 49, Issue 6EDITOR – HOSPITALITYJes Magill Ph 027 537 4017Email [email protected]

EDITOR – THIRSTKeith Stewart Ph 021 283 9000Email [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER– HOSPITALITYWendy Steele Ph 021 300 473Email [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER– THIRSTKim McIntosh Ph 021 419 468Email [email protected]

DESIGNERKim BatleyEmail [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSLinda Bennett Christchurch

Sue Fea Queenstown

Kathy Ombler Wellington

INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTORSMarisa Bidois, Bruce Robertson, SPANZ, Cameron Douglas, Vic Williams and Dean Minchington.

GROUP SALES MANAGERLisa Morris 09 529 3000

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATORPip Maclean Ph 09 529 3000Email [email protected]

ACCOUNTANTPam King Ph 09 300 2670Email [email protected]

CREDIT CONTROLGladys Hooker Ph 09 300 2672Email [email protected]

CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONSSue McDiarmidRates: $80 for 12 issues plus Directoryincl GST and post.Overseas rates available on request.Address to: Subscriptions Dept, Mediaweb,PO Box 5544, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141Email [email protected]/shopping

PREPRESS & PRINT BYPMP PrintISSN 1172 4285

PUBLISHED BY

PUBLISHERToni Myers

MEDIAWEB115 Newton Road, Eden Terrace,Auckland 1010PO Box 5544, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141Phone +64 9 529 3000Fax +64 9 529 3001Email [email protected]

Original material published in this magazine is copyright, but may be reproduced providing permission is obtained from the editor and acknowledgment given to Hospitality magazine. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and may not necessarily be those of Mediaweb. We welcome material from commercial sources for publication but cannot guarantee that it will be used as submitted.

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Celebrations seem to be the theme for this issue of Hospitality magazine, and that’s more than fine by us. From the Lewisham Award winners just announced in Auckland, page 11, to the announcements of the World’s Best 50 Restaurants at the Guildhall in London, page 18, there’s plenty to inspire.

We celebrate Celia Hay’s success too. Celia features in our Chef Profile on page 20 and what she’s achieved is nothing short of miraculous. But those who know Celia probably won’t be surprised at all. She just happens to be one of life’s dynamos.

One of our indisputable young rising stars, Monique Rose Rutene, shares her short but so far illustrious career path in Life after Training on page 23, and we have the closest thing to royalty making an appearance as well. Culinary royalty, that is.

When celebrated French chef Alain Ducasse was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the judges of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants competition, Thirst editor Keith Stewart thought he’d pay Geoff Scott from Vinnies in Auckland a visit.

The young Geoff Scott trained under Ducasse in Monaco at his famous Le Louis XV restaurant, and Geoff ’s account of his time there and – indeed his entire culinary journey – makes for fascinating reading. That story is on page 36.

There’s plenty more to inspire as well. And try to take the time to celebrate your own successes. While we all can’t win Lewishams or be listed in the top 100 restaurants list; quite likely you’re a legend in your own restaurant or café. Keep us well informed about those successes, too. We all love to share a good news story.

Jes Magill, editor











http://www.mediaweb.co.nz

June 2013

News6 A closer look at Yelp

11 Lewisham winners – Auckland’s industry Oscars

12 Northern Lights

13 Capital Comment

14 Southern Starters

16 Chef wins a Moffat

17 Staff need feeding too

18 Signature dishes from the world’s best

20 Chef profile: Celia Hay

23 Training for Life: Monique Rose Rutene

Features24 The latest in training,

including e-Learning

28 Restaurant Association’s Key Business Partner Benefits

36 Vinnies' Geoff Scott on training with Alain Ducasse

Industry views40 Cameron Douglas on

creating a wine list, Bruce Robertson on Alcohol Law Reform

42 SPANZ profile on Simon D’souza and the Culinary Fare turns 21

42 Vic Williams on young ones’ eating habits and ServiceIQ on literacy, language and numeracy

Relaxation44 Books to savour –

and books to win

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On the coverSealord presents Tuna Flake in Spring Water and in a convenient 1kg pouch

46 Hawkes Bay – The whole gamut from New Zealand’s most diverse wine region

50 Cuba Man – Havana Club’s rum bloke in the Pacific

54 RUM – The panel tastes golden rums and we consider some cocktails

56 PINOT NOIR – Pinots from around the region give us a summary of this now classic New Zealand wine style

61 NEWS – Bourbon in short supply – New Zealand beers score in Australia

63 Cocktails – The soul of rum

64 Geoff Griggs Beer – Mastering the art of list building

Contents

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4 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JUNE 2013

Snapshots

Restaurant payments can now be automated, enabling diners to eat and leave while their bill is sorted digitally, and avoiding those sometimes awkward moments of public reckoning. Users of the app first choose to store a debit or credit card on their account that will be used every time they book a reservation through Cover, which passes the details on to restaurants once a table has been booked. At the end of the meal, the total is automatically charged to the card, meaning fewer queues and more diners. Consumers have to wait to check their bank statement, though, to determine the damage, although it appears Cover will launch as a high-end service aimed at those wishing to make payment more discreet. Website: www.paywithcover.com

A used chef’s jacket from the famous Spanish restaurant El Bulli has sold at auction in Hong Kong for US$1050. The auction raised US$1.8 million, mostly for wine from the restaurant’s cellars, with proceeds raised going to the El Bulli Foundation, a teaching operation opening in 2014. As well as undertaking research into food preparations, Chef Ferran Adria will teach aspiring chefs his techniques.

Kiwihospitality.co.nz is a new directory launched to help domestic and international visitors find a meal, drink or a bed via smartphone, tablet or pc. With more than 2000 Hospitality New Zealand (HNZ) members on the site, it provides a comprehensive range of choices. The site’s supported by an ad campaign leading visitors to kiwi hospitality. HNZ chief executive Bruce Robertson expects kiwihospitality.co.nz to drive business to HNZ members and be a useful guide to visitors.

Marcia and Russell Gray, Good Group CEO at the Botswana Butchery Auckland one-year celebration held recently. The flagship restaurant brand for the South Island-based group took over the former iconic Cin Cin restaurant site in the equally iconic Ferry Building. The Good Group has also purchased Harbourside restaurant – another landmark hospitality site – one floor up in the same building. Currently undergoing a major renovation with an intended July opening, the Harbourside venue is to remain a premium seafood restaurant.

Hotty's having a ballThis photo of Steve Hotton, aka ‘Hotty’ ran in last month’s (May 2013) issue of Hospitality magazine, unfortunately without a credit. The photographer was Sarah Rowland, of Country Pics. Sarahrowland.wix.com/sarah-rowland

http://www.paywithcover.com

http://www.kiwihospitality.co.nz


News

The story behind Yelp

BY JENNY KEOWN

I heard a story recently about a woman who posted a scathing report on a local online review website about a fish dish she’d eaten at a Japanese restaurant

“The fish was raw,” she wrote in disgust, and slated the restaurant for being unhygienic. The restaurant owners replied that she’d ordered sashimi without realising what it was.

It’s a cautionary tale that many in hospitality will be familiar with: there are people with little understanding of food or hospitality who post negative online reviews that can influence a restaurant’s reputation.

For a review website with more than 100 million unique visitors a month and found in 21 countries – San Francisco based Yelp (www.yelp.co.nz) launched rather quietly in New Zealand last month. Given its controversial background, it’s one to put on the watch list.

Yelp was started in 2004 by California-based MRL Ventures by several former PayPal executives and within a few years the site was accused of extortion and bullying of firms. In 2009 reports emerged in California of Yelp salespeople offering to hide

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Chef Profile.

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News

negative customer reviews if the businesses paid to advertise on Yelp.

Anyone can write a review on Yelp, including friends and competitors and Yelp states that its automated process removes reviews that are biased, malicious or phony.

But California Restaurant Association spokesperson Angelica Pappas told Hospitality magazine that Yelp wasn’t transparent about their algorithm used to filter results, which caused a lot of operators to believe good reviews were purposely hidden until businesses advertised with Yelp.

This is “supremely frustrating” for operators, but nothing the CRA could confirm or refute with certainty, she said.

In the US, Yelp, and all online reviews in general, have led to a big change in how restaurants work to present themselves from day one, and even prior, she said.

Operators were surprised, even during soft opening periods; customers would post critical reviews about everything from service to food to décor.

“It’s widely expected now there’s no time to “work out the bugs” when opening a new location and Yelp is largely the reason,” she said.

Another unintended consequence of Yelp is that of the emboldened reviewer. Heavy Yelp users are given “elite” status, with access to parties and perks, including the potential to become known in a local restaurant community as a contributor to foodie culture. While online review sites don’t have quite that level of influence here, they might do in the future as broadband and mobile use expands.Yelp joins a growing list of online review websites in New Zealand such as Dine, Trip Advisor and Menu Mania and operators would be wise to make sure they have processes in place to deal with negative reviews.


News

From the Ground upJenny Garing’s life has primarily been marked by two passions – linguistics and food. It was initially her passion for languages that saw her live across China, Japan, Korea,

Thailand, Scandinavia and Europe, running her own language training school and working for foreign governments. KIMBERLEY PATERSON picks up the story.

But the mystical alchemy of culture, language and food entwined around her heart and when Jenny moved back to New Zealand, her love of food kicked off a spectacular new career.

It began when Jenny tried to make the dishes that were so familiar overseas, but when she couldn’t find the ingredients, her culinary adventure began: grinding exotic spice mixtures, dukkahs, spice pastes and marinades, rubs, nut dips, za atar, spezie, concasse, harissa, toum (a smooth Middle Eastern garlic sauce) and selling them to chefs and restaurants who were then just beginning to use such ingredients.

Authenticity was at the heart of everything she did: hand-grinding using mortar and pestle or the national treasure – a 35kg authentic Korean grinding stone.

The grind is the thing: traditional grinding methods retain the volatile oils and therefore the flavour. “When you use blades to cut spices, nuts or herbs you lose all the volatile oils and therefore all the flavour,” explains Jenny.

While labour-intensive, hand-grinding gives a premium product – filled with flavour and taste sensations and able to be kept for a year due to the protective oils that remain in the product.

Jenny’s business Ground Gourmet Essentials grew and grew. What began as a boutique store in historic Lyttlelton expanded into the Ground Culinary Centre, including a café, then a licensed café, catering business and cooking school.

But at the height of it all, the Christchurch earthquake struck. The building with all its offerings was lost and eventually demolished. After grieving for a time, Jenny got back up and reformulated the business – concentrating strongly on her products and re-introducing them to the wholesale restaurant and retail market.

She’s secured the last commercial kitchen premises in Lyttelton and is still offering catering and cooking classes as well as distributing her products nationwide.

“It’s all about global flavours using local ingredients,” says Jenny. “We use authentic recipes from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Asia, and Latin America and the spices, rubs, dips and pestos are a flavour explosion.

“People don’t really understand the difference authentic hand-grinding makes until they taste it and the moment they do, they’re on board for life.”

The business grinds small product batches to ensure maximum freshness and delivers regularly. “When we began 10 years ago, not a lot of people knew what things like za atar or concasse or harissa were, but over the last five years they’ve really taken off.

“We’ve gone back to our roots, showcasing premium products created in a way that no one else is doing in New Zealand, as well as staying ahead of new trends.”

At the South Island Hospitably Show, Jenny and her team are keen to meet with chefs and restaurants along with retailers who want to buy wholesale and repackage for their own shops.

Out of adversity and the loss of her beloved Lyttlelton Ground Culinary Centre, Jenny says a new Ground is being born, one with a broader reach to introduce more New Zealanders to a truly tasteful experience.

Ground Gourmet Essentials will be at Stand 7 of the South Island Hospitality Show, to be held on September 4 and 5, 2013 at the CBS Arena. This is a dedicated hospitality event providing catering, restaurant and accommodation industries with the latest products, services and equipment available in New Zealand.

After the earthquake.

Before the earthquake.

Starting over - Jenny Garing, left, and Felicity Georgeson.

4 & 5 September 2013www.sihs.co.nz

http://www.sihs.co.nz


News

New Pre-Cooked ‘Egg Patties’

For more informationPhone 06 755 0905 or email [email protected]

or visit www.vandyck.co.nz

Van Dyck Fine Foods have added a new product to their range of pre-cooked,

frozen, free-flow crepes, hotcakes & blinis.Van Dyck Egg Patties are perfectly suited to both meat and vegetarian dishes including breakfast, lunch or room service.

Small kitchens and hospitality professionals that demand speed, margin & versatility will love this creative offering.

Made from a delicious base of egg, combined with capsicum, cheese with a hint of pepper & spices. Available in a frozen

free-flow pack of 20, 4 packs per carton.

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And the winners are! The 2013 Lewisham Awards winners were announced at a glittering affair at Auckland’s

SkyCity recently where hospitality heavyweights, emerging stars and hopefuls rubbed shoulders, celebrated success and officially recognised their peers.

Damaris Coulter of Coco’s Cantina & Bar scooped two of the major awards – Outstanding Restaurateur and Outstanding Hospitality Personality. These coveted accolades went to the vibrant Coulter who has created, along with her sister Renee, an equally buzzy Italian-style joint along Auckland’s Karangahape Rd. The place is so popular the Coulter’s took over the space next door and opened Barretta, a cosy bar that takes the overflow of eager diners waiting for a table.

Mark Southon of The Foodstore took out the prestigious Outstanding Chef title. English-born Southon trained in Michelin-star restaurants in Europe before coming to New Zealand via two years at Australia’s leading Vue de Monde. Southon worked at The French Café before joining The Foodstore and James Goggin, also from The Foodstore, won Outstanding Bartender.

Dominique Fourie of Merediths won the Emerging Talent award; Sven Neilson of Molten won Outstanding Wine Service Professional; Ismo Koski from Sidart won Outstanding Maître d’; the Outstanding Waiter award went to Michelle Moore from The French Café; Lili Deng from Cereal Killa won Outstanding Coffee Establishment/Barista. Tickety-Boo Liquor won Outstanding Supplier and Jacqui Clarke from Tickety-Boo Liquor won Outstanding Sales Representative.

Clooney restaurant was voted Outstanding Auckland Establishment; Outstanding Bar went to Mea Culpa; Outstanding New Venue, Late Night Diner and Outstanding Wine List to The Golden Dawn.

The Lewishams were established in 2003 and are administered by the Restaurant Association. The awards are named in honour of legendary hospitality entrepreneur Richard Lewisham who helped establish Auckland’s modern-day eating and drinking scene.

The Lewisham 2013 line up

DAMARIS COULTER Outstanding Restaurateur & Hospitality Personality,

Coco’s Cantina.

MARK SOUTHON Outstanding Chef,

The Foodstore.

DOMINIQUE FOURIE Emerging Talent,

Merediths.

SVEN NEILSON Outstanding Wine Service

Professional, Molten.

ISMO KOSKI Outstanding

Maître d’, Sidart.

MICHELLE MOORE Outstanding Waiter,

The French Café. Outstanding Supplier

JAMES GOGGIN Outstanding Bartender,

The Foodstore.

LILI DENG Outstanding Coffee

Establishment/Barista, Cereal Killa.

JACQUI CLARK Outstanding Sales Rep.


http://www.vandyck.co.nz


Hospitality magazine called in for breakfast at Mister D’s in Napier soon after the one-year-old bistro’s scoop at the 2013 Hawkes Bay Hospitality Awards. Mister D is the latest offering by David Griffiths and Prue Barton, along with Dan and Jo Toswill. Griffiths won Outstanding Chef, the café won Outstanding Café Experience and the award for Best Ambience/Style. For the full list of winners, go to www.hospitalitymag.co.nz

Cool new eateries continue to emerge along Ponsonby Road, with Ponsonby Central’s prime corner site now home to Blue Breeze Inn, the latest inspired offering by restaurateur Mark Wallbank and chef Che Barrington, of Moochowchow fame just up the road. Where contemporary Thai features at Moochowchow, Chinese cuisine is given the magical Wallbank/Barrington treatment at Blue Breeze Inn. And the team behind the Ponsonby Social Club recently opened Late Night Diner, right next door to the Club. Chef Tony Clauston joins Rodney Gower, Bobby Brazuka and Sharr Bezarti in bringing a classic-style 1950s American diner to the popular, mid-way, now very well served strip.

Three cheques totalling $75,000 were donated to the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch City Mission Food Banks by the DineAid charity at a lunch presentation held at Sails Restaurant recently. The event attracted culinary heavyweights from the charity’s top 20 nation-wide participating restaurants and the list of food parcel ingredients available to Food Bank clients informed the menu for MCA chef, businessman and DineAid trustee Mark Gregory, who worked in the kitchen. DineAid-ers enjoyed minted pea soup à la can and slow master stock poached beef from one of the cheaper cuts available. An initiative undertaken by the NZ restaurant and café community to raise funds for those in need – DineAid operates through November and December each year, with a voluntary $2 donation per table added to the bill. To date, DineAid has raised nearly $400,000 for charity.

News

Northern Lights

Pack and Company rolled out three new venues last month. In Kingsland and Takapuna two pizza and vino joints called Blunderbuss opened their doors and the company has ventured into brewing too with the opening of The Crown – Little Empire Brewery and Eating House in the historic Britomart Hotel, formerly the Britomart Brewing Company. Little Empire’s own offerings will be on tap there at the end of this month.

The smile says it all: David Griffiths celebrates his Outstanding Chef award at the HB Hospitality Awards. With him are Santani Flavell from Clearview Estate, centre, and Prue Barton, also from Mister D.

Wilf Holt, left, and Liam Willis from the Auckland City Mission receiving DineAid’s 2013 fundraising cheque from Valerie Littlejohn, Sails Restaurant co-owner.

Pack and Company are brewers too, at The Crown – Little Empire Brewery & Eating House.

http://www.hospitalitymag.co.nz


The white linen remains but perennial restaurant Shed 5 re-opened in May after a massive make over by the Nourish Group and now occupies a much smaller space within its heritage-listed wharf-shed home. Alongside is the more rustic Crab Shack, a “Cape Cod-Kiwiana kind of fun, affordable family restaurant”, promises co-owner Richard Sigley. “We’ve got scoops of mussels, pipi, tua tua and clams, plus hangi flavours, and charcoal cooking in wine barrels. We didn’t want to lose Shed 5, and the building is big enough to have multiple brands. That said, trying new and different options is a highly risky process and it will be interesting to see how they work,” he added.

Innovation and audacity stand out in the just-released programme for Visa Wellington on a Plate (9-25 August). The centrepiece as usual is DINE Wellington and this year 110 outlets will be offering set menu deals. With the popular Battle of the Burger, Garage Project presents Burger Wellington which returns with an incredible 113 special events including Beervana and the Wellington Fisher & Paykel MasterClass.The likely highlights will be Pest Control: for example The Larder’s degustation of venison offal and the six course Pest Control Degustation (think thistle and possum), while Chameleon Restaurant is serving up “Hunter & Gatherer: a Venistation.”Developed in partnership by Positively Wellington Tourism and Grow Wellington, the festival programme has tripled since it began five years ago.

Capital CommentWellington’s Capital Awards continue to grow, says event committee chairman Blair Fryer, of Vivo Enoteca Cucina. The event – which has been running for four years – celebrates Wellington’s best operators and acknowledges the hard-working industry. This year 4000 nominations were received, a 25 percent increase on last year.As the Awards become more established, scholarships and mentoring opportunities will be created, for the betterment of the industry. Finalists for the 2013 awards were announced in May, with the winners to be announced on June 30.

News

Industry folk helping bring Visa Wellington on a Plate together, (from left) Shepherd Elliott, Ti Kouka Café; Sahil Hussein, Artisan Restaurant and Bar; Pete Gillespie and Jos Ruffell, Garage Project; Bridget Dunn, PreFab; Nick Clark, Flight Coffee; Kimmy O’Leary, Hummingbird; Shaun Clouston, Logan Brown.

The Crab Shack joins Shed 5

Capital Award, Outstanding Contribution to Wellington Hospitality finalists include, from left, Rachel Taulelei, Yellow Brick Road; Ruth Pretty, Ruth Pretty Catering and Roger Young, Fidel’s Café and Havana Bar.


Southern Starters

News

Six young Queenstown chef hopefuls have been chosen to learn from some of the area's leading culinary kings as part of a Top Chef mentoring programme. The 15- and 16-year old Wakatipu High School students are completing a six-week hands-on course, under the watchful eye of volunteer mentoring chefs in working restaurant and hotel kitchens. The Beyond the Basics programme was organised by Queenstown’s Youth Booth and youth worker Nathan Baxter, who says the youngsters – chosen through an interview process – were experiencing firsthand the pressures that go with the job. After learning from leading chefs, including Crowne Plaza’s Riki Isnanto, Martin James of Wai Dining Group, Jason Moss from Waitiri Creek Winery and Skyline’s Danny Miller; the young cooks will put on a three-course dinner for up to 100 invited guests. An Otago Polytechnic Cromwell campus scholarship is up for grabs for the top chef.

Arrowtown’s historic Postmaster’s Residence has been re-launched as the Postmasters Restaurant by an ex-pat English and Irish couple and a well-known Queenstown restaurateur. Head chef Sam Laycock and partner Maria Kealy have joined forces with Ian MacLennan, former owner of Sombrero’s Mexican restaurant in Queenstown, to take over the former Postmaster’s Residence in the historic mining town’s main street. The new owners are focused on making the most of the cottage’s old world charm, renowned as one of the gems of Arrowtown’s history. Both Laycock, formerly of Vudu Cafe, and Kealy, a wine consultant, worked for MacLennan prior to a stint in Australia. So far Fiordland venison is a signature dish in the upmarket, casual-style restaurant.Arrowtown’s historic Postmaster’s Restaurant

From left: Alice Ward, Tessa Kennedy, Lucy Traill, Crowne Plaza executive chef Riki Isnanto, Haruka Aria, Joel Pratt and Cassey Strachan.

Aoraki Mt Cook’s Hermitage Hotel is celebrating culinary success

after its award-winning chefs took out first and third place at the Southern Light Salon Culinaire

competition at Cromwell’s Otago Polytechnic campus last month. Hermitage executive chef Kane

Bambery and chef de partie Chris Walker beat off stiff competition

to take top spots in the prestigious ‘Chef of the Region’ category. Bambery won three individual

events last year. The annual Salon Culinaire competition is for

students or chefs already working in the industry and this year

attracted around 160 competitors.


Christchurch’s bed numbers received a significant boost last month with the reopening of The Rendezvous Hotel in the central city. Mat Jones is heading up the open kitchen at the hotel’s Straits Cafe and Junction Bar. Formerly The George and Millennium Hotel Christchurch, Jones was named Junior Chef of the Year in 2008 by the Chaîne des Rotisseurs, the international association of gastronomy. Straits Cafe will open for breakfast and dinner over winter, with a lunch menu on offer in spring. The Junction Bar offers hotel fare. With New Regent Street recently reopening across the road, the heart of the CBD is finally starting to beat.

The Belgian Beer Café The Torenhof has reopened, out the back of the trendy Colombo Mall in Sydenham. It’s been quite a ride to get up and going again since the original Provincial Chambers site in Armagh Street was closed after the February 2011 quake. Owner Mark McGuinness only managed to settle his insurance claim earlier this year. The new bar features a good portion of the $1m+ fitout from the original venue, sourced by getting special permission to go back into the badly damaged former site in the ‘deconstuction zone’. Then McGuinness faced the other mammoth challenge in Christchurch hospitality – finding a new location and staffing it. So it’s great to see the doors open on this impressive Mark II.

Hospitality business Loaded Reports has attracted significant investment from Hellaby Holdings founder Tur Borren and software industry veteran Trevor Crawford, who’ve both taken up directorships. They join Cook Brothers Bars’ co-owners James Arnott and Richard McLeod, who first launched the Loaded Reports online programme in September, 2011. More than 150 customers have signed up to Loaded Reports, recognising the value of the system for its ability to save businesses time and money. Clients include high-profile operators such as Auckland’s Britomart Hospitality Group, Lone Star and Joe’s Garage franchises, plus many individual operators throughout the country.

News

Belgian Beer Cafe Torenhof – an impressive Mark II.

Rendezvous Christchurch

Loaded Reports general manager Stu Munro (left) and chief executive James Arnott.

Authentic French breads and pastry treats are to be found at the Holmwood Road shops in Merivale, with the opening of Le Panier Boulangerie touted by some as the best bread in town. Frenchman Gilles Thebault (baker) and wife Nikki (architect) are behind the venture.

Lots of new Asian eateries are popping up – Vietnamese restaurant Little Saigon has opened a second branch in Stanmore Road in Richmond, Tomi Japanese Restaurant has surfaced on Edgeware Road and Himawari Japanese restaurant at the Windmill Centre in Riccarton.The Facebook page is up, and Jonny Schwass is promising his much awaited restaurant Harlequin Public House is not too far away.


Cooking on a winner

Cash-strapped café owners win new oven, just in the nick of time.

David Scott and Nicole Tuffey from Essence Café & Bar in Fielding couldn’t believe it when Hospitality magazine called them last month, informing them that they’d won a Hospitality website competition and a Moffat oven – valued at $7430+gst – was coming their way very soon.

“Our current oven is 20 years old and was no longer adequate, so this couldn’t have come at a better time,” David says. Their old oven, also a Moffat, was still going well but with only four burners, it wasn’t keeping pace with the popular café’s needs.

Moffat’s national sales manager Brian Davies travelled to Fielding to present the prize and was delighted to hand over the G506 six-burner to a young, deserving couple working hard in the industry.

“The cost to purchase a new oven was going to be a challenge for David and Nicole, and it was great to see the oven going to such deserving people,” says Brian.

News

Brian Davies, left, National Sales Manager from Moffat, presents David Scott from Essence Café & Bar in Fielding with a brand new, six-burner Moffat oven.

http://www.moffat.co.nz



News

Staff need to eat too

Auckland-based clinical nutritionist and passionate foodie Linda Outhwaite knows the hospitality industry. She eats out regularly and

loves keeping up with the hospitality scene.

But as a nutritionist, and a mum whose son works in the industry, she’s concerned about the number of workers who don’t eat properly and the impact that has on the industry.

“Workers often don’t eat a balanced meal before a shift, and sometimes don’t eat at all during a shift. In pressured venues, there’s seldom time to take a break and usually after work chances are they don’t eat a balanced meal,” says Linda.

“When you’re exhausted, first instincts are to go for a quick hit – a fast-food snack high in starch, or a sugar hit, or stimulants such as coffee or energy drinks.”

While Linda might sound like a nagging nutritionist, she reckons if hospitality operators calculated the costs to their business of poor-performing staff because of diet, they’d think differently about nutrition in the workplace.

A better diet also means decreased ‘presentee-ism’ which occurs when employees are physically present but not always productive. “What your employees eat while on shift can impact on your profitability and customers’ dining experiences,” she says. “If they eat a balanced meal, they’ll have a clear mind, improved mood and with optimum blood sugar levels, sustained mental and physical energy too.”

A balanced meal aims for one third protein and two thirds high fibre. Soluble fibre slows down the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, ideal for sustained energy levels. Good quality fats reduce the GI of a meal and culinary acids slow down carbohydrate digestion, and increases mineral absorption. Add a little crunch too and sprinkle nuts and seeds over dishes.

Ensure everyone drinks plenty of water and think about stress levels. “If the body perceives we’re under threat, adrenaline surges will result, so we can fight or flight. And that’s not ideal when you’re in the hospitality business!”

“Eating a balanced meal leads to higher morale and better performance in the workplace,” says nutritionist Linda Outhwaite. www.nutritionwise.co.nz

http://www.steelfort.co.nz

http://www.nutritionwise.co.nz


News

Spain’s back on topThe announcement of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants sees the return to number one

position of a Spanish establishment with El Celler de Can Roca – a three-star establishment in Girona run by the Roca brothers – the new ruler of restaurant reputation.

Regaining the status once in the hands of Ferran Adrià’s elBulli, El Celler has a sound foundation in Catalan cuisine, combined with a healthy innovative urge. El Celler has been high in the eyes of local gourmets for some years, and was number two last year, behind Noma in Denmark.

New Zealand’s restaurant community has again failed to register in even the top 100, but Taranaki-born chef, Ben Shewry claimed the top newcomer award with

his Attica restaurant in Melbourne. Shewry has been on the top 100 list before, but this is his first appearance in the top 50, at 21, making Attica Australia’s leading establishment on the list.

THE TOP TEN1. El Cellar de Can Roca – Girona, Spain up 1 Standout dish – charcoal-grilled king prawn, king-

prawn sand, ink rocks, fried legs, head juice and king prawn essence.

2. Noma – Copenhagen, Denmark down 1 Standout dish – brown crab, egg yolk and herbs.3. Osteria Francescana – Modena, Italy up 2 Standout dish – camouflage – a hare in the woods.4. Mugaritz – San Sebástian, Spain down 1 Standout dish – chocolate cake, cold almond cream

and cocoa bubbles. 5. Eleven Madison Park – New York, USA up 5 Standout dish – surf clam with morcilla sausage and

celery root clam bake with whelk, Parker House roll and chowder.

6. D.O.M. – Sâo Paulo, Brazil = Standout dish – fresh heart of palm with scallops and

coral sauce. 7. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London UK up 2 Standout dish – frumenty (c. 1390) grilled octopus,

smoked sea broth, pickled dulse and lovage.8. Arzak – San Sebástián, Spain = Standout dish – lobster in a crisp potato shell with a

cobaiba sauce and red pepper sphere. 9. Steirereck – Vienna, Austria up 2 Standout dish – quoted as sensational dishes that

play with Austria’s rich cultural history. 10. Vendôme – Bergisch Gladbach, Germany up 13 Standout dish – venison with pine-needle jelly and

celery cream.

Ben Shewry, Kiwi chef at Attica, Melbourne, voted 21 on the list and received the Highest New Entry Award.

http://www.escea.com/DX1500


Escea

Creating hot spotsThe latest addition to the hospitality scene in Dunedin is the newly built Lone Star, situated just south of the University of Otago campus. The new restaurant covers an impressive 950sqm and includes indoor and outdoor areas over two floors.

Crucial to the success of any restaurant or bar is the ambience and temperature. Lone Star owner Nick Nilsen wanted to encourage customers to gather in particular areas and feels that they’ve covered both bases by installing four Escea gas fires throughout the complex.

“We invested heavily in the interior of the restaurant and bar and needed a heating solution that would look just as good. Everyone loves a good fire, they create a welcoming atmosphere that people are reluctant to leave. And the seats near the fire are always the first to be taken,” says Nilsen

Escea has a growing reputation within the hospitality industry for delivering sophisticated heating solutions capable of heating a variety of bars, restaurants and cafes effectively and economically. The nature and design of the Escea range means that they become a focal point for customers who naturally gravitate towards them.

Escea’s architectural specifier Grant Simpson has worked with developers and architects throughout the country and overseas to ensure that the product fits the specific needs, looks great and is easily integrated into renovation or new build plans. Simpson and his team took this a step further for the Lone Star when they developed a system to pipe residual heat from one of the fires into outdoor seating.

“We worked closely with Nick and the team from Lone Star to develop a system that would allow the heat from the DX1500 fireplace to be distributed evenly through the booth seating, the result is a dramatic see-through gas fire in the centre of the bar, and warm patrons around the periphery”.

Escea has a specialist team that works with owners and architects to fit the best product for the job. Architect Andy Watson, from +MAP Architects who redesigned the iconic Christchurch restaurant Saggio di Vino used the Escea DX1500 because it was both double-sided and frameless.

“Clients like the idea … the fire was a real heat source that could be distributed, rather than just an ambient point source”.

The support team from Escea are also seeing growing demand from bars for their outdoor range which offer an alternative to high maintenance wood fires. The Escea EF5000 fireplaces can be seen from Queenstown ski fields to urban bars.

Examples of the Escea DX Series fireplaces can be found in Saggio di Vino and Beach Bar in Christchurch, and several of the Mac’s Brew Bars around New Zealand.

Chef Profile

Chef, educator, entrepreneur – Celia Hay.

A lesson in looking forward

Faced with losing her school, her restaurant and her family’s home in one vicious swoop

– chef, educator and entrepreneur, Celia Hay, reckons genetics got her through the hard times and inspired her business move into the Auckland market. She shares her

inspirational story with LINDA BENNETT.



Chef Profile

This culinary icon comes from a long line of ‘doers’. Her father was former Christchurch mayor Sir Hamish Keith and her grandfather Sir James Hay, a philanthropist and founder of department store and supermarket chain Hay’s Ltd.

“I am by nature an entrepreneur,” Celia says. “It’s in my DNA.” And it has certainly taken something powerful running through her veins to pick herself up and move on since 2011.

At the beginning of that year, Celia and her three children were well ensconced in life in the Garden City. Celia had been running her own unique brand of tailored hospitality education – The New Zealand School of Food and Wine (NZSFW), in central Victoria Street since 1995. Downstairs in the same building, she operated the award-winning Hay’s Restaurant. The businesses were ticking along nicely, her children settled at inner-city schools, and the family living in an apartment in a nearby heritage building.

But come 12:51pm on February 22, the life she’d built up over many years changed immeasurably. The building that housed the school and restaurant was badly damaged, and their home destroyed.

With a future offering nothing for certain, within a few weeks Celia made the call to move the family to Auckland. “Two of my children needed to do fundamental exams that year and that was the reason for the haste. The children were also in private schools and all of a sudden I had no income. We had to move.”

Her initial relief that she was well insured quickly dissolved. “Extracting the money has been a huge battle and I went more than a year with no insurance pay out at all. It was really stressful, and unexpected stress, because I thought we’d be fine with all this cover. But we’re still battling over the building and there’s more waiting for more engineering reports.”

While the call to move to Auckland was swift, Celia says the unknowns around insurance meant the decision about relocating the school was a long one. “We didn’t have a clear understanding of what we would be paid and when it would be settled. I thought so many times I wasn’t going to get a thing – but you have to keep looking forward.”

So, with steely resolve, she took the plunge and reopened The New Zealand School of Food and Wine in Customs Street in the Viaduct early in 2012. While she’d run short courses in Auckland, and had always drawn students south, essentially the school was unknown in the Auckland market.

“I was starting from nothing with another big issue – I had no staff. I’d slowly built up key staff in Christchurch over the years, and having to leave them behind was really hard. It’s so hard to replace that experience. How do you cope? You have to keep looking at the future. You still have to do normal things like going to school. It was a new chapter.”

Along with the original courses she ran in Christchurch, Celia

has some new offerings, including the Foundation Certificate in Cooking and Hospitality, and a weekend restaurant and café management course. The school is the only place in New Zealand accredited to teach the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) 12-week classroom-based wine course, and is one of the few providers in the world of the Professional Yachting Association’s Stewardess Training.

“This is a new international accreditation, looking at the service side of working on super yachts. I’ve always been interested in this industry, from people we met from the super yachts doing the cookery course.”

The NZSFW has certainly gone from nothing to something significant. “We have 75 full-time students and this week we had nearly 60 high school students through for three days doing the STAR programme – aimed at smoothing the transition from school to further education and employment. It’s a really good feather in

our cap that high school teachers chose to send them here.”

Celia’s also fostering some exciting opportunities in Asia. In July she’s presenting food and wine pairing seminars in Tokyo with wine lovers and students from culinary schools and it’s hoped these students will then sign up for the three to five day courses at The NZSFW in Auckland.

In Xiamen, China, she’s teamed up with a former student Roger Chow and will lend her expertise helping design and develop courses for a hospitality school he’s setting up. And this month, she’s leading a four-day wine course for the WSET Level 2 in Xiamen, which Roger will translate.

If she wasn’t busy enough, she’s also brought her own take of a Kiwi classic to Auckland – opening Celia’s Pies on the ground floor of the building housing the School. Selling healthier pies with quality ingredients, including lamb from

the Hay family farm, the shop also gives the students barista experience.

You’ll also find her still teaching in the classroom. Along with a chef qualification and a plethora of experience in kitchens and running hospitality businesses; Celia has behind her an MBA, a Masters in Education, the WSET (London) Diploma of Wine and a history degree to boot. Add to that a passion for teaching, and the industry here is indeed fortunate to have this inspirational woman as an educator.

“A lot of people at my level have moved upstairs and don’t teach anymore but students love that I teach them myself. I do tell them about the earthquakes, they need that reality too that things will happen, but you have to keep going.”

It’s just one of many life lessons she’s able to pass on after her experiences over the past two years: “Don’t waste time on things that aren’t going anywhere. Conserve your energy for the important things, and live for the day.”

A student serves a 'guest' at an NZSFW lunch.

NZSFW students plating up.


News

What inspired you to make a career in hospitality?

I developed an interest in hospitality when I was 12 years old. I spent my school holidays with my grandparents in Akaroa, helping them out in their dairy and café and I knew then it would be a career I would love. Is this your first job since completing training and how’s it going?

I completed the two and a half year National Certificate Level 3 and 4 and the Food and Beverage Modern Apprenticeship in August 2012 at Fiordland Lodge. Apprenticeships are great – you can work, grow and learn in the workplace. My job is really going well. It’s exciting, challenging and I enjoy going to work. And I’m continuing my training résumé with the ServiceIQ National Diploma in Operational Management Level 5 Rooms Division and Food and Beverage Management strands.Did your training equip you for the reality of the workplace?

Yes, to a certain point. Food, beverage and customer service skills, absolutely. What I learnt was useful and I could put it into practice straight away. It’s essential to keep learning too, especially if you wish to climb the ranks and keep up with trends. Describe your proudest moment in hospitality.

There are lots, but the proudest would be winning awards for the last three years consecutively. Having your name called out in a room full of industry professionals is a pretty amazing feeling.What would be your best advice for someone starting out in the industry?

It doesn’t matter where you work, take pride in it and strive to be

Training for LifeAt 24 years old, Monique Rose Rutene is the restaurant manager at Fiordland Lodge in Te Anau. Monique won the Modern Apprentice of the Year, Food & Beverage in 2010 & 2011, and the inaugural 2012 Hospitality Training Trust Rising Star Award. Certainly one to watch, Monique shares her inspirations and aspirations with Hospitality magazine.

the best. And trainees – learn not for now, learn for the future. Be prepared to work very hard and only go into hospitality if you have the passion. What are your goals?

To enter competitions as a professional and complete the National Diploma in Hospitality, Level 5 Operational Management. I’d like to be a successful hospitality career woman, role model and business owner, and I’d love to be an ambassador for the industry – encouraging more front office, food and beverage hosts and even apprentices to become involved in hospitality as a profession. Where do you think hospitality trends will head in the next five to ten years?

Social media, mobile and photo sharing will be huge. Reviews can be posted on the spot for a good or bad experience and online bookings will be last minute. The industry will grow and be busier than ever and overseas visitors will come in the thousands and keep us on our toes. I want to see a NZ food service programme on TV. Let’s see how professional and knowledgeable food and beverage hosts can be!What do you love the most about the hospitality industry?What’s not to love! Even the tough customers are great! I love the challenge, diversity, environment, the work mates you meet and it’s not nine to five. I mostly have a good work/life balance but most of all, apart from the delicious food and wine, it’s the people aspect I love. Providing a service where the guest can leave with that wow factor – making a difference in someone’s day and enhancing their experience.

http://www.ServiceIQ.org.nz


The use of technology to support the growth of skills and knowledge in hospitality is booming overseas. In New Zealand, hospitality training organisations are also

embracing technology, particularly as a way to capture students’ attention and cater to different learning styles. Jenny Keown finds out how much of a role e-learning can play in this people-centered industry – where practical experience is crucial to

career development – and explores the career path opportunities available.

ServiceIQ , created after the Hospitality Standards Institute merged with two other service industry training organizations, is aiming to launch a pilot online training programme mid-year, in partnership with industry associations.

Chief executive Dean Minchington says this programme would have content that could be applied across the service sector, including hospitality, tourism, retail and wholesale. “We’re pleased to be able to say that we are going online.”

The use of technology to support skills development was growing worldwide and the real benefits of online learning material were the reasons for its rapid growth, says Minchington.

"We’re all in the age of onlinement. It’s important that service staff learn where it suits them best, and there are many ways they can learn, after hours or on the job."

As part of ServiceIQ’s online offer, a service worker could complete a course as part of a national qualification, as it would give them the opportunity of achieving one or more unit standards and they might want to go further and complete a full qualification, he says.

“The programme would cover topics such as liquor license control, food safety, workplace health and safety, maximising sales, personal presentation and numeracy and literacy. Workplaces could use the programme as an induction package to help their staff be more practical and skilled in their workplace,” says Minchington.

In the UK, Spain and Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), nearly 40 percent of companies train more than 50 percent of their employees via e-learning, according to a CrossKnowledge and Ipsos paper presented in January 2012 as part of a London Learning Technologies conference.

The challenge of training large numbers of employees and the need to align competencies in real time over increasingly competitive global markets were some of the factors motivating large companies to develop an interest in e-learning ahead of the rest, according to the paper.

For those people who are further along in their hospitality careers, such as busy managers who’d like to gain qualifications, AUT offers postgraduate online courses.

Blending hospitality & technology

Today's maitre'd blends hospitality with technology. IMAGE SUPPLIED BY ServiceIQ.

Training


Training

It has offered the online Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Hospitality Management for the last two years, in response to the increasing demand for hospitality managers to have degrees, particularly overseas.

AUT Hospitality Postgraduate Programme Leader Warren Goodsir says these degrees had attracted a mix of people both here and abroad, including travel agents and motel operators. The courses cover topics such as strategy planning, financial accounting, employee motivation and wine studies.

They include an orientation aimed at students who have doubts or confidence issues with technology. “We might get them writing a blog or going to an e-library, pulling something down and getting them to write about it,” says Goodsir.

The online diploma provides students with a qualification equivalent to a bachelor degree which can lead to a career in hotel management, food and beverage management and hospitality education, he says.

For people who have a passion for food and want to push their field of study beyond certificate and diploma level, then AUT University’s f ledgling Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts may be the answer.

Programme Leader Dale Thompson said the degree – offered for the first time this year - covers the body of knowledge that sits around the cooking of food and beverages. “It’s more detailed than just training for a craft,” he says.

The degree covers topics such as gastronomy, commercial culinary practice, culinary values, contemporary cuisine in Aotearoa, and the sociology of food.

Theory lectures and practical tutorials are conducted in its purpose-built School of Hospitality and Tourism.

In the third year, students showcase their creativity, cooking skills and organisational skills by designing and presenting a function for 100 plus people.

“The future chef needs to know more than just the preparation of food. They need to be more adaptable and create jobs for themselves, and the skills in the degree are transferable across sectors,” says Thompson.

For example, it would attract someone who wanted to set up their own farmers’ market product business, food consultants, and people who want to teach cooking in secondary school.

E-learning is playing an ever-growing role at the Universal College of Learning, (UCOL). Head of Hospitality and Continuing Education Julie Poole said it provided Futura online multimedia packages, integrating theory with links to videos, quizzes, and animation.

These packages allow for students’ differing learning styles, and students can work on them at UCOL or home, she says. Students work through each module and complete tests in areas such as stocks and sauces, cooking methods, basic cakes and sponges, catering revenue, coffee and bar training.

“Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are used to engage students both educationally and socially. Level 4 students use an on-line menu-costing programme which is widely used by industry,” says Poole. Students can also use iPads and iPhones to keep evidence of their work for their e-portfolios.

“Technology is changing so rapidly we must embrace, keep pace and adapt to the changes,” says Poole. UCOL chef lecturer Josh

E-Learning Cookery classes at UCOL.

http://www.authospitality.ac.nz


Training

Karaitiana said it used internet-enabled white boards in all of its kitchens.

“It’s like a whiteboard-size computer screen. We show them how to access resources on the internet. We record demonstration clips on the iPad and once we’ve done that, we play the clips.”

Some students prefer this visual way of learning rather than opening a book, he says. However, he stresses that while using these internet based resources is important for capturing the students attention, there’s no substitute for getting in there and doing it.

“They have to have a feel for cooking. It’s all very well watching something but it looks easier than it is. It’s really a tool to deliver theory and reinforce the practical stuff,” says Karaitiana.

Students could have fun and be creative through practicing how to mix a mocktail or cocktail in New Zealand Management Academies’ ‘virtual’ bar – an online software package to support its Level 2, 3 and 4 hospitality courses.

Nimi Kaur, NZMA’s director of product development and academic quality, said students test new recipes in the virtual bar before doing it in a real bar. Tutors also use You Tube, Wiki pages and Facebook in their classes. “Tutors often start discussions on Facebook about an assignment and students will gravitate towards that.”

However Kaur said that while NZMA incorporates e-learning in to its hospitality courses; it’s an add-on, what she calls “blended learning” or “situated e-learning” to support practical work experience.

“You can only teach so much online. Watching how students interact with customers, watching how they make a good coffee, that is crucial.”

NZMA students in training.

http://www.asurequality.com

http://www.sealord.com


Growing business through benefits

People who work in hospitality follow their passion, but that doesn’t come with a rule book and no one said it’d be easy. There is the Restaurant Association of New Zealand

though; an industry body supporting hospitality business success through its Key Business Partner Benefits scheme. SUE FEA talks with members of the Association – hospitality

operators from around the country – about the benefits of the Key Business Partner scheme.

Restaurateurs know only too well you have to ride the tide through the good times and the bad, and having the right support around you is the key to success. Many Christchurch operators have just emerged from those bad times in the aftermath of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes and say the support of the Restaurant Association has been vital.

Cafe Valentino’s Michael Turner has been on both the receiving and the giving end of that support. A founding Christchurch branch member, former president and restaurateur in the city for 22 years, Turner is a strong advocate for good insurance documentation.

Association insurance broker partners Crombie Lockwood took care of him fully. “They did their job and paid up promptly, which opened up my options. I knew where I stood and could plan and move ahead.”

While some insurers have not paid out, Turner has only heard

good reports about Crombie Lockwood and his advice to newer operators is to ensure everything’s well documented.

“Make sure you record everything you purchase and have lots of photos stored off site. Whether it’s fire or earthquake, or any disaster, you have to prove you have those assets.”

In the “horrific” aftermath of the earthquakes, he received calls in the middle of the night from operators in tears, who weren’t insured. Times had not been great even before the quakes and some operators had opted to “self insure”.

Everything they owned was tied up in a cordoned-off building and they couldn’t get anything out. The Restaurant Association united with Hospitality New Zealand and the NZ Hotel Council to form Christchurch Hospitality Inc to support operators to get back on their feet. Turner says this support was vital: “In the first few months it was essentially giving everybody a hug.”

Christchurch's popular Cafe Valentino, has bounced back

bigger and brighter.

TURN TO PAGE 30

Restaurant Association

Restaurant Association MEMBERSHIPIn a perfect world, success in hospitality would depend on flair and passion, but in the real world, there is much more to running a business. Which is where the Restaurant Association comes in. As an industry body, we offer members a wide range of business tools and avenues for saving money, business resources to assist, plus a free 0800 helpline for advice on any number of issues. Full membership just $460/annum (or $8.85/week).

For further information on Restaurant Association membership go to www.restaurantnz.co.nz

MILK & HONEY, HAWKES BAY

http://www.restaurantnz.co.nz



He’s a strong advocate for ‘off the shelf ’ Restaurant Association employment agreements too, avoiding solicitor’s fees. “If you use it and there are any issues, the Association will provide advice free for you. Its money well spent,” says Turner.

“And if you’re a newcomer to the industry and finding business tough, the Association offers benchmark operating and expense standards so you know where you’re going wrong.”

Well-established Christchurch restaurateur Liz Barry says her Restaurant Association business partner OfficeMax has proved invaluable, sourcing supplies and equipment for her business Strawberry Fare, and as she’s opened new businesses and re-established existing ones.

Case in point: she was unable to find the right batteries for her mouse recently, and local OfficeMax staff hopped online, taking the time to source just what she needed. “It’s those small things that make a big difference,” she says.

Barry was the 76th operator in the country to join the Restaurant Association 26 years ago when she first opened her hospitality business. She now also owns several Cafe Metros in Christchurch with her family.

Business has been challenging since the quake and Barry says the Association’s moral support has been brilliant, with some customers more fragile and on edge because of the extra pressures they’re enduring. “It means a lot to us at times like these, to have the Association’s support through the Business Partners.”

Auckland restaurateur Gail Hunter is a single owner-operator of Papa’s Pizza – a busy Kingsland pizzeria and bar opposite Eden Park – and earlier this year she sought payroll advice through the Association. She’s now using Datacom’s Netpay for her payroll

Dessert at its best from Strawberry Fare.

http://www.datacompayroll.co.nz



system as part of the Key Business Partner Benefits. She’s never looked back. “I was tired of doing pays manually.

Netpay’s fees aren’t high and their customer support is really good. It’s so beneficial having a system that records everything and is stored elsewhere as a back-up. Datacom’s customer service is brilliant too, I can call them up and help arrives straight away.

“I have several part-time staff and now I don’t have to worry about calculating holiday pay and sick days. That’s time consuming and messy when it’s all done manually, and payment notices are emailed to staff each week so they know what they’re receiving.”

Hunter says she used to write up all pay details herself but Netpay has given her the reassurance that everything’s recoreded. “It’s so much more simple now,” she says.

Auckland’s Garry Bates of The Falls Restaurant in Henderson says his Association business partnership with Nova Energy has saved him at least $300 a month in electricity and gas bills. He’s impressed with Nova Energy’s personal service too, and the great relationship he’s built up with his local rep.

“You’ve got that point of contact – it’s not a call centre. If there’s an issue, you can ring and talk to a rep and its rectified – they’ve nailed it.” Unlike previous gas suppliers, and due to the restaurant’s usage, Nova installed a metre system so the client only uses what they pay for and gas bottles are filled on site.

On general Association services, Bates agrees the training seminars are first class. He’s sent staff and attended seminars himself led by Business Partner providers on everything from contract law to insurance.

Kingsland - home to Papa's Pizza.

Papa's Pizza in Auckland keeps the customers happy.TURN TO PAGE 34



Tauranga restaurateur Patricia Annabell, of RSVP of Cherrywood restaurant, receives brilliant fuel discounts as a result of being a Bidvest customer and a member of the Restaurant Association. She received the exclusive Association members’ AA Smartfuel discount of 20c off per litre of fuel when she purchases $200 of red meat – an added bonus of the membership.

Annabell values Bidvest’s product knowledge, service and reliable delivery. “Really, it’s a one-stop shop; milk, bread, veges, frozen, chilled and dried goods – it’s all available. If we’re doing something specific and special they’re always willing to make it happen with a special price. It’s the little things that make the difference.”

Like Hunter, Annabell has found the association great to bounce ideas off and seek advice from. “We’re small fry in a big bucket, but they offer very good back-up and resource that’s all pertinent to restaurants.”

CEO of the Association, Marisa Bidois, says the industry is alive and vibrant, full of interesting, passionate, talented, entrepreneurial people, with an ever-expanding range of venues and cuisine styles.

“If industry success depended only upon f lair and passion for hospitality, life would be relatively simple,” says Bidois. “Unfortunately, there’s a raft of complex and onerous business rules and regulations with which compliance is essential if we’re to prosper.

“The Association offers members a wide range of business tools and savings plans, and a free, 0800 help line via which advice on many issues can be obtained. Our partner programmes are benefits that we’ve negotiated on your behalf and these businesses understand and are committed to our industry. We recommend that if you are serious about success, you join our Association.”

RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES

COMPLEMENTARY BUSINESS SERVICES, SUCH AS THE FREE 24/7

ADVICE LINE, HEAVILY DISCOUNTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

THROUGH SEMINARS AND WEBINARS, BUSINESS REPORTS, RESOURCES, INDUSTRY EVENTS

AND SERVICE DISCOUNTS THROUGH PARTICIPATING BUSINESS

PARTNERS. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO FRONTS INDUSTRY

CONCERNS AT GOVERNMENT LEVEL AND HAS HAD TRIUMPHS

WITH THE IRD AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES THAT HAVE IMPACTED

ON THE INDUSTRY.

Saggio di Vino, Christchurch.



http://www.officemax.co.nz

Ducasse and the Kiwi connection

BY KEITH STEWART

When the 2013 San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants judges gave their supreme Lifetime Achievement award to Chef Alain Ducasse, it was

greeted with nods of approval in kitchens around the globe.

“If there’s a professor of international haute cuisine, its Alain Ducasse,” says one of his ‘graduates’, Geoff Scott of Vinnies in Auckland. “And if there was such a thing as a PhD in haute cuisine, you would do it at Ducasse.”

Ducasse’s legendary Le Louis XV restaurant at the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco has for most of its 25 years maintained Michelin three-star standards and is acknowledged as one of the greats of French cuisine. It was there that Scott went last year to a celebration of a quarter century under Alain Ducasse, with 240 chefs from around the world gathered to honour the master.

In support of his award, the San Pellegrino team wrote that Ducasse and his team have nurtured and trained a generation of chefs, many of whom are now also part of the world's culinary élite and it’s in education that the energetic entrepreneur aims to focus in the future. “We must attract talent and guarantee continuity,” Ducasse says. “Mentoring is about the transmission of knowledge.”

Which is why the young Geoff Scott ended up in Monaco at

Le Louis XV, intent on being the best chef he could be. It wasn’t enough to gain qualifications and win medals, as the young New Zealander was achieving with remarkable regularity. He needed to immerse himself in the culture of haute cuisine, not just learn it, but understand and live it and that meant travelling to Europe.

“I had one of those eureka moments in an ATI lecture on stock making,” Scott explains. “The lecturer gave us the standard academic process for fond de veau; veal bones, carrots, onions, water, seasoning, herbs. Then we were given the Escoffier version; veal shin bones, beef shin bones, pig’s trotters, bouquet garni, onions, carrots, pepper and salt. It was like a light coming on, I could taste the sauce as he talked.”

After representing New Zealand at the International Youth Skill Olympics in Birmingham, England in 1989 and winning silver, he decamped to London. There he talked his way into one night in the kitchen at Le Gavroche, the Roux brothers’ pace-setting London 3-star restaurant.

Franck Cerutti, left, Alain Ducasse and Dominique Lory.

PH

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DH

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Alain Ducasse



Alain Ducasse

Even a night spent peeling quails eggs didn’t put him off, because he knew the depth and detail of training he’d need to get to the top. The culture of a true haute cuisine kitchen was where he wanted to be and when he got back to Auckland, he went straight to his boss at the Regent Hotel and resigned.

Back in London Albert Roux gave him a job at Gavvers, another of his establishments, before he moved on to full-time at Le Gavroche where he worked 14 months. Scott says, “It was the closest thing to military service I could imagine. We were stripped down to nothing. Stuff awards and medals, stuff representing your country at the culinary Olympics – skill was everything.

“I found out that the core of great cuisine was understanding and perfecting the basics – how to cook the perfect potato, the perfect white bread roll, and do it over and over again. It was about consistency and reliability. You had to have stamina and you had to spend time. As far as the Roux brothers were concerned, it wasn’t worth their time training you if you didn’t commit, and before they gave you a testimonial you had to spend a year in the kitchen.”

After another year in London, at Chez Nico, Scott yearned for France where knew there was more to learn, but instead he had the opportunity to move to Milan and the kitchen of the famous

Gualtiero Marchesi – another transformational experience where he discovered that cuisine was the very soul of Italian culture.

“It was one of the greatest times. I went to my first ever opera at La Scala and made pasta and risotto every day. To go from the oppression of London to the passion of Milan was amazing. Sitting around the table for three hour lunches, everyone as inspired by eating as they were by cooking. Their approach was vigorous and everything was handmade, so the craft of food preparation became as personal as it was physical.”

Now he understood the pleasures and challenges of living and working in another culture, which he claims is one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. It added another branch to his culinary craft – a fine-tuning of the essential skills before he took a

place in France at last, at the Michelin one-star, Le Clos de la Violette in Provence.

This was another culture that recognised the value of terroir, the intermingling of food and place that’s at the heart of the best of French cuisine. He also gained his first wine experience to match that moment with the fond de veau; his lights turned on again – this time by the nose of a spectacular Côte de Beaune red Burgundy.

For Scott, whose own outlook on food was keenly based in the land, this exposure to cuisine de terroir was sharpened by collecting wild asparagus in the countryside for the daily menu, dealing with local suppliers and wineries and becoming part of the wider community of Aix-en-Provence.

After his French accent was further polished by time at Michel Rostang in Paris, where he was chef poissonier in one of that big city’s hottest restaurants; Scott was ready to move into the post-graduate world of Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV in Monaco, where he secured an internship as the restaurant’s one foreign chef for a one-year period.

It was the PhD he’d been seeking.“I wanted to find out why these French chefs are so good, how

they understand all the combinations that are needed, the flavours, textures and balance, all the things that go into a top dish and a great dining experience. From each of those jobs I got something special. Le Gavroche taught me technique, Marchesi technique and culture, at Le Clos it was terroir, and at Ducasse it brought all those together.”

Back at Le Louis XV late last year for the 25th anniversary, Scott rubbed shoulders with some of the greats of international cuisine who’d gained from similar experiences. While New Zealand doesn’t yet rate a mention amongst the World’s top 50 restaurants, Geoff Scott’s Vinnies in Herne Bay is one of the likeliest candidates if the awards ever send a judge down this way.

As international wine industry legend Anthony Terlato said after a recent meal at Vinnies; “This is the best food on this New Zealand trip and the equal of the best, anywhere.”

Sublime food and decor at Ducasse's restaurant Le Louis XV at the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco. Photo by B. Touillon.


Alain Ducasse.

http://www.redcross.org.nz/training

FEBRUARY 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 39

Food for Thought

Over three days in August the hospitality sector’s best and brightest will battle it out in the heat and steam of twenty four kitchens at the 21st annual New Zealand Culinary Fare.

Twenty one years of culinary competitions is certainly a milestone and over the years many of the industry’s best have competed at the New Zealand Culinary Fare and continue to do so.

The competitions challenge us to continue to work on improving the standards in our vibrant industry and provide a platform for benchmarking performance and skill.

The competitions also provide an opportunity for the industry to come together, to meet and mingle with fellow hospitality professionals and aspiring professionals.

The event is the largest culinary competition in the Southern Hemisphere, playing host to more than 600 competitors across 55 classes and attracting 6,000 visitors.

As the biggest event of its kind, it attracts competitors from all over New Zealand as well as from overseas. It’s a chance for students and industry professionals to test their skills, compete for national titles and be judged by some of the best in the business.

To keep things fresh, broaden the event’s appeal and build on the success of the past 20 years; we’ve made a number of changes and

revitalised approximately 30 percent of the competitions. There’ll be plenty for people to see and do. The atmosphere will

be electric and the heat will literally be on for competitors as they race against the clock to complete their tasks.

Entries are now open. Be sure to get in early so you don’t miss out on your opportunity to compete on a national stage.

And remember that entering competitions has a number of benefits for business as well. As the critical driver of performance and innovation, competitions make you up your game, help identify your strengths and weaknesses and weaknesses, make way for creative thinking and stop complacency.

These are just a few of the many reasons to join in and be part of this great event. See you there!

For Culinary Fare news, the competition schedule, competitor information and entry forms, go to www.restaurantnz.co.nz

Culinary Fare Celebrates 21 Years

Marisa Bidois is CEO of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.


Simon D'souza is a beverage manager at the Ellerslie Event Centre and the Auckland Racing Club. He has worked in a variety of hospitality roles. After

achieving his Diploma in Hospitality Management, his first position was a guest services butler at the Marriott International Hotel in Mumbai, India. After two years, Carnival P & O Cruises UK approached, and he happily jumped onboard the Ocean Village as part of a pre-opening team and working within five onboard restaurant outlets. He stayed with the company for seven years, gaining a Long Service Award. Spare time is spent with family, travelling NZ, discovering different cuisines, beverages and keeping up with hospitality trends. Simon spoke with Nicola Richards, who runs Monsoon Poon and is chairman of the Service Association of New Zealand (SPANZ.) How did you get into hospitality and what led you to your current role?I got into events and waiting during university days for pocket money. I quickly developed a keen interest for the industry and decided to pursue a career. I came to NZ in 2009 and completed the Advanced Diploma at the Pacific International Institute in New Plymouth. I was then offered an F&B supervisor role at the Auckland Racing Club. After one year the role of beverage manager came up and management thought I’d fit the role. What kind of training have you had?Along with the educational qualification it’s been more hands on for me and learning from colleagues and managers kind enough

to share knowledge. Being part of three pre-opening properties – involved in setting up restaurants and bars – has been the most valuable for my career. Tell us about a day in the life of a beverage manager at Ellerslie.Every day’s different and that’s the best part of this role. Summer racing season is quite hectic, when you have 20 to 40 pallets of beverages delivered in the week and I need to do a lot of preparation leading up to all our big races. Another day would be spent in the office doing paperwork and walking through the 23 bars, checking stock levels, ordering and rotation, plus month-end stock takes at all bars. Its challenging and I enjoy it.What do you think are the essential attributes for your role?Quick decision-making, the ability to work under pressure and being organised. Where do you see this career taking you?Opportunities are endless. I’ve been lucky to get a strong foundation and I’d like to head a hospitality organisation in NZ or overseas. I’d like to have a successful restaurant at the Viaduct someday but I’m always ready to fit into any organisation and successfully run the business, using my knowledge and skills.What advice do you have for someone who would like to get into this type of work?It’s challenging and your decision-making during crucial situations is tested. If you’re ready to get your hands dirty, while working for the best race course and the largest event centre in NZ, surrounded by glamour, this place has a lot to offer. I thoroughly enjoy my time here.

Racing ahead

http://www.restaurantnz.co.nz

Driving a wine listAssembling an appropriate wine list is an important step in a restaurant’s beverage strategy, and keeping it relevant, current and interesting is a constant and rewarding challenge for a sommelier or those in charge of a beverage programme.

There are important considerations underpinning what wines should be chosen and why they should be selected. Sadly, the key drivers that ideally underpin any wine list decision are sometimes overlooked in favour of wines that are inappropriate or ‘the f lavour of the month’.

Three of these key drivers should include the cuisine, the style of dining and the target audience. Critical to addressing these are the sommelier’s palate and food experiences and their exposure to a wide range of local and international wine styles.

The food menu is the main factor for selecting the majority of wines listed and these wines must have a direct relationship with the food philosophy. Is the menu modern, fusion, traditional, ethnic or pacific-rim? The weight, intensity and complexity of every dish, the f lavours and textures and even the cooking method needs to be considered to provide a pairing or contrast with the listed wines.

The style or level at which you pitch your dining room experience needs to be ref lected in the wines selected. If fine dining is the theme, wines need to indicate this. Take care to select wines that reflect the ambience and food style and choose a mix of well-known and lesser-known brands, expensive and not-so-expensive options to create a balanced list.

It’s okay to have a number of notably expensive wines if your target market expects this, but balance this with wines that are at the somewhat-expensive mark and below.

A successful middle-market restaurant that trades on ‘name’ before style will have a shorter, more succinct and hopefully well-considered wine choice, with many affordable wines by the glass and fewer significantly higher-priced options.

Your target audience and how you market your brand plays a critical role in the wine list. Make sure you research what will sell, what the next ‘big’ wine style or producer might be, and ask your guests what they like. If corporate and business lunches are part of your package, remember to offer wines with more of a ‘lunchtime’ aspect.

Benchmark examples will also add to the bottom line. A dinner audience will be quite different from your day-time clients so be prepared to have an even wider range available, including international wines.

A range of pricing for the ‘by the glass’ programme needs to address the budget-conscious and the big spenders. High food turnover, budget-type restaurants should consider less expensive wines for much of the list, with only a few higher priced wines.

Beware the use of too many familiar ‘anchor’-type brands. These are important but if they’re widely available at retail, you risk

disgruntled guests saying ‘I can buy that for a quarter the price’.

Keep your wine list interesting and current and your selection well-researched and appropriate to your style and philosophy.

Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier.


The Alcohol Reform Bill was passed last December, aiming to reduce serious harm caused by alcohol without penalising those who drink responsibility, as well as tighten laws relating to the sale and supply of liquor.

Critics claim the legislation didn’t go far enough, suggesting NZ had become an alcohol-saturated society and tougher restrictions on price, availability and promotions were needed. While submitters and politicians spoke of making evidence-based decisions, incorrect claims were often asserted as fact.

A number of key assertions have been disproved by the Hazardous Drinking in 2011/12 survey released by the Ministry of Health. Compared to the 2006/07 results, the survey showed fewer adults consumed alcohol during the past year (84-80 percent), with a significant decrease for 15-17 year-olds.

The crucial findings relate to the rates of hazardous drinking in NZ which despite what people may believe, are actually going down. In the last five years the level of hazardous drinking has decreased for men (30-26 percent) and marginally decreased for women (13-12 percent.) There was a modest, significant drop in hazardous drinking rates among Maori adults (33-29 percent) and the rate of hazardous drinking for young drinkers (18-24 year olds) had substantially dropped from 49 percent in 2006/07 to 36 percent in 2011/12.

There’s still work to do to reduce alcohol-related harm and the industry’s determined to play its part. However, the survey shows the situation in NZ isn’t as disastrous as claimed. Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne spoke sensibly when he released the hazardous

drinking report, stating fewer people are drinking and younger people are drinking more responsibly.

It’s a shame the Ministry’s survey wasn’t released until well after the debate had finished and legislation passed, because the debate could have been more reality-based and improved the decision-making process.

However, the results will be important as councils develop their Local Alcohol Policies (LAPs). LAPs are intended to allow the community a greater say in decisions regarding the location and density of licensed premises, their opening hours and the conditions under which they operate – including the 'one-way door' policy which means after a certain time, people can leave the premises but not enter.

While LAPs are voluntary, it’s expected many councils will introduce them by December and councils and licensing authorities need to have an accurate picture of drinking in NZ. The industry expects pressure to reduce the number of licensed premises and restrict trade for those remaining,

We need to ensure progress on improving our drinking culture continues without affecting those who exercise judgement and socialise responsibly. Basing crucial decisions on solid evidence is a good place to start.

Sky hasn't fallen

Food for Thought

Bruce Robertson is the chief executive of Hospitality New Zealand.

http://www.lhf.net

Food for Thought

Should children be forced to eat whatever is on their plate? You know the sort of thing: “If you don’t finish every scrap of that broccoli you’re not getting any pudding.” It’s the way it has been in most homes since time immemorial but whether it’s a desirable way to introduce our offspring to the delights of dining is doubtful.

My train of thought began during a conversation with the mother of a 40-year-old who had lived away from home for many years. She’d decided to mark his birthday by treating him to a surprise meal at one of the best restaurants in town. It was a lovely thought but it backfired. Her son didn’t cope with the up-market surroundings. He did his best, but he eventually got so nervous that he was almost incapable of eating.

Next morning, he confessed that he’d had counselling for his problem. Eating in a casual pub bar was no problem, but in more salubrious surroundings he felt pressured. His counsellor put it down to being a fussy eater as a child and the demands from his parents to eat everything on his plate. Probably an extreme example but I wonder how many people have had their attitudes to dining out tainted by bad childhood experiences.

Some people won’t touch shellfish because they once had a bad reaction to a not-quite-fresh oyster. Then there are the other food aversions. I’ve heard of people who won’t eat ‘anything with eyes’. Others believe that it’s wrong for us to raise other animals solely so that we can eat them.

Just before Easter I hosted a wine tasting where I recommended a

particular Chardonnay as ‘perfect with a rabbit casserole’. “How can you suggest eating rabbit at Easter,” one of the attendees shouted. “That’s disgusting!” I hope she was joking but one can never be sure. All of which brings us to children’s menus. Too often, they consist of fried foods, invariably accompanied by fried chips. Surely we can do better?

Against my better judgment, I begrudgingly admit that including such child-threatening ingredients as broccoli, cabbage, eggplant or even rabbit would probably be a step too far, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to devise a handful of dishes that just might pique juvenile interest.

Mini-burgers or ‘sliders’ offer fertile ground for non-threatening invention. Ingredients that might be spurned sitting naked on a plate will often have more appeal when they’re stuffed into a bread roll.

If fish and chips are a favourite, why not offer crumbed fillets with not-too-garlicky aioli and oven fries alongside? Not exactly health food, but better than battered and deep fried. Or crumbed

scallops and kumara or parsnip chips instead of potatoes, and you just might be on the way to creating a culinary adventurer.

The young ones


New technologies, an increase in immigration and students unable to adapt at school are contributing factors. As the hospitality industry is often a first entry point into the workforce for many young people and new immigrants, business owners have to deal with a fairly high number of workers with this problem.

I was visiting one of our clients last month, discussing the training programmes his staff is currently doing. He talked to me about wanting to help them advance their careers and add value to the business.

The subject of literacy and numeracy came up: he explained he had a hardworking manager who was doing a really good job, with sound business results, staff management skills and customer service. But he noticed this manager did everything possible to avoid putting anything on paper.

The manager asked to deliver any reports verbally because it saved him time. It became obvious this manager had a problem with literacy, and while he was an effective performer at his current level, the issue would likely become a barrier to him progressing to senior management.

It was clear our ServiceIQ approach to supporting literacy and numeracy development in the workplace, as part of ServiceIQ arranged training, would be a good way for him to resolve this. ServiceIQ training material is progressively being designed to assist in raising LLN competence levels.

With support from the Tertiary Education Commission, ServiceIQ is making a real effort to raise competence levels in

Back to basicsDespite the more complex world we live in, reading, writing and maths are still three basic

skills we all need. However, low levels of what’s now termed literacy, language proficiency and numeracy (LLN for short) have become a growing problem in New Zealand in recent years.

literacy, language and numeracy in the service sectors we cover – all vital for improving productivity and profitability.

So, we’re asking employers we work with to get new trainees to complete a simple assessment process for LLN that can identify any issues in these areas. This free assessment is well worth doing, for the employee and the employer. The results are confidential to the individual and there’s support available at no cost to the employer or employee if they desire it.

Our training material to help raise LLN competence levels has had positive feedback so far, we’re adding more resources and soon the simple LLN assessment will be available online.

We’ve just produced The ServiceIQ Short Guide to Literacy and Numeracy – a free, helpful booklet using scenarios and examples relevant to hospitality and we also have a specialist available to discuss LLN issues directly with you.

For a copy or more information please contact our LLN Advisor Dianne Boss on 04 817 5310 or call 0800 863 693.

Dianne can suggest how to support your staff to improve reading, writing and maths skills – those basic, vital tools which ultimately benefit their career and your business. Make the call.

Dean Minchington Chief Executive ServiceIQ

Vic Williams is cellar director for the New Zealand Wine Society and the recent recipient of a Sir George Fistonich medal.


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Bill's Everyday AsianBill GrangerPublished by Harper Collins, Australia, 2011 RRP: $45 Hospitality special: $40

Bill has done it again with another great book to join his shelf of fine tomes. Bill opened his first restaurant at the age of 22 and now has three restaurants in Sydney, four in Japan and one in London. His television show has been aired in more than 30 countries around the world and the recipes in this book were inspired by his taste adventures. They’re zingy, healthy and uplifting, can be prepared quickly and easily and the bright, colourful photographs give this book a freshness which is usually associated with Asian cuisine. The pantry essentials Bill uses are found in most cooks’ pantries and chapters include starters, soups, seafood, poultry, pork, lamb and beef, noodles and rice, vegetables, tofu and desserts – one definitely worth having on the kitchen bookshelf.

Gennaro - Let's Cook ItalianGennaro ContaldoPublished by Pavilion Books, UK, 2012 RRP: $45 Hospitality special: $40

Gennaro Contaldo is the co-presenter of the television show Two Greedy Italians and worked with Jamie Oliver at the Neal Street restaurant, owned by the other greedy Italian – Antonio Carluccio. Originally from Amalfi, Gennaro worked in several UK restaurants before eventually opening the award-winning Passione. The family meal table has always been an important part of life for Gennaro and in this book he shares his favourite family recipes. The deliciously simple-looking dishes are interspersed with happy shots of family preparing and eating great Italian dishes. The recipes are meals made by his grandmothers, mother, aunts, sisters and ones he cooks for his family today. With winter coming, the Sunday lunch chapter offers some great dishes and the special occasion chapter is simply mouth-watering for any time of the year – a wonderful collection of family recipes.

Thanks to Virtue Books, we have a copy of Gennaro – Let’s Cook Italian and Bill ’s Everyday Asian to give away. To be in to

win, call 09 486 0908 or email [email protected]

Congratulations to last month’s winners: The Essential Low Fat Cookbook was won by Stephanie Brooks of Auckland; and

Joseph Clarke from Nelson won the copy of The Intolerant Gourmet.

These books can be purchased from Virtue Books. Call 09 486 0908 to secure your copy now.


SHOWCASING THE REGION'S TOP WINES

Enjoy an afternoon with winemakers from Hawke's Bay anddiscover what it is about Hawke's Bay that makes it

New Zealand's red wine capital.

Over 170 Hawke's Bay red and white wines, and 19 wineries– impossible to do anywhere else!

Auckland Wellington Tuesday, 18 June Wednesday 19 June Viaduct Events Te Papa Centre

Trade & Media Preview 2pm-5pm

Register for Complimentary Entry 2pm-5pm & 6pm-9pm

at www.winehawkesbay.co.nz

OUR WORLD IN YOUR GLASS

http://www.winehawkesbay.co.nz

46 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JANUARY 201346 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 2012

GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ THE PANEL TASTING AND BE IN TO WIN SOME OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FROM EACH TASTING. SIMPLY 'LIKE' OUR PAGE AND YOU CAN WIN SAMPLES OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FOR

THE OUTLET YOU WORK FOR (ENTRANTS MUST BE 18 OR OLDER TO ENTER).

PRODUCT WILL BE DELIVERED BY THE SUPPLIER TO THE

OUTLET SPECIFIED.


The Panel. Hawkes Bay Classic Tasting

The Hawkes Bay Classic The panel considers Hawkes Bay’s range

The diversity of Hawkes Bay is arguably its greatest asset, which will be a feature of the upcoming Red Hot Hawkes Bay promotions in Wellington and Auckland. The panel this month has tasted a range of Hawkes Bay red and whites to provide a thumbnail of the wines available from the classic Hawkes Bay varieties.

With two winemakers on the panel, both with experience making wine from Hawkes Bay-grown grapes (Ben Dugdale and Dan Barker) as well as mature sommelier palates in Dave Batten and Keith Stewart, it was a well-informed collection of taste buds that investigated the gathered wines.

The results are as follows:

Food for Thought.Food for Thought.

ELEPHANT HILL 2010 CHARDONNAY

Screwcap13.5%Lovely ripe citrus aromas with a dash of vanilla oak and good, deep flavours at its heart are signs of a classy Chardonnay. Long and warm, this is a big, easy paced wine revealing good winemaking talent and some breezy fruit characters. Impressive.

$$$

ProcurePhone: 09 376 9385 / 021 866 [email protected]

ELEPHANT HILL 2012 SYRAHScrewcap13.5%Youthful colour with a creamed pepper and plum nose. Firm and oaky, with plum and herb characters amongst the oak. Finishes dry and relatively light.

$$$$

ProcurePhone: 09 376 9385 / 021 866 [email protected]

ALWYN MERLOT CABENET 2009Natural Cork13.5%Dark with a distinctly meaty nose reminiscent of the well cooked, crunchy outer bits on roast mutton. Nuts and rich fruit flavour fill the palate, and there is a good balance of astringency although it is rather soft. The whole is permeated by a funky nature that hints at sweetness.

$$$$$

Ngatarawa WinesPhone: 0508 782 [email protected]

STABLES RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2011Screwcap13% abvFresh, mildly mealy nose is tidy and interesting. Big wine with a neat measure of oak, mellow fruit and lovely balance. Fat and sweet, almost lush, softly balanced. Delightful. Top quality for this price.

$$

Ngatarawa WinesPhone: 0508 782 [email protected]

BABICH IRONGATE CABERNET MERLOT FRANC 2011Natural cork12.5%Light, fine, slightly aromatic, herb infused nose and a lean, firm palate give this rather stylish wine an austere temper. Well constructed, the fruit is rather reticent at the moment, but it will gain with some time in bottle.

$$$$

Eurovintage LtdPhone: 09 588 4262 or 0800 338 [email protected]

TE AWA SYRAH 2011Screwcap12.5%Fragrant wine has lean, almost delicate fruit flavour with a bunch of herbs amongst it. Grainy, light in style and dry at the finish. Built for speed rather than comfort.

$$$$$

Villa Maria EstatePhone: 09 255 [email protected]



★STAR of the SHOW


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48 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . FEBRUARY 201348 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 2012

Food for Thought.The Panel. Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac.

TE AWA CHARDONNAY 2010Screwcap13.5%Mellow nose is clean and fresh, while the palate has a ping to it. Fruit character is decidedly creaming soda-like, making for a toothsome, tidy wine.

$$$$


QUARTER ACRE CHARDONNAY 2011Screwcap13% abvBig, crunchy Chardonnay, rich and firm with good flavours. Very forward, with some nicely limey characters amongst the gusto. Bold stuff.

$$$

Kemp Rare Wine MerchantsPhone: 09 529 [email protected]

QUARTER ACRE SYRAH 2011Screwcap13%Dark eyed wine with plump fruit aromas and plenty of sweet fruit flavours on the palate. Impressive texture has both substance and a svelte quality that gives a sexy air to the whole wine. Tannins lift the finish nicely.

$$$

Kemp Rare Wine MerchantsPhone: 09 529 [email protected]

CJ PASK GIMBLETT ROAD VIOGNIER 2012Screwcap12% abvSolid wine with good clarity and fragrance of tropical aromas and exotic flowers. Nice texture, light for the variety, crisp and pleasant.

$$$

Hancocks Wine, Spirit & BeerPhone: 0800 699 [email protected]

MISSION RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2012Screwcap13% abvLively nose with a crisp palate, youthfully brash and well larded with oak. Big wine which will have followers amongst the Chardonnay traditionalists.

$$$

Mission EstatePhone: 06 845 [email protected]

CROSSROADS WINEMAKERS COLLECTION CHARDONNAY 2011Screwcap13.5% abvThis well structured wine has a cool palate after a decidedly circus-like nose. Details of its construction are impressive, and the crisp, broad flavours give it a solid air.

$$$$

Yealands Wine GroupPhone: 09 920 2880www.yealandsestate.co.nz

Food for Thought.The Panel. Hawkes Bay Classic Tasting





http://www.greatlittlevineyards.com


http://www.greatlittlevineyards.com


http://www.hancocks.co.nz


http://www.missionestate.co.nz

http://www.yealandsestate.co.nz

JANUARY 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 49 AUGUST 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 49

VIDAL 2010 LEGACY SERIES CHARDONNAYscrewcap14% abvRestrained nose followed by a sweet, complex palate that has plenty of fruit, nuttiness and flavour diversity. Has an attractive physical presence that gives it a precise air. Well made, with a nice fruit background.

$$$$$


CJ PASK GIMBLETT ROAD CHARDONNAY 2010Screwcap13.5%Lovely nose is a delightful balance of fruit, oak and mealiness followed up by a similarly complex bunch of flavours on the palate. Bright and brisk, with a stylish finish. Excellent balance.

$$$


ELSPETH TRUST VINEYARD SYRAH 2011Screwcap13%Nose is a bluster of sweet fruit and emphatic oak delivering a wine that is loud and full of character. Lashings of sweet characters, from oak to plum-rich fruit and whiffs of fermentation, with oak the abiding theme. Not for the fainthearted, it is certainly dramatic.

$$$$$

Mills Reef WineryPhone: 07 576 8800www.millsreef.co.nz

VILLA MARIA 2011 CELLAR SELECTION SYRAHScrewcap13%A dry, mellow wine with some warm Syrah characters in both its nose and palate. Well oaked, dry and firm at the finish, with hints of pepper, herbs and dark fruit.

$$$$$


CROSSROADS TALISMAN 2010Screwcap14%Funky, broad, diverse wine with a huge tannin presence and solid dimension. A dark, rock’n’roll wine style that is larger than life , with a kaleidoscope of flavours across the middle palate, with oak to match. Unique.

$$$$


VIDAL 2009 LEGACY SERIES GIMBLETT GRAVELS CABERNET SAUVIGNON MERLOTScrewcap13.5%Smart coloured wine is showing good mulberry-like fruit and an unusual freshness of character. Bright and zippy throughout, it is well constructed, stylish wine with a touch of herbs and a rather charming finish that lingers well.

$$$$$


WINE TRADE PRICE GUIDE excl GST (per 750ml bottle): $$$$$ - 30 and up • $$$$ - 20-30 • $$$ - 15-20 • $$ - 10-15 • $ - <10 per bottle







http://www.millsreef.co.nz







The Cuban Connection

BY DON KAVANAGH

It might seem funny that Havana Club’s only national brand ambassador worldwide

who is actually Cuban works out of Australia, but Karel “Papi” Reyes is deadly serious

about his work.


Feature. Cuba Man


Food for Thought.

AUGUST 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 51 JUNE 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 51

Feature. Cuba Man

His love for rum is innate, having been born and brought up in Cuba, where Havana Club is not just a drink but an integral part of everyday life from an eyebrow-raisingly early age.

“When I was a baby my grandmother would rub Havana Club on my gums when I was teething to take the pain away,” he says with a grin, as we settle in for a one-on-one tasting at The Hamptons in Auckland city centre.

“I’ve been into Havana Club for my whole life – it was the first thing I tasted and I’ve been drinking it ever since. It’s the biggest brand out of about 20 in Cuba and it has always been the leader. People give it as a present. Say in Brazil the first present a father might give his son on his 15th birthday might be an expensive new football; in Cuba you get given a bottle of Havana Club 7 year old. My father gave me a bottle on my 15th birthday, but he didn’t know I’d been drinking it since I was 12.”

While he might be serious about his work, he’s a very funny guy, looking every inch the Cuban bartender with his dark good looks, product-laden hair and sharp suit.

His lifelong affinity with Havana Club didn’t become a professional thing until long after he had left Cuba. The son of a famous doctor, he started studying medicine, but got tired of it and switched to philology and Latin American culture, a subject he ended up lecturing in at university.

He travelled to London to follow his girlfriend and ended up working as a bartender to make ends meet. It also helped his English, which previously had been limited to words he’d picked up from watching football.

With a few more phrases under his belt, his star began to rise and he wound up working at Cocoon Bar and Restaurant on Regent Street, where he made drinks for a list of celebrities that included

various singers, Premier League footballers and Russell Crowe. His path to bartending stardom was helped by a strong work ethic and his first real mentor, Kiwi Steve Manktelow.

“I worked hard, very hard, many long hours and also I never, ever told a lie. I never tell lies – which is why I am divorced now – and that helps me in my job as ambassador for Havana Club. I could never be ambassador for a brand I didn’t believe in.”

He and his partner moved from London in 2007 so their daughter could grow up in her mother’s native Australia and Papi stayed in the bar industry, working at Zeta in Sydney, where, he says, it took him a solid week of concentration to get on top of the Ocker accent.

Finding a bottle of Havana Club at the bar was a defining moment for him.

“I was amazed to find Havana Club mentioned on the cocktail list. All we knew of Australia in Cuba was Skippy the kangaroo and maybe koalas, so to see something so familiar so far from home was wonderful. I started giving it to people and telling them about Havana Club and Cuba and it all grew from there.

It was while working in Brisbane that the head of Pernod Ricard Australia came in one evening and asked for a mojito.

“I made him one; a proper Cuban mojito. We started to talk and he found out that I was Cuban and that I loved Havana Club and that’s how I ended up as ambassador for it in Australia. It was hard to open the Aussies up to Havana Club at first, but now it’s in 75 percent of the cool bars in Australia and it’s winning lots of awards over there and worldwide.”

Having listened to his life story, I cast an eye at the line-up of rums he had brought for me to taste and he immediately grabbed the first one (the Havana Club 3 Años) and opened the bottle, pouring a good splash of rum on the f loor of the bar before charging our glasses.

As Havana Club emerged the Star of the Show in our rum tasting we decided it was a good opportunity for a feature focus on this leading brand. NZ distributor Pernod Ricard wishes to make it clear that they do not condone supply of alcohol to minors under any circumstances.

52 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . FEBRUARY 201352 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 201252 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JUNE 2013

Feature. Cuba Man

“You always do that when you open a bottle of rum in Cuba. Before drinking any, you pour some out for the saints. That saves you from having a bad bottle or having bad luck, like dropping the bottle and breaking it. Every Cuban anywhere in the world does this.”

Thus protected from evil spirits, we started into the good spirits.The 3 Años is a replacement for the old Havana Club Blanco,

one of the best white rums on the market and one that kept its f lavours when mixed in a drink, rather than simply disappearing, leaving only a blast of spirit.

The base spirit, or aguardiente, is aged in white oak barrels for two years before blending and, once the correct mix is achieved, it is aged for another three years, producing what is effectively a five-year-old rum of exceptional smoothness and with a slightly golden tinge from the oak.

On the nose, it’s beautiful, with powerful wafts of wood, spice and tropical fruit and it retains that sweet fruit character on the palate, before finishing with a lovely blast of citrus and oak. It’s excellent as a cocktail base because the f lavours really do come through.

As I rolled the rum around my mouth, Papi got out his tools and started making me a mojito that I can still taste today, so perfectly balanced were the f lavours.

By now, we were ready to move on to the Especial, a five-year-old rum of clarity and balance that screams Cuba when you sniff it: tobacco leaf, Demerara sugar and spice all leap out of the glass and the palate then turns towards caramel and vanilla, with hints of sweet oak and just a touch of pepper. We try it a few times to – ahem – see how it develops in the glass before we move on to the Havana Club 7 Años.

“We call this the epitome of the blender’s art,” Papi says. I can see why: it’s an incredibly smooth rum and it reminds me somewhat of a church, with touches of old wood, incense and cigar smoke on the nose. The palate then goes on to deliver a stunning range of f lavours like sweet toffee, bitter coffee and spicy notes of pepper and cinnamon. The finish is very long indeed and the whole thing is as satisfying as the first coffee of the day.

By now we were in great form and Papi was punctuating his sentences with emphatic waves of the cigarette clamped between his fingers. As the food arrived he pulled the cork out of the bottle of SelecciÒn de Maestros, the only rum the blenders actually put their names to.

It slips down like top-notch Cognac laced with seams of tobacco, oak, spice and caramel. Words can’t really do justice to the smoothness, so suffice it to say that we tasted and retasted several times to get the full effect.

Papi knows his rum and he is a fanatical advocate for Havana Club and the reason is clear after sitting down with him for two often hilarious hours. He makes outrageous statements – “The rum ration is the only thing the English have ever done right,” – and tells great stories about how Cuba’s premier rum producer manages to bypass the US trade embargo to age the product in ex-Bourbon barrels.

And by the time I stand up to leave, I realise that I must have had a great time, because my head is light and footsteps strangely unsteady. For Papi, it’s straight back to work with a masterclass for bartenders, but he still waves me off with a glass of rum and promises me that one day he’ll take me to Havana and make me a proper cocktail as the sun goes down over the Plaza Vieja.

Viva la revoluciÒn, comrade.


http://www.federalmerchants.co.nz

54 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JANUARY 201354 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 201254 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JANUARY 201354 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 2012

The beer essentialsBeer is still the major beverage of the hospitality industry, despite the rise of wine and the inroads made by premium spirits. In fact, with the rise in

the craft brewing scene, beer is getting even more popular.

Whether it’s craft, mainstream or imported, beer is everywhere at the moment.

The range of styles has ballooned from as fairly limited lager/draught selection 10 years ago the full complement of beer styles. Today we can enjoy crisp pilsners, hoppy IPAs and rich coffee-like dark ales and stouts. It’s been a remarkable renaissance.

Much of that is down to the craft brewers, who have championed niche styles and proved that New Zealand beer can be as varied and rewarding as any other country’s offerings.

It was gratifying, then, to see a nice mix of mainstream, craft and imported beers on offer in our latest tasting. With 36 beers on offer, there was surely something for everyone and that’s how it should be.

There was also some level of discussion, as you’d expect with two brewers on the Panel. This month we were joined by Keith Galbraith, whose eponymous alehouse in Auckland has long been a mecca for beer lovers. Alongside Keith was Shane Morley from the Steam Brewing Company, an award-winning brewer.

What was interesting about having two brewers on the Panel was not necessarily their ability to pick out technical f laws in beer but their differing ideas about beer styles and, particularly, what constituted an IPA. At one stage there was quite a voluble conversation going on over whether a certain beer was actually an IPA or should be more accurately described as a New World Pale Ale.

There were also some other interesting facets of the tasting. We carried the tasting out blind, meaning no one knew what was coming

and eliminating the effect that labelling and preconception carry when buying beer.

It’s a sad truth, but most people choose a beer based on packaging and perceived quality rather than judging a beer by what it tastes like. Blind tasting is a great leveller and it’s also an interesting thing to do in a bar for your customers. It’s amazing how many brand drinkers won’t be able to pick their usual drop out of a line-up of similar beers. Do it as a challenge and make it a feature of your bar; men particularly are so uber-competitive that they won’t be able to resist.

Of course, blind tasting can cause issues for professionals as well, with some interesting picks as to which beer was which.

Another thing that was made apparent during this tasting as well was the age of some bottled beers being offered for sale. It was clear that some of the beers we tried were rapidly passing their best, which was disappointing, given that you’d expect people to put their best foot forward in as tasting like this. So it pays to check the dates on any beer you order, as it’s counter-productive to try to sell stale beer to your customers.

This month’s tasting was held in the malt-scented surrounds of Galbraith’s Alehouse and we’d like to thank Keith for his generosity in letting us use the place. We’d also like to thank Shane Morley for giving up his afternoon to drink beer and Matt Kelly for doing such a sterling job of the pouring and serving of a confusing number of beers.

ANGOSTURA 5YOThis smells almost like a Bourbon, with plenty of rich caramel, dark oak and toasted vanilla notes on the nose and a sweet palate with a fantastic hit of tobacco leaf. The finish is sweet again, reflecting the rum’s essential character.

$$$$

Federal Geo LimitedPhone: 0800 846 [email protected]

SAILOR JERRY SPICED RUMA vanilla bombshell, with one of the most immediately enticing aromas anywhere. Vanilla, milk bottle lollies and butterscotch combine on the palate in a memorable blend and the finish has a nice nutty character to balance the sweetness.

$$$$

Federal Geo LimitedPhone: 0800 846 [email protected]

Speaking in tongues BY DON KAVANAGH

Arr, thar she blows, shiver me timbers and stap me vitals - it’s hard not to talk like a pirate when considering rum.

Rum and the sea have been intertwined since the glory days of the Spanish Main, when dashing pirates fought pitched battles with the British and Spanish navies in the broad Atlantic Ocean, both sides fuelled by greed and a thirst for rum.

In reality, piracy in those days was a squalid and unrewarding existence, although the pay and conditions were marginally better than those found in the Royal Navy. At least if a pirate captain whipped the f lesh from your back he was doing it out of malice, rather than expecting you to be grateful.

The rum wouldn’t have been that great either, when you think of it, made cheaply and produced in order to act as a general disinfectant, anaesthetic and also to offer a brief respite from the hellish life on the ocean wave.

It has changed hugely down the intervening centuries, thankfully, with rum these days being not just a very cool drink, but a very

smartly made one. From the fine, Cognac-like notes of Havana Club to the warm richness of El Dorado, rum these days is a generally splendid drink, with nuanced f lavours, smart packaging and plenty of street-cred.

Rum cocktails have helped rehabilitate rum’s reputation, of course. Daiquiris, mojitos and mai tais are hugely popular and the dark and stormy has rarely been so loved, and it is rum’s versatility and punch that are the reasons.

So we decided it was time to gather in pleasant surroundings and pour a few rum cocktails, it being winter now and rum being a very warming spirit. So off we went to Goldfinch, where Gerard looked after us and made sure we had everything we needed, so thanks for that.

Also joining me on the Panel were usual suspects Dave Batten and Keith Stewart, while Chris Turner made the cocktails, on the basis that, in his own words, “the real bartender was sick today.”

GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ THE PANEL TASTING AND BE IN TO WIN SOME OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FROM EACH TASTING. SIMPLY 'LIKE' OUR PAGE AND YOU CAN WIN SAMPLES OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FOR



OUTLET SPECIFIED.


The Panel. Rum Tasting


http://www.federalgeo.co.nz


http://www.federalgeo.co.nz

JANUARY 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 55 AUGUST 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 5555 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . FEBRUARY 201355 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 2012

The Panel. Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac.Food for Thought.

SPIRITS TRADE PRICE GUIDE excl GST per 700/750ml bottle

$$$$$ - 50 and up • $$$$ - 40-50 • $$$ - 30-40 $$ - 20-30 • $ - 20 and under

EL DORADO RUM 3 YEAR SILVERA lovely, crisp white rum with pronounced tropical notes of banana and sweet citrus. There is also a nice touch of spice and sweet pepper on the palate and a crisp, clean finish. Vibrant and racy white rum.

$$$

Tickety-Boo LiquorPhone: 09 377 [email protected]

EL DORADO RUM 5 YEAR GOLDENA nice golden rum with a rich complexity to it. Plenty of brown sugar, old oak, desiccated coconut and butterscotch notes, followed by a nice, long, sweet finish. Nice sipping rum, but works best in cocktails.

$$$


EL DORADO RUM 12 YEAR VINTAGESmoky, sultry, nutty and rich, this is a pure sipping rum if ever there was one. The flavours run from smoky oak to peanut slab characters and it holds together well in the glass. The finish is extraordinary, moving from sweetly nutty to almost porty.

$$$$$


RON MOCAMBO VINTAGEMexican rum with a big sweet belt of vanilla sticking out among the coffee, caramel and polished oak flavours. Again, it’s reminiscent of Bourbon, with a strong barrel influence, and the finish veers from coconut sweetness to lemon sharpness.

$$$$$


HAVANA CLUB AÑEJO 3 AÑOSWhite gold in colour, this is a very complex white rum, with all manner of flavours from lemongrass through toasted coconut, sandalwood and even a hint of leather. Rich and viscous in the glass, it finishes beautifully.

$$$

Pernod Ricard New ZealandPhone: 0800 655 [email protected]

HAVANA CLUB AÑEJO ESPECIAL Very classy rum, with a restrained, but complex nose of Demerara sugar, cinnamon and caramel. On the palate, it’s silky and elegant, slightly smoky and a bit nutty, before a smooth and sumptuous finish caps it all off perfectly.

$$$

Pernod Ricard New ZealandPhone: 0800 655 550customer.service.nz@ pernod-ricard.comwww.pernod-ricard-nz.com

★STAR of the SHOW


The Panel. Rum Tasting






http://www.pernod-ricard-nz.com

http://www.pernod-ricard-nz.com

56 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . FEBRUARY 2013

Setting StandardsThe Panel does Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the Standard Setter red of New Zealand wine. There are more high quality Pinot Noirs available than red wines from any other variety or blends, of greater variety and of high average quality. This makes their place on wine lists critical for both variety and profit.

Sommeliers are more likely to be asked for a bottle or glass of Pinot Noir than any other red, and the standard of a bar or restaurant list is defined by the Pinot Noir selection more than any other.

This panel also found a wide variation in the characters of Pinots on offer, from muscular, deep f lavoured physical specimens to ethereal, fragrant expressions of poetry. Pinot is, as those who know it well can attest, a master of many faces. Especially, as is

the case in New Zealand when there are such a variety of growing regions that work their soils and climates to different outcomes for different winemakers.

For this panel we assembled 28 wines from 10 regions, giving a cross section of styles, and regional characters from the past 3 vintages that give a good measure of the range of Pinot Noir available for hospitality in this country.

The panel included a couple of old time sommeliers, Keith Stewart and David Batten, as well as a couple of young(ish) active winemakers. Ben Dugdale, who has considerable experience with Pinot Noir, and alongside him, Dan Barker, Moana Park winemaker and proprietor who provided the outsider opinion.

The Panel. Pinot Noir Tasting

BLACK GRAPE SOCIETY CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIRCentral OtagoScrewcap13.5% abvLush with lovely fruit aromas and flavours this has immediate appeal and finishes as dry as dust. A real character, it is quite unexpected in its dryness, but the fruit flavours keep it interesting. Has heart.

$$$$$

Treasury Wines EstatesPhone: 09 354 [email protected]

BLACK GRAPE SOCIETY MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIRMarlboroughScrewcap13.5% abvWell made, lean with some soft berry characters and a hit of oak. Quite gentle in character, herby at times with darker highlights.

$$$$$

Treasury Wines EstatesPhone: 09 354 [email protected]

THE NED PINOT NOIR 2012MarlboroughScrewcap13.5% abvMild nose is understated, but there is some nice fruit on the palate and a bit of zip to the wine and touches of herbs. Gentle warmth. A good standard.

$$$

Lion Phone: 0800 10 72 [email protected]

TOI TOI CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR CLUTHA 2012Central OtagoScrewcap13.5% abvBouncy fruit on both nice and palate. Juicy and very persuasive, this is an easy style with some nice Pinot components and a whiff of feral.

$$$

Toi Toi WinesPhone: 09 478 [email protected]

GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ THE PANEL TASTING AND BE IN TO WIN SOME OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FROM EACH TASTING. SIMPLY LIKE OUR PAGE AND YOU CAN WIN SAMPLES OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FOR



OUTLET SPECIFIED.



http://www.tweglobal.com




http://www.lionco.com


http://www.toitoiwines.co.nz

57 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JANUARY 201357 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 2012

The beer essentialsBeer is still the major beverage of the hospitality industry, despite the rise of wine and the inroads made by premium spirits. In fact, with the rise in

the craft brewing scene, beer is getting even more popular.

Whether it’s craft, mainstream or imported, beer is everywhere at the moment.

The range of styles has ballooned from as fairly limited lager/draught selection 10 years ago the full complement of beer styles. Today we can enjoy crisp pilsners, hoppy IPAs and rich coffee-like dark ales and stouts. It’s been a remarkable renaissance.

Much of that is down to the craft brewers, who have championed niche styles and proved that New Zealand beer can be as varied and rewarding as any other country’s offerings.

It was gratifying, then, to see a nice mix of mainstream, craft and imported beers on offer in our latest tasting. With 36 beers on offer, there was surely something for everyone and that’s how it should be.

There was also some level of discussion, as you’d expect with two brewers on the Panel. This month we were joined by Keith Galbraith, whose eponymous alehouse in Auckland has long been a mecca for beer lovers. Alongside Keith was Shane Morley from the Steam Brewing Company, an award-winning brewer.

What was interesting about having two brewers on the Panel was not necessarily their ability to pick out technical f laws in beer but their differing ideas about beer styles and, particularly, what constituted an IPA. At one stage there was quite a voluble conversation going on over whether a certain beer was actually an IPA or should be more accurately described as a New World Pale Ale.

There were also some other interesting facets of the tasting. We carried the tasting out blind, meaning no one knew what was coming

and eliminating the effect that labelling and preconception carry when buying beer.

It’s a sad truth, but most people choose a beer based on packaging and perceived quality rather than judging a beer by what it tastes like. Blind tasting is a great leveller and it’s also an interesting thing to do in a bar for your customers. It’s amazing how many brand drinkers won’t be able to pick their usual drop out of a line-up of similar beers. Do it as a challenge and make it a feature of your bar; men particularly are so uber-competitive that they won’t be able to resist.

Of course, blind tasting can cause issues for professionals as well, with some interesting picks as to which beer was which.

Another thing that was made apparent during this tasting as well was the age of some bottled beers being offered for sale. It was clear that some of the beers we tried were rapidly passing their best, which was disappointing, given that you’d expect people to put their best foot forward in as tasting like this. So it pays to check the dates on any beer you order, as it’s counter-productive to try to sell stale beer to your customers.

This month’s tasting was held in the malt-scented surrounds of Galbraith’s Alehouse and we’d like to thank Keith for his generosity in letting us use the place. We’d also like to thank Shane Morley for giving up his afternoon to drink beer and Matt Kelly for doing such a sterling job of the pouring and serving of a confusing number of beers.

GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ THE PANEL TASTING AND BE IN TO WIN SOME OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FROM EACH TASTING. SIMPLY LIKE OUR PAGE AND YOU CAN WIN SAMPLES OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FOR



OUTLET SPECIFIED.

YEALANDS ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2011Awatere Valley, MarlboroughScrewcap13.5% abvFruit fresh, roly-poly wine with easy flavours in some depth. Has a lovely manner in its charm and succulence. Very tidy, well delivered.

$$$$


WHITEHAVEN MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2011MarlboroughScrewcap14% abvThick fruit aromas, with a touch of floral fruit and herbs. Quite a meaty wine with acid cut and some presence. A solid performer.

$$$$$

Danny PhippsPhone: 021 738 [email protected]

NAUTILUS MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2010MarlboroughScrewcap14% abvDelightfully funky on the nose with good darkish fruit aromas and flavour this is classic Marlborough Pinot Noir. Beautifully balanced, stylish with well distributed herb and dark fruit flavours and just a trim of astringency to keep it in order and lengthen the finish.

$$$$

Negociants New ZealandPhone: 0800 634 [email protected]

OPAWA PINOT NOIR 2012MarlboroughScrewcap13% abvPleasantly feral nose with nice fruit trim. Clean and bright with a dry finish and attractive Pinot character that has a herb note. Well made, reliable.

$$$

Negociants New ZealandPhone: 0800 634 [email protected]

TOREA MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2011MarlboroughScrewcap14% abvHints of sweat on the nose make for a complex bouquet with elements of fruit, herbs, and creek water. Very fresh yet soft with a slight ping in its tail. Seems like fun.

$$


KATE RADBURND VINE VELVET PINOT NOIR 2011WairarapaScrewcap13.5% abvA lighter style with some gentle Pinot Noir fruit aromas giving it a pretty air, spiced with oak, herby notes and a tidy manner to complete a very business-like package.

$$$






http://www.whitehaven.co.nz


http://www.negociantsnz.com








The Panel. Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac.Food for Thought.The Panel. Pinot Noir Tasting

LIME ROCK PINOT NOIR 2009Central Hawkes BayScrewcap14.5%Mellow, attractive, slightly funky wine with warmth, good flavour depth and a very tidy finish. Well balanced and nicely finished, it has an earthy/mineral tone that is particularly appealing.

$$$

Lime Rock WinesPhone: 06 857 [email protected]

LIME ROCK KOTA PINOT NOIR 2009Central Hawkes BayScrewcap14% abvFunky, mellow nose followed by a lovely, intense palate full of aromatic fruit, minerals and dark warmth. Very attractive, fruit filled wine with a serious touch. Balance and texture are impressive and there is room for considerable bottle age that should make this wine quite ravishing with time.

$$

Lime Rock WinesPhone: 06 857 [email protected]

LYNFER ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2011Gladstone, WairarapaScrewcap13.5% abvFunky wine with a gamey nose touched with spice, good depth of flavour and a lively cut of acid. Hints of charcoal at the finish. Warm and rather loose in a laid back way.

$$$

Appellation VineyardsPhone: 09 4466524 Email: [email protected]

Toops: Phone: 0800 168 677email: [email protected] www.toops.co.nz

PORTERS ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2009Martinborough, WairarapaScrewcap13.5% abvThere is something about this region and funky wine, as this is another with a warm, gamey character that is very appealing, almost sexy. Plenty of oak and some nice floral hints in the palate. Good weight and balance, but most impressive as a wine of individuality with the slightly chewy textures to match its fruit.

$$$$

red + white cellarPhone: 0800 946 [email protected]

BANNOCKBRAE BARREL SELECTION PINOT NOIR 2009Bannockburn, Central OtagoScrewcap14.3%Big, brave wine, stuffed with lush fruit from nose to tail, with a suitably rich middle to sustain it right through. Nice balance of parts in the palate, and a juiciness that is matched by some bluesy tannins around the finish. Generous in every way, with lashings of fruit.

$$$$$

Appellation VineyardsPhone: 09 4466524 Email: [email protected] www.appellationvineyards.co.nz

Bannockbrae Estate - rest of countryPhone: 03 445 4426Email: [email protected]

VALLI GIBBSTON PINOT NOIR 2011Gibbston, Central OtagoScrewcap13.5% abvWow is the universal response to this wine. From first sniff it is superb, rich with dark fruit and oak spice, hints of mushrooms and a palate that supports its promise. Deep flavoured, fruit forward and suavely textured, with balancing austere notes on the dry, lingering finish, this is very smart wine indeed. Something special, with depth, density and presence.

$$$$$

Valli Vineyards LtdPhone: 021 0821 3057 [email protected]



http://www.limerock.co.nz


http://www.limerock.co.nz


http://www.appellationvineyards.co.nz


http://www.toops.co.nz


http://www.porterspinot.co.nz


http://www.appellationvineyards.co.nz


http://www.bannockbrae.co.nz


http://www.valliwine.com

JANUARY 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 59 AUGUST 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 59

LA STRADA PINOT NOIR 2010Wairau Valley, MarlboroughScrewcap14% abvFreshly funky nose introduces a stylish display of complex winemaking that boasts red and dark fruit, a glimmer of herbs and perfectly balance palate that is as delicious as it is impressive. Fine yet substantial, it is all style and suave texture, it tastes much better than its price suggests.

$$$$

Negociants New Zealand Phone: 0800 634 [email protected]

CLAYVIN VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2011Wairau Valley, MarlboroughNatural cork13.5% abvExcellent colour with depth that delivers a dark fruit nose with some density and depth of flavour. Classy feeling wine with quiet depths and a hint of much to come with bottle age. Finish is as sophisticated as the palate suggests, trailing dry and laced with dark flavours and a final touch of ferals.

$$$$$


FROMM VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2011Wairau Valley, MarlboroughNatural cork13.5% abvFragrant, lightly sophisticated nose introduces a lean, racehorse-like wine with sinews and a sleek fruit character. Hints of herbs, berries and forest floor help its cosmopolitan inclinations, but generally understated.

$$$$$


CHURTON MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2010Waihopai Valley, Marlboroughnatural cork13% abvA muscular beauty, with an aroma packed bouquet that has red fruit and floral notes, with a dash of herbs. Palate is equally well formed, supple to back its mouth filling flavours and gravely tannins. Big and beautiful, with depth to match and the richness of quality. Terrific at this price.

$$$$

Mineral Wine DistributorsPhone: James Barber, 027 580 [email protected]

CHURTON THE ABYSS PINOT NOIRWaihopai Valley, MarlboroughNatural cork13% abvSlightly funky, deep set, rich nose sets up this deliciously muscular wine. Dark fruit aromas with hints of roses slips through to the supple, broad mid palate that is rich with dark, ripe tannins and sustained flavours. Powerful wine with a broad, deep finish that lingers well. The antithesis of pretty Pinot, strikingly structured, resounding stuff.

$$$$$

Mineral Wine DistributorsPhone: James Barber, 027 580 [email protected]

BABICH MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2011MarlboroughScrewcap13% abvA light, fresh, clean style with pretty Pinot fruit character and a gentle manner flecked with herbs. Slightly old fashion, and it does the business.

$$$

Eurovintage LtdPhone: 09 588 4262 or 0800 338 [email protected]

★STAR of the SHOW












http://www.eurovintage.co.nz


The Panel. Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac.

GREYSTONE PINOT NOIR 2010Waipara ValleyScrewcap14% abvVery lively, peppery, warm hearted wine with some slender Pinot Noir flavours that have depth and length. Strangely manages to be both big and slim simultaneously.

$$$$

Kahurangi EstatePhone: 03 543 [email protected]

GREYSTONE BROTHERS’ RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2011Waipara ValleyScrewcap14% abvSlightly funk, feral nose has a suggestion of creek water and some dark fruit. Herbs and fruit on the palate with good weight and some intensity, tweaked by a few gravely hints. Complex, well designed and warm hearted, it finishes a little understated but promises to grow with bottle age.

$$$$$


MUDDY WATER 2011 PINOT NOIRWaipara ValleyScrewcap14% abvHas an unusual mint note on the nose, amongst some dark fruit and a hint of feral. Good palate, balanced and warm, with some finishing textures to help it linger. Has more weight than first appears the case.

$$$


MUDDY WATER HARE’S BREATH PINOT NOIR 2010Waipara ValleyScrewcap14% abvStylish wine with dark fruit and forest floor character, weighty and warm. Has a fringe of tannins giving it presence, yet comes across all suave and smooth. A hint of earthiness provides a sense of minerals, and the finish lingers well.

$$$$$


MUDDY WATER SLOWHAND PINOT NOIR 2010Waipara ValleyScrewcap14% abvA bright, frisky wine with an attractive ‘rabbit guts’ character that sets it apart from most of the competition. Warm and brisk with good tannins and an angular nature that begs more bottle age to settle into its game.

$$$$$


GREENHOUGH 2010 HOPE VINEYARD PINOT NOIRHope, NelsonScrewcap14% abvBeautifully crafted wine from its complex, sleek bouquet of fruit, earth and gentle oak to its fruit firm, oak swathed palate and suave, lingering finish. The epitome of style, this graceful wine is as much about the art of making fine Pinot Noir as it is about its source. Perfectly structured, always interesting, always classy.

$$$$

Vintners NZ LtdPhone: 0800 687 9463 [email protected] www.vintners.co.nz

Food for Thought.The Panel. Pinot Noir Tasting

WINE TRADE PRICE GUIDE excl GST (per 750ml bottle): $$$$$ - 30 and up • $$$$ - 20-30 • $$$ - 15-20 • $$ - 10-15 • $ - <10 per bottle



http://www.kahurangiwine.com










http://www.vintners.co.nz

NOVEMBER 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 61 JUNE 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 61

NEWNews &GOLD SUCCESS FOR NZ WINES

AT UK SOMMELIER AWARDSBritain’s largest hospitality sector wine competition has just concluded in London, with New Zealand wines winning 15 of the 196 gold medals awarded at the 2013 UK Sommelier Wine Awards. The judges included some of the most respected names amongst the United Kingdom’s sommelier community.ARA, 2012 Single Estate Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New ZealandATA RANGI, 2012 Lismore Pinot Gris, Martinborough, New ZealandSPY VALLEY 2011 PINOT NOIR, Marlborough, New ZealandROCKBURN 2010 PINOT NOIR, Central Otago, New ZealandINVIVO 2011 PINOT NOIR, Central Otago, New ZealandWOOLLASTON 2012 RIESLING, Nelson, New ZealandESK VALLEY 2011 RIESLING, Marlborough, New ZealandBABICH FAMILY ESTATES, 2011 Cowslip Valley Riesling, Marlborough, New ZealandSAINT CLAIR, 2012 Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New ZealandAUNTSFIELD, 2012 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New ZealandVIDAL, 2010 Reserve Series Syrah, Hawke’s Bay, New ZealandFROMM, 2009 La Strada Syrah, Marlborough, New ZealandSPY VALLEY, 2011 Pinot Noir Rosé, Marlborough, New ZealandQUARTZ REEF, Méthode Traditionnelle, NV, Central Otago, New ZealandINVIVO, 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

BOURBON SHORTAGE LOOMSPremium Bourbon producer, Sazerac has told US media to expect a serious shortage of American whiskey in the next few months. This follows the decision earlier this year by Maker's Mark to reduce the alcohol content of its famous whiskey in order to meet growing demand for the product.In a press release, Sazerac, which produces Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare Bourbons, says, “Bourbon whiskey consumption has been on a roll, and Kentucky’s Bourbon distilleries are struggling to keep up with demand.”

JAPANESE BUY NEW ZEALAND LIQUOR RETAILERAsahi-owned Independent Liquor have announced their purchase of The Mill liquor retail chain. The purchase price of the 35-store chain has not been disclosed, and the company says it intends to franchise the stores sometime in the future.Independent’s chief executive, Julian Davidson says the move has been made to reduce the influence of producer-owned liquor outlets on the company’s brands.“We’ve made this move because currently, quite often, a customer’s product choice is already made for them before they enter a liquor store,” he says. “This is because of producer dominance in the retail channel, which can result in the destocking or blocking of some brands and product portfolios. We’ve experienced this first hand – it’s anti-competitive and should be challenged.”

CORRECTIONThirst apologises to Treasury Wine Estates for the mismatching of the image with the Panel taste comments in last month’s magazine.

PENFOLD’S CLUB TAWNYAustraliaLovely nose reminiscent of raisins with a mellow rancio tone and hints of oak. Good balance, sweet and rich, with rancio complexities, a hint of muscat-like fruit and a gentle warmth at the finish. Fruity wine, in spite of the aged characters. A great standard for Aussie Tawny.$$Treasury Wine Estates New ZealandFreephone: 0508 873 [email protected]




NEWNews & BAR SERVES GIRLS KNOWING

THEY ARE ONLY 16Two 16-year-old girls working with police on a sting operation in licensed premises in the Motueka area were served by bar staff at the Hotel Motueka, even after admitting they were under age.Nelson Bays Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer Steve Savage said he was astounded when the 16-year-old volunteers told him

what had happened.The girls visited the bar on Thursday May 23 and were initially

asked for ID. They said they didn’t have any and were then asked their age.

“They gave their correct date of birth and the bar staff said, ‘so you’re 16’.

“The girls confirmed they were 16 and were then served drinks and told to have a nice day,” Sergeant Savage said.The operation found no other establishments in Motueka served the under-age girls.“In my view this is a more serious offence than serving someone you believe is 18. The bar staff clearly knew they were serving 16-year-olds. I can’t imagine what they were thinking,” Savage said.Sergeant Savage said Police would be meeting with the Hotel Motueka management to discuss what action would be taken as a result of the breach.

NEW SINGLE MALT FROM THE WESTERN ISLANDSArdbeg, the world’s smokiest, peatiest award-winning whisky launched its latest limited edition called Ardbog, on ‘Ardbog Day’ – June 1. It is now available exclusively at New Zealand Ardbeg Embassies.Rai Banbury, senior brands manager, says, “The Islay Ardbeg Festival has become a key date in the calendar of malt whisky lovers worldwide. Every year Ardbeg creates a unique and fun way for our Ardbeg fans to celebrate Ardbeg and the much-anticipated limited edition release.”The name Ardbog was chosen to highlight the peat bogs of Ardbeg’s island home Islay and the part they play in the whisky making process. The unique peat bogs contain highly aromatic plants that when used to dry malted barley gives Ardbeg whiskies their distinctive smoky flavour.Ardbog has deep, enticing waves of pecan nuts, salty toffee and caramels, fudge, leather and a distinct whiff of herbs, lavender and violets. The smoke is soft and aromatic, and is interwoven with savoury notes, like Iberico ham (de bellota) and olives.The release of Ardbog follows the highly acclaimed Ardbeg Galileo, awarded as the World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whisky Awards earlier this year.The new single malt retails for around NZ$160

ROBERT MONDAVI APPROACHES THE TON.Famous Californian wine pioneer, Robert Mondavi, founder of the Robert Mondavi winery in Napa Valley and one of the leaders of the New World wine revolution, is expected to have his 100th birthday on June 18.The winery, now owned by Constellation, will host a series of events to celebrate, including a concert at the To Kalon vineyard in the valley, which is Mondavi’s favourite property.

Contact your Stuart Alexander sales representative

for more information or call Consumer Services,

phone 0800 188 484

Recipies - Dark & Stormy60ml Stolen Gold Rum30ml Fresh Pressed Lime Juice20ml MONIN Cinnamon SyrupGinger BeerMethod In a short glass add Rum, Lime Juice & CinnamonAdd ice and give a quick stir then top with ginger beerGarnish Use the lime half that juice was extracted from, Cinnamon Stick optional.

MONIN Ginger BeerCombine 20ml of MONIN Ginger with 10ml MONIN CinnamonWith 150ml of filtered water in a soda siphon,add CO2 and serve

Discover ultimate recipes on www.monin.com

Cocktails by MONIN

The perfect ingredient for your cocktail list!

Derived from the bark of an evergreen tree native to Sri Lanka, cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known. Throughout history, cinnamon’s popularity continued. The characteristic rich, warm and sweet fragrance of cinnamon made it one of the most evocative spices and a much used ingredient in many cuisines worldwide. The spicy taste of cinnamon powder with pepper notes and a bright amber colour.

Image not representative of recipe

RumBY CHRIS TURNER

Rum, Nectar of the Caribbean, and my personal favourite drop, whether it be light, gold or dark all styles of rum are beautifully complex in their own right.

The first distillation of rum in the Caribbean dates back to the 17th Century, but was believed to have first been explored in Ancient India and China, with an early example being the Malay drink produced from sugarcane, brum.

Rum is now typically known to be from countries and islands such as Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica and was also used as a powerful economic currency to fund such things as slavery and organised crime in the past. Rum plays a large part in the culture of most islands of the West Indies, where it was a favourite of the Royal Navy, who mixed it with water or beer to create “grog”. Rum’s association with piracy began with British privateers using it as a trading tool for valuable commodities. This alcoholic partnership began in 1655 when the British captured the island of Jamaica. With the availability of domestically produced rum they could up their daily ration given to seamen. This practice was fondly named a “tot” but unfortunately for the Royal Navy was abolished in 1970.

There are a number of variations of rum with the most popular and widely known being light or white rum. These rums are sometimes filtered after distillation to remove any colour. The next would be the medium-bodied variety of gold rum, with a stronger mouth feel and generally deeper taste profile than white. These gain their colour from an ageing process in wooden barrels. There are at least five more variations to speak of but lastly on to spiced rum. Spiced rum has been around for a while but seems to be trending again. With its complex flavour profiling it opens the doors to men and women behind bars to create more in-depth cocktails for their consumers. Think of spiced rum as a liqueur based on rum and made more robust with the f lavours from the islands it’s produced from. So expect hints of vanilla, cinnamon, pepper and even rosemary.

Rum is the base for endless beverages, ranging from boozy rum punches to cold weather varieties like hot-buttered rum. Most famous for white rum would be none other than the Mojito. Often misused in venues that concentrate not so much on cocktails; a well-made Mojito is a perfect example of how white rum should be served. As for dark, it's the Dark & Stormy, classically made with Gosling’s Black Seal from Bermuda and ginger beer. So, now for my twist on a Dark & Stormy - use a slightly lighter rum in the form of New Zealand’s Stolen Gold with fresh pressed lime and MONIN Cinnamon syrup topped with ginger beer. For a delightful twist on the ginger beer for your dark and stormy you can also combine filtered water with MONIN Ginger and MONIN Cinnamon syrups in a soda siphon.

Next time you find yourself in the company of rum I suggest you “splice the mainbrace!” Enjoy.

http://www.monin.com

Food for Thought.

64 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . FEBRUARY 201364 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 201264 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JUNE 2013

Brew. Geoff Griggs

With this being my first column in Hospitality I’m hesitant to be too critical of the industry, but the subject I’m tackling this month is too important to be ignored. I’m talking about the humble beer list.

Despite the current explosion of interest in craft beer, when it comes to offering a decent selection of beer styles the majority of Kiwi restaurants fail miserably.

Too often the consideration given to a restaurant’s food, wine and coffee is not applied to beer. Restaurateurs, publicans and licensees who’d never dream of selling frozen pizzas or instant coffee are happy to offer their patrons the beer equivalent of box wine.

Diners are inf luenced by a couple of factors in their choice of where to go. They’re looking for a different f lavour experience to that which they get at home. They want to eat something they don’t have the skills, patience or time to prepare themselves.

The same logic affects their choice of wine. Having decided what they’d like to eat, they look for something to complement their food. Usually they end up plumping for something different – and more expensive – than the everyday wine they drink at home.

Isn’t splashing out on something a bit special part of the enjoyment of an evening out?

But what if the beverage of choice isn’t wine, but beer? Assuming your drinks list actually includes beers – many still don’t – does it offer a range of different styles, perhaps with a few interesting options from overseas? And are there helpful tasting notes and recommendations as to which beer might be appropriate to match with each dish? If not, isn’t that a missed opportunity?

Why on earth would any right-minded restaurateur offer their customers only the same taste-alike mainstream draughts and (so-called) premium golden lagers as every other restaurant – especially when they’re the same beers that are on special every

Get Serious about your beer list

week in the supermarket mailers? Most customers don’t object to splashing out on a decent bottle of wine – particularly if it’s an unfamiliar label, but they’ll probably gib at spending eight dollars for a bottle of Heineken or Stella Artois which they can buy at any supermarket for $25 a dozen. Why not give them the option of a different beer experience – and of course charge them more for the privilege?

Quoting an edict from a restaurateur and former boss, Keith Stewart (the editor of this magazine) argues the first lesson in managing a drinks list is profit: “The job of a professional is to take all of the money out of their guests’ wallets in such a way that when the guests wake up in the morning and find themselves broke, the memory of their previous night’s experience makes them happy to be so”.

I agree; if professional waiting staff can encourage diners to trade up to a more expensive bottle of wine – and, frankly, it ought to be an important part of their job – then why shouldn’t they also be able to up-sell an aromatically hopped India pale ale, a tart, spicy Belgian-style wheat beer or a rich, soothing porter? After all, even the finest beers cost way less than any half-decent bottle of wine and only a few dollars more than a mundane Kiwi draught or Auckland-brewed Euro-lager clone.

The English beer writer Michael Jackson was right on the mark when he pointed out that, “Fine wines represent a fraction of the market, but their reputation elevates the whole category.” That’s so true, and it applies equally to beer. Offering a decent range of quality beers ought to be regarded as a key opportunity for any restaurateur or licensee.

Take my advice; rev up your beer list and do your customers a favour. They’ll thank you for it and be back for more.

Cheers!

BY GEOFF GRIGGS

65 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JANUARY 201365 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . AUGUST 2012 JUNE 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 65

Beer News

MARLBOROUGH BREWERS SCORE BIG IN AUSTRALIANew Zealand craft beer brewers have enhanced their international reputation for excellence with another big showing at the Australian International Beer Awards. Kiwi beers took home a total of 65 awards including six trophies and seven gold medals.Biggest score was for Renaissance Brewing of Marlborough, which won the Champion Small International Brewery Trophy. Renaissance also brought home the trophy for Best Barley Wine for its 2011 Tribute Barley Wine. Another Marlborough brewer, 8 Wired won the Champion IPA Trophy for its Superconductor, while fellow Marlborough identity, Moa won a Gold, Silver and 4 Bronze medals.Other trophies went to Macs brewery in Auckland for Hop Rocker (Best Pilsener) and Mac’s Gold (Best Australian Style lager), and Tuatara Brewing Co Ltd of Wellington for packaging.The full list of winners from New Zealand in this prestigious competition are as follows;

RENAISSANCE BREWING LTD, MARLBOROUGH Trophy for Champion Small International Brewery Trophy for Best Scotch Ale/Barley Wine: Tribute 2011 Barley Wine Gold in Barley/Wheat Wine: Tribute 2011 Barley Wine Silver in Scotch Ale: Stonecutter Scotch Ale Bronze in Other Specialty: Renaissance Enlightenment Great Punkin Bronze in Other Specialty: Renaissance Enlightenment White as – wheat IPA Bronze in Barley/Wheat Wine: Tribute 2012 Bronze in Other Pale Ale: Renaissance MPA Bronze in British Other: Voyager IPA Bronze in Other Amber Dark Ale: Renaissance Enlightenment Black the RIPA Bronze in Wood Aged (Draught): Oak Aged Stonecutter Scotch Ale

8 WIRED BREWING, MARLBOROUGH Trophy for Best IPA: Superconductor Gold in Imperial/Double IPA: Superconductor Silver in Other IPA: Hopwired Silver in American Style Red: Tall Poppy Bronze in Imperial Stout: iStout Bronze in Other Belgian & French Ale: Saison Sauvin Bronze in Smoked: The Big Smoke

LION – THE PRIDE, AUCKLAND Trophy for Best Australian Style Lager: Mac’s Gold Trophy for Best Pilsner: Mac’s Hop Rocker Gold in Other Pilsner: Mac’s Hop Rocker Gold in Australian Style Lager: Mac’s Gold Gold in Low Carbohydrate Lager: Mac’s Spring Tide Silver in Other Pilsner: Speight’s Triple Hop Pilsner Silver in Belgian Wit: Mac’s Great White Bronze in Other Pilsner: Crafty Beggars Golden Days Bronze in Australian Style Pale Ale: Mac’s Shady Pale Bronze in Other Pale Ale: Crafty Beggars Pale & Interesting Bronze in Other Pale Ale: Speight’s Golden Pale Ale

TUATARA BREWING CO., KAPITI-WELLINGTON Trophy for Best Packaging: Pilsner 12 Bottle Carton Gold in Consumer Retail Packaging: Pilsner 12 Bottle Carton Silver in British Style Pale Ale: Tuatara India Pale Ale Silver in Other Pale Ale: Tuatara Aotearoa Pale Ale Silver in Imperial/Double IPA: Tuatara Double Trouble Bronze in Robust Porter: Tuatara Porter Bronze in German Style Hefe: Tuatara Hefe

MOA BREWING CO. MARLBOROUGHGold in Belgian Lambic: Moa Sour Blanc Silver in Abbey Tripel: Moa St Josephs

Bronze in Other Specialty: Moa Ten Year Beer Bronze in Wood Aged: Moa Whiskey Pilsner Bronze in Bohemian Style Pilsner: Moa OriginalBronze in British Style: Moa Five Hop

THREE BOYS BREWERY, CHRISTCHURCHBronze in British Style Pale Ale: Three Boys IPA Bronze in Robust Porter: Three Boys Porter Bronze in Dry Stout: Three Boys Oyster Stout Bronze in Belgian Wit: Three Boys Wheat

MCCASHINS BREWERY, NELSON Silver in Other British Style Ale: Stoke Bomber Bohemian Ale Silver in Other Amber Dark Ale: Stoke Dark Bronze in Other European Lager: Stoke Bomber Smokey Ale

HARRINGTONS BREWERY, CHRISTCHURCH Silver in American Style Amber Lager: 2011 Dark Bronze in English Style Dark Mild: Pig&Whistle Bronze in Baltic Style Porter: Baltic-ler

EPIC BREWING COMPANY, AUCKLAND Silver in American Style: Epic Armageddon IPA Bronze in Other Specialty: Epicurean Coffee & Fig Stout

CROUCHER BREWING LTD, ROTORUABronze in Other Pilsner: Croucher Brewing Pilsner Bronze in Other Amber Dark Ale: Croucher Brewing Patriot

PARROTDOG BREWING LTD, WELLINGTONBronze in English Style Dark Mild: Dogg Bronze in Herb & Spice: Day of the Dead

GARAGE PROJECTBronze in Wood Aged Porter: Lord Cockswain’s Courage: Double-Barrel Edition Bronze in Other Specialty: Dark Arts

DALE’S BREWING CO LTD, NELSONSilver in American Style Red: Dale’s American Amber Ale

DEEP CREEK BREWING, AUCKLANDBronze in Other Amber Dark Ale: The Dusty Gringo

DB BREWERIES, AUCKLANDBronze in Wood Aged Porter: Monteiths Barrel Aged Porter

GOLDEN BEAR BREWING LTD, NELSONBronze in Robust Porter (Draught): Blackbeard Pirate Porter

INVERCARGILL BREWERY, SOUTHLANDBronze in Wood Aged Stout: Pitch Black Imperial

http://www.fountaindrinks.co.nz

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