How to make sure your restaurant is full every night...

Posted by: Neil Willis

Its easy, but not simple! Don't ever lose a customer!

Do whatever it takes to never lose a customer if they are expecting 90% give them 120%! I know you think I'm joking here, but what if?

Click here to read the full article...

Sydney Commercial Kitchens Blog

Author: Neil Willis

Sydney Commercial Kitchens has a new blog. SCK Blog

The new Blog will be used to advise of new products added to the website, to show our monthly specials and to release our popular newsletter.

Within the next few weeks you will also be able to subscribe to our blog with a RSS feed.

Keeping you up-to-date with the hospitality industry.

Best wishes
Neil Willis

11 great tips for start-ups

by JULIANNE DOWLING
http://www.theage.com.au

Getting your business plan and strategies into place is something that most would-be owners like the sound of, but don’t actually do

Find out why

Online resource aids small businesses with employment advice

Story from http://www.insideretailing.com.au

Australia's small businesses now have access to a range of free online resources to help them better understand their rights when it comes to employing staff

Read more

The Coffee Club Scoop Top Industry Award

by Bean Media Group

The Coffee Club Scoop Top Industry Award from Leading Industry Magazine Australia's Best Retail Published

Read the entire story

Business upbeat after smaller decline in services

By Online business reporter Michael Janda
http://www.abc.net.au

The Australian service industry was closing in on a return to growth in August according to a private survey

Restaurants give support to homeless campaign

by Rosemary Ryan
http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

StreetSmart Australia’s Dine Out to Help Out event last year generated $260,000 with the support of restaurants who took part in the campaign that asks diners to add and extra $2 to their bill

Click here to read the full story.

2009 Awards for caterers and resturants

by Catering Melbourne Blog

Restaurant & Catering Victoria honour Victoria’s finest restaurateurs and caterers
See the list of winners

Sydney Cafes go Green!

by Dana Nekich

Cafe owners and baristas in Sydney, Australia, are meeting at the Botanic Gardens Restaurant to discuss how to make urban cafes more sustainable.

See the full story

Melbourne barista named best in the business

by Olivia Collings

Melbourne barista Jesse Hyde has been crowned the 2009 Danes Grand Barista Champion.

Read all about it!

Modern technology changing the restaurant kitchen

by Catharine Munro

Traditional stovetop cooking is no longer an indispensable tool for chefs as they embrace other methods
Find out more

Club Food & Beverage Management Summit: 8 & 9 Sept 2009

from Profitable Hospitality
Ideas, Insights, Inspiration, Information, Networking, this year's Summit is designed to inspire and challenge: Find out why!

Free coaching for small enterprises

by Julia Talevski
The NSW Government will launch free online business coaching to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Small Business September this year. Learn more .....

Move to ban restaurant street heaters

by ANNE MATHER

OUTDOOR heaters are becoming a common feature, but for how long?

The winners of the 2009 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence competition announced

By Rebecca Harris

The winners of the 2009 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence competition were announced in a star-studded awards ceremony in Sydney on Monday night. Read more

Downturn doesn't dampen appetite

Article from: Australian Associated Press

Sydney and Melbourne diners have not abandoned restaurants according to two new surveys released this week.

Full story

Restaurants, grocers reap solid growth in May

Story by Daniel Palmer

The latest data from the ABS has shown restaurants, take-away outlets and cafés record seasonally adjusted growth of 1.4 per cent in May.

Read this story

Understanding Coffee Blends

Barista Brothers
David Gee and Matthew Gee share their thoughts on all things coffee

Marketing Strategies For Small Business - The 7 Steps to Business Success

Marketing Strategies For Small Business
by Peter Fehon

By mastering these 7 easy steps you are guaranteed to finish this current year in a better position than when you started it.

Australia's Hotel Industry Rising Star

Media Release

A Tasmanian has been named Australia's Hotel Industry Rising Star at the 2009 AHA ... “These awards demonstrate that Tasmania provides quality hospitality venues of .... (sponsored by Schweppes). Grand Hyatt Melbourne (Melbourne, VIC) ...

New $11m hospitality training facility launched

Brisbane-based Hospitality Training Association Inc. (HTA) has has unveiled the second stage of its $17.8m refurbishment and expansion program.

The kitchens have used equipment provided by one of our great suppliers, Angelo Po who are a leading Italian brand.

To read more about this story click here

Pizza giant Eagle Boys in store opening frenzy

Everyone loves a pizza but apparently no one more than Eagle Boys. Eagle Boys have announced that they are opening 10 stores over the final 9 days of the financial year.

Click here to read the full story.

Awards for best Sydney businesses

The City of Sydney is again looking for Sydney’s best small to medium sized businesses as it launches the sixth annual City of Sydney Business Awards.

I Know myself the prestige that a business award can bring to your business. So to find out more about these awards and how to enter Click here

Targeting Restaurants and Cafes for providing Ambience

The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia, has begun targeting cafes and restaurants with a new, raised tariff for providing piped our radio music to the customers.

Maybe they haven't heard that there is a recession on, or that restaurants and cafe's are doing it particularly tough. Especially for the FREE to AIR radio broadcasts the radio stations have already paid the copyright fees.

In my opinion they are double dipping and riding roughshod over an industry that is already in crisis.

Shame on them!

To read the full story by Lars Brandle, Brisbane click here

Food For Thought Magazine Gets A Fresh Look

www.hospitalitydirectory.com.au

Associated Media Group has announced their takeover of Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT's official magazine, Food For Thought...

[read more]

AUS: Natural foods big at food fair

By FoodWeek Online

This year's Fine Food Australia in Sydney is shaping up as a showcase for everything new in natural foods for retail and hospitality businesses, according to exhibition manager, Minnie Constan.

“We’re seeing that changing consumption habits are driving an increase in organic food sales, despite the economic downturn," she said.

While the economic downturn has led to more Australian families eating in, they are increasingly opting to cook with healthy, natural produce. It even appears that the economic downturn has pulled organic, natural and ethical foods, along with gluten-free foods, into the mainstream of the food industry.

Read more .... http://www.foodweek.com.au/main-features

Small business woe not our fault, say Treasurer Wayne Swan

TREASURER Wayne Swan acknowledges that small businesses are doing it tough but says it's not the Federal Government's fault.

Labor was doing all it could to ease the pain being felt by business owners as a result of the global financial crisis, he said.

Read more .... http://www.news.com.au/Small business woe not our fault

Baristas worth every bean

It has taken a long time but at last you can find great coffee in New York City, writes Monica Glare.

Trying to get a decent cappuccino, latte or macchiato in New York City is no easy task. It is either too weak or too strong, too hot, too bitter, or the milk is too foamy. Having thrown away more coffees than I've sipped since moving to New York six months ago, I made it my mission to find a good one. I finally found a few cafes making espresso that would make any Australian barista proud. Even better, they also happen to be located in some great neighbourhoods.

Read more .... http://www.smh.com.au/travel/baristas-worth-every-bean

Cafe franchise opens 10th outlet in China

Australian Jamaica Blue café franchise opened its third outlet in Beijing last month. This new café, located at the Oriental Plaza – the largest shopping centre in the nation’s capital – is the 10th Jamaica Blue café to open in China since 2005.

Open seven days from 7am to 10pm, the Beijing café caters for a range of customers from surrounding office buildings, residential apartments, hotels and neighbouring Tiananmen Square.

Read more ..... http://www.franchise.net.au/article/Cafe-franchise-opens-10th-outlet-in-China

Big Pod Kitchen Mat - Anti-Fatigue

http://www.hospitalitydirectory.com.au

This amazing mat was produced specifically for the Food/Beverage Service Industry.

Anti-Fatigue, relieves leg, feet and back pain, increasing worker productivity, morale and job satisfaction.
Forget trying to lift heavy rubber mats, this mat is 80% lighter to handle and at the same time anti-slip/trip.

Bevelled edges all sides.

Non-absorbent, prevents grease and dirt build up, very hygienic. Excellent in food service areas. Very easy to clean. Many colours.
Australian Made.

See it at the Melbourne Food Service Infocus Expo 23-25 June 2009 Stand D41

Food industry goes green to celebrate World Environment Day

http://www.hospitalitydirectory.com.au

Australia’s leading food and beverage companies have highlighted their commitment to sustainable manufacturing with lower energy production and sustainable packaging options to celebrate World Environment Day today.

A wide range of companies have committed to environmentally-friendly practices to produce their popular food products, including Kraft which has led the way with its icon product Vegemite, manufactured at the company’s Port Melbourne, where it has reduced energy by 39 per cent and waste by 55 per cent. The company is also supplying recycled water to community projects.

Wine company Wolf Blass – part of the Foster’s Group – has launched Wolf Blass Green Label in a new lightweight plastic wine bottle which produces 29 per cent less Greenhouse Gas Emissions compared to the same wine in a 750ml industry standard 515g glass bottle. PET bottles are 100 per cent recyclable and shatterproof.

Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) Chief Executive Kate Carnell applauded these initiatives along with a range of other sustainable practices by AFGC members including:

Kellogg has set a goal of reducing waste, water and energy use, and green house gas emissions by 15-20 per cent by 2015. Projects to achieve this goal include improving staff awareness and understanding of waste disposal procedures resulting in reduced food waste and less waste to land fill.
George Weston Foods is exploring ways to reduce water usage at its Dandenong site in Victoria through a comprehensive monitoring program with the Victorian State Government.
Unilever’s Lipton has committed to sourcing all its tea sustainably by working with the Rainforest Alliance to ensure certification of tea estates.
SCA Hygiene has a global goal of reducing 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, which will be achieved through its ESAVE initiative at all their paper making sites.
Ms Carnell said AFGC was exploring new ways for industry in Australia to better utilise resources – including water recycling – in partnership with the CSIRO, Woolworths and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

“World Environment Day is an ideal time for everyone, including food manufacturers, to reflect how they affect the environment and make commitments to reducing their impact on the planet,” Ms Carnell said.

Sydney celebrates Italian food heritage

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
21 May 2009 | by Rosemary Ryan

Sydney’s original little Italy East Sydney celebrates this weekend with food and wine festival Primo Italiano that this year will revolve around the theme of a big Italian wedding.

More than 35,000 people attended the event last year with even more expected this year to immerse themselves in Italian culture.

Stanley Street will be transformed into an Italian piazza to host the big Italian wedding, complete with bride and groom, wedding party, Italian music, a fountain and plenty of dancing.

New for Primo Italiano 2009 is Primo Bambini, a specially designed kids-only area at the end of Riley Street, with free gnocchi making classes and entertainment for children throughout the day.

Sydney culinary icon and Primo Italiano ambassador Beppi Polese, whose restaurant Beppi’s is one of the oldest in the area, is an enthusiastic supporter.

"I have seen this area grow and change in many ways, but it is wonderful that each year Primo Italiano continues to celebrate Sydney's original little Italy and Italian heritage," said Polese.

Small Business Tax Break Boost

http://www.hospitalitydirectory.com.au

The Rudd Government will provide another major boost to its highly successful Small Business and General Business Tax Break, providing vital stimulus to support jobs and help small businesses doing it tough in the global recession.

Small businesses will now be able to claim a bonus tax deduction of 50 per cent – up from 30 per cent previously ­ of the cost of eligible assets acquired between 13 December 2008 and 31 December 2009, and installed by 31 December 2010.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, employing millions of Australians, but many have faced some tough times during this global recession.

That's why the Rudd Government has been so determined to help small businesses invest with confidence and take advantage of the opportunities that will come with economic recovery.

The increased Tax Break provides small businesses with an even greater incentive to invest in new capital items, such as computer hardware and business vehicles, and to make capital improvements to existing machinery and equipment.

This major boost will support jobs and businesses all over the country. It accompanies the powerful steps taken by the Rudd Government to stimulate the economy so that small businesses have customers walking through their doors.

The expanded Tax Break will be available to small businesses with a turnover of less than $2 million.

All other businesses can continue to access the Tax Break at 30 per cent for eligible assets contracted for prior to 30 June 2009 and 10 per cent for eligible assets that they commit to investing in between 1 July 2009 and 31 December 2009.

Small businesses only need to invest a minimum of $1,000 per asset in order to qualify for the Tax Break.Under enhancements to the Tax Break announced in March 2009, they can also amalgamate their expenditure on batches and sets of assets in order to meet this threshold.

More detailed information about the Tax Break and the expansion for small business is attached.

The Government will move amendments to the legislation currently before the Parliament to implement the expansion for small business. The Government welcomes statements by the Opposition that it will not frustrate the passage of the legislation so that Australian businesses can invest with certainty.

The expansion will have an estimated cost to revenue of $141 million, bringing the total cost to revenue of the Tax Break to $3.7 billion over the forward estimates period.

Minister awards top tourism and hospitality students

http://www.etravelblackboard.com

The future of tourism in NSW is looking positive with 23 outstanding hospitality and tourism students recognised for their potential at the Minister’s Student Achievement Awards last night.

Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay congratulated the students from NSW education institutions at a ceremony attended by more than 500 leading industry representatives in Sydney.

“These outstanding young achievers demonstrate the type of people we want to drive tourism in NSW – they are innovative thinkers who are passionate about the industry,” Ms McKay said.

“They are building great opportunities for themselves and developing the future of tourism – a future that will benefit everyone in the State.”

Ms McKay said more than 279,000 people completed full and part-time training in tourism and hospitality in NSW last year.

“This demonstrates strong interest in one of the largest industries in the State, which directly employs about 158,000 people and injects more than $27 billion a year into our economy.”

Ms McKay presented each of the winners with a prize pack that included a textbook and a $200 cheque.

This year the awards were presented in partnership between Tourism NSW and Tourism Training Australia, a leading national industry training advisory association. Tourism Training Australia Chief Executive Bill Galvin said the tourism and hospitality industry continues to diversify.

“We appreciate the strong support of the NSW Government. As a major employer we recognise the need to continue to drive training in the industry,” Mr Galvin said.

This year’s event also included The National Tourism Legends Awards, given to senior leaders in tourism and hospitality in NSW. Recipients are independently nominated and judged by the Board of Tourism Training Australia in NSW.

Award winners are selected to provide mentor support to the student achievers in their future careers of tourism and hospitality.

Nominees have worked in the tourism or hospitality industry for a minimum of 10 years and currently run major enterprises in tourism and hospitality in NSW.

Food to die for, not from

www.smh.com.au
Simon Thomsen

You are here: Home » Entertainment » Table Talk » Simon Thomsen

If I had a dollar for every time someone said a dish was "to die for" I'd hand over those thousands of dollars for research into food allergies. The tragic reality is that for some people, eating peanuts, for example, could kill them.

In 2007, three Australians died from a severe allergic reaction. Two, aged 21 and 13, died from peanut anaphylaxis, while another, 21, died after ingesting crustaceans. Recent years are littered with other sad cases.

When you have children, all sorts of fears rear up. One that stuck in mind before the birth of our first child was "what if he suffered from a food allergy?" It seemed blackly funny, given my job.

Well, he does. For four years, we've travelled with an Epi-pen (an adrenaline shot) just in case he reacts badly to cashew nuts. I love cashews. We no longer eat them at home and Thai is off the menu for family dinners.

I mention this because May 17-23 is Food Allergy Awareness Week.

Dining out with many different people, it's surprising how many have serious dietary issues and allergies, from dairy to beef, fish, shellfish, garlic (as part of the allium plant family) and nuts. It's a long and varied list.

On a related matter, one of our reviewers on The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide is coeliac. It's not an allergy, but rather an auto-immune reaction to gluten. That means bread, pasta and other wheat-based products are off the menu. That said, he loves eating out and enjoys a varied diet of great food. He's a wise and witty member of our reviewing team who simply needs to be careful - coeliac disease can cause some rather unpleasant reactions in the bowel.

Whether you suffer from coeliac disease or an allergy, it shouldn't stop you dining out. However, everyone needs to me mindful of the dangers and that includes waiters and chefs.

The following info was sent to me by Anaphylaxis Australia Inc. I don't normally repeat press releases verbatim, but this is important information. So important, I'm printing it out myself and taking it to restaurants with my son, so that chefs can get a better understanding of the issues.

But it's not just chefs. People in general need to understand that this is about more than just being a fussy eater. Most Australians who have lost their lives in recent years as a result of food anaphylaxis have eaten food purchased, or given to them, when away from home. Nearly seven out of every 10 fatalities are young people, aged 13 to 21 years.

What follows is a check sheet prepared by Anaphylaxis Australia. Both sides of the table need to do their utmost to ensure a safe meal.

When eating out those at risk of a severe reaction must:
* Always disclose their food allergy. This includes the many adults who may be at risk of anaphylaxis who have not been properly diagnosed;
* If deemed at risk of anaphylaxis, always carry their Anaphylaxis Action Plan and their adrenaline auto injector with them - it is crucial that sufferers are properly diagnosed and educated;
* Ensure the people they are with at that time are aware of their allergy, what a severe reaction might look like and how to give the life-saving adrenaline auto injector.

It is critical that food service staff:
* Let the customer make a decision about a menu purchase once they have given them the required information;
* Take no short cuts or change set menu ingredients;
* Take food allergy seriously; small amounts can cause life threatening reactions;
* Think about cross-contamination when purchasing, storing, preparing and serving food.

For more information on food allergies and what to do, visit www.allergyfacts.org.au or call 1300 728 000

So tell me, do you have any experiences with allergies? Has it affected your confidence when it comes to eating out and what do you do to ensure you have a safe meal?
Has it ever been a problem or have you encountered people who just don't get it?
What can we do to make sure people understand this isn't simply a matter of being a picky eater?

RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® gets makeover in 2009

RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® gets makeover in 2009New CareControl® feature automates critical maintenance task05.13.2009 – SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – RATIONAL, the world market leader for combination ovens unveiled its new SelfCooking Center with CareControl to the U.S. market at the 2009 North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show. The company officially began shipping the units as of January 1, 2009.

At the center of the new line of SelfCooking Centers is CareControl. The new feature saves time and energy for busy foodservice professionals by automatically detecting the unit’s cleanliness and indicating the need for cleaning with the use of Care-Tabs. The fully biodegradable Care-Tabs are composed of scale-dissolving ingredients to prevent limescale buildup. The extensive cleaning process reduces the risk of damage to the SelfCooking Center’s heating elements. The prevention of limescale buildup can also decrease energy consumption over time.

“Making food preparation straightforward is a core mission at RATIONAL. Cooking in the SelfCooking Center has long been a simple process and now we’ve extended that simplicity to the care and maintenance of the unit with CareControl,” said Vinod Jotwani, international marketing manager, RATIONAL AG.

Not only does CareControl save time and energy, but it also saves operators money. It eliminates the need for expensive water softening systems and tedious de-scaling. Additionally, it does away with the cost of maintaining and operating water-softening equipment.

CareControl increases the operational reliability of the SelfCooking Center unit by adding a frequent and thorough cleaning process. To underline CareControl’s impact on reliability, RATIONAL has doubled the warranty on all new SelfCooking Centers from one year to two years without any additional cost.

Experience the new SelfCooking Center with CareControl hands on through one of RATIONAL’s TeamCooking Live seminars. The seminars take place on a range of dates at over 80 venues nationwide guided by one of the company’s 25 Regional Sales Managers or one of 150 RATIONAL-Certified Chefs. For more information on TeamCooking Live, including upcoming dates and locations visit, www.rationalusa.com.

About the SelfCooking Center®
The SelfCooking Center has simplified the cooking process to the press of a button, saving time as well as expensive training and retraining due to staff turnover. It detects product-specific requirements, the size of the food to be cooked and load size. Then, the SelfCooking Center automatically calculates cooking time, temperature and ideal cooking cabinet climate on an individual basis. It continuously monitors and adjusts 3,600 times per hour to achieve the desired result. The SelfCooking Center also requires 28 percent less space in the kitchen but cooks up to 15 percent faster than conventional combi-steamers. It is available in six different sizes, gas or electric.

About RATIONAL
RATIONAL is the world market and technology leader for the thermal preparation of food in professional kitchens. Founded and based in Germany since 1973, RATIONAL is committed to the principle of sustainability, expressed in its policies on environmental protection, leadership and social responsibility. Numerous awards such as “Best Factory,” “Product of the Year,” “Manufacturer of the Year,” and “Global Excellence in Operations” attest to RATIONAL’s high standards and recognition in the industry.

AUS: Fine Food turns 25

By FoodWeek Online

Fine Food will celebrates 25 years this year.

The exhibition has grown significantly since it was first staged in 1984, and it has been recognised for its innovative, influential and relevant approach to the food and food service industry.

“Fine Food has a proud history as the place for the food industry to source new products, suppliers and ideas. In the current economic climate it is incumbent on us to deliver more solutions and ideas so our visitors find the competitive edge they need to grow their business. As such, this year’s show is possibly the most important show in the history of Fine Food,” said exhibition manager Minnie Constan.

This year, Fine Food will feature a number of product feature worlds or ‘shows within the show’, which are designed to make it easier for visitors to find their specific areas of interest. Special areas include ‘Meat & Seafood’, ‘Natural Products’, ‘Drinks’, ‘Confectionery’, ‘Dairy’, ‘Bakery’, ‘Hospitality Equipment’ and ‘Catering Equipment’.

Two new ‘feature worlds’ will also be introduced this year – ‘Gluten Free World’, which will recognise the heightened consumer interest in foodservice and retail in gluten-free products and ‘Retail Equipment World’ which will feature the latest in technology and point-of-sale, shop fitting and loss prevention.

Over 950 exhibitors from around Australia and overseas will fill the entire Sydney Exhibition Centre with thousands of new products, services and ideas for every segment of the food and beverage industries on show.

Fine Food will be held from September 7 to 10 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Trade visitors are advised to register on www.finefood.com.au prior to September 2. If you are not registered, entry will cost $30 at the door.

Entry is restricted to members of the retail, hospitality, liquor and foodservice industries. Persons not in this category, including children will not be admitted.
For more information on Fine Food Australia, please visit www.foodaustralia.com.au

Find your inner barista.

By Lorna Knowles
Herald Sun

Find your inner barista and save as consumers cut out takeaway coffee.

WHILE consumers are going without takeaway coffee to save money, they are spending big on espresso machines and coffee beans.

More than 45 per cent of people recently surveyed by the Australian National Retailers Association said they had stopped buying takeaway coffees to save money.

But other figures suggested householders were finding their inner barista, investing in espresso machines, grinders and beans to make cafe-style coffee at home.

Liz Rodway, of the ANRA, said retail sales of coffee machines had jumped by between 20 per cent and 25 per cent in the past six months.

"There's a new coffee culture evolving in Australia and we are seeing people who bought a cheap machine years ago looking to upgrade," Ms Rodway said.

"The quality of machines is good. You can get just as good a coffee from these new machines than at your local cafe."

She said the most popular brands included Sunbeam and Breville. Domestic espresso machines vary in price from $300 to $2500.

Grinders cost between $50 and $200 and a bag of coffee beans will set you back about $12.

Home baristas should also budget for a coffee making course - a booming industry around Australia.

"The home barista market is increasing all of the time," two-time Australian champion barista David Makin said.

"Melbourne's always had such a strong history in coffee and some amazing baristas, but now people want to do it themselves."

Mr Makin, who runs weekly barista courses in Melbourne, recommended the Sunbeam 6910 as the best entry-level coffee machine (rrp about $750).

"But the most important thing to buy is a good grinder and Sunbeam makes one for $189," he said.

Mother of two Sue Heinrich got an espresso machine for Christmas and has recently done a home barista course to improve her coffee-making skills.

She did the course at Jetblack Espresso, in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne, where shop owner Debbie Monteleone said they had experienced a rise in coffee machine sales and barista course enrolments.

Mrs Heinrich, a travel consultant who works from home, makes herself one or two coffees a day rather than visiting her local cafe.

"I rarely buy takeaway and I'm saving a lot," she said.

"A bag of beans is about $12, and it lasts us two weeks, with my husband and I having one or two coffees each per day."

The couple are saving $78 per week by making their own coffee. Four takeaway coffees per day, at an average price of $3 each, would cost $12 per day or $84 per week.

Making their coffee from home costs $6 per week for the beans.

That means that within just six weeks, they will have saved enough to recoup the cost of a $468 espresso machine.

Ms Rodway said the sale of coffee beans had grown by 15 per cent in the past year.

"There's also been a strong growth in cappuccino mixes - 25 per cent over the past three years," she said.

Instant coffee sales were also growing by about 10 per cent per year.

Andrew Freeman, who runs Coffee Snobs, an online coffee-lovers forum, said the quality of domestic espresso machines had improved dramatically.

He advised those on a tight budget to invest in a good coffee bean grinder, for about $200, and use cheaper devices, like plungers and stove top coffee makers.

For those with their hearts set on an espresso machine, Mr Freeman recommended the new Breville with built-in grinder or the Sunbeam.

He also recommended the Rancilio Silvia (about $780).

Restaurants raise record amount for homeless

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
Rosemary Ryan

Australian restaurants and their patrons have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for organisations assisting the homeless.

The fundraising organisation StreetSmart Australia has announced that despite economic uncertainty its 2008 “dine out to help out’ campaign raised $260,000 in the six weeks before Christmas.

Across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, where the campaign is run, 238 restaurants participated in the campaign—an increase of 53 participants on 2007.

Il Contro Restaurant in Brisbane took the title of Streetsmart’s national fundraiser of the year with $6,542. Meanwhile Longrain in Sydney was the top New South Wales fundraiser followed by Il Solito Posto in Melbourne.

The amount raised last year was the largest figure to date in the campaign since it launched in 2003. Altogether its raised more than $730,000 over those years.

As a result of the fundraising StreetSmart said it would be funding 63 grassroots projects delivering emergency aid as well as longer term programs helping to move people out of homelessness. All of the funds raised through participating restaurants go to homeless organisations with the majority of the grant recipients located in the same area as the participating restaurants.

StreetSmart CEO Adam Robinson, said the campaign gives local diners and restaurants the chance to contribute back to their local community. “Most people appreciate the opportunity to help the smaller organisations that often struggle to attract funding and don't have the resources or budgets to fundraise themselves,” he said.

Robinson said many of the projects StreetSmart supports are transforming lives. Projects such as the Choir of Hard Knocks and the Big Issue Street Socceroos both received early funding from StreetSmart and this year a wide variety of programs have been supported.


Here’s the full list of winners in the 2008 StreetSmart Fundraising Awards:

National fundraiser of the Year: Il Centro Restaurant, Brisbane

NSW and ACT top ten fundraisers

Longrain (Also NSW fundraiser of the year)
Toko Restaurant and Bar
La Grande Bouffe
Bills Surry Hills
Kazbah on Darling
Icons Brasserie
Coast
The Book Kitchen
Universal Restaurant
Perama

Victorian top ten

Il Solito Posto (also Victorian fundraiser of the year)
Mecca Bah
GPO Restaurant & Lounge Bar, Bendigo (also regional fundraiser of the year
Longrain Melbourne
Livebait
SunnySide Up Café
Cosi Bar Restaurant
Sails on the Bay
Birdman Eating
Italy 1 Camberwell

Queensland top ten

Il Centro Restaurant (also national and Qld fundraiser of the year
Mecca Bah, Brisbane
e'cco bistro
Montrachet
Moo Moo
Brett's Wharf
Bella Venezia
Luxe Restaurant
Birches Restaurant
Dell ' Ugo New Farm

Australians vote for favourite restaurant

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

After its successful launch last year subscription television channel LifeStyle FOOD Channel is kicking off its second I Love FOOD Awards which aims to uncover its audience’s favourite restaurants.

Voting opens on June 4 for the awards which aim to reward Australia’s best eat-outs as chosen by the Australian public.

Whether it’s a favourite local for a night off from cooking; a pub meal with mates; or the five-star restaurant to celebrate special occasions—-each has the opportunity to be voted Australia’s best.

The voting results will be available on Australia’s largest viewer voted online eat out guide at www.lifestylefood.com.au.

Voters just need to head to www.lifestylefood.com.au to vote in the awards.

Benchmarking study leads campaign to boost industry

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Three of Australia’s largest foodservice suppliers have teamed up to launch a national campaign aimed at helping hospitality operators survive and thrive during the economic downturn.

Unilever Foodsolutions, Fonterra Foodservices, and Simplot Foodservice have unveiled their new ‘Recipe for Success’ initiative that features a number of different ingredients including a major benchmarking study of 2000 foodservice industry operators, a website with tools and information to help operators improve their businesses, and a public relations campaign aimed at increasing diners support for their local restaurants. As well an awards program will recognise the best hospitality operator in Australia across the different channels from pubs and clubs, to restaurants, cafes and hotels.

Unilever Foodsolutions marketing manager Cheree Nichols said Recipe for Success was designed to protect the Australian foodservice industry by educating and equipping them with business resources and communication support.

“With almost 80 per cent of working families expected to eat out less this year, local pubs, club, restaurants, cafes and hotels are in danger of drastically losing patronage,” said Nichols.

“Recipe for Success is designed to give a dramatic boost to the hospitality industry and encourage Australians to support their local pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels.”

The benchmarking study at the heart of the program will be conducted by independent consulting firm Avatar and will be open to 2000 businesses who register to be part of the Recipe for Success program. The study will review each venue’s sales, growth, seating capacity, patronage and cost of business. The participating businesses will then receive a report on the study and will be able to see where they rank on key performance indicators.

“The study is designed to help foodservice operators become more conscious of the key ratios and drivers for their businesses and drivers for their business and be able to receive a ranking of their business in comparison to other businesses in a similar segment,” said Nichols.

As a further part of the benchmarking project the top performers across four different channels—pubs, clubs, cafes/restaurants and hotels with accommodation—will be recognised at the program’s Business Excellence Awards to be held during Fine Food Australia later this year.

Registrations for the program begin on June 9 via the website www.recipeforsuccess.net.au

The right ingredient

Not many serious chefs would admit to eating McDonald's and enjoying it.

Peter Evans, however, the head chef and co-owner of the Hugo's group of restaurants, not only eats the occasional quarter-pounder but does so for reasons other than the taste.

"I'm loyal to my first place of work," he says with only a hint of irony. "I owe them a great deal because they did shape my work ethic."

If there's someone who knows about a work ethic, it's Evans. At almost 36 he has gone from a teenage cog in the fast food machine to one of Australia's most successful and best-known restaurant entrepreneurs.

"Some mates packed bags at Woolworths but I chose fast food restaurants," he says, perched on a leather couch at Hugo's Bar Pizza in Kings Cross.

"It was that McDonaldisation of me as 14-year-old that first taught me about systems, organisation, cleanliness."

If one adjective seems to suggest itself in Evans's company it is "driven".

Like the franchise system that moulded him, he has no time for laziness and his ambitions seem limitless; conversation turns constantly to new ideas and business opportunities: pizza delivery, websites, international expansion, new books, restaurants and product ranges. Just hearing it can wear you out.

The Sun Herald (Sydney), May 3.

Crust range named most innovative food product

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars’ six Heart Foundation Tick approved pizzas have been named the 15th most innovative product in Australia in Australian Anthill magazine’s inaugural ‘SMART 100’ index.

The pizzas were the highest ranking food products on the list which recognises the 100 most innovative Australian products on the market. Other food related products included on the list are a natural sweetener for foods and beverages (35), SumoSalad’s sumo sized salads made to order (50), and Native Sweets’ Alpine Rice (56).

Crust’s six Tick approved pizzas first launched in February 2008 and contain up to half the fat and saturated fat of comparable pizzas from other takeaway outlets, between 50-70 per cent less sodium, virtually no trans fat and each provide up to 80 per cent of the recommended daily fibre intake for an adult.

The SMART 100 list is the largest innovation award program in Australia, and was developed by Australian Anthill in collaboration with market research company Colmar Brunton to recognise extraordinary innovation as judged by 1,600 ‘mavens’.

Crust Managing Director, Costa Anastasiadis said Crust had always aimed to provide customers with healthier, high quality pizzas.

“We spent a considerable amount of time in product development to ensure that the Tick pizzas could offer a higher quality, healthier choice of takeaway to our customers while still tasting great,” said Anastasiadis.

“The feedback we have had from customers has been fantastic, and awards such as this are further testament to the fact that there is a growing market in Australia for healthier takeaway foods”.

Australian Anthill founder and publisher, James Tuckerman, said the SMART 100 aims to bring a greater commercial focus to the concept of innovation and return ownership of the principles surrounding innovation to the private sector.

Deadline approaches for young chef award

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Who will be the ambitious young chefs who are able to outcook their peers and take the title of the winners of the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award?

Entries for the annual awards are now open and will close May 8.

The national competition for junior and apprentice chefs that tests culinary skills first at a regional level and through to the national finals cook-off for the best young chefs who make it through the rigorous process.

Young chefs must enter as a team of two, nominating a team leader and an assistant. On successful first-round entry, competitor teams will take their place at the regional mystery box ingredient cook-off challenge.

From there the best of the best will be selected to represent their region at the national final culinary cook-off battle in Sydney where an international travel training prize will be awarded to the winning team, worth $15,000.

At the national cook-off all competitors have the opportunity to win medals for achievement in culinary excellence to recognised standards in entrée, main and dessert course categories.

The competition offers an opportunity to showcase their creative gourmet skills and to be recognised as Australia’s most talented junior and apprentice chefs.

Those who’ve competed say the competition was an invaluable experience in their development as a chef.

Last year’s winning team leader Kylie Harris described it as “exhilarating”.

“It’s such a rush having the judges walking around, getting your dishes up on time and trying to get them absolutely perfect,” Harris said.

The competition is coordinated annually by the Australian Culinary Federation with support from industry sponsors including Nestlé Professional, Meat & Livestock Australia, Mirvac Hotels and Resorts and Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE.

To download entry details head to www.nestleprofessional.com or www.austculinary.com.au

Seminars to ease licensing process for small bars

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Sydney council is offering a series of free seminars in the latest step in its strategy to assist people interested in opening a small bar following the changes to liquor licensing laws.

The City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the City had been “inundated” with inquiries for information following the roll out of the new liquor licensing regulations that aimed to make it less expensive to open a small bar business.

The City is also at the moment working with the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing to streamline information required for DA applications and the alcohol licence to avoid any duplication with "Community Impact Statements".

So far just two new bars have opened in the CBD under the new laws—Drink Station and Small Bar opened simultaneously in Erskine Street in Sydney's CBD in December last year.

Moore said another five development applications had been approved and an additional 10 were expected within the next month for new small bars in Glebe, Broadway, Ultimo and the CBD.

“The process though isn't always easy and these new Small Bar Seminars will provide advice, information and support to hopefully help people get started,” Moore said.

The Small Bar seminars will feature information about alcohol licences, processes, and some of the issues and benefits of small bars.

Speakers will include experts from the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing, financial areas, and planning, as well as a current small bar operator.

The council is also offering business development matched-cash grants of up to $30,000 to encourage the creation of small retail, service and hospitality businesses which are looking to set up in CBD laneways. The new business Small Bar which backs onto Sussex Lane was the recipient of the City of Sydney's first matched funding.

Moore said the new Liquor Act 2007 and changes to the City's Late Night Trading Development Control Plan are aimed at improving the anti-competitive nature of the hospitality industry by decreasing the cost of licenses and streamlining the application process, while at the same time increasing penalties for venue operators caught doing the wrong thing.

“We want to encourage a better mix of venues like small bars and provide opportunities and support for local and emerging entrepreneurs, by reactivating parts of the city centre at night and building a diverse, eclectic and unique culture.”

The seminars will be held April 27, July 28 and November 5. For further information and bookings contact smallbarsinfo@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Facebook, Twitter, other social media help drive business for small firms

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business
By Ann Meyer

Facebook, tweets, blogs help companies extend their reach

Charter reservations are sailing in for Free Spirit Yacht Cruises this year despite the turbulent economy, and co-owner Angela Motola-Donofrio attributes it to a social media push.

The company is tweeting regularly on Twitter and recently launched group and fan pages on Facebook, two platforms that didn't exist when she started in the charter business in the 1990s.

"Back when I first started, Yellow Pages was our main source of new business," said Motola-Donofrio, who owns the company with husband Joe Donofrio. The company is targeting 300 charters this year, up about 30 percent from 2008.

The Chicago-based company, which docks its two charter boats at Burnham Harbor, is among small businesses broadening their reach through social media and blogs.

While just a few years ago the mediums were associated with the teenage and 20-something sets, that's changed. Two-thirds of all online users visit social networks and blogs, according to data from Nielsen Online. And the largest growth in social media users last year came from the 35- to 49-year-old group.

With the average age of its readers approaching 40, BradsDeals.com didn't consider social media the best fit until this year.

"When we started on Facebook a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure we were going to connect with people because our demographic is older," said Brad Wilson, founder and editor in chief, who also began using Twitter recently.

The company has attracted 2,500 followers through Twitter since March 1 and nabbed 1,200 Facebook users since launching a fan page this month. Now, traffic to BradsDeals.com is streaming in at more than 1 million hits a month, up 150 percent from a year ago, Wilson said, adding that consumers' focus on frugality also factors into the site's growth.

Companies catering to younger customers are more likely to be veterans of social media marketing.

The Scion Group, a real estate services firm that owns and manages college housing, has morphed its blogs into a larger Facebook presence because that's where its college-student customers are, President Robert Bronstein said. It uses Facebook to announce events, such as a fashion show of student-designed apparel at Automatic Lofts last year that drew a standing-room-only crowd.

"It exposes the building in a cool, fun way," Bronstein said.

While most digital media cost little to use, they do require an investment of time, something many small-business owners are short on. That's why small businesses are turning to experts for help keeping up with blog entries, Facebook announcements and Twitter tweets.

Online test-preparation company PrepMe.com added Michael Marchese as vice president of consumer marketing this month, after the co-founders realized they didn't have time to handle online marketing themselves.

"I don't think you can do it halfway," said Chief Executive Karan Goel, who had been blogging. But with more than 20,000 students using PrepMe, and sales targeted to hit $1 million this year, the company plans to hire an online marketing manager dedicated to its online presence.

It launched a Facebook crossword game in 2007 and offers words of the day on Twitter. This year, it began group pages on Facebook associated with individual high schools that use PrepMe's services.

Deciding which online opportunities to embrace comes down to understanding your audience, experts said.

"Go where your customers already are. Social media is not about being the first one into some new technology," said Andy Sernovitz, chief executive of GasPedal, a Chicago consulting firm specializing in word-of-mouth marketing and social media.

If you don't know what social media your customers are using, check it out by searching for your company name on Facebook or others. When Motola-Donofrio first went on Facebook last year, "I noticed people talking about posting pictures of Free Spirit Cruises. That made me interested," she said.

Since the company launched pages on Facebook this year, it has received more comments and picture sharing. Free Spirit plans to upgrade its photos and add video, in response to feedback that the boats looked much better in real life than their photos conveyed.

Presenting honest information without directly trying to make a sale is an effective marketing approach using social media, Sernovitz said. Businesses should avoid using the hard sell, because participating in social media is like participating in a casual conversation.

"Nobody wants a salesman in the middle of their conversation," Sernovitz said.

But customers sometimes sell your product for you by talking it up among their Facebook or Twitter followers.

Customers who find a bargain on BradsDeals.com like to brag on their social network.

"There's no better reference than your friends telling you about something. It's that exact interaction that happens on Facebook," Wilson said. The company announces one deal a day on Facebook with a quick, informational approach.

Because of the viral nature of social media, companies that take the time to communicate are likely to see their goodwill spread. One simple technique for building relationships involves responding to positive mentions by saying "thank you" and following up on negative mentions with an apology and a solution to the problem, Sernovitz said.

"If someone is unhappy and you say, 'I'm sorry. I'd like to fix it,' those things add up pretty fast," he said.

mindingyourbiz@gmail.com

Restaurants concerned wage rises will place industry “under great pressure”

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au
Isobel Drake

The leading industry body for the restaurant sector is worried about the potential impact of the Award Modernisation proposal on the industry next year.

“It is disappointing … that we are under great pressure from Australian Government reforms that could see the end of our industry, particularly in New South Wales,” CEO John Hart said this week.

The restaurant industry is slated for massive change in 2010, Mr Hart suggested, when wage costs (in NSW for a business open weekends and in the evening) will go up by at least 15%.

In brighter news, the industry body was delighted with the recognition of three of Australia’s restaurants in the extended list of 100 restaurants at the renowned S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurant awards.

“Having presented yesterday at a Senate Inquiry defending the industry against a $150 - $250 Million impost through Award Modernisation - it is great to see that the industry is still performing,” Mr Hart proclaimed.

Restaurant & Catering Australia congratulated Tetsuya’s restaurant, Quay restaurant and Pier restaurant for making it onto “The S Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2008″ list. Tetsuya’s restaurant was placed at number 17 and Quay restaurant at number 46, while Pier restaurant - at number 94 - made it onto the extended list of 100.

“This is not really that surprising,” Mr Hart suggested. “We have the magic trifecta of ‘the most creative restaurateurs, the best produce and, of course, the friendliest staff in the world’.”

Are you ready to start a small business?

http://www.thestate.com/business

Michelle Woodbury, a business consultant with the Small Business Development Center, tries to help you answer the question: “Are you really ready to start a small business?”

When facing a pressing deadline or rude customer at work or the frustration of finding a job after a layoff, many people find comfort in daydreams of owning their own business.

What could be better than sleeping in late, working in your pajamas, calling all the shots, and getting all the glory?

If, like so many of us, you find yourself seduced by these dreams and are considering branching out your own, consider the following issues:

WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN CALLING ALL THE SHOTS?

If you think the pressure at a job is bad, imagine being responsible not only for your current position, but all the positions in the company.

You have to make all the decisions, and there’s no one to pass the blame to.

While you may have no “boss,” you still have to answer to plenty of people: your customers, suppliers, creditors, employees, and your family.

Ask yourself: Can you handle all that pressure?

BUT I’LL MAKE SO MUCH MORE MONEY!

Lots of people are drawn into owning their own business by this common assumption.

But before you set out for your own pot of gold, take a minute to seriously plan out your business’ financial future.

Do you have all the money you need to start a business?

If not, do you have good credit and at least 20 percent to 50 percent of the amount you need to start it?

Costs depend on whether you’ll need a physical location, inventory, equipment and employees.

If you plan on having a physical location, count on spending at least $50,000 in startup costs.

Even without one, forming and incorporating your business at least $600. You’ll also need to pay for legal time for forming contracts and lease, operating and partnership agreements.

How much are your monthly operating expenses going to be?

How many customers will you need to meet your monthly financial demands?

What taxes, licensing fees, and other fees will be applicable to your business?

How much do you need personally to survive, and will your business be able to provide that amount?

If you business fails, what will happen to you and your family? Know that half of startups are no longer in business five years after they open.

If you don’t know the answers to the questions above, please don’t start a business until you have thought these issues through, as financial problems can be the most tricky to overcome.

SO, WHEN SHOULD I START A BUSINESS?

If you feel passionately about something, take the time to write down a plan for your business:

• What its mission will be and how much money you’ll need to start it.

• Where it will be located.

• What it will be called and how it will be organized.

• What the short-term and long-term goals for the business are.

• What projected revenues and expenses look like for the next three years.

Taking the time to plan out your business will help prevent you from rushing in to something, only to find out later that it was not as profitable or interesting as you thought it would be.

Next, do a self-inventory.

• Can you make decisions under stress?

• Can you handle multiple deadlines and tasks?

• Do you work well with other people?

• Can you personally afford it if this doesn’t work?

After examining the issues above, share your ideas with others you trust and get their opinions.

How to prosper through a downturn

http://smallbusiness.smh.com.au
Michael Baker

In the famous Monty Python skit, a pet shop owner is confronted by an angry customer returning a dead parrot that had been nailed to its perch to make it look alive.

Unyielding even in the face of the obvious, the shop owner nonetheless makes a spirited attempt to dispute the fact that the parrot is really dead.

As consumers become more penny-pinching, their antennae are up for retailers selling their own versions of the dead parrot. The parrot may be a shoddy product, slow or indifferent service, greater reluctance to accept returns, or some other manifestation of expense cutting.

All of these things are dangerous to the image of a business.

Some retailers may also be tempted to abandon well-thought-out growth strategies that could prove to be even more effective if they are implemented in a soft retail climate than in boom times.

This is the beginning of a siege mentality, where smaller retailers see the larger chains cutting back and shelving growth plans, and think they too should be doing the same.

Of course, controlling expenses, managing inventories and making only prudent capital expenditures are no-brainers. But if you have a strong belief in your concept and you are already some way down the road on the implementation of a growth strategy, then staying the course rather than crawling into a bunker to wait for the storm to blow over will often be your best course of action. It will position you for a bonanza when the economy finally gets up and dusts itself off.

Angela and Con Vithoulkas - Vivo, Sydney

Angela and Con Vithoulkas, sibling co-owners of the Vivo Cafe in downtown Sydney, understand this well. Vivo has three locations, including a 300 square metre flagship at George and King streets.

Ms Vithoulkas says that more than 400,000 pedestrians walk by that intersection every week, so it's not too bad a place to have a café.

Still, they have seen food consumption patterns shift adversely over the past six months as the economic downturn has taken hold. It doesn't faze them.

Instead, they are targeting greater market share, partly through a newly-installed electronic coffee card loyalty program that works with their POS system and already boasts 2000 members.

Another important part of their strategy revolves around an imminent $900,000 makeover of the three cafes that will transform their visual dynamics. The refurbishment is intended not just to make the cafes more visually appealing, but also to simplify the decision-making process that customers have to go through when choosing what they eat, how they eat and where they eat.

Angele brothers - Brunetti, Melbourne

In Melbourne, it's also full steam ahead for the Angele brothers, Fabio, Yuri and Robert, co-owners of Brunetti, an iconic Melbourne establishment (caffè, ristorante, pasticceria and gelateria) whose desserts are the stuff of local legend.

Brunetti, like Vivo, currently consists of three restaurants. Apart from its Carlton flagship, a 1,000 square metre beehive of a place with three front entrances, there is also a smaller unit in the Melbourne CBD and a recently-opened one in the eastern suburb of Camberwell.

More are planned, and hardly a week goes by without the brothers being approached to take their brand and expertise to new locations, both in Australia and overseas. Brunetti's manufacturing capability is being beefed up to meet the expected increased demand.

They are finicky about where they open though and with good reason - Brunetti is a clearly differentiated brand that has staked out an upscale market position. The owners are not about to degrade the brand by bringing it to market in sub-prime locations.


Although Vivo and Brunetti have different growth strategies, neither is using the downturn as an excuse to change course. Nothing that has happened during the past six months has altered their focus on planning for long-term growth.

Simon and Joanne Chadwick - Stride with Confidence, WA

Sticking to the game plan doesn't mean retailers can't also be opportunists though. In WA, Simon Chadwick and his wife Jo-Anne run a premium footwear chain called Stride With Confidence, and although the business has been adversely affected by a decline in consumer discretionary spending since about the middle of last year, they have found ways of turning the situation to their advantage.

One is to use more favourable media advertising rates to help build the brand.

A second is to hunt for real estate bargains and that effort is bearing fruit, with Mr. Chadwick expecting to be able to open a fifth store shortly.

He believes that rental levels have further to subside over the next 12 months and that retailers who have invested in the long-term will be poised to take advantage of some attractive deals.

While frustrated by the events of last winter and the continued fallout on consumer sentiment, Chadwick is nonetheless philosophical: ''We do not expect to return to the boom times of the last few years for a good while. However the lessons of the last nine months, and the next six to twelve, have and will continue to make us better retailers.''

Retailers need to consider their strategies for the next 12-24 months carefully. The Vithoulkas, Angele and Chadwick families are among those who are not taking any prisoners. Plans that have been in the works for a long time will be carried out, with an eye to the longer term future of the businesses.

Other retailers may not be so aggressive. Some will modify or even abandon their growth plans despite more favourable market conditions for labour and real estate.

There may be perfectly good grounds for doing so in some instances. But please, no dead parrots.

Michael Baker is a global retail and property analyst and consultant. Mbakerconsult@gmail.com

Overseas students are secret ingredient

By FoodWeek Online

Restaurant & Catering Australia says that cookery students from overseas are vital to Australia's restaurant industry.

Restaurant & Catering Australia, the peak national association representing the interests of Australia's 40,000 restaurants, cafes and caterers, is concerned at claims that the number of cooks, allowed to study and then work in Australia, should be limited.

Peter Doyle, president of the Association said 'we need cooks - we have had a severe shortage since 1956 and still have a shortage today'. 'There has been no slow-down in the demand for cooks and we are not getting the interest from young people locally to meet the demand'.

Restaurant & Catering Australia estimates that there is still a shortage of some 3,000 cooks from the Australian workforce. Students studying cookery account for the equivalent of over 1,000 full time placements into the industry every year. Each student is required, at this stage, to work for 900 hours as part of the qualification.

John Hart, CEO of R&CA said that 'these students are an important part of our workforce - we have a demand for staff in the kitchen that is unmet and overseas students are filling that demand'.

'Overseas students studying in Australia are not only an important part of the workforce of industries such as the restaurant industry, they spend a lot in the industry too', Hart went on to say. 'International students spent $4.3 Billion on food, drink and accommodation in 2007-08 - This is a significant top up for the industry'.

In 2007 there were 7,378 overseas students studying cookery courses. Cookery students are required to undertake a work placement as part of their studies and must do so if they are looking to pursue migration to Australia.

The Australian restaurant industry in total employs 784,000 Australians which is 7.25% of the workforce. The industry is still growing (despite economic conditions) and still has significant skill shortages.

Small business to get Government cash if ads are stimulating

By Antonia Magee
The Courier-Mail

LEADING advertising agencies say small and medium businesses can still attract a piece of the Government's $42 billion stimulus package without breaking the budget.

Starting this month, millions of working Australians will receive up to $900 in cash from the Rudd Government with the intention for the money to go straight into the economy.

Some of the nation's biggest retailers have advertised stimulus savings to attract customers receiving the cash to spend in their stores.

Upmarket department store David Jones got into the spirit of things last month when it advertised "Government Stimulus Savings" on anything from lingerie to washing machines. Chief executive Mark McInnes previously said the store missed out on the initial $10.4 billion package in December because it did not go to its customers.

Most small and medium business owners do not have hundreds of thousands of dollars in spare cash lying around to pay for full page advertising spreads to let the public know about special offers.

Australian Retailers' Association executive director Richard Evans says the worst thing businesses can do is stop communicating with their market and retract their advertising spend.

"They should be reviewing their spend mix - whether they're spending money on TV rather than radio or moving out of corporate style advertising and going on to product specific advertising,'' Mr Evans says.

Smart advertising agency chief executive Ben Lilley and Gill Walker, head of Melbourne-based Evergreen agency, say businesses can do several low-budget schemes to attract the Rudd Government's stimulus cash.

Mr Lilley says retailers that do not have an advertising budget, but have some shopfront exposure, should create their own stimulus specials.

"The stimulus package is going to be top of mind for people who have received the payment, so specials are a good way to attract people to spend it", Mr Lilley says.

"Our own advice that we give to clients who don't have the budget for a big ad campaign is to start with their own website activity and work out from there."

He says businesses should use things such as search engine optimisation and change aspects of their websites to better market themselves online to people who are receiving the stimulus package. He also recommended Google Ad words to direct web users to business sites.

Food Standards Code and User Guides

http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/thecode/index.cfm

Food Standards Code

All of the standards and subsequent amendments in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) are available from the website in word or pdf format. Hard copies of the Food Standards Code and User Guides can be purchased from Anstat Pty Ltd, phone 61 3 92781144 or on-line http://anzfa.anstat.com.au/.

User Guides

The following user guides have been developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), in consultation with Australian and New Zealand government and industry representatives, to help manufacturers, retailers and food officers interpret and apply the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

These guides incorporate extensive interpretation and compliance advice for manufacturers and retailers on key standards, including worked examples in many cases. These guide may be downloaded from the website as can the Code or purchased from ANSTAT

Food Enforcement Contacts

Contacts List - for State, Territory and New Zealand health department officials who can provide advice on the standards.Department of Health in a number of Australian States / Territories and New Zealand have also established resources and activities to help food businesses interpret and comply with the Food Standards Code.

Contact details for government agencies dealing with food can also be found under ' Food' in the Government Index of your White Pages phone directory.

Nutrition Panel Calculator

The Nutrition Panel Calculator (NPC) a web-based Nutrition Panel Calculator (NPC) has been developed to simplify the calculation of mandatory nutrition labels required for most food under the new Code.

It has been developed to provide manufacturers with the ability to readily calculate the average nutrient content of their food products and to prepare a Nutrition Information Panel as required under Standard 1.2.8 - Nutrition Information Requirements , of the Food Standards Code.

Food Safety Standards (Australia only)

The Food Safety Standards were developed to provide more effective and nationally uniform food safety legislation for Australia. This is reflected in Chapter 3 ( Australia only) of the Food Standards Code. The States and Territory governments of Australia are implementing these new Standards

Primary Production and Processing Standards

FSANZ in now responsible for the development of Primary Production and Processing Standards within Australia. The first such standard to be developed under this new mandate will be a primary production and processing standard for seafood.

Mandatory food safety training for NSW businesses

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

The NSW Government has announced plans to introduce mandatory food safety training requirements for the foodservice industry next year.

Announcing the plans today the Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said the rules would help safeguard NSW consumers from foodborne illnesses.

The move follows long time calls by the NSW arm of the industry body the Restaurant & Catering Association for mandatory food safety training for foodservice operators.

Mr Macdonald said the aim was to have mandatory training requirements in place by 2010 to ensure each hospitality business in NSW has a designated food safety supervisor responsible for implementing safe food handling on the premises.

“This will involve individuals being trained by registered training organisations on how to properly store, prepare and handle food.”

Mr Macdonald said the new requirements would benefit both consumers and the State’s food industry members. “About 36 per cent of foodborne illness outbreaks in NSW are the result of poor food handling in those restaurants and takeaways that don’t put food safety high on their agenda," he said. “These outbreaks cost the state $150m a year in terms of lost productivity and place a significant burden on the health service.

The initiatives have been developed in collaboration with a working group consisting of Australian Hotels Association, Clubs NSW and Restaurants and Caterers NSW, with all three organisations providing support.

Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT chief executive officer, Robert Goldman, said the initiative represents an “important step forward for food service providers”.

“Restaurant and Catering believes this will be a vital initiative in making sure that safe food handling remains part of a food premise’s daily routine,” he said.

“Basic food safety is not difficult, but getting it wrong can have devastating consequences, destroy reputations and put customer health at risk.”

Mr Macdonald said the new requirements will be in place by early 2010.

Restaurant operators share their knowledge

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Operators thinking smarter in the running of cafes and restaurant has increased in importance as a result of the pressure from the financial downturn on our foodservice industry.

With this in mind there’s a one off workshop happening this weekend for the foodservice industry aimed at providing some advice on how to make sure your business is in the best shape it can be.

A panel of successful Victorian restaurant owners and managers will join together for what is expected to be a lively event that is part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

Facilitated by hospitality industry consultant Ken Burgin of Profitable Hospitality the workshop offers people the chance to learn from industry leaders including Alistair Drayton (The Dunes and The Max Restaurants), Ben Higgs (Wild Oak Café), Olivier Normandin (Chez Olivier), Craig Penglase (Circa The Prince), and Enzo Pollifroni (Polly Bar).

The workshop to be held at Polly Bar in Fitzroy this Saturday will cover topics including:
How to have success with staff. Your biggest expense and management challenge—the joys of staff recruitment, retention and management.

Discover the secrets of the kitchen—how to handle the chef and kitchen staff, especially if they know much more than you.

What equipment, design and marketing strategies will ensure a profitable operation? Cost control and financial management—how to make a profit.

Tricks and traps for the unwary, preparation for due diligence if you are buying a business, information about the latest trends, licensing, legal and purchasing issues.

For information on other Melbourne Food and Wine Festival events head to www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

For information on Profitable Hospitality go to www.profitablehospitality.com
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Small Business, Big World

http://www.forbes.com/
Dan Brutto

International clients can keep your company buoyant in tough times.

As the nation focuses on healing Wall Street, it's critical that we don't overlook Main Street. American small businesses, which employ half of the nation's workers, have the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to drive our economic recovery--if we give them the tools they need to succeed.

And opening the doors to global trade is one of the best, but least talked about, ways of fostering small-business growth.

While this may seem counterintuitive as the stimulus bill's "Buy American" provisions dominate headlines, international trade can help small businesses stay strong in tough times by helping them diversify and by shielding them against the risk of being dependent on one market.

Access to global markets can move a new business from a backyard garage to a local warehouse to a global network. In fact, small businesses that export are 20% more productive and have 20% greater job growth than non-exporters, and they are 9% more likely to stay financially solvent.

The opportunities from global trade also can help fuel the entrepreneurial spirit we need right now. In a recent nationwide UPS survey of small businesses, 91% of small-business owners said that in one year, they expect their company to be in the same or better financial shape than it is today.

But of the respondents, small-business owners who engage in international trade were even more likely to project that their business would be in a better economic position 12 months from now. So keeping these economic engines humming by facilitating trade in today's tough times is critical.

To open trade doors for small business, the first thing we must do is prevent a potentially costly mistake: the resurgence of protectionism. Protectionism did not help the U.S. climb out of the Great Depression. In fact, in the wake of protectionist laws, world trade declined by 66% between 1929 and 1934.

In contrast, the World Trade Organization estimates that cutting trade barriers across agriculture, manufacturing and services by one-third would add $613 billion to the world economy. In the U.S., trade supports millions of American jobs. In fact, according to the U.S. Treasury Department, as many as 57 million Americans now work for companies engaged in global commerce.

At a time of economic uncertainty, America's exports are growing and helping the U.S. economy, not hurting it. Small businesses sold nearly $263 billion in known exports in 2006 (the latest data available)--that's up 68.7% from 1996. Clearly, entrepreneurs are recognizing the benefits of trade, and we should do what we can to help them harness the power of trade to grow their businesses.

To be sure, while trade has clear benefits, it also presents challenges, from learning about new markets to complying with complex customs regulations. Fortunately, there already is in place a network of resources available to help small businesses through the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Commercial Services, which have numerous export centers nationwide.

At a time when funding government programs is under the microscope, we must make sure that these organizations have the resources they need so they can help small businesses trade. In today's market, access to financing is critical. Expanding beyond borders requires an initial capital investment--something that's not easy for many small-business owners.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration can help small businesses finance their global expansions in a manageable way. As credit markets tighten, legislators and the business community must do what they can to make sure these organizations keep credit open to help small businesses succeed.

As we work toward economic recovery, the most important thing for small businesses to know is that trade offers opportunities even during these difficult times, and there are resources that can help them expand to new markets.

But it is up to lawmakers, trade associations and the business community at large to empower small businesses with the tools they need to succeed on the world stage--which, in turn, will help preserve the optimistic, entrepreneurial spirit we need for economic recovery.

Dan Brutto is president of UPS International.

Ask an Expert: Flexing your digital muscles can pump up business

http://www.usatoday.com
By Steve Strauss for USA TODAY

Beefing up your online presence is like getting in shape. What you must do today is flex your digital muscles.

Here's how:

1. Build website muscles. As I said, the only thing worse than no website is having a bad one.

We all know what those look like, don't we? It's the site where the homepage scrolls on for about five minutes, where the graphics are jarring and ugly, it has too much copy and slow loading graphics, and it says "© 2004" at the bottom. In short, the site looks like, not only did your teenage daughter build it for you, but no one has attended to it in several years.

What a mistake.

To me, there are two exceptionally great things about the Internet, from a small business perspective:

• It allows you access to markets you otherwise could never reach

• It allows you to look every bit as big and professional as the Big Boys.

So where do you get that great website? There are no shortage of online options.

Example: Last week, my brother (who is no Webhead) had to build a site for one of his marketing clients. So he surfed over to Microsoft Office Live (Microsoft is a company I do some work with, btw), and built his client an elegant, great looking site – for free. With a simple point and click graphic interface, and pre-loaded templates, here is but one way that anyone can get and grow online easily and affordably.

The important thing is that you take advantage of such tools. Beefing up your Web muscles will make your business less wimpy.

2. Find some "workout" partners. Going to the gym is a social activity, and in that vein, the more friends who support your efforts to get in digital shape, the better you will do.

The Web is a social medium, so it behooves you to take advantage of everything that it offers. Doing so will help you create advocates, find new customers, locate strategic partners, and drive increased sales.

There are several ways to do this:

• Get social: It's not called "social media" for no reason. Sites like Facebook and Twitter enable you to connect with other small business owners and potential customers.

I have a pal in San Francisco who created many significant and lucrative business deals via LinkedIn. He will have some project he is working on and will need to tap some business for sales or partnering or whatever. He has found that he almost always is able to get to the right person in those companies through his LinkedIn connections.

• Be Web 2.0 friendly: This era of the Internet, the Web 2.0 era, is distinguished by interactivity; people want to do more than just read about your business on your site. They expect some level of interaction. So that is what you must give them.

That means different things, from forums and videos to blogs, comments, and podcasts. Making and posting a video, for example, explaining who you are and what you do is not difficult.

• Help people find you: Your site also needs to be search engine optimized (SEO). SEO will allow your site to be found by people who share your interests, who are looking for what it is you sell.

Having keywords sprinkled throughout your site will, like Jerry Maguire, help them help you.
The point is, the more professional, social, and interactive your site, the more you will be able to grow your business, easily and affordably, and allow you to get in Webtastic shape.

Next week: Using email to grow your business

Today's tip: "Do that one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire."— Oprah Winfrey.

Canada's franchised cafe opens in Sydney

http://www.franchise.net.au

If you want to set up a cafe business a partnership of property developer, hospitality expert and champion barista is probably a good start. And that’s the trio behind the latest cafe brand launch in Australia, Canada's franchised Presse Cafe which officially opened its doors in Sydney with a cocktail party attended by the Canadian Consul General.

Master franchisee for Australia and New Zealand, Tony Isaac explained “Australia has been missing a little French flair. We’ve been in business for two weeks and had a great response.”

Initially Isaac and partner Halim Hachem plan to open and operate five corporate stores before franchising the brand across the country. Hachem’s barista son Charlie is running the first store and will be responsible for future training of franchisees.

Finding the right venue, the ground floor of a commercial building near Circular Quay, was helped by Isaac’s property development experience. “This took two years to come to fruition,” said Isaac. “We want to be a blue chip tenant.” The second site has already been signed up in Sydney’s Elizabeth Street and is due to open in six months.

Veronique Boisjoly, marketing director for Presse Café, was on hand to oversee the Australian opening. “We are in the business of passion,” she said. In Canada there are more than 100 franchised outlets and the brand is due to be seen on the streets of Paris with a cafe launch in June.

The success of the brand is due to its mix of product and the café setting, explained Boisjoly. In Sydney a tight menu of sandwiches, French patisserie cakes and pastries are accompanied by a coffee serve specially blended to suit the Australian market. “We don’t want to impose but to adapt to the local culture,” said Boisjoly.

Coffee business is zooming ahead

http://www.northernstar.com.au

IN JUST three years, Zoom Coffee's success has mirrored its name, going from a double garage at Lennox Head to its own roasting and warehouse site in Ballina.

And just recently, wholesaler Zoom purchased Coffee Nirvana, adding Lattetude and Nirvana to its existing brands.

Home-grown is a strong sentiment and Zoom has two brands - Australian-certified organic Fairtrade and Australian Arabica, a local coffee grown without pesticides. Nirvana comes from a local plantation at Newrybar. Zoom's products are licensed with the Australian Grown Campaign, as well as Fairtrade.

Zoom's managing director, Mark Nancarrow, said acquiring Coffee Nirvana enabled his business to expand into the important restaurant and cafe sector and to continue its reach into other states and areas, such as premium grocery lines.

The new facility at Ballina incorporates a coffee showroom, espresso training centre and a roasting and packaging plant workshop.

Zoom was one of the first coffees locally to recognise the trend towards Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance, and is now established as a leader in supplying both coffee products to the wholesale market.

“At Christmas we notched up our 35th store, but now with the purchase of Coffee Nirvana we'll be selling into about 150 stores and 60 cafes,” Mr Nancarrow said.

He said he was now concentrating on building the brand in stores.

“We've had a nibble from China and South Korea. They approached us, so we sent quite a bit of coffee over there and we'll see what comes of that. I'm really concentrating on our Australian coffee - Nirvana is registered with Australian growers.

Part of Zoom's success has been in partnerships it has made with schools.

“We're very heavily into marketing and we'll go to school fairs and set up a stand for them and an espresso machine and make coffees. The customers pay, but we give the takings to the school as a fundraiser. It's good, because the school gets good money and we get our branding out in the marketplace. Instead of handing out free samples, which we used to do - this works better. And we might raise $1000 for the school,” he said.

As well as hitting a chord with the public, Zoom Coffee has a swag of awards under its belt, including two bronze medals at the Equal Golden Bean Roasting Awards.

“Zoom Coffee ranked overall in the top five per cent of roasters in Australia. We beat some of the big names in the coffee industry,” Mr Nancarrow said.

With a background in managing big newsagencies in western Sydney, Mr Nancarrow appreciates the compact nature of his business. Although with its rapid expansion, he has upgraded systems.

“We have a good inventory system which I've set up and that's important to get a handle on cash flow and what we have on the floor. I do worry about how quickly it's growing, but I'm passionate about what we do and I'm confident we have an excellent product, so I plan on getting in touch with AusTrade to look at our export possibilities,” he said.

Zoom Coffee uses local companies to supply of reusable bags and labels. And the company supplies its green coffee beans in hessian bags to minimise waste.

As well as exceptional coffee, Mr Nancarrow puts Zoom's success down to excellent service.

“That's our point of difference. I'll go around the shops each week or fortnight and tidy the shelves up or restock and say g'day, just to get a face out there. And we only roast the beans as the orders come in, it's absolutely fresh. I'm not just dumping the box and saying see you later, we actually put the stock up on the shelves,” he said.

The company of strangers

http://www.smh.com.au/
March 17, 2009 - 12:00AM

It's the latest trend in dining out - get a text and go to a one-off event. You never know who you'll meet, writes Carli Ratcliff.

A TEXT message arrives with an address, a dress code and a request to be prompt. Dinner will be served at 10pm.

Welcome to the world of underground dining, Sydney-style.

Transient Diner is the brainchild of an apprentice chef who felt stifled working in five-star kitchens. Realising many of his colleagues felt the same, he developed the dining concept to give third- and fourth-year apprentice chefs the opportunity to run a virtual restaurant for an evening.

From finding the location and creating the menu to curating a theme and employing staff, the experience gives young chefs the freedom to experiment without the commitments and responsibilities of opening a real restaurant.

The chef behind Transient Diner refuses to be named, remaining true to the group's strict code of conduct. Explaining the motivation behind the collective, he says, "These young chefs are highly competent, they are the ones executing the signature dishes of Australia's best restaurants . . . it is our intention to bring them in from the background, to encourage, motivate and grow them."

Menus vary from hearty home-cooked fare served in a paddock to a Spanish-influenced 10-course degustation menu with matched wines.

Dinners are held monthly. Patrons log their interest via email and, if selected, receive a return email with a reservation date. No further information arrives until the day of the dinner, via text message.

Underground dining collectives were born of the speakeasy (illicit liquor outlet) tradition in the US during the Prohibition years (1920 to 1933). It is estimated there are more than 100 secret dining groups in the US and a growing number across Europe and Latin America.

Some secret dining groups are closely aligned with political and social movements. Chef Alice Waters, of California's famed Chez Panisse, began her career on the underground dining circuit in the late 1960s. Catering for fellow free-speech campaigners, Walters's community-conscious dinners became known as Alice's Restaurant.

Some groups operate as social networks for like-minded foodies, such as Casa Felix in Buenos Aires. It's a private dining club, known as a "closed door", where patrons enjoy fish and vegetable feasts in gastronomic defiance of the city's obsession with beef.

Others provide a way to meet new people, such as Sydney's Cheap Eats group, a collective of North Shore singles who love food and wine. The group has met weekly since 1982. Punters register interest via a website and, once approved, are supplied with a phone number for details of the next location. Convenor "Kingsley" believes secrecy and privacy are major drawcards.

"Secret locations intrigue people and the fact that the group changes constantly means you never know who you will meet," he says.

For many patrons, however, it's all about the allure of the unknown. Dinner might be in a field or a car park or a private home.

The underground dining trend reached Hong Kong in 1997, following the Asian economic crisis. In her memoir, Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper, Fuchsia Dunlop chronicles the rise of private kitchens run by families keen to supplement their income, often from their own kitchen table. Many private kitchens gained a cult following and have grown into larger underground restaurants. Some are booked out months in advance.

Michael Fantuz began his underground network, Table for 20, in Sydney in 2004. Together with other Surry Hills locals, he was keen to create a communal dining experience with a focus on simple food and interesting company.

"The underlying objective has always been conviviality," he says.

They started as informal "hood dinners" in friends' kitchens and living rooms. Everyone would bring a plate and help out in the kitchen. In 2006 Fantuz decided to rent a permanent space in Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Community-spirited dinners now run weekly. Interested patrons send a text message to a mobile service and are contacted if there is room at the table.

Fantuz welcomes diners, runs the floor and eats with his guests. Two communal tables are covered in platters of food. There is no menu. "Sharing and eating the same dishes provides a sense of communion and encourages discussion between people who may never have met otherwise," Fantuz says. "It's a shared experience."

Alison Drover, convivium leader of Slow Food Sydney, says it's no surprise underground dining is an emerging trend.

"It's all about connecting people through food and a consciousness about what you are eating," she says. "It's a move away from flashy restaurants to a more intimate, often private experience."

Savva Savas of Plated catering agrees. Savas curates bespoke secret dinners for clients and goes to great lengths to guard their privacy. "The host wants their guests to be comfortable, to be able to be themselves and to enjoy an experience that can't be had in a restaurant," he says.

Savas has designed and executed a secret dinner for 20 in a tunnel. "The client was so insistent on secrecy that all correspondence was hand-delivered and details discussed in person," he says. "Even I wasn't privy to the location until four hours prior."

On another occasion, guests were transported blindfolded in a minibus to a private home. The windows were blacked out and the guests had no idea where they were.

The style of food is dictated by the environment, Savas says. "The menu has to be designed around logistical limitations," he says. At a secret dinner in a warehouse we had no power and no gas, so we arrived with the food ready and a box of candles."

He believes the key to a successful secret dinner is an extraordinary location, appropriately matched food and a sense of freedom."In a private scenario people tend to be bolder and to mingle more broadly," he says. "The experience gives guests a common talking point, it's a great conversation starter."