Catering Melbourne Blog

Victoria’s best restaurants and caterers will be tried and tested over the next few months to assess the culinary state of excellence in Victoria.

The judging process includes a consumer preference survey which is used to moderate the raw data produced by the team of judges. Using this method, you are able to look at specific areas of your business, identifying where you excel and what areas could benefit from further development.

Due to unprecedented demand, Restaurant & Catering Victoria in conjunction with Mornington Peninsula Gourmet, will run the inaugeral Mornington Peninsula Regional Awards for Excellence in July this year. More information to come soon.

Dunkin’ Donuts, the world’s largest coffee and baked goods chain, has announced new agreements with both the Hess Corporation and Sara Lee’s Foodservice Division designed to expand on the franchise’s existing target market.

Dunkin’ Donuts has signed an agreement with Hess Corporation to offer its coffee and donuts in a new self-service station in many of Hess’ gas-convenience locations throughout the country. Dunkin’ Donuts’ presence within Hess Stores will roll out in January, primarily outside of New England. The new Dunkin’ Donuts self-service stations will offer customers coffee, hot chocolate and donuts.

Dunkin’ Donuts and Sara Lee Foodservice have partnered to offer self-service coffee stations in locations such as office building break rooms, cafeterias and other venues with large foodservice operations. Dunkin’ Donuts will collaborate with Sara Lee Foodservice to identify appropriate locations for the Dunkin’ Donuts self-service format.

In recent years, as Dunkin’ Donuts has evolved from a regional chain into a national brand, it has established partnerships with other prominent brands including JetBlue, Aramark and SoBe. In February, Dunkin’ Donuts announced a partnership with Procter & Gamble to launch Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at retail outlets nationwide.

Dunkin’ Donuts is committed to expanding its number of existing US stores, moving into new markets while expanding in its current cities. Within the past year, the company has launched plans or entered into agreements for significant expansion in Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Dallas, Austin and Houston, among others. Dunkin’ Donuts’ first Las Vegas store set a company opening week sales record, making Las Vegas the site of the most successful new store opening in Dunkin’ Donuts’ 57-year history.

Lindt pastry chef Dave Digiaro works in Sydney’s answer to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Like the famous set-up in Roald Dahl’s tale, the Lindt factory in Mascot has separate rooms: one for chocolate making, a baking room for pastries and one for ice cream. “When I started I got lost a few times,” Digiaro says. “There is a freezer here the size of my house. The kitchen alone is just huge.” Digiaro, a fourth-year apprentice, makes cakes, chocolates, quiches, ice creams, breads and pastries for Lindt’s three cafes. Each day begins at 5am or 6am. “The first thing we do when we come in is finish the cakes for the cafes,” Digiaro says. Depending on the day Digiaro and three other chefs will spend the rest of the shift on focusing on one area of operation. Digiaro says there are deadlines to ensure the cakes are in time for the daily delivery. The Daily Telegraph, February 4.

Business owners looking to sell face a shrinking demand for their businesses. A combination of oversupply and a credit shortage for potential buyers, accentuated by the subprime fallout, are disrupting exit strategies. According to the latest BizExchange Index, the number of businesses on the market was up 25 per cent on the previous quarter and sale prices were down 5 per cent. BizExchange chairman David Bird said the results from the December quarter indicated “softer” prices. “It is looking a bit softer at the moment … it might be an oversupply rather than a shortage of buyers—and buyers might be waiting and seeing,” he said. BizExchange said the drop in values and jump in listings was bigger at the smaller end of the market. The December quarter results showed a reduction in the number of hospitality businesses for sale. But the report said that “These industries will continue to be over-represented because these industries have traditionally had high churn rates with some businesses changing several times in a decade”. Mr Bird said sometimes people went into cafes and restaurants with “rose-coloured glasses”. “They are harder businesses with long hours, long weeks and they stay for a shorter time,” he said. Mr Bird said often people did not appreciate the hard work associated with hospitality businesses. The Daily Telegraph, February 11.

The late, late eats

If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Perth is the city that never eats—past midnight that is—if the lack of late-night dining options is any guide. Try ordering a light meal after a show or a good curry to soak up a few too many beers under a sinking moon. While Perth can never be a London or Paris, according to University of WA research there is a greater proportion of people aged 15-34 in Perth than in Melbourne or Seattle and reportedly more cafes and restaurants per capita than anywhere in Australia. The question is: where are the late-night eating venues? Theories abound, from lack of public transport to unsafe streets to apathy. Lynda Dorrington, executive director of FORM, an organisation pushing for a more vibrant city, suggested planning laws have prevented a “whole-of-night” culture from developing. “What people want to do is take a long approach to their evening, get a drink, maybe see a show, then go on to their meal. But because we dont have the venues to accommodate this we’ve got into a bad habit of acting like old people,” she said. “We haven’t yet built a community that likes to be on the street, enjoying itself.” But Ms Dorrington feels that change is coming. “Once the (new) liquor licensing laws start to encourage micro business activity, were going to find people starting to adjust because most of the people who are coming to WA are coming from a broader experience and they will demand it over time,” she said. The West Australian, February 7.

The culinary revolution

Imported porcelain dinnerware, French gastronomy, collaboration with a three-star Michelin chef from Le Pre Catelan in Paris? Who would have thought it of the old Peking? While the China Daily dwells on food safety issues for visitors arriving for the Olympic Games-new tracking systems to monitor food quality from the farm to the table-the Beijing restaurant scene is way ahead and growing by the minute. Chairman Mao once said, “What the West has, China will have”. Well, from where I am seated, China appears to have more. At Beijing’s new French restaurant, Le Pre Lenotre, a full team of waiters steps forward in unison to pluck the silver cover from each diner’s plate and present Le Foie Gras de Canard (duck liver). It’s not that elaborate feasting is unknown to this city. Consider the Empress Dowager Cixi’s 70th birthday banquet at the Summer Palace a century ago. It was a splendid affair, as important as the Games, at least for the Empress Dowager. The Summer Palace made the perfect backdrop, with its Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha, a lake and an ornamental mountain, plus the Garden of Virtue and Harmony with its Great Stage and the Hall of Nourishing Pleasures. Sunday Herald Sun (Australia). February 10.

Lauren

Thanks for this and apologies for any confusion in my absence - I was off sick.
I have heard that the function went well and that the managers were very happy with your service and the food.

I look forward to using you again in the future.
Many thanks.

Lyn

Steak Tartare

Ingredients:

½ kilo of rump fillet steak, finely minced
1 to 2 level dessertspoons drained caper, finely chopped
1 to 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly-milled pepper taste
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 eggs yolks

Method:

combine meat with capers, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste
divide into 4 equal portions and place on 4 individual plates
shape each portion into a neat mound, then make a well in the centre
sprinkle well with the chopped onion then drop an egg yolk into each

Thai Beef Salad

Ingredients:

2 shallots, chopped
1 lemongrass, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 red capsicum
1 cup lime juice
1/3 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
1/2 cup white sugar
250g steak fillet
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 medium tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Method:

In a large bowl, stir together the shallots, lemon grass,
coriander, mint leaves, lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce, and sugar
until well combined and the sugar is dissolved. Adjust the flavor, if
desired, by adding more sugar and/or fish sauce. Set aside.

Cook the steak over high heat on a preheated grill for approximately
4-6 minutes on each side, until it is cooked medium. Do not overcook
the meat! Remove from heat and slice into thin strips. Add the meat
and its juices to the sauce and refrigerate, tightly covered, for at
least 3 hours.

Place ingredients in a salad bow on top of some lettuce and then pour the meat and sauce over them. Top with the tomatoes, capsicum and garnish with fresh
coriander leaves.

Venezuelan Beef (Carne Esmechada)

Ingredients:

750gm beef steak (e.g. rump, sirloin)
3 bay leaves
water or stock
2 teaspoon oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green capsicum , deseeded and chopped
6 tomatoes, chopped
salt
½ teaspoon wine vinegar

Method:

Place meat in a large saucepan together with the bay leaves, cover with water or stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until very tender.

Remove the beef from the pan and when cool enough to handle, shred into pieces. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.

Add the peppers, tomatoes, salt, vinegar, adobo and shredded meat, mix well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes and serve while hot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serves 4