HOSPITALITY REVIEW TASMANIAN August/September 2023
World Class here in Tasmania
Tassie’s top mixologist Rohan Massie talks about his bartending journey
Produce Awards Cradle Mountain Fire Great Eastern Wine Week Also Inside:
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
President Update 5 CEO Update 7 FEATURE: World Class Australia 8-13 Minister Update 15
Opposition Leader 17 Membership Update 18 FEATURE: Tasmanian White Asparagus 20-22 Workforce Development 24-25 Great Customer Experience Program 26-27 FEATURE: Cradle Mountain Wilderness 28-32 Women in Leadership 33-34 FEATURE: Mt Field Retreat 37-41 HospoHealth 42 FEATURE: Great Eastern Wine Week 43-44 Employment Relations Update 45-46 Clubs Tasmania 47-48 Business Events Tasmania 49 Hospitality Dr 52 Liquor & Gaming 53 Corporate Glossary 54-55
Cradle Mountain Wilderness
Cover Photo: Rohan Massie competes during the Johnny Walker Chal- lenge at World Class Australia. PICTIRE: Tom Yau
Great Eastern Wine Week
TASMANIAN HOSPITALITY REVIEW BY
For editorial enquires contact Adam Smith adam@tha.asn.au 0417327093
@tashospitality
@tas_hospitality
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PRESIDENT UPDATE
Cost of living crisis.
venues because the same cost of living issues affect business.
It’s a phrase which will soon have its own place in the Oxford Dictionary given the rate prices of pretty much everything is increasing. Power and energy, insurance, rents and mortgages, fuel and food costs are all soaring. A federal parliament report recently released showed in the 12 months to March 2022, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 5.1 per cent – the highest annual rise reported since the introduction of the GST in 2000. Everyone is feeling the crunch and then the hospitality industry also must wear the brunt of the Federal Government’s twice-yearly beer tax. A 2.2 per cent increase was implemented at the start of August, adding to the 3.7 per cent hike in February. It’s pushed the tax on a carton of beer to nearly $25, while the tax on a keg sits at around $78. Australia now pays the third highest beer tax in the world, only behind Scandinavian countries Finland and Norway. The THA, along with our national body AHA, has been calling for a freeze on this tax so businesses can stay afloat, but our concerns continue to fall on deaf ears. Remarkably, in the UK, the Government CUT beer tax at the beginning of August following a Brexit promise to the British pub sector. The decision makers in our country need to start listening to us and provide the right type of help when we need it. The last thing we want is to see a decline in
On a brighter note, it’s very pleasing to see the Tasmanian Government’s commitment and vision to the hospitality and tourism sector following the launch of the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy and Action Plan. Along with the Tasmanian Hospitality 2030 vision we all have a clear path to help drive Tasmania’s economic growth. I’d like to thank all involved with the development of 2030 Visitor Economy strategy and I look forward to working with them on the actions that will come from it. IN AUGUST THE TAX ON BEER WILL INCREASE AGAIN
MAKING YOUR NEXT SCHOONER MORE EXPENSIVE DON ’T BLAME US THIS IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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CEO UPDATE
After experiencing a downturn in our occupancy numbers over winter – following near unprecedented levels of accommodation figures for 15 months – I’m sure we are all looking forward to the warmer and longer days as preparations begin for our peak seasons. There is no cause for alarm at the drop off in numbers, all our figures are equal to those from pre- Covid times and are simply showing a normalisation in tourists coming to Tasmania. Speaking of warmer and longer days, we are extremely excited about this year’s Awards for Excellence gala function which takes on a new location, new time and new format. Our save the date invitations have been sent for the event, which will unfold at the Botanical Gardens on October 4 across the entire afternoon and early evening. Our fingers will be crossed for some pleasant weather in what is the first week of daylight savings, but having experienced the National AHA Awards for Excellence events last year in Hobart (February) and Sydney (November), moving away from a black-tie, sit-down evening is something that is highly appealing and welcomed by many in the industry. The cocktail-style nature of our awards aims to provide a more laid-back atmosphere for guests, who I’m sure attend to celebrate and recognise all our category winners but also enjoy catching up with
their peers from around the state. Attendees will still be treated to the best produce our state offers via our corporate partners, and moving forward we hope to grow our awards ceremony bigger and better to celebrate all those who make the Tasmanian hospitality sector so great. As for celebrating the achievements within Tasmanian hospitality, I’d like to extend my congratulations to several individuals and venues who have been honoured with some outstanding recognition in recent times. To see Tasmanian White Asparagus owners Richard and Belinda Weston, alongside partners Tom Barham and Jenna Howlett, land a national accolade for their cultivation of European- inspired white asparagus is a true success story for their commitment to not only innovation but their paddock-to-plate ethos, while Rohan Massie’s top five finish in the World Class Australia competition is a testament to his standing within the bar scene. Renowned chef Massimo Mele’s Peppina was awarded best Tasmanian restaurant in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards and to see our businesses continually nominated and up for gongs at the Australian Bartender Magazine Awards highlights the high regard Tasmania now has on the national stage.
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World Class INDUSTRY FEATURE
As one of the five finalists in the Australian leg of the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year in July, Rohan Massie confirmed his status as Tasmania’s top mixologist. He chats to the THA Review about his career, what drives him and how the Tasmanian bar scene has evolved during his time in the industry.
MASSIE COMPETES DURING THE DIAGO WORLD CLASS FINALS. PICTURE: TOM YAU
THE WORLD CLASS AUSTRALIA FINALS TOP FIVE, WITH DIAGO’S KATE MCGRAW. PICTURE: TOM YAU
R ohan Massie can only laugh when he looks back on his journey from a hospitality newbie to one of the premier bartenders in the country. “I was horrible when I first started - and I always remember it,” the Rude Boy Hobart and Punch and Ladle owner says with a grin. “Every time I have a new staff member on, and particularly young staff and they mess up, they do something and you’re like, ‘what are you doing?’ But you have got to think back to when you started because I did that same sort of stuff. Just because I’ve had 20 years’ experience doesn’t excuse the fact that when I only had six months experience, I was making the same sort of mistakes. “I started out in Melbourne at the Rosstown Hotel which was just a suburban pub basically. I struggled making a lemon lime bitters, didn’t even know what a cocktail was. I think I had asked for the recipe for a strawberry daiquiri like six times and my manager started to get frustrated with me. That was the first job. I moved around, did some function-type stuff for some bigger groups in Melbourne before moving down to Tassie.
when, and God love him, JJ [Zucco] fired me because I kept making mistakes. I was the world’s worst waiter. I had the personality, and I could talk to tables, but I took a paella to the wrong table, a dish that takes 45 minutes to cook. Just all these little things kept adding up. The best part about that, and I think this is the best part about good managers, is that he said, ‘look mate, go away, get some experience, go learn and come back to me and I’ll give you a job’. “So that’s what I did. I went to the Maypole Hotel and then I went to Burnie, and got some experience then came back to Hobart. Joe was opening Observatory with Dave Hales, and he saw my name in the pile of resumes and he went ‘I’ll give you a job’. That’s really where the bartending part of it started. That opening crew had some really good people on it, back when Observatory was a fancy tapas bar, and so that’s really where the bartending journey started, and particularly the cocktails. Then I started reading the Australian Bartender Magazine and seeing what everybody else was doing around the country and that’s really where the inspiration sort of started to flow.”
That early inspiration has taken Massie to the top echelon of bartenders in Australia. Whittled down
“First, I was working at Sisco’s on the Pier way back
9 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
MASSIE DURING THE DIAGO WORLD CLASS FINALS. PICTURE: TOM YAU
from an initial top 100 to the final five, the father of two joined his fellow finalists in Sydney for the showdown to be No. 1. Held across three rounds, Massie took out the Johnny Walker Blue Label Challenge, before being pipped for the national title by Eduardo Conde from Paddington venue El Primo Sanchez. Armed with a competitive streak, Massie, who has showcased his skills across a variety of Hobart hotspots over the years including the old Barcelona, T42 and Grape, was naturally disappointed to not earn the chance to represent his country in the World Class global finals in Brazil in September. However for a tightknit industry, the competition is more than just winning and losing. “These things are a fantastic one for a national profile, but the best part about them isn’t designing the cocktails or getting up on stage or any of those things. It’s actually being in a room for a day with four of the other top bartenders from around Australia and talking about ideas and talking about what we think is happening in the industry. Those inspirational moments are really what this is about and establishing those relationships,” Massie says.
“You are always in it because you’ve got a bit of a competitive nature but as with most top end sports, if you have a good competitive nature and you respect the other competitors, that’s when this sense of camaraderie comes. You’re all going through the same stress, you’re all going through the same thing. On the day you’re all presenting to the same judges, you know how each other feels. “Some people deal with nervousness better than others but I’ve never been in this situation and not seen someone nervous. As good as you get or however many times you do this stuff, there’s always some element of butterflies in the stomach. So, you’re all going through this together and it is definitely that camaraderie, and then hopefully as time goes by after the competition when you do travel or when you go to an interstate city, you go to these people’s bars that you’re competing with.” F or the second stage of the Diageo World Class, competitors were given a brief which revolved around creating an initiative that would support, benefit and give back to community. One of Massie’s biggest passions is using native ingredients when creating his cocktails, so he delved into some research around
10 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
foraging those ingredients and the connection with local communities. This led to the creation of Native Connection – a platform to start the conversation around how the hospitality industry and the greater public should be sourcing native ingredients respectfully, sustainably and productively, directly from First Nations producers. The concoction also landed him in the final five. “I talked to some mates in the industry who were foraging, they take a team out and they pick berries off a bush, but often because of time demands they take all the berries off the bush,” Massie explains. “So, I started thinking about how sustainable that was. I mean, if that’s a menu item, it’s not once you’re going to be doing that, you’re going to be doing that a bit, particularly if you’re turning over a number of drinks, so the sustainability side sort of comes into it. And two, we charge our customers for all our ingredients, yet we are getting the ingredients for free if we’re going and foraging stuff. So I thought is there a better way of using that money rather than it just going into somebody’s pocket? “We’re happy to pay for the chicken, we’re happy to pay for the pineapples. Why aren’t we happy to pay for these native ingredients? Going to First Nations people to purchase off them means that money is staying in the community, it means it’s helping people, but it also means that we’re respecting the people that
were here a long time before us, took care of this land for thousands of years. These sorts of ingredients have cultural significance to them, and we could be going onto sacred land, we could be doing a whole lot of things and it’s not through malice, but more just ignorance, that we don’t know what we’re doing. So if we buy these ingredients off First Nations people, we kill two birds with one stone because sustainability is bred into the culture of the First Nations people. They don’t take everything they can from the land, they leave some for the animals, they leave some for the plants but they also know where other plants are so they can do it over a broad range of places so that it’s more sustainable, and the money’s going back to the right places.” Like most Tasmanian fields, the reputation of the state’s hospitality industry has grown remarkably since Massie first started. Venues and business are constantly earning national accolades and gaining worldwide recognition. The evolvement has not been lost on Massie, but there is one constant he believes has remained – and sets the Apple Isle apart from everyone else. “It’s changed massively from what almost sort of felt like a collection of pubs to a really eclectic range of venues. We have good old suburban pubs, we have craft pubs like Moonah Cellars or the Winston. We have everything from small bars like us or La Sardina
MASSIE’S NATIVE INSPIRATION COCKTAIL
THE DIAGO WORLD CLASS FINALS TOP FIVE. PICTURE: TOM YAU
[Loca] or Sonny to a full range of restaurants where you can go in and get takeaway or you can sit down and can experience some of Australia’s best food down here. “The difference in Hobart for me has always been that customer service. Generally speaking, whether we know a lot about the booze or a lot about what we’re serving or not, we’ve always been great to deal with, as a whole we’ve always cared about our customers and we’ve always been up for a chat. The difference between growing up in Melbourne and the reason I live down here, is you can still walk down the street and ask someone the time a day here and they’ll actually give you an answer, rather than just walking straight past you like you’re a lamppost. I think that comes across through our restaurants in that we’re easy to deal with, we’re a bit more relaxed and we give great customer service. “Most of the time that people are coming down, particularly in hospitality, they’re coming down to see distilleries, wineries, they’re coming down for Dark Mofo, they’re coming down for these iconic Tasmanian things. I remember before Dark Mofo, before Sullivan’s won the world’s best whiskey, before Arras won world’s best sparkling wine, before all of that, we used to be dead between like Easter and the [AFL] grand final. You can see how Tasmania’s progressed in making booze, selling booze, serving booze, it has really brought people in but also given us national acclaim.” While Massie remains as passionate as ever about the industry, his focus has shifted from just purely slinging drinks on a Friday and Saturday night. Two young kids make the late shifts harder to bounce back from at home, and he has other vested interests away from Rude Boy with wife Khayla. “One thing that managers told me when I started out was to make sure you have an exit plan because unfortunately, our bodies can’t hold up to doing big shifts on the floor every day,” he says. “And so, for me these days, it’s about having a range of things that keeps me entertained, keeps me engaged. There is helping with the cocktail development here, there’s the training aspect of it. I still do Friday, Saturday nights, sometimes both, not often, but just to keep in touch with that and
more recently with a change of management, we’ve really got back into the serving side of it a lot more and it is sort of like seeing an old friend who you realise you actually missed. “Through the week I’m in production with Punch and Ladle obviously, also working at a distillery and then doing this [World Class] stuff. Having that range of things enables me to mostly work throughout the day, but also pick up a couple of nights here and there without spending day in, day out on the floor.”
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Tasmania’s first comprehensive economic analysis of the salmon industry’s contribution to Tasmania has been completed by Deloitte Access Economics confirming...
Tasmania’s salmon industry is Australia’s most VALUABLE seafood sector, worth $1.36 BILLION
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Tasmania’s LARGEST primary industry
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of those jobs are in regional Tasmania
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EDITORIAL
Premier and Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Jeremy Rockliff
This is my first update since taking on the Hospitality portfolio, and I am looking forward to working with the industry – and each of you as our valued hospitality operators. Tasmania’s hospitality industry continues to be worId- leading, and I am very excited to be the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality. The hospitality industry is vitally important to our state’s tourism ecology and is part of the lifeblood of our regional economies. This important sector employs approximately eight per cent of Tasmanian’s workforce, and with more than two thousand operating businesses, invests millions into the Tasmanian economy. It is a particularly exciting time for our tourism and hospitality industry, as we launch the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy, which will work closely with the Tasmanian Hospitality Association’s Hospitality 2030 – a vision for the future of Tasmania’s Hospitality Industry. The 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy is a bold and ambitious plan that has come to fruition, through working hand in hand with industry to set a vision for Tasmania’s visitor economy, which will see our State continue to lead the nation. In recognition of the tourism and hospitality industry’s contribution to our economy, we have committed a further $12 million in new funding over three years, to back immediate priorities outlined in the Strategy. We know our visitor economy will continue to grow, and that’s why the Strategy is both a plan for growth, and a plan to manage growth sustainably. Every dollar spent by visitors to Tasmania adds to our economy, especially in our regions, meaning more to reinvest into health, housing, education, and transformational infrastructure to set our State up for
decades to come.
The strategy sets eight key directions to grow and manage our visitor economy based on making a positive impact to our community, economy, environment, industry, visitors, and Tasmania as a destination. Importantly, the strategy acknowledges that our workforce is industry’s most important asset. Creating more employment opportunities for Tasmanians and meaningful life-long, valuable careers is valued by our community right across the State. To manage further visitor demand, we must attract and retain more people into our workforce across all levels of the industry, including international workers, students and working holiday makers. Through the strategy, the Tasmanian Government will: • Invest in training that is fit for purpose and informed by industry feedback, including from the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Advisory Committee; • Invest in a dynamic and responsive vocational training sector with public and private sector organisations, ensuring providers achieve training outcomes that meet industry needs; and • Grow our future workforce and jobs for younger Tasmanians through the Tasmanian Youth Jobs Strategy, including supporting initiatives within our schools focussed on career pathways, skills and training. I encourage you to take a read of the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy and Action Plan by visiting www. tourismtasmania.com.au Thank you, to all involved in our dynamic hospitality industry across every corner of our beautiful State. Your contribution – whether investors, managers, employers, and support teams is making a huge impact to our communities and economy.
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EDITORIAL
Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Rebecca White
Working with businesses and industry to build a stronger economy Over the past 12 months, members of the Tasmanian Labor team and I have been meeting with and listening to hospitality business and industry representatives around the state to plan for Tasmania’s future. We know from these talks that urgent action is needed to address problems that are holding back both the hospitality sector and the wider economy. Among these is the longstanding shortage of skilled and qualified workers that requires much greater attention from government. Earlier this month I visited students at TasTAFE participating in the Hospitality Showcase hosted by the THA. Over the course of the year, nearly 1000 students have had the opportunity to attend the Showcase in Devonport, Launceston and Hobart and learn how to perform front and back-of-house tasks and speak with ambassadors from the hospitality industry. The Rose Bay High School students I spoke with learnt how to work in the kitchen, the bar, on the restaurant floor and how to make a great coffee. I jumped behind the bar with a few of them and reinvigorated my bar
skills from many years ago as we mixed up some mocktails.
Labor wants more people to choose a career in hospitality and the Hospitality Showcase offers young people a taster and a clear understanding of the variety of roles they can have in hospitality. Of course, there’s more to be done to help industry and workers – that’s why Labor has also committed to a number of measures to improve TasTAFE by investing in the teacher workforce and offering six-month scholarships to people from trade or professional backgrounds to help them become qualified TAFE teachers. We will also support current TAFE teachers to spend more time in the trades they teach, ensuring they can keep up to date with modern industry practices and support students to be ready for work from the moment they walk out the door. A Labor government will work with industry and TAFE to increase opportunities for training and get apprentices and trainees moving through their courses without disruption. All of this is just the start – and Labor is committed to continuing to work with industry to support hospitality businesses and workers and build a future that benefits all Tasmanians.
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Membership Update
We know we are firmly in the middle of the Winter months when Mt Wellington is covered in snow and its freezing cold! With the colder weather we know our members have seen a significant downturn in trade especially regionally. We have seen our occupancy numbers decrease again for the months of May and June, however we are hopeful once everyone returns from their European holidays they once again support our great member venues. Our membership team has been travelling statewide to assist members with a range of matters such as Licence applications/renewals, planning permits, introductions to suppliers, networking events and discussing ways to minimise the growing costs of business. Judging for our awards has now been completed and the venue and time for the awards night has been locked in, you should all have received the save a date for 4th of October at the Botanical Gardens Hobart. Tickets will be available in the coming weeks. Our new website is due to be launched towards the end of the year as well as a brand-new corporate supplier guide featuring all our partners with some exclusive offers.
The Membership team was fortunate enough to attend some sensational events in the last couple of weeks. The Agricultured dinner at the Grain of the Silos restaurant in Launceston is one of the best events of the year, credit to Massimo and his team for an amazing evening. Special shoutout to our members Paul and Bernadette Bennett from Ashgrove cheese who provided the cheese for the event. Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart once again amazed guests with their annual ‘Chancellor Revelry’ event. The event showcased the best cuisines from around the world as we travelled through the seven continents. The unveiling of their state-of-the-art screen will elevate their conference room as we approach conference season in the later months. Congratulations to Ralph and his team on an outstanding event. We look forward to an exciting end of the year for our members. The THA has a few key events to be finalised in the coming weeks, please keep a look out in your emails and social platforms for your invites. As also please feel free to reach If you would like to speak to any of our membership team, don’t hesitate to call us on 6220 7300
Lastly, we would also like to welcome our new THA members who have joined us recently.
NEW THA MEMBERS
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18 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
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Exciting news for Tasmanian businesses as Total POS Solutions proudly opens its Launceston office at Suite 8, 29 Cameron Street. This expansion brings its local expertise to Tassie’s north, offering point- of-sale solutions (POS) that cater to the unique needs of businesses across various industries. Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, events, tourism, or accommodation, Total POS Solutions promises efficient and effective solutions for a seamless customer experience. Total POS Solutions has long been recognised as a leader in POS technology. Situated through the Hotel Grand Chancellor’s back entrance, businesses in the region now have a local hub for innovative solutions that streamline operations and enhance customer experiences. The driving force behind Total POS Solutions’ success is its commitment to delivering comprehensive solutions, and the Launceston office is no exception. The local team ensures a seamless transition to new POS systems by offering on-site assessments, custom quotes, installations, reliable support, and in-depth training. Additionally, dedication to a fast turnaround time from quote to system go-live and the team’s ability to customise each solution to the specific needs of individual businesses sets Total POS Solutions apart from its competitors.
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MATT PRESTON, KRYSIA BONKOWSKI, TOM BARHAM AND RICHARD WESTON
Tasmanian White Asparagus INDUSTRY FEATURE
A decade long investment has been well worth the wait for a Tasmanian farming business, which has been awarded one of the country’s most prestigious food industry awards for a rare heirloom vegetable. W hen Richard Weston spent three months living in the Netherlands in 2012 after receiving a Nuffield farming scholarship to study white asparagus – Nuffield Australia is the country’s leading agricultural scholarship organisation – it started a journey which has provided its fair share of highs and lows. But the pinnacle arrived this August when alongside wife Belinda and partners Tom Barham and Jenna Howlett, their company Tasmanian White Asparagus was crowned Unearthed Producer of the year at the delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards. The awards, now in their 18th year, focus on Australia’s best producers – the people who grow, cultivate, harvest and catch the produce supplied to the country’s leading chefs and hospitality venues. And for the Weston’s, Barham and Howlett, their European inspired white asparagus, which is the only type of its kind in Australia, is certainly proving a huge hit among
the whose who of chefs in the country.
“This is our second harvest, we started in 2012… and we’ve progressed ever since,” says Richard, who alongside Belinda are also the duo behind Pigeon Hole Café in West Moonah. “We trialled it and succeeded to a certain degree in harvesting 2018, it didn’t quite work out and so we changed tact and we basically went again. Whenever you chase something for 12 years, it’s a long period of your life. A lot of money invested, a lot of time invested, a lot of travel. A lot of mistakes, but that first foray in, I don’t look at that as a failure as we learned so much from it. “This year will throw more challenges up, every year will throw different challenges in agriculture. Last year we were up to our knees in water, it didn’t stop raining. This year we’re in a really dry spell so we’re irrigating. “It’s always nice to be recognised with anything you do. But one of the things that’s really pleasing with these Delicious Magazine Awards, is they’ve chosen probably six of Australia’s best chefs [as judges]. So these people, they’re at the top of their game. They’re
20 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
professionals. They’ve travelled the world, they actually really know their stuff and they would tell you if it was crap. It’s also good for the four of us. We’ve all worked really hard. It’s nice to be recognised that we are on the right track and all that hard work has paid off.” Tasmania’s strict quarantine laws are the major reason behind the lengthy Tasmanian White Asparagus journey. Based in Brighton, the Weston’s could only import their European varieties as seeds, and growing those into crowns to get production is a minimum of four years. Then there is the labour-intensive process involved in keeping the asparagus white, especially when currently there are 34,000 plants in the ground – a figure Richard aims to expand to 55,000. “When you grow white, you start off with a profile in the ground where you bury your crowns 20 centimetres below ground. Then over the next three, four years, you cover that crown. So effectively the base of that plant is 20 centimetres below. When you go to harvest, you mound up another 20 centimetres with a machine, so you’ve got a 40 centimetre profile. Sunlight equals chlorophyll (green plants) so if you can keep the sunlight
away from the asparagus, it’s a beautiful white colour.
“When we mound we’ve got the soil, and then we place a special plastic over the top, so when we go to harvest, you go along, you remove the plastic, you harvest it, you put the plastic back and that is what keeps it white. It’s a European way of growing it, it is a phenomenal industry, but it is labour intensive and it does take some specialised equipment.” While white asparagus is grown in other parts of Australia, Weston Farm is the only one to have the truly European style. Richard describes the flavour profile as “really earthy and sweet”, and top chefs have been clambering to get access to the vegetable, which has an extremely short harvest period of around four weeks and saw Richard and Tom harvesting around 200kg of asparagus a day last spring. “Our big point of difference is we’ve actually got those true European varieties, and that’s really important. That’s the difference in our quality. If you’re in Germany or the Netherlands, all of those countries predominantly they eat white. It’s Australia and France and a few other
21 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
CHEF PETER GILMORE CAREFULLY DIGS UP A WHITE ASPARAGUS SPEAR AS TOM BARHAM AND RICHARD WESTON WATCH ON. CREDIT: TWO PLATE
different countries that eat green,” he says. “One of the things that fascinated me was in Germany, each man, woman and child eats around about 20 kilos of white asparagus, which is extraordinary, considering there are 85 million Germans. “You can take green asparagus and do the same process, but the difference there is in the taste and shape of the spear. You’ve got to have a really tightly closed spear, so you don’t get dirt in there. You’ve got this amazing thing that presents really well, and you’ve got this really fantastic flavour profile. “Peter Gilmore came down, Pete’s a huge supporter and he said, it’s his words, not mine, “it’s the first asparagus in Australia that truly tastes like European asparagus”. Our climate has had a fair bit to do with that, we’ve got a really good climate, a cool climate, for asparagus, whether white or green. One thing I’ve learned with chefs over the journey, they are always after that next, ‘you beaut’ ingredient, something to showcase. I get that, you want to mix it up at work. You don’t want to be serving the same things all the time.”
22 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: www.morethanwelcome.com.au
Workforce Development
STUDENT SHOWCASES Our 2023 showcases returned with a bang, with more than 550 students from 25 schools attending the sessions on the north-west, north and recently in Hobart. These are an opportunity for students who are studying hospitality in school, or are considering entering the workforce, to try their hand at different aspects of hospitality with instruction and support from industry professionals including venue managers and head chefs. From working in a bar making mocktails, to carrying trays, pouring wines, bridging plates, learning how to julienne and chiffonade and how to make the perfect latte, a range of hospitality skills were available for students to learn. Undoubtedly the fan favourites were mocktails and barista coffee – but with lots of sugar and caffeine perhaps not so great for the teachers on the bus back! Tastafe Drysdale was an excellent host for all three events and also participated in an industry
offer.”
The THA has two further showcases planned in late 2023-early 2024 for our east and west coast regions, so stay tuned for dates! CHRISTMAS IN JULY FUNDRAISER In late July the THA team collaborated with the Association of Ukrainians in Tasmania and Elizabeth College Hobart to run a Christmas in July Fundraising Morning Tea for Ukraine. The Event took place at the Hobart Town Hall courtroom, generously provided in kind by Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds and the Hobart Town Hall team. The event held a real spirit of Christmas in July with a Christmas tree, gifts for guests, incredible food, and contributing to providing help to those in need. The THA is proud to sponsor and provide support to the outstanding commitment of the students of the Vet Cookery course who catered for the event. With the thoughtful leadership of their teacher, Kirsten Bacon, the group came up with a creative menu that included Christmas items like fruit mince tarts and turkey and cranberry sandwiches, as well as traditional Ukrainian cuisine items like deruny (potato cakes) and nalysnyky (crepes with homemade cheese).
Q&A with the students at the end of each session, explaining Drysdale’s fee free courses to help young people get a foot in the door. To find out more visit https://www.tastafe.tas.edu.au/fee-free Passionate VET trainer-teacher Kirsten Bacon attended the Hobart Showcase with her Elizabeth College students, hailing the event a resounding success. “Undoubtedly, this was one of the best events ever organised for the students,” she said. “The testimonials from the attendees spoke volumes and many expressed their desire not only to return to Drysdale, the host of the event, but also to eagerly participate in a similar day in the future. The impact of the showcase was resounding – it opened their eyes to the vast potential that the hospitality industry has to
All the guests and organising team were impressed by the brilliantly executed food and seamless service that the students provided. The event was attended by 50 people and raised about $4400 which was all directed to defend Ukraine Appeal fund. This fund was created by the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, focusing on providing non-lethal military aid for Ukrainian defenders on the frontline, purchasing things like
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Workforce Development
distilled botanicals and is driven by juniper, citrus and Tasmanian pepper berry, with balanced Asian flavours, and generously donated by Knocklofty Distillery. The event was captured by the WIN News Team, who interviewed Kirsten Bacon, Roger O’Meagher, and the President of the Association of Ukrainians in Tasmania (AUT), Tania Tkachuk. Shortly after the event, the Vice-President and the Event Coordinator of the AUT visited Elizabeth college to express their appreciation to the Vet Cookery students and give out certificates and handmade gifts from Tassie for Ukraine. The Ukrainian community is beyond grateful to the THA and Elizabeth College Hobart for their support. Any business that would like to support fundraisers for Ukrainian causes, can contact the Association of Ukrainians in Tasmania on Facebook to get more information. Meanwhile, anyone can support Ukraine and sample delicious Ukrainian food at the Spring Morning Tea, which will be hosted at the Battery Point Community Hall on the 15th of September 2023 and catered by the Elizabeth college students. Please save the date and look out for more information on our Facebook page.
food and water, thermal underwear, generators, and vehicles. The event was also supported by the Tassie For Ukraine project, a community knitting initiative that creates handmade goods to fundraise for the Defend Ukraine Appeal fund. Every guest attending the event received a hand-knitted mug warmer made with love in support of Ukraine. Every gift pack also included a special Ukrainian honey biscuit baked with love and care by the Vet Cookery students. The Ukrainian community also organised a silent auction of various cultural items, artworks of local Ukrainian artists and other Tasmanians that chose to donate their works to support the good cause. The items included paintings, digital artworks, a hand- sewn cushion, hand-painted pots and vases, knitted and crocheted items, lessons of Ukrainian language and dancing. It also included a bottle of amazing Knocklofty Penn Gin infused with 10 individually
Workforce Development Enquiries? Contact Jack Milbourne E: jack@tha.asn.au Ph: 0439763977
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Great Customer Experience Program
Late July, in the spectacular Coles Bay, Dave Noonan and Darren Martello from the GCE team, along with regional tourism operators, attended a successful networking event on board the Schouten Passage 2 vessel, hosted by Pennicott Tours, East Coast Tourism Tasmania and the THA. The East coast tourism operators arrived to experience the wonderful hospitality of Robert Pennicott and his team. Mouthwatering canapes were prepared by Hugh Whitehouse from Freycinet Marine Farm. The evening gave the attendees the opportunity to network, liaise, build relationships, and experience a taste of what the East Coast has to offer. East Coast Tourism Tasmania CEO Grace Keath presented the region’s strengths and the positives of where hospitality and tourism on the East Coast was heading, and highlighted the importance of all tourism and hospitality operators to continue to work together as one.
Awareness and Skills sessions.
We know Tasmanian businesses rely on each other’s success, venues, business, community, regions, and the state. We need to continue to work together to have a positive impact for Tasmania and the Tasmanian brand and the GCE Program is a vital part of this process. The relationships that we are building with ECTT and hospitality and tourism operators on the East Coast are strong, and we will continue to work closely with these operators. Northern GCE manager Darren also recently spent some time at the Bridport Distilling Co, providing a venue awareness and upskilling session. A small but enthusiastic team were present and the feedback from Theresa Streefland proved the importance of the program and its impact on venues around the state. “We were hopeful of more numbers at the session, but I can assure you we certainly learnt a lot and would like you to come back and do this, especially the venue awareness session again, with our whole team,” Streefland said. “[We] have been discussing the various aspects of the slide show, and we particularly loved that you showed us the breakdown of every dollar that goes through our tills. To many of the staff, and especially the young ones, they don’t have any idea at all of the costs associated with running a business. “You made us aware again and again of the importance of customer service, and that everything we do is about the customer that spends their money at our venue. Having a clean, tidy premises, clearing tables when our guests have finished their meals, cleaning tables, having clean glassware and crockery. And of course, the most important is always our can-do attitude and service with a smile.” Darren also provided some upskilling in the kitchen to staff at the venue, which Streefland said was hugely invaluable, especially given the lack of a chef at the time.
ABOVE: ECTT CEO GRACE KEATH, DAVE AND JASON UNWIN FROM EASY TIGER ST
Dave and Darren had the pleasure of networking on behalf of the THA continuing to build strong relationships with East coast regional operators. Dave explained the Great Customer Experience Program and how it can offer support to operators throughout Tasmania and the 50 or so operators agreed the GCE program was a fantastic initiative and we received requests for Business Health Checks, Venue
“[Darren] went out of [his] way to teach us both some valuable skills in the kitchen. I personally have never
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Great Customer Experience Program
been behind a deep fryer, or prepared food for a restaurant such as ours, so I am very grateful for the time spent showing us the importance of preparation, then the timing of cooking the food and then how to present it for our customer. “I’m excited that we are members of the THA. When I started at the Bridport Distilling Co, I had no idea what sort of services you offered but have been very surprised at your commitment to us as a small business. Thank you for your continued support, I feel confident we can come to you when we have any problems or need any help.”
ABOVE: DARREN (CENTRE) WITH THERESA AND EMILY FROM BRIDPORT DISTILLING CO
Enquiries? Contact one of our GCE team below Dave Noonan (Program Facilitator) E: dave@tha.asn.au Ph: 0437099315 Jack Milbourne (Southern Regional Manager) E: jack@tha.asn.au Ph: 0439763977 Darren Martello (Northern Regional Manager) E: darren@tha.asn.au Ph: 0428020179 Gena Cantwell (North West Regional Manager) E: gena@tha.asn.au Ph: 0417125092
Rising from the ashes INDUSTRY FEATURE
VANESSA AND MATT DUNBABIN
When the business Andy Stuart was weeks away from taking over was engulfed with flames at the worst time of the year, you could have forgiven him for pulling the plug on his new venture. Instead, Stuart saw it as an opportunity to rebuild from the ground up and now Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village Resort has reopened and is back better than ever. T he last thing Andy Stuart expected to hear when he was enjoying Christmas with his family on the East Coast last year was the devastating news a fire had ripped through the venue he had recently accepted the general manager position at. But when messages began flooding his phone – having been out of reception following a bushwalk in the Freycinet Mountains – the enormity of the situation quickly came to realisation. Late on Christmas night and into the early hours of Boxing Day, an accidental fire had ripped through the kitchen of Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village. Destruction from the blaze included the restaurant, function room, guest lounge, bar and kitchen in a total damage bill of around $750,000. Stuart was only weeks away from starting at the resort, situated in a picturesque and tourist hot spot, when suddenly those
plans were thrown out the window and he wasted little time in packing up from the East Coast to survey the damage first hand. “I was bushwalking with my family down the East Coast from the Freycinet mountains, we were off grid for a couple of days and when we came back down my phone was ding, ding, ding, ding, ding when I got back in range again,” Stuart says. “We were in the midst of change of management. I was coming in to take over the property in January and my predecessor was still there, but everyone had gone off at the end of the day, because they’d finished service for Christmas night. About 9pm all the staff had knocked off and left the mountain. I was probably three, four weeks before I was due to come up and start and I was getting all these calls saying, ‘so is this the hotel you’re going on to now’ and then the CEO was letting me know what had happened and was asking would I still be coming and all that sort of stuff. “I said ‘well, I’ll be coming but I’ll be coming today because I won’t be beating around the bush and waiting’. So, I rolled straight into it. I had run my own company for 20 years, sold that off to a multinational, and was then working for some accounting groups within Launceston, going out doing six-month jobs
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