Hospitality March-April 2026

NO.817 MARCH/APRIL 2026

Regulars

8 // IN FOCUS

What happens when a patron is seriously injured in your venue?

14 // NEWS

The latest openings, books, events, and more.

16 // PRODUCE

These delicate flowers have a subtle zucchini-like flavour.

18 // BEST PRACTICE

How to have smarter supplier relationships in 2026.

20 // PROFILE

Bridget Raffal dons another hat with the opening of Claret Club.

44 // EQUIPMENT

Crafting makizushi is a breeze with a sushi roller.

56 // DRINKS

How bartenders are slowly introducing China’s favourite spirit onto menus.

60 // BAR CART

Thirst quenchers, slow sippers, and all things beverage related.

Features

28 // SYDNEY FISH MARKET

Sydney Fish Market venues share how they’re forging unique identities in the $836 million build.

36 // RECORD BARS

In a world yearning for tangible, analogue experiences, vinyl bars are offering just that.

42 // BOOK EXCERPT

Fed Up by Lucy Ridge.

46 // OPTIMISING KITCHENS

The kitchen tech helping chefs move faster.

50 // TAKING STOCK

The importance of perfecting the basics.

62 // OPINION

Wes Lambert on what it will take for restaurants to make it through 2026.

A note from the editor

ON A RAINY Sydney weekend last month, I was entering a venue and slipped on the front step. As my life flashed before my eyes, my hands instinctively shot out and grabbed an adjacent railing. My crisis was averted, but it got me wondering: What would an operator need to do if someone was seriously injured in their venue? To answer the question, I called up lawyer Lauren Cassimitis to find out how operators can mitigate the risk or deal with the consequences of an onpremises accident.

Also this issue, Bridget Raffal - the owner of Marrickville’s Where’s Nick and Darlinghurst newcomer Claret Club - chats shop and explores what it takes to remove the “old boys club” label from a certain

PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au

EDITOR Laura Box lbox@intermedia.com.au

JOURNALIST Maia Hart mhart@intermedia.com.au

class of fine wines. Meanwhile, journalist Maia Hart takes a deep dive into Sydney’s shiny new toy: the $836 million dollar fish market. She explores how the precinct’s wealth of new operators are establishing their own identities to stand out from the crowd.

Our March/April edition also includes how to make the most of your supplier relationships; how a desire for tangible and analogue experiences is seeing the record bar trend stay strong; and shares a sip of the popular Chinese spirit baijiu. Enjoy.

Laura Box Editor

COMMERCIAL DIRECTORHOSPITALITY GROUP Simon York T: 02 8586 6163 syork@intermedia.com.au

GROUP ART DIRECTOR –LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY Kea Webb-Smith kea@intermedia.com.au

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

CIRCULATIONS

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Safety first

What happens when a patron is seriously injured in your venue?

WORDS Laura Box

iStock.com/Fertnig

IT WAS A busy Friday night in mid-2025 at a restaurant in Melbourne’s inner east when an elderly patron visited the venue’s washroom. On the way back to her seat, she tripped on a small step and fell, hitting her head and suffering significant injuries as a result. The restaurant operator quickly called an ambulance. They then called a lawyer who specialises in representing businesses and workplaces that are investigated for or accused of WorkSafe breaches.

That lawyer was Lauren Cassimatis, principal lawyer at Gallant Law. “I told them they must report this to WorkSafe immediately,” says Cassimatis.

Hospitality venues and businesses are regulated by variations of the WorkSafe or SafeWork regulatory bodies across states and territories. If a venue fails to notify their local regulator of a serious injury, illness, death, or dangerous incident immediately, then significant penalties may apply. In NSW, for example, a body corporate could face a penalty of up to $50,000, while an individual may face up to $10,000.

When the Melbourne restaurant operator called Cassimatis, she asked them to scan the venue and send her photos. She then gave them feedback on what to point out to WorkSafe when the regulator came to investigate the property.

“WorkSafe focusses not necessarily on if an incident has occurred, but [whether] there were risks that weren’t allayed or prevented in the first place,” says Cassimatis. “So with that case, our focus turned to, has the restaurant done everything to ensure there is no risk for safety?”

“In this instance it was ok because when they took me around the venue,

they were able to show that even though it was a busy night, they had many staff on hand to ensure there wasn’t a lot of commotion and that patrons could stay seated at their table.”

There were a range of other precautions the restaurant had already established to ensure the space was as safe as possible. These included enough space between the tables, a slip-proof floor, a yellow safety sticker on the step with a safety banister next to it, a warning sign, and slip mats.

The operator could also show that they had provided a training manual to each staff member on how to respond to and prevent accidents (with methods like cleaning up spills). Additionally, the building had sound structural integrity and there was enough lighting.

“WorkSafe was satisfied that the restaurant had done everything they could, and this was basically a freak accident. If they’d identified any issue, it would have escalated to a prosecution where they’d obtain medical reports to describe the injuries of the patron that would be attributed to the venue.”

“They did the right thing in having everything intact, but the key was that when they reported it to WorkSafe they were honest and they pointed out everything they could to show them all the measures they had taken.”

Not all venues come off so well.

“Usually if it’s something more serious, then it will escalate to a prosecution where you face huge penalties. If there’s a fatality, even sometimes imprisonment,” adds Cassimatis.

How can you mitigate risk of incident in your venue?

To mitigate the risk of injury, while also

State regulator Contact number Website

WorkSafe Victoria 13 23 60 worksafe.vic.gov.au

SafeWork NSW 13 10 50 safework.nsw.gov.au

WorkSafe QLD 1300 362 128 worksafe.qld.gov.au

NT WorkSafe 1800 019 115 worksafe.nt.gov.au

SafeWork SA 1800 777 209 safework.sa.gov.au

WorkSafe ACT 13 22 81 worksafe.act.gov.au

WorkSafe WA 1800 678 198 worksafe.wa.gov.au

“If you ignore the improvement notices or try to do things your way, it can really backfire.”

ensuring that your venue is complying with WorkSafe regulation, Cassimatis recommends contacting WorkSafe when first setting up a restaurant to request an audit.

“They will sometimes come to the venue, do an assessment, and offer some advice around what needs to be put in place physically … There are also safety auditors out there that will come and do that for a fee.”

“They won’t only audit the actual venue,” she explains. “They’ll also give you some suggestions around, for example, best practice manuals, or safety manuals and code of conduct.” Cassimatis adds that WorkSafe has an “amazing” website with lots of resources.

It’s also important to have a safety manual to train staff that’s either kept in hard copy or online. All new staff members should do an induction where they’re taken through the safety procedures in the manual.

“Therefore, if an incident does happen, you can show WorkSafe that you’ve got this manual and give them evidence of taking your staff through it. What sometimes happens is that WorkSafe is satisfied you’ve done everything you can and it comes down to a breach by an employee.”

Cassimatis says a “toolbox” briefing at

the start of each night can help familiarise staff on how to minimise risk and keep an eye on overconsumption of alcohol. For smaller businesses where a daily briefing might be impractical, a toolbox briefing can help for larger one-off events like weddings or functions.

WorkSafe can also investigate breaches involving allegations of bullying or sexual harassment. “So it’s really important that you’ve also got a code of conduct around how best to deal with each other as staff, but also patrons,” says Cassimatis.

Another crucial element is design and construction quality. “With the economy the way it is, people are struggling financially and small businesses are taking shortcuts with design and implementation of safety measures,” says Cassimatis.

“When you have a poor venue fitout, that’s where a lot of issues arise. If you want to make an investment in your business, make safety a huge priority.”

Cassimatis adds that having elements like adequate grease traps in the kitchen, ventilation, storage facilities for hazardous chemicals or products, hygiene in the bathroom, and proper cleaning staff that come regularly can help with keeping your venue safe.

What if an incident does occur?

If a ‘notifiable incident’ like serious injury, illness, death, or dangerous event happens in your venue, you must promptly provide first aid and make sure the impacted person gets the right care, including calling emergency services if required. The venue must then report the incident to the regulator via phone; factually record the incident in the register of injuries; notify their insurer within 48 hours; and make sure not to disturb the scene of the incident until an inspector arrives. Regulators may also require written notification within 48 hours, and may require operators to retain a record of the written notification for at least five years.

“It’s important to get a lawyer that can navigate it. Even at the outset, if you think WorkSafe are about to investigate you, get the legal advice. Because what you say to investigators might make or break the case in terms of any fault attributed to you,” says Cassimatis.

The regulator issues you with a compliance notice. What now?

WorkSafe and SafeWork can issue fines on the spot, or they can issue improvement notices or warnings. Cassimatis says that in

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the event that the regulator issues a compliance notice, it’s essential to follow it. “If you’re served with any improvement notices or warnings to begin with, do comply with them, because it might mean that they decide not to prosecute you because they’re satisfied that you’re taking this seriously enough, and they’ve deterred you from any further breaches. As long as they see evidence of you rectifying the damage or the hazard, they should leave you alone.”

However, says Cassimatis, “if you ignore the improvement notices or try to do things your way, it can really backfire”. The court may treat failure to comply as an “aggravating factor”, she says, meaning they don’t think you are taking your business's errors or misdemeanours seriously enough.

In one instance, WorkSafe issued a compliance notice to one of Cassimatis’ clients. The client operated a restaurant that had a metal rack hanging in the kitchen with equipment hanging off it. WorkSafe noticed the rack had rust and told the operator to replace it.

“My client decided to try and weld it themselves, and the whole thing collapsed and

“If you want to make an investment in your business, make safety a huge priority.”

caused serious injuries to staff in the kitchen,” said Cassimatis. “They hadn’t complied with the improvement notice properly, even though the client thought, ‘Well, I did fix it’.”

Cassimatis observes that businesses don’t comply for a number of reasons, often financial. “They feel it’s cheaper to ignore or take a shortcut and do it themselves. But once you’re on the WorkSafe radar, they will come back and review that you’ve complied.”

WorkSafe investigations and prosecution can also lead to reputational challenges down the line. “Once the decision is handed down by the magistrate – whether you’re defending it or pleading guilty – the case outcome will always be publicly shared, and it’s incredibly rare that you can get any kind of suppression.”

Lauren Cassimatis is the founder and principal lawyer at Gallant Law. She has worked closely with hospitality operators during her 21 years practising criminal law. One of her specialties is representing businesses or workplaces that are investigated or accused of WorkSafe breaches. ■

Entrée

The latest openings, books, events and more.

Edited by Laura Box

Yes to Yamagen

Japanese technique meets Victorian produce at Yamagen, the latest opening from QT Melbourne. With award-winning chef and Culinary Director Adam Lane in charge, the kitchen is dishing up the likes of fresh snapper sashimi with truffled tosazu and yuzu sesame, and uramaki rolls with seared salmon and scallop. “We’re honouring Japanese tradition while responding to the energy of the city, using exceptional Victorian produce, pushing flavour balance, and creating dishes that are precise yet playful,” says Lane. An extensive wine list championing the state’s regions joins the offering, alongside a considered 45-strong sake list. Whisky also takes a seat at the table with 120 labels ranging from approachable pours to rare Japanese releases.

Balancing the Scales

Women in Cafes and Restaurants (WCR) is hosting an intimate International Women’s Day gathering at Ormeggio in line with this year’s theme, Balance the Scales. Straight to the Source Founder Tawnya Bahr is on the mic as MC and guests will hear from WCR founder Laura Goldberg, financial independence advocate Amanda Thompson, and advisor and crisis leadership specialist Sally Branson. A panel discussion will also stir up conversation between Maestro Hospitality Founder Anna Pavoni, Accor Director of Food and Beverage Amanda Fuller, Hudsons Bakery Owner Sandra Hudson, and Margaret Family CEO Vanessa Crighton. Monday 9 March, 11am-3pm. wcr-connect.com.au

The Cook’s Companion

30th Anniversary Edition

Stephanie Alexander

Penguin Random House; $130

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Stephanie Alexander has fully revised over 1000 pages of The Cook’s Companion. The Australian kitchen bible, which Yotam Ottolenghi called “the definitive book on all subjects,” has sold over half a million copies to date. Alexander’s updates reflect the changing face of cooking, produce, and attitudes to food in Australia. It features almost 100 new or revised recipes, additional information on new appliances and ingredients, and discussion of contemporary issues affecting local produce and producers. Release date: 24 March 2026.

Juicy news

Back in 2022, Sydney wine producers Doom Juice ran a buzzing four-month pop-up cellar door out of the garage of the shuttered White Horse Hotel in St Peters. Now, the team has secured a permanent site for its cellar door, bar, and bottleshop in the previous Poor Tom’s Marrickville site at 66/6 Chalder Avenue. Owner Zac Godbolt promises the fitout will be one to remember – and the energy will be less stuffy than a typical cellar door. “I think that if we were to do a pretty straightforward cosy wine bar, people would be even more confused than what we currently have done,” he says. “I mean it needs a few quirks, c’mon.”

Opening is set for April.

Save the date

We’ve got something big in the works. If you’re interested in the future of the hospitality industry, be sure to keep 13 July free.

Softer tips and brown stamen are indicators of ageing

Male flowers have thinner stems than their female counterparts

Picking the male flowers can slow down fruit production

Zucchini flower

These delicate flowers have a subtle zucchini-like flavour.

Origins

Archaeobotanical evidence suggests that the Indigenous people of Mesoamerica have cultivated species of Cucurbita (or gourd) for 10,000+ years. European explorers brought seeds from the flowering plants to Europe, eventually leading to the 19th century Northern Italian cultivation of zucchini as we know it today. Zucchini flowers – also broadly referred to as squash blossoms, particularly in North America, when referring to the Cucurbita species as a whole – are an edible part of the summer vining plant.

Growth and harvest

Zucchini vines are bushier than their pumpkin cousins. They grow best in full sun in a bed of rich organic matter. They must be planted 2 cm deep and about 70 cm apart, so they have plenty of space to grow and receive airflow to avoid mildew. The plant’s flowers are delicate and have a short shelf life. After picking the flowers, wrap them in a paper towel and store them in an airtight container

The delicate petals have a soft, velvety feel

High in vitamins A, C, and potassium

Stuff and fry, or add to risottos, omelettes, and quesadillas

Can be eaten raw

in the refrigerator to help them last as long as possible. They can last up to a week, although they’re best when used within a few days.

Appearance and flavour profile

Female Zucchini flowers have thick, green stems, while male zucchini flowers have a thin stem. The petals have pale green bases which transition from yellow through to vibrant orange at the tips. Despite their appearance, zucchini flowers don’t taste overtly floral. Instead, they have a similar flavour profile to young zucchini – subtle, slightly sweet, and a little nutty – making them a perfect carrier of flavour.

Culinary uses

These versatile flowers are commonly used in Italian, Mexican, and Greek cuisines. They can be eaten raw or cooked and are commonly stuffed with a ricotta cheese mixture, battered, and then fried till crispy. They can also be sautéed, steamed, added to risottos, omelettes, frittatas, and quesadillas, or simply used as a garnish. ■

iStock.com/twins_nika

The Global Destination for Uniforms

Profitable relations

FOR CAFE AND restaurant owners, supplier relationships are central to profitability. Pricing, reliability, delivery timing, and consistency all directly affect margins, labour efficiency, and service quality. While negotiation has always been part of the job, the way leading operators manage suppliers is changing.

The shift is away from reactive, priceonly discussions and towards structured, data-led conversations. Traditional negotiation skills still matter, but they now sit alongside digital tools and AI that give owners far greater clarity and leverage.

At its core, a supplier’s price consists of their cost of goods, administration and distribution costs, and margin. The most effective negotiations have always focused on reducing inefficiencies in the middle rather than simply demanding lower prices. What is new is how easily operators can now identify those inefficiencies.

Most businesses already have the data. Point-of-sale systems, ordering platforms, and accounting software record every purchase, price change, and delivery. AI tools can quickly analyse this information to highlight patterns that are easy to miss in day-to-day analysis.

A restaurant group using AI-powered spend analysis might find that the same core products were ordered in multiple pack sizes across different suppliers. Volumes were fragmented, deliveries were frequent, and pricing varied widely. By

standardising pack sizes and consolidating orders with fewer suppliers, they can reduce weekly deliveries and achieve a four to six per cent saving with no change in product quality.

AI is also being used to identify price creep. Many operators accept gradual increases on small-ticket items because they are hard to track. Automated comparisons can now flag when a product has outpaced market averages, creating a clear, factual basis for discussions with suppliers rather than relying on gut feel.

Scenario modelling is another growing area. Owners can now test the commercial impact of changes before making them. For example, what discount would be needed to justify moving from weekly to fortnightly payments? How much stock can be held safely if deliveries are reduced from five days to three? These conversations used to be slow and imprecise. AI makes them practical and commercially grounded – look at what your ordering and bookkeeping systems already have available or use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to crunch the numbers.

Supplier performance tracking has also matured. Simple dashboards can now monitor delivery accuracy, substitutions, invoice errors, and response times. Your cafe group can now conduct quarterly supplier reviews using shared data rather than anecdotal complaints. The result will be fewer disputes, clearer expectations, and stronger long-term relationships.

Commercial discipline also means properly evaluating so-called free offers. Equipment tied to exclusive supply agreements often locks businesses into higher pricing over time. AI-assisted cost modelling makes it easier to compare these deals over several years, shifting the conversation from upfront incentives to true cost.

Importantly, better supplier management is not only about price. Many suppliers can offer valuable support at little cost to themselves. Regular staff training, support with compliance documentation, product knowledge sessions, menu input, and participation in promotions can all improve operational outcomes when implemented deliberately rather than accepted by default.

The strongest supplier relationships share common features: orders are consistent, forecasts are realistic, communication is clear, and payments are reliable. AI does not replace these fundamentals, but it supports them by removing guesswork and emotion from negotiations.

For time-poor owners, the opportunity is not to negotiate harder but to do it smarter without damaging trust. In a tighter trading environment, the best supplier relationships are calm, commercial, and well-informed. With the right data and modern tools, cafe and restaurant owners can protect margins while building partnerships that work for both sides. ■

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Moment of Claret-y

Where’s Nick Owner Bridget Raffal is familiar with wearing many hats. As she settles into her latest venue, Claret Club, she’s getting used to yet another.

Words Laura Box

Photography Isabella Wild

“THERE’S SOMETHING SO old world about it, but then it’s also so uniquely Australian,” says Bridget Raffal. “It felt like it wanted to have a restaurant and a wine bar in it.”

Raffal is talking about her latest project, Claret Club, which sits among a bustling row of restaurants and bars housed in terraces on Stanley Street in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Under the shade of a large tree, several small steps guide guests up to the entrance, and on the upper level, lead light windows and wrought iron lace detailing embellish the façade.

Raffal and her partner Harry Hunter had been scoping out Darlinghurst for some time. They’d seen the site a few years prior and been intrigued by its potential. When another project they were working on in the neighbourhood fell through, they decided to have one last look around.

“We saw that [the Stanley Street site] had come back on the market and it felt like it was meant to be,” says Raffal. “The space itself is so beautiful, it’s got lovely old bones.”

The ground floor and alfresco tables make up the wine bar, where 30 wines by the glass and a significant bottle list set to tally 800 take precedence. A range of mouthwatering snacks accompany the offering, with a sample menu proffering the likes of gnocco fritto with anchovy and topped with crispy sage; pig’s heads croquettes with salsa verde; and roast duck with summer cherries and bitter leaves.

Upstairs in the restaurant, Head Chef Andy Buchanan (ex-The Dry Dock) has taken the helm. His European-inspired menu takes inspiration from illustrious restaurants like Paris’ Bistro Paul-Bert and London’s Chez Bruce and Noble Rot.

“We’ve both spent a lot of time in Europe, living and travelling, and we love how meals there just unfold with no timelines, no pressure, no rigidity. Andy’s passion for cooking reflects that philosophy – simple, honest, flavour-first food. It’s never about concept or ego and is all about letting the ingredients and the cooking shine,” says Raffal.

The project marks the latest in a wardrobe’s worth of hats that Raffal wears, alongside owning and running Where’s Nick Wine Bar in Marrickville, leading the education and events program as the Chief Education Officer of Sommeliers Australia, and heading the charity Women and Revolution, an industry association focussed on achieving gender equity in the world of wine.

“I’m not sure that I like to be busy, but I’ve certainly created that situation for myself,” says Bridget Raffal. “What I’d like to be doing is lying by a swimming pool with a ridiculously silly cocktail in my hand, but I’m doing this instead –which is obviously worthwhile.”

To get things off the ground in the lead up to

“Not all fine wine is expensive wine, and not all fine wine is limited to those spaces.”

“Our take is that wine is for food. I’ve never had a cocktail go with food as well as any glass of wine.”

Christmas, Raffal and Hunter were working 16-hour days, seven days a week, as they ran between venues to try and cover services.

“I definitely did have several minor breakdowns,” says Raffal. “In one, I burst into tears outside an electrical store because the guy closed half an hour early when I needed to buy a piece.

“[It was] a plug for a combi oven that had only arrived on the second day that we were open at Claret Club, and if I didn’t get the piece, I couldn’t get connected to the servers. And I just cried. I cried so much that a guy pulled up and asked me if I was okay.”

At Where’s Nick, Raffal has worked hard to explore the nuance of natural wine, having conversations that challenged general sentiments towards things like additives and cloudy aesthetics.

“It was our way of counteracting that really dogmatic culture that was growing around natural wine in Sydney in particular: ‘It has to be zero ads and it has to be cloudy. And if it’s not funky, it’s not cool and it doesn’t have any social value.’ Where’s Nick was always about running counter to that culture and saying, ‘Well, that’s not the whole conversation’.”

Claret Club is also exploring nuance – except this time, the focus is on classic fine wines. Here, her aim reflects that of Women and Revolution, where much of her work has focussed on community building and making areas of the wine world, like Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Barolo, more accessible.

“I think Bordeaux is the last bastion of ultimate elitism in wine,” says Raffal. “You obviously have elitism in Burgundy –there’s some serious cash floating around and a lot of speculation and those wines are very hard to get hold of – but in terms of culture and fashion, Bordeaux is associated with old boys’ clubs. Claret Club is about reclaiming fine wine and saying, ‘Look, there’s nuance in this as well’.”

“These wines can be enjoyed casually with friends on a Tuesday night. Not all fine wine is expensive wine, and not all fine wine is limited to those spaces,” she adds.

Of note, Raffal and Hunter’s venue doesn’t serve cocktails, apart from a succinct aperitivo list. It echoes Where’s Nick, which subtly states on its website, ‘We do not make shaken drinks’.

“Our take is that wine is for food. I’ve never had a cocktail go with food as well as any glass of wine,” says Raffal. “And no, bartenders around Sydney, do not take this as your opportunity to convince me otherwise – it’s not going to happen.”

“That homogenisation of offering where they’re trying to catch as broad an audience as possible loses a bit of soul for me.”

The menu makes an exception for a negroni, a dry gin martini, and a spritz, to mark aperitivo or the end of a meal. Apart from wine, the menu also has manzanilla and one beer.

“Harry and I are purists, and we believe in specialisation and rituals. Aperitivo is a really beautiful ritual – that in-between time … it’s a pause in the day which I feel like, particularly in Sydney, people don’t take very often.”

Raffal says specialisation allows them to do what they do to the best of their ability, without diluting their offering. She believes that venues trying to be “everything to everyone” is symptomatic of Sydney’s “big group culture”. “That homogenisation of offering where they’re trying to catch as broad an audience as possible loses a bit of soul for me.”

“Sydney has so many fantastic cocktail venues – we’re happy to leave those to the experts because if you try to be everything to everyone, you just dilute your offering,” says Raffal.

“Wine is what we love, and that’s where we choose to put our energy. Also, can you imagine missing out on a conversation about a truly beautiful bottle of wine because you were stuck behind the bar making cocktails? Nightmare material!”

The pair are bringing over Hunter’s collection from England, which is currently held with premier London-based wine and spirits merchant Justerini and Brooks.

“He’s collected wine there in preparation for this venue,” says Raffal. Hunter has built the collection over the last 10 years and it is made up of about 100 cases of wine. There is currently a cellar in the Stanley Street site, and the pair plan to install another, hopefully in their second year – but in the meantime, the wine will be held in temperature-controlled storage. “Which is why the wine list is being built in stages. We’re very particular about how wine is stored, so the list is only as big as the cellar allows for.”

“We just want to have the sort of venue that we’ve been dreaming about for such a long time.”

And while Raffal may not be laying by a pool drinking a ridiculous cocktail, at least she can sleep easy knowing she’s running two of Sydney’s coolest wine bars. And as for the combi oven? The man who pulled up to check on her mid-breakdown, as it turned out, was an electrician, and they managed to get the equipment up and running in time for service. ■

Setting the Table

Why

Australian hospitality is choosing Villeroy & Boch.

AUSTRALIA’S DINING SCENE has undergone a quiet revolution.

Over the past decade, the country’s most celebrated venues – from the clifftop elegance of Bondi Icebergs and the casual sophistication of Rick Stein Coogee, to the finesse of Berowra Waters Inn and the chic urban vibe of 40Res – have made a deliberate choice about what sits on their tables. And increasingly, across Australia and New Zealand, that choice is Villeroy & Boch.

For over three decades, Villeroy & Boch’s Hospitality Division has been setting the global benchmark in fine dining. From haute cuisine capitals to iconic beach bars and modern coffee shops, the brand’s premium porcelain has told the stories of the world’s most ambitious chefs and hospitality operators. But here’s what has changed: excellence no longer requires an impossible price tag, and premium design belongs in every corner of the dining landscape – from fine-dining sanctums to vibrant café culture.

“We’ve been quietly supporting Australia’s hospitality evolution since 1989,” says Toula Xenos, managing director of Villeroy & Boch ANZ. “But we want to be more than a luxury choice. We want to be the obvious choice. The smart choice. The choice that lets restaurant owners, café proprietors, and hotel operators invest confidently in collections that will define their space for years to come.”

That strategic shift has been backed by three major investments. First, Villeroy & Boch fundamentally reimagined its route to market. New distribution partnerships mean better pricing that substantially changes a venue’s tableware economics. Second, the company committed to local inventory, ensuring realistic

opening timelines and predictable replacement cycles. Third, every piece remains what it has always been: premium German-made porcelain engineered for the relentless demands of professional kitchens and robust customer environments.

But perhaps the most underrated advantage is longevity. Villeroy & Boch has operated continuously since 1748. That's 277 years of design heritage, of collections that endure, of a company that doesn’t abandon its patterns every season. When you select a collection today – whether timeless or contemporary – you’re investing in something that will be supported and restocked for years. In hospitality, consistency matters. Replacing three broken plates from a collection you chose five years ago shouldn’t feel like an archaeological expedition.

It’s why brands synonymous with hospitality such as the Crown Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels, Lanson Place, Penrith RSL, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Riversdale Golf Club trust the brand. And it’s why fine dining establishments like Reine & La Rue, who represent the beating heart of contemporary Australian food culture, choose Villeroy & Boch.

They don’t chase trends, they exist to support Australia and New Zealand’s hospitality sector with affordable elegance, local service, and the quiet confidence that comes from nearly three centuries of doing one thing exceptionally well: creating timeless products for spaces where people gather, eat, and connect quality dining with their lifestyle.

Ready to elevate your service? Contact Villeroy & Boch ANZ Managing Director Toula Xenos, xenos.toula@villeroy-boch.com ■

THE NUMBERS SEEM almost unfathomable: More than 230,000 people entered Sydney Fish Market within the first week of trading. It amounted to over 160 tonnes of seafood passing through the market’s auctions, trading, and retail facilities.

Among the 40 food and retail operators at the $836 million facility is a mixture of new tenants, alongside existing ones hailing from the former Blackwattle Bay site. With its expansive floorplan, extended opening hours, and enough shucked oysters to feed the masses, the market is giving venues the opportunity to forge their identities, explore new territories, and develop a competitive edge.

business

Venues share how they’re forging unique identities in Sydney’s $836 million fish market.

Tyson Rowsell would know. Rowsell co-founded Dirty Red in Glebe and Rozelle, and spent time as group general manager at The Grounds of Alexandria. The fish market approached Rowsell to devise a breakfast and brunch offering.

“On the surface I wasn’t interested. But when I saw the space and what was available to me, I just couldn’t refuse it,” Rowsell tells Hospitality. So, all-day dining concept Touch Wood was born, and the team began devising a seafood breakfast menu.

“We found the opportunity really interesting, because when you think breakfast and brunch, you don’t think seafood. I felt like that was a really good point of difference for us,” says Rowsell.

“Restaurants that are going after lunch and dinner trade with a concept centred around seafood, you just have to look around

Sydney and you know that’s going to work. Whereas I think we sit in a category [that is] still going to take a bit of time to build.”

Rowsell says the first step was finding a chef that was passionate about seafood. The kitchen is led by Head Chef Courtney Blyde, who has more than 15 years of experience in kitchens such as Baba’s Place, Canva, The Apollo, and Cho Cho San. At Touch Wood, he draws on his Samoan roots and upbringing in New Zealand.

“I kind of dragged him into the breakfastbrunch space and mentality when we started the menu, and it worked perfectly for me,” says Rowsell. “There’s still plenty of work to do to convince people that you should come to the fish market early and have breakfast. But the ones that are coming are loving our concept and the fact that we are combining breakfast and seafood together somewhat seamlessly.

“In terms of all the other restaurants, I think everyone’s got their own strategy, but our strategy was to sit as unique as we could in the fish market.”

The New South Wales Government has estimated the new market will pull six million visitors annually. Of course, a number of those will be tourists, but Rowsell has already noticed plenty of locals visiting.

The venue, on a corner facing towards the former market, is slightly tucked away from the “chaos” of the central market. Rowsell says that’s working for them as people look for a sanctuary away from the busy areas.

“It also means that we have to build our hospitality business the old school way, which is through great service, chatting to customers, finding out who is who, and remembering names. But we’re used to that, and we love that type of hospitality and getting to know people and making sure they come back.”

While there is a breakfast menu with the classics customers expect, such as eggs your way, buttermilk hotcakes, and burnt honey granola, the all-day menu features signature dishes such as crab and XO butter crumpets; fish burgers; and the market day plate.

“When you think breakfast and brunch, you don’t think seafood. I felt like that was a really good point of difference for us.”– Tyson Rowsell

“The fish market is a destination that in general will help hospitality in Sydney.” –Junda Khoo.

“We’re selling tonnes of eggs on toast, don’t get me wrong, but our biggest sellers are the lunch items, like prawn pasta, fish and chips, the pie. We do a lobster poutine which is half lobster, chips, cheese curd, and gravy, and the gravy is infused with lobster shells,” says Rowsell.

The benefit of the location is that some of the produce they need is right on their doorstep. The wholesale auction trades more than 100 different species of seafood every day, unloaded throughout the night from a range of fishers, farms, and cooperatives from as far as Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and New Zealand. Rowsell says relationships with suppliers is something they will build on, but there’s already a camaraderie around the market, which makes all the difference.

Also new to the fish market is Tam Jiak, a fresh chapter of Ho Jiak headed by Malaysian restaurateur and chef Junda Khoo. While Ho Jiak has cemented itself in Haymarket, Khoo tells Hospitality he wanted to change things up. “[The Sydney Fish Market] wanted to bring me in because of my restaurant in Haymarket – which is like Malaysian street food,” explains Khoo. “But I said I wanted to do a new menu.”

The final concept sees every dish derived from the notion of surf and turf – at least conceptually – because there is still something for the vegans too.

In coming up with the concept, Khoo says he did not consider the other options that would be available to punters visiting the Sydney Fish Market – in part because he did not know who the other tenants were.

“I got asked a lot of the time, ‘Do you know the other tenants that are going in?’ and I would say, ‘No I don’t know. I only know myself and Luke Nguyen.’ [He] was the name they kept using in the media,” says Khoo. “So, I couldn’t consider others. What I did say most of the time was that this being the largest fish market in the Southern Hemisphere – it was a global attraction to pull people into our city. The fish market is a destination that in general will help hospitality in Sydney.”

Like others, Tam Jiak uses the fish market to source some of its produce, while also using existing suppliers. Of course, on the days that they do run out of supply, they are in the fortunate position where they can draw from others within the market.

Somer Sivrioğlu’s latest opening for Efendy Group, Hamsi Taverna, sits on one of the corners of the market. Sivrioğlu says their connections with suppliers within the market have already improved. “We always used to buy from the fish market anyway, so nothing has changed in that regard, but we now have much better connections. We meet every morning with the fishmongers,” says Sivrioğlu.

Eventually, he says he wants one of his chefs to start around 4am at the market’s auctions to obtain produce. “So that we are fully utilising being in the fish market,” he explains.

Hamsi Taverna’s Mediterranean style expands on the group’s historically Turkish offering in its other Sydney venues. “We are doing specials like crudos, skewers, pitas, pastas, and things like that, and that’s going really well,” says Sivrioğlu. “We don’t restrict ourselves … we want to have the feel of a taverna on the Mediterranean. Most of the restaurants in here, they have a lot of Asian touches – which I love – but we wanted to do something different.”

To execute this, a lot of their dishes involve charcoal cooking, which can be enjoyed alongside salads, dips, and breads.

To truly emulate the Mediterranean lifestyle, Sivrioğlu says it was important to stay open later. “We open at 12pm, and it’s like a grazing food tour of the day, and we have DJs after 3pm,” he says. “We really wanted to bring that Greek Island, Italian coast feel to the restaurant.”

To make sure they cater to everyone, it’s not all seafood. “We have a chicken dish, we have a lamb shoulder, and we have a ribeye as well. They’re all quite simple dishes,” he explains. “Being one of the largest restaurants here and being on the quieter side of the fish market, we wanted something for everyone, and the option if they don’t want to have fish.” ■

Aspiration embodied

A CELEBRATION OF good food, good music, and connection through shared experience, Hamsi Taverna brings Mediterranean vibes to Sydney’s landmark fish markets precinct. Replete with brightly coloured umbrellas, linen tablecloths, beach vibes, and a DJ spinning grooves till late, the restaurant is already becoming a fast favourite for locals and visitors alike.

The restaurant was made possible through a close partnership between interior fitout company Unita, designer Alkot Studio and the client, Efendy Group. Unita’s highly collaborative approach helped bring the owners’ long-held aspirations to fruition, while keeping allimportant financials in check.

Restauranteurs Berk Cemail, Fatih Kulle, and Somer Sivrioğlu are no strangers to the hospitality scene, having already made their mark both locally and abroad in their native Türkiye. When the time came to open their latest, high-end offering at Sydney Fish Markets, they knew they needed a fitout company that could keep the project on track and on budget. Unita was a natural fit.

“You might have a great design, but if you don’t have a great builder, something like this will not come to life,” says Kulle, general manager of Efendy Group. “So many people asked me, ‘Why don’t you open a restaurant?’. After 20 years, opening this space, it’s been worth the wait. It is what I dreamed of.”

Honouring this lifelong vision, Unita was determined to deliver a space that looks beautiful, but also supports Efendy Group’s commercial realities. Naturally, budget was of critical importance, which is why Unita was involved from the early stages to guide decision-making and prevent early decisions from causing blowouts later on.

“Budgeting is very important,” says Cemail, Efendy Group’s managing director. “It’s a big project, so if you go off-budget, you can go off by a lot. The way we worked together with Alkot and Unita helped us get this right.”

Unita worked closely with Barbara Albert from Alkot Studio to develop a cost-effective solution for the bar area. Originally intended to be formed concrete

poured onsite, challenging site conditions made this impossible. Together, they devised an alternative that could be partly built offsite, without impacting on its visual impact.

“Often, fitout companies substitute finishes or materials without first discussing the change with the designer. I knew Unita wouldn’t do that,” Albert says. “I knew straight away that I wanted to work with Unita on this project, as they had the right capabilities and a strong presence in Sydney, with a lot of professionalism in the team.”

Together, Unita, Alkot Studio, and Efendy Group have succeeded in creating one of Sydney’s most iconic new spaces, redolent of salty air, shared laughter, and endless summer evenings well-spent.

“We will definitely work with Unita again if we open another restaurant, for sure,” says Kulle. When the result is as well executed as this, it’s little wonder.

Watch the full interview with Efendy Group’s Fatih Kulle and Berk Cemail at unita.com.au/hamsi ■

Vinyl destination

In a world that is yearning for tangible, analogue experiences, vinyl bars are drawing a crowd.

Words Laura Box

Photography Deadwax by Leigh Griffiths; Disuko by Threefold

MANY ASPECTS OF our lives have become increasingly ephemeral with the advancement of technology. Photo albums and polaroids once stuck to the fridge have made way for private albums on our phones, with only a select few images making it to social media. Physical records and CDs that at some point lined shelves in our homes, waiting for friends to flick through them, have been superseded by music streaming apps. And scribbled shopping lists, observations, and messages to ourselves have left the realm of the physical notepad and entered the Notes app in our phones.

As these once-physical mementoes of our experiences and interests are digitised and hidden away on our devices, a new fear emerges. With subscription costs rising, data breaches becoming seemingly more common, and our phones just one drop away from losing everything they store, this intangible, cloud-based filing system feels increasingly unreliable.

It’s for this very reason that Disuko’s Music Director Rob Anthony believes vinyl is experiencing a “massive comeback”.

“It’s certainly overtaking CDs … and I think it teaches the next generation that this is something that’s cool, this is something that’s more real,” says Anthony. Thai Ho and Lucas Gugliandolo of Mamas Dining Group developed a relationship with Anthony during their years working in the nightlife industry.

“Rob has been well known in the music scene for a long time,” says Ho. “We knew he was very, very good with his music and the technical side of setting up, and we wanted to bring the best onto our team.” So they brought Anthony on board, and the expert got

to work setting up the vinyl aspect of the bar, which opened in November 2025.

Making the space work for the concept was a significant consideration. “We needed to design the DJ console so that it would be impactful, but wouldn’t impact service,” says Ho. This meant making sure the bar was long enough to fit the console at one end without taking space from the bartenders – but still allowing the DJs, who come in on Fridays and Saturdays, enough space to store and peruse their bags of vinyl.

Disuko, which means ‘disco’ in Japanese, takes inspiration from 1980’s low light, late night lounges. The interiors deftly harness this ambience, with olive green booth seating, and panelled Japanese red timber and yellow glass bricks lining the walls. The Japanese influence is also reflected in the drinks, with a significant sake list, and cocktails harnessing flavours like yuzu and umeshu. Bar Manager Joshuiea Scott and his team are serving up highballs and house signature cocktails, including the Hana Nashi – a Roku gin, rose water, lemon, pear, and cloudy pear soda mix; and Ginza Girl (Disuko’s take on the martini) with red shiso infused Grey Goose and Burmutton sake dry vermouth.

Disuko is part of a new era of listening bars, one harking back not only to the streets of Japan, but also to an age where DJs needed more than just a USB. It joins a growing cacophony of vinyl-loving Australian bars. Among them is Perth’s Astral Weeks, a listening bar in Northbridge Chinatown which backs onto a cosy 25-seat restaurant and features a handbuilt Line Magnetic hi-fi system. In Brisbane’s Newstead is Ruby Vinyl Bar, an Izakaya which takes inspiration from intimate Japanese jazz cafes. The city also has Stan’s Lounge, a venue above Stanley Restaurant boasting a vintage JBL sound system.

When setting up niche venue like these, operators do need to be aware of the local council requirements. Apart from liquor licencing and noise regulations, OneMusic Director Karen Holmes says it’s important to ensure the venue has proper music licensing, or they may risk fines. "Being licensed for music use – and heralding that to customers with an official ‘Licensed to Play’ sticker in the window –subtly tells customers that you are a legitimate, ethical operator who pays all suppliers, whether they are local distilleries or songwriters."

“We needed to design the DJ console so that it would be impactful, but wouldn’t impact service.”

– Thai Ho

She warns that a common misconception is that if an operator purchases a record, they don’t need to pay for a license. “Buying music, subscribing to music services, or turning on a radio or TV, does not provide the rights to perform or play that music in a public setting, including playing to customers or staff in a business - that is, a ‘public performance’,” she says.

Almost all ‘public performance’ of copyright-protected music requires permission, adds Holmes. Holmes also notes that it is the venue that requires the license – not the DJ.

In Sydney, a few high-end listening bars have popped up in recent years, often a project of well-established (and cashed up) restaurateurs. In the city, for example, there’s Jam Record Bar – a 45-seater from Merivale on George St; Swillhouse’s underground Pitt Street mainstay Caterpillar Club with its 10,000-strong selection of vinyl; and there’s Matt Moran’s Rekōdo in Barangaroo with its $100k state of the art audiovisual setup. And while it has been going for a few years now, the trend is still proving strong enough for newcomers to enter the game.

Anyone who has been out for a drink or a bite to eat on Sydney’s Enmore Road lately will have felt a renewed hum in the suburb. While it’s always been a busy spot for drinking and dining, a run of new venues have recently opened, building on the district’s buzz.

Among the newer venues is Deadwax, a compact bar opened by Conor O’Brien and Dan Teh (the duo behind Otis in Leichhardt), and chef Davyd Blacksmith in August 2025. The venue superseded Dan McBride, Dynn Szmulewicz, and Zachary Godbolt’s Enmore

Country Club space. It’s not the first time O’Brien and Teh have taken on a venue once run by this crew; a few years back, McBride and Szmulewicz handed over the keys of Leichhardt bar Golden Gully to O’Brien and Teh, who reshaped it into the current premises Otis.

Teh suspects the resurgence in vinyl may be the result of a desire for nostalgic throwbacks on old school mediums, and a growing demand for HiFi sound that most people can’t get at home.

Deadwax is clearly geared towards the HiFi inclined, with a fitout that is simple yet highly considered: rippling across the roof is a patchwork of red, salmon, and white soundproofing squares, complementing the peach-hued tiles on the back bar, and the walls are lined with what appears to be plywood (it’s actually more soundproofing panelling, says Teh, except for one legitimate plywood panel behind the bar). To the right of the entrance is the DJ booth, and records are stored above the back bar. Taking pride

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“We

wanted to create a space for people to listen to a wide range of music together and have a bit of a boogie.”

– Dan Teh

of place on the walls at either end of the bar are the rich blue Deadwax HiFis handmade by Marrickville audioheads Translate Sound (you might have glimpsed another of their beautiful setups down the road in Bar Demo).

“We put a lot of soundproofing in to make sure that if we are going to play the music nice and loud on our beautiful speakers, people can still have good conversations without having to yell at each other,” says Teh.

Teh was inspired to open the venue after noticing Covid had left crowds “static”. “When I was working in bars after Covid it felt like people were just sitting there having a chat quietly. No one was dancing around and having fun,” he says. “We wanted to create a space for people to listen to a wide range of music together and have a bit of a boogie.”

Similar to Disuko, Deadwax is also inspired by Japanese vinyl bars. “One of the things that I saw on my last trip to Japan was a bar that did a vinyl requests, called Analogue Record Bar. I’d never seen that in Sydney,” says Teh. Now, Deadwax runs vinyl request nights, each with different themes. Indie, rock, folk, and country take precedence on Tuesdays, nostalgia pop and guilty pleasures on Wednesdays, and hip hop, groove, and RnB on Thursdays.

The bar that Teh visited in Japan had records strewn about on the floor, but he wasn’t sure they could trust Sydney's rowdy Friday night patrons “not to throw them around like frisbees”. Instead, Deadwax opted for cards that sit in front of the DJ booth for guests to flick through.

Deadwax also offers a strong food and beverage program, with an array of cocktails like the Summer Bootleg (“basically a melon-colada,” says Teh), with rockmelon, Midori, coconut milk, and rum; and Blacksmith’s snack-style menu offering the likes of a sourdough crumpet with taramasalata, salmon roe, and bottarga; and chicken liver parfait with yuzu tea marmalade toast.

The full feast of visual, auditory, and gustatory sensory delights that bars like Deadwax and Disuko offer are a gift to patrons yearning for less ephemeral, more tangible experiences. ■

Fed Up

Quitting the kitchen to pursue adventures in food and feminism: an excerpt from Lucy Ridge’s new book.

Words

Lucy Ridge

FOR AS LONG as I can remember, I’ve wanted to cook. My earliest memories are of baking with Mum in our kitchen, perched on a stool to reach the bench. My assistance was motivated more by greed than culinary passion: as helper I was allowed to lick the bowl, while my older sisters were left to make do with a beater each. But I came to be fascinated by the process. I was always eager for more responsibility than measuring out a half cup of sugar, wanting to add new ingredients to create my own recipes.

As I got older I seized on any opportunity to take over the kitchen: I made flamboyant birthday meals, invited friends over for pizza-making parties and spent weekends baking. At school, a series of writing assignments became a recipe book (complete with a cringeworthy Nigella-esque author’s photo). A high-school history project took the form of a four-course meal served to the class as I presented the historical context of each dish: bread told the story of the French Revolution, Portuguese spiced chicken embodied the rise of the European spice trade in SouthEast Asia, and toffees exposed the bitter story of the Atlantic slave trade. A pot of tea accompanied a potted history of the East India Company.

I read cookbooks like novels and had strong opinions on how things should taste. I loved experimenting with new flavours and hated when my experiments didn’t turn out the way I wanted. I was enamoured with the theatre of cooking, the tactile creativity it afforded, and the way a good meal created an opportunity for community. Serving food became how I related to other people: I love you – let me cook you a meal. So it was only natural to me that I would follow that passion and become a chef.

My parents, both lawyers, had set expectations early for my sisters and me: we would do well at school, go to university, establish ourselves in ‘good’ (white-collar) careers, get married and settle in the suburbs, have children. This was the kind of life I saw in my parents’ social circles, and as a child I had the sense that people who didn’t follow this path were somehow misguided. I had an idea that getting married and having kids was ‘making’ it, just like in a Hollywood rom-com. And they all lived happily ever after; the end.

Perhaps in hindsight my desire to be a chef was my first rebellion against the sense of convention my parents represented. There would be others.

Despite misgivings about my burgeoning life choices, my mum helped me to set up a week of work experience at a cafe near her office at the Australian National University Law School when I was fifteen. I think she believed that a week of hard work in a commercial kitchen would nip my culinary ambitions in the bud and I’d hop back on the path to a university degree. But instead that week fundamentally changed my life. The kitchen was run by a remarkable woman named Maribeth who, in time, would become a friend and a long-term mentor as the week of work experience became a casual job, then an apprenticeship. Maribeth taught me most of what I know about food, and a lot of what I know about life.

This is an edited extract from Fed Up by Lucy Ridge, published by Monash University Publishing. Available now. RRP: $36.99; publishing.monash.edu/product/fed-up ■

Bamboo rolling mat

The inexpensive tool is a mainstay in sushi kitchens.

Known as a makisu in Japanese, it is used to make makizushi, or rolled sushi

Typically made from bamboo slats bound with cotton twine which are abundant materials in Japan

Origin dates back several centuries, when it was used to wrap produce like fish, well before being used as a sushi-specific tool

Silicone and plastic versions have been designed in more recent times

Can also be used to shape other foods, such as omelettes

iStock.com/Elena

Inexpensive and available in supermarkets for as little as $2

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Time Savers

How clever kitchen equipment can help chefs improve efficiency.

Words Laura Box

Photography Osteria Luna by Steven Woodburn

SINCE SYDNEY HOSPITALITY group

Etymon appointed him head chef of its latest project, Osteria Luna, Peter Fiander has been hard at work optimising the kitchen. “The kitchen we have is quite small for the size of the restaurant,” he says. “You do have to get a bit creative with what space and what technology you have.”

Upon opening in December 2025, the chef quickly identified early bottlenecks in the operation.

“We had a manual pasta roller, and keeping up with the numbers that we were doing was a bit of a struggle,” says Fiander. “So we invested in an electric pasta machine for rolling out, specifically at the moment, our mushroom ravioli. That cut down our workload significantly. The job that would take three chefs an hour,

one chef can now smash out in about 45 minutes. That’s been a real game changer.”

The ravioli he is talking about is one of Osteria Luna’s most aesthetically noteworthy dishes (a crucial hook in a culture where food has become enmeshed with social media imagery): an entire unseparated sheet of ravioli al funghi doused in brown butter.

Fiander doesn’t believe that using machinery like the pasta roller has any negative impact on the craftmanship of the dish. “It’s just motorised rolling pins. It’s doing the exact same thing – but it saves your arm muscles and does it quicker than you could.”

There are a number of pressure points facing commercial kitchens at the moment – from tight margins and rising energy

costs to labour shortages and increasing expectations for consistency. For chefs like Fiander, finding the right equipment acts as both a productivity tool and a strategic business decision.

Brisbane’s Norman Hotel Executive Chef Frank Correnti says that for high volume operations, having good equipment is crucial for maintaining consistency and quality in what they produce.

The hotel hosts more than 3000 covers per week, with most guests ordering steak. Chips make up about 50 percent of the sides that the team serves, which means “having a good deep fryer system is imperative,” according to Correnti. The hotel installed Frymaster Filtration Fryers from Comcater, which have frequent, rapid filtration that can extend oil life by up to

“The job that would take three chefs an hour, one chef can now smash out in about 45 minutes.”

40 per cent, reducing oil consumption, disposal costs, and overall operating expenses.

Correnti says there are a number of benefits with this system. “In the first year, I saved in excess of $9000 in oil alone, and that’s adding another 25-litre deep fryer to the system. It also helps with the health and safety in the kitchen.”

Not only does the oil lifespan save money – it allows the kitchen to save time (and stay safe) by keeping the oil within the filtration system, which means staff don’t have to carry dangerous hot oil across the floor. “We used to manually filter the fryers daily, now it’s quite easy for our staff to do, which has reduced the number of hours per week.”

Not every kitchen has such a high output, especially more compact operations. Fiander is no stranger to getting creative in small spaces, having spent a few years at Love Tilly Group’s Sydney CBD pasta joint Ragazzi, where he worked his way up to sous chef.

Having a well-oiled team is the first step in ensuring efficiency, and particularly for the Osteria Luna team, where synergy is make or break in the confined space. Fiander quickly

developed a “solid” team made up of staff who trained at upstairs restaurant The Charles, which – like Osteria Luna – is owned by Etymon, and others who he’s worked with in the past.

“The stars aligned. They were all looking for jobs at the right time, and we ended up working together and creating this team that gels together really well,” says Fiander.

The kitchen itself didn't have a huge amount of equipment. At opening, there was only a four-burner gas stove, a target top, a deep fryer, and – despite the kitchen's compact size – a very welcome Rational combi oven.

The kitchen team uses the combi oven for steaming, baking, roasting, and braising the likes of lamb shoulder overnight for ragu.

“It really cuts down on how much time you need to utilise the oven for when you need it for service,” says Fiander. “We wouldn’t be able to do the kind of braises and ragu that we do without it, to be honest.”

The combi oven also helps save space in the tight kitchen, allowing the team to “throw things in there on steam rather than having however many pots on the stove for blanching and all the rest of it,” says Fiander.

“We wouldn’t be able to do the kind of braises and ragu that we do without it, to be honest.”

“It’s a real space saver, especially in something like an Italian restaurant where the food is so heavily based on all the sauces that you’re making. If you come in the morning and you’ve already got six pots for your base sugo sauce, your ragu, and then you’re trying to fit a cotoletta and whatever else on there, it gets a bit tight when you’ve got a four burner gas stove and a target top.”

Stoddart Food Equipment Corporate Executive Chef Nick Marsden adds that being able to use combi ovens while the kitchen is closed makes them an asset to commercial kitchens. “To be able to take advantage of lower energy costs in that off-peak period, but also have those ovens working when they’re not there is a huge benefit to chefs,” says Marsden.

Marsden says that due to the computer programmability, and multi phase cooking abilities, combi ovens are “very versatile pieces of equipment”.

Marsden points to Giorik combi ovens, which have revolutionised traditional systems. Rather than the traditional boiler driven or injector driven oven, they have a hybrid steam generating system. These ovens also have smaller boiler sizes: Rather than a six to ten litre boiler, they use a 400ml boiler in a 10 tray combi. “This means we’re providing less power for more efficiency to heat the water in the steam generator,” says Marsden. “And we’re providing steam to the unit a lot quicker.”

Marsden says that combi ovens are suitable for all sectors of hospitality, a benefit of the different sizes available.

In terms of robotics optimising kitchen processes, Fiander is optimistic. “I’ve been cooking for about 11 years, and I’ve seen the evolution of things like a Thermomix or a Robot-Coupe. That’s such a game changer. I can’t tell you how many Hollandaise and Beurre Blancs I split as an apprentice. Being able to chuck them into those machines and set them to the perfect temperature is pretty amazing.”

Fiander says machines like this can make the training staff much easier and much more consistent. “You don’t have to worry about splitting another hollandaise and throwing it away again. So there’s definitely the money saving aspect of that.”

Even though machines are improving and allowing consistency in the kitchen, Fiander still prides himself on his hands-on, minimal machinery knowledge. “It’s a responsibility of the chef to be able to do it without all the luxury,” says Fiander. “Technology has come a long way and it’s quite reliable, but it’s never 100 per cent accurate.”

“You see videos all over the place of wok robots making a stir fry, or something like that. But in terms of cutting out more of a chef’s job, I think we’ve still got a way to go. You can’t really, as far as I’m aware, teach a robot how to taste a sauce.”

Because of this, Fiander values taking an “analogue” approach in the way he trains.

At the end of the day, says Fiander, making what you’ve got on hand work is just part of being a chef.

“Working in the restaurant industry, you have to be pretty savvy,” says Fiander. “I had this big grand wish list of things, as every chef does. But when you really tear it back, you don’t need all the other fluff.” ■

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Taking STOCK

Crafting a beautiful stock takes time. But when it’s done well, it can help make everything easier.

IT IS A staple in any kitchen – the stock or sauce that heads the dishes sent out time and time again. Done well, stock can make the entire operation of a kitchen easier, SRG Hospitality Head of Culinary Alessandro Intini explains. But developing the ideal recipe takes time, and it is not necessarily perfected on the first go.

Intini says, for him, the stock is the soul of the kitchen. “It’s not flashy, but it’s where real cooking starts,” he tells Hospitality. He says getting a stock to where it needs to be can take time, patience, and skill, but once you get it right, you are already halfway to a great dish.

According to Intini, developing a stock or sauce for a kitchen is never a straightforward process. “There’s always a bit of trial and error involved,” he explains. “You start with a clear idea of what you want, but it usually takes a few rounds of tasting and adjusting to get it right.”

Intini says making stocks and broths are among his favourite things to do in the kitchen. “I often make two or three different stocks, maybe a classic bone stock, a lighter vegetable stock, or a chicken or seafood base, then blend them together to find the right balance. That’s where you really build complexity and depth,” he explains. “I normally start from a classic base and refine it over time.”

The benefit of that is that “once it’s dialled in” it becomes a reference point for the whole kitchen, which means it is something everyone understands and works from.

In February, SRG opened The James, a contemporary British restaurant helmed by Head Chef Sam Tuchband at The Langham, Sydney, marking a milestone for the group as it enters the luxury hotel space. A glimpse at the menu – with signature plates like Wagyu beef wellington carved tableside, braised short rib with cauliflower and Madagascan pepper, and dressed spanner crab Waldorf salad – and the impact of stock is immediately apparent.

Intini explains that a stock should not dominate a dish but instead support it. He says for him, stock is there to “lift everything around it”. That has advantages in a busy kitchen, as it can give structure to “pretty much everything” he says, from sauces and braises to soups.

Intini says when it comes to qualities he looks for in stock, elements such as depth of flavour, clarity, balance, and body are important. But a master stock also needs to come “without heaviness”. “A good stock should taste clean, have natural sweetness from the vegetables, and real length on the palate,” says Intini.

It is the type of thing that needs to be developed over time and adjusted depending on the time of year. “The base stays consistent, but I adjust depending on seasonality, produce, and what the stock is being used for,” says Intini. “In winter I’ll push more roasted flavours and richness. In summer it’s lighter and cleaner, with more fresh aromatics.”

He says he will make some tweaks, include reductions, seasoning, or changes to fat content depending on what it’s being paired with, such as fish, poultry, or “something heavier” like beef or lamb. That means it is “always evolving” and never just a fixed recipe.

The benefits of getting it right will pay off too. “A strong master stock makes everything easier. It creates consistency, improves efficiency, and lifts the overall standard of the food. If your foundation is solid, every dish coming out of the kitchen is stronger,” he says. “It’s also a great training tool for younger chefs. They learn patience, flavour development, and technique.”

Intini says operationally, creating a master stock or sauce for a kitchen also has its benefits because it can help to reduce waste by using trims properly and extracting “maximum value” from ingredients. “Most importantly, it gives the team confidence.”

Miller Collective Executive Chef Jacob Lee

“For me, stock is the soul of the kitchen. It’s not flashy, but it’s where real cooking starts.” - Alessandro Intini.

recently took the reins at Toki Bistro and Bar, a Parisian-inspired Asian fusion restaurant in North Sydney. The chef says developing a master stock of sauce for the kitchen usually begins with deciding what ingredients it will be paired with and building a base from there.

"The aromatic profile and texture are adjusted to suit the final dish,” Lee explains. “Our master stock is kept as simple as possible at the base level. From there, we build a second layer of flavour using additional ingredients depending on its intended use. We may then divide the flavour, aroma, and texture further by incorporating butter, cream, or infusion techniques based on the menu it is being paired with."

Lee says something that tastes great on its own does not always work harmoniously within the final dish. “For this reason, we always test stocks and sauces in combination with all accompanying components to ensure balance,” he explains. “Sometimes we’re fortunate enough to finalise it quickly, but more often than not, the final adjustment stage involves multiple rounds of refinement.”

At Toki Bistro and Bar, stocks and sauces are used in almost every dish, he says. Their à la carte menu, for example, features different types of jus, jam, glaze, puree, and more.

“Even when blanching seafood, we often use a stock-based liquid enhanced with vinegar, salt, and spices, rather than plain water,” he explains. He says sometimes the stock is used as is, but there are other cases that see it reduced significantly to concentrate the flavour and be “used more as an essence within the dish”.

“Sometimes we’re fortunate enough to finalise it quickly, but more often than not, the final adjustment stage involves multiple rounds of refinement.” – Jacob Lee.

He says stocks form the foundation of a dish, so they try to stay as true as possible to the “natural flavour”. “This doesn’t necessarily mean making it simple, but rather adapting the cooking method to suit the purpose. For example, intensifying roasted notes when needed, or keeping it clean and unroasted for a lighter profile,” says Lee. “Sauces, on the other hand, are one of the key elements that can become the highlight of a dish. Therefore, we prioritise depth of flavour, balance, and texture.”

Doing this in large quantities takes time, but once properly executed, Lee says they provide consistency in quality. “Because they can be incorporated into our daily routine, they significantly support kitchen planning and workflow,” he says.

“We may change secondary ingredients depending on the season or menu, while some sauces remain consistent throughout. A good example would be beef stock-based sauces, while the base preparation method remains the same, seasonal variations such as incorporating truffle to create a Périgueux-style sauce allow us to adapt without losing the integrity of the original stock.” ■

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Spirit of China

Hailing from China, baijiu is the most consumed spirit in the world. But without any context, the complexities of the drop present a challenge for Australian bartenders.

Words Maia Hart

Photography

Bar See See by Anna Kucera; Moondrop by Mike Lam

“I THINK THERE’S something about this spirit that lends [itself] to generosity and ritual,” says Nance Liong, venue manager at The Porter House Precinct in Sydney. Liong is speaking to Hospitality about baijiu, the most popular spirit found in China, thus making it the most consumed spirit in the world by volume. But despite its popularity, baijiu is yet to become a mainstay on most Australian menus.

“There’s always a story behind something, and I think the way baijiu is being introduced to a Western sphere is very, very intriguing,” says Liong. “There’s an adaptability and a versatility to it as a spirit, but it’s also a bit of a challenge to a lot of cocktail bartenders, especially because it’s almost too versatile. When given too much freedom in a spirit, it’s a lot harder to rein in what you want out of it.”

Bar See See, sitting on the top floor of the precinct, stocks Maotai – a brand of baijiu produced in the town of Maotai in Guizhou province. It’s a traditional rite of passage to drink the high-proof spirit (Maotai sits at 53 per cent ABV) straight in Chinese culture.

“I think a lot of people are curious as to what it is because you see the bottles everywhere,” says Liong. “Gin is very juniper-forward, tequila is an agave spirit … and rum is sugarcane based. But if you look at baijiu, it’s either wheat or sorghum, and as a spirit it has a little bit of everything going for it.

“There’s a lot of fruit, there’s a lot of oak … but then there’s also savouriness, florals, and sweetness. That is confusing if you aren’t walked through it with any context. If you are given a glass of baijiu, I find it’s a bit of a surprise in a glass.”

The story of Maotai and how it’s distilled is really fascinating, says Liong. Maotai is produced near the Chishui River. Using sorghum, wheat, and water from the river, traditional techniques are used in the year-long fermentation and distillation process, which is followed by three to four years of ageing. Bar See See says this yields a “remarkably deep, earthy, savoury, and umamirich flavours balanced with subtle fruit and spice”.

“With the river they basically align a lot of their production. And it’s in tune with the winter and all these other elements,” says Liong. “To be able to tell that story with the cocktails that we come up with is always an interesting. But then also because baijiu in general is such a big proponent of Chinese culture, to have cocktails on the list that lean into foods, drinks, and customs that we have as part of our [Chinese] traditions is really cool as well.”

Liong says if you can break down the complexities of the spirit into something that is approachable, people can relate to it more easily, which makes it less intimidating. “From my experiences, baijiu works when being explained in terms of flavour profiles very much like whisky,” she says.

She says she enjoys getting to work off the complex notes of the spirit. “If I wanted to lean into something floral, I could really heavily lean into that. If I wanted to bring out something savoury, I could definitely lean into those qualities too. There’s also a slight smokiness. It’s not as pronounced as you’d find in a whisky or a mezcal, but [there is] just enough to be able to add a savoury layer without it being too overwhelming.

“There’s so much versatility in it. And you can do everything from a spritz all the way down to something like an old-fashioned.”

At Bar See See, Liong says their customers have mixed tastes. Some want to drink it straight, while others lean into cocktails. Their Dragon’s Eye Punch cocktail, for example, is often well received.

“That’s like a milk punch that uses whisky and Maotai with traditional flavours of goji, southern Chinese almonds, and osmanthus. It’s in the style of an easy drinking, almost tea-like concoction.”

Melbourne’s Moondrop highlights baijiu in its M.S. Gibson – a martini with MSG brine and an MSG-soaked pickle. Moondrop Co-Director and Head of Beverage Jesse Kourmouzis says the uniqueness of the spirit – being that it’s “super intense” and “super savoury” – means it acts as a modifier in the cocktail.

“With M.S Gibson, we are actually rotating the baijiu every month or two just because there is the difference in regions and provinces of baijiu which drastically changes the spirit,” says Kourmouzis. “Northern is a little bit richer, [more] savoury, and a little bit more intense. Whereas southern ones are a little bit cleaner, crisper, and lighter, but still have that intense savoury note.”

In the coming months, the team expects to launch a Weet-Bix baijiu punch. “Because baijiu, depending on the region, uses the same wheat and sorghum as Weet-Bix. It’s very much used as that little addition and as that modifier because it is so intense and can take over whatever else you add to it.”

Kourmouzis thinks Australian customers are potentially “quite scared” of the drop. “It’s the same as the old way of drinking mezcal,” he explains. “They tried one expression, one brand’s version, usually in a larger form than they should have. And then they just dismissed it as, ‘Oh, that’s what it tastes like. I don’t like it.’”

“I think most people have heard of it, but not many have tried different types, they’ve had that one experience. It’s a very nice and easy conversation starter, to inform them a little bit more about what the spirit is and what they may taste in it.”

“It’s a bit of a surprise in a glass.” –Nance Liong

Kourmouzis was properly introduced to baijiu when he travelled to China with fellow Moondrop CoDirector Steve Chan. The trip sparked the idea to put it on the menu – although the reason varies depending on who you ask (Kourmouzis says it’s because they’re a Chinese Shanghai inspired cocktail bar, highlighting East Asian flavours, while Chan says he thought it would be funny).

“Steve and my ethos in hospitality is all about celebration,” says Kourmouzis. “I hadn’t really experienced that sort of baijiu celebration until I went through Shanghai with Steve. We went to dinner with Steve’s uncle and he had got this special baijiu and every five to seven minutes, I would turn around and he would have poured me another half. So, it’s a very celebratory thing which really inspired me to put in on the menu because it just went with our ethos in hospitality,” says Kourmouzis.

Chan says being able to put baijiu on the menu is simply the privilege that comes with running your own venue. “I love drinking the shit out of it. It’s something that I grew up with,” says Chan.

“I was a big spirits guy growing up, because growing up poor, the easiest way to get drunk fast was shots. We have that shot culture here in Australia. But with baijiu – this isn’t an alcohol thing, it’s a China thing, and I had to learn this the hard way with my uncle. There are a lot of customs and culture.

“So many people in Australia don’t know about baijiu at all. The most they know about it, is that it’s that ceremonial-esque spirit that Chinese people drink. But it really leans into the whole cheersing culture, which is really cool.” ■

“It’s a very celebratory thing which really inspired me to put in on the menu because it just went with our ethos in hospitality.” – Jesse Kourmouzis

Bar cart

Thirst quenchers, slow sippers, and all things beverage related.

Words Laura Box

The logical choice

Drawing on 16 years of preservative free winemaking experience, David Lowe has developed Lowe’s BioLogical Shiraz 2024. The preservative-free, organic, and biodynamic wine is made from grapes grown on Lowe’s certified organic and biodynamic vineyard in Mudgee. The team partially crushes the grapes and leaves them in stainless steel tanks for 10 days before bottling. The wine lends itself to being served chilled, making it the perfect red for the warmer months. RRP $35; lowefamilywineco.com.au

Coming of age

Sydney’s Archie Rose Distilling Co. has announced its first ever agestatement whisky. The single malt is single cask matured for six years in an Australian fortified wine (apera) cask. It offers notes of dark chocolatecoated figs, raspberry jam, and pecan pie. Founder Will Edwards says the age-statement whisky marks an important step forward for both the distillery and the broader category. “This six-year-old single cask represents a milestone for Archie Rose as our first-ever age-statement release … it highlights the character created by exceptional Australiangrown malts and maturation in an Australian fortified wine cask over time.” RRP $349.99; archierose.com.au

Tapped in

“For a long time, draught has been the missing piece for non-alc beer,” says Heaps Normal’s Co-Founder Ben Holdstock. Heaps Normal’s lack of ethanol posed a challenge, with the beer being likely to freeze in taps and spoil in kegs. Not wanting to accept the problem, the team developed a proprietary, preservative-free anti-contaminant which uses a naturally derived fibre (that doesn’t impact taste) to protect the liquid from pathogens without altering what’s in the glass. And to stop it freezing? The draught beer has a fuller body with 100 per cent malt, which keeps lines flowing. heapsnormal.com

Two sides of the same coin

Handpicked Wines is launching two 2024 vintage Chardonnay varieties. Each vintage is grown on a different site in the Yarra Valley, bringing different aspects of the region’s personality to the table: The Handpicked Single Vineyard Wombat Creek Chardonnay 2024 is grown in high-altitude volcanic soils, delivering fragrant, perfumed finess of the upper region. Meanwhile, the Handpicked Single Vineyard Highbow Hill Chardonnay 2024 showcases the characteristic savoury spice density of the valley floor's lower elevation. RRP $100; handpickedwines.com.au

Spritz material

Extensive trade feedback and 20,000 consumer tastings have shaped Tanica’s latest chapter, which includes a new custom bottle and brand design. Founder Adriane McDermott, who hails from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, set out to create a spritz brand that felt akin to the coastal city. As such, Tanica is bright and relaxed. It celebrates native flavours with Davidson’s plum and strawberry gum leaf, and it is ideal for spritzes and Negronis. Tanica is available through Paramount Liquor and ALM for $37 and retails for $55. tanica.com.au

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Fight surviveto

2026 is the year Australian restaurants decide whether they survive or surrender.

Words Wes Lambert

AS 2026 GATHERS pace, Australia’s restaurant and café sector is not “recovering”, it’s enduring. To an industry that has been hammered post Covid, that distinction matters.

For years now, operators have been told to hang on just a little longer. First, it was Covid, then labour shortages and a sluggish return of tourism. Now, we are faced with endless inflation, unsustainable energy cost rises, ridiculous rent hikes, migration caps, and slow visa approvals. So far in 2026, cost-of-living pressures on customers and higher wages without higher productivity are dragging the segment down.

At some point, resilience stops being a virtue and starts being a cop-out for policy failure.

The illusion of a booming hospitality sector

From the outside, hospitality looks busy. Restaurants are open and dining rooms are full on weekends when most people go out. All around Australia, new venues still launch and food media celebrates openings and awards as if the sector is thriving.

But behind the scenes, the numbers tell a harsher truth. Margins remain dangerously thin (under 3 per cent on average, according to Ibis World) and many venues are still trading below prepandemic profitability, even when turnover looks healthy. Cost increases have not been absorbed, they’ve been deferred, disguised, or passed on to diners who are now reaching their own breaking point, with the ABS noting that menu price inflation growth in FY26 is at record levels.

Consumers are scrutinising value harder than ever, and their average spend is flattening. They are not interested in hearing about cost pressures; they just want a good experience at a low price. This is a recipe for disaster. It puts operators in an impossible position, with neither option sustainable: raise prices and lose volume, or hold prices and bleed margin.

Costs keep rising but support is dwindling

Labour costs have structurally reset higher and while that’s not inherently wrong –workers deserve fair pay – governments have failed to pair wage growth with productivity reform, migration settings that reflect industry needs, or investment in skills pipelines that work for hospitality.

Going into 2026, compliance and red tape measures grow, and reporting obligations are expanding. Plus, sustainability and packaging rules are evolving faster than many small operators can realistically adapt to, especially when suppliers are forced to pass compliance costs downstream.

At the same time, government support has quietly disappeared. There is no targeted energy relief plan. There remains no meaningful payroll tax reform and no national hospitality productivity strategy. Time and time again, there is little recognition that cafés and restaurants are not just “lifestyle businesses”, but major employers, trainers, and community anchors across the country, employing over 700,000 people in 56,000 venues and counting.

The real risk for 2026 is quiet closures

The biggest threat this year isn’t dramatic collapse, it’s attrition. Well-run, much-loved venues are choosing to close quietly because the numbers no longer stack up. Talented chefs are leaving the industry altogether and family operators are selling up after decades. Every day, young entrepreneurs decide hospitality simply isn’t worth the risk. Every closure weakens the ecosystem with fewer suppliers, fewer apprentices, fewer mentors, and fewer places for culture and community to gather. Once lost, that capability doesn’t come back easily.

What 2026 must be the turning point for

If governments are serious about small business, jobs, and vibrant cities, hospitality can’t keep being treated as an afterthought. We need:

• Productivity reform that actually includes hospitality, not just white-collar sectors,

• Migration and training settings aligned to real workforce demand, not ideology,

• Energy and sustainability policy that supports transition and doesn’t punish survival,

• Regulatory restraint, recognising cumulative burden, not just individual rules,

• A continued seat at the policy table before decisions are made, rather than after the damage is done. And as an industry, we need to stop pretending everything is fine. Optimism is admirable, and denial is dangerous. Because without restaurants and cafés, our cities don’t just lose places to eat, they lose places to belong. ■