Smaller menus can pay big dividends

Smaller menus can pay big dividends for cafés and restaurants, a new study has found.

An Australian study of small- to medium-sized cafés has found making small changes could prevent hundreds of tonnes of food waste while saving struggling businesses thousands of dollars.

Creating shorter menus, ditching pie warmers and normalising doggy bags are among the top recommendations from the RMIT University study for End Food Waste Australia.

The researchers found food preparation and spoilage were the biggest culprits when it comes to both food and financial waste in café kitchens.

Difficulty finding time to plan and streamline menus and overproducing food was a key driver of waste and reduced profits.

Australia has the world’s largest café industry per capita outside of Europe, and the hospitality sector is responsible for more than 16% of the nation’s food waste.

Lead researcher Professor Tania Lewis said the sheer amount of food waste from cafés was huge.

“Up to 60% of an average cafe’s bin is filled with food and we're not just talking about peels and stems - it’s also edible, quality food,” she said.

But Lewis said cafes with paired back, seasonal menus waste less food and save more money.

“Our research found successful low-waste cafés worked closely with their suppliers and adapted the menu to use in-season ingredients,” she said.

“Fewer menu offerings make stock control easier, as does allowing ingredient substitution for meal components - like seasonal pesto, chutney or jams.

“Cafés have small profit margins, so they really stand to win in a big way by reducing waste.

“For instance, using more of the produce they are buying - broccoli stems are just as delicious as broccoli tops.”

Tony Green, CEO of the Australian Foodservice Advocacy Body, which took part in the research, said the study produced timely and helpful advice.

“With hospitality increasingly feeling the squeeze from the costs-of-doing business, we're pleased to be a part of this meaningful report to cut waste, hence reduced food costs,” he said.

"It's not up to the foodservice industry alone to solve these issues, but we're committed to doing our bit and that's made easier with research such as this powerful study.”

Researchers found businesses could reduce food waste and costs by teaching staff skills like reducing food trim and preservation processes like pickling, freezing and dehydrating.

Buying aesthetically imperfect produce directly from farmers could also be a major cost saver.

"When it comes to food, looks aren't everything and certainly are not a guarantee of flavour,” Lewis said.

“With their cooking knowledge, cafés are in a great position to lead the way in making delicious food from less-than-perfect produce."

Other recommendations include reducing plate and portion sizes and encouraging customers to take home unfinished food.

The report also calls for further financial support for infrastructure like cool rooms and compost systems to help preserve and recycle foods.

Subsidies and tax incentives to help cafés and restaurants make these changes, along with support around menu planning, design and implementation, form part of the report’s recommendations.

Sample low-waste menus and practical tips for cafe owners produced as part of this study are available on the End Food Waste Australia website.

The research was conducted by RMIT University for End Food Waste Australia, which is leading the development of Sector Action Plans as a key tool to reduce food waste through collaboration across the supply chain.

When the customer is wrong. Very wrong.

 

Times are tough in the hospitality industry. 

Costs are rising, good staff are hard to find and even harder to hold on to, and customers are resisting price increases. 

We've all heard stories, probably from friends, as to how they've booked dinner at a couple of places and will decide later which one to visit. 

They may, or may not, bother to cancel their second reservation. 

Because a lot of people are assholes. 

Which is why many restaurants are now demanding deposits when you make a booking. Non-refundable if you cancel without a reasonable excuse. 

Here's an example. 

A small regional business that I know recently took a booking for 80 people: a group who wanted to get together for drinks after an event. 

That meant the establishment had to halt serving food, drinks and coffees to the public - including regular customers - for a couple of hours. And put on an extra staff member for the bar. 

What happened? Of the 80 people who booked, 33 turned up. 

And they ordered an average of one drink each. 

No apology. Just entitlement. 

So next time you are forced to stump up an non-refundable deposit you can think people like them. 

Image: David Rubin, Scop.io  

What a bloody mess: café worker sacked for "job terrorism"

Now here's a seriously weird story.

A Japanese café has sacked one of its employees after she allegedly used her own blood in place of coloured syrup to make cocktails.

The Mondaiji Con Cafe Daku in Sapporo, Hokkaido - whose name loosely translates to 'Problem Child Concept Café' - apologised for the staff member's actions.

The establishment’s owner added that the café had been forced to close for a day while all drinking glasses were replaced as a safety precaution.

“Such an act is no different from part-time job terrorism and is absolutely not acceptable,” the owner Tweeted.

The woman's motive was not revealed.

The establishment is one of Japan's concept cafes offering different experiences. Other offerings include cat cafés and maid and butler establishments.

The bizarre behaviour followed a spate of so-called "sushi terrorism" in Japan, where restaurant-goers interfere with sushi going round on a conveyor belt, Drinks Business reports.

In February, the share price of Akindo Sushiro’s parent company dropped by 5%, after a video was shared of a teenage boy in a restaurant in Gifu Prefecture licking and then returning a soy sauce bottle and tea cup.

Two major restaurant chains have disabled their conveyor belts and returned to a traditional table-serving process to remove the risk of people carrying out the crimes, which have include spraying hand sanitiser on passing plates of food.

Image: Ivan Naunov, Scop.io

Meet some new places to imbibe around New South Wales

Tourism is back, with several new places to drink opening this month in country New South Wales.

Among the highlights listed by Destination New South Wales: 

Circular Quay Gem

Bar Mammoni (above) https://barmammoni.sydney is a newcomer at Quay Quarter just back from the Sydney waterfront. It is the latest arrival from restaurateur Scott Brow, who also operates eateries Lana and Grana and cocktail bar Apollonia. It switches from an espresso bar in the morning to a cocktail bar after dark. No bookings.

Raise the Bah  

Wine time in Cootamundra just arrived as Bah Bah Food & Wine opened its doors on the town's main street, serving local Riverina wines, a selection of craft beers and expertly made cocktails. A menu of share plates also showcases the region's seasonal ingredients. 

Wake-up call 

The Early Opener is the latest place to start the day in Narrandera, an hour's drive from Wagga Wagga on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. The early-morning café (doors open at 4am) serves great coffee, decadent pastries and cakes, and fresh salads to the Riverina town. 

Beach brews 

Adding to Newcastle's growing craft brewery scene, Modus Brewery offers a bright and breezy 300-person space in the seaside suburb of Merewether. Thirty-six taps offer a rotation of the Modus core beers, including their non-alcoholic NORT range and limited-edition sour, lager and dark beers.

Pretty in Printhie 

One of Orange's best-known wineries, Printhie Wines, has just launched a new restaurant and cellar door. The new venue provides premium 'beyond the cellar door' experiences, including a range of tastings, vineyard picnics and a sparkling masterclass.

Image: Steve Woodburn, Destination NSW