FINALLY A COOKBOOK FOR THE LADS!

‘THE LAD’S CHEF COOKBOOK’ by Bobby Jewell

• The cookbook for guys of any skill level!
• Easy to follow recipes
• More than 70 recipes for a kick-ass dinner party, romantic dinners, cocktails and more
• Includes handy guide to what any man should have stocked in his kitchen
• Includes anecdotes and ‘tips to impress’

“Guys, have you ever met a girl down the pub and told her you can cook? Or gone one step further, and offered to cook dinner for her and her mates after a day at the beach only to realise you have nothing in the fridge or know what to cook? I know I have. Over the years, my mates and I have shared stories and given each other ideas and ‘insider tips’ on how to impress a girl through the wonders of cooking,” say’s Bobby Jewell, The Lad’s Chef.

For any male whose culinary skills fall short of impressive, salvation has arrived in the form of  The Lad’s Chef Cookbook.

The Lad’s Chef Cookbook caters to the needs of every man - from guys who have just moved out of home, through to the more refined gent who still gets puzzled over the best dishes for particular occasions. The book breaks cooking down to basics with easy to follow recipes, lists of the crucial items to have stocked in your kitchen and how to create a lasting impression by adding the finishing touches to any dining experience.  In over 70 recipes, Jewell uses simple-to-understand instructions that won’t have guys reaching for the dictionary (how many guys know saté from sauté?) or for the fire extinguisher.  The Lad’s Chef Cookbook not only covers great classics like a good Lamb Roast, Lamb Shanks or Chicken Kiev, it will also have you trying your hand at Bresaola and Tomato Salad or even homemade Apple Crumble in no time!

Whereas cookbooks often divide recipes into groups that centre on certain courses or a particular ingredient, The Lad’s Chef Cookbook provides a range of dishes suited to particular occasions, the comprehensive companion for making your meal memorable and disaster free!

So whether it’s preparing a kick-ass dinner party, a romantic dinner for someone special, a barbecue for mates or even a hearty hangover cure, The Lad’s Chef Cookbook has any guys culinary needs covered.  To top it off, Jewell shares some of his ‘insider tips’ to impress. With any luck guys, you will get that second date with that beautiful girl from down the pub!

(RRP$40, hardback).

The Lad’s Chef Cookbook will be available in bookstores and department stores from 1 October

Bobby Jewell moved to Australia from his home in Cambridge, north of London, on a backpacking trip when he was only 21 years old. Instantly falling in love with Australia’s beer and surf, he made Australia his new home. These days the qualified chef uses his love of throwing a great party five nights a week as the owner of Sydney’s only fancy dress restaurant, THARENS in Sydney’s Potts Point.

For further information, images or interviews, contact:

Stuart Fyfe
New Holland Publishers (Australia)
d. 02 8986 4705 ! m. 0423 603 503
e. stuart@newholland.com.au

Rebecca Lucas
New Holland Publishers (Australia)
d. 02 8986 4704
e. rebecca@newholland.com.au

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Inevitably it came to the point in the day when our thoughts turned to where we can have a feed and a few drinks.  We found a nice outdoor bar attached to a boutique style hotel in the heart of the city centre.  It has quite a large outside seating area, which is perfect on a warm (Swedish style) Summer’s day. So we stroll in, looking for a table, with the full intention of parking ourselves there for the afternoon.  There were no staff to be seen, or at least no staff that wanted to see us, so I found a waiter and asked if we could just sit down and have a few drinks.  After giving me a quizzical look, one which I assumed was because I spoke English, she said, ‘yeah no problem’.  So we found a nice table and ordered some drinks from the bar (despite everyone around us getting table service - I assumed that they don’t do table service for just ‘drinkers’, but it would have been nice to have been told).

So we sat back, willing to overlook the fact that not one employee had even tried to make us feel welcome and concentrate on the fact that it was a beautiful day, with no other commitments and we could relax and catch up like old times.  I ordered a second drink at the bar, at which time I decided to find out what food options there were available.  The response was another quizzical look, with a semi ‘rolled eye’ as the new waiter strolled off to find me a menu.  By this time I was getting pretty frustrated and I didn’t want to put any more money into the place, so we decided to move on after finishing our drinks.

We came across a cool South American inspired restaurant/bar, not more than 50 metres from where we were.  From the moment we walked in we were made to feel welcome.  A waiter was at our table within two minutes of us sitting down, and our first drinks had arrived within five.  I could finally relax.  This place and our waiter obviously knew what they were doing.  Our obvious next question was, ‘can we have look at a menu please?’  At which point it was delivered quickly - and before 15 minutes had passed we were happily feeding our faces with some delicious tasting plates of South American cuisine, while drinking cold beer, followed by some nice French (for the special occasion) and some cracking cocktails to finish off.  Our waiter was sharp, and always there before we started looking.  We asked for the bill after about four hours of indulgence and had eventually spent about $300 AUD on the afternoon.  This is $300 dollars that our first venue could have had in their bank account, but didn’t.

I find it hard to fathom a restaurant/bar that appears to not care at all about their customers - and I understand that the staff were most probably students and actually did not care, but I wonder if the owner is doing anything to inspire his/her staff to actually care for the customer - or whether the owner actually tries to find staff that will pursue his vision for the place, or just takes whoever comes along.  The issue here is not how much money we spent - but the fact that we were made to feel like we were better off leaving the venue and taking our custom somewhere else. 

To me it is pretty simple -  a customer who walks into your establishment and asks for a table, is ultimately there to spend money (some of which can find it’s way into your pocket in the form of tips).  How much they spend depends on you as a waiter or manager or owner.  It would not have been hard for our first waiter to get us to sit there all day and spend the money we did spend elsewhere.  In fact, after walking around town all day, we were practically throwing ourselves at them (evidenced by ordering a second drink) - a good waiter will pick up on this and see the desperation in the customers eye!

Customers want to spend money!  So why not let them?

More life as a waiter…

AUSTRALIA’S TOP YOUNG CHEF, WAITER & RESTAURATEUR ANNOUNCED

During the week the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence 2010 national winners were announced at an exclusive reception held at the Electrolux Showcase, Sydney, attended by Australia’s leading chefs, restaurateurs and food industry luminaries. 

 Waitersfriend sends out a big congrats to all who competed and the winners on the day!

The 2010 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence winners across three award categories are: 

Electrolux Young Chef

Winner:                                    Soren Lascelles, Assiette, Sydney, NSW

Runner Up:                               Danika Heslop, Quay, Sydney, NSW

Judges Acknowledgement:       Emma Shearer, The Manse, Adelaide, SA

Electrolux Young Waiter

Winner:                                    Louise Tamayo, Becasse, Sydney, NSW

Runner Up:                               Josh Smith, Black Cow Bistro, Launceston, TAS

Judges Acknowledgement:       Aaron Christian, Georges on Waymouth, SA

Electrolux Young Restaurateurs

Winner:                                    Kim Coronica, Richmond Hill Café & Larder, VIC

Winner:                                    Thomas Moore, Grazing, Gundaroo, NSW

Whet Your Appetite invites the general public to sample a taste of the talent unearthed in Australia’s premier young culinary awards by visiting a participating restaurant throughout July 2010,  then rating their dining experience online. 

To sweeten the deal, diners are able to enjoy one course and a glass of Henscke wine for $35* (* offer may vary) and sample the skills of the next generation of our top Aussie chefs, waiters and restaurateurs.  And there’s the opportunity to win a raft of culinary prizes for taking part. 

Visit www.appetiteforexcellence.com for details on participating restaurants and to learn how to support your favourite. 

Participating restaurants include: 

The Electrolux Appetite for Excellence is the ultimate national competition for young hospitality professionals.  The program searches Australia for emerging talent within the restaurant and catering industry and aims to inspire, support and educate future industry leaders, providing unique career opportunities and enviable experiences.  

For further details on Whet Your Appetite and the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Awards program please visit www.appetiteforexcellence.com 

Naming Rights:  Electrolux          

Principal Partners:  S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna

Official Airline Partner:  Qantas

Accommodation Partner: Wyndham Resorts

Other dedicated partners:  Allpress Espresso; Australian Pork Limited; Dairy Australia; Fisheries Research and Development Corporation; Grape & Wine Research and Development Corporation; Horticulture Australia Limited; Meat & Livestock Australia; Henschke; Georges Providores; Joto; Learning Curve Solutions Vic’s Meat; Bollinger; delicious magazine and foodService magazine. 

For more information, please contact: 

As the industry changes and our secrets become better understood through the proliferation of cooking shows, reality kitchen TV series and the rising rock-star status of the celebrity chef, our customer base is becoming more in tune with good food and wine. 

This presents a new playing field for all venues and I believe that it is for the better. The more high quality products demanded by the punter the more high quality venues we will see pop up. Sounds great doesn’t it? 

Well here is some advice on how you may help your chances of success. Have integrity in your product. Do not place a coffee in front of a guest if you don’t think it’s great. The same goes for food. If you need to hide the fact that you are microwaving food, or that your produce is bought in, this shame will pass straight down to the waiter and on to the guest. 

It is important that the floor staff see you check your produce to make sure the herbs are vibrant and the tomatoes are ripe and the fish is fresh. Waiters must see chefs care about presentation and cooking processes. We work in an industry that has so much passion from the producer through to the outlet and on to the customer we are all in search of goodness. If you are involved anywhere in that process than you better have integrity in how you do your thing or you will send out a message of shame or ignorance and it will not take long before you are found out! 

If the meal doesn’t look right then don’t carry it to the table, if the milk is too hot don’t pour it in the coffee, if the apples are bruised send them back. When a customer feels like you are passionate about what you are giving them they will support your integrity with their loyalty. How else do you explain people drinking coffee made from a bean that has been shit out of a cat in Thailand and paying hundreds of dollars for it?? 

This is not the fool proof policy of a successful restaurant, just a necessary part of the combination. You don’t need to buy the most expensive ingredients, but make sure you demand good quality ones. Make sure all staff can make good decisions to ensure integrity in your product because if they take short cuts and don’t pursue greatness than you can never achieve it

This article has been doing the email rounds for quite some time but Waitersfriend decided it deserves a place on our site

This information was in The New York Times as part 
of their “Spotlight on the Home” series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.
 
 1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one 
cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
 
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber.  Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can  provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
 
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?  Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

 4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds?  Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long.  The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
 
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool?  Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite.  Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache?  Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free.  Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
 
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge?  
Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realise that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes?  Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge?  Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?  Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realise you don’t have gum or mints?  Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?  Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake?  Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life’s everyday problems..

  

On a tour through the Victorian wine fields Waitersfriend was more than impressed by the wines of Heathcote.  Something that really caught our attention was the wonderful Cellar & Store.  The team here represents Heathcote extremely well with an abundance of local produce and of course excellent coverage of the region’s wines.  Throughout the year Heathcote Cellar & Store hold a great many events and tastings and have agreed to keep Waitersfriend up to date with all the goings ons.  Rachel Paterson is also supplying us with all the background information on Cellar & Store and is promising a wrap up on all the fun and excitement from the recent Heathcote show.

Text by Rachel Paterson

Farmers Adrian & Eleanor Dempster love wine, food and their local area, Heathcote, Victoria.  They couldn’t believe their luck when the opportunity arose four years ago to transform a former 1880’s saddlers store on High Street into a showroom for local wine & produce.

“Sharing good food & wine with family & friends is one of our great pleasures.” says Eleanor  ”The range at Cellar & Store reflects what we like, real food married with wines which reflect their region and the winemakers’ craft.”

An impressive range of current release Heathcote wines fills the wine room of this beautiful store, where you’ll often find Heathcote’s winemakers presenting their wines, stocking up on local and imported produce or just enjoying a coffee or a glass of wine in the courtyard. 

Cellar & Store is the ideal place to pause during your exploration of the Heathcote wine region to get their local knowledge of the district and its hidden secrets.  There is wine on taste everyday and knowledgeable staff on hand to help put together a mixed dozen reflecting the diversity and quality of Heathcote wines. 

Stop in for coffee, cake, wine by the glass, lunch every day and an all day brunch menu on weekends featuring delicious house made food with fresh, regional ingredients.  Call in to stock the pantry or picnic basket with local, regional and imported cheeses, cured meats, pates, handmade pesto and pasta from the fridge or interesting and hard to source ingredients that line the shelves. 

Through their website they send hampers of local wine and produce across Australia and the world.  They provide a cellar door for Heathcote wine 7 days a week, 363 days a year.  Events are hosted in the garden or in unique nearby natural locations in partnership with regional wine & food producers.  Sometimes there is even a visiting guest chef to prepare a special lunch with a Heathcote spin to complete the picture at Cellar & Store.

Cellar & Store 105 High Street Heathcote 3523

03 5433 2204 www.cellarandstore.com.au

Our industry is a very personal one. We are working face to face with our customers in an upfront manner. This emphasizes the influence of First Impressions.

A waiter that walks straight past a guest at the door or someone trying to get your attention is stating “we do not prioritize you or your needs, so you should go some where else” which is exactly what they’ll do! Rude & arrogant waiters that don’t acknowledge people immediately will automatically get people off-side. No amount of recovery work will change that first-impression and as the saying goes “first impressions last forever.”

Place yourself in their shoes and think of how you would like to be treated. Greet the customer by their names if they are a regular customer, use a line like “How may I help you?” or “good evening, may I help you?” as this gives them a chance to tell you what they want. This is important as the guest may only want to enquire about a future booking or to look at a menu. Approaching & asking if they have a booking may come across a little rude if they are not there to dine.

ALWAYS remember to SMILE while greeting them!

Some establishments have a bar area so once you have established that the guest is here to dine you can offer them a seat in the bar area for a pre-dinner drink or cocktail. This really improves your spend per head and allows you to manage the flow of orders to the kitchen in peak trade times. 

If seated in the bar offer the menu for perusal. This aids by being able to take them to their table and getting an order very quickly. You can even take the order in the bar and have the table set before they get there. Again, this is fantastic for time management in busy periods.

When taking someone to their table walk calmly. It is something that was demonstrated early on in my career that I have since found invaluable. Never walk too fast when leading a guest to their table. Walk gracefully at a moderate speed and monitor how far behind they are so as not to lose them if they have been held up. Keep you head high and your shoulders back. It makes a huge difference. This is all part of the first impression.

Pulling out chairs is something that needs to be gauged. If possible I will always pull out the chair for the lady at very least. I endeavour to pull out all chairs but sometimes it can be very clumsy weaving through all the guests. The best scenario is anticipating that the Maitre D is approaching your section with guests. This allows you to pull out the chairs as they approach. You can then stand back and move closer once the lady/ladies have decided upon their seat and assist by helping push the chair in.

Once seated start placing napkins on laps and start your interaction with your guests. I always introduce myself during this process but for some situations this is not always appropriate. While introducing yourself you may offer a drink or ask what kind of water they would like. Sparkling or Still?

When handing out the menus, wine or food, you MUST inform them of any changes. DO NOT let them decide upon something that is not available.

First impressions last for ever and if you get this process right your customers will generally return and also pass on the good word to others. It affects the entire perception for the rest of the night. The food & service will also be perceived much better if the first impression is good

I have regularly said to Chefs who do not appreciate floor staff that “if I stood at the front door picking my nose you would have no customers to serve!” And likewise if someone wants to see your menu and you are pleasant and genuinely want to help them they will assume that their dining experience will be managed just as well.

Restaurant & Catering South Australia has released the finalists for this years Restaurant & Catering Awards. Waitersfriend would like to congratulate all finalists and wish them well for the big night.

  MEDIA RELEASE - 21 June 2010

We are proud to present the Finalists for the 2010 Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Monday 26^th July at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Apprentice Cook  -

Chef -

Employee -

Employer -

Maitre D’ -

Media -

Product Supplier -

Professional Development -

Safety -

Service Provider -

Sommelier -

Wine List -

Popular Choice -

Asian -

Bistro -

Breakfast -

Café - 

Chinese -

Coffee Shop -  

Contemporary Australian

European -     

Event Catering -

Family -

Fine Dining

Function Centre -

Greek -

Indian -

Waitersfriend is heading to Europe and is hoping some of our readers might have a travel tip or two to share with us.  All our travel and accommodation is well organised so it’s just a matter of filling in our days abroad with as much fun as three waiters could possibly handle.  Of course there will be an obvious desire to get into all manner of food and wine adventures, but any must see sights or cultural activities are most welcome. 

About the trip

It’s been quite a while since all three of us have been together, in August 09 Shaun and his Swedish wife headed to Sweden to set up camp for a while.  Shaun has been very busy getting organised to start up a wine distribution company which will introduce some great Aussie and Kiwi wines to the restaurants and wine lovers of Gothenburg.  Mark and I have caught up numerous times between South Australia and The Gold Coast but it’s not until the three of us get together that the fun (or should I say trouble) really begins.  The catalyst for this journey is Mark decided Santorini is where he wants to wed his beautiful bride Lia.  So from there we thought it would be a great opportunity to launch a Waitersfriend tour.  After Greece we decided Italy would be the obvious location for some great food and wine adventures.  As the research began it became very clear there would not be enough time to truly do the country justice.  Not being the type to rush around doing twenty countries in sixteen days we decided to immerse ourselves in Umbria and Tuscany before heading north to Peidmont and of course onto Venice.

The Itinerary

Michelle and I are arriving in Athens on July 15^th Mark and Lia get in on the 19^th so please forward any and all restaurant and sightseeing tips. We head across to Santorini on the 20^th where we will be met by Shaun and Emilia along with family and friends all uniting to be involved in this wonderful union. The 22^nd is the big day and Mark is not giving too much away but it is sounding like it’s shaping up to be one gloriously unforgettable festivity.  With a few more days to recover, unwind and explore the Island we will be on our way to Umbria on the 27^th.  Staying in a Villa near Montefalco we plan to spend the next seven days exploring Umbria and Tuscany.  Please let us know of any great sights, food and wine tips you have for this area.  From there it’s onto Florence for three nights, an overnight stop in Parma before three nights in Peidmont staying near the town of Alba.  We head to Venice for four nights and then back to Rome for four nights before heading home. 

We have done a quite bit of research but some of the best experiences often come via word of mouth tips passed on from traveller to traveller so we would love to hear any great experiences you may have had.  Along the way we will try to keep you updated so keep an eye on the website and Facebook page for all the fun of waiters on the loose in Europe.