Simplot Menu Makers: bringing innovation to the table

Simplot Foodservice is dedicated to providing its customers with a range of high quality products which deliver cost and time saving solutions. Many products from its extensive foodservice range were recently showcased at Fine Food Australia 2019 as you can see in the accompanying video which features footage from the show.

I&J Hoki Fillets the perfect solution to set your menu apart from the competition

Seafood has always been a popular choice on Australian menus and today its market penetration is stronger than ever. Seafood buffets have become as popular a choice as the traditional turkey for festive season fare, and the sheer scope of seafood varieties and presentation styles across pubs, clubs, cafes, restaurant and catering operations is breathtaking.

With demand for more and more seafood presented in accordance with the latest trends, suppliers such as Simplot Australia are focused on keeping the market supplied with new and exciting seafood solutions.

In recent years product presentation has moved away from mass-manufacture to a more artisan, hand-cut, natural fillet appearance. At the same time, the number of fish species on the market has grown, with relative newcomers such as New Zealand Hoki gaining a higher profile and growing in popularity with consumers.

Ocean caught in the deep waters off the South Island of New Zealand, I&J Hoki comes in natural skinless fillets that have been hand cut, then hand dipped in batter or coated in freshly made breadcrumb to evoke a ‘from scratch’ presentation style.

The Hoki meat is delicate, succulent and white with a medium flake when cooked and the I&J Hoki Fillets are free from artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and come MSC certified in support of sustainable fishing practice. With consumers keen to know more about the provenance of what they’re eating, highlighting these quality attributes can help to differentiate your menu offering from the competition.  

To ensure convenience, I&J Hoki Fillets come individually quick frozen and can be easily prepared from frozen with no preparation required, and are portion controlled to eliminate wastage with a frozen shelf life of 18 months.

Offering consistent premium quality packaged in a convenient carton size that’s ideal for foodservice businesses where frozen storage space is limited, I&J Hoki Fillets are a convenient, labour and time saving seafood solution. They’re ideal for a range of contemporary presentation styles, from Fish Tacos and Tortillas to fish and chips or as a filling within a ciabatta roll or wrap, and the perfect choice for all venues from entertainment and sporting facilities through to upmarket pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants.

For more information on these and the other quality seafood products available from I&J visit http://www.simplotfoodservice.com.au/brand/i-and-j

Edgell Chef’s Grill vegetables are a time-saving addition to Italian Fraternity Club menu

With its relaxed, family friendly atmosphere, the Italian Fraternity Club is one of the premier clubs in the Illawarra region south of Sydney. Founded in 1953 by a handful of Italian migrants who had decided to make a new life in Wollongong, the club has expanded over the decades while remaining true to its heritage. The food menu today is still strongly influenced by Italian flavours, both in its La Trattoria bistro, which seats 300 inside and 80 in a covered al fresco area, and the recent addition Il Bene pizzeria and gelato bar which seats 100.

Bistro Head Chef Mauri Villella says that this emphasis on good food prepared to authentic traditions is what draws people in from far afield – “we have people coming from as far south as Shellharbour and as far north as Campbelltown, driving over the mountains for Saturday night or Sunday lunch, and they come here for the food. On a typical Saturday night we’re full up in the bistro and there’s people sitting on the other side of the club eating – the whole club turns into one big dining room, it’s amazing.

“Food is a big part of what we do here – that’s our point of difference in comparison to other clubs where the gaming aspect is what keeps the club going. But our food component is a much bigger percentage of our revenue and we pride ourselves on that.”

While over the years the local customer demographic has become far more multicultural, the Frat has not strayed far from its core cuisine style. “When I was hired eight years ago, the club was having a downturn and I argued that we had to keep Italian flavours at the forefront because that’s our point of difference,” Mauri says. The club has gone from strength to strength since – providing meals which are big on traditional Italian herbs and spices, garlic and parmesan cheese, with plenty of pasta, risotto and pizza.

“Being close to the coast, we incorporate a lot of seafood into the menu and of course that’s a big element in Italian cuisine anyway,” Mauri adds. “On any given day we might have a whole grilled snapper, salt and pepper squid, garfish or barramundi on the menu – we offer barbecued seafood plates with octopus, prawns and calamari, and risotto and seafood marinara.”

Another key component of Italian style cuisine is grilled vegetables – and Mauri has been able to cut down on staff labour by eliminating the time-consuming task of grilling from scratch. Instead he uses pre-grilled vegetables from Edgell’s Chef’s Grill, which include Red and Yellow Capsicum Cheeks, Eggplant Slabs, Zucchini Slabs, Sliced Onion, a Chunky Cut Mix and a Sliced Mix.

Mauri and his team also use Chef’s Grill Red and Yellow Capsicum Cheeks daily – “it’s great in wet dishes, for example Satay Chicken and Chicken Cacciatore. We also use in it vegetable pasta and in risotto with pomodoro tomatoes and prawns.”

No Italian style menu would be complete without antipasto and Mauri finds the Edgell Chef’s Grill Sliced Mix is a great time and labour saver especially when preparing for banquets. 

“The best feature about Chef’s Grill is that the product is ready to go – it’s a great idea that they have been pre-grilled so they have that authentic flavour, but they’re not preserved in oil or vinegar, as that limits what you can do with them,” he explains. “I like the fact that I can add whatever flavour I like to enhance them – such as fresh herbs like oregano and Italian parsley.”

Edgell Chef’s Grill vegetables come frozen so there’s no wastage – you simply taken the individually cut portions out of the freezer as required and either oven-heat, microwave or thaw and serve. Their distinctive flame-grilled appearance is complemented by their flavour: “once they’re thawed, the freshness is such that I can use them wherever I like,” Mauri says.  

On a price per kilo comparison, Edgell Chef’s Grill comes out favourably against pre-grilled shelf stable options once you drain the oil from those products – and why pay for oil you won’t be using? Chef’s Grill vegies also boast a 24 month frozen shelf life, making it easy to have them on hand whenever you need them.

For more information visit http://www.simplotfoodservice.com.au/categories/frozen-vegetables/grilled-vegetables