2018 revisited Nepo Kitchen Consulting
NEPO Kitchen Consulting
AB
So here we go again out with 2018 and in
with 2019 hope you all had a great festive season and are ready to crack on in
the new year.
Just
a quick recap on 2018 interesting and fun projects and challenges.
 |
| a new year a new challenge, this year we started importing Fresh winter truffles from Western Australia |
January
Perth
The
best part of January was spent in Western Australia, the Perth area with some
visits to some close at hand “500+ km” National parks, tourist goals vineyards
in the Margret River area and Manjimup the truffle growing area 300km south of
the capital.
Perth
is a great city escape, during our summer there, not a cloud in the sky and
30-35 every day, great beaches and a relaxed vibe through the city, more like
Hobart with a few mirrored skyscrapers than Sydney or Melbourne.
February
During
February I worked intensely with the upcoming Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals
which were held in Åre, northern Sweden. menus, calculations, logistical
solutions & purchasing. An intensive planning period for 600-700 guests per
day for 8 days.
Also, during February I did
some local follow up visits and checked out if there was a market interest for
Australian winter truffles during our European summer months. The truffle
farmers around Manjimup Grow most of Australia’s 14 tone harvest of Tuber melanosporum.
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| on the road to Åre a big event for us in March 2018 and an even bigger one in Feb 2019 |
March
March was focus on Åre
month, finish off the planning then move pick and pack up north. We catered for
the whole event from a school kitchen, Fantastic logical challenges and
solutions who’ve thought you could work in a tent at minus 30 degrees in a
t-shirt. It was a great success from a kitchen and catering view point, I
didn’t get to see much of the skiing, but I’m told there were winners there as
well.
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| Angelica, who remembers it? who used it when they were younger |
April
Rhodes
Directly after Åre I moved my focus to the
Mediterranean preparing for the annual TUI food and beverage conference this
year it was at Kolymbia in Rhodes. We were early in the season before many
hotels, resorts and businesses had reopened. I got a bit of a chance to
experience a Greek Easter a major public holiday. Plan your trip carefully if
you are visiting Greece at this time of the year.
The congress went well two groups 40+
executive chefs and food & beverage managers from Turkey to Spain, great to
catch up with some of the returning chefs and meet some new members in the TUI
family.
Healthy food, vegetarian, vegan, buffet
presentation, children’s buffet, desserts & themes- Asian, Italian, Mexican
were on the menu.
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| chili school was part of the Executive chefs training, some did and some didn't |
Mallorca
At the end of the month, I travelled down Mallorca
and visited the Alcudia pins resort, we did some work on their Spanish taverna
menu, some general observations and feedback, great fried chicken there, also a
new pizza restaurant with super Pizzas. This early in the season Mallorca is
for the cyclists.
May
Kos
A week in Kos with some hands on a la
carte work in Mamari beach’s Greek Taverna and their Green and Grill theme
restaurants, it was nice and hot at Mamri beach resort luckily, it’s blessed
with one Greece’s picturesque iconic beach fronts.
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| Iconic Greek picture postcard, all locked up in the off season. |
Gerani, Crete
Caldera beach visit two resorts in one,
coaching in the new executive chef at the start of their season, some work with
their Greek taverna concept and stone grill restaurant.
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| Grek deserts on Crete, they look like anything else but sweets, but the handiwork is precession. |
Cornwall
A quick study trip down to Cornwall linking
together Stockholm’s newly opened Fiskhallen Sorunda and Flying fish at St
Columb in Cornwall. Local caught Cornish seafood at its very best being shipped
to England’s best eating houses, we also squeezed a visit to Newlyn fish market
and great dinner in a town called Rock.
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| low tide at rock, fantastic seaside scenery around cornwall |
Sardinia
Down
to Oliba in the north-eastern corner of Sardinia for a week if you are looking
for a tranquil & relaxing get away destination set in a natural
environment. For me it was buffet selections, quality and guest expectations
were on the menu here, and of course great pizza and pasta as one would expect.
June
Kos
Another week in Kos with more hands-on
hands on a la carte work in their theme restaurants, great to see the progress
that the team has continued on with since my previous visit. These island
destination resorts are full of pitfalls and challenges for the unsuspecting or
un experienced executive chef with their multi food & beverage outlets,
staff and supplier complications. There’s not a lot of opportunity for the
F&B team to soak the local summer relaxation.
Islantilla, Andulusian
Visiting
ADH hotel’s Islantillia resort, during their high season, the whole coast is full
of Spanish tourists down to enjoy the family orientated coastal resort, an
interesting resort destination with no exploitation or party scene, only family
holidays. While there we did some work on the Spanish taverna menu and general
buffet work.
A
few km down the road we visited Isla Christina’s fish market, a hub for the
local tuna, mackerel and sardines fishing fleet.
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| Corvina at the Isla Christina fish market, waiting their time on the block |
Chania
In June,
I also started working a little extra at Lynas Foods and their “American style”
barbecue trailer, if you want to smell like smoked ribs or brisket for a week
then I can thoroughly recommend this work.
July
Truffles
The long-awaited Truffles from Manjimup,
Western Australia started to arrive, the visit in January followed by follow up
meetings here in Stockholm started to pay dividends with some fresh produce
arriving, excellent truffles 24 hours after sorting they’re out of the forest
they’re for sale in Stockholm.
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| truffle digging |
Rock and roll catering with Lynas foods
for some summer concerts and festivals in and around the city.
August
Truffles
More truffles a new delivery every week during August, a great little new
venture for Nepo Kitchen Consulting and a new “business leg to stand on”, now
we’re building on continuality.
Åre
Conformation that we’re going back to Åre,
confirmation and approval of my participation at the FIS world alpine ski
championships in February 2019, 4-5 times bigger than in March earlier in the
year, Yahoo.
Dubrovnik
A bit of a holiday in Dubrovnik, what a city full of history and
what a city full of tourists, go in the off season or just pass through. The
city wall walk is a must and so are the islands in the archipelago just outside
of the city, an oasis away from the crush. There’s a noticeable quality
difference with the restaurants, we tried some little pearls and there’s some
nice wines there as well.
September
Lanzarote,
Flamingo Beach, resort. Check in for the opening of the winter
season, meet Nordotels new corporate ex chef, it’s always easy to work with
good people.
A corporate meeting and a new restaurant direction with some
cooking classes thrown in for good measure.
Truffles
the last of the season’s truffles, but they’ll be back again next year.
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| typical stunted vines are the norm on Lanzarotes vine yards, volcanic soil and volcanic rocks |
October
Åre
Meetings and
planning Åre 100%
November
Åre
Meetings, Global knives, Broil king BBQ,
Audi, Barilla, wine tasting, sous chef recruiting, equipment lists, purchasing
meetings and the list goes on.
Thailand
Back in Khao Lak to meet the new executive chef,
concept coaching and hands on cooking training for the new pool menu and Thai
taverna seafood menu.
It threatened rain every day so early in the season,
but we were lucky not a drop for a week.
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| a relaxing coffee break in Khao Lak |
Åre
Still going strong, meetings, trips and
planning. Its all downhill from here.
New web site
We made some changes, and revamped some of
the text, the site is now only in English and it features information regarding
our truffle import and links to my blog.
Good luck for the future.
Goodbye 2018 & welcome 2019 and
whatever challenges you bring.
There's more information in some of the
individual blog posts & at
www.nepokitchencomsulting.com
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