Pro-Visual Publishing is encouraging members of the restaurant and catering industry who did not receive their copy of the 2009/10 edition of Restaurant and Catering Australia’s Guide to Food Safety and Hygiene to get in touch with them to receive the free chart. This year’s Guide, which was sent out to coincide with November’s Australian Food Safety Week, explores correct and appropriate procedures that assist in good workplace hygiene and food safety. It also delves into the topic... ...Read more »

Melbourne’s Vue de monde has this week received one of the highest accolades in the Australian restaurant industry by capturing the Restaurant of the Year crown at the 2009 Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence. The annual awards of industry representative Restaurant & Catering Australia saw Melbourne businesses claim the two top awards, with the Atlantic Group taking out the Caterer of the Year prize. The annual awards brought together more than 2,500 restaurants and caterers... ...Read more »

Surry Hills restaurant Marque this week claimed the top honour in the Restaurant and Catering NSW Awards for Excellence and will be among the favourites to receive the national honour in a few weeks time. The award ends the sensational run of harbourside restaurant Quay, who claimed last year’s prize among a swag of other prominent awards. The recognition for Marque on Monday night completed a stellar month for the fine dining restaurant, whose Executive Chef Mark Best received acclaim as Chef... ...Read more »

Amidst global financial meltdown and looming job losses, businesses – and employees – are apprehensive about what’s in store for 2009. Business information analysts IBISWorld have compiled a list of the “riskiest” industries this year, as well as those which are likely to be safe despite turbulent economic times.While the risk forecasts take historical data into account, they largely look ahead and consider vital information about the dynamic business environment and... ...Read more »

It appears that critics are unanimous in their opinion of Sydney restaurant Quay as the best Australia has to offer at the moment, following the Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence run by the Restaurant and Catering Association of Australia. The Awards, which were held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre last night, saw Quay take the coveted honour as Australian Restaurant of the Year from a quality field of state and territory winners. The harbourside restaurant, which... ...Read more »

American consumers aren’t feeling particularly jolly heading into the holiday shopping season this year with more than one-third (35 per cent) of American consumers across all income levels expecting to spend less, according to new research from The Nielsen Company. With an economy in turmoil, only six per cent expect to spend more and fifty per cent of consumers surveyed expect to spend the same amount as last year during the holiday shopping season. Fortunately, the Australian economy in... ...Read more »

A recent survey by American foodservice consultants Technomic revealed that a substantial number of consumers consistently turn to restaurants and food retailers to fill the stomachs of their guests when hosting parties and other social events in their homes. More than one in three respondents reported that they’ve ordered meals or platters for meetings, parties, and social occasions, with 79 per cent reporting that these purchases were for personal social occasions rather than work-related... ...Read more »

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP last night announced the winners of this year’s City of Sydney Business Awards, with Almond Bar, Crema 55, Sassy Treats and DARE – Delicious and Responsible Eating among the award winners. Atlassian, a small software company started by two young graduates in 2002, took the top honour as Business of the Year. “This year’s City of Sydney Business Awards saw an enormous number of entries, as well as a record number of attendees to the Gala Awards... ...Read more »

New food safety standards that will give added protection to people in hospitals and aged care facilities came into effect on 18 August, 2008.The Vulnerable Persons Food Safety Scheme will mean NSW’s 1,300 public and private hospitals and aged care facilities will be required to have mandatory food safety programs. The new laws, which will protect vulnerable people in the community including seniors and those that are unwell, mean that hospitals and aged-care facilities will be subject to regular... ...Read more »

Australian frozen food manufacturer Vesco Foods has announced it will stop producing coated fish products over the course of the next three to four months. The Perth-based business currently provides frozen meal products and frozen coated fish products to many leading national and international brands including supermarkets, retail outlets, restaurants and catering institutions. Vesco Foods Chief Executive Officer, Ian Halliday, said the decision followed an extensive review of the company’s... ...Read more »