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HWD HALLDE DEMO 2023

Fri, 19 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Recipe of the Week: White Choc, Orange and Lemon Muffins

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients

Flour - 1000 grams

Castor Sugar - 500 grams

Baking Powder - 50 grams

Unsalted Butter - 500 grams

Orange Juice - 450 ml

Vegetable Oil - 200 ml

Eggs - 6 nos.

Vanilla - 2 tsp

Lemons - 2 nos.

White Chocolate - 450 grams

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and castor sugar)
2. Melt the butter and add in the lemons after chopping them into quarters

3. Let the mixture cook and set aside to cool.

4.Liquidise the butter and lemon mixture with a blender

5. Thoroughly mix the all the wet ingredients (lemon & butter, orange juice, vanilla and eggs) with a whisk

6.Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients by folding them gently by hand

7. Add in the white chocolate

8. Pour in the mixture into a greased muffin tray and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes

9. Bake the mixture in a preheated oven at 180 ^o C for approximately 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown.

10. Let the muffins cool, and enjoy!

Bringing in the Dough: Investing in the right mixer

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make Bringing In The Dough: Investing In The Right Mixer

Some people are fascinated by the sheer size that models come in for industrial applications.

These heavy duty machines are the commercial counterpart of the old countertop Sunbeam, like mum used to have in her kitchen and which, in many cases, she still uses to this very day.

An example of the sheer toughness of these rugged machines is a spiral mixer purchased by a Hospitality World Direct customer not so long ago, to use in his lab as a cement mixer. While it's not something any expert would hastily recommend, what a customer wants to do with their own equipment is their business (warranty concerns aside).

These machines are a must-have for bakeries and pizza shops and with the choice of mixers out there, it can be a tough pick. We have to get back to basics and find out the initial misconceptions about mixers; this will ensure that you make the right decision when investing in what can be quite an expensive piece of equipment.

So what's the difference? The names of the mixers are based on their componentry: the 'spiral' is referring to the spiral shaped agitator which turns in a stationary position, while the bowl spins around it. The planetary mixer however, has a stationary (and sometimes detachable) bowl, and the mixing mechanism oscillates and turns - hence the 'planetary' description of this circular motion.

The planetary machine is made up of three detachable components – the whisk, dough hook and paddle. These multi-function capabilities make it a perfect baker's companion, ideal for mixing your less viscous ingredients such as icing, cake mixtures and creams, and even occasionally kneading dough for bread or pastries.

However, if you are finding that you are making dough for pizzas every day, a spiral mixer is the way to go. Mechanically, spiral mixers have a much simpler build than their planetary counterparts. This simplicity translates to a heavier duty machine capable of kneading to make good quality pizza dough.

The mechanism of the planetary mixers isn't built to handle the heavy dough that the spiral mixers are capable of. While it's true that planetary mixers can be used to make pizza dough, you will find that the mixer will violently agitate the dough which can not only create too much heat, but cause unnecessary stress and damage to your mixer's mechanism over time.

The spiral mixers combine the dough in a smoother motion thanks to the 'pig tail' agitator with the help of the breaker bar (the stationary rod component running down the middle of the mixer). The smooth motion reduces the amount of heat built up through the friction of mixing; heat which can ultimately kill yeast cultures.

When you are considering what size to buy, be aware that a model number is not always representative of capacity. Be sure to always ask what the maximum capacity of your mixer will be, as the amount shown in a mixer guide is the absolute upper limit of your finished dough amount. It is important not to overfill as not only does it put unnecessary stress on the machine, but you can also void your warranty. Not to mention the mighty mess that is made.

Do plenty of research when looking to buy your mixer. It is important that the business you buy from offers service and maintenance on their equipment.

Customer service shouldn't stop as soon as you're out the door. Look into signing up on a maintenance agreement as well - this may give you the option to loan equipment while yours is out of action. You don't want to be stuck in the middle of a busy service period with an essential part of your team not performing at its very best.

The Perfect Macaron

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make The Perfect Macaron

Macaroons in detail" by georgie_grd - originally posted to Flickr as Macaroons. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The history of Macarons goes way back to 17^th century France. Originally thought to be brought into France from Italy, Nancy, a city in the north-east region of France popularised this very delicate flavoured biscuit. Here is a nice, simple recipe for making an original Macaron straight out of Nancy:

200 grams blanched almonds (including 4 bitter almonds)
2-3 egg whites
300 grams of sugar
Icing sugar

1. Pound the almonds using a mortar and pestle, moistening them with 1 egg white

2. When the almonds are well pounded, add 150 grams of sugar and mix them with the pestle

3. While continuing to mix, add another ½ egg white and the remainder of sugar, followed by another ½ egg white

**The mixture should be soft whilst not being runny by this stage. If necessary, add another ½ egg white and mix thoroughly to gain the right consistency**

4. Pipe the mixture (about 1 ¼ - 1 ½ inches in diameter) on baking paper ensuring that the mixture is spread apart wide enough to prevent them from running into one while baking

5. Sprinkle with icing sugar and bake in an oven at 175°C for 20 minutes or until macarons are a rich golden brown colour.

Pro tip: Once the macarons have cooled, turn the paper over with the macarons and moisten the paper with water and turn it over again. Wait till the macarons can be removed without any difficulty.

We're live! Welcome to our brand new website.

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make We're Live! Welcome To Our Brand New Website

Welcome to our brand new website! We have worked extremely hard over the last year or so with just one goal guiding us: to provide you, the customer, with the best user experience possible. At HWD, we believe that there is no reason buying commercial catering supplies and equipment should be any more difficult than buying a t-shirt from your favourite online fashion store! With that in mind, we threw out our old design and started from going back to the drawing board. We listened to your likes, dislikes and frustrations with the old website to come up with the best online shopping experience we could.

Since our last website, the way people use the internet has changed dramatically. Keeping this in mind we were able to collaborate with industry-leading partners and develop a truly revolutionary website that makes it easier than ever for you to browse and purchase our range. Here is a quick sneak peek on just some of the new features you can find in the new HWD Online Store:

Layered Navigation

Find what you’re looking for quicker than ever. If you are looking for something specific, simply click on the category to find filters and subcategories on the left to quickly guide you to what you’re looking for. You can narrow down to your product based on brands, price or several other options.

Easy to read product pages

Product pages now come with hi-res images and prices showing exactly how much you can save. The description and specification boxes contain detailed information on the product you are looking at. You can also download rich and detailed information as a PDF file by clicking on download product information.

My Account

Keep track of all of your purchases and earn loyalty rewards by signing up to HWD Online. You will also be able to enjoy faster checkout and have access to exclusive member-only deals!

Product Reviews

Loved a product you just bought? Tell everyone about it by leaving a product review! View reviews by other users to help you make your purchase decision easier. The review section provides an interactive space for you to ask and answer questions.

2-step checkout

When you find what you’re looking for, simply add the product to the cart. The cart on the top bar will get updated and you can checkout from there. At the checkout page you will be able to enter your postcode and obtain a delivery estimate as well. Be sure to include any specific requests such as tailgate lifter at the delivery point to ensure your purchases are delivered safe and sound! The promo code field allows you to take advantage of any promotions and discounts that may be running at the time. Your discount will be automatically applied upon entering a valid coupon code.

Blog

Our blog features articles, industry news, interviews, recipes and much, much more. Find a wealth of resources to help you run your kitchen better. Be it product previews, buying guides or maintenance tips and tricks, the blog will be continually updated with useful information that is guaranteed to be helpful. We highly recommend you subscribe to the blog and keep checking back regularly.

Will The New Tax Write-Off Schemes Help You?

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make Will The New Tax Write-Off Schemes Help You?

As part of the 2015-2016 Federal Budget, a much talked about initiative was announced that allows small businesses to immediately write-off assets in the first year itself rather than depreciating it over a number of years. This was certainly the big talking point and there have been several commentaries on it, all generally positive.

So the question that remains to be asked is: Does this tax write-off benefit me in any way?

The first and biggest criterion to qualify for this tax write-off is the definition of small business. As per the scheme, a small business is defined as any business with an aggregate turnover of less than $2 million per year. According to the ATO, aggregated turnover is the sum of your annual turnover plus the annual turnovers of any other businesses that are connected or affiliates with you.

The second criterion is the amount that you can immediately write-off is limited to $20,000 per asset. If the amount of the asset you are writing off exceeds $20,000, then your depreciation rolls back to the standard rate of 15% of the asset value in the first year and 30% each subsequent year.

The lucrative part of this tax write-off scheme is two-fold: One, the $20,000 limit is per asset not for the combined value of all assets. Two, the write-off scheme is applicable to both new and second-hand assets. This gives you a lot more flexibility and options to maximize your tax benefits.

Let’s take an example,

Cathy, a local restaurant owner with an aggregate annual turnover of $1.5 million decides to upgrade/replace her old kitchen equipment to expand her establishment’s menu. She buys a new gas cooktop worth $2,500 and a used combi oven worth $19,300.

Under the previous threshold, since both pieces of equipment were purchased for greater than $1,000 each, they become ineligible for immediate tax write-off and must be depreciated over time. This means that in the first year of purchase, at a combined cost of $21,800, Cathy can only depreciate her assets by 15% or $3,270 in the first year. At a company tax rate of 30%, Cathy would only get back $981 in tax benefits for that year.

Under the new threshold, since both pieces of equipment cost less than $20,000 each, Cathy is able to take advantage of the immediate tax write-off for the combined cost of $21,800. With a reduced small business tax (effective from 1 July 2015) of 28.5%, Cathy can enjoy a tax benefit of $6,213 in her first year.

By immediately writing off her assets, Cathy has improved her cash flow benefit by $5,232 for the financial year.

These new changes to the legislation will be welcomed by most small business owners, especially ones in the hospitality, food and beverage industries where maintaining a healthy cash flow is critical to success. In one report by Smart Company, more than 75% of small business owners are already gearing up to take advantage of this new scheme. To get the best advice for you, I strongly advise that you talk to your tax consultant or accountant to ensure that you stand to benefit from these changes. For more information, the ATO has also set up a page containing useful information about these changes.

Choosing a Commercial Dishwasher

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make Choosing A Commercial Dishwasher

Having to wait for a clean dish while food goes cold is any kitchen’s nightmare. Fewer pieces of restaurant equipment are required to work harder than a commercial dishwasher, which is why it’s absolutely critical to choose the right one. If you’re in the market for a new commercial dishwasher, follow our handy guide to ensure you find your perfect fit.

Commercial Dishwasher Types

First you need to know which type of commercial dishwasher you require - this will be dependant on the nature of your business, the number of customers your serve and how fast you need your dishes sparkling.

Glass Washers

As their name suggests, glass washers are ideal for glassware, especially specialty glassware (like wine and martini glasses) that requires a little extra TLC during cleaning. Glasses are more fragile than regular dishes and require a washer that’s specially designed for their fragility.

Ideal for: Bar, Nightclubs, Restaurants with frequent bar service

Undercounter Dishwasher

Undercounter dishwashers are a popular choice for smaller kitchens that require a compact, space-saving unit. They’re affordable, easy to install and simple for staff to operate.

Ideal for: Bars, Cafes, Small restaurants

With that being said, if you’re running a large-scale restaurant that needs a lot of dishes cleaned quickly, an undercounter dishwasher has the potential to slow things down.

Pass-through Dishwasher

If you have the floorspace and need to cater for a high volume of customers, a pass-through dishwasher might be your dream machine. By completing multiple parts of the wash cycle at once, pass-through washers can deliver a powerful clean to huge quantities of dishes.

If you have a high demand for dishes, this type of dishwasher is well worth the extra cost.

Ideal for: Restaurants, Cafeterias, Hotels

Key Considerations

Now that you know what type of commercial washer you require, it’s time to take a look at the finer details.

Cost and energy consumption

Sticking to a budget is important. But even more important is choosing a dishwasher that meets your needs. Opting for a cheaper machine that can’t keep up with your demands at your busiest times is likely to end in disaster.

Also consider energy consumption, maintenance and servicing costs.

Size

Space budgeting is just as crucial as financial budgeting. A powerful new dishwasher is no use if it can’t fit in your kitchen! It should fit smoothly in your kitchen’s workflow and be easily accessible for staff.

Capacity and Speed

Never underestimate the demand for clean dishes. Don’t calculate your requirements based on your average daily output. Instead, choose your commercial dishwasher based on how many dishes you’ll need cleaned during peak demand times.

If in doubt, choose a machine that over-delivers.

Ease of Use

Finally, your commercial dishwasher must be simple for your staff to operate. It will be used every day, multiple times a day, so there must be no difficulty during loading and unloading. Consider extra features (like booster heaters or custom dish racks) that might be beneficial to operations.

If you’re in the market for a new commercial dishwasher, get in touch with HWD and we’ll help you choose your ideal machine.

Design your commercial kitchen for maximum efficiency

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make Design Your Commercial Kitchen For Maximum Efficiency

Few other aspects of designing your restaurant are as crucial as designing the kitchen for it. This is where your chef and operations team will bring your menu to life, impressing customers in the process and having them return for more. The commercial kitchen is also an expensive investment, since the equipment for it costs a small fortune. Bearing the implications in mind, how do you ensure you plan and design your commercial kitchen fit out to maximise productivity and efficiency, while containing costs? The key lies in extensive planning and expert consultation before you make any purchases, so you aren’t left with an incomplete commercial kitchen and unexpectedly large bill.

To start with, discuss your restaurant menu with your chef. While it may be hard to finalise a menu months before the restaurant is open, you should be able to determine what most of it will look like. Once you have most of your menu in place, your chef will be able to determine what equipment he will require to prepare the dishes. Using this approach ensures you aren’t purchasing equipment you won’t require, hence avoiding major unwanted expenses.

Armed with this information, you can now involve experienced designers to discuss ideal kitchen designs, making the best use of the space available and further enhancing its potential with a smart layout. Your chef and designer will have valuable input on layout, grouping equipment that have similar purposes or creating separate work zones out of the same space, allowing for greater functionality in the process. You also need to incorporate health and safety regulations in the planning stage so your kitchen is prepared to pass all inspections before it opens for business.

While the layout of your commercial kitchen will depend on the space available and other such unique factors, there are some common features that you must consider:

Utility

Everything in your commercial kitchen will have a specific use, based on which they can be grouped together. Organising your kitchen equipment as per their function will make it easier for your back of house team to find tools faster, since they belong to specific sections in your kitchen. Additionally, keep cooler appliances such as refrigerators and chillers away from equipment that functions at a higher temperature, to prevent unwanted energy consumption.

Energy consumption

Choose commercial equipment wisely, taking into account their individual energy consumption estimates. Very often, cheaper equipment consume more energy, making it a costly purchase in the long run. Instead, it’s advisable to opt for equipment that is energy efficient, even if they are relatively more expensive. Since this equipment is designed to last for a longer period, you will end up saving more money with a reduced energy bill in the long term.

Ventilation

Good ventilation in your kitchen isn’t something you can compromise on, since it impacts the health and efficiency of your staff. The regulations around ventilation is also something you need to bear in mind. A smoky kitchen is dangerous and also uncomfortable, and can also affect the taste of the food that is prepared in it, giving more reason to have adequate ventilation in place.

Working zones

Create separate working zones in your custom commercial kitchen for tasks such as frying, baking, cutting and cleaning. Doing this ensures your team is able to work efficiently in their respective zones, preventing chaos in the kitchen. It also lets your team be more efficient since they aren’t forced to go from one end of the kitchen to another for every little task.

Maintenance

Your restaurant fit out needs to last you a long time in order to prove cost-effective. Hence, the equipment you choose and the storage design and overall layout must be easy to maintain. Pay attention to the material that is used in designing the kitchen as well, choosing sturdier materials that are also durable and easy to clean.

Flexibility

Your restaurant menu isn’t set in stone. It’s likely you will want to refresh your menu every few months, based on seasonal trends and customer demand. Some of these dishes you decide to include may require a different set of equipment, hence your kitchen design must be flexible enough to adapt to changes in the future.

Hospitality World Direct is one of Australia’s largest food service equipment suppliers, with two large showrooms in Melbourne and a state of the art online store that showcases one of the widest range of products in Australia. Contact Hospitality World Direct for your commercial kitchen fit needs on 03 9543 1611 today.

Case Study: Sushi Hub

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make Case Study: Sushi Hub

We recently completed a kitchen fit out project with Sushi Hub, a quick service sushi brand with 50 stores in locations all across Australia. The restaurant specialises in classic and modern sushi types, and is popular among customers looking to grab a quick meal that is reasonably priced and doesn’t compromise on flavour.

As a major quick service sushi chain in Australia, Sushi Hub has been growing rapidly. HWD needed to provide a fast turnaround for every fitout that was completed. In most cases, we had just a few weeks to complete the whole project – from set out to completion. We had very little time on hand, making speed and precision extremely important, in addition to being able to adapt to different site conditions and environments.

HWD supplied and installed the FoH display cabinets that are used for food preparation and bulk storage. We also supplied stainless steel benching, used for ware washing, food preparation and storage, the cooking equipment, and ventilation solution. Our well-managed supply chain ensured we were able to provide a kitchen fitout solutions within the time constraints. Our existing set up of in-house manufacturing and an established set of external contractors allow us some much needed extra leverage that we can use to get the job done.

Spotlight this month: Vesbar Wine Lounge

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Make Spotlight This Month: Vesbar Wine Lounge

Vesbar Wine Lounge is a popular wine bar and pizzeria located in Somerville, specialising in a range of local beers and wine. We managed the venue’s renovation and extension at a price that was reasonable and appropriate, including a kitchen fit out using some specialised equipment. The client originally had a small bar, and had recently acquired the space next door, allowing him to expand the restaurant space. As a result, we liaised with the builder when working on the kitchen fit out to make efficient use of the extra space.

A key piece of equipment we installed was the Amalfi 3D6T, a stone based deck oven used to prepare pizzas. The pizza oven we fitted met the client’s needs and budget perfectly. The traditional wood fired oven lends authentic flavours to pizzas. The extremely high temperatures inside the oven allow for fast cooking while ensuring the pizzas have a crisp crust and perfectly melted cheese. The removable bricks and grates allow for easy cleaning and maintenance, so do the castors that the unit is placed on

Other equipment we set up included a free standing gas fryer, hot plate, cooktop, ware washing machinery, refrigeration and a range of stainless steel benching. The client was also keen to have small pizza prep fridge. Since we didn’t have one in stock at the time, we worked with our custom stainless steel department to convert a noodle bar into a prep fridge.