Mariko Watanabe admits she could have chosen a better time to take up baking. This week, when the Tokyo housewife visited her local Ito-Yokado supermarket to buy butter to make a cake, she found the shelves bare. "I went to another supermarket, and then another, and there was no butter at those either. Everywhere I went there were notices saying Japan has run out of butter. I couldn't believe it - this is the first time in my life I've wanted to try baking cakes and I can't get any butter," said the frustrated cook. Japan's acute butter shortage, which has confounded bakeries, restaurants and now families across the country, is the latest unforeseen result of the global agricultural commodities crisis. A sharp increase in the cost of imported cattle feed and a decline in milk imports, both of which are typically provided in large part by Australia, have prevented dairy farmers from keeping pace with demand. While soaring food prices have triggered rioting among the starving millions of the third world, in wealthy Japan they have forced a pampered population to contemplate the shocking possibility of a long-term—perhaps permanent—reduction in the quality and quantity of its food. The Age, April 21.
Turned away as Tassie booms Overflow of tourists
Accommodation s booked out and tourism operators are turning visitors away because of a tourism boom recorded across the state. The traditional peak tourism season from October to February has overflowed into March and April with leading tourism bodies identifying bumper numbers. ``We've experienced an incredible year to date, it's fair to say that the state [tourism industry] is really growing across the board,'' said Federal Hotels corporate affairs manager Brendan Blomeley. ``In the nine months of the 2007-08 financial year, Freycinet Lodge, Henry Jones Art Hotel and Wrest Point and Country Club casinos have all exceeded occupancy of 80 per cent and anecdotally that has continued through to now,'' he said. Mr Blomeley has heard of people being turned away because accommodation was booked out but said it was a positive sign. Hobart Mercury, April 21.
Call for cap on fast food
A poker machine-style cap should be placed on fast food outlets to address the obesity epidemic, a leading professor says. Restaurants serving fat-loaded food are making unhealthy neighbourhoods, particularly in poorer areas, Victorian Professor Boyd Swinburn, director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre on Obesity Prevention, says. Prof Swinburn wants local governments to limit development on social grounds through their planning powers. ``Poorer neighbourhoods seem to be overrun by fast food outlets and local councils should be able to limit the density,'' Prof Swinburn said. ``Local councils need to be able to have a greater say on their environment planning if it is going to help kids' health.'' Sunday Herald Sun, April 20.
Rats don't deter diners
A Chinese restaurant in Sydney's west accused of having rotten meat and food prepared in a rat- and cockroach-infested kitchen is still serving customers. Best 1 Barbecue, at Burwood, was slapped with eight health defect notices by the NSW Food Authority seven weeks ago, in addition to infringement notices issued by Burwood Council. Horrors allegedly seen by inspectors included meat not in a cool room, filthy walls and a ``build-up of grease and oil, cockroach bodies, rodent and cockroach excreta''. All but one defect had since been ``rectified''. A spokesman said the authority had been forced to intervene after restaurant staff threw meat at a council inspector. The inspector had been investigating a complaint that customers were being served spoiled food, prepared with dirty water. Laws allowing the authority to name restaurants flouting food laws take effect later this year, but will not extend to councils. The Burwood restaurant was identified by a local newspaper after the paper urged residents to forward complaints about the eatery to Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald. Sunday Telegraph, April 20.
Beyond the $40 course: rising costs set to bite diners
Restaurateur Matteo Pignatelli has taken tomatoes and asparagus off the menu this month. They have just become too expensive. Mr Pignatelli, the owner of Matteo's Restaurant in North Fitzroy, has felt the full impact of soaring food prices, which have risen well above inflation over the past five years - not only for milk, butter and flour, but also for vegetables and meat. And according to food industry experts, prices are set to rise further in 2008. As a consequence, Mr Pignatelli has regularly had to change the menu, which ranges from $35 to $40 for a main meal, in order to take off foods that soar in price. The menu is now one page, making it easier to reprint and change. "This has been the sharpest increase (in food) in the shortest span of time. Almost overnight it's gone up 20%," he said. The drought, water shortages, high grain prices and booming overseas demand for some Australian produce is putting pressure on food prices. And although the focus of the food issue in Melbourne has been on the rising price of groceries on supermarket shelves, menu prices in the city are also slowly creeping up. Todd Blake, the chief executive officer of Restaurant & Catering Victoria, said restaurant owners believed price rises were essential if they were to break even, as they grappled not only with the rising cost of food, but also with increased costs of labour and rent. The Age, April 19.
Less for your dough
The days of big slices coming off pizza prices are gone as fast-food chains absorb rising input costs. But the pizza companies have other ways to hit your wallet and waistline this year. Australian fast-food chains including Domino's Pizza and Eagle Boys are promoting quality, menu variety and value-for-money offerings to tempt customers as family budgets tighten. They are being held back from savage pizza price discounting wars because they are negotiating a massive rise in prices of key ingredients including wheat—its price has more than doubled in a year and cheese and meat for toppings. Food industry experts say that because Australia's economy needs to slow to avert inflationary pressures, this probably will mean slowing growth for the fast-food chains. But they should weather the storm in reasonable shape because consumers might opt for fast food instead of trips to more expensive restaurants. The Courier Mail, April 19.
Tourists chow down native tucker at top restaurants
Top restaurants such as Il Centro in Brisbane's CBD are selling plenty of roo—but mainly to tourists. “A table of 14 Japanese turned up the other night and 12 ordered it,'' owner Andy Georges said. ``We sell 65 to 70 plates a week to Americans, Italian, French and German tourists. They want to try something different.'' Chef Romain Bapst, pictured, offers char-grilled marinated kangaroo striploin with roasted potatoes, mushroom ragout, plum salsa and vincotto jus for $31.50. The Courier Mail, April 19.
It really clicks
If you don't book online, you don't make it on to one of the 12 counter seats at this exclusive New York restaurant. When one of the hottest chefs in New York City opened his newest creation, Momofuku Ko, the rich, powerful and influential immediately set about trying to get a reservation the easy way. They appealed to the chef. So far, they've had little luck. Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, asked David Chang for the hook-up. Sorry, he told her. A former top Microsoft executive asked, too. Same answer: Nope. Chang even shot down a top New York chef. Can't do it, he said. ``I've said no to a lot of people. We are making no exceptions. If my parents want to eat here, they have to make a reservation too. It's really quite simple. If we do it for one person, we'd have to do it for everybody,'' Chang says.Chang has caused a stir in New York, instituting an online reservation system for tiny Ko's 12 counter seats at the restaurant in Manhattan's lower East Village. It's meant to level the playing field in a city in which money and prestige usually ensure access. Herald Sun, April 19.
Pokie profits down 35pc
Poker machine takings have plunged by up to 35 per cent in some hotels as smoking bans continue to slow growth in gambling revenue. Office of the Liquor and Gambling Commission figures show poker machine revenue dropped by more than 10 per cent, from $190.61 million in the January quarter of 2006/07 to $171.16 million during the March quarter. The ban on smoking inside pubs, clubs and the Adelaide Casino was introduced in November. Before the ban, poker-machine revenue had been increasing steadily and even a cut of 2200 machines failed to curb the rise. Australian Hotels Association SA general manager Ian Horne said hotels had been hit hard by the bans with some venues, especially in rural areas, losing up to 35 per cent in gaming revenue. ``Although most members agree we have an improved product, there is no doubt a ban on smoking in enclosed areas has had a significant negative impact,'' he said. The Advertiser, April 19.
Focus now is iconic hotels
Greg Farrell is passionate about the future of tourism in Tasmania. It's why his company, Federal Hotels, has invested $80 million in its Tasmanian tourism business and Pure Tasmania brand over the past five years. It's also why Federal Hotels bought the award-winning Henry Jones Art Hotel on Hobart's waterfront in December, and is about to begin construction of its new $32 million, $3000-a-night retreat for the super-rich on the Freycinet peninsula near Coles Bay. Also in the pipeline is a $30 million ``sympathetic'' tourist development above the Port Arthur historic convict site on the Tasman Peninsula, which Mr Farrell predicts will start in late 2010. Add these to the list of prestigious resorts already owned by Federal Hotels, including Cradle Mountain Chateau, Strahan Village, Freycinet Lodge at Coles Bay, Hobart's Wrest Point Casino and the Launceston Country Club and it's easy to see why the company is the dominant operator in up-market tourism in Tasmania today. Hobart Mercury, April 19.
Rates for hotel rooms likely to keep climbing
A lack of new hotel development across the country will continue to drive up hotel room rates in the short to medium term, according to a report from CB Richard Ellis Hotels. CBRE Hotels business and marketing analyst, Nathan Wiltshire, said the supply of new hotel rooms had failed to keep pace with demand in most of the capital city markets, leading to occupancy and room rate growth and a generally buoyant Australian hotel sector in 2007. "The relative lack of suitable land with often unfavourable zoning conditions, high construction costs, high interest rates and associated credit issues all create high barriers for prospective developers and investors looking to enter the sector," he said. "Meanwhile, other forms of development compete for the attention of potential developers and investors as the commercial, office and residential real estate sectors have provided greater returns on investment and faster returns." However, changes are afoot in some markets as developers look at new strategies to provide additional hotel stock.
Colliers International's national director, hotels and leisure, Michael Thomson, said while the global credit crunch, increasing strength of the Australian dollar and rising local interest rates may have some effect on tourist numbers, there was unlikely to be any change in the short term.Sydney Morning Herald, April 19.