Enhancing seasonal cooking or looking to increase the light meals range available beside the pool - hoteliers and restaurateurs are rediscovering and re-inventing the simple BBQ. Defeating the image that a BBQ is only suitable in some climates, they are appearing in various locations. Regardless of whether the weather is warm, hot mild or prone to showers, (for many the hot season is too hot for open top outdoor cooking) shaded, protected covered topped areas with casual dinning seating places are increasing in popularity.
Clay ovens for pizza, open fires, heated stone ranges and various other cooking mediums are already in use in many cooking cultures. The image of a BBQ being a primitive means of cooking- place a piece of meat is placed on a wire rack over a naked flame and turned it in hope that it will cook on the inside as well as burn to charcoal on the outside, - has gone.
BBQ chefs around the world are tapping into international styles and inspirational flavours to diversify. Guests are enticed and are feeding back satisfaction in response to this ‘something new'. Contrary to traditional belief it is possible to use a full variety of ingredients in BBQ cuisine; vegetables, fruit, fish and meats can be enhanced with rubs, marinades, dressings and sauces to make breakfasts, lunch, dinner and desserts. Worldwide house style menus are noted to reflect Hawaiian, Outback and Ranch influences.
BBQ's are built to suit the establishment has meant a demand for a greater range and availability in BBQ equipment itself. The range of BBQ equipment present in Australia, where the BBQ is considered the national cuisine, has many forms. There is everything from solid tops to gas and electric with racks, selves, holding bays, spits to roast whole chickens, webers, covers and different sizes. Some establishments prefer small individual BBQ's to place at guests tables where they can cook them selves, other establishments choose equipment large enough to feed a banquet.
A part from equipment, menu style, set up and skill of the chef, hygiene is at the forefront in concern. Awareness of dubious past cooking patterns means awareness of cross contamination between the raw and cooked meats. BBQ outlets are becoming more hygiene savvy. The storage, preparation, cooking and holding of meat and fish are tracked and monitored. The life of a given BBQ steak is followed and analysed to ensure the safety of the end consumer. Whilst ideally meals are cooked to order, to assist with the pool side rush, there is a need for some preparation and pre-cooking and this is when the final analysis takes place.
Does the BBQ deliver taste, texture, variety and timely meals?
SpotLight is the weekly column exclusively written for 4Hoteliers.com by Sarah Muxlow, it is highlighting the challenges and issues which the global hospitality is facing today.
Sarah is writing for hotel and restaurant owners, hotel chain managers, producers/growers/sellers of food & beverage, restaurant associations, governing bodies and hotel schools. She is looking at the problems they face...competition, trends of branding, staff shortages, unskilled staff, turning out students who are looking for good in-house management training schemes with hotel chains, what makes a good quality training course at a hotel school and more...
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