WRN WINTER 2015 (WEB)

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Choosing the right oil is important for any restaurateur. Developed in Saskatoon by Dow AgroSciences, Omega-9 canola oil is a next-generation oil for the foodservice and foodprocessing industries. “We are a plant seed company,” says David Dzisiak, commercial leader for grains and oils at Dow AgroSciences, which developed a new type of canola plant to replace trans fat-laden hydrogenated oils. “Vegetable oil is really just a mixture of different fatty acids and when you change the ratio of fatty acids, you get different functionality and that is really what they do with hydrogenation,” he explains. With Omega-9, because the fatty acids are changed with plant breeding, the result is a more stable oil without hydrogenation and, thus, without trans fat. “We can produce an oil that really meets all the key criteria for a restaurant,” says Dzisiak. Like other canola, the Omega-9 is favoured for its neutral taste. “First and foremost, food has to taste good,” says Dzisiak, adding that the clean light taste of Omega-9 canola lets flavours come though. Jones concurs. “Unlike olive oil, canola oil has a milder flavour which is desirable for recipes where a chef wants the taste of the ingredients to shine through,” says Jones. “When you compare canola oil to soybean - vegetable - oil, canola oil’s high smoke point allows for an increased fry life.” “Olive oil is a great oil, but it has a very distinctive taste and a low smoke point, and it is very expensive, so it has a good use as a boutique oil, but it really can’t work on a wide scale in the kitchen,” says Dzisiak. Omega 9 canola also scores high in the health ratings: zero trans fat, zero cholesterol, low saturated fat, and high monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. National Sunflower Association knows that sunflower oil is ideal for sauces, marinades and salad dressings. “These significant health benefits are transferred to the food offering a lighter, healthier product for the patrons,” says Jones. The high monounsaturated fats is something canola shares with olive oil - a key element in the Mediterranean diet “The Canola Council found, by having this oil in your diet, you can reduce the heart disease risk factors by about 14 per cent, help reduce bad cholesterol, promote the creation of good cholesterol, and help reduce blood pressure,” says Dzisiak. Another advantage of high-performance oils like Omega-9 canola: less polymerization, and less build-up, resulting in a cleaner fryer, says Jones. Then there’s the economic benefit. “The price per container may cost more, but the [Omega-9] oil will last a lot longer so you don’t change oil as often,” says Dzisiak. “What we have found through trial work, say, as compared to regular canola or soybean oil — commodity oils — we would probably have about twice the service life as those oils.” Sunflower oil is another winner when it comes to service life. “Sunflower oil also has a longer fry-life than many other oils, and therefore it does not have to be changed as frequently,” says Sandbakken. You can extend the service life even more. Jason Sawitsky is president of System Filtration Canada, the nationwide distributor for the German-made Vito Filtration System, which micro-filters oil - while it is still hot. Sawitsky explains that other filtering systems are more focused on cleaning the fryers by removing larger particles … “really not doing a whole lot for the oil itself or the quality of the oil or the quality of the product coming out of the fryer.” A bigger worry than the large particles that drop to the bottom of the fryer are the small suspended particles, which damage the viscosity of oil, causing it to smoke and foam and affecting product quality. “You don’t have that flash fry — that crispiness — and the product starts absorbing more of the oil,” says Sawitsky. “[Vito] is the only system in the world System Filtration Canada distributes the Vito Filtration System, which micro-filters oil while it is still hot. that goes directly into the hot oil,” he says. “It is a quick sixminute cycle that micro-filters all the suspended sediment — the actual carbon — out of the oil and the operator is able to produce a better quality product because they are working with day onequality oil at all times.” And it can extends service life as much as 40 to 50 per cent. Oil quality in fryers is likely to become an important issue soon — specifically those suspended carbon particles. “One of the things that is not on [the public] radar, but will happen eventually, is what is actually in the deep fryer oil,” says Sawitysky. In Europe, as well as parts of the Middle East and Asia, testing carbon levels in fryer oil is part of health inspections. “There is a very straight line between carbon and carcinogenic, which is cancerous,” says Sawitsky. “Canada and the U.S. are two jurisdictions that have not been touched yet, but it is just a matter of time.” All of which makes this the right time to get smart about oils used in your establishments. <strong>WRN</strong> 26 wrn DOES YOUR CANOLA OIL MEASURE UP WE NEVER COMPROMISE. Are you sure the Canola oil you’re using is only Canola oil You would be if it was Bunge Certified 100% Canola Oil. When you buy Bunge packaged Canola products, you get what you pay for, Certified 100% Canola Oil. It’s our PROMISE! OILS For more information please contact Bunge at 1-800-361-3043 C A N O CERTIFIED 100% L A O I L From our farmers, our communities to you!
FOODS OF THE WORLD WORDS: Frank Yeo With the rate of new Thai, Asian Fusion, Sushi or Chinese restaurants opening, one doesn’t have to look far to see the growing influence of Asian foods in Western Canada. “The Asian population in Western Canada has always been very strong, and growing,” states Marion Chan, principal for TrendSpotter Consulting. Between South Asians, Chinese, and Phillippinos, they capture nearly 60 per cent of the visible minority group. Currently, visible minorities represent about 20 per cent of Canada’s population, and is expected to grow to 30 per cent by 2031.” CIBC World Markets Inc. Equity Analyst Perry Caicco recently said “the rising power of Asian and South Asian consumers” will dictate food and general merchandise retail over the next 10 years. He added that approximately 70 per cent of all growth in Canadian consumer spending will come from these groups. This represents a huge opportunity for restaurateurs to expand ethnic offerings. A recent Technomic study — Canadian Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report — found only a quarter of consumers polled say they are satisfied with the availability of ethnic offerings at limited-service (22 per cent) and full-service (24 per cent) chains. The Technomic study found that eight out of 10 consumers aged 18-44 (79 per cent) order ethnic foods away from home at least once a month, compared with just 60 per cent of consumers aged 45 and older; data indicates that operators do not necessarily have to menu ethnic items to appeal to consumers looking for ethnic options; nearly two of out five consumers (36 per cent), and 43 per cent of consumers aged 18-34, agree that they enjoy dishes that integrate ethnic flavours and ingredients into traditional cuisines and items; two-fifths of respondents (42 per cent) indicate that they prefer ethnic foods and flavours that are completely authentic; and three-quarters of consumers (75 per cent) eat ethnic fare instead of traditional foods because they are looking for something different, and twothirds (67 per cent) say they do so to discover new flavours. “The Canadian consumer has been exposed to a wide range of ethnic foods and in the recent decades South Asian and Chinese food have permeated even the smallest towns in Canada,” Chan explains. “Millennials in particular want a wider variety of ethnic foods because they have grown up with a more multicultural way of eating, which is particularly true in the larger cities, but now also true in the smaller towns,” she states. “While it may still be considered exotic and different, it is an area the average Canadian is willing to venture. Foods that are authentic but are still within the reach of the average Canadian will make the greatest inroads”. Sourcing authentic ingredients has become a lot easier for restaurateurs thanks to a vastly improved supply chain. Frobisher International, a Vancouver-based importer and distributor of seafood products, has specifically targeted the market for Asian foods with its newest line of Ocean Mama products, created specifically to provide Caucasian consumers with authentic Asian seafood dishes: frozen, value-added breaded and battered seafood products, along with a variety of fish fillets, shrimp and squid. They import a range of ethnic items that appeal to Asian, Philippine, Mediterranean, South East Asian, tastes, such as seaweed salad, frog legs, eel, head-on Ebi and Nobashi shrimp, and a wide selection of whole fish. Also new to the market is their Sriracha Tempura Shrimp, a specialty item that appeals to a cross-section of customers. Mark Hendrickson, director of business development, says their products are semi-prepared by hand, vacuum packed and portion controlled which takes a lot of the work out of preparing Asian meals. “The response has been phenomenal among both Asian and non-Asian chefs.” Their new Sriracha Tempura Shrimp, he says, can be baked or deep-fried for the same authentic results, making it particularly appealing. “It is much easier today for the non-Asian chef to add Asian items to the menu. The expansion of Asian menu items at traditional restaurants is something we have not seen in the market before.” If the Technomic study cited above is anything to go by, this trend will no doubt continue as does Canadian’s love <strong>WRN</strong> affair with Asian cuisine. wrn 29
Page 1 and 2: (left to right) Kevin Banno, direct
Page 3 and 4: EDITORIAL FRONT WESTERN RESTAURANT
Page 5 and 6: THE news Culinary Forecast Predicts
Page 7 and 8: Hapa Izakaya has seven locations in
Page 9 and 10: The next generation Courtesy of Shu
Page 11 and 12: SAUCES & CONDIMENTS WORDS: Anne-Mar
Page 13: over to The Smith, operated by Spar
Page 17 and 18: Super Green Dosa Restaurant in San
Page 19 and 20: Brokers & Distributors Guide 2015 C
Page 21 and 22: SEAFOOD Courtesy of Shutterstock WO
Page 23 and 24: CHEF OF THE WEST When Chef Scott Ba

WRN WINTER 2015 (WEB)

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