There has been one noticeable trend in the hospitality industry over the past year and it has nothing to do with food, nor is it specific to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.
Staff shortages.
COVID-19 lockdowns and trading restrictions were damaging enough for the industry, but opening up while the pandemic is still active (and isolation requirements in force) has caused further headaches for business owners. Supply shortages and price increases haven't helped either.
"Staff shortages across the broad hospitality sector continue to be a major issue in the Hunter - service staff, kitchen staff and especially chefs," Hunter Culinary Association chair Gus Maher says.
"It is an impediment to restaurants, cafes and hotels opening the amount of hours they would like to.
"The appeal from venues for customers to be understanding about the overall shortage, and perhaps also the occasionally reduced skills of workers, has been heard and heeded by most."
Most, but not all. Executive chef of Nautica Dining at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Luke Carpenter, last week made an impassioned plea on social media for people to talk to business owners or managers before posting negative dining reviews.
A customer had complained online about a reduced Sunday lunch menu at Nautica Dining and Carpenter thought some context would be helpful: two chefs off sick and a third chef driven to hospital by a fourth chef after slicing off the end of his thumb.
"A call was made to serve a reduced menu to walk-in customers so they could at least get fed," he wrote.
"I have been in the industry for 26 years as a chef and have never faced a staffing crisis of what we are going through now.
"If you asked any establishment in the country there would be very few who could honestly say they had enough chefs to meet the demands of their business. I try as a senior chef to mentor and train junior chefs in my kitchen to give back to the industry the training I received overseas. To try and ease this burden. To try to inspire future chefs to take up the trade that I have loved for so long.
"As a customer I beg that you voice your opinion directly to the staff at the time rather than over social media. That gives us the chance to rectify or try to resolve an issue that may have occurred. Business in hospitality is hard at the moment. Cost of products are astronomical and availability of some are minimal at best. Unfortunately it will get worse before it gets better.
"This is not an excuse for what happened but an explanation that you as the customer may or will not be aware of."
Carpenter stands by his words, and they are shared by those doing a staff head count daily to determine if they can open or not.
Maher remains positive the situation will improve, and says "the return of overseas university students to our community will help ease the shortage".
"The other thing in our favour is the continued desire of people to move from larger cities," he says.
"Newcastle is gaining a reputation as a food mecca and that, along with the Hunter's general lifestyle, puts us in a good position to attract staff."
What we're eating
We're still ordering in, thanks to an abundance of online food delivery services, but we're enjoying making up for lost time and eating out, too.
"From what I hear people are expecting more when they do go out," Leonie Young, director of The Essential Ingredient Newcastle says.
"Asian-inspired food is still very much the trend - particularly Korean and Japanese. I am also seeing more people interested in eating less meat but eating higher welfare proteins."
Native Australian ingredients are almost a staple at quality restaurants these days, used in food and in cocktails, and it is starting to catch on among home cooks. Just ask Redhead business Oz Tukka, who use Australian bush flavours in their award-winning gourmet products and, due to increased interest, are now sharing their knowledge in "Introduction to Bushfood" education sessions at schools, businesses and special events.
People are still interested in the provenance of the food they're eating, and keen to help out smaller, preferably local producers where and when they can, however cost of living increases aren't going away. Price tags matter to most of us.
Sustainability and reducing food wastage is more important than ever.
On the map
Newcastle has been under construction in recent years and it's only now that people are returning to the city to live, to work, to dine, to drink. To enjoy a holiday.
QT Hotels & Resorts and the Crystalbrook Collection both opened hotels and restaurants in Newcastle in the past year and, in doing so, opened people's eyes to what the city has to offer.
Newcastle Food Month is also helping to put the city on the map, highlighting its many and varied dining options and showcasing its aesthetic appeal through its signature event, Le Diner en Blanc.
Fresh faces
Another positive? New restaurants, cafes, breweries, bars. And lots of them.
One of these is ÂPÉ Yakatori Bar at Honeysuckle, courtesy of the team who gave us Nagisa Japanese Restaurant and Susuru Ramen & Gyoza.
"We're six weeks in and all is well," owner and managing director Taiyo Namba tells Weekender.
"The feedback from customers has been great, and most understand the concept and love the experience.
"We have made 'lunch boxes' to accommodate our lunch crowd better, and based on feedback we are creating a 'Feed Me Omakase' option for dinner which we will be announcing in the coming weeks.
"It will be a set degustation broken into about 13 dishes/skewers to take customers through a sensory experience. Working with fire has been a huge learning curve, and head chef Nic has been experimenting and teaching our staff as he learns more techniques himself.
"The weather has been very harsh on our Hunter producers, but we are working with them to nurture a great relationship between restaurant and farmer.
"Staff shortage is a real thing. We are looking to open more days by October, if we can find more chefs that want to work with fire."
There are too many new venues to list, but here is a taste.
Chef Sunny Chae opened contemporary Korean-Australian restaurant CorEat Newcastle in July at the former home of Restaurant Mason in Newcastle's East End.
Oh My Papa Asian bar and restaurant opened in the city's east and has proven so popular the dining area has been extended into a vacant space next door. It officially opens on September 1 and it will double the seating capacity.
Chef Tony Harrison opened Harrison's Food and Wine on Tudor Street in Hamilton, and chef Thomas Boyd opened Jimmy Joans in Lovedale with restaurant manager wife Eliza and hoteliers Kim and Mick Starkey.
Urban Deli & Bar opened on Darby Street in July. Newcastle's King Street Deli closed and was replaced by Arno Deli under chef Will O'Brien, and the team behind Napoli Centrale and Popolo Gelateria branched out to Wickham with Italy's Pantry (although their other recent venture, Piazza Mercato, has now closed).
La Tia Veneno moved their food truck to a permanent location in Islington in July and their Peruvian street food menu is kicking goals with customers. Ceviche is now being offered on Saturdays, 11.30am to 2.30pm.
Bao Brothers Eatery is going from strength to strength, with restaurants in Charlestown, Kotara, Terrigal and Chippendale, and Light Years Asian Diner has been drawing a crowd on Darby Street.
Out in the Hunter Valley, Mount Pleasant Wines has opened an impressive new cellar door with a top-shelf food offering, Sebastian opened at Spicers Tower Lodge, Mockingbird branched out to Tatler Wines, and Kawal Rock Distillery launched in April in the Broke Fordwich corner of the Valley.
Bar Mellow at the heritage Bank Corner building in Newcastle's CBD is another newcomer, as is Meantime on Beaumont, Modus Merewether and Method Brewing.
Another is Yard Brewing Co at Morisset, which has been trading for three months.
"Knowing hospitality has been one of the hardest-hit sectors during the pandemic, we were bracing for serious challenges in trying to recruit a team in the lead up to our opening day," Kate Alderding says.
"As it turns out, our worry was for good reason. While we feel incredibly lucky to have found some hospo superstars to join our ranks, we've had to acknowledge that recruiting and getting our staffing level right will be an ongoing challenge.
"Our challenge is ensuring we have a back-up plan if a number of staff need to be home to care for their loved ones. Otherwise, business is going great. We've been overwhelmed with support from the local community and welcomed a lot of visitors from Newcastle, the Central Coast and even Sydney.
"On the brewing front, we launched with six beers two months ago, and by this weekend we'll be serving 12 on tap including a collaboration with another local business, Glee Coffee. Our big and bold coffee-infused stout is launching this weekend.
"It's been a wild ride but we're thrilled with what a special place The Yard has already become. We're now planning for the busy summer months and working on some strategies to provide an even better service for our customers."
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