Kuzina is a new training restaurant along identical lines to Drysdale - a training restaurant for apprentices and trainees in the hospitality industry - occupying the site which was previously Casablanca in Elizabeth Street. The difference between Drysdale and Kuzina is that Kuzina is a privately run training establishment, whereas Drysdale (another hospitality training establishment) is part of TAFE and thus is government funded.
"Rita - go to Kuzina soon. I think once the cats out of the bag about how good it is, you'll have to book weeks in advance. we went wil Mr Nellie's parents last night and had (this is a big call) one of the best meals we have had in Hobart. Mr Bok had the best entree I have seen, Mr Nellie's mum had a lemon souffle that was a triumph. Not a foam in sight, not too much tizz in the descriptions, but some interesting stuff. In all, dinner for four (entree, main but only two desserts) with two bottles of white and a glass of red - just over $200. Sensational value."
"Anyone else have a problem with Kuzina charging money for their food and service,? given that the restaurant is staffed by trainees and apprentices who ay to be educated there? i won't comment on the quality of the food as i have not yet dined there but i am a little concerned that they do not seem bothered about charging the public for a product that is produced by young people who in some cases pay for their own training out of their already under-funded training wages."
"I am sure the trainees and apprentices require a qualified competent supervisor (master) who would appreciate being paid for the service of educating them appropriately. I am sure also that the product used to produce such fabulous fare also costs something and isnt provided for free. IndustryLink and Kuzina are a business, not a community service."
The above Anon's pose interesting questions, and demonstrate varying points of view. My question to you today - what are your thoughts on the above comments?
As I haven't eaten there yet, I can offer no opinion about the food or service. Kitty tells me that diners are asked to fill out an evaluation form at the end of the meal in order to provide customer feedback.
Sounds like a pretty good plan to me!
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25 comments:
i dont see anything wrong with a training place training and charging. like anon said they need to pay wages and ingredients.
Rita
Drysdale is run like a private training establishment = it charges for its' services.
It has suffered a downturn in enrollments this year and has had to scale back some of its areas of operation (they will not acknowledge it publicly).
Maybe the question to ask is "why we are seeing several other training organisations doing well in a tough training climate - maybe the new players are offering better or more relevant training ????.
The competition can only be health for the industry.
Cool Room
If Food Kitty said she got sensational value at Kuzina (and she is no mug when it comes to tucker) then I think they should be charging more.
Cheers
Curly
G'day Rita-This post has the potential to be a biggie with responses!
A couple of questions.
1. Who runs Kuzina? Are they ex or dissaffected TAFE personell?
2.Is their core business a training facilty for hosp staff?
3. Do they receive any Gov funding or tax breaks to operate?
4. Is the food they serve on the menu because it will show traineees a wide range of cookery skills or to make money?
5. What is the ratio of trainees to instructors?
6. After costs, who pockets the moula?
Obviously I dont expect you to find these out but by I am interested if anyone else knows.
Can one conclude that Kuzinna has appeared on the scene because there might be some dissatisfaction with the package ofered at Drysdale?
I thinks Steps have a similar training facility in a former Italian restaurant in Liverpool st?
I'm with you ALL about Drysdale. I'm currently toying with the idea of taking a leave of absence to go to do some bakery and patisserie training. Drysdale aren't running them. Looks like I'd have to run to the mainland. How messed up is that?
Amy
Amy
ask around the 'good' local bakeries - you will have little trouble doing some on the job training - they are crying out for passionate people.
Ultimately you will learn more and quicker on the job and it can be put towards a formal qualification if you like.
Cool Room
Now that's an idea worth considering.
Thanks for the food for thought Cool Room (no pun intended...)
Amy
i too am a little miffed with the idea of a restaurant charge on the experience at Kuzina. i employ a couple of young blokes one of witch is undertaking his training at Kuzina. i of course payed for his training from the grant that the government hands out to cover such things. i would at this point like to highly commend Industry-Link on the service they provide with training. in comparison to TAFE it is fantastic we have a lot of contact with the trainer who works directly with our apprentice and he is very good. aside from that my problem lies with the restaurant its self profiting from some of the food that i have handed over for my young bloke to practice on, in effect they are getting money twice for the same product! Rita you are probably more educated on this (as it is your industry) but i'm sure there is some hefty government hand-outs for a new RTO in the midst of a national skills shortage, i expect is meant to cover the remaining costs of rent, wages ect. in to rebut another comment Drsdale adds only a very small charge to the food and drink they offer it comes no way close to the average cost of a regular restaurant. (get in there on friday afternoon for a good CHEEP cocktail)
Very interesting responses to this one. Thanks all.
Gobbler - I'll try and find out some answers to your questions, and get back to you. 1.From my info so far, the person behind IndustryLink is one of the two guys who previously had Athenas (the restaurant that occupied the site Marque IV now does). I know that before he started Athenas, he was in the RTO world on the mainland, so it seems like a natural follow on from Athenas, if you liked living here in Hobart.
2.I believe their core business is indeed hospitality training.
3.Don't know about Govt funding or tax breaks.
4.Menu items are probably selected to cover both your suggested contingencies.
5.Don't know about trainer/trainee ratio - Food Kitty - can you tell us?
6.Presumably, after costs have been paid, the owner keeps any profits, but that's just a guess.
Don't know what prompted him to open in competition to Drysdale - that's something industry employers could tell us.
And finally, yes, STEPS do have their own restaurant training facility in Liverpool St, the difference between that and the other two (Drysdale & Kuzina) being that they don't open to the public.
Thanks Cool Room and Amy for your comments.
Anon 12.47 - if your true identity is who I suspect, I know of your past issues with RTO's, so am really interested in the fact that you currently have an apprentice with IndustryLink, and would like to chat with you about it, if that's OK - some time next week? I'll call you, or you call or email me.
check out www.industrylinkaus.com for more information on the RTO (private) behind Kuzina. Given the chat on this blog with regard to the need/desire/lack of people with passion for a career in hospitality, I think we should be embracing an initiative like Kuzina and thank Nicholas Platton for his commitment to the hospitality industry in Tasmania.
I think it is really sad that we find a need to complain about something that is driven by the desire to do something positive for our State. Yes, it is a business and therefore has to make money, but we are all going to be better off for it.
LT
Amy - Pane Cucina have been advertising for a pastry chef/bakery apprentice with www.tasmanianjobs.com
i am a restaurant owner who works around 100 hours a week and i do nor drive a nice new Audi like Nick that's all i'm saying.
I am a restaurant owner and their is no way in a blue fit I would drive an Audi new or old.
The reality is even if Kuzina receives an unfair advantage - wage support - it still has to produce good quality food on a daily basis. I think it is time to call off the hounds and reflect on how this enterprise could potentially change the way staff are trained - maybe its silly of me to think this but it could just work because its driven by people who want to make a difference. Not by Drysdale ivory tower dwellers who are resting on their comfortable salaries.
It harks back to the old days of industry training.
I for one will wait and see - if it work ...Great if not then another person has done their dough.
Cool Room
Doesnt sound like Nicks done his dough if hes driving a nice new audi.
come on anon ... grow up and talk to your accountant - lease vehicles are a legitimate biz expense and therefore tax deductible - If you own a business then you use all the possible legal ways to reduce your taxable income. Everyone does it! Not always with cars.
If your not then get smarter and stop moaning about it.
If the venture fails I guess the person whom brought the building/lease will have done there dough.
But lets give it a go.
Cool Room
Hi Rita,
Really interesting to read the comments made by various people. I have to say that I dined at Kuzina last Fri night as it came very highly reccomneded by frineds that were there the previous week and I was intrgued to find out what it was all about. First of all I need to mention that the food was exceptional, probably one of the best meals I've had in Hobart. The flavours were fresh, the presentation was impressive and the apprentice delivered the food to my table (apparently when you order the apprentice dish, they deliver it and explain it to you). I couldn't fault the service or the food. The interior was something out of a magazine. It's obvious that money has been spent in making this modern training establishment new and exciting for students to work out of and for guests to dine.
I can't see anything wrong with a restaurant that believes so much in training and does it so well, charging for the service and the products it delivers.
I struck up conversation with one of the waitresses who was absolutely delightful and very professional. She told me that she was a trainee and that she loved working for this place and that the training was top notch. I don't know where others are getting their info from, because apparently Kuzina have a full team of students and staff employed by the restaurant, so it's not free labour, and something else I was impressed with was that not one of the students pay for the course. It's free training for all their trainees and kitchen apprentices, unlike Drysdale that charge the poor kids to study, as if their wages aren't low enough. These people actually get paid to work at Kuzina. I think this restuarant will do very well. There was an interesting comment above made about an employer being charged by Kuzina to train their staff. I needed to investigate further and asked the manager on the night how it all works and what funding is available. Drysdale charge the students, however this Kuzina school charge the employer a small fee once the employer gets money from the government, so apparently my undertsanding is there is no out of pocket expense from the employer or the students. This is wonderful. Why can't Drysdale do this? Great to see passion for the industry and great to see a new place doing fabulous things for the State. This manager you could tell was passionate about the industry and passionalte about teaching these kids to grow and become professionals.
What's wrong with people doing well and driving an Audi. Good on them I say.
Can't wait to go back to Kuzina.
I can't believe there are so many jelous people out there that need to get personal. Who cares what people drive. If these guys are running a business and making a difference to the industry by developing good people and prodcuing quality outcomes, this is great for our state. Get real!!!
Haven't tried it but certainly look forward to it.
I think its important to note that even though industrylink/Kuzina might get funding from the government they do not charge the trainees/apprentices for the training or resources ie: workbooks, alcohol for the bar courses, food for the cookery classes, and their would also be admin staff and trainers to pay as well as insurance. Also people who have brought up Nicholas' car you should all realise that he has been working hard for the last 20years and deserves any car he has, and also don't forget Drysdale charges for food it cooks as well
I have got to say that there seem to be a few jealous people out there who may have just lost the zest for this industry. Didn't your mum ever tell you to not judge a person for what they material things they flash around. Maybe you work a hundred hours a week, but surely you have to ask yourself how efficiently are you working?? I have had many dealings with Nick in both Sydney and Tasmania and he has time and time again proven to be a real leader in the industry. His passion and love for the industry that has given him so much is unrivalled. Kuzina has been crafted into an environment that the students can truly take pride in running. The kitchen is state-of-the-art and the dining area is immaculate; sheek, clean and passionatly finished. One of the most important philosophical notion for education is experience and what better way for the students to experience the industry than this great environment- no sugar coating! If Kuzina cannot turn a profit then it really says something about the education that Industry Link is providing. So don't just sit back complaining, actually get in there and judge it for yourself on its merits, extend that professional courtesy that you would expect extended to you.
Chris Kaz
Although i have not tryed the food at Kuzina i can say one thing for certain, from personal experience... in regards to their training facilties, staff, attitude and commitment towards thier trainees they do not even compare to what drysdale has to offer. Industry links level of professionalism and service was appalling, my advice to anyone... head chef/ apprentices/business owners do not even waste your time considering having this organization as your training provider. i have been there myself and made the mistake, industry link purely does not have the capacity not dedication to successfully achieve thier "apparent aim" to provide quality training.
Hi there anon,
I guess every business has their teething problems. I have to say the complete opposite. I can't speak highly enough of the training, not to mention the trainers and assessors. You must have had a bad experience. I've put 7 of my staff through industrylink and pulled 3 out from Drysdale to join industrylink for their level of service, commitment and professionalism. 5 of my 7 staff have graduated and I must say the skills they have learnt and the personal attention they were given shits all over Drysdale.
I have to say to all businesses (though I think they allready have them all) go with industrylink. The service, facilities and outcomes are great.
Dear anon,
Can't understand how you can be so bitter with this training provider when they win the 2007 training awards. Obviously they must be doing something right. I'm totally for quality training and have also heard great things about the restaurant and the impact this is having on Tasmanian education and on quality outcomes. Keep your personal opinions to yourself and lets get back on track about what this website is about.
anon
interesting comments everyone. thanks
2009 now Nic has two audi's must be doing well.. in regards to brendans comments (who works with nic) Yes drysdale does charge for their food.. but the difference lies in the fact their goverment moneygoes back into
into state education & training where INDUSTRY LINK/KUZINA/BARIKI government funding goes back into nics pocket.... well we are the fools
The kitchen at kuZina is staffed and run like any other restaurant in Hobart. They employee a full brigade of chefs and apprentices that run the restaurant day to day.The apprentice specials are mainly prepared and served by kuzinas own apprentices (obviously trained through industrylink) except on nights where one of the students training at industry link but working elsewhere will do a night shift as part of a unit or exam. I think it is an excellent thing to happen to hobart food and having trained at both industry link and drysdsle I can whole heartedly say industry link is operating at a much higher level of teaching that is online with the broadening trends of todays food and the staff are much more aproachable and hands on than drysdsle has been for a very long time.
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