Retail and Hospitality - Restaurant/Cafe Manager

Chinese Restaurants in Australia! Researching the one in a town or suburb near you!
Evolving Restaurant Types
What does it take to open an Entomophagy Restaurant?

Chinese Restaurants in Australia! Researching the one in a town or suburb near you!

 Primary Middle Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Intercultural Understanding

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: ICT Capability

Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Asian Priority

1. In February 2016 the ABC News reported on Historian Barbara Nichol who has made a study of Chinese food and culture in Australia - particularly Chinese restaurants.

Read this news report noting the key points, dates and statistics.

2. Go to a local Chinese restaurant
[Teacher: NB. Primary students - you will need to go with a Teacher or Parent].

Find out the following information by interviewing the owner:

• The name of the restaurant. Copy the name's Chinese characters.

• When was it established? Why?

• Take a photo of the front of the restaurant

• Who is running this restaurant now? Are they related to the original owner?

• What qualifications do they have? Have they ever gone to China?

• What are the hours of trading?

• How many employees are there? Are any related to the owner? How many are casual employees? How many are permanent?

• What are the busiest nights? How many meals are sold on this night/day?

• How many meals are sold on an average week?

• What is the average cost of each meal?

• How many meals are takeaway meals on the busiest night? Percentage?

• What percentage of the total cost comes from beverages?

• Where do they buy the produce that they use? Has access to Chinese vegetables improved over the years?

• Have they "Australianised" the menu at all?

• Has the menu changed over the decades? How?

(Source: ABC News)

3. Write down the number of dishes listed on the menu. List your favourite dishes. Why do you like these dishes? Are there any dishes you haven't tried? Why not?

Share with a partner. Do you have any dishes in common?

Ask a parent or carer: List your favourite dishes. Why do you like these dishes? Are there any dishes you haven't tried? Why not?

4. Collate all the responses to Questions 2 & 3 above.

5. Look at the following video: How To Create Infographics

Using Venngage  or Canva - FREE infographic makers - create an outstanding infographic on your local Chinese Restaurant.

Venngage

Canva

Evolving Restaurant Types

Middle Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. Read the article from Business Insider Australia June 2016: "The staggering numbers that show why no Sydney restaurant is safe."

Local Copy here

2. Is the title at all true? What is the article really saying? What would be your new title?

3. Neil Perry is mentioned in this article.  "Is he safe?"  Read his story from Wikipedia. His new restaurants are the Margaret and Next Door opened in 2021.

Using Wikipedia, list all the restaurants and projects Neil Perry has been involved with in a timeline. Look up SMH' s article in Good Food 31 May 2024

4. What characteristics make Neil Perry a great Restaurateur? Write up a list of these characteristics.

5. Discuss with a partner.

What does it take to open an Entomophagy Restaurant?

Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

1. Read the following articles: Edible Insects - NSW Govt [PDF] and The Conversation 22 October 2015

2.

List the pros and cons of setting up an Entomophagy Restaurant from the evidence presented in the first two articles. Share with a partner.  

Sources of edible bugs could be a challenge but various shops are popping up including the Edible Bug Shop in Australia:  Have a look at the range of products from this site.  

3. You are to create a menu of 5 meals for a "Grub Kitchen" in Australia. To give you ideas, look at the following sites:

• Edibug

• Food & Wine

• Brooklyn Bugs

Edible insects: the future of food?
https://youtu.be/HUWK-2MWj9o?si=y39qIiERPqRDv3-p

Share your ideas with a partner.

4. What other issues as a Restaurant Manager [besides sourcing insect ingredients safely ] do you think you will encounter to set up your new restaurant? Write up a list.

Share with a partner.