The Staff Meal Powering The Kitchen Crew at Hawthorn’s Whiplash Cafe
What powers a productive kitchen? Food! In Will Sharpe’s kitchen, it’s the kind of food his team can grab on the go and wash down with a coffee (or two) – especially for those rostered on first thing. Will is the Head Chef at Whiplash(open in new tab): a corner store reborn as a coffee and sandwich-slinging pitstop in the heart of Hawthorn. We sat down with him recently to hear how he keeps his staff fuelled with top-notch snacks while saving time.
The humble egg, bacon and avo bagel
According to Will, there’s a time and place for dressed-up food – but this isn’t it. It’s a simple combination of three hero ingredients that gets the job done, and then some. “When you want a grab-and-go breakfast, something like this is perfect,” explains Will. “It's got everything you need to start your morning: egg, bacon, avocado for some good fats, a couple of sauces, and it’s seasoned with MasterFoods™ Professional Avocado Smash Seasoning.” When asked if any of the fillings are particularly unique, Will says the beauty of a dish like this lies in its simple, recognisable flavours – loved by staff and customers alike. “None of the ingredients are particularly unusual. That's the beauty of it. They're all ubiquitous flavours that everyone knows – you can close your eyes and know what you're eating.”
How Will’s team like to enjoy this staff meal
“Normally, within the first hour of their shift, the staff are grabbing an egg, bacon and avo bagel – sometimes between 7:00am and 8:00am, with a couple of cups of coffee,” says Will. When the food tastes this good, no one worries about the dining setup – the Whiplash team keep it simple. “We've got a couple of milk crates strapped together out the back – you just find a spot to perch,” Will laughs.
Prep time
Three and a half minutes to prepare. Yes, really. “MasterFoods™ Professional products help us streamline prep without compromising on taste. From pre-mixed seasonings to ready-to-use sauces, it’s all about delivering quality and speed during the morning rush.”, Will says.
The secret behind a solid staff meal
“Something fast, fresh and not too expensive makes a good staff meal. It’s also about making something that everyone enjoys and can eat on the go during service” says Will.
Shared bites, shared say
Will might be the Head Chef, but he believes in democracy on a plate when it comes to staff meals, encouraging everyone to get involved. “I’d say staff meals probably take up 15% of the chatting during the day because we want our team to have an opinion on the food. We sometimes use staff meals to trial new flavour combos or ingredients” he says. “I'm a big believer that chefs don't know better than customers (or staff), because everyone eats the food. The chef just knows how to prepare and execute it. In my opinion, everyone's view on food and flavour is just as relevant as the chef's.”
