Latest news with #AsianFusion
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Two award-winning restaurants in Melbourne forced to close after racking up debts of over $1.3million
Two popular Asian fusion restaurants have shut up shop overnight after their wealthy owner sparked an investigation by the corporate watchdog. Kekou and Klae in Richmond, Melbourne, have entered liquidation with debts exceeding $1.3million, including an estimated $50,000 in unclaimed vouchers. Both venues have been awarded a number of accolades in recent years, both being granted a Chef's Hat prize in the Australian Good Food Guide. Owner David Anderson, who is also the director of investment firm Falcon Capital, is currently at the centre of an ASIC investigation. The probe was publicly announced on April 10, although the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) confirmed the investigation began in May 2024. The restaurants ceased trading abruptly late in April. A notice posted on the front door of Kekou stated the proprietor had 'retaken possession of the premises' from Anderson due to 'non-payment of rent. More than $1.3million is owed to 82 creditors, with $400,000 owed to the ATO. Up to 12 employees are owed more than $220,000 in wages including $33,885 in superannuation, $49,125 in unpaid leave entitlements, and $98,157 in retrenchment payouts. Unused gift vouchers accounted for tens of thousands worth of the restaurants' liabilities, with $43,956 listed for Kekou and $7,732 for Klae. The two venues, located on Swan Street and Bridge Road respectively, also owe large sums to a series of suppliers and service providers. Some of the largest creditors include Tyro, which is owed $335,433, along with $51,089 owed to alcohol and food supply businesses. Liquidator Adrian Warry of Dye & Co said Klae owes over $65,000 to its sister venue, Kekou. The ASIC investigation came after the freezing of assets belonging to the First Guardian Masterfund, an investment vehicle also under scrutiny. Mr Anderson sits on its board. ASIC has raised a number of serious concerns about the operations of the fund. It alleges that approximately $274million of First Guardian's reported value comes from overdue receivables, with payments now months behind schedule. In addition, over $23million appears to have been paid to entities claiming to provide marketing services, in a manner that 'appears contrary to representations made to investors'. The commission also found that First Guardian invested in companies with which Anderson had either a personal or financial connection, raising questions about unmanaged conflicts of interest. According to ASIC, investors 'may have been exposed to classes of assets that differ from what was disclosed to them at the time of making their investment', and 'may have been misled about the security of their investment and likely returns'. The investigation by ASIC in Mr Anderson and his businesses continues.
Time Business News
12-05-2025
- Science
- Time Business News
Why Ambience Is Just as Important as Taste
The plate arrives, a canvas of flavors meticulously arranged by skilled hands. Steam rises, aromas waft, and your first bite delivers exactly what you hoped for perfection. Yet sometimes, despite culinary excellence, something remains missing from the dining experience. The food may be exceptional, but if you're seated beneath harsh fluorescent lights with clattering dishes and voices bouncing off bare walls, that masterful dish loses its magic. This disconnect reveals a fundamental truth about dining: taste alone is insufficient. The environment in which we consume food fundamentally alters our perception of it. The fusion of flavors, textures, and cultural influences that defines Asian Fusion in San Diego represents more than culinary innovation—it embodies a multisensory approach to dining that extends beyond the plate. When we eat, we engage all our senses simultaneously. The soft glow of pendant lighting casts shadows that enhance visual presentation. Background music at precisely the right volume creates rhythmic patterns that complement the cadence of conversation. The weight of chopsticks, the smoothness of ceramic, the temperature of a stone bowl—these tactile elements contribute to an orchestra of sensations that elevate eating from mere sustenance to experience. Research in neurogastronomy confirms that environment directly impacts flavor perception. A 2018 study from Oxford University demonstrated that identical dishes served in different atmospheric conditions were rated significantly differently by participants. Dishes presented in environments with complementary sensory elements—lighting, sound, scent—were consistently rated as more flavorful, more satisfying, and worth approximately 15% higher price points than identical dishes served in sensory-neutral or mismatched environments. What transforms a meal into a memory? Psychology suggests that emotional imprinting—the attachment of feeling to experience determines which moments we preserve and which we discard. The flavor profile of a perfectly executed dish might register momentarily, but without environmental context to anchor it emotionally, it remains fleeting. Atmospheric elements create what neuroscientists call 'memory hooks'—sensory anchors that enhance recall and emotional connection. Consider the distinction between taste (the physiological detection of chemical compounds) and flavor (the integrated sensory experience). Taste occurs on the tongue; flavor happens in the mind. The difference explains why clinical taste tests yield dramatically different results than real-world dining experiences. Laboratory conditions isolate taste from the contextual elements that transform it into flavor—the very elements that ambience provides. Dining spaces function as temporary communities—microcosms where strangers navigate shared experience through unspoken social contracts. The architectural and design elements of these spaces directly influence how we interact, how long we stay, and even how we perceive those around us. Low ceilings and intimate seating naturally encourage hushed conversation and prolonged engagement. High ceilings and open layouts facilitate movement and energy but may diminish interpersonal connection. Neither approach is inherently superior—they simply serve different functions in the experiential economy. Restaurant designers increasingly recognize this power, employing environmental psychology to craft spaces that elicit specific emotional responses. The strategic placement of natural elements—water features, living walls, natural materials—reduces cortisol levels and induces parasympathetic nervous system activity, creating physiological conditions conducive to appreciation of subtle flavors. Conversely, high-energy environments with dynamic lighting and sound profiles can enhance perception of bold, intense flavor profiles by aligning environmental stimulation with gustatory stimulation. Every compelling narrative requires context setting, atmosphere, tone. Restaurants tell stories through much more than menu descriptions. The journey begins before the first bite, sometimes before even entering the establishment. Exterior architecture, entryway transition, host interaction, and path to table all establish narrative foundation. Each element either reinforces or contradicts the central theme, creating either coherence or dissonance in the diner's experience. Consider the phenomenological difference between identical dishes served in contrasting environments: the same delicate crudo presented in a minimalist space with natural materials and subtle lighting versus a boisterous, chrome-and-neon environment. The fish hasn't changed, but its meaning has. In the first scenario, it represents contemplative appreciation of subtle natural elements; in the second, it becomes a counterpoint to surrounding energy a moment of simplicity amid complexity. Neither interpretation is incorrect, but they are fundamentally different experiences of the same physical substance. Modern dining oscillates between two seemingly contradictory desires: authenticity and theatrical experience. Diners simultaneously seek 'genuine' cultural expressions and Instagram-worthy moments. This tension plays out in atmospheric decisions exposed kitchen operations signal transparency and craft, while dramatic presentation elements cater to documentation impulses. The most successful establishments navigate this paradox by creating environments that feel authentic to their concept while acknowledging the performative aspect of contemporary dining culture. The critical distinction lies in intentionality. Environments designed primarily for social media moments often sacrifice comfort, acoustics, and functionality. Those developed with genuine experiential goals incorporate documentation opportunities within deeper conceptual frameworks. The difference is immediately perceptible to diners, who can sense when atmosphere serves their experience versus when they are being positioned as unpaid marketing content creators. Unlike static art forms, dining experiences unfold across time. Atmospheric elements must therefore function dynamically, shifting subtly throughout service periods. Morning light differs from evening ambience; Monday energy contrasts with Saturday vibrancy. Adapting to these natural rhythms—through lighting systems, sound design, service pacing, and even temperature control—creates environments that feel responsive rather than imposed. Progressive restaurants now employ sensory directors alongside executive chefs, recognizing that atmosphere requires the same curatorial attention as menu development. These specialists orchestrate environmental elements that evolve throughout dining periods and seasons, ensuring that atmosphere remains aligned with culinary direction and operational reality. Economic analysis demonstrates that atmospheric investment yields quantifiable returns. Properties with thoughtfully developed environments command higher price points, generate more word-of-mouth referrals, and demonstrate greater resilience during economic downturns than comparable establishments with equivalent food quality but inferior ambience. The differential typically ranges from 12-30% in revenue generation from otherwise similar operations. This value emerges from multiple factors: extended dining times, higher per-person spending, increased beverage attachment rates, and enhanced perceived value of identical menu items. Atmosphere effectively functions as a value multiplier, amplifying the financial return on culinary investment without proportional cost increases. The divorce between culinary and atmospheric development represents a fundamental misunderstanding of how humans experience food. We do not taste in isolation—we consume experiences holistically, with flavor perception inextricably linked to environmental context. The most memorable dining moments occur when these elements achieve harmony, when the message communicated by the food finds reinforcement in every sensory channel. As dining culture evolves, this integration becomes increasingly central to success. Chefs and restaurateurs who recognize ambience not as supplementary decoration but as essential infrastructure for flavor perception will create more compelling, memorable, and economically sustainable operations. The future belongs to those who understand that taste represents just one element in the complex equation of satisfaction that the space between bites matters just as much as what's on the fork. The most profound gastronomic experiences transcend the boundaries between food and environment, creating seamless continuity between what we consume and where we consume it. In this integration lies the true art of hospitality—not merely serving excellent food, but creating contexts in which excellence can be fully perceived, appreciated, and remembered. When ambience and taste achieve perfect alignment, dining transforms from transaction to transformation. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Belfast Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Madame Pho: Vietnamese chain shutting up shop at NI site
Vietnamese street food chain Madame Pho has announced that it will be closing its Dundonald restaurant today (Saturday, May 10). Revealing the news on their social media channels yesterday, the owners stated: 'It's with a heavy heart that we have to announce the closure of our store here in Dundonald. 'Thank you for the memories but don't fret because we are not fully going away! Our staff will be staying on with the new owners Waka Asian Fusion! 'Our last day operating as Madame Pho will be Saturday 10 May (closing at 9pm) - come down and get your pho fix before then!' Madame Pho, which was established in 2020, officially opened its eatery in Dundonald just last August. The unit at Eastpoint Entertainment Village in the Co Down town was the company's fourth opening in around six weeks at the time. The chain started out with a branch on Belfast's Botanic Avenue. There are multiple Madame Pho locations in Northern Ireland now, all in or near Belfast. They operate at St Anne's Square, Botanic Avenue, Lisburn Road, the Ormeau Road, Longstone Street in Lisburn and the Antrim Road in Glengormley. They also opened a location in Dublin in October 2024. Madame Pho serve a wide variety of Vietnamese food, including the famous noodle soup dish it is named for. Guests can also try Banh Mi baguettes and Ca Ri curry. In 2020, the Belfast Telegraph's Joris Minne described their Pho as 'wholesome… you can feel the health benefits as it flows down your throat, and the additional lime, chopped chillies and coriander on the side allows you to spice it up, and it does need a bit of a gee-up'. Madame Pho founder William Chan sold the business to new owners in 2023. He opened specialist Vietnamese coffee shop Phin on the Ormeau Road in April of last year. He told the Belfast Telegraph he had a 'passion' for hospitality after growing up in the trade, with his family owning Furama, a Chinese restaurant in Antrim for over 30 years.
