Oriental cuisine continues to be a popular choice when eating out, and research by Amoy indicates that two-thirds of consumers want more Oriental dishes on the menu and that families are twice as likely to choose an outlet that offers dishes from their favourite world cuisine.

It's not unusual to see dishes such as sweet-and-sour on pub menus, with TNS reporting that Chinese is now the third-most-popular evening cuisine served in pubs. Additionally, staff restaurants, anxious to provide variety to employees who eat in the facility every day, often have a world cuisine dish on the menu, so it's highly likely that diners have been offered dishes such as chow mein for lunch.

With Chinese New Year on the horizon - 7 February 2008 - the festivities present a huge opportunity for the food service sector to attract diners with authentic Chinese dishes on the menu. It's also the type of cuisine that lends itself well to front-of-house theatre-style cooking, and what better way to do that than on an induction hob?

Induction is becoming a popular way of cooking and offers several advantages, including fast heating times, instant control and energy efficiency as it uses power only when a pan is on the hob.

Buy It! has teamed up with Heinz Foodservice to offer readers the chance to win a Valera counter-top wok induction hob and a range of Amoy products worth a total of £1,500 to get your menu sizzling.

HOW TO ENTER

One lucky reader who can answer the question below correctly will win this amazing prize. All entries must be submitted on a postcard by 15 January. Entrants should include their name, job title, company name and address, and telephone number.
Send entries to Amoy Induction Hob Competition, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS.

THE QUESTION

When is Chinese New Year?
a) 31 January 2008
b) 7 February 2008
c) 14 February 2008

THE PRIZE

The Valera 2.5kW counter-top induction hob has a special dished cooking surface designed for use with any woks with a ferrous content, including 18/8 stainless steel. The unit measures 150mm x 385mm x 422mm and is stainless steel with a Ceran glass cooking surface. The rotary control offers nine power levels and near-instant control.

Amoy has developed an inspiring new product range to create sizzling stir-fries and other Oriental delights, and will provide our winner with a selection of sauces and noodles to enliven their menu.

The new range of cooking sauces includes Black Bean, Yellow Bean and Yellow Pepper, Sweet and Sour, Mushroom and Oyster, Hoi Sin and Plum, Szechuan Kung Po and Asian BBQ in 2.25kg bottles. Each is ready to use, quick and easy, needing only four or five steps to create a dish.

The Amoy range of Straight to Wok Noodles is easy to use as an ingredient or healthy side order, and offers great convenience. The noodles are available in Rice, Thread, Medium and Udon Noodle formats, and come in bulk cases of 60 individual 150g portions.

The prize products are:

One each of the Amoy sauces (2.25kg bottles):

• Black Bean
• Yellow Bean and Yellow Pepper
• Sweet and Sour
• Mushroom and Oyster
• Hoi Sin and Plum
• Szechuan Kung Po
• Asian BBQ

One case each of the Amoy Straight to Wok noodles (bulk cases of 60 individual 150g portions):

• Rice (gluten-free)
• Thread
• Medium
• Udon Noodle

For further information about the Heinz range, call 0800 575755 or visit the Heinz website here >>
For further information on Valera's range of commercial catering equipment, call 0845 270 4321 or visit the Valera website here >>


AND LAST MONTH'S WINNER IS...
The winner of the Foster fridge competition in the 25 October issue of Buy It! is Mr DB Giffen of the Alma Inn, Cottonstones, Sowerby Bridge.


Terms and conditions

1. This competition is not open to employees or agents of Reed Business Information, or Heinz Foodservice.
2. We reserve the right to change the prize without notice and no cash alternative will be offered.
3. The winner will be selected at random from correct entries, and the publisher's decision is final.
4. Reed Business Information will use the contact information you provide to communicate with you on behalf of the Caterer Group. We may also use the information you have provided to send direct marketing material from ourselves relating to other products and services that may be of interest to you. Your information may also be disclosed to other companies who wish to send you information about their products and services including our sponsor, Heinz Foodservice. This could involve data transfer to countries outside the European Economic Area. For further information and choices, please visit the Reed Business data protection page or write to us at RBI, Freepost RCC2619, Haywards Heath, RH16 3BR, UK.
5. The winner's name will appear in Caterer and Hotelkeeper and on Caterersearch.com.