elements A publication from the Business & Industry sector of Compass Group North America
CATERING
TO
MILLENNIALS The next wave of consumers thinks differently, communicates differently and eats differently Are you ready to engage the next generation?
VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 1 | SUMMER 2013
+
Make the Mediterranean Diet Work For You
American Express and Eurest – A Winning Partnership Compass Group’s Top-10 Food Trends of 2013 Revealed
Taste Your Way to Wellness educates customers on the importance of making smart choices, while encouraging more whole grains, beneficial fats, plant-based proteins and better-foryou drinks into your diet to help you stay healthy and hydrated.
For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
WELCOME Welcome to the Summer/Fall edition of Elements magazine.
I
’m often asked to present on the subject
Consumers don’t want to have to go out of their
of consumer, industry and food trends –
way (or pay more) to live conscientiously.
and I typically begin with a snapshot
Individualism: Offer me what I want, when I
of the traits, characteristics and key
want, how I want it and the way I want to pay
influencers of the generations we serve, with
for it. In fact, let me do it myself if I so choose.
a focus on the ‘millennials’ (born between
These ‘macrotrends’ that have emerged from
elements Editor-in-Chief
Susie Weintraub
1980 and 2001) as well as a glimpse at
the millennials – 78 million strong and represent-
Managing Editor
‘Generation Z’ – those born after 2001.
ing $1.5 trillion in spending power – have crossed
Assistant Editor
Amanda Brown
Some audiences initially question the
generations and are truly reshaping consumer
Alison Lambert
relevance, but as we begin to explore the
values, priorities, expectations and behaviors
Wes Brown, Ladavius Carson
generational need states, relationships with
across the global food industry.
technology and expectations related to customization and holistic wellness – it quickly becomes apparent that understanding the values of these generations is imperative in order to develop business solutions that engage and appeal to the customers of today and tomorrow. In this issue, we showcase some of our key business solutions and successes that address the following consumer trends:
Many of the features in this issue – especially the Balance Kitchen preview – illustrate how we’ve addressed consumer trends and woven the generational need states into our innovations. I hope you enjoy this issue of Elements. As always, we welcome your feedback and comments and hope you have a wonderful summer season! Kind regards,
Advertising Graphic Design Cover Designer
Chapter 2 Design Published by Fourth Element www.fourthelementcreative.com Executive Editor
Nick Wright Account Manager
Michelle Allario Art Director
Alan Platten List of contributors
Special thanks to: Business Excellence Canteen Dining Canteen Vending Compass Corporate Communications
Connectivity: A need to be “always-on” –
Compass Group
connected, entertained and informed 24/7.
Compass Field System Solutions
Wellthy: Holistic wellness. Good for me, good
FLIK Conference Centers
Eurest FLIK International
for the community and good for the planet. Conscious Consumerism: Most people desire to live a sustainable, responsible lifestyle; however, they expect it to be easy and seamless.
Susie Weintraub Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing
Restaurant Associates Retail Innovations Thompson Hospitality Wolfgang Puck Catering
Compass Group North America
SUMMER 2013 • elements
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Experience Sono, where Latin American cuisine is celebrated. Sono combines American and Latin ingredients with ethnic cooking styles to form a Latin infused menu. The concept serves up delicious cuisine that is simple, fresh and served to the your specifications.
For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
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elements • SUMMER 2013
SUMMER 2013
Contents 6
20
GENERATIONAL INFLUENCERS
The digitally connected millennial generation thinks differently, communicates differently and eats differently. We explain how to cater to the younger, tech-savvy consumer.
THE MILLENNIALS ARE COMING
26 34
6. APPETIZERS
26. CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: AMERICAN EXPRESS
34. RECIPES: A TASTE
Compass Group news and views.
16. MARC ZAMMIT:
Continual innovation and a ‘can do’ attitude are the keys to this successful long-term partnership.
Commercial kitchens and the foodservice industry should be doing more to conserve resources.
28. BALANCE KITCHEN
A selection of recipes from The Mitsitam Café Cookbook – a new publication by The Mitsitam Café at the National Museum of the American Indian.
SAVE YOUR ENERGY!
18. CLIENT SPOTLIGHT:
National Institutes of Health A comprehensive dining and wellness events program is the foundation of the 13-year relationship between Eurest and NIH.
Compass Group North America Compass Group North America is the leader in foodservice management and support services. Throughout the U.S. and Canada, Compass Group North America has more than 180,000 associates in 48 states, 10 provinces and two territories. We serve six million meals a day – from vending and office coffee solutions to restaurants, corporate cafes, schools, arenas, museums, remote sites and more.
Compass Group is… Encompassing With a unique sectorization strategy, Compass Group recognizes that not every customer and client has the same tastes, needs and expectations. This is why we are organized into several different operating companies focused on the individual markets we serve.
Introducing a new sustainabilitybased dining program from Compass that takes client health and wellness goals to a new level.
32. FOOD TRENDS We highlight 10 new food, lifestyle and dining trends for summer 2013.
Compass Group is… Sustainability Compass Group is proud to lead the foodservice industry with groundbreaking policies that champion local farmers and fair trade; reduce the use of antibiotics in chicken, turkey and pork; commit to healthier oceans by purchasing sustainable seafood; support sustainable agriculture and healthy rural economies with the N.C. 10% campaign; focus on social justice; and promote farm animal welfare through 100 percent use of cage-free shell eggs.
OF NATIVE AMERICA
38. DEANNE
BRANDSTETTER: THE LAST WORD ON WELLNESS We explain how you can enjoy the health benefits associated with the renowned Mediterranean Diet.
Compass Group is… Community Compass Group is committed to the communities in which we live and serve. These commitments have been formally recognized as “Compass in the Community” since 1996. We encourage associates to get involved in our communities and we recognize their community-based efforts and successes each year. A panel of Compass Group judges reviews the community projects and rewards the associates with a monetary donation to the organization of their choice.
SUMMER 2013 • elements
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appetizers
NEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS
LEFT-TO-RIGHT: Concorde grape huckleberry
macaroons, Japanese baby peach salad, tuna Niçoise style and caper-anchovy vinaigrette.
Catering to the Stars WOLFGANG PUCK HOSTS EMMY AWARDS AND OSCAR’S GOVERNORS BALL Wolfgang Puck Catering was chosen to cater the 2012 HBO Emmy Awards Party. The menu featured tray-passed bites, tapas-style buffet stations and delicious desserts. Dishes included mini burgers with aged cheddar; grilled polenta with duck confit and tart cherry salsa; kale salad with shaved ray artichokes; endive; spiced Marcona almonds and preserved lemons; lobster and spot prawn paella with Spanish chorizo; peppers and saffron rice; chocolate Push Pops and white chocolate cheesecake pops with yellow and lilac accents.
At the 85th Academy Awards Ceremony, Academy Governor Jeffrey Kurland, Event Producer Cheryl Cecchetto and Master Chef Wolfgang Puck returned to create the Governors Ball – the official post-Oscar celebration. The guest list included Academy Award winners and nominees, presenters and other media. Puck, along with chef Matt Bencivenga, created a menu of more than 50 imaginative dishes, including smoked salmon Oscars; chicken pot pie with shaved black truffles; and mini Kobe burgers with aged cheddar and remoulade.
EUREST LAUNCHES
New Website
Remaining true to the long-standing core values and rich heritage on which the company was founded, Eurest’s new website showcases the breadth of its industry-leading capabilities and provides more avenues to explore innovations that will keep in step with current customers and build strong relationships with new ones. For more information, scan the QR Code or go to: www.eurest-usa.com
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elements • SUMMER 2013
The Wolfgang Puck Catering team at The Oscars, with Chef Wolfgang Puck (second from right).
EUREST SUPPORTS INAUGURAL FARM TO FORK DINNER The 7th Street Public Market in Charlotte, N.C., recently hosted its first Farm to Fork dinner series. The 7th Street Public Market provides high-quality, fresh and affordable food from local farms and regional purveyors. The organization supports and promotes local and regional farmers, food artisans and a regional network of markets, and is also working toward abating food deserts in surrounding neighborhoods by addressing access, health and food education and costs. A team of Eurest chefs, led by Chris IvensBrown, prepared and executed the menu for the inaugural dinner series with products from Meat & Fish Co., Pure Pizza, Oman’s Cheese and Vida Raw Drinks.
FLIK International Rises To The Challenge in Boston Challenged by Fidelity WTC in Boston to increase customer satisfaction while ensuring that at least 30 percent of the items at every café station met the company’s FIT criteria, FLIK International unveiled the Global “Nourish” Cuisine concept. The FLIK team worked with local celebrity chefs Ken Oringer, Rick Bayless, Jet Tila, Vikas Khanna, Jasper White and Cary Neff to create a menu of healthy, fun and nutritious restaurant-quality food. The food concepts are based on dishes provided at each celebrity chef’s restaurant. At Chef Jet Tila’s inspired station, for example, diners will find an array of fresh vegetables, soba noodles, fresh
shrimp, fresh chicken and a daily FIT signature item of soba noodles, chicken, daikon radish, broccoli and carrots. Chef Jasper White’s station includes his famous lobster rolls, homemade mayonnaise, a hint of tarragon, chives, fresh oregano, salt, pepper and lemon juice on a toasted roll. There has been a significant rise in participation in the café. “It’s all about ownership and adapting to the ever-changing climate of the foodservice industry,” says FLIK SVP Rick Russo. “Healthy dining is not a fad; it’s here to stay. How do we adapt? Global Nourish Cuisine is tried, proven and true, and is the way of the future in foodservice.”
SUMMER 2013 • elements
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appetizers
NEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS
A Fresh Focus On Nutrition Providing Better-for-You Choices Outside The Café
T
oday’s increased awareness of the link between good nutrition and disease prevention means that the modern consumer wants nutrient-packed and sophisticated choices when they snack. Canteen is leading the industry with its vending and micro-market wellness solutions, including: Choice Plus: Better-for-you snack, beverage and fresh food programs. Avenue C: A convenient and adaptable micro-market solution. 2bU: A vending solution incorporating socially conscious, specialty diet and premium products.
The heightened awareness of health and nutrition concerns, together with a continually increasing trend in consumer snacking, highlights the need for increased better-for-you choices outside of traditional meal times.
CANTEEN’S FOUR STEPS TO WELLNESS
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INTRODUCING CHOICE PLUS Canteen recently introduced Choice Plus, which offers a more holistic approach to wellness. The snack, beverage and fresh food options resonate with today’s healthconscious consumer. The program is based on a set of new nutritional criteria and offers a larger selection of products that address portion control and more nutrientdense items.
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INCREASED PRODUCT RANGE In the development of Choice Plus, Compass’ dietitians and culinary experts analyzed better-for-you vending criteria from public health organizations, government initiatives and health-conscious clients with strong healthy vending programs. The goal is to ensure a robust selection of products to prevent customers from leaving the premises to purchase snacks.
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FRESH FOOD PROGRAM ROLLOUT Canteen has rounded out its suite of better-for-you options with a fresh food program that offers a variety of great tasting sides and entrées for health-minded consumers looking for fresh options that are naturally lower in calories, saturated fat and sodium. The surge of fresh food sales in the Avenue C market is evidence that today’s consumer wants fresh options.
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IMPROVED MERCHANDISING Canteen is always looking to provide more better-for-you options. Merchandising strategies include choice architecture – placing healthful items at eye level – and increasing the percentage of better-for-you options that prompt healthful decisions. Choice Plus also offers pointof-sale motivators and interactive nutritional information on many machines.
”Increased awareness of the link between good nutrition and disease prevention means that consumers want nutrient-packed, sophisticated choices when they snack.” 8
elements • SUMMER 2013
Quick Bites
Dell Team Expands Route 2 Wellness… Realizing the potential of the Route 2 Wellness promotion, Eurest General Manager Sheila Nunley at Dell RR8 in Round Rock, TX, designed a poster entitled, “Take a Healthy Tour of your Regional Favorites.” When customers purchased a Route 2 Wellness entrée, they received a stamp on their frequency card. Customers with four or more stamps were rewarded with a free healthy Well at Dell lunch. The promotion lasted one week and a different regional Webtrition-based special was featured each day. “We really talked it up and the success was great,” said District Manager Judy Stone. “We averaged 300 specials each day across the campus.”
…and launches new LevelUp payment option The Eurest team at Dell has also launched LevelUp – a new payment option and loyalty program that allows customers to pay for café purchases with their smartphones. When customers spend $50, they receive a $5 credit for their next visit. To generate interest, Dell employees were given a $10 credit to spend at Dell campus cafés using LevelUp in the first week. Since its rollout, the program has generated 2,014 unique users, 1,923 repeat users and more than 53,000 transactions. After a successful launch at Dell in Texas, the Dell team in Nashville, TN, launched the program with fantastic results, including 175 new users who signed up for the program in the first two days. Associates at Dell speak with customers about the new LevelUp program and its benefits.
LUNCH ON US AT MERCK! FLIK International launched a “Lunch On Us” program to build customer loyalty among 10,000 customers a day served at Merck & Co. locations throughout the United States. “The average guest spends about $1,200 per year, so on their birthday we provide them with a free lunch as a small token of our appreciation,” says Brian Donohue, RVP FLIK International. “It’s a small investment to keep our valued guests coming back and to win new customers as well.”
Microsoft Remodels Cafés
– Adds Cashless And Touchscreen Ordering Always striving to better meet the needs of its employees, Microsoft’s Cafés 16, 31 and 43 recently underwent extensive renovations to create the ultimate customer experience, featuring updated designs, lighting, seating areas, food genres, brands and most notably, completely cashless environments. Café 16 was the first of several Microsoft cafés to undergo renovation and is designed to reflect a Marketplace in downtown Seattle, where as soon as people walk in, they see great food being prepared in an aesthetically appealing environment. Café 31 was designed to create an Asian/Zen environment while the design of Café 43 embodies Latin/Brazilian flair. The new touchscreen kiosks at each station allow customers to place and pay for their orders simultaneously, decreasing transaction time and the time spent waiting in line. The cashless method additionally increases speed of service, sales and check averages, all while enhancing customer satisfaction. Cashless convenience-style stores have also been added to all three locations, offering graband-go snacks, ready-made meals, gourmet beverages and more. The remodeled cafés and the Market stores accept credit/debit cards, meal cards and dining coupon/gift cards. It is more convenient than ever to dine at Microsoft or take a meal to go. With the renovation also came new local restaurants and concepts. Customers can choose from a variety of options, including Napoli Pizza, The Sub Shoppe, @Burger, a Wellness station and a Chef’s Table featuring exhibition-style cooking. A new Local Restaurants station features a regular rotation of Puget Sound area favorites. Each café also hosts its own unique concept. Café 31 features a rotating Mongolian Grill called Flattop31 while Café 43 offers a newly-created Latin concept called Fuego. Café 16 has a Frenchthemed espresso station called Café au Lait, offering house-made croissants and pastries.
In an effort to make eating healthy easier, a new green/yellow/red menu labeling system has been introduced campus-wide, called REAL EASY Wellness. Based on the Healthy Eating Plate from the Harvard School of Public Health, REAL EASY Wellness serves as a quick-reference guide to healthy eating. The vision of Dining at Microsoft is, “People Love Eating Here.” The Café Lifecycle remodels are part of a strategy to continuously improve and enhance the Microsoft customer experience. By focusing on bringing culinary advancement, technology enhancements, innovative brands and programs, and improved ambiance/collaborative workspaces, the team at Microsoft can drive overall customer satisfaction and participation. For all café remodels, focus groups and surveys were conducted to help identify the ultimate customer experience at each location. “By creating cafés that are compelling to customers, we enhance the Real Estate & Facilities (RE&F) value to Microsoft, and help to support overall employee productivity,” said Paul Egger, Senior Services Director for Microsoft RE&F. “We also help to create a competitive differential for Microsoft that enables us to attract, develop and keep the industry sector’s most sought after talent.” Since reopening, Café 16 has experienced a 31 percent growth in participation, a 41 percent sales lift, a 17 percent check average growth and a 21 percent increase in customer counts.
appetizers
NEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS
HUNKERING DOWN AFTER FEBRUARY SNOW STORM
STORM TROOPERS HOW EUREST TEAMS HELPED LOCAL COMMUNITIES GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AFTER SEVERE WEATHER
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Hot on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, which buffeted the Northeast of the country in late 2012, a massive snowstorm and blizzard hit Connecticut and surrounding areas in February, shutting down highways and leaving residents stranded. But this nor’easter was no match for the Connecticut Utility Team of Eurest. While many homes and cars were literally engulfed in snow, Eurest associates of Northeast Utilities in Windsor, Northeast Utilities in Berlin, and United Illuminating in Orange, CT, donned their snow gear to tackle the elements head-on. “The utility companies do not rest when storms hit,” said Eurest District Manager Krys Russo. “In fact, these people are manning the call centers and response teams. Therefore, it’s our job to make sure they are well fed.”
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3
In addition to providing meal services for the three utility companies, many Eurest associates slept on cots and in sleeping bags at the accounts to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days. In total, more than 1,000 meals were served at each location during the storm. Chef Managers Gil MacConnell, Tim Robinson and José Fontanez, supported by Mike Domen and Alex Tonole, rallied associates for three challenging days of ongoing foodservice. Mike Domen packed seven associates into his car so they could open for breakfast service at hard-hit United Illuminating. Eurest associates at United Illuminating and Northeast Utilities fed workers continually for up to 13 days, serving more than 25,000 breakfasts, lunches and dinners during that time.
4
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10 elements • SUMMER 2013
CEO Michael Svagdis and Eastern Division President Mark Maloney, among many other observers, want to express their most heartfelt gratitude toward the company’s associates who went above and beyond the call of duty for their clients and customers.
FIRMENICH FIGHTS BACK AGAINST SANDY
the pantry’s shelves were empty. Firmenich agreed and asked the Eurest team to join its own associates in sourcing and donating food. Eurest’s Richard Pellichero and Cindy McClenahan at Firmenich reached out to their neighboring accounts to ask for donations to help fill the shelves of the very grateful food pantry.
One week after Hurricane Sandy, Eurest Mid-East District Manager Patrick Boylan stopped by the Firmenich account in Plainsboro, N.J. The client informed Boylan that he had recently visited a local food pantry where he was asked if the company could provide donations because
Associate Spotlight
Cesar Ramos FLIK International Associate “Cesar is one of my favorite FLIK associates. His unfailing good manners and gentle demeanor are constantly evident, but today he did something especially kind. When I picked up the metal serving spoon for the mashed potatoes today in the café, I quickly dropped it because it had lain too close to the steamer and was very hot. Cesar was standing on the other side of the serving station and observed this. Without being asked, he quickly grabbed a thick wad of paper napkins and wrapped it around the end of the spoon so I could dish up some potatoes. He and one other worker were standing there. While I didn’t look their way or speak to them, Cesar rushed to help. Common courtesy is a misnomer, because courtesy isn’t all that common. Whether he’s wishing me a good day after ringing up my meal, or coming unbidden to my aid, Cesar quietly demonstrates class. Please thank him for me, and know that you are fortunate to have an employee as friendly, thoughtful and tactful as Cesar.” – FLIK International client Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP
appetizers
NEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS
Chef’s Tables Featuring Indian Harvest Spark
Whole Grains Excitement O ne of Eurest’s culinary initiatives is to incorporate more whole grains in its salad bar and menus. The new Salad Station Operating Standards feature seasonal composed whole grain recipes as well as naked whole grain options. To assist with the development of the seasonal whole grain recipes, Eurest enlisted the help of Indian Harvest, a premier provider
of rice, rice blends, exotic grains and legumes. To test and showcase these new recipes, Indian Harvest’s Chef Jay Ziobrowski – also known as Chef Jay Z – hosted Chef’s Tables at Belk and Duke Energy in Charlotte, N.C.. Whole grains were featured at the salad bar, entrée station and Chef’s Table, and customers were educated on the importance of incorporating whole grains in their diets.
Great Successes
WOLFGANG PUCK AND RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES OPEN PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE In a joint venture with Restaurant Associates, Wolfgang Puck Catering (WPC) recently opened the $185-million Perot Museum of Nature & Science in Dallas’ Victory Park. The museum hosts special events of all kinds and groups of all sizes – from weddings and convention galas to birthday parties and quinceañeras to receptions, business meetings and bar mitzvahs. Additionally, Real. Delicious. by WPC will offer a simplified program of flavorful seasonal menus when full-service catering is not required. “By offering two catering concepts, the Perot Museum is able to accommodate almost every budget and need – from casual to ultra-sophisticated, from a group of 10 to 1,000-plus guests,” said Linda Murdock, the museum’s Director of Sales.
TRIPADVISOR ACCOLADE FOR LONGWOOD GARDENS Restaurant Associates’ Longwood Gardens Terrace Restaurant in Pennsylvania recently received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. The award is given to businesses that consistently earn top ratings from TripAdvisor travelers. Restaurant Associates earned the Longwood Gardens contract in April 2009 and operates a café, fine dining restaurant, high end catering, group dining and concessions. The TripAdvisor award highlighted the café, which has three dining rooms and outdoor seating.
THE PRESIDENT COMES TO TOWN! President Barack Obama recently hosted the ‘Obama Classic’ at Restaurant Associates’ Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City, N.Y., with co-host Michael Jordan. Other famous basketball guests included Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Sheryl Swoopes, Kyrie Irving and Alonzo Mourning. A fundraiser for the Obama campaign, the high-security event treated guests to a salad trio of roasted beet and herbed goat cheese with crushed hazelnuts, citrus shallot vinaigrette, a chopped farmer’s market vegetable salad with shaved Parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette, and an heirloom tomato salad with burrata, basil and Tuscan olive oil. The main course was grilled filet mignon with confit heirloom, cherry tomatoes, and white polenta and sautéed spinach. Tiered stands of miniature desserts were set on the tables before the speeches began.
12 elements • SUMMER 2013
Quick Bites
Mitsitam Café Receives Recognition from Martha Stewart and Travel+Leisure Magazine Earlier this year, Chef Richard Hetzler received a call from Martha Stewart Living Omimedia asking if he could host Martha and three guests for lunch at the Mitsitam Café, located in the National Museum of American Indian,Washington, D.C. Chef Richard agreed and gave his visitors a personal tour of the café, including a VIP tasting of the menu from all five regions and a signed copy of the Mitsitam Café Cookbook. Just one month later, Travel+Leisure recognized Mitsitam Café as one of America’s best museum restaurants, citing its array of indigenous foods and coffee bar, which serves Native-inspired drinks.
Creative happenings at Eisai Executive Chef Michael Rastello and Foodservice Director Dan LoPresti at FLIK International’s Eisai locations in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., understand that creating new experiences, celebrating your client’s culture and involving guests are fundamental to business success. The FLIK team creates joy in the café, providing guests with a brief break from their busy lives with exciting happenings and great food and service. For that reason, guests weren’t surprised to find a mad hatter, jester and leprechaun sweeping them into a St. Patrick’s Day event in March.
Unique Café Herb Garden at Security Service Federal Credit Union Eurest Chef Manager Stephen Paprocki and Sous Chef Tom Williams at Security Service Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, TX, built a kitchen herb garden with a twist. Constructed using wooden pallets and featuring a coconut-infused potting mix, this herb garden is located indoors under lights and enables the team to grow their own herbs all year long. “We wanted to be able to grow fresh herbs yearround,” said Paprocki. “It is great for any chef to have an herb garden, but it’s even better to have one that is literally outside the box!”
Look for these celebrities’ recipes in your café! Featuring nationally recognized celebrity chefs and culinary talents, our CELEBRITY CHEF SERIES provides the opportunity to enjoy Celebrity Chef cuisine in your account, exclusively from Compass Group.
For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
appetizers
NEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS
RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES
New Unit Openings A quick round-up of recent additions to Restaurant Associates’ prestigious roster of foodservice accounts
s AMERICAN TABLE
CAFÉ & BAR BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON AT LINCOLN CENTER Restaurant Associates teamed up with the Marcus Samuelsson Group (MSG) to open American Table Café and Bar by Marcus Samuelsson. Located in Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, N.Y., American Table celebrates the diversity of American cuisine, drawing on influences and regions from across the country. Award-winning chef and best-selling author Marcus Samuelsson, together with Nils Norén, MSG’s Vice President of Restaurant Operations, oversee the menu, which is managed by Executive Chef Charlene Johnson-Hadley. Celebrating the American culinary landscape, American Table’s menu draws on diverse inspirations, from classic American favorites to ethnic offerings. Dishes include tacos doro wat, a nod to Samuelsson’s Ethiopian heritage, pulled chicken served with egg and chives, scallop sausage curry stew with water chestnuts and charred scallions, and a turkey meatball sandwich with cranberry sauce and dipping mushroom
14 elements • SUMMER 2013
gravy. The dessert menu features classics updated with whimsical twists, such as spiced bread pudding with salted caramel sauce and whipped cream, American Table chocolate cupcake and a selection of macaroons from Dana’s Bakery. In addition to a creative cocktail menu designed by consulting master mixologist Eben Klemm, American Table Café and Bar’s beverage menu features a fine selection of wines and beers as well as non-alcoholic cold drinks, coffee and tea, including Ambessa, Samuelsson’s own range of four teas developed in partnership with Harney & Sons. The revamped space features an intimate area for dining and socializing, with a large communal table surrounded by convertible two-tops and inviting armchairs.
Cooking Channel, Travel Channel and Country Music Network. The Food Network Kitchen opened on October 22 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Food Network’s culinary team and the local news media. The inspiration for the café came from the recently opened Food Network Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The café features a hot line, deli, grill, salad antipasti bar and a Starbucks coffee bar.
FIRST REPUBLIC BANK First Republic Bank opened its new Eagle Café in October at 1230 6th Avenue, New York City, N.Y. The café features sandwiches, soup, salad & antipasti bar and an exhibition Chef’s Table that rotates daily and features everything from Ed Brown’s famous crab cakes to made-to-order sushi. Wellness programs, including FIT and Eating Well Magazine dishes are also offered. t MARSH MCLENNAN
CAFÉ 38
s SCRIPPS NETWORKS
In collaboration with Food Network, Restaurant Associates opened a newly renovated café, Food Network Kitchen Knoxville at Scripps Networks. Located in Knoxville, TN, Scripps Networks is home to such well-known media brands as HGTV, DIY Network,
In collaboration with Thompson Hospitality, RA took over Marsh McLennan’s cafés in New York and Hoboken in December. Both
Café 38 in New York and Café 121 in Hoboken offer breakfast items, including eggs cooked to order, pancakes, bagels, muffins, hot and cold cereals, fresh fruit, assorted pastries, coffee and juice. l At Café 121 in Hoboken, lunch stations include a grill, a la plancha, global, sandwich, soup, salad & antipasti bar, rotating action station and pizza. l Lunch stations at Café 38 in New York include a grill, a la plancha, global, chopped & wrapped, soup, sandwich, salad & antipasti bar and a rotating action station. Guests can also grab an afternoon pick-me-up at the Espresso Bar.
s KYOSEI CAFÉ,
CANON USA In February, Restaurant Associates launched the Kyosei Café at Canon USA’s brand new building in Melville, Long Island. The Kyosei Café offers full breakfast, including eggs cooked to order, pancakes, bagels, muffins, hot and cold cereals, fresh fruit, assorted pastries, coffee and juice. Lunch stations include a grill, pizza, sandwich, comfort, shaker salad and a full dessert bar. The café also features Shiro of Japan, which offers a full sushi bar as well as an entrée station.
Quick Bites
Flexitarian Menu for Council In March, the Compass Community Council took place at Wolfgang Puck Catering’s (WPC) exclusive venue, Union Station, in Dallas, TX. WPC partnered with the Business Excellence team to create an environmentally aware menu for guests to sample. The first dish guests could try was a Flexitarian inspired dish – hemp seed crusted, line-caught, big-eye tuna with crispy farro, fresh grated wasabi and orange ginger chutney. The second dish was seafood sustainable peekytoe crab with heirloom apples, honey mustard seed caviar and Texas micro lettuces.
Some chefs can afford to spend hours creating menus.
Introducing... Pactiv Personal Touch Wednesdays Eurest Chef Manager Scott Kac at Pactiv Café in Lake Forest, IL, created “Personal Touch Wednesdays” – an initiative designed to build relationships and add a personal touch to foodservices. Each Wednesday, Scott dedicates his afternoon to loading up with 2 oz. Jell-O cups, 2 oz. yogurt cups, donut pieces, muffins, cookies and granola bars. He then selects a different floor in the building each week and delivers the free one-bite treats to his customers.
Café Gardens Benefit the Community and Agilent’s Wine Country Café In recognition of her team’s efforts and contributions toward diversity, Sheila Willis, General Manager of the Eurest account at Agilent in Santa Rosa, CA, was recently recognized as “Manager of the Year” by Thompson Hospitality’s Suich Joko. Agilent’s Wine Country Café partnered with Becoming Independent – a Santa Rosa-based non-profit organization that promotes community inclusion and participation for people with developmental disabilities. The partnership includes maintaining and harvesting 12 café garden plots, with an additional 22 garden plots that are designated for Agilent employees. Vegetables and herbs grown in the gardens are used daily in the café.
For those of us who can't, there is Webtrition. Webtrition is Compass Group’s web-based proprietary ingredient, recipe and menu management solution. By enabling our chefs to build quality menus with accurate nutritional information, and improved production time, Webtrition delivers efficiencies that increase both customer and client satisfaction.
For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
Environment SUSTAINABILITY
BY
Marc Zammit
Compass Group Vice President, Sustainability Initiatives
SAVE YOUR ENERGY [or, in other words, why you need to turn it off!]
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recent Environmental Protection Agency study revealed that in the United States, foodservice generates the highest intensity of BTUs per square foot than any other type of commercial activity. On average, a professional kitchen produces five times more energy than the rest of an entire office building. And if that news isn’t bad enough, according to David Zabrowski of the Food Service Technology Center, some 80 percent of that energy is wasted. For anybody involved in our industry, those should be very worrying statistics. In fact, they sounded so disturbing that I just had to check them out for myself. However, David confirmed on the phone what I have long believed – that our industry is laden with equipment and operating inefficiencies. Despite heightened awareness in recent years of the need to reduce our carbon footprint, many people still view utilities such as water, electricity and gas as having an endless supply. Our pursuit and desire of convenience
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very often clouds our good judgement and common sense in how we treat our precious natural resources. Each day, at many thousands of commercial kitchens around the country, equipment is turned on by the first person that arrives early in the morning and turned off only when the last person walks out of the door to go home late in the evening. The irony is that, as foodservice operators, we work incredibly hard to manage our day-today food and labor costs, yet as we pore over spreadsheets trying to find more efficient ways of hiring staff or purchasing produce, a walk-in refrigerator door in our facility is propped open, an oven hood constantly sucks in air while the hot line sits idle, and a hot water faucet is left running for what seems like an eternity. Perhaps if we had to manually “pump” natural resources into our kitchens in the same way that we put gas in our cars, we would think differently. Perhaps if we better understood the
“true” financial value of the natural resources needed to run our kitchens, we would pay more attention to our usage. If there’s any good news at all from this scenario, it’s that, as an industry, we have enormous scope for improvement. Although a commercial kitchen is a complicated and challenging environment, if we all take the time to better understand the equipment we use, we can easily introduce a few changes into our daily routine to reduce the unnecessary wastage of natural resources.
At Compass, we offer a variety of solutions to help our operators reduce both the eco-impact of their kitchen practices as well as their operating costs. Our Carbon Foodprint Toolkit™ offers a long list of equipment best practices, from low-hanging opportunities like posting an equipment-operating schedule to more complex solutions like calculating the ROI for replacing non-efficient equipment. In addition, our Love Food Not Waste campaign encourages the adoption of more responsible behaviors when using our natural resources. e
Let’s Lose a Million LBS….of CO2 If you’re a fan of happy endings, you’ll no doubt be pleased to hear about the Million Lb Challenge. This recent call-to-action released on Earth Day 2013 provides operators with simple strategies that will help Compass shed more than 1,000,000 lbs of CO2 while saving our clients thousands of dollars in energy costs simply by reducing our energy usage by 10 percent. More than 10,000 trees will thank you – so let’s do it, let’s lose it! For more, information, go to: https://carbonfoodprint.compass-usa.com
Modern Asian Kitchen
Modern Asian Kitchen
KOREAN RIB AND MISO GLAZED SWEET POTATOES
Fresh. Modern. Flavorful. Chef Jet Modern Asian Kitchen delivers fresh and flavorful modern cuisine based on traditional Asian cooking. Chef Jet centers on the Thai principle of YUM! Yum is the Thai word that translates to the delicious point between hot, sour, salty and sweet. Customers may choose from Jet’s favorite dishes or customize their own bowl. Start with a flavorful base such as rice or noodles, add lean meats marinated in spicy and savory sauces, choose from an infinite combination of crisp, fresh vegetables, and top with tangy seasoning or crunchy garnish.
Thanks to his diverse background, education and strong connection to food, Jet Tila is universally comfortable in multiple roles as a television star, Iron Chef competitor, consultant, restaurateur, teacher and student in the art of food.
For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
Compass Group
Case Study
CLIENT PROFILE
National Institutes Of Health Working with the National Institutes of Health since 2000, Eurest delivers a comprehensive dining and events program with a special focus on wellness.
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s part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation’s largest medical research agency dedicated to making the important discoveries that improve health and save lives. In fact, life expectancy in the United States has jumped from 47 years in 1900 to 78 years in 2009. In recent years, nationwide rates of new diagnoses and deaths from cancer have fallen significantly. Here is a summary of how our business sectors have worked with this flagship client.
EUREST
Eurest offers casual catering at NIH, as well as a more up-scale catering menu with the “Yes We Cater” program in an exciting, retail format.
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Eurest has partnered with NIH since 2000, providing foodservice to seven campus cafes and managing a wide variety of annual events and programs. Through the strength of the relationship, Eurest has built an environment of friendly hospitality, great food, top-notch catering and joint wellness initiatives at NIH, all while creating solutions and keeping atop the foodservice trends. Eurest’s director of hospitality bolsters the ‘a great customer experience starts with me’ motto among associates, empowering them to make memorable experiences with every guest. In collaboration with NIH’s wellness vision, Eurest works with the NIH’s dietitians to feature wellness programs, such as Sensible Selections, Meatless Mondays featuring Flexitarian recipes, National Nutrition Month and American Heart Month. Eurest also participates in NIH’s Wellness Council meetings and partners with NIH to plan events throughout the campus. By introducing two new stations in the main café recently, Eurest has developed exciting menu options on the NIH campus. So Deli has increased quality and variety for customers, while incorporating wellness into great tasting sandwiches that are available daily. Eurest’s proprietary Italian station, 2mato, was introduced at Café 10B1 in April 2013, which includes strombolis, calzones, pizzas and pastas made
with fresh ingredients, homemade and flax seed dough, and creative pastas. Regional Chef Carmen Marzocco continues to dazzle guests at the Children’s Inn, a place where families go to stay near their hospitalized children. With fun themed Chef’s Tables like “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”, this creates special memories for families during times of stress. The Eurest team also supplies the children who visit the café with crayons and placemats to keep them entertained and comfortable while dining – one of many ways Eurest makes a difference in a child’s day.
CANTEEN Canteen provides vending service on campus for 164 machines in about 100 NIH locations, selling 302,000 items per year to support offhour and snack needs. Boasting a 40-year relationship with the Maryland Business Enterprise Program for the Blind, including the past five years at NIH, Canteen strategically placed 10 100 percent healthy snack machines on campus, a 2BU machine in the main hospital, and recently upgraded all snacks and most bottle vendors.
THOMPSON HOSPITALITY The nation’s largest minority-owned foodservice company, Thompson Hospitality, has worked with Eurest to serve NIH since 2000. A growing portfolio of retail opportunities includes brb, an
“Eurest has made great strides in understanding our culture here at National Institutes of Health. They are connecting with customers through food, nutrition and wellness initiatives.”
Healthy Partnerships Throughout the years, Eurest has partnered with NIH to create and participate in a series of events focused on promoting healthier eating and lifestyles. Here are three recent great examples:
THE NIH SAFETY, HEALTH & WELLNESS EXPO At the annual National Institutes of FROM TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: Variety and choice are the
key themes at NIH – from a selection of different catering options to Chef’s Tables to in-house deli-style restaurants to fresh and healthy salad bars.
organic hamburger concept; Marvelous Market, an upscale coffee and bakery destination; and American Tap Room, a fine dining experience. Thompson also has sponsored exhibition cooking at Chef’s Tables and hosted many cultural diversity celebrations centered around Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, Women’s Heritage and Organic and Sustainable Foods Month.
Health Safety, Health, & Wellness Expo, Eurest’s presentation was based on the new MyPlate program developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
EARTH DAY
NIH Campus Dietitians, Eurest’s
In April, the NIH in Bethesda, MD, held
Beth Dorman and Kerry Cowart,
its annual Earth Day celebration. The
explained how to introduce
Eurest team supported by Pura Vida
each of the five food groups –
Coffee and Profish, compiled a great
protein, vegetables, fruits, grains and
table featuring the Love Food Not
dairy – into a balanced diet, while
Waste promotion. While the hot coffee
Eurest vendors provided samples
on a rainy day was a huge hit with the
of healthier options and NIH
adults, the kids loved the fish display
Executive Chef Derek Campbell
provided by John Rorapaugh with
hosted a healthy Chef’s Table
Profish, which featured all local fish.
featuring a chili rubbed tilapia with asparagus and lemon. The team
CROTHALL Crothall has also worked with NIH since 2000, initially providing cleaning services to the Clinical Center. During the past 13 years, Crothall has serviced the Safra Family Lodge, B1/2nd floor cafeteria and Building 60, as well as a 234bed inpatient facility, 81 day hospital stations, outpatient clinics, diagnostic treatment areas and public waiting areas. Crothall has played a key role in addressing a Klebsiella outbreak by collaborating and partnering with the Epidemeology and Nursing departments to clean the unit on a 24-hour basis. “Pristine” was the word used by Joint Commission to describe the cleanliness of the Clinical Center last year. e
items, including cooler bags, safety
NATIONAL REGISTERED DIETITIAN DAY AND SODIUM SYMPOSIUM
box cutters, thermometers and
At the National Registered Dietitian
cutting boards, and shared tips on
Day, onsite registered dietitians
how to stay safe at home.
manned a booth at each Eurest café
also raffled off some food safety
location to showcase MyPlate and other healthy lifestyle choices, and to talk to guests about healthier dining options. At the Sodium Symposium, Eurest’s Beth Dorman presented on the use of sodium in foodservice where she was recognized by Dr. Margaret McDowell for her remarks which “put the ‘real life spin’ on the sodium issue.”
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GENERATIONAL INFLUENCERS
THE MILLENNIALS ARE COMING! ARE YOU READY FOR THEM? A new breed of customer, manager and employee is just around the corner. And in some industries, they’ve already arrived. Hot on the heels of Generation X, the digitally-connected “millennials” are confident, opinionated and never without a tablet or smartphone glued to their hands. How can you engage this demanding, elusive and tech-savvy generation? BY NICK WRIGHT AND ANDY FORD
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Who was responsible for this worldwide phenomenon? Millennials – also known as ‘Generation Y’ or ‘Echo Boomers’. This powerful and influential group, now numbering almost 90 million in the U.S. alone, has the ability to propel an individual, idea, brand or company from relative obscurity into worldwide public consciousness quite literally overnight. And when you consider that millennials are expected to comprise some 75 percent of the workforce by 2025, it’s easy to understand why everybody from advertising agencies and big brands to entertainment companies and Presidential campaigns are tap dancing and performing cartwheels just to get their attention. So what makes this new breed of consumer tick? Firstly, millennials are driven, focused, self-confident, tech-savvy and motivated by convenience. They’re also obsessive multitaskers, often using several devices and social platforms simultaneously. A recent Time Inc. report, A Biometric Day in the Life, highlighted that younger consumers switch media platforms up to 27 times per hour, or about once every two minutes. In addition, some 38 percent of millennials say they could not go more than 10 minutes without checking their digital devices, 40 percent say they would go
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n July 25, 2012, a relatively unknown singer and songwriter from South Korea by the name of Psy uploaded a video of his latest single, Gangnam Style, to YouTube. Although the song had an infuriatingly catchy melody and an outrageous dance routine, there was nothing to suggest that the rapper’s new release would attract any kind of following outside of Southeast Asia. Within 30 days, however, the song had ranked No. 1 on the iTunes Music Video Chart. Just five months later, it had surpassed Justin Bieber’s Baby as the most watched video in YouTube history with more than a billion views. Along the way, Psy had become a worldwide media sensation, performing at a host of high-profile TV shows, including the MTV Europe Music Awards, the Today Show and Saturday Night Live. As Gangnam Style fever gripped the nation, flash mobs spontaneously broke out in major cities around the world and homemade parody videos of the song created by teenagers flooded the internet. Even the most traditional and conservative of creatures, a PGA Tour golfer, busted out his own rendition of the dance moves after making an important putt at the Phoenix Open in January.
“Millennials have the ability to propel an individual, idea, brand or company from relative obscurity into worldwide public consciousness quite literally overnight.”
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GENERATIONAL INFLUENCERS
“While ‘Generation X’ has been touted as the ‘slacker generation,’ many believe it will be the millennials who finally put politics and financial self-interest aside to tackle such emotive issues as climate change, pollution and environmental sustainability.”
through withdrawals if they could not check their smartphones, and more than 50 percent admit that they didn’t feel so compelled to constantly “check in.” For this group, texting is preferred over all other forms of digital communication and the smartphone is the device of choice. At the same time, while Generation X has widely been touted as the “slacker generation,” many believe it will be the millennials who finally put politics and financial self-interest aside to tackle such emotive issues as climate change, pollution and environmental sustainability. This group has also become disillusioned with corporate greed and red tape, as highlighted by the largely millennialorganized Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.
The millennial consumer So you’re probably already thinking, “This is interesting, but how and why is it relevant to my business?” Two reasons. The first is that this new generation will be your key consumer – the person who will buy your products or services, respond to your advertisements and make the decision on whether or not to do business with you. The second reason is that this new generation will very shortly become the backbone of your own company. As your employees, millennials will be selling YOUR products, interacting with YOUR customers and shaping the future direction of YOUR business. And because Generation Y possesses dramatically different opinions from its predecessors on such matters as corporate behavior, social responsibility and communication, your organization in the next few years will experience nothing short of a revolutionary change in culture. The next question, you’re probably ready to ask is, “All this talk of what’s going to happen tomorrow is very well and good, but where does this leave my business today? The person who writes the check for our services doesn’t tweet, take photos and post them to Facebook, and typically doesn’t care how sustainable their coffee is. What does all this mean to them?” The challenge for businesses is that while the majority of a company’s clients, customers and employees at this
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moment in time are likely to be boomers, we’re only a decade or so away from witnessing the biggest change in workforce dynamics in history. One of the major changes between Generation X and Generation Y is the comprehensive immersion of young people today in technology and the emergence of the smartphone as the device of choice for personal communication. While laptops have given people the freedom to work on the move and enhanced productivity, the smartphone has propelled workplace flexibility to a whole new level. In fact, some experts are predicting that we are rapidly approaching a laptop-free work environment. Whether or not that scenario actually materializes within the next decade or so remains to be seen, but there’s no avoiding the fact that many millennials are more productive using a smartphone than many are with a laptop. The widespread adoption of portable technology has triggered a significant shift in behavior from one generation to the next. During the past five years or so, the introduction into society of smartphones and tablet devices has increasingly blurred the lines between work time and leisure time. With instant connectivity at their fingertips, millennials will network with colleagues or clients on LinkedIn while simultaneously checking up on family and friends via Facebook. Posts will be a blend of personal and business updates.
A culture of connectivity Whether it stems from over-connectivity or the transparency provided by social media, millennials expect to be able to engage with brands in the same way that they interact with friends, family and peers, and with the same level of frequency, too. This obviously creates both opportunities and challenges for companies looking to tap into their buying power and influence. The most recent edition of Edelman’s 8095 – a survey of 4,000 people in 11 countries born between 1980 and 1995 – revealed that millennials want authenticity, entertainment and partnership from brands. Beyond that, some 53 percent of respondents also reported that, price and quality being equal, social purpose is the most important factor when making purchasing decisions. It should come as no surprise, then, that millennials differ widely from previous generations as to what is regarded as success. According to the 2011 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey, more than 60 percent of 18- to 26-year-olds polled said they
Some 32 percent of millennials frequently look at menus on their smartphone or tablet device.
THE FOOD INDUSTRY HOW TO CATER FOR THIS DEMANDING CUSTOMER From the local corner café to nationally known franchises to glamorous A-list eateries, millennials pose both challenges and opportunities to the restaurant world. Purchasing some 36 percent of their meals away from home, this generation eats out more frequently and spends more on dining than any other. So how can you tap into that unprecedented level of dining disposable income?
Millennials are… HIGHLY SOCIAL:
They enjoy taking and posting photos of their food and “checking-in” to restaurants using social media like Facebook and FourSquare. Millennials also seek 24/7 engagement and want to be entertained and informed constantly.
GLOBALLY-MINDED AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE:
They are very conscious of energy waste and sustainability. Millennials seek holistic wellness – things should be good for them and for the planet.
CONSCIOUS OF THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT: They want reusable and recycled to-go items.
COMMUNITY FOCUSED:
nials crave a value-added menu even more.
Given the choice, they prefer to patronize restaurants that support local vendors and produce growers.
OFF-PEAK AFICIONADOS:
More than any other generation in history, millennials enjoy eating at restaurants during off-peak hours. Offering special deals during these hours are likely to appeal to this group of consumers, particularly snacking options during the mid-afternoon daypart.
VALUE SEEKERS:
Although they crave personalization, customization and the opportunity to order their food their way, millen-
DIGITALLY CONNECTED:
Some 32 percent of millennials frequently look at menus on their smartphone. It is, therefore, important to maintain a dynamic, mobile-friendly online presence, ideally with pay-by-phone options.
SEEKING CUSTOMIZATION:
Millennials are looking for options that promote choice, customization and self-expression and expect unlimited choices. They believe that all things are possible and they want the world their way, and they want it now.
s
would prefer to work for a company that offers volunteer opportunities, while new entrants into the workplace are placing an increasingly high premium on an employer’s reputation for social responsibility and its ability to provide opportunities for employees to positively contribute to society. A more socially responsible outlook on life is also reflected in the corporate DNA of a new tranche of millennial-owned businesses. In his book Shake The World: It’s Not About Finding a Job, It’s About Creating a Life, the author James Marshall Reilly predicts that millennials are already transforming the fabric of capitalism and that the economies of the future will be founded upon social entrepreneurship where everyday purchases will yield philanthropic and humanitarian dividends. In addition to being the most “social” humans to have ever walked the planet, millennials are also the first generation to be truly immersed in technology, which they rely on for everything from research to securing dinner reservations to dating. Technology has given millennials a platform for personal self-expression. Generation Y wants to share everything online – from where they are and what they are doing right now to where they vacationed, dined and what they wore. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and FourSquare are the megaphones of
MILLENNIALS AND
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GENERATIONAL INFLUENCERS
CONNECTING WITH COMPASS Responding to our clients’ needs for enhanced communication and convenience, Compass has recently introduced a wide selection of programs with built-in connectivity. Zipthru Connect With information on the latest menus, specials and promotions delivered via text message or email, Zipthru Connect makes it easy to keep customers up to date with the latest dining options. Incorporating an easy-to-use “opt-in” registration feature, customers can choose the type of information they want to receive and how they want it delivered.
Dining Websites An economical and convenient way to access the latest dining and café information, the websites seamlessly integrate with Compass’ nutrition management system, Webtrition, allowing customers to view daily menus along with nutrition information and customized nutrition reports. Daily specials, promotions, catering and customer feedback are only a click away.
sign in using Facebook or other social media. Information Kiosks Using the latest in touchscreen tablet technology, customers can view café information, promotions, daily menus and quickly access nutrition information for any item. The nteractive kiosks are integrated in real time with Webtrition. Customers can also use the kiosks to take a short survey and submit feedback to the dining center. Station Nutrition Signage on iPad This tablet-based service gives customers detailed nutritional information for each item included in a station menu. Interactive signage allows customers to select their items and view the total price of their meal in advance. Mobile Ordering With Zipthru Mobile Ordering, customers can order a customized meal using their smartphone and have it all delivered or pick it up in the café. No waiting in line! Customers simply
Interactive Digital Signage High impact, multi-media digital signage captures the eye and draws customers into the café. High definition video, animated graphics and real-time information entertain, educate and engage customers. Clients can also
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click the link for their preferred location, select their pickup or delivery time and then place their order using the color image menu items.
Microsoft Tags & QR codes Consumers with smartphones can scan tags or QR codes and gain access to a wide range of promotions and services, including nutritional analysis, coupons, specials, menu discounts and frequent buyer offers, in a paperless, user-friendly platform. Interactive Meal Ordering Kiosks Similar to an ATM or a self-checkout at the grocery store, touchscreen kiosks guide customers through the purchasing process and can be used for express ordering to reduce queues or in remote locations to extend reach. Tablet Point of Sale Devices A handheld tablet that accepts credit card payments, this point of sale device is ideal for mobile and temporary scenarios, including mobile food trucks and events, as well as for reducing lines at busy dining times.
this generation, while sites driven by peer group reviews such as Amazon, TripAdvisor and Yelp have transformed entire industries. While word of mouth referrals have always been a valuable commodity for businesses, social media platforms have enabled the widespread sharing of product reviews, opinions and feedback. While in the past it was easy for a company to make an impact and gain the trust of consumers with a clever or entertaining advertising/PR campaign, the younger consumer is not so easily fooled or impressed. “Generations before ours could trust a business as long as it had a good and successful track record. But things have changed,” says Willie Matis, a millennial who advises companies on how to use social media effectively in advocacy, fundraising and events. “We need to know how you are working inside and out. Not because we like to creep, not because we are less trusting than generations before, but because it is now possible to get that inside information easily through various social media platforms.” With technology as the enabler, customization and change are the inevitable outcomes. Millennials have grown up altering and adjusting just about every product they have ever encountered. For this group, the opportunity to put their own personal stamp on everything they touch is a given. The successful companies in the future will be those that best enable their clients’ own“personal brands” to shine. However, in addition to paying very close attention to what you are doing, millennials as employees and vendors are just as likely to request reviews and feedback on how THEY are doing. While Generation Y has been criticized for receiving over-the-top positive reinforcement from
WITH
“While conference calls and
LIMITED TIME OFFERS
personal office visits are unlikely to totally disappear any time soon, the communication of the future is increasingly going to include social networks and instant messaging.” parents and teachers, expect millennials to redress that balance with a desire for honest assessments. While it is difficult to accurately predict the scale of the impact millennials will have on the workplace and society in the coming years, one thing is certain: businesses will have to adapt to the communication style of this generation. While conference calls and personal office visits are unlikely to totally disappear any time soon, the communication of the future is increasingly going to include social networks and instant messaging. For many millennials, email is already considered too slow and cumbersome. This presents a whole new set of challenges for companies as they navigate and learn the etiquette of how and when to contribute to the plethora of conversations taking place about their brand online. Finally, Generation Y has not faced a world war, a great depression, or a space race. However, it has witnessed at close hand global recession, a war on terror, the explosion of the Internet and, more than any other generation, perpetual technological change. In fact, the rate of change this generation has embraced has been truly staggering. Rather than fearing the future, millennials are demanding change and waiting to grasp the opportunity with both hands when it arrives. They are ready for tomorrow. Are you? e
The Limited Time Offer is a proven strategy for launching new products, introducing new menu items and generating a new buzz in your café. Each month, new Limited Time Offer signage and recipes are introduced.
SUMMER 2013 • elements 25 For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
Compass Group
Case Study
CLIENT PROFILE
American Express Partners for more than 13 years, the relationship between
T
Eurest and American Express is built on continual innovation and a “can do” attitude.
he first few months of any new major client/vendor relationship can be a somewhat testing time to say the least, but when Eurest and American Express first started working together in 2000, the two companies had more pressing concerns than outlining key deliverables, aligning cultures and addressing new partnership teething troubles. Just a matter of months after signing a contract to provide foodservice to seven American Express locations throughout the U.S., the World Trade Center in New York City was attacked on September 11. The resulting damage to the American Express offices displaced many employees to remote sites in the metro New York area. Eurest responded swiftly to the logistical challenge of feeding American Express’ widely dispersed employees and the company has continued to bring a “can do” attitude to the table ever since.
EUREST AND AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL:
A GROWING SUCCESS STORY Eurest District Manager Matt Dennie
THE EXECUTIVE AND ONSITE TEAM
opened the American Express
Matt Dennie
Financial Corporation account in 2005, shortly before the company was restructured as Ameriprise Financial. The organization now has
District Manager
Richard Dollarhide District Chef
Dennis Seviola District Catering Manager
seven operations with locations in
Tiffany Hauser
Minnesota, Nevada, New York and
General Manager, Ameriprise Financial Center, MN
Wisconsin. Under Matt’s direction, Ameriprise Financial has received
Sue Carson
many accolades. The organization
General Manager, Ameriprise Customer Service Center, MN
was the recipient of the President’s
Devin Summers
Five Jewel Award for Diversity and Inclusion in 2012, as well as the regional hourly team member year award for 2012 (Elizabeth Erickson).
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Chef Manager, Ameriprise, Green Bay, WI
Sarah Ray Chef Manager, Ameriprise, Las Vegas, NV
Olly Lazcurain Outtakes Manager, MN
During the past 13 years, Eurest has played a proactive role in introducing continual innovation to the American Express contract, which in addition to the café and Executive Dining Suite at the company’s world headquarters in New York also includes two locations in Fort Lauderdale, three locations in Phoenix and one location in Salt Lake City. The company’s commitment to providing the highest levels of service and professionalism across the board has been recognized with four of the accounts winning Compass Account of the Year. In addition, the New York and Phoenix locations locations are also distinguished as Compass Group Centers for Excellence. As well as providing a wide range of associate training opportunities, these centers play a significant role in program rollouts, product development and product cuttings. In addition to a wide range of fixed stations and in-house dining options across the seven national locations, Eurest, Thompson Hospitality and Canteen have implemented a broad cross-section of brands with the goal of ensuring that every taste and every foodservice need is catered to. Nationally recognized restaurant franchises such as Starbucks, Subway and Adobe Flats blend with a collection of Compass owned brand portfolios, including 2mato, Austin Grill, Outtakes, daily Chef’s Tables, So Deli, whole+sum and Wild Greens. Online desktop ordering is available through 101 Catering and Catertrax. For the ultimate in convenience, there are 153
“In addition to a wide range of fixed stations and in-house dining options across the seven national locations, Eurest, Thompson Hospitality and Canteen have implemented a broad cross-section of brands with the goal of ensuring that every taste is catered to and every foodservice need is fulfilled.”
The Eurest/American Express Executive Team
ABOVE: The dining options at American Express and Ameriprise
Financial campuses includes nationally recognized restaurant franchises and Compass owned brand portfolios.
vending machines between the seven campuses, each of which provides a minimum of 25 percent healthier selections. The New York and AEDR locations also have 2BU vending machines, which contain all-natural products sourced from suppliers selected for their commitment to supporting local and social causes, including animal habitat restoration, renewable energy projects, reforestation, family farm support and disease prevention. This is the first contract that has 10 of the interactive touchscreen vending machines, with at least one in each location. In addition to American Express’ proprietary health and wellness program, American Express Healthy Living, which combines best-in-class resources, enhanced access to care and a supportive work environment, associates across the board also have access to Compass’ Webtrition, which enables users to track the nutritional and caloric content of their meals, and whole+sum, which comprises three mix-and-match components that total no more than 500 calories. And, with the long-term goal of making American Express a cleaner and greener place in which to work, the company is implementing Compass’ Carbon Foodprint program, a web-based tool designed to help corporations lower their environmental impact and operational costs. e
Jim Colombaris
Stan Pasterczyk
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
DISTRICT MANAGER
Jim Colombaris joined Compass Group in November of 2000 as the Resident District Manager at American Express in NYC and has since been a part of the Eurest/American Express Leadership team. Currently Vice President of Operations, Jim oversees the American Express Portfolio globally as well as the Eurest B&I accounts in NY and NJ. Jim has worked in the foodservice and hospitality industry for over 20 years. Prior to that his passion for cooking and hospitality started as a third generation young boy working in the family restaurant business. Jim is a graduate of Seton Hall University and loves to play golf and travel.
Kerry Cowart DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION After beginning her Compass career as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at sister company Morrison Management Specialists, Kerry joined Eurest in May 2008 and was later transferred to New Jersey as the Regional Clinical Nutrition Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Kerry’s responsibilities include the development and implementation of Wellness Initiatives in the B&I sector. A graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Dietetics and a Masters of Business Administration from Colorado State University, Kerry is a Registered Dietitian and member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and New Jersey Dietetic Association.
Stan attended the Academy of Culinary Arts where he graduated in 1992 with Gold Medal honors. After graduation he took a position at the Garden State Arts Center, Homdel, N.J. where he prepared meals for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr. and The Beach Boys. After two seasons at the Arts Center, Stan accepted the position of Sous Chef at Cervinos Northern Italian Restaurant, Union Beach, N.J. In October 1994, Stan joined the Service America Corporation as Sous Chef at AT&T Piscataway and was promoted to Executive Chef before joining Prudential. He later made the transition to manager responsible for the Pfizer contract in N.J. Stan joined American Express in 2007.
AMEX ONSITE TEAM Danny Chavez
American Express Regional Chef
Ralph Tafuri
General Manager, American Express World Financial Center, NY
Don Eagle
General Manager, American Express Executive Dining, NY
Aj McDonald
General Manager, American Express Service Center, FL
Kevin Modrell
General Manager, American Express Dessert Ridge, PHX
Matthew Simon
General Manager, American Express Service Center, PHX
Adolfo Alvarez
General Manager, American Express Service Center, SLC
Jeff Watkins
Chef Manager, American Express TRCN, PHX
SUMMER 2013 • elements
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SNEAK PREVIEW
BALANCE KITCHEN Imagine entering a cafĂŠ with a bounty of vibrant fresh, local and sustainable foods. Compass Group is proud to introduce a new visionary cafĂŠ that is designed as an environment that fosters and promotes worksite health and sustainability.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
physical activity behaviors that are long-term and sustainable, and by making health-promoting food delicious, enticing, easy and accessible. Here are Balance Kitchen’s five key features:
1
CHOICES AND OPTIONS
2
INFORMATION AND INCENTIVES
Health-promoting food offerings will be offered at all service points, featuring a bountiful variety of fresh, local and sustainable menu items. Customers will still be able to find their traditional favorites, but a plentiful variety of ‘betterfor-you’ foods and beverages will be positioned front and center and will tempt customers to make healthful and delicious choices.
Education, information and incentives will be available to inform and guide customers to choose health-promoting options. Providing nutrition information on each and every item offered is a vital part of the Balance Kitchen commitment. A variety of formats including print and digital signage, dining website, easy-to-use station touch screen kiosks and mobile platforms ensure that customers have quick and easy access to the nutrition s
ur clients tell us that they are facing increased pressure to improve the health and well-being of their workforce. Healthcare reform, emphasis on workforce productivity, improved methods to measure the impact of worker health on the financial success of an organization, an increasing evidence of a link between healthful lifestyle choices (particularly food choices and physical activity) and employee morale, worksite injury rates, productivity, and direct healthcare costs are some of the many factors that have prompted employers to look beyond traditional solutions to inform, educate and change the health behaviors of their associates. At the same time, there is an increasing awareness that the health of the ecosystem is directly connected to the health of our communities and the people who live in them. In fact, studies show that consumers are embracing sustainability as a core value and are looking for transparency in the foods they choose. Launching late 2013, Balance Kitchen helps customers and clients find lifestyle balance by encouraging moderation and variety in food choices, by linking wellness, sustainability and community, by promoting healthy eating and
SUMMER 2013 • elements
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SNEAK PREVIEW
information they need to guide their decisions. For example, a deli kiosk will allow customers to build a sandwich “virtually” while monitoring nutrient content. Powered by Webtrition, Compass’ proprietary ingredient, recipe and menu management system, this information can also be used to power customized client measurement and to feed technology-based, healthful purchasing incentive programs.
3
MERCHANDISING
Marketing and choice architecture will help make the ‘better-for-you’ options exciting, accessible and affordable. Choice architecture techniques are employed to position healthpromoting foods and beverages in the most prominent and accessible locations, while visual cues are provided to prompt selections of these items. At the salad bar, for instance, a customer might follow directional signage that shows the amount of various ingredients needed to compose a healthful Greek salad.
4
PARTNERSHIPS
Strategic partnerships are an important part of Balance Kitchen as they help extend health-pro-
moting lifestyle behaviors beyond the café walls. Our strategic partnerships with digital media companies like EatingWell, the number one rated Food Diary app, My Fitness Pal, and corporate fitness and wellness expert, Plus One Health Management, can make it easier for employees and their families to lead active, healthful lives every day.
5
FLEXIBILITY AND SCALABILITY
6
SUCCESS METRICS
Design and build flexibility allows for Balance Kitchen to be scaled according to each location, budget and level of engagement in accordance with sustainable building practices. A Balance Kitchen renovation or build may feature materials that are reclaimed, repurposed or recycled to create a sense of home, a sense of meaning and a sense of responsibility.
Dashboard metrics enable us to collaboratively measure and track progress towards a set of health and wellness-related targets, such asdecreasing average calorie consumption or increasing the proportion of whole grains to refined grains. e
BALANCE KITCHEN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Is everything healthy in Balance Kitchen? No. Only 30 to 50 percent of the offerings must meet our FIT – or equivalent healthful – criteria. The exact percentage is identified by assessing the client’s corporate wellness goals and customer demographics. The remaining menu items can be customer favorites, provided that they do not exceed the maximum nutrient limits as established in Webtrition. All FIT offerings must be marketed and promoted in a way that makes them easy to identify. If I convert a café to Balance Kitchen, will I have to change my stations and use new recipes?
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No. Balance Kitchen is intended to work with existing typical café stations like the salad bar, deli and grab-and-go. You can continue to offer many of your currently popular recipes, provided they do not exceed the Webtrition trigger criteria. You may need to add some FIT recipes (already in Webtrition) to meet the overall 30 to 50 percent FIT commitment. I’m not sure I am ready to convert a whole café to Balance Kitchen. Is a smaller version an option? Yes. We will be developing a Balance Kitchen version of Avenue C that meets Balance Kitchen criteria in an unat-
tended, self-checkout market format. Balance Kitchen could be an especially good solution for a campus with multiple cafés since it can be scaled for use at a smaller service location. Do I have to use Webtrition to have a Balance Kitchen? Yes. Providing nutrition information for all items offered (FIT plus non-FIT) is an important part of the Balance Kitchen commitment. Webtrition powers our ability to provide that information in a variety of platforms. Therefore, the entire Balance Kitchen menu will use Webtrition recipes and have purchased products for which we have nutritional information.
Building a whole Balance Kitchen will be expensive, won’t it? It doesn’t have to be. Our design/ build team offers a variety of material packages and options ranging from a new café buildout to a renovation of an existing space with a range of material price points.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
“Marketing and choice architecture will help make the ‘better-for-you’ options exciting, accessible and affordable for customers.”
WHAT’S
HOT!
[ and what’s cool, too! ] Compass Group highlights a selection of food trends coming to a dinner table, restaurant or café near you soon. BY AMANDA BROWN
TAPAS-STYLE SMALL PLATES An increasingly casual yet sophisticated approach to dining has led consumers to seek balance, moderation and variety. Appetizer-style tapas plates traditionally were influenced by different countries and cultures and created using simple ingredients. Today, this style of dining has evolved and consumers are enjoying being able to mix, match, share and graze on hot and cold dishes in a more affordable and entertaining way of eating.
LET’S GO, H2O! It wasn’t too long ago that America had a love affair with soda. But with many people now turning away from sugary beverages, the soda run is fizzling out. In its place? Convenient, appealing, trendy and, most importantly, healthy bottled water! Drinking up to 13 cups of this miracle liquid each day will not only make you feel good, it will make you look good, too. So “water” you waiting for? Go get yourself some!
REV IT UP
THE WHOLE GRAIN
As many people around the world will testify, coffee and tea can rev you up in the morning or energize you later in the day. Caffeine is a natural chemical that activates the central nervous system. Regular consumption of coffee and tea has been shown to increase short-term focus and alertness, as well as long-term memory. It’s a source of antioxidants, too!
A diet rich in whole grains has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including maintaining body weight and lowering the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. As well as being an energetic source of fiber, vitamins and protein, whole grains also contain several other nutrients, such as selenium and magnesium. This year’s ancient grains will also show up in snack foods.
STREET FOODS From trendy food stalls to gourmet food trucks, street food brings the authentic and vibrant flavors of India, Latin America, the Caribbean Islands, Indonesia and beyond to mainstream day-to-day American life. Enjoy the diverse cultures of street foods as they continue to become a mainstay in today’s food landscape and in our restaurants and cafés.
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POUR ON THE FLAVOR
SNACK SMART With current research showing that many people now prefer to eat five smaller meals during the day rather than the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner, it’s clear that the snacking trend is here to stay. However, consumers have redefined the category. The word “snack” used to mean chips, cookies or crackers, but it now includes healthy beverages and mini-meals. In fact, more than 50 percent of all new snacks launched in 2011 featured a health position of some kind. In addition, many food manufacturers now offer healthier options of their most popular snack items. Value, affordability and convenience are other factors that make this eating routine appealing to consumers.
ACCESSORIZE YOUR PARFAIT Keeping up with the latest fashion, yogurt parfaits can be dazzled and brought to life with all kinds of colors and textures. Fruit fillings, nuts, grain toppings and even vegetables can help yogurt soothe your taste buds. Low-fat or fat-free yogurts are also excellent sources of protein, calcium and probiotics, which can help keep your digestive system working properly. Enjoy this trendy food for breakfast or a grab-ngo healthy snack throughout the day.
In the early 20th century, the word “smoothie” was a description of a slick lothario. Today, it is considered a healthy “halo” food that has gained mainstream foodservice appeal. Launching as a slushy fruity drink with a water, milk or yogurt base, the smoothie can contain anything from mood-boosting enhancements to proteins to weight loss supplements to spinach, carrots and radishes. A smoothie can be concocted using a wide range of healthy ingredients, making it an appealing option for the have-it-your-way food lover.
EAT WHERE YOU LIVE The concept of “eating local” is no longer restricted to finding your local farmers market. Restaurants, grocery stores and even gas stations are touting this healthy eating lifestyle. Although more and more people are becoming educated on the environmental impact of their food choices, buying produce locally isn’t just about reducing your carbon footprint – it tastes better, is safer and seasonal, and supports local communities. While it may have started out as a fad or a trend, eating local has become a way of life for many people, and it is here to stay.
“While it may have started out as a fad or a trend, eating local has become a way of life for many people, and is here to stay.”
GLUTEN GLAM From lofty food kiosks to vending machines to grab-n-go to fine dining, the gluten fair continues to grow. In fact, gluten-free has become one of the world’s fastestgrowing diet trends, sparking a $7 billion industry. While it’s estimated that only one percent of Americans actually have celiac disease, many people claim that a “gluten sensitivity” makes them feel bloated and fatigued when they eat food containing wheat, barley and rye. Nowadays, you can dine at a restaurant and order gluten-free straight from the menu without asking the chef to create the recipe. SUMMER 2013 • elements
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elements
SUMMER 2013 RECIPES A TASTE OF NATIVE AMERICA
A Taste of Native America A new cookbook highlights some of the unique tastes and flavors of the famous Mitsitam Café at the National Museum of American Indian RECIPE PHOTOS: © 2010 Renée Comet Photography, Inc., Restaurant Associates and Smithsonian Institution
M
itsitam Café at the National Museum of American Indian opened in 2004. During the best part of a decade under the direction of Executive Chef Richard Hetzler, the restaurant has received countless accolades and awards, including a Zagat rating and the Washington, D.C. RAAMY Award for Best Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year. In 2007, Chef Richard and his team were approached by the museum’s publications office department to discuss the idea of creating a unique cookbook featuring the recipes of Mitsitam Café.
The team enthusiastically jumped on the idea and for the next three years worked with a cookbook writer to develop more than 90 recipes, ranging from appetizers to desserts and everything in between. Once published, the accolades continued and the cookbook was nominated for a Gourmand World Cookbook award in 2010. Mitsitam Café Cookbook was also the winner of the “Best Local Cuisine” category for all of the United States and second place for the “Gourmand Best in the World” competition. We’re proud to share with you some recipes from The Mitsitam Café Cookbook.
“We wanted to use native ingredients that were indigenous to the regions we are representing in the café and put them together in a way that appeals to the everyday consumer.” – Richard Hetzler, Restaurant Associates Executive Chef
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t Ceviche
Mitsitam
Serves 4
Versions of ceviche, or cebiche, are found all along the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Chile, but the technique of “cooking” raw fish or shellfish in acidic fruit juice originated in Peru and Ecuador. The Spanish introduced lemons, limes, and bitter oranges (the fruits most often used for ceviche marinades today) to the Americas in the 1500s, but Inca peoples may have preserved raw seafood in the juice of an indigenous fruit called tumbo long before Europeans arrived. Today, Peruvians often serve their ceviches with pieces of corn on the cob, slices of hardboiled eggs, slices of sweet potato, and toasted dried corn. Ecuadorans also offer toasted dried corn, along with bowls of popcorn and glasses of the citrus marinade.
Ingredients 8 cups court bouillon
Add the shrimp and calamari, and
8 ounces medium shrimp (31 to 35 per pound), shelled and halved lengthwise
poach for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer seafood to a cold-
8 ounces cleaned calamari, cut into rings
cooking. Transfer to a paper towel-
4 cups water
bowl, combine the water and the 1
1 tablespoon salt
tablespoon of salt; stir to dissolve
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
the salt. Add the onion and let
½ cup fresh lime juice
soak for 10 minutes; drain. In a
1 tablespoon minced garlic
medium bowl, combine the calamari, shrimp, and ¼ cup of the lime
eat immediately or by smoking the fish over a slow fire to preserve it for the winter
¼ to ½ teaspoon ají amarillo paste or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
months. In southeast Alaska’s Tlingit villages, many backyards feature a smokehouse,
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
which in the summer may be filled with strips of freshly caught salmon hanging on
onion slices, garlic, ají amarillo
1 teaspoon salt
racks over a smoky alder fire for several days until dry. The sweet-sour taste of the
paste or cayenne, cilantro, and the
Freshly ground black pepper
berry glaze in this recipe is just the right counterpoint to the delicate flavor of the fish.
remaining lime juice. Toss to blend.
to taste
Season with the 1 teaspoon of salt
s Cedar-Planked
Fire-Roasted Salmon
Serves 4 to 6
This salmon is roasted in the oven, but the planking technique recalls the many ways that North Pacific Coast cooks grill fresh salmon: on poles or racks over a hot fire to
Use untreated cedar, cut to size, or purchase a cedar plank from a kitchenware store.
Ingredients
bring to a boil over medium heat.
BERRY GLAZE
Reduce the heat to low and cook,
¼ cup fresh or frozen huckleberries or blueberries
stirring occasionally, for about 8
¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
from the heat and set aside.
water bath for 1 minute to stop the lined plate to drain. In a medium
juice. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain, discarding the lime juice. Add the
and pepper. Cover and refrigerate
Method
for at least 30 minutes or up to
In a large nonreactive pot, bring
2 hours. Divide among 4 bowls
the court bouillon to a simmer.
and serve.
minutes, or until thickened. Remove
¼ cup fresh or frozen raspberries ¼ cup fresh or frozen blackberries
For the salmon:
2 to 3 tablespoons water
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a spice
2 tablespoons sugar
grinder or mortar, grind the juniper berries to a powder. Empty into a
SALMON
small bowl and add the salt; stir to
¼ cup dried juniper berries
blend. Rub the mixture evenly over
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
the flesh side of the salmon. Place
1 3-pound salmon fillet, preferably wild Pacific salmon, pin bones
the salmon on the drained plank,
removed
utes. Remove from the oven, leaving
skin side down, and bake for 8 minthe oven on, and brush the berry
Method
glaze evenly over the fillet. Return
Soak a 12-inch cedar plank in water to
to the oven and bake for another 8
cover for at least 6 hours; drain.
to 10 minutes, or until the salmon is just slightly translucent in the center.
For the berry glaze:
Remove from the oven and serve on
In a medium saucepan, combine all
the plank, if desired, with extra
the ingredients for the glaze and
glaze alongside.
SUMMER 2013 • elements
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elements
t Smoked
SUMMER 2013 RECIPES A TASTE OF NATIVE AMERICA
Duck Salad
Serves 4 to 6
Along the North Pacific Coast, migrating wild ducks each spring provided people with the first fresh meat in the annual food cycle. Native communities had varying techniques for capturing the ducks. The S’Klallam people of the Olympic Peninsula in present-day Washington State erected 40-foot-high poles strung with fine net into which flocks of ducks would fly in the dim light of dawn or sunset. Other Coast Salish hunters tied nets between trees, and the Makah submerged netting covered with salmon eggs in lakes and streams where the ducks typically fed. In this salad, smoked duck is balanced with the earthy taste of beets and the sweetness of apple and dried cherries.
Ingredients APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ¼ cup honey ¾ cup canola oil Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste SALAD
2 cups baby spinach leaves 1 cup frisée lettuce leaves
10 to 12 ounces smoked duck
s Juniper-Cured
breast, cut into thin slices
Makes 4 sandwiches
Salmon Sandwiches
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and cooled
Along the North Pacific Coast, from Oregon to southeastern Alaska, Native communities relied on the ocean and rivers for the bulk of their food supply. Salmon were especially
Method
abundant, with five to seven “runs” up coastal rivers each year. During the salmon season,
For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl,
entire communities worked together to catch, clean, smoke, dry, and store the fish as
combine all the ingredients and
quickly as possible for use throughout the year. Instead of being smoked, the salmon here
whisk to blend. Cover and refrigerate
is “cooked” using a curing process that imbues it with the foresty aroma of juniper berries.
for at least 1 hour, or up to 10 days.
The sandwiches are served with watercress and a spicy horseradish dressing.
2 red or golden beets, peeled
For the salad: In a large bowl, com-
and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
bine the spinach, frisée, beets, apple,
Ingredients
Place the fish in a roasting pan and set
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled,
and dried cherries. Toss to mix. Add
3 tablespoons dried juniper berries
a smaller roasting pan or baking dish on
cored, and cut into 2-inch
½ cup vinaigrette and toss to coat.
top, open side up. Weight the smaller
matchsticks
2 cups kosher salt
Top each serving with the smoked
pan with about 2½ pounds of canned
¼ cup dried cherries
duck and pine nuts.
2 cups sugar 1 8-ounce salmon fillet, pin bones removed 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish ¼ cup sour cream 8 slices whole-grain bread ½ cup very thinly sliced cucumber 1 cup watercress sprigs
goods or a small, heavy skillet. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the fish from the cloth and rinse off the salt mixture. The fish should now be opaque, and the skin can be easily sliced off with a sharp knife. Cut the salmon into very thin diagonal slices.
Freshly ground black pepper to taste In a small bowl, combine the horseradish
Method
and sour cream. Stir to blend. Spread the
In a spice grinder or mortar, grind
horseradish cream on one side of each
the juniper berries to a powder.
bread slice. Layer the cucumber over 4
Put the ground juniper in a medium
of the bread slices and top with the sliced
bowl and add the salt and sugar. Stir
salmon. Sprinkle the salmon on each
to blend.
sandwich very generously with pepper; top with the watercress, then with the
Cut a 2-foot length of cheesecloth
remaining bread slices.
and double it over to a 1-foot length. Place half of the salt mixture in the
Heat a large grill pan over medium
center of the cloth and place the
heat and spray with cooking spray.
salmon on top, pressing it into the
Toast the sandwiches, in batches, for 3
salt mixture so that the salt mixture
to 5 minutes on each side. Serve hot.
covers the bottom of the fish. Place
36 elements • SUMMER 2013
the remaining salt mixture on top of
Note: You will need to cure the
the fish. Wrap the cheesecloth tightly
salmon for 24 hours before making
around the fish.
these sandwiches.
t Tortilla
Soup
Serves 4 to 6 as a first course
Thin, flat, round cakes made from nixtamalized maize (field corn softened in a mixture of slaked lime and water) are one of the original mainstays of Mesoamerican cooking. In this soup, they are used to thicken a mixture of vegetables and chicken stock, recalling the maize-thickened drinks on which Maya and Aztec diets were based.
Ingredients 2 tablespoons corn or canola oil
yellow bell peppers, and tomatoes for
½ small yellow onion, chopped
10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Add
4 large cloves garlic, minced
the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook
½ zucchini, chopped
for 15 minutes. Set aside for about 10
1 yellow summer squash, chopped
minutes to cool slightly.
½ small red bell pepper, chopped ½ small yellow bell pepper, chopped
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
10 plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or
4 cups chicken stock
Remove from the oven and break into
4 corn tortillas
large pieces.
2 tablespoons minced fresh epazote or cilantro
Working in batches, puree the soup
Put the tortillas on a baking sheet until crisp and beginning to brown.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
and tortillas in a blender or food
Sour cream for garnish
Stir in the epazote or cilantro. Season
processor. Return to the pan to reheat. with salt and pepper. Garnish each
Method
serving with a dollop of sour cream.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion,
Note: This recipe may be easily
garlic, zucchini, squash, red and
doubled
s Cranberry
Crumble
Serves 4 to 6
English settlers in northeastern North America called them “crane-berries,” because the white flowers that appeared in the bogs in early June reminded them of cranes’ heads. But to the Wampanoag people of the region, they were known as sassamenesh. Growing in wetland areas with sandy soils, the North American cranberry is twice as big as any other variety, and Native cooks have a long history of using both fresh and dried cranberries to flavor many kinds of dishes. Aquinnah Wampanoags on Martha’s Vineyard still designate the second Tuesday of October as Cranberry Day: offices are closed, people harvest the berries, elders teach children about cranberrying, and in the evening Native and non-Native locals gather for a community potluck. This crumble, or fruit crisp, uses both honey and maple syrup to sweeten the tart berries and their crunchy cornmeal topping.
Ingredients
For the topping: Put the cornmeal
CORNMEAL TOPPING
in a medium bowl. Stir in the butter,
1 cup yellow cornmeal
honey, and maple syrup to make a stiff
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
dough. Set aside.
½ cup honey
For the fruit mixture: In a medium
¼ cup maple syrup
saucepan, combine the cranberries,
FRUIT MIXTURE
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries ½ cup honey ½ cup maple syrup 1 cup sugar
honey, maple syrup, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the berries have started to pop, about 10 minutes. Pour into the prepared dish and drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the hot fruit. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the
Method
topping is golden brown. Remove
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an
from the oven and let cool for about
8-inch square baking dish.
10 minutes. Serve warm.
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The Final Word ON WELLNESS “In contrast to some ‘fad’ diets, a Mediterranean lifestyle is a scientificallybacked approach to good health. And there is plenty of evidence to associate it with increased longevity.”
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
A
BY
Deanne Brandstetter
Compass Group Vice President, Nutrition and Wellness
recent magazine headline proclaimed, “Mediterranean Diet Good for the Heart!” While true, it’s hardly breaking news. Scientists first discovered a link between a Mediterranean lifestyle and longevity some 80 years ago. However, a recent study from The New England Journal of Medicine has once again raised awareness of this unique way of eating and living. According to Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, it is “a way of eating based on the traditional foods (and drinks) of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.” But the Mediterranean Diet is as much about embracing a lifestyle as it is about choice of food. This way of living also includes activities and wine
How You Can “Go Mediterranean” at Compass We offer a variety of beans, legumes and other plant-based proteins, colorful fruit and vegetables, grilled fresh fish offerings and nuts in convenient grab ‘n’ go packages both in dining and vending.
What’s Old Is New Again
in moderation with meals among family and friends. Just as important, the diet is full of delicious, flavor-filled dishes. Key food components include fresh fruit and vegetables, beans and legumes, olive oil, nuts, fish, wine and daily physical activity. In contrast to some fad diets, a Mediterranean lifestyle is a scientifically backed approach to good health. And there is plenty of evidence to associate it with increased longevity. The specific benefits include: HEART HEALTH
The Mediterranean Diet, incorporating daily nuts and olive oil, was recently shown in a clinical trial to reduce cardiovascular disease risk by 30 percent among individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease when compared with a reference low-fat diet. However, more research is needed in order to determine whether the Mediterranean Diet has a similar impact on the general population.
Look for our whole+sum Mediterranean offerings, monthly Superfoods and a food philosophy that promotes the use of olive oil. Away from the office, you can embrace this lifestyle by making time to enjoy meals with family, friends and colleagues. Add in some physical activity and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier life.
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WEIGHT LOSS/MAINTENANCE
All types of diets will result in a similar amount of weight loss for approximately six months. However, a Mediterranean diet
and a low GI diet appear to be easier to adhere to in the long term to help prevent regaining weight. CONSUMER PREFERENCE
The Mediterranean Diet capitalizes on consumer interest in world cuisines and is widely accepted as a healthful approach. So why has the Mediterranean Diet not been the “silver bullet” to our nation’s health issues? Many researchers believe the health benefits are realized only through adherence to the whole package, which includes physical activity and the recommended amount and frequencies of specific foods. Furthermore, since many of us “fear” fat in our diets, many people find it difficult to consume healthy oils and nuts. In fact, consumers who adopt only some of the Mediterranean diet elements could gain weight. For example, if you add olive oil and nuts to your diet without switching to plant-based protein, fish, fruit and vegetables, you could increase your total calories consumed from energy-dense sources. To be successful, the Mediterranean Diet must be embraced as a total package. e
Earth Table is an innovative Chef’s Table concept designed to showcase our culinary talents and environmentally friendly practices, while offering seasonally inspired restaurant quality cuisine made with fresh, local ingredients.
For more information please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.
Balance Your Lifestyle with Great Taste Balance Kitchen is a visionary cafÊ that supports our clients’ health and wellness goals by promoting and measuring healthy and sustainable lifestyle behaviors.
Our strategy is to synthesize and simplify the Balance portfolio of options into an environment that fosters health and sustainability, while preserving elements of choice.
P l e a s e e m a i l B u s i n e s s E x c e l l e n c e @ c o m p a s s - u s a . c o m fo r m o r e i n fo r m a t i o n .