Elements Summer 2014

elements A publication from the Business & Industry sector of Compass Group North America Volume 10 | Issue 1 | Summer 2014

Compass Group’s talented chefs deliver culinary excellence

Behind-the-scenes at The Oscars with the Wolfgang Puck team Introducing Restaurant Associates’ new catering brand Implementing positive business changes with FLIK International

ELEMENTS Editor-in-Chief Susie Weintraub Managing Editor Amanda Brown Cover Photography: Robert Pisano / Seattle and Liuzhou Advertising Graphic Design Wes Brown, Ladavius Carson Published by Fourth Element www.fourthelementcreative.com elements Executive Editor Nick Wright Account Manager Michelle Allario Art Director Mal Bailey List of contributors Special thanks to: Business Excellence Canteen Dining Canteen Vending Compass Corporate Communications Compass Group Compass Field System Solutions Eurest FLIK Conference Centers FLIK International Restaurant Associates Retail Innovations Thompson Hospitality Wolfgang Puck Catering

Follow us on Twitter

Find out what motivates and inspires our team of Celebrity Chefs on page 20

Welcome... …to the Summer issue of Elements magazine

I

am delighted to welcome you to the summer issue of Elements. This issue is dedicated to our widespread community of chefs and culinarians – both within and beyond Compass Group – and the exceptional experiences and service they deliver to our guests and clients each and every day.

The summer months offer a great opportunity to celebrate food, fun, family and community.

In addition to highlighting a selection of our great Compass chefs, I am thrilled to introduce you to a few of our Celebrity “Through our unique Chef partners – Bal Arneson, Celebrity Chef program you Fabio Viviani, Susan Feniger, will have full access to the Ken Oringer, Jet Tila and José concepts, menus and recipes Santaella – each of whom developed by these chefs.” personifies the characteristics and style of the season. Turn to page 20 to read about their background, inspiration, motivation and why they chose to partner with Compass Group. You’ll also find out how to make their favorite recipe at home!

Through our unique Celebrity Chef program, you will have access to the concepts, menus and recipes personally developed by these well-known chefs, as well as have the opportunity to meet with them and/or schedule a personal appearance at your location.

This issue also provides a snapshot of recent local and community events, new openings, innovative solutions, onsite successes, strategic initiatives and creative business models that underscore our commitment to strengthening our business and driving our mutual success.

Take the time to enjoy the summer season and all that it has to offer while enjoying this issue of Elements.

Thanks – and Happy Summer!

Susie Weintraub Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing – Compass Group North America

SUMMER 2014 • elements

3

Inside this issue: Summer 2014

20

6. APPETIZERS

NEWS, VIEWS AND REVIEWS Keep up to date with what’s happening in and around the Business & Industry sector of Compass Group.

18. AMY KEISTER

FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY How a small change in your eating habits can help reduce your Carbon Foodprint and global warming.

COVER FEATURE 20. CELEBRITY CHEFS

MEET THE 2014 TEAM We talk to Compass’ Celebrity Chefs about how they stay motivated to innovate and pursue excellence.

28. IMPLEMENTING BUSINESS CHANGE

ON LOCATION AT THE FLIK EXPO We attended the Boston conference with FLIK managers and clients for two days of inspiration and innovation.

32. INTRODUCING CxRA

THE NEW CATERING BY RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES How Restaurant Associates launched a completely new brand to refresh its catering business in New York.

36. AT THE OSCARS

WOLFGANG PUCK CATERING We go behind-the-scenes at the Governors Ball to celebrate WPC’s 25th anniversary of catering the event.

38. DEANNE BRANDSTETTER

6

Compass Group North America Compass Group North America is the leader in foodservice management and support services.

Throughout the U.S. and Canada we have more than 200,000 associates in all 50 states, 10 provinces and two territories. We serve six million meals a day – from vending and office coffee solutions to restaurants, corporate cafés, schools, arenas, museums, remote sites and more.

32

Compass Group is… Encompassing Not every customer and client has the same tastes, needs and expectations. That is why we operate separate companies dedicated to a particular line of business, each with its own personality and style. This diverse business model generates innovative ideas and practices to meet the needs of our customers and clients.

36

Compass Group is… Sustainability We have both the opportunity and responsibility to make the world a better place. Compass Group is proud to lead the foodservice industry with groundbreaking policies that champion sustainable, fair and humane food practices.

Compass Group is… People People are at the heart of our business and at the forefront of our operations, delivering the great service and great results that make our

THE LAST WORD ON WELLNESS How Compass’ MyFitnessPal app can help you manage your weight.

success possible. We encourage individual ownership and prize teamwork.

Compass Group is… Opportunity Compass Group helps associates realize their potential and professional goals. With varied job roles across an impressive range of businesses, our associates have a wide choice of career opportunities. We are committed to providing our associates with training, advancement, support, recognition and rewards – every step of the way!

SUMMER 2014 • elements

5

APPETIZERS NEWS I COMMUNITY I PEOPLE & PLACES I GREAT SOLUTIONS

Page 8 Find out how a game of rock-paper-scissors motivated the SAP America team in Pennsylvania.

Page 10 Looking for an impulse snack in the café? Check out Restaurant Associates’ new Kitchen brand.

Page 11 Find out how the new Balance Kitchen Nutrition Kiosk can help you manage your weight.

Page 16 Check out Canteen’s innovative new solutions that take traditional vending to the next level.

It’s a “blue” friday for the Seahawks at Boeing Seattle The company gets behind its local team Throughout the 2013 NFL season, Seattle residents supported their home team by wearing Seahawks gear or blue each Friday. Many café guests and Eurest employees at Boeing joined in the company’s “Blue Friday” celebrations. During the playoffs, the café featured a variety of themed meals based on the team’s players.

On the final “Blue Friday” before the Championships, all 30 regional cafés joined in to present The Marshawn BEAST BURGER, the DANGERUSS, Sherman HOT MOUTH wings and the best-selling Peyton Will Be BLACK AND BLEU

FLIK hosts the Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks made the New York Football Giants & Timex Performance Center in New Jersey their home while training for the 2014 Super Bowl. FLIK International, which also operates the New York Jets Atlantic Health Training Centers in New Jersey, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Browns, worked with the Seahawks’ Executive Chef and his assistants to ensure the team received everything they needed to stay in the best possible shape for the event. Wide receiver Golden Tate noted, “The food is great and the field was awesome!”

6

elements • SUMMER 2014

Chicken Salad. More than 1,700 café guests participated by purchasing one of more of the featured player-themed meals.

The rest is history, as the Seahawks returned to Seattle with the city’s first men’s professional championship in more than 35 years.

Chef’s Collaborative National Summit More than 300 chefs and food professionals convened in Charleston, S.C., for the 5th Annual Chef’s Collaborative Summit. Compass Group and Foodbuy launched this partnership four years ago to spread awareness about what Compass is doing to make more sustainable choices. Jayne Buckley, VP Strategic Business Implementation, and Fernando Salado, Director, Category Development, along with Kim Consolo, on behalf of Chef Chris Ivens-Brown, attended this year’s meeting. On the agenda was culinary responsibility, seafood sustainability, seasonality and the importance of supporting local communities and building partnerships with local farms and fishermen. n For more information, go to: www.chefscollaborative.org.

Local focus at SAP Farmers Markets Earlier this summer, the Eurest team at SAP hosted an Eat Local Farmer’s Market interruption table. Recipes were sourced from the Eat Local promotion and the Balance Website. Outtakes salads and snacks made with the local items were for sale, including breaded zucchini with ranch dipping sauce, marinated Kennett mushrooms and hot and sour slaw. “Our Local Farmers Market is an annual event in the café that our guests look forward to,” said Eurest Marketing and Safety Manager Nicole Heslep. “We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from our customers whenever we run local items. Kennett Square is only a short drive from our unit and is known as the ‘mushroom capital of the world!’”

Eurest at Hewlett Packard Andover hosts Holiday Catering Fair Eurest at HP in Andover, MA recently hosted a Holiday Catering Fair to showcase its café’s new seasonal catering menu and upcoming specials.

National Accounts Regional Marketing Manager Sarah Chavez raved about Chef Manager Sean Smith and his team. “Sean takes pride in his team and the food that is prepared daily,” Chavez said. “Not only did he have a regular day in the café on top of the fair, he even took the time to speak to his guests and make sure there was no interruption in services.”

Eurest supports nutrition and education at Blue Cross Blue Shield Recognizing the great nutrition education potential that Eurest could offer dietetic internship students looking to become registered dietitians, Jill Barnes, General Manager and Registered Dietitian at Blue Cross Blue Shield, began the process to become a dietetic internship site preceptor. Once the training was complete, Jill contacted the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Heath’s Dietetic Internship Director. A partnership was formed that will allow students enrolled in the Masters of Public Health dietetic internship to complete supervised practice hours with Eurest at Blue Cross Blue Shield. This partnership will expose students to the industry, where they will participate in production, procurement, human resources, and safety and sanitation practices.

CHARITY & COMMUNITY

Eurest associates help clients ride out the storms During the recent snowstorms that swept across the country, crippling various regions, Eurest associates went above and beyond to offer their support. n Honeywell, South Bend, IN The team prepared 100 subs with chips and sodas for stranded employees. Honeywell Dining Manager Karen Jasper gathered Chefs Kendell Lampkin and Mary McMaster to help prepare the subs, as well as make other items available to the employees who would be left there while the café was closed. “They were all very grateful that we could do something for them,” Jasper said, n Burlington Coat Factory, Burlington, N.J. Although they received a significant snowfall, Deli Associate Don Daley and Grill Cook Michael Halley showed up ready to work after checking in with Chef Manager Kevin Middlaugh. The three Eurest associates opened the café for breakfast with no challenges, aside from missing half of their team! They continued to work together through lunch, even accommodating last-minute catering requests. n Federal Home Loan Bank, Atlanta, GA Chefs Angela Smith, Vivian Bellis, Mert Gulpinar and Daniel Hutton cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner during the storm for 50 bank employees, and catered for 25 of the bank’s board of directors. While this task would pose a challenge for a normal-

sized staff, the Eurest team of four pulled it off flawlessly. They camped out in the building for two nights on air mattresses supplied by the bank, taking their showers in the building’s gym. n Salvation Army, Atlanta, GA Maintaining a full operation, the Eurest team hosted a Bell Ringer’s “Thank You Dinner” on the night of the big storm. Sous Chef Jeffrey Miller and Server Lavonne Jacobs stayed overnight on the property for two nights, working late into the evening until the dinner was finished and clean-up had been completed.

The Salvation Army provided two one-bedroom apartments to keep the Eurest team as safe and as comfortable as possible. n Boeing, Charleston, S.C. General Manager Dave Bassi and KLS Services Manager Don Hardy both demonstrated a willingness to go the extra mile. According to client Randy Bennett, Manager of Contracts and Provisioning, Dave remained proactive, preparing meals and helping set up so the team had its necessary essentials, while Don drove to retrieve the necessary ingredients for meal prep in the risky conditions. “His thought to do that on his own rather than risk any of his employees’ safety shouts loud about his character,” Bennett said. n Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI Although the Eurest team struggled to get into work due to the amount of ice on the roads,

SUMMER 2014 • elements

7

APPETIZERS

AWARDS & HONORS Industry recognition for initiatives and achievements

Industry.” The organization annually recognizes companies that have demonstrated consistent leadership and achievements.

Eurest was recognized in the Educational/Institutional/Business & Industry category for its success in providing food service to the corporate dining sector.

★CAFÉ 57 WINS WHIPPERSNAPPER AWARD

★MITSITAM CAFÉ RECEIVES TWO PRESTIGIOUS HONORS Restaurant Associates’ Mitsitam Café at the National Museum of American Indian in Washington, D.C. has been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler magazine as one of the “Top 10 Best Museum Restaurants and Cafés.” It was also listed by Food & Wine magazine as one of the “Best Museum Restaurants in the Country.”

Congratulations to the team!

achievements in and commitment to the industry.

The HOIHA “Best in the Midwest” Awards reflect an association’s “lasting and outstanding contributions to the advancement of the Hospitality

★EUREST RECEIVES HOSPITALITY AWARD The Heart of Illinois Hospitality Association (HOIHA) recently honored Eurest for its noteworthy

Eurest at Boeing celebrates with seasonal Chef’s Table Last fall, the Eurest team at Boeing in Renton, WA, celebrated seasonality by creating an Interruption Table. The table included typical fall fruits and vegetables surrounded by seasonal colors. Chef Manager Joshua Merritt served roasted apples, fennel and red onion over roasted pork tenderloin accompanied by acorn squash and brown rice pilaf. The Boeing team also set up a hot beverage station to offer hot apple cider and hot chocolate with assorted toppings and sauces.

8

elements • SUMMER 2014

Restaurant Associates’ Cafe 57 at Hearst in New York City was named the “Most Tantalizing Office Cafeteria” by Ed2010, an independent website about magazine culture. More than 93 magazines and content Websites were represented. One voter summed it up best, writing, “The café is so great, you don’t mind staying in the building for lunch.”

the ExxonMobil portfolio, there are over 2.6 million man-hours worked with zero recordable injury and related out of work days for the past five-and-a-half years.

★DELL RECOGNIZED FOR ITS HEALTHIER WORKPLACE EFFORTS Each year, The Health Project presents one exceptional company with the C. Everett Koop Award in recognition of its outstanding achievements in health and wellness. Dell was recently selected from 13 companies as the sole winner of the 2013 award.

In 2004, Eurest at Dell introduced a new wellness and health improvement program called “Well at Dell.” The program, which encourages healthy living among Dell employees and their families, provides team members with numerous benefits, including on-site lifestyle coaching, condition management programs and quarterly wellness challenges.

★EXXONMOBIL BELL STREET WINS SAFETY AWARD Eurest at ExxonMobil Bell Street in Houston, TX, received Compass’ first National Safety Award at the recent Be-A-star celebration in Orlando, FL. National Safety Director Anita Muller accepted the award on behalf of the team. The Bell Street location, which opened in May 2008, is a flagship bistro at ExxonMobil. On record, within

Rock-paper-scissors showdown at SAP America When the entire team at SAP America in Newtown Square, PA, deserved a reward for their dedication and hard work during their daily pre-service meetings, they decided on rock-paper-scissors to narrow the winner!

Every Tuesday for six weeks, Food Service Director Mike Krebs gathered associates to face off in a tournament-style competition.

At the end of the competition, Food Service Worker Shouibou Fall (right) was named the RPS Champion. He was rewarded with a gift card and, of course, bragging rights until the next contest.

CHARITY & COMMUNITY Mutual Regional Manager, for their efforts while very important meetings were held during the storm. “The teamwork and dedication to serving Liberty was greatly appreciated,” Smeglin said.

Stinkbug compote, anyone?

Eurest Café 161 at The Wendy’s Company in Dublin, OH, catered to a larger-than-life guest when Shrek made an appearance at the new Thomas Wing. Shrek spent time at the café taking pictures with associates and their children in celebration of his collaboration with the Wendy’s Kid’s Meals. Chefs Chad Winebrenner, Devona Sanchez, Moni Swanson and Ronetta Taylor served up an assortment of caramel apples, sugar-sanded cookies, pretzel bites and hot cocoa to nearly 450 guests.

For the guest of honor, they prepared a steamship round of donkey with a stinkbug compote!

Eurest participates in Office Depot’s annual Health and Wellness Fair Office Depot recently asked Eurest to participate in its annual Health and Wellness Fair. The event provided a great opportunity to showcase items that typically get overlooked in the café. General Manager Gaetano Mastrangelo chose to utilize the Balance Kitchen marketing materials to illustrate Compass’ commitment to preserving the planet. “This was a great way to connect with our customers by talking to them outside of the café, answering their questions and educating them on our programs,” Mastrangelo said.

Eurest at Allianz hosts popular employee appreciation lunch Campus Executive Chef Jeremy Thornhill and the Eurest team at Allianz in Minneapolis, MN, recently hosted an all-employee appreciation lunch for 1,800 people. A second event later that evening served 1,100 people. Each staff member had the opportunity to vote for a fellow associate who they felt delivered exceptional customer service, contributed as a team player and made the day go smoothly. The top two team members were Caterer Ashley Gozman and Baker Oscar Rocha.

they were asked to wait until the temperature was at least 32 degrees before attempting the trip. Michelle Frazier made it in before anyone else, opening the café, running the grill and cash register, and putting out all of the food by herself, all while maintaining excellent customer satisfaction. n Regions Bank, Birmingham, AL With many of the highways at a standstill, Regions Bank understood the importance of keeping its stranded employees fed and comfortable. The Eurest team of managers and associates quickly reported for duty. For over 30 hours, the rest of the team cooked, served and smiled while serving 8,500 meals. n Liberty Mutual, Boston, MA Chef Manager Ian Miller and the rest of his team received praise from Maryann Smeglin, Liberty

n Wells Fargo, Sioux Falls, SD General Manager Tamara Thomas used her personal vehicle as a “Eurest Taxi” throughout the storm, picking up employees who did not feel comfortable driving themselves to work in the terrible weather conditions. Battling several feet of snow, freezing temperatures and wind chill, Tamara remained creative and dedicated to finding a way to come in to work. n BAC, Kennesaw, GA Eurest Unit Manager Nick Hadoulis played a major role in keeping his associates happy and comfortable during the snow storms across the South Eastern states. While most associates were able to vacate the premises when the café closed down at 1.30 p.m., no fewer than 25 were left stranded in the offices for the night. Nick provided them with a flow of food and beverages until they were able to leave the following day.

Microsoft’s Supported Employee Program Danielle Serkin-Poole recently celebrated three years of working at Microsoft’s Redmond, WA, campus. She was hired through Microsoft’s Supported Employee Program, which encourages vendors to hire people with developmental disabilities.

Compass Group partnered with Puget Sound Personnel to find a position in which Serkin-Poole would flourish.

Microsoft has been supporting

employees with developmental disabilities for nearly 30 years, but recently expanded the program by setting a goal to hire 200 supported employees to work on campus within the next three years. Chief People Officer Lisa Brummel called the program an integral part of the company’s efforts toward inclusion and said, “We all have the right to engage in meaningful work opportunities.”

SUMMER 2014 • elements

9

CHARITY & COMMUNITY

Ed Mugnani’s “50 x 50” Marathon achievements Ed Mugnani, Eurest Senior Vice President, Western Region, recently set a goal of running a marathon in each state by the time he turns 50. He is currently 46 years old and has completed 26 races.

Ed has run seven marathons as of June, checking off North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, North Carolina and

Arkansas off his list. He already signed up for more this year in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia.

However, he is most looking forward to Alaska, Hawaii and New York.

Ed completed his first marathon when he was 15 years old, after taking on a dare from his high school crosscountry team. Since then, he has run in more races than he can count.

Raising awareness one ride at a time

Eurest’s John Mauro, Foodservice Director at Hanover Insurance in Boston, MA, is making great strides in bringing awareness to a little known disease that afflicts over 300,000 people each year in the U.S..

Ataxia affects coordination, speech and swallowing, can strike at any age and is an often

fatal degenerative neurological disorder. At this time, there is no known cure.

Rather than sit on the sidelines, however, Mauro created an annual fundraising and Ataxia awareness day known as the “Ride For John.”

John donates all proceeds from the event to the National Ataxia Foundation in his selfless quest to create awareness of the disorder. “I am less concerned with having a name for what ails me and more concerned with making every day count. I want to do as much as I can while I am able to do it,” Mauro said.

Eurest associates support breast cancer awareness The CVS team in Woonsocket, R.I., recently supported the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by donating 25 cents of each hand fruit they sold during a month in conjunction with its new wellness program.

In addition to monetary support, the team is raising awareness by wearing pink ribbon skull caps. After just one week, the promotion had created such a buzz that CVS associates began

10

elements

asking Eurest employees if the caps were being sold, because they were also interested in supporting the initiative.

• SUMMER 2014

Restaurant Associates launches new RA KITCHEN brand In an effort to further drive the retail experience, Restaurant Associates (RA) has created the RA Kitchen brand, which is focused on quick pick and impulse items. It features creative menu offerings, a new logo, and new retail packaging and display standards. There currently are

more than 143 different salads, sandwiches and unique snack offerings in the rotation. This eases pressure on the heavily populated sandwich and salad bar stations.

As RA’s Director of Wellness, Chef Billy Strynkowski, says, “It’s fast, it’s delicious and it’s what people want to eat!”

Eurest wins at American Heart Association event Celebrating Valentine’s Day at Allianz Life At Eurest at Allianz in Minneapolis, MN, Executive Chef Jeremy Thornhill created a takehome Valentine’s Day meal for two, made with bacon-wrapped tenderloin or lobster tails, and served with chocolate-dipped strawberries on the side. Chef Manager Ryan Simpson and Catering Manager Kris Meek prepared and packaged the meals.

The team sold out of everything, with one customer saying, “I just want to thank you and your team for putting together the Valentine’s dinner for two offering. I purchased one of the meals and it was fantastic!

Thanks for your innovative ideas to help busy families out!”

The American Heart Association launched the 2014 Heart Ball Campaign with the Compasssponsored Greater Charlotte Heart Ball Kick-Off. The event, targeted at senior-level executives, physicians and philanthropists throughout Charlotte, N.C.,, was held at the Duke Energy Center.

This year, the Eurest at Duke Energy team took home first place in the appetizer category; while the Morrison Presbyterian team placed first for dessert.

Introducing the Balance Kitchen Nutrition Kiosk A new addition to Compass Group’s technology portfolio, the Balance Kitchen Nutrition Kiosk provides customers with accurate up-to-the-minute menu and nutrition information for items served in the Balance Kitchen. With the touch of a finger, customers can get detailed nutrition information for any item on the menu in an attractive and easy-to-navigate format.

By choosing one of the many filter options, customers can easily search for and find menu items that meet specific criteria. The kiosk also features a “virtual plate” that enables customers to create a customized meal and view the total nutritional content. As items are added or removed, the nutrition values automatically recalculate. n For more information on the Nutrition Kiosk, please contact, fss@compass-usa.com

fostering

health promoting sustainability

NEW TECH

wellness driven

flexible & scalable ZUO MODERN: HELIX CHAIR

Eurest supports Susanna DeLaurentis Foundation

PRESERVING ELEMENTS OF CHOICE

In collaboration with J&J McNeil in Fort Washington, PA,, the Eurest team hosted a flower show in support of the Susanna DeLaurentis Charitable Foundation. Eurest General Manager Ivelice Webster coordinated with a local event planner to create the scene, while Assistant Food Director Rebecca Ntab manned the station to sell the flowers. The event sold out completely.

The next day, Webster had to purchase more flowers. In total, more than $1,500 was raised for the foundation.

Please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com for more information.

APPETIZERS

RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES NEW UNIT OPENINGS A round-up of the latest RA facilities launched or refreshed since the last issue Cafe 1585 at Norgan Stanley’s Broadway office in New York.

Manhattan. Grab+Go is open for breakfast and lunch with espresso, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, Action, soup and RA Kitchen.

Catering will be a focus with a brand new conference floor and venue for show screenings in the commons area. The RA location at CUNY provided an opening reception for the 1st floor Commons reveal with breakfast bites for employees.

● Morgan Stanley, 1585 Broadway After eight months of temporary feeding, Morgan Stanley opened Cafe1585 in December. Located on Lower Level A, it offers freshly prepared fare in a vibrant atmosphere, including rotating artisanal selections and fresh juices. Some of the new features include self-ordering kiosks for sandwiches and grill items, a fully staffed coffee bar, new café and lounge seating, Chef demo table and a brick pizza oven.

Congratulations to Regional Director Kathrina O’Mahony, Regional Chef Jack Payne, Director Cristina Mejia, Executive Chef Lenny Brady, and the onsite team on a successful opening.

● Saul Restaurant + Bar, Brooklyn Museum, NYC Brooklyn’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Saul, recently opened in a new, larger space in the Brooklyn Museum. Chef Saul Bolton collaborated with the museum and RA to deliver a

refined version of the lauded new American restaurant. The 87-seat space, designed by Brooklyn based UHURU, was inspired by the abstract, geometric Paul Kelpe murals featured in the restaurant’s main dining room.

● Crimson Commons, Harvard Business School In March, Crimson Commons officially opened its doors to the Executive Education program participants at Harvard Business School. The two-year temporary café features a fully functional kitchen, which houses the bakery team, loading dock, full cafe, networked Comqi plasma screen running menus and special messaging, plus a plentiful seating area. Crimson Commons will feed the Exec Ed students while the Chao Center is built to replace Kresge Hall.

● A+E Networks, NYC An award-winning global media company, A+E Networks opened its Grab+Go Café in midtown

12 elements • SUMMER 2014

● CNN Diner, Atlanta CNN’s renovated diner features 30-foot windows overlooking the Atlanta skyline, as well as three 80-inch flatscreen TVs that broadcast CNN news 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A 15foot salad bar gives the guests a never-ending choice of salad combinations. And if they need to grab and go? The new RA Kitchen options in the air screens provide plenty of options. The diner features a selection of stations, including Deli, Comfort, Action and the CNN Grill.

Eurest at IBM, Verizon and Wells Fargo celebrate Valentine’s Day Many IBM, Verizon and Wells Fargo accounts used Valentine’s Day to drive sales in creative and fun ways.

In addition to a chocolate fountain, the IBM Almaden team featured fruit bouquets and chocolate-dipped strawberries. IBM Austin offered an assortment of desserts, including cookies, brownies, chocolate-dipped strawberries and cupcakes to their guests.

At Wells Fargo in Frederick, MD, 87 chocolate-dipped strawberries, topped with white chocolate decoration or strawberry white chocolate curls, were sold. The team in Salt Lake City, UT, featured Swiss chocolate-dipped strawberries.

The Verizon team in Rochester, N.Y., created a Chef’s Table that featured chocolate fondue with raspberry pistachio pound cake, peanut butter Rice Krispie rounds, caramel apples, cinnamon sweet potato chips and fresh strawberries to dip. The Verizon teams in Piscataway, N.J., and Chandler, AZ, also created festive desserts.

Ken Oringer Fabio Viviani

Susan Feniger

José Santaella

Bal Arneson Jimmy Bannos Jr.

PENCIL Partnership At the PENCIL Partnership Kick Off, FLIK celebrated the diversity of PS 11 by featuring foods of six of the countries represented in the PS 11 student population – Albania, China, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan and Russia.

Chefs from FLIK International, Lackmann Culinary Services and Morrison Healthcare presented a menu that included Qofte të fërguara, sesame seared tuna, timpano a taqueria, Sindhi Biryani, roti, naan bread, kheer and borstj. With delicious food as a conversation starter, families, school faculty and Compass chefs enjoyed a great evening that set the stage for what is sure to be a very engaging year.

PENCIL builds and supports customized relationships between business leaders and principals to inspire innovation and transform public schools.

The Celebrity Chef Series partners with renowned chefs from around the world and features their signature recipes, showcases their culinary talents, and shares their expert culinary advice.

Look for these celebrity chefs’ recipes in your café!

For more information, please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.

INTERVIEW

5 MINUTES IN THE KITCHEN WITH… constantly reminded of that.

I would walk the restaurant at least three times a night and if there were any complaints or issues, I would personally address them myself.

How has your role at Compass evolved in recent years?

Eurest Executive Chef Trevor Hill What first inspired you to want to become a chef?

I started cooking 20 years ago when I was 16. I had a snow day off school and was bored at home because I couldn’t go outside. I found some cake mix in the kitchen and decided I wanted to bake a cake. The look on my mother’s face when she walked through the door is something I’ll always remember.

It was so simple but selfless. It just clicked for me at that point.

You worked at Ritz Carlton before joining Compass Group. What did you learn from that experience?

Customer service, accountability and that, in our industry, you’re always on stage. When you walked through the hotel, you were expected to greet everybody you met. The idea was that if you represented The Ritz outside, you represented them inside, too. It was a culture of positivity and high expectation. And you were

I work at Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Chef Jim Caldwell has provided very positive leadership. In the past, we had been focusing too much on costs, but Jim’s directive is simply to create great food. It now feels like I have permission to do what I want to do compared with what I had to do.

What gives you the most satisfaction from cooking?

When I cook something for somebody and I see them smile. That feeling never gets old. Also my wife, who is also a chef, will challenge me daily.

She’ll give me an ingredient and ask me what I’m going to do with it. She’s Peruvian and she constantly keeps me thinking about new ideas.

What question has made you stop and think about your craft recently?

I was recently asked, “What does fine dining mean to you?” I mean, is it 15 courses at a mansion,

Simple seasonal dishes pots and pans. My wife and I will go to the local market, see what’s fresh and in season there and then find out what we can do with some spices!

14 elements • SUMMER 2014

The Eurest team at IBM Yorktown, N.Y., joined Chef Anthony Sacchetti and General Manager Christopher Ryan in hosting an IBM dinner meeting. The idea was to enter a set number of ingredients into Watson, IBM’s Super Computer, to show that a computer can create and pair recipes to make a delicious and surprising meal.

The Yorktown team entered two different cuisines and parameters based on pairing, pleasantness, contrast and surprise factor. The three recipes Watson came up with were Swiss-Thai asparagus quiche, Turkish bruschetta and Creole lamb and shrimp dumplings.

Chef Chiavaroli described the team’s surprise with the outcome, saying, “We’ve never heard of a Thai quiche!

Asparagus, curry powder, lemongrass and gruyère turned out to be a surprisingly good combination.”

FLIK International opens two Amex airport lounges

or just really great food served in an upscale way? To me, it doesn’t matter if it’s mac and cheese or pot roast, you just need passion to make it look and taste great. You see $100 hamburgers – just basic food done in a really great way.

What I cook for family & friends It can be difficult to cook something that pleases everybody, but with Italian you can’t go wrong. It’s quick and easy to make, and doesn’t require a lot of

Eurest at IBM takes Watson to new heights

FLIK International and American Express have opened two upscale lounges in Dallas/Fort Worth and Las Vegas airports. Aptly named The Centurion Lounge, both facilities feature prominent Celebrity Chefs. Dean Fearing lends his expertise in Dallas with a Tex Mex southwestern cuisine, while Scott Conant offers a modern take on rustic Italian food in Las Vegas.

APPETIZERS

PEOPLE & PLACES

Out and about with the Compass Group team of chefs, associates and executives

1

Daniel Vercher

The Eurest Executive Chef at Southwestern Energy in Houston, TX, recently appeared on Guy Fieri’s new show on Food Network – Guy’s Grocery Games. Filmed in a grocery store, the show features four chefs competing to test their culinary skills. Celebrity judges rate each dish and eliminate one contestant per round. Each chef is challenged to shop for, prepare and cook their own food. “They liked my flamboyant attitude, happiness and passion for food,” Vercher said.

2

Gregg Pearson

Eurest Chef Gregg at Exelon Three Mile Island in Middletown, PA, recently donated 240 pies in support of the Share a Piece of Pie program. Pearson donated 120 pies to Middletown Food Bank and an additional 120 pumpkin pies to Bethesda Mission in Harrisburg. He headed up the effort by collecting donations from Exelon employees and supplemental contractors during Three Mile Island’s refueling outage.

3

1

Fabio Viviani

The Eurest Celebrity Chef recently visited the Chase Tower in Chicago, where he held a special Chef’s Table event in Eurest’s Urban Market Café. Team Fabio and Eurest chefs served

2

nearly 300 meals to Chicago customers and online media.

On the made-to-order menu were Viviani’s signature fourcheese truffle gnocchi, as well as a more carnivorous option that included duck sausage.

In addition to having a mainstay station at Chase, Fabio recently opened Rusle + Roux at Eurest’s Franklin Center, which opened on May 28.

3

4

Johnson and Whales University

Eurest team members recently attended Compass Day – an event that introduces Compass to Johnson and Whales University (JWU) students. Eurest was represented by SPX Executive Chef Bonnie Ray, Chef Manager from Maersk Andres Chaparro and District Manager Christina Wessner.

5

John Giblin

John Giblin, CFO at Blue Cross Blue Shield Tennessee, has had a subway sandwich named after him at the campus’ Hilltop Café. The “Giblin” is a Niedlov’s Breadworks roll lightly toasted and topped with grilled chicken, white American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and mustard. “The pickles add a nice crunchiness to the texture,” Giblin says.

4

5

SUMMER 2014 • elements

15

APPETIZERS

IN SEASON Food at its Peak centered on highlighting and serving seasonal items throughout your café.

The campaign is designed to provide our customers with the freshest, most seasonal fruits and vegetables in the region. This campaign gives our customers the opportunity to try something new every season - great for the taste buds and the bottom line. in season is a campaign

Vending and a whole lot more!

How Canteen’s innovative solutions take the vending concept to a whole new level Since 1929, Canteen has carved an impressive path as the national leader in the vending industry. The company’s success has been built on a commitment to excellence and by finding innovative approaches to serving its customers. One such approach is Avenue C, which caters to the emerging micro markets industry.

This Canteen-exclusive program is built upon an extensive, nationwide vending operations framework.

Today there are more than 1,000 locations across the country.

Avenue C This state-of-the-art micro market program provides hundreds of snack, beverage and fresh food products in a beautiful, totally customizable retail space located within your own workplace environment. Whether your organization is looking to expand a traditional vending selection, considering a more economical option to your current on-site café or exploring on-site food service for the first time, Avenue C is the perfect choice.

Designed to provide the ultimate in workspace flexibility and convenience, Avenue C is completely customizable for each client. Avenue C works well in office environments, distribution centers, healthcare facilities and certain higher education locations. The spaces only need to be semi-private and be equipped with an appropriate power source, Internet connection and a water line if you desire coffee service.

Each market stocks an estimated 400 items, allowing space for products not often found in traditional vending, including fresh whole fruit, milk, string cheese and hummus. Beverage options also increase to reflect the changing habits of today’s consumers with more juices, energy drinks and new-age beverages.

16 elements • please WINTER 2014 For more information, email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.

Better-for-you and specialty diet products are also on the menu, including gluten-free, organic and kosher.

And fresh food is a popular choice with sales of these items increasing 300% on average when transitioning from traditional vending to Avenue C. Customers will also enjoy peace of mind and speed of service through Avenue C’s convenient and secure self-checkout kiosks. Self-checkout options range from credit, debit, thumbprint and/or cash funded employee cards. Avenue C’s “Always Fresh, Always On” service is ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Canteen Refreshment Services Canteen Refreshment Services realizes that providing the best coffee, tea, water and pantry specialty products makes a significantly positive impact in your workplace. Customized refreshment solutions can keep your employees energized, motivated and ultimately helps your company improve productivity. Our services include: Office Coffee and Tea – We bring the coffeehouse experience into your workplace with a comprehensive menu of office coffee options – from national brands to regional and local favorites to private label selections.

EcoStream Water Services – Canteen’s water filtration systems meet the highest standards of water quality and provide great-tasting water at a fraction of the cost of water jugs or bottled water. And it’s great for your sustainability goals, too.

Specialty Pantry Solutions – Pantry solutions include alternative beverages, gluten-free products, better-foryou snacks, fresh fruits and much more. The catalog carries a wide array of retail foods and beverages, from traditional favorites to the latest in wellness snacks. The service can be customized to your needs, including daily stocking and on-site pantry support. n For more information, go to: www.canteen.com

Nutrition,

where you need it the most.

Empowering consumers to make well-informed food decisions is easier than ever.

WINTER 2014 • elements 17 For more information, please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Fighting pollution with a knife and fork Amy Keister Compass Group Vice President, Business Excellence

A

s scientists and experts in climate change continue to tell us our planet is getting warmer, our weather is becoming more extreme and the polar ice caps are rapidly melting, we are becoming increasingly concerned about our carbon footprint. So we avoid gas-guzzling cars, buy high-efficiency light bulbs and praise advances in renewable energy technology. And yet if we are truly worried about how our actions affect the well-being of our planet, perhaps it is time we took a long, hard look at the appliance we treasure most – our refrigerator.

A recent report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that some 22 percent of the greenhouse gases we produce each year originate from meat production. And thanks largely to the amount of methane gas produced by cows, there is no worse offender than beef. The average cow produces four times the emissions of pork and 13 times the emissions of beans, lentil and tofu. Other offenders include goats, sheep and buffalo.

Exactly how much does beef pollute the world? Time magazine recently reported that if a family of four were to skip a steak dinner just once a week for a year, it would be the same as taking their car off the road for three months.

At Compass Group, we are addressing the problem head-on with our Carbon Foodprint Toolkit. This web-based platform allows our serveries, restaurants and cafés to follow a step-by-step guide that will enable them to vastly reduce the carbon footprint associated with their locations.

One key goal of the Carbon Foodprint Toolkit is to create a “greener” menu. This not only means using less beef and more vegetables, but also sourcing more food from local produce growers. Quite simply,

18 elements • SUMMER 2014

“If a family of four were to skip a steak dinner once a week for a year, it would be the same as taking their car off the road for three months.” a shorter drive means fewer emissions.

It also means more better for you options and a more vibrant local economy.

Beyond food itself, the program targets kitchen operations, including ensuring that all chemicals used are eco-friendly and that site equipment operates as efficiently as possible. The program also seeks to optimize facilities’ design systems for buildings, lighting and waste

management to decrease the amount of energy needed to power each one.

All of these initiatives have combined to deliver significant savings, with one national account achieving a reduction of nearly $100,000 in annual energy and menu expenditure. Even more important and impressive, that very same account now sends 1,000 fewer metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year into the atmosphere.

In short, buying local, optimizing equipment, managing waste and serving flavorful food is equivalent to planting two NYC Central Parks per year.

Now that’s a lot of steak dinners! e

LIVE . PLAY . HYDRATE

Good things come to those who HYDRATE! Summer is the perfect time to introduce new refreshing beverages! The Live. Play. Hydrate campaign provides the right beverages, at the right price in the best location!

Intended to introduce innovative cold beverages, this initiative focuses on the fastest growing beverage categories – energy, tea and water.

Cooking up a

treat!

Compass Group’s team of Celebrity Chefs explain how they got started in their careers and reveal their favourite recipes.

CELEBRITY CHEFS

D

uring the past few years, Compass has partnered with a selection of high-profile chefs across the Business and Industry sectors. Several key reasons drove this initiative.

The first was the opportunity to introduce new specialty dishes into our menus. Our 2014 team of “celebrity” chefs includes experts in Asian, French, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Indian and Puerto Rican cuisines...and many more. So who better to help us improve the quality and diversity of our food than the chefs who create it every single day?

The second reason, of course, is to help teach, train and educate our associates. As you will see from the interviews that follow, becoming a top chef is a continual hands-on learning experience, and one that ideally requires a high level of mentoring. Throughout the year, our Celebrity Chefs have visited key accounts and collaborated with the catering teams on best practices, and menu creation and development. Over the next few pages, we talk to each chef about what sets them apart from their peers and how Compass will benefit from their experience and insights.

Bal Arneson Bal is the host of two TV shows – Spice Goddess and Spice of Life.

Both are currently airing in several countries around the world. She is also an award-winning author with three bestselling cookbooks.

“I grew up in a very small village near Punjab in India, where family, food and spices are part of the way of life. My mother would start her day in the kitchen by making an exquisite breakfast. Then as soon as she was finished, she would start preparing lunch and then move on to dinner, which was always a very big occasion. So I knew from a very young age – perhaps five or six – that cooking was going to be my responsibility in life.

Many people ask me if I went to catering college, but I had the best possible education at home helping my grandmother, my great aunts and my mother. I learned recipes and methods that had been passed down through generations.

By the time I was 13, I knew how to cut a perfect onion – on my hand. In India, your hands are your cutting board! I also knew every single spice by its smell and could tell you what was missing from any dish just by the aroma.

Nothing is plain salt and pepper in India.

Everything from protein to vegetables to Chai to lemonade to simple steamed milk has a floral flavor from cardamom or cloves. I just fell in

SUMMER 2014 • elements

21

CELEBRITY CHEFS My Favorite Recipe

Bal’s No Butter Chicken

Chicken braised in Indian spices and finished with yogurt.

Serves 4.

Ingredients 2 tbsp canola oil 1-1/2 cup red onions, chopped 2 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tbsp ginger, minced 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp cumin seed 1 tbsp garam masala (recipe below) 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp turmeric, ground 1/2 tsp Kosher salt 1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cubed 1/4 cup yogurt, low fat plain 1/2 cup water Garam Masala yields 3 tbsp 1 tbsp ground cumin 1-1/2 tsp ground coriander 1-1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1-1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

love with spices and, to this day, they are the foundation of everything I do – and not just in cooking. Even now, if I get an early sign of a cold or Flu, I’ll get a glass of warm water, heap in a tablespoon of turmeric, add some honey and lemon and then drink it all day long.

One myth I would like to dispel is that spices are hot. With the exception of peppercorn or chilli flakes, that’s not true at all. Spices are flavorful and give food amazing aromas, so don’t be afraid to use them in your own cooking. The best way to prepare them is to take the fresh seeds and place them on a low heat until the essential oils are released. That’s how you get the beautiful flavors.

Then you grind them. Every few days, I will make a fresh batch. It’s like grinding fresh coffee – it will only stay fresh for so long. If you’re not eating Indian food every day, put your ground spices in a triple ziplock bag and place them in the freezer.

This year, I have had the opportunity to visit a number of FLIK accounts and talk to the

22 elements • SUMMER 2014

“A myth I would like to dispel is that spices are hot. Spices are flavorful and give food amazing aromas. Don’t be afraid to use them in your own cooking.” many great chefs about how to use spices. My approach to cooking great Indian food is very healthy. I never use butter, for example, and my philosophy perfectly matches Compass’ approach to menu creation. People often think that healthy and flavorful don’t go together, but my recipes definitely prove otherwise.

I also do a lot of public speaking to help empower women and inspire chefs. My advice is always to remember that food is a celebration. To achieve that, you have to follow your passion not money. If you have fun, create food with a lot of love and stay honest and true to yourself, you can be sure that good success will follow.”

Method n Put a skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. n When it starts to get hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the onion is golden. n Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, cumin seeds, garam masala, red pepper flakes, turmeric and salt.

Cook for 2 minutes. n Add the chicken cubes and stir well to coat. Add the yogurt and water. Cook stirring until the chicken is done, about 8 minutes. n Serve with steamed rice.

FAST FACTS Favorite cuisine: Indian Most versatile ingredient: Paprika TV & Media appearances: Bal first caught the attention of the TV networks when she was promoting her second cookbook.

Her show The Spice Goddess is popular in many countries, while her second show, Spice of Life, is shortly launching in Asia.

Compass/FLIK accounts: Fidelity, American Express

Fabio Viviani Fabio is the owner of several leading restaurants, including Firenze Osteria and Café Firenze in California, and Siena Tavern in Chicago.

“I’m often asked what are the secrets to being a successful restaurateur. In my opinion, there are three things. First, a great chef is not measured solely by the quality of his or her food. Of course, quality is important, but as a chef you are measured by your work ethic and your passion.

Without those “ingredients” you simply won’t make it in this industry – it’s just too competitive.

I still work between 18 and 19 hours a day, seven days a week – and I love it. And I have stayed true to the one thing that has always driven me – to cook for people; not for TV or for magazines or for the media.

You also need a solid plan for where you want your business to go. One of the main reasons I went on to be successful after appearing on Top Chef in 2008 is that I had a very clear plan in my mind of what I wanted to do after the show.

I’m not looking to win a James Beard Award or to become a master of fine cuisine. That would not be staying true to myself. Nor am I looking to reinvent traditional Italian food. I just want to create simple, great Italian food with my own unique personal touch at a reasonable price.

All successful businesses have a growth plan.

You need to know where your business starts and ends, what you want it to be and, just as importantly, what you don’t want it to be.

Finally, you need flexibility. You need to be able to adapt your plan and evolve if things aren’t going quite right or if you see an opportunity somewhere else. Of the three factors, passion is probably the most important, but you still need the other two.”

“I just want to create simple, great Italian food with my own unique personal touch at a reasonable price.”

My Favorite Recipe

Grandma’s Meatballs

My grandma’s famous recipe.

Yields 12 6oz portion sizes.

Ingredients 2-1/2 lb ground beef, 80/20, raw 1-1/2 cup onions, fresh, fine chopped ½ cup minced garlic cloves, fresh 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 3/4 lb Ricotta cheese, whole milk 1/2 cup parsley, fresh, chopped 2 cup basil, fresh, chopped 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs 1-1/2 each fresh egg, beaten 1/2 tbsp Kosher salt 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper 2 tbsp Olive oil Method n Mix together all ingredients (except olive oil) to combine well.

But do not over mix. n Mix to uniform mass and shape the meatball in this size: 6oz for an entree meatball; 3 each 2oz for a sandwich or pasta meatball; 6 each 1oz for a wedding soup meatball. n Place the meatballs on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. n Cook them in the oven at 350F degrees until fully cooked, about 20 minutes per ounce. n Try them, since the cooking time depends on the oven’s heat capability. n For the larger meatballs, place them in a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup of water. Cover them with parchment paper and bake at 350F degrees for at least 1.5 hours.

Then taste again. n Cook in a pan in marinara sauce before serving. The marinara must be chunky and the meatballs well sauced and not gray in color as the dish comes out of the oven.

FAST FACTS...

Favorite cuisine: Italian TV & Media appearances: Fabio is perhaps best known for his appearance on Bravo’s hit show Top Chef in 2008, earning the “Fan Favorite” title. He is a regular guest on shows such as Good Morning America, The Talk, Ellen and Access Hollywood. He also hosts a regular spot on QVC channel with various kitchen appliances and products.

SUMMER 2014 • elements

23

CELEBRITY CHEFS My Favorite Recipe

Ken Oringer Oringer worked with Chef David Burke at River Café in New York before becoming a Pastry Chef at Al Forno in Rhode Island, and at Jean Georges Vongerichten’s Le Marquis de Lafayette in Boston.

He is the owner of several restaurants, including Clio, Uni, Toro, Coppa and Earth.

“Many chefs choose to specialize in one or two areas, but I constantly push myself to master new cuisines. I can create anything from traditional Spanish paella to Japanese sashimi to contemporary French to farm-to-table to Italian pizza in a wood-brick oven. Whichever cuisine I’m working on, though, my preference is to eat as healthily as possible. My preferences are usually fish- or vegetable-based dishes Becoming a great chef is first about being inspired and then inspiring others. I worked under David Burke at River Café in New York and with Jean Georges Vongerichten at Le Marquis de Lafayette in Boston. They taught me never to be satisfied and to always push the envelope in terms of creativity. I have always tried to pass on that advice to the people who work for me, too. Although I demand the best, I like an open dialogue and encourage my teams to research and to always be prepared.

Other than my team, who inspire me every day, my major inspiration is travel. As a chef, you can never eat enough or sample enough cuisines. There’s always something new to learn. If I had to pass one golden piece of advice on to any up-and-coming chef, it would be to always focus on the guest. It’s a simple formula but many chefs get so caught up thinking about how good they are that they forget their goal is to keep a customer happy.

After all, that’s what our industry is all about.”

Garlic Pizza

Made with squash and wild mushrooms.

Serves 4 Ingredients 1 ea 5 oz pizza dough 2 oz Mascarpone cheese 1 tbsp roasted garlic purée 3 oz zucchini squash, 1/4” fresh, half moon 1 cup Shiitake mushrooms, fresh, stemmed, sliced 1 tsp crushed red pepper 2 oz mozzarella cheese, fresh 1/8 tsp Kosher salt 1/8 tsp ground black pepper Method n Use your favorite fresh pizza dough. Roll and stretch until thin and about 6-7 inches in diameter. n Mix together mascarpone with roasted garlic purée and season with salt and pepper. n Spread mascarpone on the dough and sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Spread sliced mushrooms and sliced squash.

Crumble the mozzarella over the pie and season with additional salt and pepper. n Bake in a pizza oven preheated to 550F degrees for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. If using a conventional oven, preheat a pizza stone for better results. n Serve immediately.

FAST FACTS...

“As a chef, you can never eat enough or sample enough cuisines.

There’s always something new to learn.”

24 elements • SUMMER 2014

Favorite cuisine: Various Accolades and recognition: In 1997, Oringer’s Clio restaurant was named “Best Newcomer of the Year” by Gourmet magazine.

The success earned Oringer a James Beard Award nomination for “Best Chef Northeast” four years in a row, In 2002, Oringer’s sashimi bar, Uni, earned four stars from the Boston Herald and in 2008 was selected “Best Sushi Bar” by Boston magazine.

In 2009, Oringer and Chef Jamie Bissonnette opened Coppa, an Italian-style enoteca. Coppa was awarded 3 stars by The Boston Globe and has earned both local and national attention in John Mariani’s 2010 list of “Best New Restaurants” in Esquire magazine.

My Favorite Recipe

Avocado, Papaya and Citrus Salad Serves 8

“You can learn as much from a chef in a small provincial village as you can from a household name chef at a well-known five-star restaurant.”

José Santaella Having trained with master chefs Ferrán Adriá, Eric Ripert and Gary Danko, José has been the CEO of JSB Cooking Group, the premier gourmet catering company of San Juan, Puerto Rico, since 1993.

“Most great chefs have a couple of things in common. The first is a desire to travel around the world to experience different ingredients and styles of cuisine. The second is a hunger to learn from other experts and specialists. I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by some incredible chefs, starting with my father, who owned several successful restaurants and cafeterias at home in Puerto Rico when I was young.

I also had the opportunity to learn from Chef Alfredo Ayala in the 1980s and, among others, Gary Danko in San Francisco and Ferrán Adriá at the legendary El Bulli restaurant in Barcelona, Spain. However, it’s important to point out that you can often learn as much from a chef in a small provincial village restaurant as you can from a household name chef at a well-known five-star restaurant. It always pays to keep an open mind.

But while I learned different techniques and approaches from many different experts, I always

made sure to keep my own style, which I like to describe as a combination of modern and classic.

I love to use local, fresh and organic ingredients where possible and, as you would expect from a Puerto Rican, I just love to cook rice. It’s so versatile and you can include so many different ingredients. I’ll use different types of techniques and influences to create my dishes, including Asian, French, Japanese and Spanish. But my favorite is Criolla – my home style of cuisine – which is more a mix of French, African and Indian.

After I traveled the world learning my craft and meeting many great people, I returned to Puerto Rico to start my catering business. I was lucky enough to work with many different celebrities and had the opportunity to cater lots of weddings and corporate events. Many people have asked me how I developed my reputation as a Celebrity Chef, but the answer is very simple: never compromise, focus on what you know best, stay honest and true to yourself, and always cook with love and passion.

My partnership with Compass has been very inspiring. They are a great example of a well organized company with a strong direction on its food philosophy. Our goal has been to help introduce the Compass chefs to Puerto Rican cuisine and to duplicate two authentic recipes that can be served in cafeterias and restaurants. I’m looking forward to the continued challenge.”

Ingredients 2 avocados, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each 2 ripe papayas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices 1 navel orange, peeled and cut into segments 1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into segments 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tbsps freshly squeezed lime juice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 fresh mint leaves 3 tbsps chopped fresh cilantro Method n Arrange the avocado, papaya, orange and grapefruit decoratively on a flat tray or dish. n Sprinkle the oil and lime juice over the fruit. n Season with salt and pepper to taste. n Tear the mint leaves and mix with the cilantro. n Scatter the herbs all over the top of the fruit. n Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to one hour.

FAST FACTS...

Favorite cuisine: Criolla (Puerto Rican) Most versatile Ingredient: Rice TV & Media appearances: In July 2011, José opened his first restaurant, SANTAELLA, to widespread acclaim. Since its launch three years ago, countless mentions and positive reviews have been published in a wide range of print and online media, including Departures, Delta Sky Magazine, Travelchannel.com, Air Canada En Route, Cigar Aficionado, Marie Claire and, most recently, Food & Wine magazine.

Santaella is also the author of the highly acclaimed cookbook Cocina Tropical, as well as The Classic and Contemporary Flavors of Puerto Rico, a new cookbook that will be published by Rizzoli in October this year.

SUMMER 2014 • elements

25

CELEBRITY CHEFS My Favorite Recipe

Malaysian Black Pepper Clams Pan steamed clams with oyster sauce, ginger, garlic and herbs.

Serves 4

“Eating in the street changed the direction of my career.

It really made me experience food in a different way.”

Susan Feniger Susan’s most recent restaurant, Mud Hen Tavern, was heavily influenced by her experiences eating street food from around the world. She is also the owner of the Border Grill restaurant chain.

“Although I grew up in the Midwest and was classically trained as a chef, I’ve always been drawn to street food. Whether it’s music, culture, food or fashion, almost everything with lasting value starts on the street. When I travel, I’m way more interested in walking into a new neighborhood and eating in the street than trying to find the most well-known restaurant in the area.

I think it stems back to the first trip I took to India in 1982. I spent some time working there and was blown away by the food. Eating in the street changed the direction of where my career was headed. The trip opened my eyes to a whole new world of flavors. I fell in love with the culture and the spirit of the people. It really made me experience food in a different way.

The same could also be said of my first visit to Mexico a year later. I would watch these street vendors create these incredible soft tacos with

26 elements • SUMMER 2014

a whole variety of fresh ingredients, including fish and shrimp. In the Yucatan, I came across a panucho – a traditional hand-made tortilla with a thin layer of black beans. It was cooked in hot oil for a few seconds to bring out the flavor of the corn and then filled with chicken, pickled onions, tomato and avocado. Delicious.

One of the most exciting things from that time was coming back from traveling and introducing what we had found to our customers. We installed a Tandoori oven in our restaurant at a time when not even the local Indian restaurants had one!

My introduction to Compass came when I met Chris Ivens-Brown at a sustainable seafood conference at the Monterey Aquarium in California. We learned about how the oceans were being destroyed and how, as chefs, we could take responsibility and make strong statements about following best practices in buying fish that has been harvested correctly. We hit it off and have worked together for several years now.

Compass and Eurest have been great supporters of my annual fundraising event in New York and I am always happy to return the favor. What I enjoy most about the relationship is our shared passion for sustainability. It’s one thing for a small restaurant to embrace the idea, but it requires incredible commitment for a huge company to be able to implement it into their entire operations.”

Ingredients 2 lb, 8 oz Manila clams in shell 2 tbsp Canola oil 2 tbsp chopped garlic cloves, fresh 3 tbsp ginger root, fresh, minced 1 tbsp cracked black pepper 1/3 cup water 2 tsp oyster sauce 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 1/4 cup grated coconut palm sugar 1/4 cup solid unsalted butter 1/2 oz Cilantro, whole leaves 1/2 oz fresh mint – whole leaves 1/2 oz fresh Thai basil – whole leaves 4 ea sourdough bread, slice 1 tbsp olive oil 4 ea lime slice Method n Place the clams in a large bowl and rinse under cold water for 5 to 10 minutes to spit the clams of all sand and grit. Drain and set aside. n In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, dark soy, brown sugar and lime juice. Set aside. n Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over high heat. n Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to release the flavors. n Add the black pepper and clams. Add the water and cover immediately to let the clams steam open. This will take approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove any clams that are not open. n Add the oyster sauce mixture. Stir well. Add the butter, stir well and pour out into a large bowl. n Serve immediately with the herbs sprinkled, sliced bread toasted with olive oil, and wedges of fresh lime.

FAST FACTS...

TV & Media appearances: Susan is the author of City Cuisine, Mesa Mexicana, Cantina, Cooking with Too Hot Tamales, Mexican Cooking for Dummies, and Susan Feniger’s Street Food. Her TV appearances include Julia Child’s PBS series Cooking with Master Chef, CBS This Morning, The Today Show and Chew.

Jet Tila As a boy, Jet learned the ancient traditions of Asian cuisine in his family’s restaurants. Today, he is working with Compass Group to open Modern Asian Kitchen, a fast-casual Pan-Asian concept.

“In my opinion, chefs tend to fall into one of two categories. You’re either an artist, who is inspired by the history of a dish but who wants to build upon that and create his or own interpretation; or you’re an artisan who wants to find out exactly how things were done in the past and then protect and continue those traditions. I’m definitely the latter. When I’m creating a dish, I want to tell a unique story. For example, when I’m making Pad Thai, there’s a reason why I’ll use fresh tamarind and there’s a reason why I’ll use a specific dried shrimp. It’s because instead of making a sweet tasting Thai noodle dish, I want to tell the authentic story of the people who have been making that dish for maybe hundreds of years.

Of course, in order to deliver that authenticity, it’s imperative that you have traveled extensively.

You can read L’Escoffier to find out about the techniques involved in French cuisine, but you won’t truly understand them unless you travel to Paris or Lyons and experience them for yourself.

In Asia, I tend to gravitate to street food since that type of food is enjoyed globally. In Europe, I will visit local marchés (markets) as well as multi Michelin-starred restaurants, while in Latin America, I will seek out the central markets.

There are certain countries that have a fine dining culture and others that don’t.

More than anything else, travel gives your cooking credibility and enables you to expand into the area of micro regional cuisine. Trust me when I say there is no greater validation for a chef than cooking something from somewhere you’ve recently been and then having a diner from that specific region give you a look that tells you that you have understood and respected their cuisine.

But education comes in many different forms.

My family has owned restaurants for the last 70 years. One of my earliest and fondest memories is helping my grandmother in the kitchen. She was my first and probably my most lasting influence.

Over the years, I performed every role in our family restaurant from washing dishes to bussing tables to cooking. I was fortunate to be able to combine that upbringing with French culinary school and Japanese sushi school. I was also very lucky to have worked with the legendary chef Neal Fraser in Los Angeles and with LA Times food editor Russ Parsons, a contributor to the Oxford Food Guide. All of these different learning experiences ultimately combined to make me who I am as a chef today.”

“More than anything else, travel gives your cooking credibility and enables you to expand into the area of micro regional cuisine.”

My Favorite Recipe

Black Cod Misoyaki

My favourite fish dish.

Serves 6.

Ingredients 2 black cod fillet, cut into 6 oz. pieces 2 cups sake 1 cup Mirin 1 cup granulated sugar (or to taste) 2 cup white or yellow miso 3 tbsp grated ginger Method n To prepare the marinade, preheat a heavy bottomed pan until very hot. Add the sake. n Bring to a boil to cook off the alcohol. Stir in the mirin, sugar, miso and grated ginger. Bring to a boil. n Boil for approximately 10-15 minutes and cook until it turns a pale caramel color. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. n Cut the fish into 6 oz pieces leaving the skin on. Place the fish pieces in a medium bowl. n Place the fish in a pan and pour the marinade (reserve 1 cup) over the fish until completely submerged. Allow to marinade for 3 hours to overnight. n Heat oven to 375F, wipe all excess marinade off the fillets and bake for about 45 minutes until lightly brown on top and the fish is cooked through. If pin bones are slightly sticking out, pull pin bones and discard. To finish, glaze fish with clean marinade and broil for an additional 10 minutes.

FAST FACTS...

Favorite cuisine: Asian TV & Media appearances: The highlight of Jet’s TV career to date was his appearance on Food Network’s hit series Iron Chef America in 2013.

Jet’s drunken noodles were honored as “The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Chopsticks” by Giada De Laurentiis on Food Network’s The Best Thing I ever Ate series in 2011. On local radio, Jet is a frequent guest with host Evan Kleiman on her Good Food program heard on National Public Radio’s KCRW-FM – the flagship affiliate for Southern California.

SUMMER 2014 • elements

27

FLIK INTERNATIONAL

28 elements • SUMMER 2014

Change Implementing

At its annual Expo, FLIK outlined its vision for change and the pursuit of business excellence.

I

n Boston, on March 29, more than 500 FLIK managers, chefs and clients shared a day of inspiration and innovation at The Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. Rick Post, CEO, Contract Foodservices, Compass Group North America, addressed the group, focusing on FLIK’s uniqueness, character and culture.

FLIK President Scott Davis set the stage for “implementing change” and the need to stay in front of consumer trends, while Dick Cattani, CEO of Premier Catering Group, compelled the group to continue to make innovation a key differentiator in the

SUMMER 2014 • elements

29

FLIK INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW

3 STEPS TO IMPLEMENTING CHANGE FLIK President Scott Davis highlights his three key ideas for continual business improvement.

1

Act on fact

Utilize the data you have for your specific audience.

The key is customization. Stay out front of your students, guests and customers.

2

Be humble

There is no such thing as an original idea.

Borrow shamelessly and adapt your innovations to meet the demands of the consumer.

3

Be bold

Determine what will be gained and what will be lost with the change(s). It’s OK to fail. Simply rework the plan as needed. Great ideas often take several passes to be successful.

AWARDS On the eve prior to the Expo, FLIK hosted its annual Associates Awards Dinner – an event to recognize associates for going above and beyond the call of duty. The evening was hosted by FLIK’s New England region, and partner at Nutter McLennan and Fish.

Awardees received accolades from FLIK’s executive team and enjoyed an amazing dinner.

30 elements • SUMMER 2014

business model. Each speaker extolled the virtues of the need to challenge the status quo and to move quickly to keep pace with the speed of change. Keynote presenter Fabio Viviani (right) discussed the spirit of entrepreneurialism, while National Public Radio’s Shankar Vedantam shared the secrets of how the unconscious mind drives consumer behavior, illuminating how we think and act. To round out the first part of the day, the organization’s business leaders presented on successful campaigns with proven results as a means of sharing best practices.

The culinary innovations provided the attendees with nourishment and idea opportunities. Starting with the morning’s FIT breakfast sandwiches, which included Greek sandwich thins, grilled chicken and Cheddar quesadillas, and superfood breakfast sandwich thins.

The afternoon session continued with FLIK’s latest innovation – Sandwiches from around the World – including a selection of international and regional American favorites, Asian noodle broth bowls and Korean rice bowls featuring vegetarian, vegan and meat-based broths. These items were paired with Celebrity Chef Jet Tila’s noodles and FLIK’s signature lacquered chicken breast and beef Bulgogi.

The Celebrity Chefs serve it up

FLIK’s partnership with its team of top Celebrity Chefs brought global flavors and star power to the Expo attendees during the two days. Bal Arneson (below), Food Network presenter and author of bestselling books Everyday Indian and Bal’s Quick and Healthy Indian, teamed up with FLIK Corporate Executive Chefs to create Indian cuisine with

“Attendees enjoyed a day of food and new innovation to implement in their business.”

TABLE Earth Table

a wellness flair with her famous “No Butter Chicken” dish, as well as kidney bean stew with sweet potatoes and oranges, salmon with coconut sauce and spiced shrimp in tomato sauce with quinoa.

José Santaella, Puerto Rico’s leading chef and author of Cocina Tropical, brought the flavors of “La Isla Bonita” to Boston with piñon de amarillos con carne molida (layered sweet plantain and ground beef casserole), crema de ñame con sofrito, (cream of root vegetable soup with sofrito) and ensalada de aguacate y papaya con china y toronja en aderezo de menta, cilantro, y limon (avocado, papaya and citrus salad.)

The attendees not only enjoyed a day of great food and new innovation to implement in their business, but left with a clear focus on how to “implement change” based on fact, adaptation and determination. e

FRESH . SEASONAL . FROM THE EARTH

EARTH TABLE Earth Table is an innovative Chef’s Table concept designed to showcase culinary talents and environmentally friendly practices, while offering seasonally-inspired restaurant quality cuisine made with fresh, local ingredients.

Earth Table EARTH TABLE

Top left: Fabio Viviani discusses entrepreneurialism.

Left: Bal Arneson and FLIK Corporate Chef Aleks Pykas.

Above: Bal’s spice shrimp in tomato sauce with quinoa; José Santaella prepares his plantain and ground beef casserole; FLIK’s Sandwiches from around the World.

31 Please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com for more information.

32 elements • SUMMER 2014

CATERING BY RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES

CxRA The new Catering by

Restaurant Associates How Restaurant Associates refreshed its catering business and developed a new brand identity. By Nick Wright

T

here aren’t too many things to complain about when your business is a household name and has the lion’s share of the corporate catering market in New York City, as well as a significant and growing presence in Boston, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. But nine months ago, if you had asked Tim McLaughlin, Restaurant Associates’ Senior Vice President, Culinary Services, to tell you what business challenges kept him awake at night, he would most likely have told you two things. The first was how to give the company’s highly successful catering business its own brand identity.

The second was how to change the common perception among clients and prospects that Restaurant Associates (RA) was a bland, large-scale institutional service provider.

“In many ways, it was a high-class problem,” McLaughlin says. “Restaurant Associates has always had a successful catering business, especially in New York, but in many ways we have largely been invisible. Our major problem was that whenever guests and clients raved about an event we had hosted, nine times out of 10 they would have been unable to name the caterer if they were asked. We felt there was something badly wrong with that scenario.”

Even more frustrating for McLaughlin and his team was the fact that RA would often miss out on opportunities to cater events at corporations, museums, stadiums and arts centers where they already managed the cafeterias, staff restaurants

Main image left: CxRA caters a special event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Above: A selection of the high-quality imagery that can be found on the company’s new Website.

SUMMER 2014 • elements

33

CATERING BY RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES

“The agency believed there to be enormous heritage and strength in the Restaurant Associates name.”

Top to bottom: A selection of asparagus appetizers; the new range of craft premium brand liquors; the new custom-fitted wait staff uniforms.

34 elements • SUMMER 2014

and other dining facilities. “We were in this really strange situation where we would manage the day-to-day dining facilities at a client’s premises yet find that other catering companies were brought in to provide the food and staffing for private events and other special functions, from board meetings to gala events,” McLaughlin says.

When RA asked why it was being overlooked for the high-profile functions, the typical response from clients was that they were either unaware that RA offered a more bespoke catering service, or they just assumed that because of the immense scale of RA’s operations, the company simply wasn’t set up to respond to smaller pieces of business. “Of course, that couldn’t have been further from the truth,” McLaughlin says. “Whether it’s catering for four or 400, this is our business – and we excel at it.”

However, in the catering industry,

perception is everything. After some internal discussions, RA came to the conclusion that not only was the company regarded within the industry as oldfashioned and lacking personality, its brand was being overshadowed by the clients and venues it managed. In short, RA’s catering business needed to develop a personality, and the company formed a committee to address the challenge and explore solutions.

“In a way, you can understand that perception,” McLaughlin says. “When you think of large-scale corporate catering, you think of 2,000 pieces of chicken, trays of mashed potatoes and large, sterile-looking kitchens; you don’t think of canapés, skewers and warm, cozy venues.”

Following a lengthy search, RA selected Madwell, a relatively young Brooklyn-based creative agency, as its partner in bringing the new brand to life. Referring to itself as a “tiny, little giant agency,” Madwell specializes in offering multifaceted, multichannel, multimedium advertising and marketing support. Its clients include Bronx Botanical Garden, KIND Healthy Snacks, Burt’s Bees, Rolling Stone and Union Square Hospitality Group.

In addition to being asked to create a

bold and clear identity that would more easily differentiate the catering division from its parent company, Madwell was also given the task of coming up with a new name – something that would give the company more of a modern and boutique feel. However, after several meetings with the RA committee and multiple visits to Catering By Restaurant Associates events, the Madwell team returned to RA’s headquarters eight weeks later with a surprising recommendation – keep the name the same.

The reason was simple. The agency believed there to be enormous heritage and strength in the Restaurant Associates name as well as incredible value in being connected to a quality-driven parent company with an exemplary track record of success feeding New York and other major cities for more than 50 years. Thus the refreshed brand of Catering By Restaurant Associates emerged as CxRA. Sporting elegant and modern typography and generous use of white space, the new corporate logo represents the character of the company – warm, nimble and adventurous yet disciplined and organized, and with a strong emphasis on craft, precision and presentation. The branding initiative was then brought to life with a new CxRA website – www.cxra.com –

INTERVIEW

BUILDING THE NEW CxRA BRAND Elements talked to Tim McLaughlin about the decision to create the new CxRA brand. n Elements: Were missed business opportunities the driving force behind the launch of CxRA? Tim McLaughlin: “It wasn’t so much missed business opportunities as a lack of recognition. We wanted people to know it was Restaurant Associates who catered their event at one of our client’s premises and not the institution itself. Although we still got that business, we no longer wanted to be the “silent caterer.” The corporate business comes to us because of our industry reputation, but my driving goal is to reach new clients who have never used us before for whatever reason.”

which launched in February. In addition to an intuitive navigation and greater clarity of purpose, the site features a series of intimate plating videos shot on location at the CxRA Central Catering Kitchen and a vivid image-driven gallery featuring spectacular food photography that better showcases the team’s flair and artistry.

Although the name CxRA will be used in conjunction with Catering By Restaurant Associates while awareness is being created, the goal is to drop the “Restaurant Associates” tagline in the near future to enable the new brand to stand alone. And if the current levels of interest and bookings are anything to go by, it seems the company will have no problem finding its feet. e

CxRA CLIENT COLLECTION The company’s range of customers includes the following blue-chip organizations: n American Museum of Natural History, NY n Lincoln Center, NY n The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY n Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, NY n Boston Children’s Museum, MA n Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA n Strathmore, Washington D.C. n The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C.

n What was the biggest challenge in creating awareness for the new brand?

“In our market, clients research up to a year in advance. However, I didn’t have anything for them to look at, so the first step was to launch a Website and create marketing collateral. Now we have a great online presence and a communications strategy that includes a blog, newsletter and active Instagram and Facebook pages.

Our hits and followers are breaking the numbers we forecast.” n How has the industry reacted to the new launch?

“Very well. In fact, we were just invited as a best-in-class caterer into a new group called “The Chosen Few” – a new initiative set up by the leading party planner in New York. It is aiming to be to the events

industry what the Michelin Guide is to the restaurant industry. It’s really an instant validation for us. n What differentiates CxRA from its competitors?

“More than anything else, our reputation for quality and reliability. We host 100 tastings each year. When a client is booking a sit down event for, say, 1,000 people, it’s important they know that what they receive at their tasting is what they will receive on the day of their event. We also have exceptional bench strength.

Some boutique caterers may have 50 full-time wait staff.

We have 600, all of whom have been very well trained and screened, and who will be dressed professionally in stylish, custom-fitted uniforms. Even more importantly, they know how to serve food and pour wine properly, and how to interact appropriately with guests.”

SUMMER 2014 • elements

35

WOLFGANG PUCK

AT THE OSCARS

The renowned chef celebrated his 20th year catering the Governors Ball.

I

n March, Academy Governor Jeffrey Kurland, Event Producer Cheryl Cecchetto and Master Chef Wolfgang Puck returned to the Hollywood & Highland Center in Beverley Hills, CA, to stage the Governors Ball – the Academy’s official post-Oscar celebration. The 1,500 invited guests included Oscar winners and nominees, show presenters and other prominent telecast participants.

An acclaimed costume designer, Kurland managed the décor, menu and entertainment planning, as well as designed the attire worn by the evening staff. It was his fifth year serving as the Chair of the Governors Ball. Cecchetto, in conjunction with her Sequoia Productions team, helped manage every detail, including the successful implementation of the transcendent wonder of nature theme. The Ball featured lush vertical gardens with classic, elegant lines. It was Cecchetto’s 25th consecutive year as Producer of the event.

Puck, working with Chef Matt Bencivenga, created a 50-dish menu that included such signature favorites as smoked salmon Oscars, chicken pot pie with shaved black truffles, and mini American Wagyu burgers with aged Cheddar and remoulade. Crispy lobster shrimp dumplings with five spices and bites of fried chicken with white grits added excitement, while an expanded selection of vegan dishes also featured prominently.

The team of chefs also created a range of elegant seasonal desserts, including chocolatedipped strawberry cheesecake pops, citrus panna cotta with funky chunky chocolate popcorn, and a celebratory cake to honor Puck’s 20th consecutive year creating the menu for the Governors Ball. e

36 elements • SUMMER 2014

Top left: Puck and his team celebrate WPC’s 20th consecutive Governors Ball. Above (top to bottom): Butternut squash Faro rice salad; carrot and orange gazpacho, and power smoothies; chicken and white grits; strawberry consommé.

THE OSCARS

The Governors Ball Pastry Team Each of the four pastry chefs below, selected by Wolfgang Puck, brought an incredible amount of knowledge, passion and excitement to the team.

“I chose these four chefs in particular, not just for their individual talents but also for their cohesive vision,” Puck said.

“The menu they put together is one that showcases their incredible experience and whimsical imagination. They were the ideal team to help me celebrate my 20th year catering the Governors Ball.”

Della Gosset

Executive Pastry Chef, Spago After a decade as Pastry Chef at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, Gosset accepted the coveted role of Pastry Chef Instructor at The French Pastry School’s L’Art de la Pâtisserie. In 2011, she won the National Pastry Team Championship and the Silver Medal in the 2012 World Pastry Championship.

Kamel Guechida

Corporate Director of Pastry, Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group After an apprenticeship with Mazi Francis in Perigueux, Guechida joined Joel Robuchon as a Pastry Chef in 2000. He remained with Robuchon for 12 years, working in Macau, Tokyo, Paris, Monte Carlo and Las Vegas. He is the newest member of Wolfgang Puck’s pastry team.

Romain Lenoir

Executive Pastry Chef, Wolfgang Puck Catering Known for his chocolate and sugar showpieces, Lenoir moved to Paris in 2004 to gain pastry experience at the 5-star Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière. He has worked as part of the pastry team at many hotels, including Andaz Liverpool Street London Hotel, Park Hyatt Chicago and the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire.

Jason LeMonnier Executive Pastry Chef, Hollywood & Highland

Jason was showcased at the 2012 Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival.

He began his culinary career working on savory dishes and transitioned to pastry in 2002. At WPC, where Jason has worked since 2005, his responsibilities include recipe development, training and creating exciting new dessert items.

SUMMER 2014 • elements

37

THE LAST WORD ON WELLNESS

The secret to long-term weight management Deanne Brandstetter Compass Group Vice President, Nutrition/Wellness

W

e have known for a long time that people who keep track of what they eat and how much physical activity they get are far more successful in managing their weight in the long term than those who take a less structured approach. However, constantly having to write down where you were at any given time, record exactly what you consumed and then, at the end of the day, sit down and look it all up online or in a book is very tedious and time-consuming.

At Compass, we want to streamline that process so all of our associates and clients can more easily manage their weight and improve their lifestyle.

That’s why we recently partnered with MyFitnessPal – the leading free food intake and activity tracking app. Over the next couple of years, our goal is to integrate more than 7,500 of our menu items into the app’s database of more than four million foods. Last summer, we launched new labels for our Grab ‘n Go items that include nutritional information and barcodes. Using the MyFitnessPal app, you can scan a barcode with your Smartphone, connect directly to the information for that food and, with just one click, enter it into your food diary. Moving forward, we plan to include this functionality for all of our standard menu items at cafés, kiosks, restaurants and dining center Websites.

But the MyFitnessPal app is much more than simply a digitized food diary.

In addition to being able to monitor your calorie intake against the goals you have outlined, the technology can also help identify trends, patterns and behaviors.

This is particularly useful because, while you may be able to remember what you ate when you sat down for dinner with friends or family yesterday, everybody is guilty of eating mindlessly from time to time. You’ll

38 elements • SUMMER 2014

“While you may be able to remember what you ate for dinner last night, everybody is guilty of eating mindlessly from time to time.” often forget, say, that you had a bag of chips at your desk at lunchtime, that you had several cups of coffee during the day, or that you devoured a bowl of ice cream while sitting in front of the TV. Using the data and summaries created by the app, you can take a positive action to avoid those potentially destructive eating patterns. For example, if you are tempted by the donuts in the break room at work, instead opt for a more healthful snack, which you might find in the Choice Plus area of your office vending machine.

Or you could plan ahead so the first thing you see when you get home from work is a bowl of fruit and not the cookie jar!

In my case, the app showed that business

travel caused me a number of problems.

I discovered that I need to prepare more food in advance to take with me so that I am not restricted to what may or may not be available at an airport, especially if there is a delay in travel where I may be tempted to stop by a fast-food restaurant.

The MyFitnessPal app also synchronizes with most of the more popular exercise management gadgets, such as Fitbit. This is especially important because a recent study released by the Weight Control Registry – a group of more than 10,000 people who have experienced a significant long-term weight loss – highlighted that regular exercise is a key factor in helping people successfully manage their weight.

In fact, the study revealed that some 94 percent of people who lost an average of 66lbs over a five-year period had increased their physical activity.

A free app that helps you eat better and exercise more? That just has to be worth a visit to the iTunes or Android store! e

F VOR PUMP STATIONS

Must use one case minimum per month of French’s pouch product.

Available to Compass Group Operations for a limited time only!

How you serve is just as important as what you serve. The Flavor Pump Station condiment dispensers from The French’s Food Company reduce waste of individual packets and bottles, as well as improve product yield.

Your customers love the brands. You’ll love the benefits.

For more information, email Julie.Swift@Frenchs.com or call 417-849-3903.

Eat Local is an annual campaign that promotes awareness on the growing trend in eat local initiatives across the country. Local produce is fresher, tastes better, supports your community and is better for the environment.

For more information, please email BusinessExcellence@compass-usa.com.