17-03 June/July 2012 Restaurant

Clean Eating • CHRISTINI’S RISTORANTE: SECRETS OF SUCCESS

O f f i c i a l P u b l i c at i o n o f t h e F lo r i da R e s ta u r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s s o c i at i o n

The Cook

60x40 Watercolor on Paper

By Gustavo Castillo

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F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

F rom t h e c e o

FRLA: A Busy Place This Summer!

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By Carol B. Dover t is time to have a cheeseburger in paradise and watch the sunset over the ocean! We are heading to Key West for our summer board meeting and could not be more thrilled to spend a few days in the Conch Republic. Pack your flip flops and join us June 4 - 6 at the Casa Marina Resort. Immediately following the Board Meeting on June 6th is the Wild and Crazy Captain’s Party and on June 7th is FRLA’s Wild and Crazy Fishing Tournament. Be certain to make plans to attend both events!

During the Board Meeting, we will discuss several pivotal issues that will guide our legislative efforts for the remainder of the year and into the 2013 Florida Legislative Session. FRLA has confirmed several dignitaries and lawmakers as attending our meeting. For the federal issues update, Rob Gifford, of the NRA will be speaking. Senator Jack Latvala will be our Board Meeting keynote, and during the Government Relations committee a one-hour legislative panel will be moderated by Steve Metz. The Panel will discuss issues such as: minimum wage, on-line travel companies and destination casino resorts. Our panelists will be: Senator Jack Latvala, Senator Nancy Detert, Senator Ron Saunders, Representative Jimmy

Patronis, Jr., and Representative Erik Fresen.

For information about the Board Meeting, visit FRLA’s webpage.

Even though we are ready to enjoy the Florida sunshine from the coast of Key West, we have to remember Hurricane Season is right around the corner. The time to make a plan for your business is now. You will find helpful articles and links to important emergency operations websites at www.

FRLA.org.

We would like to thank all of our members who helped us lobby for more economical and reasonable changes to the ADA Pool Lift regulations. Thanks to our combined efforts, the deadline for compliance has been pushed back to January 31, 2013. The FRLA agrees with the spirit of the law, but will continue to strive for a fair conclusion for both the hospitality industry and Americans with Disabilities.

Save the Date! The FRLA Tradeshow is scheduled for September 22-24 at the Orange County Convention Center. If you have never been to the Trade Show this is a great opportunity to see all of the different allied members who work with the FRLA and can help your business and bottom line. Pack up your clubs and come a bit earlier for the NRA/ FRLA Bob Leonard Charity

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Golf Classic. It will be held Friday, September 21 at ChampionsGate in Carol B. Dover Orlando, Florida.

This event sold out last year and we raised more than $100,000 for our Political Action Committee.

One of the most incredible projects the FRLA has ever participated in was the Meals of Hope event in 2011, and we are hoping to make it bigger and better in 2012. Spearheaded by FRLA’s Immediate Past Chair, last year we packaged more than 40,000 meals for local families, and this year our Chairman, Bruce Craul, has challenged us to more than double that order. Our goal is to pack 100,000 meals for local families and you can help!

Join us Sunday, September 21, 2012 at the Orange County Convention Center to help put together the meals. It is truly an amazing feeling to know you are a significant part of making sure a family has food on the table and won’t go hungry.

Look forward to seeing you during the Summer!

Carol Dover is President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

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restaurant

CONTENTS

June/July 2012 • WWW.RESTAURANTANDLODGING.COM

11 Top Food Frends from the 2012 NRA Show

Held in Chicago in May, the show featured top trends such as miniature or single serving desserts and Southeast Asian flavors.

14 Christini’s Ristorante Italiano

Having won every major restaurant award, this Orlando destination and special event restaurant is one you won’t want to miss!

Departments

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3 6 9 10 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 22 24

From the CEO FRLA - It’s A Busy Place This Summer!

Chefs That Sizzle Justin Patrick Timineri, C.E.C., Culinary Ambassador Sustainability Restaurants Face Unique Challenges When Going Green A La Carte Mobuyle Payment Systems, Food & Menu Top Trends Educational Foundation 11th Annual National ProStart Invitational Wine Tips Summer Whites Movers & Shakers Don Potter; Williams Receives Bronson Lane Award Legally Speaking An Introduction to Alcohol Service Liability Trends The Clean Eating Revolution: Get Into It! FLA500.com Pensacola Chefs Honor Florida’s 500 Year History in New York Marketing How to Grow Your Bussiness Through Effective Marketing Business Success Reasons Restaurants Fail Part II SafeStaff Food Manager Training & Testing Schedule

F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

F L OR I DA RE S TAU R A N T & L OD GI NG A S SOC I AT ION

forecast Steven Fassberg President, CEO & Founder Brooklyn Water Bagels

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teven Fassberg has been a finance and mortgage professional for over 25 years. He also simultaneously opened, developed and sold an array of impressive restaurant concepts and delicatessens from 1984 until 2002. He began baking bagels at the age of 13 in Massapequa, N.Y., and has owned numerous New York-style deli restaurants steakhouses, and sports cafes during his career.

Fassberg began developing the concept for real New York water bagels in June 2004, and has been working diligently full time for the last seven years on the development of the franchise model, menu items, operating procedures and food delivery systems. He has fully tested every aspect of the operational franchise model, and has had the benefit of some of the best and brightest minds in QSR who have helped shape the model to perfection. His vision for The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. franchise model was derived from 25 years of experience in the worlds of restaurant and finance.

The ability to utilize FRLA resources and contacts, to help perpetuate growth.

What do you think will be the biggest industry trend in the first half of 2012?

Is there anything you would like to share with Florida’s hospitality industry members?

Healthy options combined with aggressive meal values.

What issue would you most like to see positively addressed by Florida’s legislature?

Controlling cost increases and bottle deposit legislation.

What is the single greatest factor in the success of your business?

Superior product at the core.

Steven Fassberg

How has participation in FRLA positively affected your business?

The present economic climate provides unlimited opportunity for small restaurant companies to attract superior talent, to grow their concept and seize the window of opportunity.

How has your business strategy changed over the last few years?

We have slowed the sales of our franchises intentionally, in an effort to create a sound infrastructure of executive talent to support and sustain long-term growth.

Infinite Energy, Inc is Florida’s largest independent natural gas provider, proudly serving Florida’s restaurants and hotels for over 10 years. Lock in all or a portion of your natural gas usage for up to 5 years so you can protect yourself against soaring energy prices and save money versus your local utility. Special discounts apply for FRLA members! Call 877-IVE GOT GAS for more information!

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Justin Patrick Timineri, C.E.C.

executive chef, culinary ambassador State of Florida Department of Agriculture

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ustin Timineri, certified executive chef, author and international culinary ambassador is helping the world to rediscover simple healthy cuisine.

Justin was born in Florida and exposed at an early age to the many cultures and unique and various cuisines from this diverse part of the country. His straight forward approach to cooking relies on simple ingredients combined with fresh seasonal produce and serves as a model for the new American cook.

The culmination of his work experience, from an event chef for NASCAR, PGA and the Kentucky Derby to several top chef positions around his hometown of Tallahassee, including serving as chef at the Governors’ Mansion, led him to his current duty as Culinary Ambassador for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

With a natural passion for food and people, Justin is constantly working to improve the way people eat. Justin’s responsibilities include promoting all of Florida’s freshest commodities, creating new recipes, attending trade events around the world, performing cooking demonstrations and educating children on the value of healthy food choices and proper nutrition.

Justin’s philosophy on food is a simple one: “Cooking should always be fun, simple and flavorful”. He always keeps nutrition in mind and enjoys cooking with fresh, local and regionally harvested foods.

Please describe what it is like to be Florida’s Culinary Ambassador: It is an amazing honor to be Florida’s culinary ambassador, but the position also comes with great responsibility. . Some of my responsibilities include promoting all of Florida’s nearly 300 commodities, creating new recipes using Fresh From Florida products, attending trade events around the world to showcase our state’s abundant resources, coordinating efforts

Chef Justin Timineri

with other Florida chefs, performing cooking demonstrations and educating children on our state’s growing seasons and the value of healthy food choices and proper nutrition.

What about Florida’s bountiful agricultural and seafood products inspires you?

I gain inspiration from working with the many farmers, chefs and fishermen who work to ensure we have a safe, tasty, healthy and diverse supply of food to enjoy. In addition, the products themselves provide inspiration. My recipes highlight the products natural healthy abilities and showcase the wide variety of flavors found in the food that we grow here in Florida.

Describe some of your most popular recipes.

In addition to being healthy, my recipes are seasonal in nature. We place a huge emphasis on knowing the growing and harvest seasons in Florida. This not only enables chefs, but also consumers, the opportunity to buy and taste the freshest – and oftentimes more economical – products available. Therefore, my recipes not only provide a lesson in cooking healthier options, but also doing so in a more responsible manner.

What is your “sizzle” – for example, cuisine and food that are your signature or “specialties”, unique food presentations or any new ideas that you are using?

My sizzle is the way I put a twist on the classics, while still maintaining their wholesomeness. An example of this is my fruit and vegetable sushi, which takes a food that may seem intimidating to children – raw fish – and utilizes ingredients they are familiar with – fruits and vegetables – to create something that looks similar and tastes delicious. Our hope is that as students grow more comfortable with the look and feel of unfamiliar foods, they become more inclined to try new flavors or foods going forward.

HotChef?

Are You Considered Among 2012 Florida’s Hottest Chefs?

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Know a chef who is creating a buzz with innovative cuisine, exceptional presentation or fresh new ideas?

FRLA wants to tell the state about them in a bi-monthly feature in FR&L Magazine. Submit your favorite chef du jour to susie@mckinleyhome.com. Please include a brief explanation of why your submission should be considered one of the hottest chefs in Florida. BeF lo sure to include restaurant and contact r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n information. Submissions will be featured in FR&L Magazine as Chefs That Sizzle!

To what do you attribute your success in the culinary world?

While my bright neon tennis shoes may be the first thing that catches people’s attention, it is a genuine passion for food, a strong work ethic and the ability to relate to any audience that has allowed me to succeed in this business.

The state has provided an excellent platform to take my Fresh From Florida message and recipes to the public – not only within Florida, but also around the world. In turn, my recipes have been able to reach and have an impact on a greater audience than if I had been confined to a fixed

location or restaurant.

What is your favorite dish to eat that you’ve created?

My favorite dish is the one I created for a Food Network cook-off that showcases Florida’s light, tropical flavors – Crispy Pan Seared Florida Snapper with Passion Fruit Cream and Florida Citrus Salad with Florida Gulf Shrimp and Green Mango Jam. When I created this dish, I wanted the judges to know this dish came from our state the moment they took a bite. (See recipe below)

How can Florida kids make healthy choices at restaurants?

Kids can be picky eaters, so it is important to have a good selection of not only traditional kids’ fare, but also fun, healthy dishes that parents can feel good about feeding their child.

Incorporating side dishes or even entrées that are rich in nutrients but presented in a fun, kid-friendly manner can ensure that kids not only choose these healthy options, but that a chef’s signature or style is also represented on the plate.

Chef Justin’s recipes that highlight Florida’s bounty for FR&L readers:

Crispy Pan Seared Florida Snapper

With Passion Fruit Cream & Florida Citrus Salad | With Florida Gulf Shrimp & Green Mango Jam This recipe is slightly more complicated as it comes in 5 parts. However, all the sauces etc. can be made in advance.

Ingredients 6 x 5 oz Fresh Florida Snapper fillets with the skin on 1/2 Cup of cornstarch 1/2 Cup of Canola Oil Sea salt to taste Black Pepper freshly ground to taste Serves 6 Calories 424, Calories from Fat 191, Total Fat 22g, Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 81mg, Total Carbohydrates 8g, Protein 45g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 2.42g per serving.

Method With a sharp knife score the skin of filets in a crosshatch pattern. Pat filets with paper towel until completely dry. Refrigerate until time to cook.

Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high heat.

Lightly dust the skin side of filets with corn starch and season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Add oil to coat the bottom of the heated pan. Carefully lay the filets in the pan skin side down. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides until skin is crispy and filets are done.

Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of filets. Keeping filets skin side up, transfer to platter

1/4 Cup dry white wine 2 Cups whipping cream 3/4 Cup unsweetened coconut milk 1/2 teaspoonful Thai red curry paste Sea salt to taste Fresh ground pepper to taste Preparation Place mirin rice wine, passion fruit, ginger and turmeric in heavy medium-sized saucepan.

Boil approximately 6 minutes until reduced to 1/4 cup. Add white wine and boil approximately 6 minutes until reduced to 1/4 cup. Add cream and coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer sauce approximately 12 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in curry paste.

Season the sauce to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.

Serves 6 Calories 388, Calories From Fat 319, Total

Fat 35g, Saturated Fat 24g, Trans Fatty Acid 0.88g, Cholesterol 109mg, Total Carbohydrates 11g, Protein 3g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.43g per serving.

Florida Citrus & Shaved Fennel Salad Ingredients 1 Tablespoonful of rice wine vinegar Black pepper, freshly ground to taste Sea salt to taste 1/4 Cup Virgin Olive Oil 3 Florida Oranges 2 Florida Grapefruit 2 Bulbs Fennel, stalks removed 1/2 Cup Jicama, julienne Preparation Whisk together vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking, until emulsified. Set aside.

Peel oranges and grapefruit with a paring

Florida Passion Fruit Coconut Milk Sauce Preparation Ingredients 2 x Ripe Florida passion fruit, scooped out with a spoon 1/2 Cup Mirin rice wine 1 Tablespoonful fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1/2 teaspoonful of turmeric w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

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C h e fs t h at si z z l e knife removing all white pith. Cut into sections, working over a bowl to reserve juice. Squeeze any remaining juice from membranes into a small bowl.

Whisk 3 tablespoons of citrus juice into vinaigrette. Drain citrus segments, then add segments to vinaigrette. Quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise. With a mandoline slicer, cut fennel into paper-thin slices (about 1/16 inch thick).

Add to citrus segments along with jicama and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

Serves 6 Calories 168, Calories from Fat 88, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 0mg, Total Carbohydrates 21g, Protein 2g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.08g per serving

Florida Spicy Green Mango Jam Ingredients 3 x Green Florida mangoes (Unripe) 1/2 Cup of Rice Wine Vinegar 1/3 Cup of Sugar 1 1/2 Teaspoonfuls of salt or to taste 1 Fresh Jalapeno Chili, seeded and deveined 5 Cloves Garlic 1 Teaspoonful of Cumin ground 1 Teaspoonful of Coriander Seeds, Ground 1 3” Cinnamon Stick 2 Whole Cloves Star Anise 2 Tablespoonfuls of Corn Oil

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2 Tablespoonfuls of Orange Marmalade Preparation Peel mangoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Toss mangoes in a small bowl with vinegar, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

To make seasoning paste, cut ginger root into 4 pieces. Add ginger root, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, coriander and turmeric one at a time to a food processor with motor running and purée to a paste.

Heat a 4-quart heavy pot over moderatelylow heat until hot. Cook seasoning paste, cinnamon stick, and star anise in oil for 10 minutes, or until very fragrant, stirring frequently. Stir in the mango mixture and marmalade. Simmer covered over low heat until mangoes are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick and star anise and cool jam completely. Set aside Serves 6 Calories 154, Calories from Fat 45, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 0.68g, Trans Fatty Acid 0.07g, Cholesterol 0mg, Total Carbohydrates 29g, Protein 1g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.04g per serving

Sautéed Florida Gulf Shrimp with Green Mango Jam Ingredients

2lbs Fresh Florida Gulf Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on 1/4 Cup of Canola Oil Sea Salt to taste Black pepper freshly ground to taste Preparation Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add oil to hot pan and carefully add shrimp.

Sauté shrimp until pink and just done. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place cooked shrimp on plate and serve with Florida green Mango Jam. Serves 6 Calories 243, Calories from Fat 106, Total Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 230mg, Total Carbohydrates 1g, Protein 31g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 1.61g per serving To Serve Crispy Pan Seared Florida Snapper + Extra Ingredients Spoon 3 tablespoons of Passion Fruit Coconut Sauce onto each serving plate, top with 1/2 cup Citrus Fennel Salad. Place one seared snapper filet on fennel salad, spoon on 2 tablespoons Green Mango Jam and top with two sautéed gulf shrimp.

PLEASE NOTE The Passion Fruit Coconut Milk Sauce, Citrus Fennel Salad and the Green Mango Jam may be made ahead of time.

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S us taina bili t y

Restaurants Face Unique Challenges When

Going Green

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rom eco-friendly paper towels to composting, individuals are progressively minimizing their impact on the environment by implementing a variety of initiatives throughout their homes and businesses. For restaurant operators, making these environmentally-friendly changes can seem daunting, but has the potential to improve their bottom line, strengthen their relationship with their staff (especially Millennials), and demonstrate to their customers and community their business’ commitment to improving the environment. The foodservice industry is the second largest private sector industry in the United States and due to its substantial size, has the potential to make a major impact on the environment by taking a few simple and sustainable steps. Many restaurateurs simply do not know where to start, but there are plenty of easy-to-implement solutions available to restaurants that want to pursue a more sustainable future.

When it comes to transforming your establishment into an energy-efficient operation, think big but start small. Turn off the lights when leaving a room. Power down computers at night and shut down kitchen appliances immediately after you are finished with them. These practices require absolutely no monetary investment on your behalf, but will help reduce your operation’s energy usage and energy bill.

Scraping dishes, scrubbing cookware, and soaking pots and pans are all easy ways to optimize your establishment’s dishwashing procedure, while making a considerable impact upon your water bill. Your restaurant can also become more sustainable by implementing other water conservation initiatives, such as fixing leaky fixtures.

Donating surplus food is also a great way to cut down on waste management expenses and bolster community relations efforts. Build lasting relationships with the members of your community by contacting a local food bank, hunger-relief agency or organization such as the Food Donation Connection – www.foodtodonate.com, and finding out how your restaurant can help those in need. The more food your establishment donates, the less waste your establishment ultimately produces.

The money saved investing in more advanced sustainability initiatives will not only pay for itself, but it will also likely make your establishment money in the long run.

Your operation can advance its efforts by investing in energy-efficient appliances or even remodeling to becoming a more sustainable operation from the ground up. If your operation does wish to pursue more advanced sustainability efforts, assistance is often available through state programs and, in some locations, utilities. These initiatives could provide useful information, energy audits, or even funding to businesses that take active steps to pursue a more sustainable future.

Also available to foodservice operations is the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve Sustainability Education ProgramSM. This educational program is an online resource designed by the restaurant industry for the restaurant industry. It helps restaurants to reduce energy, waste, and water—driving down costs and leaving a lighter footprint on our environment.

Participating restaurants gain access to Conserve’s easyto-use checklist, which features more than 90 industry-tried best practices and 64 educational how-to videos, as well as money-saving techniques and a variety of other resources.

To find out more about how a Conserve can benefit your foodservice operation, visit conserve.restaurant.org.

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A L a Ca rt e - R e s tau r an t

Cool Web Pages www.millersalehouse.com has redesigned its website and it looks great! Built

by Miles Media specifically for Miller’s Ale House, the webpage seeks to “focus on customer engagement and information, ease of navigation, and enhanced Internet and smart phone discoverability.”

Along with the enhanced webpage, each Miller’s Ale House location will have its own independent page off the main site to announce specials, regional or store events and pertinent store information.

Check it out!

Levy Restaurants

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evy Restaurants was recently recognized for the “Best Responsible Alcohol Service Training Program” at the VIBE (Very Important Beverage Executives) Conference. Levy has partnered with FRLA and RCS, along with the National Restaurant Association for years on this effort.

Submissions were independently judged by top beverage directors of the on-premise restaurant chain community and Levy was chosen for this recognition for their comprehensive risk strategy and training.

Downtown Food & Capital Cuisine restaurants in Wine Festival: Orlando Several Tallahassee joined

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he Orlando Downtown Food & Wine Festival was deemed a success with more than 20,000 people attending and making $35,000 for the Central Florida FRLA Chapter! FRLA and CBS Radio partnered on this two-day event which featured more than 40 restaurants, wines from around the globe and live entertainment. Way to go!

L to R: Mark Christ, Rebecca Skokowski, Stephanie Murdoch, Jim Whaples, Ladonna Oney

Florida Restaurant Industry at a Glance • In 2012 Florida’s restaurants are projected to register $31.5 billion in sales.

• Every $1 spent in Florida’s restaurants generates an additional $.97 in sales for the state economy.

• In 2012 restaurants in Florida employ 841,900 people. (11% of employment in Florida).

• In 2022 restaurants in Florida are expected to employ 974,800 people (15.8% job growth - 132,900 new jobs).

Source: National Restaurant Association.

(Includes all restaurant and foodservice occupations.

Employment figures are projected.)

Heartland Payment Systems Launches

Mobile Restaurant Payment Solution

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obuyle enables restaurateurs to accept credit, debit and gift card payments through smartphones and mobile devices.

Currently, Mobuyle Restaurant is available for Android devices – smartphones and tablets – and will soon be available on the Apple iOS platform for iPhones, iPads, etc. Heartland’s Mobuyle solution for retailers is currently available for both Android and Apple iOS platforms. Getting started is easy. Download the free Mobuyle app from the Android Market or Apple App Store and contact Heartland to get your Mobuyle encrypting reader that plugs into your device’s audio jack.

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ties allow restaurateurs to expand their payment options to coincide with their business offerings, including: • Tableside card payments – reducing the opportunity for skimming and increasing customer confidence, as the card never leave the customer’s sight.

• Curbside pickup – speeding up the transaction process by allowing food runners/servers to accept car-side payments without having to go back into a restaurant to process a payment.

• Catering – enabling restaurateurs with catering services to accept card payments onsite during an event and the embedded Store and Forward functionality is beneficial at isolated or remote locations/venues.

• Delivery services – instead of paying more for card-not-present transactions, restaurateurs can now equip their delivery drivers with Mobuyle to accept payments at the door of a food delivery.

For more information please visit www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com/mobuyle/

together in April to celebrate Capital Cuisine Restaurant Week. From April 12 – 22 participating restaurants provided special offerings at both lunch and dinner to guests. The offerings were priced at $15 or $25 each. Restaurants that were involved in the program fell it was “a success and each business saw an increase in patrons to their restaurants.” Capital Cuisine Restaurant Week is slated for May 2013!

Capital City Beer Fest

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he Capital City Beer Fest was held in Tallahassee in mid-April at FSU’s University Center Club and raised $15,000.00 for the Dedman School of Hospitality!

Attendees were able to sample a wide variety of American craft beers and International ales and lagers, from a collector’s glass, while overlooking Bobby Bowden field and enjoying live music.

Lime Fresh

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uby Tuesdays recently acquired “Florida-based” FRLA member Lime Fresh Mexican Grill chain to shore up its future in the fast casual market. Lime Fresh, which got its start in South Florida, is a hot concept that has gone national.

Food & Menu Top Trends*

Preparation Methods

1. Pickling 2. Fermenting 3. Sous Vide 4. Liquid Nitrogen chilling / freezing 5. Oil-poaching

Culinary Themes

1. Hyper-local sourcing (e.g., restaurant gardens) 2. Sustainability 3. Children’s nutrition 4. Gluten-free / food allergy conscious 5. Farm / estate-branded ingredients

Kids’ Meals

1. Healthful kids’ meals 2. Whole grain items in kids’ meals 3. Fruit / vegetable children’s side items 4. “Mini meals” (e.g., smaller versions of adult menu items) 5. Oven-baked items in kids’ meals (e.g., baked chicken fingers, oven-baked fries)

Source: National Restaurant Association, “What’s Hot in 20212: Chef Survey, 2011

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FOOD SHOW S

Single servings, sustainability and more were in vogue at this year’s event

Top Food Trends from 2012 NRA Show

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By Charlie Duerr his is part of NRN’s sumer demand for sustainably grown special coverage of and processed foods. the 2012 NRA Show.

Molecular for the masses. HighThe show is held in tech flourishes were available for Chicago, May 5-8. one and all to use. Fruit juice with leciFollow all coverage thin, stored in nitrogen-charged canison NRN’s ‘At the Show’ section, ters like whipped cream, were squirted check out NRN blogs, Reporter’s out as light foam. Caviar-like pearls of Notebook, and Tweet with us using balsamic vinegar or hot sauce that burst #NRNatNRA. in your mouth — made through a proLow pricing was not the top priority cess that the molecular gastronomers of for restaurateurs attending the 2012 a decade ago called “spherification” — NRA Show, said suppliers who were were available frozen. displaying their wares at the annual Better-for-you items. Kefir, the event. yogurt-like drink that’s the poster This year, many suppliers at the Cuisines from Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand were trendy at child for the probiotic crowd was very show said quality, not price, was the the NRA show this year. Products imported from Thailand included curry much on display at the show as part first concern of restaurant operators pastes, sauces, lychee and guava drinks, coconut milk, longan fruit in of a broader trend of better-for-you visiting their booths — a change in syrup and jasmine rice. items, such as green tea-based soda — attitude from recent years — as those sweetened with stevia in some cases sert dichotomy, with both the richest desserts operators sought to distinguish them— or juice drinks spiked with “superfruits” available and better-for-you options such as selves from the competition. such as blueberry and pomegranate. multigrain, low-sugar cookies catching operaWhether it was super-premium Ibérico de tors’ eyes. bellota — Spanish pork from free-range hogs Convenience solutions. Soft-serve ice that had fattened themselves on acorns for at cream was available in frozen “pucks,” or Customizable coffee. Single-serving, pourleast 18 months — or single-origin coffee, preover coffee was on display mium products were a top food trend on display at the booths of many coffee at the show this year. suppliers. Some had machines Here are the rest of the top 10 trends from that kept the water temperathis year’s show: ture consistent, took out the guesswork and eliminated the Miniature or single-serving desserts. As need for trained baristas. operators sought ways to make their desserts unique and customizable, but also more Southeast Asian flavors. healthful, they sought out single-serving items From coconut milk to and miniature portions. Suppliers said slightly Pre-portioned single-serving desserts, left, are intended to make the end sweet chile sauce, Southeast unusual flavors, such as ginger, pomegranateAsian touches were in demand of a meal easier for restaurant operators. Back-to-basics, indulgent, desberry or English butter toffee caught restauraserts, like sheet cake, pictured right, were popular at the show. at the show this year. teurs’ attention.

Sustainability. Many individual servings similar to K-Cups, that Indulgent desserts. Sheet cakes, premium restaurant operators were asking about allow for no-waste portion control. Thaw-andice cream and big cookies also garnered the origins of items, from coffee to seafood to serve items — bread, pastry, pot pie and prointerest, suppliers said. They also noted a desvegetables, as they attempted to respond to conteins from pork to textured soy — were available for restaurateurs seeking convenient ways to bring high-quality food to their customers without developing new areas of expertise

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“Caviars” of balsamic vinegar, hot sauce and other flavors, now available frozen, bring avantgarde techniques to mainstream operators. w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

Eco-friendly items, such as these third party-verified sustainable vegetables, were on display for operators doing their part to protect the environment.

Hypoallergenic food. Are your customers allergic to nuts? Eggs? Dairy? Gluten? That was no problem at the organic pavilion, where products with virtually nothing controversial in them were available for sampling. These one-product solutions for sensitive customers were additional examples of what operators were looking for to make their jobs easier.

This article is reprinted by permission from Nation’s Restaurant News.

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PRO S TA RT

Florida Students Place 5th in Management and 6th in Culinary

11th Annual National ProStart Invitational

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lorida’s Management and Culinary teams did well at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) Annual National ProStart Invitational. During the 11th Annual National ProStart Invitational, the NRAEF and partner colleges and universities awarded more than $1.4 million in scholarships to the first- through fifth-place teams to pursue their education in foodservice and hospitality programs.

Florida was represented by Eastside High School from Gainesville. The Eastside students representing Florida placed fifth in the Management Competition and sixth in the Culinary Competition.

The National ProStart Invitational consists of two competitions – management and culinary – and teams must win first place at the state level to advance to the national event. In this fast-paced competition, teams demonstrated their culinary skills and knowledge of restau-

rant management before nearly 1,000 fellow students, educators, mentors, state restaurant association representatives, industry professionals and NRAEF Trustees.

O

n April 24th a panel of industry leaders from Central Florida visited Deltona High, at the request of ProStart instructor, Michelle Stojic. In attendance were: Jim Whaples, from Signature on the Lake, Nicole Dipetro from Tijuana Flats, Ken Devine from Panera Bread, LaDonna Oney from Emergency Services and Reconstruction, Stephanie Murdock, the Regional Director of FRLA, Jennifer Osgood from Provinsure, Ed Foster from Louis Wohl and Sons and myself, Luanna Skeens from Chefs Warehouse and Vice President of Education for the FRLA, Central Florida Chapter.

Approximately 130 students students attended from ProStart, business, marketing and economics courses one of the two 50 minute sessions.

Speakers talked about their professions, background, and how they came to where they are.

The speakers offered encouragement to the students and hopefully inspired some! It was a great event, and according to Luanna Skeens “Instructor Stojic is an inspired teacher and leader.”

U N I V ER S A L SP ONS OR

GL OB A L SP ONS OR S

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F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

W in e Tips

Summer Whites

By David Gwynn

W

ith the mercury rising, our desire to both keep cool and keep our cool, grows.

Stronger, the deeper into the dog days of summer we venture. Our instincts kick in and we manage by indulging in lighter-style foods and beverages that help us feel refreshed – chilled soups, crisp salads and cool white wines.

White wines are more favorable than reds in the warmer months for a variety of reasons.

First, they are always served chilled. That in itself is invigorating to a cotton-mouth. Next, in the wine making process, whites typically have little or no contact with the grape skins.

This is significant because the skins contain compounds that are referred to as tannins.

Tannins create the astringent or mouth-drying sensation that many red wines exhibit. This characteristic can make a parched mouth feel drier than dry; if that’s even possible. In addition, whites tend to have a more pronounced acidic quality than reds. White wine descriptors like “racy”, “vibrant” and “bright” all refer to a defined acidic component that gives these wines

with vibrant lemon and lime flavors.

2010 Abbazia Di Novacella Kerner Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy A cross between a German red and white grape, Kerner is highly aromatic with succulent peach and lemon peel and a long, juicy finish.

a sense of structure and as a result, produces a light, fresh-mouth feel. Finally, white wines are usually lower in alcohol, which at this time of year can wreak havoc when the object is to stay hydrated.

The following white wines are great representations of their respective varietal. They are delicious wines that can be enjoyed while lounging at the coast or settling back at the dinner table relishing in summer’s bounty.

2010 Bodegas Viña Godeval Godello Valdeorras, Spain Almost an extinct varietal, Godello has citrus and floral notes and pronounced minerality

2010 Shaya Verdejo Old Vines Rueda, Spain a/k/a Verdelho in Portugal, it displays green apple and lime aromas with a fresh citrus flavor and faint peppery note on the end.

2010 Chehalem Inox Chardonnay Willamette, Oregon Explosive floral-fruit nose with flavors of lemongrass-kissed orchard fruit and a bright, mouthwatering finish.

2010 Pulenta Estate Sauvignon Blanc VI Mendoza, Argentina Tropical fruit and grassy aromas with stone fruit flavors and nice balance of acidity and sweetness.

David W. Gwynn is the Chef and Owner of Cypress Restaurant and Vertigo Burgers & Fries.

JULY 19, 2012 TAMPA BAY

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON, TAMPA AIRPORT  WESTSHORE

Don Fox

CEO of Firehouse Subs

Doug Press

President & CEO of The Incentive Group

w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

Monte Ammons

President of Epicenter Marketing Systems

Joe West

COO of Brooklyn Water Bagels

Mike Lester

President of The Melting Pot Restaurants

Bob Basham

Co-Founder of Outback Steakhouse

Maryann Ferenc CEO of Mise En Place, Inc.

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se c r e t s of suc c e ss

Christini’s Ristorante Italiano

Just ask anyone who has lived in Orlando for any period of time or has been a consistent visitor to Central Florida about Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, and you will undoubtedly get a resounding positive recommendation! Christini’s is a destination and special event restaurant that you won’t want to miss.

C

Interview by Susie McKinley hris Christini has more than 45 years of culinary experience.

He has opened 19 restaurants and hotels world-wide and moved from Rome, Italy to work for the owners of Alfredo of Rome at Epcot’s Italian pavilion. In 1983, Christini opened Christini’s Ristorante Italiano in 1984 in Orlando, Florida. At Christini’s, he personally oversees all aspects of the restaurant.

Christini’s impeccable reputation has drawn celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world. Christini’s has won every major restaurant award: The Ivy Award, NRN’s Restaurant Fine Dining Hall of Fame, Di Rona Distinguished Restaurant of North America Award, Best of the best Five Star Diamond Award, Best Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator, The International Award of Excellence, The Eqicuren Award for Outstanding Cuisine and Service, Zagat – “a treasure among restaurants”, The Golden Spoon Award and the AAA Four Diamond Award.

Christini’s has been a destination for visitors to Central Florida for how many years?

We have been in business for 28 years, our anniversary is coming up, May 24th.

Please describe your menu concept.

Our menu is: Gourmet - true Italian fine dining. Fresh ingredients and 100 % prepared on premises. No pre-package food.

How do you keep your menu fresh and interesting to returning guests?

We have 90 percent repeat guests; they demand consistency in our menu, and we also create daily specials.

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What is your most popular dish?

Our most famous dish is our 26-oz veal chop.

What is your most popular cocktail?

Our popular specialty cocktail is the champagne with the raspberry infused wild orchid.

Have you seen the tastes of your guests change over the years?

We have not seen much of a change in our guests’ taste, but there are more requests for vegetarian, gluten-free and other dietary restricted offerings on our menu.

Christinis.com is a great web page.

Do you think it is a big asset to your

business? If so, why?

Our web page is a great tool giving our guest the chance to learn about us and to see our restaurant.

Christini’s is known not only for fabulous food and wine, but also as the place to see celebrities. Can you explain what it is about Christini’s that attracts celebrities?

Celebrities come to Christini’s for the fine dining, high standards and the guarantee of privacy.

Do you host a lot of special events / weddings?

We host a variety of special events, and also some small weddings.

F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

How do you drive “traffic” to your restaurant for special events?

Guests and special events at Christini’s are driven 90 % of the time by word of mouth.

Christini’s is a “destination” restaurant.

What is the most important thing you emphasize with staff about your customers?

We train our staff to give impeccable service, and pay attention to details.

What do you think is critical to your employee training?

It is very important during our employee training to assure that each employee follows our philosophy and standard to details. w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

How do you eliminate / reduce employee turnover?

We have small turnover in employees, due to the happy family work environment.

What is your tip to staying in business for such a long time?

I have dedicated my life to pleasing guests.

Stay 100 % involved in every aspect of the business every day.

With more than 45 years of distinctive culinary experience, I am convinced that success comes down to this; one restaurant, in one location, serving the highest quality cuisine, the best service and a friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy it…this is a lesson learned during my career with some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in the world F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g

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RE S TAU R A N T mov e r s & sh a k e r s

Spotlight on Don Potter Pinnacle Hospitality Systems

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on Potter of Pinnacle Hospitality Systems is known throughout the FRLA as one of the Allied Members that can always be counted on to help the Association in any way possible. Don and PHS are great believers in their relationship with FRLA. Currently, he is working with FRLA in a unique promotion: Pinnacle is offering a new membership in the Association to every new Pinnacle client. Don Don Potter hopes every one of Pinnacle’s customers can realize the advantage of being an FRLA member.

Pinnacle Hospitality Systems was founded in 1989 by Don Potter and Stevan Barber, who both previously had worked for Siemens-Nixdorf throughout the 80’s.

When Nixdorf closed their Miami Lakes office, Don and Stevan opened Pinnacle to provide support to the Nixdorf customer base.

Aggressively looking for new opportunities to expand their business, they turned to new business solutions. Their search led them to POSitouch, a restaurant “touchscreen” computerbased business solution being successfully sold in New England. POSitouch, securing the exclusive right to represent POSitouch in Florida.

They were the first company to offer an “open” computer based touchscreen solution for restaurants, and by 1992, Pinnacle focused all

of its resources towards the hospitality marketplace and expanded its operations throughout Florida. The company has since opened offices in Alabama and Ohio.

Don Potter’s success can be attributed to his commitment to provide clients with a tailored business solution that can help maximize profitability and manage loss prevention. He is committed to industry-leading customer support with a true seven days a week by twenty-four hours a day support center. Customers have access to the help desk at all times. There is also a full staff of field technicians who are ready for on-site service with fully-stocked service vans.

Don also believes in giving back to the Association. He has been a member of the FRLA for over 21 years now, and he recently joined the Board of Directors for the Broward County FRLA Chapter. Dan Murphy, FRLA’s Vice President for Membership noted, “Don utilizes the benefits of membership in FRLA not only as a networking opportunity to improve Pinnacle’s customer base, but as an opportunity to serve the industry that moves Florida’s economy. FRLA is proud to partner with Pinnacle and looks forward to continuing to work with them.”

Don has also been an active member of Vistage Florida for 12 years. Don Potter’s success in the hospitality industry has stood the test of time, and he will continue to be a cutting-edge, innovative, industry leader in our community.

For more visit www.pinnaclehs.com.

Williams Receives Bronson Lane Award

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n May 10, the 2011 Bronson Lane Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Debra Williams during the Florida Association for Food Protection (FAFP) Annual Education Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fl. Many FR&L readers may recognize Debra for the many contributions that she has made to the Industry over the years while at both the Florida Division of Hotels and Restaurants and the Florida Division of Food Safety.

The Bronson Lane Award is the highest honor given to an FAFP member. The winner must exhibit the highest level of knowledge, skill, commitment and dedication to the ideas of food safety during their service to Industry, Government or Academia. Debi’s 24+ years of service to protecting the food supply in Florida and your 10+ years as an active FAFP member made her an excellent choice for this award.

Debra Williams has dedicated her career to food safety in Florida for 24 years. She worked her way up from health inspector to become a nationally-recognized professional and administrator. She is a recipient of six Florida Tax Watch, 16 J u n e /J u ly

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Prudential Davis Productivity Awards. In addition, she has received recognition and awards from the US Food and Drug Administration, Conference for Food Protection, National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Harvard University and Massachusetts Pioneer Institute.

In recent years, Ms. Williams took charge of organizing a centralized unit in Tallahassee to conduct food service plan reviews for the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Previously, plan reviews were performed in the division’s seven district offices and the intent to centralize was met with skepticism by both employees and industry alike. However, Ms. Williams overcame concerns to phase in a centralized approach that has become a national standard. Improvements include a reduction in processing time of an average four to five days, standardized plan fast-tracking for chains, electronic document management and the introduction of electronic plan submittal to facilitate processing. She and her staff consistently receive unsolicited praise from the public and industry for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to excellent customer service.

First Quarter Navigator Small Business Award

F

RLA member Dave Trepanier, owner of Firefly Restaurant in Panama City Beach was recently honored with the First Quarter Navigator Small Business Award by the PCB Chamber of Commerce.

Dave says he is proud to win the award and thrilled that the success of his restaurant has allowed him to contribute to so many worthwhile charities in his community. He also credits the PCB Chamber of Commerce as being a major part of the restaurant’s achievements.

Paul Wohlford (left) Dave Trapanier (middle, award winner) and Beth Oltman, President of the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce.

FDACS

Putnam Names Three New Division Directors

A

griculture Commissioner Adam Putnam recently named three division directors at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Susan Nardizzi becomes the director of the Division of Marketing and Development, Tiffiani Onifade becomes the director of the Division of Food Safety and Travis Tucker becomes the director of the Division of Fruit and Vegetables.

Putnam also announced other staff changes including naming Michael “MJ” Johnston to serve as chief information officer. Gloria Van Treese, who has served the past 14 years as the chief of the Bureau of Food Distribution, becomes assistant director in the Division of Marketing and Development. Lee Cornman, former acting director of the Division of Food Safety, becomes the assistant division director.

Charles Beasley becomes assistant director of the Division of Fruit and Vegetables after having served as chief of the Bureau of Inspection.

F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

L E G A L LY SPE A K I NG

An Introduction to

Alcohol Service Liability

By Stephen K. Talpins and Jacey Kaps

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t common law, “no cause of action existed against one furnishing alcoholic beverages in favor of those injured by the intoxication of the person so furnished…” Barnes v. B.K. Credit Service, Inc., 461 So. 2d 217, 219 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985). The rationale was that “the voluntary drinking of the alcohol, not the furnishing of it, was the proximate cause of the injury.”

Id. In 1980, the Florida Legislature changed the rule by enacting Florida Statutes Section 768.125. That section provides,

who passed out on the business’s pier so that he would not fall into the ocean and drown), review denied, 411 So.2d 381 (Fla. 1981).

Establishments serving alcoholic beverages face substantial risk, but have many opportunities to protect themselves. In partnership with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell attorneys Stephen K. Talpins and Jacey Kaps will discuss Florida’s dram shop law, “hot” cases that may serve as powerful examples and ways to minimize risk from claims arising from the sale

and consumption of alcoholic beverages in an upcoming series of articles. Working together, FRLA members can better serve their customers, improve their business, and protect the public.

Stephen K. Talpins and Jacey Kaps are attorneys with Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell Sabo v. Shamrock Communications, Inc., 566 So. 2d 267, 269 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990), approved sub nom. Peoples Restaurant v. Sabo, No. 76,811, 1991 WL 183083 (Fla. Sept. 19, 1991).

A person who sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person of lawful drinking age shall not thereby become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such person, except that a person that willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person who is not of lawful drinking age or who knowingly serves a person habitually addicted to the use of any or all alcoholic beverages may become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such minor or person.

Under that law, establishments “may” be held liable for serving individuals under 21 years of age or over-serving habitual addicts. A habitual addict is a person whose “frequent”, “exclusive” and “dominant passion” is inebriety; a person who “cannot resist getting drunk anytime the temptation is offered.” The legislature intended the law to address only the “class of persons who lack the ability to make a responsible decision in the consumption of alcohol.” Ellis v. N.G.N., Inc, 586 So. 2d 1042, 1047 (Fla. 1991).

However, trial courts (and jurors) seem committed to expanding the scope of this liability.

Many people believe that the dram shop law establishes the “exclusive” remedies for improper or negligent service. However, that is not the case. For example, proprietors may be held liable for violating a duty to safeguard customers from “extreme danger” while on premises. See e.g, Starling v. Fisherman’s Pier, Inc., 401 So.2d 1136 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981) (finding that a business had an affirmative duty to protect a drunk man w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

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t r e nds

The

Clean Eating Revolution Get into it!

By Heather Fuselier

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or most hotels and restaurants, the word “clean” has more to do with health inspections and employee training than culinary know-how. But, for a growing segment of Florida’s population, it’s a word that describes the way they eat: free of added sugars, pesticides, artificial ingredients, and usually from local sources.

Clean eaters are on a mission – and leading a revolution – to bring eating habits back to a simpler palate of fresh foods prepared with minimal ingredients and without over-processing. Some clean eaters consider themselves to be “foodies,” on the hunt for exquisite culinary experiences that celebrate food and tantalize the senses. Others simply view food as fuel: necessary for life and ideally in its most innocent state possible to power up their next adventure.

But, while each clean eater may have a unique definition of what “clean” means to them, they can all agree on at least one thing: restaurants are usually not clean.

Why not? One glance at the description for a summer salad reveals why restaurant dining can be more challenge than cheer: warm, crispy pecan-crusted chicken breast, goat cheese, dried cranberries, and glazed pecans served over mixed greens tossed with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Sounds delicious! But, a clean eater knows that the cranberries are coated in sugar, the pecans are likely roasted in oil before being drizzled with sugar and salt, and the salad dressing has an ingredient list that includes additives and preservatives to preserve its shelf life. What’s a clean eater to do? Either order a plate of steamed veggies and hope they are not coated in butter before landing on the plate, or avoid restaurants altogether. That is not fun for anyone!

Fortunately, there are some simple ways for restaurants to embrace clean eating and be at the forefront of this new trend. Just keep it

C.L.E.A.N.

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Clean up your menu by looking for items that can be customized and deconstructed for greater health. For example, offering fresh, raw nuts and berries as salad toppers or steaming vegetables without oil make it easier for a clean eater to relax in your restaurant. Just a couple of menu items that feature unprocessed, natural foods can make the difference. Many restaurants boast menus that strive for fewer ingredients with a focus on local growers. Music to a clean eater’s ears!

Lighten up portion sizes. Seasons 52, a national chain restaurant known for its commitment to clean eating and seasonal ingredients, promises its customers that no menu items are over 475 calories. This helps customers feel secure in ordering something that sounds delicious rather than decoding menu descriptions to find the healthier options.

Educate your staff on the terminology of clean eating, such as the differences between organic, all-natural, and locally grown, and other types of food.

Advertise the accommodations you make to clean eaters! Everyone has to eat, and restaurant dining is standard fare for business lunches.

Make sure your clean eating community knows that your restaurant is a no-hassle part of their busy day.

Nurture relationships with the clean-eating community by inviting local health experts, bloggers, and enthusiasts to collaborate with you on menu items and ideas. You’ll be rewarded with great word-of-mouth advertising and a loyal customer base!

Clean eating is all about greater health: for individuals, the environment, and local communities. Showing your patrons that their health is important to you can likely result in loyal customers who will appreciate and reward your commitment with repeat business. You may even find that clean eating is a philosophy that you want to adopt for your restaurant and life.

By keeping it CLEAN, you help make Florida a healthier place.

Heather Fuselier is a certified wellness coach and personal trainer located in Tallahassee, where she blogs about holistic wellness at www.wellnesswithoutpity.com. As a clean-eating devotee and fitness enthusiast, she enjoys championing wellness in herself, her clients, and her community. Heather has been published in iRun Magazine, TLH Moms, Associations Now, GetFitPod.com, SkinnyMs.com, The Tallahassee Democrat, and is the Tallahassee Healthy Living Examiner for Examiner.com.

F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

fla50 0.c om

Left to Right: Frank Taylor (Global Grill), Dan Dunn (H20 at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front), Gus Silivos (Skopelos/Nancy’s Haute Affairs), Jim Shirley (The Fish House) and Irv Miller (Jackson’s Steakhouse).

Viva Florida

Pensacola Chefs Honor Florida’s 500 Year History at New York’s James Beard House

T

he Pensacola Celebrity Chefs showcased the area’s culinary offerings this earlier this Spring at New York’s acclaimed James Beard House during a dinner honoring Florida’s rich history.

The culinary event not only brought together modern cuisine created from the Gulf Coast’s local bounty and nearly 500 years of Florida history, but also state and local dignitaries, such as Gov. Rick Scott and Mayor Ashton Hayward, and a handful of New York-based media.

Pensacola Celebrity Chefs Dan Dunn of H2O at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front, Irv Miller of Jackson’s Steakhouse, Jim Shirley of the Fish House, Gus Silivos of Skopelos/ Nancy’s Haute Affairs and Frank Taylor of Global Grill served more than 80 guests a menu of historical recipes that have been used in Florida for hundreds of years, modernized with their own artistic touch. The University of West Florida assisted the chefs in their historical research and prepared a culinary timeline over the last 500 years for the event.

“Florida has a rich and diverse culture unlike anywhere else in the world. This unique event promotes Florida as the premier tourist destination by highlighting Florida chefs, fresh Gulf seafood and cuisine that has been used in the Sunshine State for hundreds of years,” said Gov. Scott.

“The Viva Florida 500 celebration invites the world to our doorstep. For 500 years, Florida has been a leader in our nation’s economic pros-

w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

perity and continues to be the gateway of the Americas.”

The dinner, hosted by Visit Pensacola, the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and the Pensacola Celebrity Chefs, was the second time in less than one year that some of Pensacola’s finest chefs have been invited to the acclaimed James Beard House. This evening’s theme was in line with the state’s Viva Florida 500 initiative, which commemorates 500 years of Florida.

“We were honored to be back at the James Beard House this year to represent both Pensacola’s and Florida’s rich history and culture,” said Chef Jim Shirley, who is also president of the local area’s Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “In each dish, we provided guests the opportunity to taste a hint of our area’s heritage, from locally ground grits, freshly caught fish and locally grown produce, all seasoned with a little Southern and a little Spanish.”

In 2013, Florida will reach a significant milestone, the 500th anniversary of European contact on the continental United States. While Florida’s history dates back more than 12,000 years with the American Indians, Spain’s claim in 1513 began a new, modern era. Viva Florida 500 commemorates the story of how many nationalities and diverse cultures thrived together in Florida and how their legacy continues to shape America. The Florida Department of State and its many partners are planning enriching events and experiences across the state.

Learn more by visiting www.fla500.com and www.vivaflorida.org.

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Ma r k e t ing

How to Grow Your Business Through Effective Marketing

By Mandy Cole

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here is a lot of confusion within the restaurant industry about the marketing tactics that do and don’t work for restaurants. The reality is there is no one-size-fits-all marketing program or tool that makes sense for every restaurant, but there are a few things all restaurant operators should think about when it comes to creating an effective marketing mix to grow your business.

Connect online The National Restaurant Association and LivingSocial recently partnered on a research study, which looked at restaurant usage and preferences for certain marketing channels and how consumers engage and respond to those channels. The study revealed the power online marketing has to elevate a restaurant’s brand and help attract new guests.

What’s more, the research found restaurants that use online marketing (emails from restaurants, emails from a daily deal provider and websites) tend to be viewed by consumers as both modern and popular.

Customize The message you relay through your marketing communications efforts is just as important as the marketing

87 percent of consumers polled in the NRA study said customized marketing messages that included a savings offer would motivate them to go to that restaurant

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channel you choose and the key to effective messaging is tailoring to your guest. Customization can be achieved in a variety of ways. Here are a few examples of what’s worked for our restaurant partners: • Where everybody knows your name: Guests want to feel like you value both their business and them as people.

By tailoring your marketing messages to reference a guest by name you are making the relationship more personal and are earning their loyalty. There are various companies that specialize in creating flexible email marketing templates that can help streamline this process for you.

• Local is the new black: Local is really hot right now and there’s a great opportunity to tie marketing back to the community you serve. If you’ve got a great bar with lots of TVs, think about creating a promotion you can implement the next time your local sports team is on a winning streak, or get involved in your neighborhood’s local restaurant week to showcase your talents, encourage new business and build relationships with other local businesses.

• It’s all about the money: 87 percent of consumers polled in the NRA study said customized marketing messages that included a savings offer would motivate them to go that restaurant. Savings offers come in a variety of manners. A few examples that our partners have found successful include daily deals, loyalty programs (buy 10 sandwiches get the 11th for free) and free desserts to encourage repeat visits.

Engage meaningfully Social media can be a valuable tool to help promote your restaurant and engage with new guests, but communication needs to be a two-way conversation. According to the research study, consumers consider efforts to market to them via social media as annoying, disruptive and objectionable if not presented in the right way.

So what is the right way to engage?

• Talk is good: Create a voice for your restaurant and post interesting and relevant content to encourage sharing among your fans and followers. Keep in mind every post does not have to talk about your restaurant specifically. If you are a farm-to-table restaurant, think about the sorts of interesting articles and photos you can share that speak to sustainable farming practices. You’ll be surprised how many of your guests “like” that article and share it with friends.

In turn, you’re keeping your restaurant and your brand top of mind and encouraging organic word of mouth.

• But don’t forget to listen: Social media is the not the channel to hard sell your restaurant. Sure, it can be a great place to let your guests know about a new Spring menu or promotion that you are running, but if you push too much one-way information at your guests you’re going to miss out F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

Small Businesses

Bars & Restaurants

on the opportunity for genuine engagement.

• As Dory would say, “Just keep swimming”: Building a strong and respected social media presence takes time. You can’t expect to go from 1 to 1,000 followers, fans or reviews overnight, but if you invest time into your social media strategy you will see the rewards pay off over time. One of our restaurant partners encouraged every new guest we helped bring into his restaurant to post a Yelp review about his/her experience. As a result the restaurant went from 100 to 700 Yelp reviews in a matter of months and is now one of the most searched restaurants in that market.

Enhance, don’t overhaul The biggest takeaway I can leave you with is this: Don’t throw out all of the marketing tools you are currently using. Instead think smartly about how you can enhance your marketing mix through online channels, customized messages and meaningful, two way social media interactions.

Mandy Cole is Senior Vice President of Sales, LivingSocial.

w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

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Part II

busin e ss S UCCE S S

Why Restaurants Fail H. G. Parsa, MS, Ph.D., FMP, Amy Gregory, MBA, Ph.D., Michael ‘Doc’ Terry, MBA

Micro Factors Entrepreneurial Incompetence: Most restaurateurs enter the restaurant business as entrepreneurs chasing the dream of owning their own business. Some of the motivating factors to enter the restaurant business are the attractiveness of low entry barriers; passion for the product; unique product attributes they have developed (secret recipes); experience in the field; an opportunity to purchase a business at an attractive price; (over) confidence in one’s ability to perform better than the previous owners of the business; a good match between individual skills and business opportunity etc.

Unfortunately, in most cases, an entrepreneur’s passion exceeds one’s competence.

They may possess necessary technical skills that may only be good enough to open the business, but may not have the necessary business acumen to understand the intricacies of marketing, accounting, finance, legal matters, human resources etc. In other words, most restaurateurs may be excellent entrepreneurs but not necessarily have the skills to succeed as business managers. Entrepreneurs may not have the skill sets to transform themselves from entrepreneurs to professional business managers, which also often results in restaurant failures.

Experience Most restaurant owners may lack the necessary prior business experience to manage their restaurants. Lack of prior experience in a related field makes new restaurateurs more vulnerable to failures. According to a recent study by King (2002) employee theft is one of the primary reasons why some restaurants fail. The owner did not have enough knowledge or experience in the field to control employee theft which eventually led to the closing of the restaurant. In contrast, most successful restaurateurs tend to have prior industry or related experience as in the cases of Dave Thomas of Wendy’s; Howard Shultz of Starbucks (who believed to have studied 500 coffee houses located in Italy and US prior to opening any of his coffee houses); Colonel Sanders of KFC etc.

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Leadership Obsession with Product and Service Quality is a recipe for success in the restaurant industry. This obsession applies to fast food, casual, upscale or fine-dining. The restaurant operator must maintain a pulse on guests’ likes and dislikes at all times by constantly asking the guest for “complaints” – how can we be your favorite restaurant and make you a fanatically loyal repeat guest? When the operator demonstrates this approach to the business, the employees will reflect the same attitude. This infectious attitude will make the difference between success and failure.

Ability to Create/Build the Brand During the past ten years, more and more “corporate refugees” have left the corporate world to become entrepreneurs. They set- up shop for themselves and try to make a go of it -even in this economic environment. More power to them! Because of the proliferation of small business restaurant owners, they often lack the basic branding skills necessary to thrive in the competitive world of restaurants.

The competition (especially with the mega chains) is too fierce to not focus on the basic 12 Ps of restaurant branding: Place, Product, Price, People, Promotion, Promise, Principles, Props, Production, Performance, Positioning and Press.

The operator frequently does not consider incorporating all five senses into the restaurant brand to create trial use – triggering moments of truth that resonate emotional chords in the brain of the guest.

Only by consistently obsessing over the 12 Ps in order to brand (short, mid and long-term marketing) will the restaurant have a chance to capture repeat and referral disciples. A sampling of these critical branding concerns follows….. name, design and concept.

Name of a Restaurant An analysis of 1,800 restaurant names by the authors has revealed that a typical restaurant name has 13 letters comprising of 8 consonants and 5 vowels. The name of a restaurant makes a difference in the success or failure of a restaurant. A restaurant name should be different

and at the same time descriptive. Restaurant names should be brief enough to remember and consumers should be able store them in their short term memory. When a restaurant name is too long and not descriptive enough, then that restaurant is less likely to succeed.

A restaurant with a name that is brief, descriptive and attractive is more likely to succeed. For example, the well known restaurant company Kentucky Fried Chicken has changed its name to KFC to avoid emphasis on its frying production method which was perceived as being less healthy.

Another independent owner has changed his restaurant name from the too long and overly descriptive name, Cameron’s Contemporary American Cuisine, to a brief, but memorable name - Cameron’s; a hamburger chain, Wendy’s Hamburgers, simply became Wendy’s, deemphasizing its hamburger business as it added chicken and other non-beef items.

From the retail industry, Walton Mart has changed its name to Wal-Mart; General Motors became GM; British Petroleum became BP; International Business Machines became IBM; National Cash Register became NCR, etc.

Some companies change their names to hide their national identity or the origin of the product when they enter global markets.

Design and Layout Success or failure of a restaurant depends partly on the physical layout and architectural design of restaurants. Design failures of restaurants lead to operational inefficiencies and eventual loss of competitive edge, ultimately leading to financial losses.

Architectural limitations were found to be one of the major factors in restaurant failures especially in urban settings, and some of the architectural limitations in restaurants have even resulted in the greater failure of the business. Inadequate production or storage space is one of the most common complaints in hotel foodservices.

A major hotel near the convention center in Orlando, Florida was forced to forego some of the restaurant business as its facilities were not designed in proportion to the hotel size. The F lo r i da R estau r a n t & Lo d g i n g A s so ci at i o n

production area was too small to accommodate the necessary capacity seating. As a result, some of the customers were forced to choose other restaurants nearby.

Similarly, a major pizza restaurant in Fayetteville, Arkansas was forced to new build a ‘dumb waiter’ to bring its supplies from the basement constantly.

After several years of continued operations in that location, this location was closed and the restaurant was moved to a better location to meet its storage needs.

Taj Mahal Syndrome Most restaurant entrepreneurs often forget the fact that a restaurant is a business that is meant to achieve specific financial objectives.

Like all other businesses, restaurants are also expected to result in positive financial outcomes with reasonable returns on investments (ROI).

Restaurants that do not deliver these objectives are bound to take the path to a restaurant cemetery. To put things in a historical perspective, the monument Taj Mahal of India was not built as a place to live or a palace to visit.

The King Shah Jehan wanted to a build memorial for his wife who died at a young age of 39 after giving birth to several children. The construction of Taj Mahal took so long even the King Shah Jehan did not live long enough to see the completion of it.

Eventually he was also buried in the same place next to his wife.

Similarly, most restaurateurs often get carried away with their own grandiose plans and creative ideas for their restaurants. They tend to invest every last penny they have in building a monument instead of constructing a realistic, practical and financially feasible place of business.

For example, two entrepreneurs in Ohio spent over 1.5 million of borrowed money in remodeling an old bank structure with Greek w w w.Res t au ra n t A nd Lodgi ng.com

gothic columns and incredibly high ceilings into a destination restaurant.

They spent so much money on remodeling the old bank building that they did not have any money left for marketing the ‘Taj Mahal’ they just built. Within six months this particular restaurant was closed for lack of marketing efforts and eventual lack of consumer awareness.

This gorgeous building still remains vacant.

Concept Fields (2007), poor concept that is not differentiated is one of the primary reasons for restaurant failures. When a restaurant is not dedifferentiated from the competition, then consumer acceptance of that concept is bound to wane quickly after the excitement of a ‘new kind on the block’ attraction fades. Simple ‘cookie cutter’ imitation of another concept does not have the staying power.

Most imitations are bound to fail quickly as it happened in case of White Towers restaurants that imitated White Castle; Andy’s and Cindy’s restaurants that copied Wendy’s; Burger Chef and Burger Queen that imitated other major hamburger chains etc.

Undifferentiated concept is symptomatic of bankruptcy in entrepreneurial innovation.

Restaurant concepts that focus on imitation and ‘me too’ concepts do not have the skill sets to face the challenges of continual adaptations that are essential to survive in the restaurant business.

Controls According to the National Restaurant Association (2009), a typical restaurant in America earns a net profit under 10%. That means 90% of revenues are used to defer the cost of doing business. Thus, managers that do not understand the importance of cost controls are bound to fail in the restaurant business.

Two major costs in the restaurant industry are food cost and labor cost. These two costs together are referred to as prime costs. For a restaurant to

succeed, the prime costs are expected to be less than 60% of revenues. It is a ‘rule of thumb’ and a good rule to follow. Most restaurants that have failed often were found to have prime costs exceeding 60% indicating greater potential to failure.

For example, a popular celebrity restaurant in downtown Buffalo, New York has reported food cost exceeding 56% which is almost twice the industry average. It is needless to say that this particular restaurant failed within 2 years of opening because of poor cost controls.

Similarly the failure of a popular nationwide restaurant chain, Victoria Station, was attributed to its high food cost resulted from selling prime ribs on its menu.

High Fixed Costs Unfortunately some restaurateurs are tempted by the attractiveness of a location so much that they are often willing to pay unrealistically high rent for a location. The attractiveness of a location should always be tempered by the realities of the rent paid.

Unrealistic rent, a fixed cost, does not change when revenue changes. When revenues decline and do not meet the financial objectives, the fixed costs continue to remain constant and become a major financial liability. This case is true especially in downtown locations and tourist attractions. The rule of thumb for rent/lease/ mortgage fixed cost is 7-9% of revenues.

In summary, a variety of factors have been identified as contributing to the approximate 30% failure rate of restaurants in their first year.

Restaurant failures are contributing over $1.78 billion in potential revenue loss to the American GDP. A better understanding of this phenomenon is highly desirable.

Given the reach of the restaurant industry for consumers’ employment and enjoyment, as well as the positive impacts to the nation’s GDP, this topic warrants further research and study.

H. G. Parsa, MS, Ph.D., FMP is a Professor of Hospitality Management at the Rosen College, University of Central Florida and is the Associate Editor, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research (JHTR).

Amy Gregory, MBA, Ph.D., is a Faculty Member of Hospitality Management at the Rosen College, University of Central Florida. She held senior level executive positions with Marriott as a revenue manager.

Michael ‘Doc’ Terry, MBA, is a Faculty Member of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. He has over two decades of extensive experience in restaurant and lodging industries.

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C PF M M A N AG ER E X A M

Food Manager Training & Testing Schedule To register, call toll-free 1-866-372-SAFE (7233) or visit www.safestaff.org. Registration for training begins at 8:00 a.m. and for exam at 12:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Dates subject to change.

www.safestaff.org

Altamonte Springs Jun 6, Jul 25 Springhill Suites 205 W Highway 436

Clearwater Jun 11, Jul 9 St. Pete Marriott CLWR 12600 Roosevelt Blvd N

Deerfield Beach Jun 12 Hilton 100 Fairway Drive

Ft. Myers Jun 21, Jul 12 Holiday Inn Downtown 2431 Cleveland Ave.

Ft Walton Jun 5, Jul 12 Holiday Inn Resort 573 Sana Rosa Blvd

Bradenton Jun 27 Courtyard Marriott 100 Riverfront Drive

Daytona Beach Jun 13, Jul 18 Holiday Inn 2620 International Speedway Blvd

Ft. Lauderdale Jun 7 Embassy Suites 1100 SE 17th St Causeway

Ft. Pierce Jun 7, Jul 5 UF Indian River Research 2199 South Rock Rd.

Gainesville Jun 19, Jul 10 Best Western Gateway Grand 4200 NW 97th Blvd.

Islamorada Jun 19, Jul 26 The Islander Resort MM 82.1, US Hwy 1 Jacksonville Jun 5, Jul 3 Four Points by Sheraton 8520 Baymeadows Rd Jacksonville Beach Jun 13, Jul 11 Quality Inn Oceanfront 11 North 1st Street Key West Jun 7, Jul 10 Doubletree Grand Key Resort 3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd Kissimmee Jun 14, Jul 26 Seralago Hotel and Suites 5678 Irlo Bronson Mem. Hwy Lake City Jul 24 Country Inn & Suites 350 SW Florida Gateway Dr Lakeland Jun 1, Jul 11 Country Inn & Suites 4500 Lakeland Park Dr Mandarin Jun 20, Jul 18 Ramada Inn Mandarin 3130 Hartley Road Melbourne Jun 14 Holiday Inn 8298 N Wickham Rd Merritt Island Clarion Hotel 260 E Merritt Island Cswy

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Miami (Spanish Dates*) Jun 20, Jul 17 Jun 7, Jul 5 Hilton Miami Airport & Towers 5101 Blue Lagoon Drive Naples Jun 14, Jul 26 Quality Inn and Suites 4100 Golden Gate Pkwy Ocala Jun 12, Jul 17 Homewood Suites 4610 SW 49th Rd Orlando (Spanish Dates*) Jun 18 Jun 11 Holiday Inn Resort Castle 8629 International Drive Panama City Jun 12, Jul 11 Gulf Coast State College Gibson Lecture Hall 5230 W. Hwy. 98 Pensacola Jun 19, Jul 24 Pensacola Civic Center 201 E. Gregory St Port Richey Jun 25, Jul 17 Days Inn & Suites 10826 US 19 North Sarasota Jun 7, Jul 12 Hampton Inn 5995 Cattleridge Road St. Augustine Jun 27 Holiday Inn Express & Suites 2300 State Road 16 Tallahassee Jun 28, Jul 26 Day’s Inn Monroe Street Conf Cntr 2714 Graves Road Tampa (Spanish Dates*) Jun 28, Jul 18 Jun 25 Clarion Hotel 2701 E Fowler Ave West Palm Beach Jun 4, Jul 19 Holiday Inn Airport 1301 Belvedere Rd

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