Ontario Restaurant News - January 2013

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Michael Lehmkuhl, sous chef at Skin + Bones.

Photo by Lisa Clarke.

INDUSTRY TRENDS AND 2013 PREDICTIONS

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WATCHING OUT FOR FOOD SAFETY

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Photo by Alexa Clark.

skin and bones

CANADA’S MASTER BEER SOMMELIER

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CAJU CHEF CLOSES HIS DOORS

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By Elaine Anselmi

Flavours of Vietnam and Thailand: From coconut to fish sauce, here’s how to select, store and incorporate some of these ingredients into your menu.

TORONTO—The neighbourhood of Leslieville has a new wine-centric locale. Skin + Bones, a joint venture by two Pizzeria Libretto and Enoteca Sociale alumnus Daniel Clarke and Harry Wareham, opened to the public on Nov. 27, 2012.

The name Skin + Bones goes back to the basics of wine and food, Wareham told ORN. “Skins actually refers to grape skins, a really important part of the wine-making process and bones are the base of all good cooking.”

To bring this important pairing to the forefront of the menu, Wareham and Clarke hired Matthew Sullivan,

formerly executive chef at Maléna and L’Unità. It was actually Sullivan’s pop up project Boxed that made him the stand out choice for this venue. “With Boxed, he had done a beverage focus with a beer dinner, whiskey dinner, and tea dinner,” said Wareham. “We knew before we started he was up to the task.”

Wareham also tasked in-house sommelier Michelle Ratzlaff with bringing the “weird and wonderful lunatic fringe” to Skin+Bones’ wine list. “We were looking to create a place that had a wide selection of wine by the glass, and interesting selection as well,” said Wareham. With a beverage list that dominates the menu and a wine list with a healthy offering by bottle or by

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glass, Skin + Bones fulfills its mandate.

In terms of the bones element, the menu reflects Sullivan’s ingredientdriven approach to cooking, and will change according to seasonality and availability of ingredients. Pairings are structured by considering the cuisine of the classic wine regions and building dishes loosely based on them, like beef bourguignon, said Wareham.

The most popular dish on the menu thus far has been the crispy chicken tails, said Wareham. “It’s a fun take on fried food and sparkling wine,” he said.

While the name Skin + Bones comes from the wine bar’s offering, it also lends itself well to its old industrial environment. “The space is pretty raw,” said Wareham. “The name insinuates a sort of raw emptiness.” The restaurant is situated in a nearly 100-year-old east Toronto warehouse space. “When we found the building, she told us what to do,” said Wareham. The building is supported by steel beams and the brick walls have been painted many times throughout the years, he said. The walls were cleaned up and sealed, but the team maintained the industrial look.

The restaurant seats 90 people, with 60 spots in the main area and 30 at the bar, which is more casual with high-top tables and barstools. The average check price is approximately $50 per person, with dishes ranging from a pickled quail eggs snack ($7) to the beef cheek bourguignon main ($23). And the allimportant beverage list encompasses beer, cocktails, and red, white and sparkling wines.

“I think what’s been really great is that we’ve been really embraced by the neighbourhood,” said Wareham.

“Leslieville is definitely becoming more of a dining destination but our bread and butter, like any restaurant, is the people around us,” he said.

980 Queen St. E., (416) 524-5209, skinandbonesto.com,@skinandbonesto

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JA N U A RY 2 013

Right: the new Verdicchio Ristorante|Enoteca.

Left: the former Ristorante Verdiccio

Where food and design intersect

By Veronica Zaretski SUDBURY—Restaurateur Mark Gregorini received the Sudbury Design Society 2012 Good Design Award for the new look of Verdicchio Ristorante|Enoteca, formerly Ristorante Verdiccio.

Until the recent renovations, no major changes occurred at the restaurant during 18 years of operation, with the exception of some minor painting.

Gregorini won the award for revamping the interior design of the restaurant, while also undergoing a rebranding; both began in August 2011, said Gregorini.

Five years ago, Gregorini went to Italy to pursue culinary studies at the Jesi-based

Ital.Cook, where he absorbed the art of slow cooking. “Italian cuisine is so diverse,” Gregorini said. “People use what’s around them, and we’re applying that concept to the restaurant.” Gregorini said he will aim to use locally available ingredients in dishes.

“Now we offer something that is a bit more creative, but with traditional techniques,” he said. “This is the kind of stuff that you see in Italy right now.”

The restaurant will offer a tasting menu, with dishes composed of seasonal ingredients. While Italian cuisine includes a lot of fish, Gregorini is looking to use local fish in some menu items, but acknowledges that he won’t have as many fish menu items since there isn’t easy local access.

GTA Casino: downtown, on the waterfront or anywhere but Toronto?

“We’ve been here for 18 years. There’s cycles in the restaurant years,” Gregorini said. “We redesigned and rebranded to appeal to diverse customers.”

Social media is integrated into the rebranding efforts. “Five years ago, we weren’t doing much social media, but now we have to integrate it,” he said.

How did the interior redesign affect the restaurant experience? “Operationally, I was looking at creating a space that is more versatile for both evening atmosphere and events,” he said. “I wanted a space that is a little bit more open, with a little bit more natural lighting, so I could accommodate private dining, and then quickly change the atmosphere to cocktail dining.”

Gregorini worked with designer Terra MacThail of Terra Designs, and interior designer Eliisa Petersen of Petersen Designs to execute the interior design plans. He also worked with Tim James, an architect from Castellan, James + Partners Architects.

“The award was given to me, but I see it as a joint effort with the designers that I worked with,” Gregorini said.

The Sudbury Design Society is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2008, with the aim of raising the value and awareness of design in Sudbury. The organization began awarding the SDS Good Design Award in 2011 to individuals, businesses and organizations with great design.

“They are a fairly young group and society trying to promote a lot of the talent that we have in the north,” said Gregorini. “The Good Design award is there to honour certain business individuals who took the risk to change their business profiles in order to enter another success level.”

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From sports bar to pop up

Left to right: Paul Godfrey, Anne Golden and Tony Elenis

By Colleen Isherwood, senior contributing editor TORONTO—What impact would a proposed Greater Toronto Area Casino have on the restaurant industy? That was the question posed to Ontario Lottery and Gaming commission (OLG) chair Paul Godfrey and Anne Golden, former president and CEO of The Conference Board of Canada. The two Order of Canada recipients faced off at a recent event hosted by the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) at the Toronto Convention Centre.

Godfrey came out firmly in support of a facility on the waterfront or in downtown Toronto. He pointed to the success of the Windsor, Niagara, Woodbine and Brantford casinos.

And he prefers a downtown location to one in suburban Markham or Vaughan.

A downtown casino would create 12,000 full and part time jobs, plus 6,000 in construction. There would be $2 billion in private capital involved: “We’re making the private sector take all the risk,” he said. There would be $20

million in additional property tax revenue, and annual convention traffic would grow from 372,000 visitors at present to 800,000.

The argument is that a facility in Markham or Vaughan would not be as big or as profitable with 9,500 full and part time jobs, 3,000 construction jobs, and $1 billion in private sector investment.

Golden countered that most casino complexes are designed to keep people within the complex with no benefit to tourism. “There’s no doubt it’s been good for Brantford or Windsor, and possibly Vaughan or Markham... but why would we put it [downtown] in an already developed area? Toronto is already a tourist mecca, and I don’t see a casino being an attraction in the same way as our diversity or cultural attractions.”

At the meeting, ORHMA president Tony Elenis announced that the association will be working with Ryerson University to conduct a study of its members to determine the impact of a casino, with results expected in April 2013.

Ash Tadvalkar at Tadvalkar’s Lounge and Restaurant

By Veronica Zaretski OTTAWA—A sports bar in Ottawa will adopt the pop up concept to bring customers in the door. Tadvalkar’s Lounge and Restaurant, located in the Bayshore neighbourhood, will host a pop up by offering their dining room and fully equipped kitchen.

The restaurant started off as a Shoeless Joe’s franchise under Ash Tadvalkar’s management in 2009, but in the fall of 2011, the restaurateur decided to separate from the franchise and rebrand as Tadvalkar’s Lounge and Restaurant.

A manager consultant by trade, Tadvalkar saw an opportunity, and decided to introduce the pop up concept to his restaurant. With brand

new equipment, required licensing, and unlimited parking, he decided that a pop up would be beneficial for both the chef and his business.

“It would be an opportunity to showcase talent, network, and best of all no risk,” he said to ORN. “For the chefs, it’s a huge opportunity, for the customers it’s excitement for all the new choices.”

The restaurant stretches over 5,000 square feet, sitting 75 people in the bar, 120 in the restaurant, and 80 on the patio.

Tadvalkar is hoping to capitalize on the space by bringing in more variety through the pop up concept. “The restaurant is constantly changing.

You wouldn’t have to drive everywhere for different flavours. This is a great opportunity for social interest groups.”

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www.can-restaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@can-restaurantnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@can-restaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Elaine Anselmi ext. 226 eanselmi@can-restaurantnews.com Online Editor Veronica Zaretski ext. 238 vzaretski@can-restaurantnews.com National Sales Manager Dave Bell ext. 230 dbell@can-restaurantnews.com Senior Account Managers Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@can-restaurantnews.com Joe Couto ext. 229 jcouto@can-restaurantnews.com Production Peggy Weber ext. 0 pweber@can-restaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@can-restaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@can-restaurantnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

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Editorial advisory CounCil Mickey Cherevaty Executive Vice-president, Moyer Diebel Limited Neil Vosburgh President, Imago restaurants Inc. Marvin Greenberg President, S+H Realty Corporation Jack Battersby President, Summit Food Service Distributors Inc. Barney Strassburger Jr. President, TwinCorp Paul LeClerc Partner, Serve-Canada Food Equipment Ltd. Michael Stephens Director of Retail, Inventory and Wholesale, LCBO Ralph Claussen Director Food and Beverage Operations Woodbine Entertainment Group Adam Colquhoun President, Oyster Boy John Crawford Director of Sales-Canada, Lamb Weston Tina Chiu Chief Operating Officer Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation Matt Johnston Vice-president, Marketing, Moosehead Breweries Martin Kouprie Chef/Owner, Pangaea Restaurant Joel Sisson Founder and president of Crush Strategy Inc. Leslie Wilson Vice president of Business Excellence Compass Group Canada Chris Jeens Partner W. D. Colledge Co. Ltd. Volume 27 No. 12 Ontario Restaurant News is published 12 times year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., which also publishes: Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Ontario Chains and the ORN Buyers’ Directory.

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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Cooking with copyright

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here’s a new special on tonight at the restaurant and as a chef, you’re excited to try out an idea you’ve had kicking around.

The dish has been explained to the front of house, vetted by the owners and it’s sitting on the pass, ready to go. Take a close look: do you know how much of that plate can actually be claimed as your own?

Food, once such an ephemeral item meant to be immediately consumed and destroyed, has now become immortalized, obsessively documented and shared across countries and continents. Whether with innocent or nefarious intent, an imitation of a dish served in a restaurant thousands of miles away can, and will, be instantly compared online. With this acceleration on the eatertainment highway, intriguing notions of copyright and intellectual property have arisen, with some chefs attributing dishes and citing references on their menus like academic texts.

In a Hot Topic discussion on Eater written by Gabe Ulla, chefs discussed the idea of whether dishes can be owned by a single chef, or whether, over time, the original concept becomes so widely used that it becomes part of a culinary canon. After all, we don’t cite a reference when we poach an egg, or make a soufflé, so is it necessary to do so when creating foams or spherical caviar gels? And when it comes to plating a dish, are chefs’ creations covered by intellectual property law?

Some chefs in the U.S., such as Nathan Myhrvold or Homaro Cantu, to whom ideas and novelty form the backbone of their approach to cooking, even patent their dishes. In Canada, where intellectual property, copyright and patent

law differ from our southern neighbours, ownership of the plate, and the reasoning behind it, can be a complicated matter.

“It’s a real issue to have the ethics of cooking interface with the laws of intellectual property, which weren’t designed to deal with this sort of thing,” Ken Clark, intellectual property lawyer and partner at Toronto firm Aird & Berlis, told me.

There’s two or three ways that chefs can protect their culinary work, says Clark. Although a recipe can be copyrighted if there’s an original spin, this coverage only extends to the printed version, not the product generated from the recipe.

A recipe can also be protected as a trade secret as long as it’s actually kept a secret through agreement of your staff, and it can’t be reverse engineered without knowing the details of the original recipe, says Clark. The problem with this method is that in most kitchens, a formal non-compete clause is hardly the norm, and when someone is working on dishes day in and day out, chances are they know how to make that dish regardless of the recipe.

“It’s impossible to vacuum knowledge out of people’s heads once they’ve learned something,” says Clark. “And you can’t stop someone from practicing their trade. In this industry, you’re expected to grow as a chef, and to some extent, it would be unfair to bar them from using the techniques they’ve learned.”

The third outlet chefs could use to retain their ideas is through a type of trademark called a “distinguishing guise”. “To some extent, you can protect your brand through a distinguishing guise, in which a container that something appears in can

Bi t s Bill S-215 caps credit card fees OTTAWA—There’s a new bill that’s seeking to limit the cost of payment with plastic.

Liberal Senator Pierrette Ringuette, of Edmundston, NB tabled Bill S-215, an amendment to the Payment Card Networks Act. According to the bill, the amendments will “limit the fees that the participants in a designated payment card network require from merchants who accept payments by credit card.” This payment network includes Visa and MasterCard, operating in Canada.

The bill requires that standard transaction fees would be set at 0.5 per cent, and has been publicly applauded by industry organizations such as the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association.

Terroni’s ovens stay warm TORONTO—Terroni, the Queen West Neapolitan–style pizzeria that now encompasses three locations throughout Toronto, is upping the ante in the city’s pizza war.

Although very few details have been released, Terroni will be opening a bakery next door to its original location at 720 Queen St. West, reported The Grid on Dec. 3. The bakery, set to open in the spring of 2013, is called Il Forno del Sud, or “the oven of the South.”

Slider House rules TORONTO—Two Bite Saloon, a restaurant offering a slider menu filled with Southern-

be protected if it’s unique, like the shape of the Sapporo can,” says Clark.

The issue with this avenue is that you have to develop a reputation for that dish and be able to prove that someone else has created a plate that causes confusion due to false association, says Clark. In other words, someone has to honestly believe that chef X is making a dish so similar to chef Y’s original concept, that chef Y must naturally be in the kitchen.

Even patents can be complicated. A design patent (in Canada called an “industrial design”) will protect the look of your dish, but only if it’s a new concept that hasn’t been sold in the last year, according to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Something that is shaped or configured by hand, tool or machine is eligible, which means that an iconic dish such as Thomas Keller’s smoked salmon cones could be protected by industrial design, says Clark. There are very few chefs, however, that have the luxury of experimenting and creating dishes that aren’t, at some point, meant to be sold to a customer.

At this point lies the crux of the matter. Chefs do not operate in a void: a restaurant chef’s creations, by nature, are meant to be replicated and shared with their cooks, front of house, and ultimately, the diner. In the rush to claim intellectual property, is the chef benefitting, or removing their ideas from a community of peers that could inspire further thought? And ultimately, when focusing too hard on the person who does something first, sometimes what gets lost in the rush is the chef out there who is doing it best.

“Why are you a famous chef?” asks Clark. “Is it because you have good ideas or good execution?

Realistically, it’s a combination of both of those things.”

Leslie Wu Editorial director

a nd

style cuisine, opened near Ossington and Bloor on Nov. 2.

Daniel Fortin, who previously worked at Mildred’s and Circa, is the owner along with partners Charlie An and John Kim, according to the Toronto Star.

The team behind the restaurant said that they serve GMO free meats, as well as organic and local food. Customers can expect dishes such as the kale salad with parmesan cheese, poutine, and ribs with Californiastyle BBQ sauce, a side of kale salad and fries. The slider menu includes wild catfish, pulled pork, and organic tofu sliders among other choices.

Food co-operatives win big in National Co-op Challenge GUELPH, ON—Winners of the National Co–op Challenge have been awarded across Canada, and will divide a total of $220,000 of prize money. Top emerging co-ops were chosen out of four regions, two of which had foodservice co-operatives take top prize. Winners were judged based on voting results for 90–second video submissions posted on the contest Facebook page.

Your Local Market Co–op of Stratford, ON, took first place in that region winning $30,000 towards its development. This storefront operation offers baked goods, local groceries and a take-out menu. Your Local Market was also randomly selected as the grand prize winner out of the four first place finishers, and will also receive consultation

Bit e s

on its development and a professional video shoot.

Saskatoon’s Good Food Junction Co– operative won the Western region top prize.

The Good Food Junction is a full service grocery store offering: meat, vegetables, dairy, frozen and canned food, and other household products.

Other foodservice winners include: the Lotus Co-operative Marketplace of Moncton, who took second place in Atlantic Canada, La Siembra Co–operative of Ottawa and the West End Food Co–op in Toronto who won second and third in Ontario, and the Western region’s second place winner, Cortes Natural Food Co–op, on Cortes Island, BC.

One Downtown Toronto corner, two new restaurants TORONTO—Restaurateur Sang Kim opened two new restaurants on the corner of McCaul and Baldwin.

Yakitori Bar opened on Dec. 1, and Seoul Food Co. opened two weeks later, according to Toronto Life.

The executive chef for Yakitori bar is Shin Aoyama, offering a variety of dishes such as the kimchee poutine ($5.95), chili battered chicken wings ($4.95), and tofu kimchee with kimchee pancake and dumplings ($4.95). Seoul Food Co. offers a takeout Korean menu, including a bi bim bap bar. The space includes a retail area, where customers can purchase sauces and goods.

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TR E ND S

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McCormick releases 2013 Flavor Forecast SPARKS, MD—McCormick & Com• Farro grain, blackberry and clove; pany Inc. has released its 13th annual • Market-fresh broccoli and dukFlavor Forecast. Previous on-target prekah (blend of cumin, coriander, dictions included chipotle in 2003, and sesame and nuts) flavours inspired by cocktails in 2008.

Hidden Potential – A waste-not menThe forecast is developed with the intality, uncovering the fullest flavours put of chefs from McCormick kitchens from every last part of the ingredient: around the world.

• Hearty meat cuts, plantain and For a second year, the forecast is stick cinnamon; global, looking at the unique flavours • Artichoke, paprika & hazelnut. that are setting trends around the world.

Global My Way – Discovering the unThis year’s forecast is dubbed ‘Global limited flavor possibilities of global inMy Way,’ describing how people are disgredients, beyond traditional roles in covering flavours foreign to their own “ethnic” cuisines: palate and cupboard, and incorporating • Japanese katsu sauce & oregano; them into their recipes.

• Anise and cajeta (Mexican caraThe five categories that make up the mel sauce). forecast and associated flavours are: No Apologies Necessary – Diving headfirst into sumptuous flavours to enjoy the gratification of a momentary escape: • Decadent bitter chocolate, sweet basil and passion fruit; • Black rum, charred orange and allspice.

Personally Handcrafted – A hands-on approach showcasing the very best of ourselves: • Cider, sage & molasses; • Smoked tomato, rosemary, chile peppers and sweet onion.

Empowered Eating – Harmonizing health and wellness through a highly Photo Courtesy McCormick Canada personalized, flexible approach:

National Restaurant Association tracks the trends

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has released their What’s Hot in 2013 chef survey, predicting the upcoming trends for the culinary environment.

Among those trends, the NRA also released the 2013 Restaurant Indus-

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

try Forecast, which has good news on employment in the industry.

While other areas of employment are running dry, the NRA says foodservice is where the jobs are. For the 14th consecutive year the restaurant industry’s employment rate in 2013 will be higher than overall employment in other industries, according to the NRA’s Dec. 11 report.

“Despite a continued challenging operating environment, the restaurant industry remains a strong driver in the nation’s economy,” Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the NRA, said in the release.

The NRA’s hottest trends for 2013 predictions show that children’s nutrition and sourcing local ingredients will top the charts this year.

Challenges and changes in Conference Board foodservice predictions OTTAWA—The aftereffects of lengthy droughts and post-recession consumer skepticism is making for a rough year for the food industry.

Luckily, technological advances are providing a positive spin on what could be a bleak outlook, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

The Autumn 2012–Canadian Industrial Profile, released in late December, predicts a year of ups and downs, and the rise of quick-service restaurants.

Spending at restaurants will remain lower than pre-recession times, the board says, as consumer confidence has yet to bounce back. Chang-

ing menus to accommodate smaller meal sizes and discount options can draw customers in.

The heavy droughts experienced in western Canada have had strong effects on crops, particularly grains and corn.

The board says that the result is a rise in agricultural commodity prices that is subsequently passed down to restaurant operators. The challenge in this regard is that the majority of restaurants are small operators, with less than 50 employees, who do not have the clout to negotiate lower supply costs, according to the report.

On the plus side, technology such as Wi-Fi and mobile applications al-

How to become the fan favourite

By Ian Wilson In today’s economy, consumer loyalty remains key to the long term success of any business.

This is certainly true in the foodservice industry where there is fierce competition amongst operators to “steal” share. The foodservice landscape is continually changing and channel blurring is ever present with such restaurant segments as casual varied menu (four per cent growth) and fast casual (greater than 15 per cent growth) appealing to the customers.

There are many different options available to consumers at each daypart and menus are constantly adapting to consumer demand.

So how does a restaurant increase loyalty in the midst of strong competition? How does a restaurant stand out from the competition?

Give them the time of day One strategy being employed in the restaurant industry is to attempt to increase the frequency of consumer visits.

This is being accomplished through many different methods.

In the QSR industry, several chains are witnessing success by expanding operations to compete in all dayparts.

Some QSR operators are now open 24 hours per day in an attempt to capture all opportunities.

In positioning across all dayparts, some QSR operators are able to increase frequency by offering incentives for multiple daily purchases.

One restaurant chain promoted a significant discount on a snack for a “return visit” in the same day. Another chain has advertised a “bundled package” that would combine meals from both breakfast and lunch dayparts at a discount.

The top 10 menu trends, composed from a survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs, are: 1. Locally sourced meats and seafood.

2. Locally grown produce.

3. Healthful kids’ meals.

4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme.

5. Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme.

6. New cuts of meat.

7. Hyper-local sourcing, such as restaurant gardens.

8. Gluten-free cuisine.

9. Sustainable seafood.

10. Whole grain items in kids’ meals.

to heavier consumers through increased frequency. This has led to a higher share of spending for the QSR operator and increased loyalty.

Ultimately, a consumer’s intent to re-visit a restaurant will decide the success of the operator. Revisiting intent is mainly driven by customer satisfaction.

Consumers are much more likely to want to visit a restaurant in which they had a pleasant experience in the past.

So what factors persuade con-

low for efficiency in operations and moving traffic through restaurants.

Such programs are now cost-efficient and accessible even to smaller operators, according to the report. In busy times, this expediency is a key factor in maintaining a strong customer base, as illustrated by the increased success of quick-service restaurants.

The report suggests that a major threat to the restaurant industry is the increase in prepared food offerings at grocery stores. The wide variety of options at different portion sizes is pulling in customers that might otherwise be patronizing restaurants.

DE CODI NG T H E D ATA

sumers in their decision to re-visit a specific establishment?

The top visit drivers for full service dining centre on the taste and quality of food, followed by value for money, and menu variety.

Outside of the menu, service and atmosphere also play an important role.

The Keg is one operator that scores well on most of the key attributes, which has translated into a high satisfaction rating (66 per cent) and overall re-visit intent from consumers.

It is important to monitor key business attributes and ensure that you are meeting or exceeding your consumer’s needs.

Ian Wilson is a director of client development in the foodservice industry for the NPD Group. The NPD Group has more than 25 years experience in providing consumerbased market information for the foodservice industry.

For more info, visit www.npd. com or contact ian.wilson@npd. com.

Coupon clipping Another popular method to increase frequency is the use of coupons.

Couponing has significantly increased in the last few years as a way to increase frequency and “steal” share from the competition.

At QSR, over 17 per cent of all combo meals sold in the last year were through the use of coupons.

This percentage has steadily increased in each of the last four years.

This increase is the result of QSR restaurants couponing more frequently, as well as other QSR restaurants entering into this promotional avenue.

These promotional methods are switching the consumer base of these restaurants from lighter

Attributes Driving FSR Restaurant Selection 21%

Always / regularly go there Went for a specific menu item

20%

Better tasting food

20% 16%

Better value for money

15%

Higher quality of food Kids like it there

11%

Greater menu variety

10%

Lower prices

9%

Source NPD Custom Research

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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Qdoba comes to Canada Burger King gets smooth BRANDON, MB—Laird and Tracy Lidster of Brandon, MB, opened the first Qdoba Mexican Grill not only in the province, but in Canada.

The chain, based in the U.S. with 630 outlets, serves Mexican grilled food.

There are plans to open 70-85 new locations in fiscal year 2013, a number that has not been broken down geographically yet, said John Dikos, director of franchise development for Qdoba to ORN. The fast-casual Mexican restaurant company was founded in 1995, and has a menu that can be customized with a variety of sauces and ingredients, with vegetarian, low-fat, low-

TORONTO—Burger King has expanded its menu throughout Canada with new food and beverage options.

The new menu will include chicken wraps in a flour tortilla, strawberry banana smoothies made with real fruit and yogurt, and mocha and caramel frappes.

These new choices are now available at Burger King locations across Canada. The company also plans to release new flavours of its smoothies in early 2013.

Alison Fletcher, director of marketing for Burger King Canada said that while the whopper burger is recognized as the company’s staple, new menu options offer a long-term opportunity for Burger King.

“Our success depends on our ability to innovate and introduce great tasting products,” she said in a press release.

calorie, gluten-free options, said Dikos.

While there was a lot of interest from potential franchisees in Canada, Dikos said that the Lidsters were “simply able to bring the restaurant to fruition the quickest.”

When choosing new franchise partners, Dikos said that exhibiting an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for food, along with a track record of success in the restaurant industry were main factors.

“Laird and Tracey exhibited all of these qualities and Laird’s strong experience as a second-generation franchisee and restaurateur made him an excellent fit,” Dikos said.

Qdoba’s signature burrito, the Fajita Ranchera Steak Burrito.

Burger King’s new chicken strips.

Italian ice company heads north in franchise expansion CALGARY—Canada Water Ice Company Ltd. will be the new master franchise of Rita’s Italian Ice, a U.S. producer of frozen treats.

The agreement between the two companies calls for 80 new outlets in Canada in the next five years.

The Canadian franchises will allow Rita’s Italian Ice to expand throughout all of North America, said CEO Jonathan

Fornaci. The Pennsylvania-based company operates 625 outlets in 19 states in the U.S., with new locations planned in China, India, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and now Canada.

The company said that they are looking to offer franchise opportunities to those with quick service restaurant experience, and multi-unit operators with an emphasis on satellite and mobile units.

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Food for thought

VANCOUVER—European fresh produce provider Total Produce will purchase a 65 per cent share of Vancouver-based Grandview Ventures Ltd. in a two–part deal, beginning this month.

Grandview is a fruit and vegetable supplier of retailers, wholesale and foodservice across Canada and the U.S. According to the Dec. 17 release, the trade will expand Total Produce’s presence in the North American market.

The initial transaction between Total and Grandview – which trades as Oppenheimer Group – will be a $15 million cash payment, for a 35 per cent share. The remaining share of 30 per cent will take place in 2017 for a yet to be determined price.

GUELPH—A University of Guelph study suggests that 2013 will see a rise in food prices, even beyond the rate of inflation. The Food Price Index 2013, published on Dec. 6, suggests that the price of meat in particular could increase by 4.5 to 6.5 per cent.

Researchers suggest the increase in the beef market is the result of the rising price of grain and animal feed. Due to the higher feed price, farmers slaughter cows earlier, which led to an influx in the market. Now, with a significant decrease of inventories, prices for consumers are expected to go up. The study predicts that overall food expenditure will increase between 1.5 and 3.5 per cent in 2013, yet food waste will also continue to rise.

Rich’s is on the rise

More spuds for Cavendish DIEPPE, NB—Cavendish Farms is buying the assets of Maple Leaf Foods Inc.’s potato division, Maple Leaf Potatoes. An announcement from Cavendish on Dec. 10 said that the transaction was set to close by the end of 2012.

The acquisition includes Maple Leaf ’s Lethbridge, AB–based, 142,000 square foot processing facility, which currently employs 135 workers and exports frozen potato prod-

ucts throughout Canada, the U.S. and key export markets, said Robert Irving, president of Cavendish Farms and co-CEO of J.D. Irving, Ltd. in the announcement. Irving said that the company will retain all Lethbridge plant and international employees.

All products made by Maple Leaf Potatoes will continue to be produced and marketed

by Cavendish in the short term, and all existing customer relationships will be maintained, said Irving.

The Lethbridge plant will join Cavendish’s existing stable of processing plants: two potato processing plants on PEI, one in Jamestown, ND and a fourth Wheatley, ON-based plant which produces appetizers.

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BUFFALO, NY—Rich’s Products Corp. has acquired Goglanian Bakeries and f’real foods, as well as entering into a joint venture with The Stolburn Group.

Goglanian’s assets will add to Rich’s already existing pizza and flatbread options, and add four manufacturing operations, according to the Dec. 12 release.

The convenience store offerings of milkshakes, smoothies and frozen desserts provided by f’real foods will add a new product to Rich’s profile.

The partnership between Rich’s and The Stolburn Group has resulted in the creation of Twin Star Bakery, a Texas-based desserts manufacturer that produces fully-iced and finished cakes and cookies.

New manufacturer’s rep for HABCO TORONTO—HABCO announced in December that it has appointed DISTEX M&M Inc. as the company’s Canadian manufacturer’s representative. DISTEX M&M will represent the company in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.

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Balancing Act

By Leslie Wu

From the pungency of fish sauce to the tart notes of tamarind, ORN takes a look at some basic flavours in Thai and Vietnamese cooking.

W

ith new flavours from Japan and Korea dominating the culinary scene in the past year (as is evident by the sheer number of ramen shops opening in Toronto and the furor around Momofuku’s debut), the cuisines of Vietnam and Thailand may seem like comfortable and familiar faces to chefs.

Increased levels of imports and globalization, however, have put these ingredients in the hands of Canadian chefs in a way that wasn’t available to previous generations.

When you add to this mix a welltravelled and sophisticated customer that’s more familiar with these flavours, chefs today may find new

sources of inspiration through these ingredients.

Before starting out, chefs need to get a sense of how an ingredient is used in its home place, and understand how they balance it with other flavours, says Naomi Duguid, coauthor of cookbook Hot, Salty, Sour, Sweet: A culinary journey through

Fish sauce (Nuoc cham in Vietnamese or Nam Pla in Thai)

manager of Salad King and Linda Modern Thai.

When it comes to elements such as sauces, a taste test is an essential part of the process. Liu prefers a fish sauce without too much added salt, which gives the chef flexibility in adding it throughout the menu.

“If it’s too salty, you can’t go back and remove the salt,” he says.

Some fish sauces can be quite salty, but lose the seafood flavour that is the essence of the sauce, says his mother, chef Linda Liu, owner of the two restaurants.

Each fish sauce has its own taste profile, and restaurateurs may value specific elements of different types, preferring different levels of salt or fish flavour, says Stephen Pang, marketing manager of TI Foods, a Markham-based importer.

“Some restaurants keep different grades of fish sauce,” says Pang. “It’s best to have two or three types because of the different profiles so that you can tailor a less salty or less heavy version to a customer’s preference.”

Although they may not be defined on the bottle, lower grade brands will have more additives, says Pang.

The bottles can be kept unopened for up to two years, but he advises storing it in the fridge once opened.

When trying to come up with a formula for the fish sauce that sits in bottles at the local Thai Express and vie&nam QSR outlets, Dennis Ng, vice president of both concepts estimates that he and the research and development team tasted between 45 and 60 versions.

“We wanted to get a balance of the flavours,” says Ng. “In the end, once you taste the salty, the sweet and the fish, you want it to dissipate a bit and leave your palate, not just remain there.”

MTY, which owns Thai Express and vie&nam, produces its own fish sauce in a central plant and sends it out to the franchisees to maintain quality control. Ng and his team developed two different versions of the fish sauce: a stronger flavoured one for cooking that’s denser in texture, and a lighter, thinner sauce for dipping. “At the end, the goal was ‘if you can drink the fish sauce, then it’s good,’” he laughs.

For MTY’s customers, a lighter tasting sauce is important, especially when using it for dipping or as a seasoning over absorbent ingredients such as vermicelli.

Although fish sauce varies between countries, it is a common ingredient in both Thai and Vietnamese cooking, but not used as much in western kitchens.

Fish sauce is definitely a wonderful ingredient for chefs to use, says Duguid.

“You can use it as a cheat to add a note of umami or a smokiness to a dish, such as giving some smokiness to Hass avocados for guacamole,” she says.

When it comes to choosing a fish sauce, Duguid advises purchasing an assortment of brands and doing a taste test.

The good thing about fish sauce is that it’s robust: once you find a brand you like, it doesn’t change significantly in storage, says Alan Liu, general

1.

1. Canh Chua, a popular Vietnamese sour soup, from Tamarine

by Quynh Nhi restaurant. 2. Lime juice and leaves is a popular souring agent in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine.3. Green curry is an often associated flavour with Thai cuisine, as shown in this picture from Linda Modern Thai. 4. Pouring a fish head curry hotpot at Linda. 5. Thit kho, a coconut pork fricassee with a hard boiled egg, from Tamarine by Quynh Nhi. 6. Red snapper with rustic chili sauce from Linda. Page 12: Left: sauces from Thai Express. Middle: Linda’s modern mango salad. Right: Salmon pairs with tom yum flavours and cheddar cheese at Linda.

Southeast Asia, who has spent time in personal and professional kitchens throughout Thailand and Vietnam.

“It’s not just a matter of trying out a new flavour. You’re using a real ingredient that has a real use in a real place,” she says. “It also gives you an idea of the memory or sensa-

tion that it might trigger in people who are familiar with the cuisine.”

Interested in learning more about some common flavours in Vietnamese and Thai cooking?

ORN spoke to the experts to delve deeper into selecting, preparing and storing some of these ingredients.

Lime leaves and juice (Thailand and Vietnam) When used as a dipping accompaniment, fish sauce is often mixed with other ingredients such as sugar, chili and lime.

2.

The use of lime juice is very important to balance out the other ingredients and avoid a sauce that is too sweet, says Lynn Hoang of Toronto’s Ha Long Bay Bistro.

Limes are popular in Thai cooking, although Thai limes are sweeter than their western counterparts, writes Lulu Grimes in The Food of Thailand.

Lime leaves, used throughout Vietnamese cooking, can also be an unusual and multipurpose ingredient in a chef ’s arsenal.

“The zest from a wild fresh lime is a great thing, but lime leaves are much more accessible in North America. Cost wise, they make more sense,” says Duguid.

(Due to the controversial etymology of the name “kaffir lime”, she prefers the term “wild lime”.)

Duguid recommends buying frozen, not dried, leaves which can be taken straight from the freezer and added to soup as a flavouring, like a bay leaf.

“Take a basic chicken broth and add wild lime leaves, lemongrass and ginger and suddenly you have an aromatic and slightly exotic thing and

you’ve done nothing but let it sit for 15 minutes,” she says.

Duguid also recommends using fresh lime leaves as a garnish, especially if they aren’t too tough (although the leaves can be dipped briefly into hot water to soften them.)

“Take out the centre vein, fold it in half and cut it into a fine chiffonade, and it can be a flavouring for all sorts of things, including shrimp salad, lightly cooked fish, or, for vegetarians, incorporated into a vegetable pâté to really brighten it up,” she says.

Duguid advises against using bottled lime sauce.

“It may be a temptation to use a shortcut, but the last place to take a short cut in a cuisine is with an ingredient that you don’t quite know the use of in its original form,” she says.

Curry pastes (Thailand) One of the things that you find about Thai cuisine – it’s about bold, heavy, strong flavours, says Alan Liu. A green curry, for example, that is chili-based with coconut milk, is not so much about the spices, but the herbal flavours from the galangal, cilantro and lemongrass, which works in conjunction with the sweetness of the coconut milk.

Green curry is especially a taste that customers associate with Thai cuisine, says Vincent Gobuyan, a former technology employee who now owns four

Thai restaurants with his wife: two locations of Green Papaya Classic Thai, plus Thai Garden in Ottawa, and Papaye Verte in Gatineau.

When restaurateurs Ernest and Linda Liu started Salad King in 1991, many Thai herbs, coconut milk, and ingredients such as galangal came in extremely limited choices or were simply unavailable. “Some of these ingredients came in either frozen or dried and had lost most of their flavour,” says Ernest Liu. “Although this has changed with a lot more imports coming into Toronto, once customers get used to the taste of a ready made paste, this can form their opinions of what 3. flavours are supposed to be in a curry.”

The chefs at their restaurants make their own curry pastes, but Alan Liu says that a pre-made canned paste has its uses as well.

“When it’s made in Thailand, sometimes they can use ingre-

dients that we can’t access here,” he says. “Many years ago, when there wasn’t access to better curries, people couldn’t really tell the difference. But now, customers are starting to demand more from their flavours and reward restaurants that are making their curry pastes themselves.”

If a chef wants to adapt a bought curry paste, they can add elements like galangal to it to personalize the flavours, says Duguid. “You really want to understand the elements, however,” she cautions. “Make 10 different versions of three curry pastes or even just experiment with red and green, but get to know those flavours. To just use a bought curry paste and add nothing, you’re working blind…and if you’re going to do a version of something, you need to know how to make the original. And once you’ve made it, then you can take it apart.”

Also, be sure to check the ingredients carefully, advises Duguid.

“It’s like anything else in food,” she says. “If you’re not using a crappy wine to cook, why would you use a crappy sauce?”

In terms of storage, Pang recommends storing opened curry pastes in a well-wrapped container, such as a glass jar, in the refrigerator to avoid transmission of smells to other objects.

Coconut milk and juice (Thailand and Vietnam)

6.

Tamarind (Thailand and Vietnam) Another common way to add a sour tang to food is through the use of tamarind, found in both Vietnamese and Thai cuisines.

Tamarind pulp is a really wonderful souring agent, adding an interesting depth to legumes, sauces and red meats, says Duguid, who advises against using paste.

“In terms of preparation, yes, you have to do it, but it’s not a big deal – just soak it and press it through a sieve and it’ll keep for a week,” she says.

The soaking in hot water, along with the pressing process, serves to separate the fibre around the pulp, writes Grimes. Tamarind can be sold in pressed cakes or as a puree.

At home, Long Phan, co-owner of Tamarine by Quynh Nhi restaurant in London, ON, estimates that his family has soup as part of the meal four days of the week, and tamarind-based canh chua is a popular sweet and sour option. “Throughout southeast Asia, tamarind is used for its tartness,” says Phan.

Fresh pineapple is used to bring down the tartness level.

Cooks in Thailand and Vietnam use coconut milk to add creaminess, sweetness or texture to a dish.

When buying coconut milk, it can be difficult to distinguish a quality brand, says Liu. “Just looking at the ingredient label won’t help you tell the difference, because they’ll all list the same two things: coconut and water,” he says. “They can vary in terms of thickness and viscosity, and in terms of colour itself, which can range from white to quite grey.

Some brands have no flavour at all, and if you use bad coconut milk in a dish, you can really tell.”

Coconut milk can be a lighter or heavier style, which are used for different purposes, with lighter style products being used for baking or dessert, says Pang.

A lighter style doesn’t necessarily mean a lower quality product, but the problem is that it may not be identified as light on the can.

“In general, when people are looking for a type of coconut milk, you

Family style and interaction with food

4.

When using these ingredients, it’s useful to consider the context in which they are typically served. Thai and Vietnamese cuisines demand a level of participation and customization from a diner, who can alter a dish’s flavour when it is served.

“Vietnamese food is very playful, and customers can change a dish to their liking,” says Hoang. “For pho, you can add as much bean sprouts, basil, or hoisin sauce as you like to change the flavour.”

In Duguid’s opinion, the tools that the diner can use at the table to adapt flavours are deeply underused in North America. “A plate of fresh herbs provides flavour and texture,” she says. “Lightly pickling daikon or carrots can be a useful way for a chef to provide a garnish, flavour and texture contrast, even in the middle of winter.”

Thai cuisine is a lot about family style dining and interacting throughout the meal, says Liu. Unlike Vietnamese cuisine, a Thai table won’t have a main dish with different condiments, but instead will have a mix of dishes. “It’s up to the diner to pick and choose what they want to eat on the plate,” he says.

At Linda Modern Thai, Liu struggles with achieving that balance with a western style of ordering. “Dishes designed for sharing don’t translate well when four people want to order

want a high percentage of coconut extract in the product without the addition of too much water,” he says.

A simple way to check for coconut concentration, says Pang, is to put it near your ear and shake the can, a method that works even for restaurant sized offerings.

“If you don’t hear anything, that’s good…it means there’s less water in the can,” says Pang.

Even when you find the right brand, storage and transportation can have great effect on the product, so it’s important to find a reputable distributor, says Linda Liu. “You have to be careful if coconut milk has gone through a freezer storage or it has been sitting for a long period of time, as it can change the flavour and cause the milk to separate,” she says.

If the product gets frozen, the freshness will still be there, but the texture may deteriorate, says Pang, who adds that once opened, the coconut milk must be refrigerated, but can be held for 24

the same thing,” he says.

“We’re constantly trying to tune the dishes for individual ordering, and it’s still an ongoing discussion of how to blend family based with a modern individual style of eating.”

Thai food is about adjusting flavour and highlighting what you’re eating in a different way, says Duguid.

Instead of having every mouthful the same, a chef can assist this customization by desegregating the elements of the dish and leaving it to the diner to adjust, she advises. “Drizzle this on, dip this in…make it easy for them by cutting ingredients into chunks or putting out several dishes at once so that they get to have a mouthful of this or that,” she says. “There’s freedom in exploring the contrast. Make each mouthful interesting through variety and complexity.”

The operator can also benefit from this style of serving because by adding interest, they can lower food costs and 4. get away with serving smaller portions of meat, says Duguid.

5.

hours properly stored. Keep unopened cans dry and at room temperature.

Coconut juice is a great tenderizer of meat, and southern regions such as the Ben Tre province in Vietnam, which is known for its coconuts, use marinades and make braised dishes with coconut juice, says Phan.

A traditional dish that is generally served only at home for celebrations is thit kho, a coconut pork fricassee with a hard boiled egg, that symbolizes commonality among the different levels of social status in Vietnamese society, says Phan.

www.can-restaurantnews.com

12 |

3.

2.

1.

Beverage pairings

Traditions and tomorrows

For Thai cuisine, beer is the optimal pairing, says Ernest Liu. “You’re looking for something with a brighter note, like a pilsner type beer, which works very well. If the beer is too bitter, it takes away from the food.”

In terms of wine, although gewürztraminers and sparkling wines are often recommended, sweeter whites such as a Riesling or pinot grigio work very well, says Liu. For reds, pinot noir and Shiraz complement Thai cuisine as well. “You don’t want something like a cabernet sauvignon which will overpower the food,” he says. “Look for fruitiness in the wines you serve with Thai food.”

Linda Modern Thai is offering a red or white flight of wines for winterlicious this year as an experiment, and will possibly try a champagne or dessert wine match as well.

For Vietnamese cuisine, Phan also recommends a Thai beer, such as Singha, due to its malt and hoppy flavours.

For seafood dishes, he prefers a white such as a pinot grigio, for its crispness that complements spicy and tangy chili soy flavours.

Although traditional Vietnamese and Thai restaurants abound, some second-generation operators are playing with the flavours of their childhood to create something new to suit a more seasoned and sophisticated customer.

With Vietnamese parents who own an Italian restaurant in Thunder Bay, Phan is comfortable with ingredients that cross cultural borders. “It was authentic Italian, Asian style,” he laughs. “My mother used to use fish sauce in everything instead of salt, even marinara sauce.”

Today, Phan, along with his wife Mhi and sister-in-law Quinh Yi, try to explore new variations on Vietnamese flavours. “I see the food at our restaurant as an interpretation of how Vietnam has evolved by opening up its borders to world trade.”

Although food trucks and the success of operators like Banh Mi Boys are bringing Vietnamese street food items to the spotlight, one of the most commonly associated dishes with Vietnamese food is pho.

Phan feels that there is a stigma associated with Asian food as inexpensive, and that there is a tendency with inexperienced diners to

Hot food in the cold outdoors

OTTAWA—Winter conditions in Ottawa can make outdoor dining a daunting task, but one operator is warming to the idea to maximize profits.

The Saint-Ô Restaurant opened its heated outdoor patio on Dec. 1.

At an external temperature of 10 below, diners on the terrace enjoyed their meals in a balmy 21 degrees Celsius.

The Vanier neighbourhood restaurant gained an extra 24 seats with

the use of the patio, owner Germain Brunet told ORN. “A restaurant with 35 seats can only accommodate so many people,” he said. “I’ve been looking at many ways to maximize space.”

With the new seating allowance, Brunet and his wife are both working days and nights to accommodate the increased business rather than hiring extra staff.

This time last year, the Saint-Ô patio was closed for the season. With

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

lump all the cuisines of the countries of Asia together.

In fact, although the restaurant is Vietnamese, pad thai appears on the menu due to a customer that came into his mother-in-law’s affiliated Vietnamese restaurant 12 years ago asking for pad thai.

Mainstream customers who are being more exposed to different countries through travel and globalization are now developing a more sensitive palate to the nuances of eastern cuisines.

“People are starting to understand the differences in Asian cuisines in terms of flavours and methods of cooking,” says Ng. “For example, since Vietnamese food uses the grill quite a bit, if people see items that are grilled and dipped in fish sauce, they may associate it with Vietnamese food. Or, if they go to a fusion restaurant and see egg noodles in a broth with rare beef, they may recognize the flavours as similar to pho rather than wonton soup.”

Thai cuisine is undergoing a similar shift, moving beyond pad thai and into regional or combined flavours.

the new plastic awning and walls, Brunet said he is able to maintain a comfortable temperature when it is down between -10 and -15. At a cost of approximately $40 to run the heater for four hours, Brunet said he is avoiding running it constantly by using a LB White 170 fan to blow hot air into the space.

Brunet said the patio has allowed for overflow from the restaurant at peak lunch and dinner hours and thus far, “people have been very happy.” In fact, one customer actually found the heated patio to be too warm, so the restaurant had to turn down the heat.

“We’re trying to follow the trend that you see more in Quebec City,” said Brunet. “People don’t fear the winter, they head out in it.”

At their restaurant, the Lius experiment with local ingredients mixed with traditional Thai flavours.

“There’s a lot of great produce in Toronto, like microgreens,” said Liu. “We wanted to do this because we loved these flavours.”

Some, like an experiment with watercress and traditional lime dressing for an early version of the restaurant’s modern mango salad, never made it past the taste test because the lime enhanced the slight bitterness of the watercress, says Liu. Instead, the chefs used daikon radish seedlings, Ontario pea sprouts, saw toothed cilantro, Thai basil and mango for the final version, which

was meant to substitute flavours for the originally hard-to-source traditional Thai mangoes. For Toronto’s 2013 Winterlicious, Liu planned a salmon with tom yum sauce that added aged cheddar.

Whether sticking with tradition or experimenting with something new, Vietnamese and Thai cuisines offer a multitude of options for chefs, and increased levels of import now make these items available to all.

With a little background knowledge, these ingredients are simple to use and can add depth of flavour and subtlety to any chef ’s dishes.

Dr. Laffa expands

By Veronica Zaretski TORONTO—Dr. Laffa Restaurant, an Israeli-Iraqi restaurant, will be opening a second location near Bathurst and Lawrence at the start of 2013.

The location at 3023 Bathurst St. will stretch over 1,800 square feet and will include 15 to 20 seats, though this will be mainly a take out location.

Sasi Haba, owner of Dr. Laffa said that the menu will mostly stay the same, with the possibility of some changes in the future.

Main courses include chicken breast on charcoal, chicken schnitzel, and kabab served with rice, sautéed vegetables or french fries.

An assortment of sandwiches are also available, such as falafel, shawarma, and sabich pita or laffa bread, as well as specials, soups, and appetizers.

“A lot of people tell me that they come right from downtown to eat lunch here,” said Haba. “And we’re proud of this.”

The first Dr. Laffa location

stretches over 2,000 square feet, with two large paintings on the wall featuring the artwork of Hased Rashid, a Montreal-based artist. Haba said that customers appreciate the fresh food and the service at Dr. Laffa.

“People like fresh food, and they like to be served with smiles,” he said. “We have all of that for the same price.”

The food is made right on the spot, said Haba, with fresh laffa bread served to customers, exactly the way they want it.

The business started when Haba met his business partner and baker, Yoram Gabi. Haba rented a space from Gabi, and the two collaborated to open the first Dr. Laffa’s restaurant in North York.

This location includes catering, dine-in, and take-out options.

With the new expansion, Haba said that franchising is in the future.

“Absolutely, we are looking to franchise,” he said. “We want to share the Dr. Laffa taste with other Canadian locations.”

| 13

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JA N U A RY 2 013

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For more information contact T. McConnell Sales & Marketing Ltd. at (905) 771-7300

COMING EVENTS Jan. 19-20: Franchise Show.

Place Bonaventure, Montreal, QC. For information go to: www.crfa. ca/thefranchiseshow.

Jan. 29-31: Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Supply Show. Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, SC. For information go to: www. hmrsss.com.

Feb. 4: CAFP, Toronto Branch Top Management Night. International Centre, Mississauga, ON. For information go to: www.cafp.com/toronto.

Feb. 5-6: CDN Tourism Marketing , Summit, Hilton Toronto, Toronto, ON. For information go to: www.cdntourismmarketing.ca.

Feb. 7-9: NAFEM Annual General Meeting. Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. For information go to: www.nafem. org/education-certification/annualmeeting.aspx.

Feb. 23-24: Franchise Show.

Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, ON. For information go to: www. cfa.ca/thefranchiseshow.

Feb. 23-26: CDN Society of Club Managers. National Conference, Delta City Centre Hotel, Ottawa, ON. For information go to: www.cscm.org.

Mar. 4: FCPC Foodservice Interchange Conference. Mississauga Convention Centre, Mississauga, ON. For information go to: www. fcpc.ca/events/upcoming-events/ FSI13.

Mar. 3-5: CRFA Show, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON. For information go to: www.crfa.ca/ tradeshows/crfashow.

Mar. 3-6: COEX. Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, NV. For information go to: www.ifmaworld.com.

Mar. 10-12: International Boston Seafood Show. Boston, MA. For information go to: www.bostonseafood.com.

Mar. 19-21: International Pizza Expo. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. For information go to: www.pizzaexpo.com Mar. 20: National Food, Tabletop & Supplies Show, Hotel des Seigneurs, St-Hyacinthe, QC. For information go to: www.gfs.com Mar. 27-30: Anuga FoodTec: The International Trade Show for Food and Beverage Processing and Packaging, Cologne, Germany. For information go to: www.anugafoodtec.com.

Gordon Food Service® 2013 Spring Food, Tabletop & Supplies Show

April 10, 2013, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Toronto Congress Centre Halls A, B, and C

For more information, contact your Gordon Food Service® representative at 1-800-268-0159.

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Food Safety: In, on and around the plate

By Elaine Anselmi

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t’s a standard meal: nothing flashy, just a steak, mashed potatoes and a green salad. Restaurants serve up their own variations of this classic plate in abundance. But what’s behind this dish sitting in front of the valued customer, and what are the chances that somewhere along the supply chain, food safety was in question?

Following every unique potato from the ground to its eventual demise as a French fry or whipped mash is a time consuming process that most chefs cannot undertake. Similarly, following a cow or any other livestock from the grazing fields to the abattoir and beyond may not be possible for many end users in the fast–paced foodservice industry. But, challenging or not, in the world of food safety, traceability is key.

“There’s been a lot of progress made in Canada about traceability,” says Albert Chambers, executive director of the Canadian Supply Chain

Always judge a box by its cover “Treat a packaging supplier the same way you do an ingredient supplier,” says Paul Medeiros, director of consulting services at GFTC. “Ask the basic questions about the food safety practices they have in place.”

Packaging can bring about its own assortment of food safety issues, stemming from unsanitary conditions within factories, or improper handling, says Medeiros.

Packaging that directly contacts food is particularly hazardous and can be a source of microbial contamination without proper practices.

The physical packaging itself can present hazards if the lamination is not properly cured, says Medeiros. Similarly, if the printing is not cured properly, it can become a carcinogenic hazard, causing chemicals to leach into the food product.

“What’s happening now is that food manufacturers, or large foodservice companies, are either auditing packing suppliers themselves or requiring them to pass food safety certification,” says Medeiros.

Food Safety Coalition (CSCFSC).

Most food businesses have a one step forward, one step backward approach, says Chambers, which suggests that all players in the food supply chain should have a clear idea of the practices and processes one step before a product reaches them, and one step after. This method keeps all players in the loop, and all safety hazards are met with a skeptical eye.

“Because of the economy, the scale and the fact that so many suppliers have grown so large, when something does go wrong, the effect is tremendous,” says Paul Medeiros, director of consulting services at the Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC). Take for example, the ongoing story of the XL Foods plant in Brooks, AB and the E. coli contamination last fall that saw the country-wide recall of beef and a link to approximately 16 E. coli related illnesses. The plant’s operating license was temporarily suspended, but it has since reopened operations.

The XL Foods and other massive food recalls of late have suppliers, processors, distributors and end users alike keeping a keen eye on their food.

While you may not be able to follow each ingredient from farm to plate, having an idea of what issues can arise at each step in between, and how to guard against potential hazards, allows for traceability throughout the process and the validated trust of patrons.

Writing the book on safe practice This past summer saw the introduction of Bill S–11, Safe Food for Canadians Act, which combined the Meat Inspection Act, the Fish Inspection Act, the Canada Agricultural Products Act, and the food provisions of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act. “Over the past year, [the CSCFSC] has been heavily involved with the federal government in terms of the writing of S–11 and

writing new regulations under that act,” says Albert Chamb ers, executive director of the CSCFSC. Some areas of the Act articulate objectives and areas where the government will make regulations, but aren’t specific on how the government plans to write those regulations, he says.

In more concrete sections, the Act outlines which levels of the supply chain will fall under which governmental control.

“We know that the legislation is now going to cover the full supply chain that deals with products moving into interprovincial trade, into the international market for export, or as imports,” says Chambers.

Processing the meat For the carnivorous at heart, the protein is the centerpiece of a meal. A perfectly cooked steak is a much sought-after gem that whole restaurant chains have devoted themselves to providing. Even if a fine cut, or any cuts at all aren’t on your menu, issues of food contamination are surely on your radar.

The XL Foods meat recall brought to light the importance of rigid safety procedures around meat processing.

“When we talk about contamination in steaks, any contamination is on the surface,” says Medeiros. “So, even when cooked rare, this contamination is killed by the high-heat on that surface.”

One issue with meat contamination that has garnered attention is the process of mechanical tenderization, a process where needles are driven through the steak for a tenderizing effect, says Medeiros. The result is that any contamination on the surface has now also been infused into the meat and when cooked

rare, the surface heat is not sufficient to kill all bacteria.

The current food and drug act does not require the labelling of mechanically tenderized steak, he says.

This is one issue the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is looking at, and some operators are already demanding voluntary labelling of mechanically tenderized meat.

Expect to start from the beginning, when it comes to safe food handling.

“Chances are, a restaurant should always assume that what they’re bringing in is contaminated somehow,” says Medeiros. “Assume that the produce is contaminated and you need to wash it, assume all raw meat is contaminated and you need to fully cook it,” he says. “Prior to getting fully cooked, it is going to be a potential source for contamination. It’s like handling a guest with the plague at your house. You’re not going to let them mess around with your kids, you’re go-

“Food safety is a partnership.

Everybody has to be doing their part or it isn’t going to work,” -Heather Gale, program manager, interim executive director, CanadaGAP

ing to segregate them, and handling raw food is the same.”

Medeiros says that at a restaurant level, the bare minimum in food safety is to ensure all supplies are government inspected and regulated.

He says there have been instances of unlicensed food processors selling products under the table, particularly targeting smaller operators.

In larger chain restaurants, Mederios says, there’s a higher degree of due diligence that these operations have to have in place and suppliers should be vetted and subjected to some sort of testing and approval.

“At the very least, they have to have some kind of process for establishing criteria for an approved supplier, and then make sure any new supplier meets that criteria,” he says. “And, on a yearly basis they verify that their existing suppliers meet this criteria.”

At Guelph’s, Woolwich Arrow Pub and Borealis Grille and Bar, owner Bob Desautels goes a step farther in developing a relationship with his suppliers.

“Instead of using an abattoir, we have a farm’s name for all of the food that’s coming into our restaurant,” he says.

Desautels uses a number of farms for chicken and pork and says for beef he primarily uses YU Ranch in Tillsonburg, ON.

Every four months, Desautels takes his staff on a field trip to visit the source of the foods they serve.

He says he has been down to YU Ranch for barbecues where he met the whole family and was privy to the farm’s processes.

“It’s nice to get the information, it’s another to take the staff so they can tell others,” he says. He’s seen the natural grasses fed to the cows, and says, “the only time they use antibiotics [on the cows] is the same time they’d use them on their children.”

“Whether it’s a small or large supplier, choose one that has the correct systems in place and is willing to talk to you to ensure food safety,” says Medeiros. “If you cannot have that kind of relationship with you supplier and get them to provide you with the information your need to make sure that food is safe, you have the wrong supplier.”

By the books At the processing level, inspection depends on where the product is going, says Chambers. If shipping any product outside of the country, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of the federal government, will assess the food safety operations. If shipping domestically only, this jurisdiction goes to provincial inspectors.

Distributing the salad Greens. They’re leafy and fresh – but not for long. That tossed salad in your walk-in will need to be tossed out completely without meticulous tracking of expiration dates and proper handling.

Lettuce has a shelf life of approximately 14 days says Jeff Howard, national quality assurance

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manager at Gordon Food Service (GFS). As a distributor, expiration and proper refrigeration are details he pays close attention to in order to ensure high quality and safe food.

“Every pallet of product we receive gets an identifier or license plate,” says Howard. This identifier includes expiration dates, allowing the system to monitor that the product rotates so that the first to expire is the next out.

Howard says that if a product, such as lettuce, has an upcoming best “before date”, it will be listed in a report that comes out every morning through inventory control, alerting users of any products reaching the end of their shelf life in storage.

This system “prevents from shipping out past-dated products,” says Howard.

As well as expiration, Howard says GFS is diligent in their monitoring of refrigeration levels both in trucks and storage.

“If it is a perishable food product, we make sure it is cold inside the trailer and take the temperature of the product while unloading,” says Howard. Perishable food products are received on temperature–controlled docks that are consistent with cooler temperatures. As well, there are areas in the distribution centre that are temperature controlled and continually monitored.

“Chances are, a restaurant should always assume that what they’re bringing in is contaminated somehow,”

“If temperatures start to go outside of the acceptable range, bells and whistles go off,” says Howard of GFS’s internal and external alarm system.

Keeping large quantities of food at a specific temperature can pose challenges both to the distributor and end user.

At Toronto’s International Centre, the large-scale production kitchen uses a blast-chiller to rapidly freeze large batches of food, says executive chef Tawfik Shehata. Similar to GFS’s alarms, Shehata says the International Centre has a computerized system that keeps track of all fridge temperatures and “if a fridge temperature were to go higher than a safe temperature, it sets off an alarm and security is notified.”

Shehata says there is also a receiver who goes through every delivery ensuring that no food products come in with damage or without adequate temperature controls.

It is these checks, occurring at both ends of the delivery process that, while seemingly redundant, help ensure that nothing gets through the system without proper inspection.

Prior to unloading a truck, Howard says GFS verifies that the load is coming from an approved supplier and that products are exactly what was ordered.

“We don’t want a load to come in that we weren’t expecting,” he says.

“We verify that the load is coming from an approved supplier and has the approved paperwork before we even start unloading.”

Approval is an internal activity, Howard says, that specifies that the supplier has a contract or an agreement to do business with GFS. When receiving a load, Howard notes that GFS also does a physical inspection of the product on the trailer, as well as the trailer itself.

“We make sure there’s no damage, no signs of contamination, insects, rodents or pests,” he says.

In the case of any issues, he says GFS has written procedures on how to deal with specific situations.

“Our first response is, immediately close the doors and pull [the truck] away from the dock so we don’t get critters in our building, and then determine the next step depending on the load,” says Howard.

A lot of time is spent focusing on standardizing operational procedures around food safety at GFS and revising

their recall process, says Howard.

“We do stay abreast of pending regulatory changes, as well as expecting our suppliers to do the same,” he says.

amounts can make a person very sick, says Gale. The greening of potatoes happens when there is too much exposure to light, and can happen at any point along the supply chain, even storage.

Gale recommends that standard potato bags, structured with a screen or window, need to face away from the light in order to limit this chemical process.

“Food safety is a partnership. Everybody has to be doing their part or it isn’t going to work,” she says. Gale is seeing more major retailers and end-users requiring that suppliers have some sort of safety certification program and are meeting the requirements of that program. “A lot if it is being driven by what the customer is demanding of suppliers,” says Gale.

On the farm supply side, requirements cover everything from planting site selection and proximity to animals to any products that go on the field, such as pesticides, says Gale.

There are specific procedures

around harvesting that have to be noted, she says, such as any intrusion from animals and the existence of toxic weeds around agriculture.

After the harvest and before produce is loaded onto trucks, the trucks themselves need to be carefully inspected, Gale says.

“Check that it’s clean, no signs of visible contamination and no evidence of previously transported products.” She accentuates the importance of signing off on all inspections and regulatory checks.

“There’s a lot of record keeping that [suppliers] have to do,” says Gale.

“You have to write this stuff down if you’re going to be able to show what you’re doing.”

She says that an auditor’s job is to visit the farm or packer–house and look at records, as well as speaking with employees. “The biggest change with the certification program is that people have been forced to start doc-

umenting what they’re doing,” says Gale. “It’s all a part of the traceability system. You have to know where it was planted, what happened after, and where it went.”

One step forward, one step back is the fundamental concept of traceability that extends to the supplier level. Gale says farmers have to document where they’re buying their seed, where they’re buying their compost and every step after, so that if there is a problem they can produce documentation.

an alert to consumers and post the recall information on its website.

The amount of time needed to respond to a recall varies with the type of recall. Often, he says, issues are voluntarily brought forward by the company that has identified a problem. In this case, the process is much shorter than outbreak and illness triggered recalls.

On the distributor side, Jeff Howard, national quality assurance manager at GFS, says responding to recalls most efficiently is an ongoing project.

Often, his notification of a recall is concurrent with his customers’ notification, leaving him little time to com-

municate with suppliers as to whether their products are affected.

“In order to address that, we’ve developed and communicated to our suppliers what we need to initiate the recall process,” says Howard. “We tell them the pieces of information we need and who to communicate that to. We want to be able to respond as quickly as possible when there’s a need to recall something.”

GFS’s internal goal for recall response is four hours, says Howard.

“Our first notice should be suppliers giving us all of the information we need,” he says. “If we have all that information we can typically identify

-Paul Medeiros, director of consulting services at the Guelph Food Technology Centre

By the books Restaurants and other end users tend to be visited by municipal health inspectors, says Chambers. This is also where grading and accordance with health and safety codes is put into the public domain.

The mandate of the CSCFSC is to promote a consistent harmonized approach to food safety all across Canada, says Chambers. “It’s about finding the best practices at every segment of the supply chain.”

The concept of traceability hinges on communication between each level of the supply chain and allowing for dialogue between these levels. “We have new federal legislation that provides a really good set of tools that we can use to modernize the regulatory approach,” says Chambers.

Picking the potatoes Plucked from the ground as dirt-covered bundles of starch, “apples-of-theearth” are the staple of many cultural diets. What can go wrong with an ingredient, literally thrust on us by Mother Nature?

With improper handling, storage and selection, food safety problems show up in even the most basic ingredients.

“With potatoes, one procedure you have to follow is to sort out the green potatoes,” says Heather Gale, program manager and interim executive director of CanadaGAP, an independent food safety program that certifies fruit and vegetable producing, packing and storage companies.

The green colouring in potatoes represents a chemical hazard, solanine, and consumption of this chemical in large

Recall and recourse A dreaded word in the foodservice industry, a recall can be a devastating blow to a company’s profile, but it doesn’t have to be. Proper documentation of processes and the path of products allows for a traceable source for any issue, subsequently minimizing harm.

There is a process that manufacturers and importers go through, says Garfield Balsom, a food safety and recall specialist with the CFIA. “There are many documents and information on our website to ensure [companies] have good traceability

for products and good record keeping.” When going back and doing an investigation, Balsom says record keeping is extremely important.

After tracing back to what may have caused an issue, Balsom says the next step depends on the cause and severity of the issue – in some cases, testing will be required. Once the CFIA has identified that a product is causing a risk, information is provided to Health Canada to determine the level of that risk, he says.

“If the level of risk is serious, the CFIA asks [those affected] to remove the product from the marketplace,” says Balsom. The CFIA will then issue

By the books Farmers and primary suppliers tend to have relatively limited oversight at this time, says Chambers. They do not have government inspectors coming out but there are still laws and regulations they have to follow. There is a broad selection of voluntary assessment programs open to farms that will provide a safety inspection.

and quarantine products, generate a customer list and send out notifications in two hours.”

The process becomes longer when suppliers only provide partial information, says Howard.

In order to communicate this information, it’s essential to know every single ingredient, where it came from, and where it is going, says Paul Medeiros, director of consulting services at the GFTC. In theory, Medeiros says, as long as the “one step forward, one step backward” method is used, issues can be traced all the way down the to the farm level if necessary.

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BeverageNews A MONTHLY REPORT ON THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

Wetting whistles in the Junction Playing monopoly with big bucks

By Elaine Anselmi TORONTO—The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto is wasting no time in shedding its prohibition past. The Junction Craft Brewing has opened its doors to a retail store and tap room, on the heels of Indie Alehouse’s opening just down the road.

The Tap Room will be serving 10 original brews to customers, while the retail store will have all varieties of Junction Craft Beer on sale in 2 Litre growlers, with bottles soon to come.

The brand launched approximately a year ago, Junction president Tom Pederson told ORN, and their flagship brew, Conductor’s Craft Ale, is already in more than 50 restaurants and pubs across Ontario. With their label in Toronto establishments such as Beer Bistro, C’est What, Bar Volo, the Harbord House and Momofuku, Pederson says his beer suits the whole spectrum. “We go from the fancy places in Yorkville, to the business places downtown, to the hole in the wall,” says Pederson.

No stranger to the restaurant industry, Pederson formerly owned La Hacienda on Queen West, where he said his interest in craft brewing was spurred. His partnership with brewmaster Doug Pengenelly was fostered during Pederson’s ownership of another nearby Queen West establishment, The Paddock Tavern.

The two are currently offering a line of beers that pays homage to their neighbourhood’s roots including: the Stationmaster Stout, Grand trunk Session Bitter, Junction Craft Brown Ale and a Junction Craft Special Pale Ale. 90 Cawthra Ave. Unit 101, Toronto. (416) 9516367. www.junctioncraftbrewing.com, info@ junctioncraftbrewing.com

smartserve.ca

TORONTO—Tim Hudak’s battle for beverages continues as he proposes to sell some of the LCBO and Beer Stores to private owners, decreasing its monopoly on beverage sales in the province.

“It’s time for some tough choices on getting out of businesses Queen’s Park has no business being in,” said Hudak on Dec. 4. Hudak said he would not cut alcohol taxes, just allow for competition in the market and sales in alternate locations like corner stores and supermarkets, similar to systems in Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia.

The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) supported Hudak’s proposal in a Dec. 4 release. CRFA vice-president

Stephanie Jones said, “Even though Ontario’s 30,000 restaurants are the LCBO’s largest customer, selection and wholesale pricing are unavailable to them. Distribution decisions are determined without their input, and instead based on an outdated bureaucracy.”

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union said in a release that Tim Hudak’s plan to privatize the Liquor Control Board of Ontario could “destroy as many as 10,000 jobs across the province.”

According to the LCBO website, in fiscal year 2010-11, LCBO’s dividend to the provincial government increased to $1.55 billion, $140 million more than in 2009-10.

Zenato celebrates 20 years of Ripassa TORONTO—Alberto Zenato, a third generation winemaker with Zenato wineries, was in town in November to offer a vertical wine tasting to a small group of wine writers and media.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first Ripassa vintage from the winery. Writers tasted vintages from 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009.

Ripassa is a brand name protected by Zenato; a variation on the Ripasso method used in Valpolicella.

“I’m a self made winemaker, as was my father,” said Zenato. “I didn’t study oenology, I studied economics and business skills.”

“You never finish your studies of wine...every year, you learn something new,” he said.

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Brewing up a barrel of bubbles

By Veronica Zeretski TORONTO—Ever wondered what it might be like to drink sparkling wine from a keg? Now you can find out at Toronto-based restaurant Globe Bistro. Owner Ed Ho was introduced through a mutual friend to Rakesh Mehra, a graduate of Brock University’s wine program.

The two shortly partnered up to install a sparkling wine dispensing system at Globe Bistro. Mehra supplies the restaurant with his own brand of spar-

BR I E FS

kling wine, Contraband, which he makes at Niagara-based Featherstone Estate Winery.

“I haven’t seen sparkling wine on tap anywhere else,” said Ho. “I’ve seen it only in Chicago, but it was still wine, not sparkling.”

Ho explained that it would be much easier to offer still wine on tap, since most sparkling wines have about five atmospheres of pressure, compared to the two to three atmospheres of pressure for beer.

They had to ensure that their dispensing system could trap the wine bubbles.

In the initial stages of the system, which has been installed for about three to four months, there have been some technical difficulties to start.

The pouring rate was originally 45 seconds per glass, which slowed down service. The rate has now improved to 15 seconds per glass.

Contraband has a bit of sweetness to it, resembling simpler, fruity wines.

“It’s definitely off dry, and it’s definitely not yeasty,” said Ho. “It doesn’t have the toasty notes that champagne would have, and the pricing goes along with that.”

Ho is charging wine appreciators $8 for a glass at Globe Bistro’s location on the Danforth.

Celebrating ice cold beer OTTAWA—The Winterlude festival in the nation’s capital has met its match – or perhaps, pair. Running simultaneously with Ottawa’s annual winter event is a festival celebrating craft beer. WinterBrewed will be pouring up dark seasonal ales on Feb. 16 and 17 at the Sparks Street Mall.

“WinterBrewed is a celebration of craft beer that will focus on the more darker, warming beers that you want in the heart of February,” Steve Beauchesne, co-founder of local brewery Beau’s, told Metro Ottawa. “You can try dozens of different beers,” Beauchesne said. “The heart of it is to appreciate and discover all the wonderful beers that you can have.”

Far from the usual brew THAILAND—A coffee with an earthy taste and smooth finish is the product of Canadian entrepreneur Blake Dinkin’s venture in northern Thailand. The path was an elephant’s digestive tract.

Dinkin, who has invested $300,000 into the ‘Black Ivory Coffee’ project according to the As-

sociated Press, is taking a cue from his background in civet coffee and moving onto a much larger task.

Dinkin’s team feeds elephants at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation raw coffee cherries, and approximately one day later, collects the dung and removes and washes the remaining cherries.

The smooth taste of the coffee is attributed to the elephants’ digestive process and vegetarian diet. “When an elephant eats coffee, its stomach acid breaks down the protein found in coffee, which is a key factor in bitterness,” Dinkin told AP. Through the 15-30 hour process the raw coffee cherries mix with sugar cane, bananas and other staples of their diet.

Dinkin worked with a fellow Canadian veterinarian to ensure the caffeine intake would not harm the animals. He is giving eight per cent of the profit from the Black Ivory Coffee back to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation.

At $50 per serving, Black Ivory Coffee may not be an everyday brew, but some luxury hotels in Thailand, Abu Dhabi and the northern Maldives are already serving it up.

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PE OPLE

Left: Ryan Crawford.

Top middle: Jennifer McLagan.

To right: Mario Cassini.

Bottom: Mirelle Amato.

Chef Ryan Crawford has moved on from Niagara’s Stone Road Grille to start up an integrated farm and restaurant concept called Gastrohomestead.

“It’s a way of life rather than a project,” Crawford told ORN. Crawford started raising livestock at Stone Road Grille, including raising Tamworth and Berkeshire pigs with fellow chef Paul Harber from Ravine Vineyard, which then became part of the two restaurants’ charcuterie programs.

A trained sommelier, Crawford was also inspired to make his sauvignon blanc and pinot noir during his time working at Lailey Vineyard with winemaker Derek Burnett.

Crawford’s concept will be finalized in early 2013. “I want to get people to experience what it is to raise the animals—the who, what and where—so they can see everything right there on the land.

Jennifer McLagan briefly put down her pen in order to step in front of the camera, shooting a pilot episode for an offal cooking show: Odd Bits. McLagan is the author of similarly themed cookbooks Bones, Fat and the namesake of the show, Odd Bits.

The pilot partners McLagan with three Toronto-based chefs who share her passion for using the whole animal. First up was Rob Gentile of Buca, who cooked a blood-soaked menu, dessert included.

Parts and Labour’s Matty Matheson prepared a dish of lamb testicles in two styles.

Finally, Scott Vivian of Beast restaurant stepped up the game with the use of heart, tongue and marrow from an Ontario water buffalo.

Caju chef and owner Mario Cassini shut the doors to the Brazilian restaurant on Dec.

22. The Queen West location, that hosted private functions, public events as well as a full-service restaurant, has served the community for 10 years.

Cassini wrote on Caju’s website that he will be returning to Brazil to be with family and reconnect with his roots. Cassini has made major contrubutions to bringing Brazilian cuisine and culture into Toronto through several events such as ‘Experience the Flavours of Brazil,” in 2007, and ‘A Culinary Tour of Brazil,’ in 2011.

Prior to opening Caju in 2002, Cassini studied at the George Brown Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

Wine lovers look to master sommeliers, while beer drinkers have their own gurus of brew, master cicerones. Mirelle Amato was named Canada’s first ever master cicerone, after completing the Cicerone Certification Program, a feat only six people have accomplished, according to a Dec. 12 release from the Craft Beer Institute of Chicago.

After a series of written and oral exams, Amato proved her expertise in beer styles, systems, evaluation, technology and pairing.

“I acquired tons of knowledge over the past few years, as I prepared for this exam, and am looking forward to putting it to good use as I continue to offer beer tastings and consulting services for pubs and breweries,” Amato wrote on her blog.

Her expertise developed as a result of both her studies and years of working as a beer consultant. Beerology, in Toronto, is Amato’s beer education and training operation that offers workshops, tastings and entertainment surrounding ales.

She has also written and spoken on the topic for various media outlets.

The Cicerone Certification Program was founded in 2008 and involves three levels of certification. More than 18,500 people have acquired the first level – Certified Beer Server, and 650 people hold the second title of Certified Cicerone, said the Craft Beer Institute.

In 2012 alone, 36 attempts were made at the third level of Master Cicerone, with only two successes: Amato and Neil Witte, of Kansas.

The Craft Beer Institute operates the Cicerone Certification Program under the direction of Ray Daniels, an author and beer educator, with the participation of various breweries, distributors and retailers.

Shelly Jamieson has been added to the board of directors at High Liner Foods Inc., a North American frozen seafood company. Jamieson is the CEO of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, a governmentfunded organization combating cancer and also serves on the advisory board of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Canada.

High Liner will acquire Jamieson’s years of experience in both government and industry positions.

Her portfolio includes two years as Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Transportation and four years as Ontario’s Secretary of Cabinet.

Chef Marc Lepine, owner of Atelier restaurant in Ottawa and the winner of the 2012 Gold Medal Plates, will prepare a five-course dinner at Winterlude’s opening night on Feb. 1, held at the Ottawa Convention Centre.

The $165 dinner will include a fashion show featuring Canadian designer Lucian Matis.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has stepped up their culinary profile, with the launching of an epicurean website that brings together their chefs from around the world to talk about the food served at the Four Seasons.

Taste.fourseasons.com officially launched on Dec. 7 with recipes, ideas and comments on culinary trends.

Taste features the restaurants of Canada’s three Four Seasons locations, Toronto, Whistler and Vancouver. “The big push for us is to differentiate ourselves from the competition and let everyone know that our food is second to none,” said Ned Bell, executive chef at YEW, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver. “What [the website does is] show the quality of food that exists, the quality of chefs, the quality of sommeliers and the quality of mixologists,” said Bell.

Bell said that Taste’s interactive property is a very important aspect of the site. The section ‘1 ingredient 3 ways’ challenges chefs to choose one ingredient and post three different recipes using it, as well as webisodes of the cooking process. Bell contributed three takes on Dungeness crab, native to his B.C. locale.

“Not only are we a seafood restaurant, we’re obviously on the west coast where [Dungeness crab] is local,” said Bell. “The neat thing is each property has their own ideas of what works for their region or city.”

Having only spent about a year and a half at YEW, Bell said he has not had the chance to meet most of the Four Seasons chefs from its international locations, but the website allows for that sort of discourse. “It’s an opportunity to see what’s going on in the Bahamans, Asia, Russia and everywhere else,” said Bell.

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