Ontario Restaurant News - March 2015

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O N T A R I O March 2015 Vol. 30 No. 2

N AT I O N A L

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FLANAGAN BUYS RELIABLE

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C O V E R A G E

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NAFEM

R E G I O N A L

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F O C U S

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FEATURE: HOW ONTARIO GROWS TRENDS IN VEGETABLES AND SALADS

From the Restaurants Canada Show floor Dan Aykroyd

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

TORONTO — More than 1,100 exhibitors, both long-standing in the foodservice industry and those getting started, set up the 2015 Restaurants Canada Show on the first days of March.

The three-day event saw a slew of educational sessions, culinary dem-

onstrations on the main and Ontario stages, competitions, record-breaking attempts, breakfast with a movie star and the restaurant association’s 70th annual meeting.

Paul Methot elected Restaurants Canada chair

Paul Methot, senior vice-president of operations for Pizza Pizza, was elected chair of the board of Restaurants Canada at the association’s annual meeting on March 2 and will serve a one-year term.

“For many years, I have listened to the stories of many now past chairs

and have been inspired by them,” said Methot, who has served on the Restaurants Canada board since 2004. He said his story is a bit different.

With an education in business from the University of Western Ontario, Methot worked in mergers and acquisitions before joining Pizza Pizza as director of real estate a year after graduation.

He left the company for a brief stint to work in real estate and served as the vice-president of both corporate development and commissary before moving into his current role.

Methot joined Pizza Pizza in 1984 and has seen the chain grow from 45 to more than 700 locations across Canada.

Methot said the association needs to lobby the government to foster positive economic conditions for the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

“As chair, I’m determined to achieve results to support our Canadian businesses,” said Methot.

Outgoing chair Liam Dolan noted his tenure was during a time of much change with a new brand, website, offices and the search for new leadership.

“As my year comes to an end, I will continue to roll up my sleeves,”

JoIn the

he said. Dolan said he hopes there will be more success with respect to credit card rates and that the association can encourage the implementation of wholesale liquor pricing across the country.

Craft beer tops chef survey TORONTO — Prior to the show, Restaurants Canada released its sixth annual Canadian Chefs Survey, which polled more than 400 professionals in January.

Craft beer topped the list of “Hot Trends,” which are considered at the peak of popularity.

Here are the top 10 trends for 2015 with last years’s rank in brackets: 1. Craft beer/ microbrews (5) 2. Locally sourced foods (3) 3. Leafy greens (4) 4. Food smoking (6) 5. C h a rc u t e r i e / h o u s e - c u r e d meats (8) 6. Gluten-free/food allergy conscious (1) 7. Quinoa (2) 8. Sustainable seafood (new) 9. Inexpensive/underused cuts of meat (10) 10. International sauces (new) Continued on page 18

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Reliable acquired by Flanagan KITCHENER, Ont. — Flanagan Foodservice has acquired “substantially all of the assets” of Mississauga, Ont.-based Reliable Food Supplies Inc. in a deal that closed Feb. 20.

A Flanagan spokesperson confirmed that Flanagan is serving Reliable’s former customers out of its Kitchener branch, but could not at press time, provide details about the assets acquired or plans for the Reliable facility located at 6800 Rexwood Rd., Mississauga, Ont. “We have undertaken as many precautions as possible, both in terms of inventory and product, as well as logistics, to ensure that Flanagan Foodservice can step in and offer a seamless transition and continuity of service for Reli-

able’s customers,” said president Dan Flanagan in a letter to clients.

Flanagan said the short-term priority is to ensure it is “business as usual” for Reliable’s clients and their customers.

Reliable Food Supplies was founded in 1953

by Jack Yudken and his son-in-law Leonard Salter.

Flanagan is a family-owned and operated distributor to the Ontario foodservice industry with more than 6,000 customers, a 60-person sales force and a fleet of 74 vehicles. The company employs about 500 and has 250,000 square feet of distribution space with centres in Kitchener, Sudbury and Owen Sound, Ont.

“We understand that you have a choice in terms of food distributors but we believe we share a number of similar traits with Reliable that should make for a familiar experience in terms of the way we will care for your business,” said Flanagan, pointing to “independence, family ownership and values; particularly the high degree of importance placed on service and flexibility.”

Flanagan said the company has “every intention of continuing Reliable’s legacy in this regard — however, we also believe that with Flanagan’s product depth and experience, we can only enhance the dining experience for your customers.”

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St. Louis tackles new concept and expansion

Bradford, Ont., location.

TORONTO — Ontario-based St. Louis Bar & Grill opened a Bradford, Ont., location in February with a new look.

President and owner Brent Poulton opened the first St. Louis at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue in 1992 and quickly opened another farther north at 5307 Yonge St. Poulton’s brother Barry, who has two St.

From left: Brent and Barry Poulton.

Louis franchises in Barrie, Ont., opened the Bradford, location on Feb. 7 marking the chain’s 44th store.

In the week leading up to the opening, the restaurant hosted a dry run where donations were accepted in lieu of payment. This is practice for franchisees and staff and money raised is given to Shining Through Centre, which edu-

cates children with autism.

St. Louis’ menu includes 19 wing sauces including a signature wing recipe, its signature garlic dill sauce, ribs and its own take on onion rings, onion chips.

The new prototype, which will apply to new openings and renovations, features a new logo and increased focus on the colour red.

“We’ve tried to put some fun into it,” said Niki Papaioannou, director of marketing.

“There is also some local art that we’ve started to incorporate.”

In Bradford, a wall is dedicated to the history and sports teams of the town. “Locals have been telling each other, ‘You should go see yourself; it’s you when you were eight and you played minor hockey,’” said Papaioannou.

The restaurants have a mix of dining room seating and high tops and an average footprint of between 2,200 and 2,500 square feet.

“Our brand is looking at building restaurants that are slightly larger than we have in the past,” said Papaioannou, adding plans call for new builds to be between 2,500 and 3,000 square feet with 200 seats, 98 inside and 102 on the patio.

“The people who approach us as franchisees start out as fans. It’s really nice to see.

They grow up with the brand and then we get a phone call one day and they want to open a franchise,” she said.

A busy start to the year saw the privatelyowned chain open in North Bay, Ont. in addition to the Bradford location. Papaioannou said St. Louis plans to open eight more locations in 2015.

The company plans to open its first Calgary location in the fourth quarter of this year and its first in Nova Scotia with a Halifax store planned for Q3. The majority of St. Louis restaurants are in Ontario, but the brand moved into the Maritimes two years ago with a Moncton, N.B., franchise location. Papaioannou said this was the company’s trial run in Atlantic Canada, which has been successful, and plans are to open more locations on the East Coast. “We’re so interested in growth, that we will be moving ahead in these markets corporately or with a franchisee,” said Papaioannou.

In Ontario, growth is focused on Ottawa, Hamilton, Timmins, Mississauga, Bowmanville and Owen Sound.

Mmm Sugar:

a dream come true BURLINGTON, Ont. — What started as an in-home cake decorating business has become a bricks and mortar operation and “a dream come true” for a husband and wife team.

Andrew Nelson quit his job as executive chef at the Delta Meadowvale to join his wife Natasha Perera with the opening of Mmm Sugar at 676 Appleby Line in Burlington, Ont. in mid-November.

“It was a big step, we had talked about it for awhile, but I think we were both kind of scared to start, because a business is a business and you can’t just not come in for awhile,” said Perera.

The 1,700-square-foot space seats up to 45 people and offers organic coffee, Sri Lankan tea and an assortment of sweets including cupcakes, cinnamon buns and tarts.

According to Nelson, about three quarters of the business comes from cake decorating, which began in the couple’s home.

Perera — who studied fine arts — started the

business after positive feedback from friends and family when she made a cake for her daughter’s baptism.

“It just gives me the creative freedom to do what I want to do,” she said. “It’s just like a painting, except on a cake.”

The space also holds a kids room for parents who want to sit and drink a coffee in peace, said Perera. The back of the café has enough space for birthday parties and events where kids can make their own pizzas and decorate their own cupcakes.

“I think a lot of parents want something different. They’re sick of the regular party places,” Perera said, adding Mmm Sugar is planning events for kids on PD days and weekends.

Perera said in March, the café will be teaming up with a diabetes association and a group of 10 children to bake sweets suitable for those with the disease.

Meanwhile, the cake decorating side of the

Natasha Perera and Andrew Nelson.

business is already booked solid until April, she said.

Although the couple had planned to wait six months to launch a lunch service, those plans sped up after positive feedback from locals.

Mmm Sugar will serve tuna, chicken, vegan, shrimp and beef pickle melts alongside organic soups and sandwiches. There are also plans for a liquor licence in the near future to serve wine and beer.

“The biggest challenge is just getting people

through on a regular basis. We haven’t put any advertising out and we know that when we do, things will really take off,” said Nelson.

Nelson said going from a position as executive chef at a hotel to the owner of a café was a real change for him but gave him the opportunity to learn more of the business side of things.

“You lose sight a little bit sometimes of cooking and doing what you want to do,” he said.

“I just took the opportunity to get back to the basics.”

March 2015 | 3

O N T A R I O

EDITORIAL

T

he showroom floor is jammed with everything from sparkling silver spoons and tulip glassware to Internet-connected combitherms and the latest in induction cooking technology. It’s a river of tables cluttered with cards, brochures and show models. Glass bottles, paper cups, lighting and patio heaters all whirl about as though stepping out for a delirious night on the town. Everything anyone would need to run a restaurant, all the bells and all the whistles, have been shipped in for eager eyes to ogle and order.

I go nuts for this stuff. Recently, at the NAFEM Show in Anaheim, Calif., I went on for hours to a colleague about a garbage pail with a venting system in the bottom so that when you pull the bag out there’s no suction. Do you know how many times I’ve had to push the bin against a wall, or get a fellow employee to bear hug the bottom, to free the

unrelenting bag? It’s such a small tweak — why haven’t we thought of this before?

Or more recently, at the Restaurants Canada Show in Toronto, I was blown away by a combitherm that connects to the Internet for programmable recipes. The unit included self-cleaning technology and the ability to smoke meats.

I get giddy when I see the latest in plate design, eco-friendly takeout trays and gooseneck draft taps.

But after a long day of walking what feels like a marathon, I start to remember that behind all of these great innovations are people: people who thought outside the box to design and redesign; people who adjusted and tested; there were tinkerers, artists and account executives; chefs with specifications; and there was an entire army who jumped in trucks and moved it all around. There were people who turned the lights on, and people who turned them off. Amazingly talented people.

I know it’s an easy sale when investing in new equipment, especially when the equip-

ment pays for itself over time by cutting down on labour or energy costs. But I wonder if, at times, when it comes to investments we miss the forest for the trees.

Last month, a restaurant operator took his staff to Cuba because they reached their sales goals. They closed the doors on the business to bury their feet in the sand, sip rum and tequila, and bond beneath the equatorial sun. This would have cost but a third of a new oven, a tenth of a complete interior redesign and a fraction of the cost of giving the serving staff tablets for at-table ordering.

Assuredly, giving the best tools to allow your people to do their job is a good move.

But let’s not forget that without the people behind restaurants, there’s no combitherm or a sleek new design that can keep the operation afloat.

Amazing people — now that’s something worth investing in.

PUBLISHER

Steven Isherwood ext. 236 · sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com SENIOR EDITOR

Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 · cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kristen Smith ext. 238 · ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 · jzettel@canadianrestaurantnews.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

Don Douloff ext. 232 · ddouloff@canadianrestaurantnews.com SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

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Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 · sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

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Jonathan Zettel Associate Editor

CONTROLLER

Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 · tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com

CONTACT US: 905-206-0150

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

NEWS BRIEFS Owner rewards staff with trip KINGSTON, Ont. — When employees at Tango Nuevo met their sales goals for 2014, owner Gokhan Cifci took his staff on vacation.

“We set out goals for the year at a meeting in January of 2014 and I told them they would be rewarded if we achieved those goals,” Cifci told the Kingston Heritage.

“They hit the target and I decided to close for a week in January, when it was convenient for the restaurant, and we all went down to Cuba.”

The year’s goals included monetary amounts but Cifci also wanted to see the restaurant rank in the top five in the city; it was ranked fourth of 365 Kingston, Ont. restaurants on TripAdvisor at press time.

The restaurant employs 24, but only 16 were able to go on the trip to Cuba and Cifci gave those who could not attend bonuses instead.

Tango Nuevo opened in July of 2013 and serves Spanish cuisine and fusion tapas.

Le Cordon Bleu scholarship OTTAWA — A new scholarship worth more than $30,000 could heat up the career of aspiring culinary talent. Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute, along with Restaurants Canada and Canada’s Best 100 Restaurants, launched the Passion for Excellence Scholarship Competition in late February.

The national scholarship is open to Restaurants Canada members and their employees, regardless of current job title.

The prize includes a nine-month placement at Diplome de Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute and a paid internship under Yannick Anton, chef of Le Cordon Bleu Signatures restaurant

4 | Ontario Restaurant News

in Ottawa.

Information and application forms are available at www.chefscholarship.ca with a deadline of July 31.

ORHMA objects to RPP change TORONTO — Foodservice margins have declined from 9.6 per cent in 1990 to to 4.2 per cent in 2013 and 90 per cent of ORHMA members surveyed are concerned about the impact of Ontario Retirement Pension Plan changes.

Tony Elenis and Leslie Smejkal of the ORHMA have written Mitzie Hunter, associate minister of finance, expressing concerns about the impact of an ORPP on the province’s hospitality industry.

In the letter, they note that the Canadian foodservice industry has been pressured with skyrocketing food costs, escalating utility bills and, with the proposed ORPP changes, a 1.9 per cent increase in labour costs.

“ORHMA remains concerned about the unintentional consequences; a 1.9 per cent increase to an industry operating at 33 per cent labour costs is a significant new cost to absorb,” Elenis and Smejkal said in their letter.

“There will be further restraining of hiring younger workers and while the government aims for the well being of Ontarians there will be unintentional consequences to employee benefits. Our members have told us that this will lead to trimming health benefit plans such as prescription drug and dental plans as these are typically managed and accounted for less than one profit and loss statement department line.”

CAFP national conference buzz FEDERICTON, N.B. — The 2015 Cana-

dian Association of Foodservice Professionals’ national conference takes place May 27 – 30 at the Delta Fredericton with the theme “come and hear the buzz.”

In addition to CAFP business, networking awards and optional tours, the educational sessions are scattered throughout the three-day event.

Speakers include: CBC columnist Pierre Battah on the multigenerational workplace; Kathy Nason of Springbrook Cranberry; Dave Wolpin, young entrepreneur, farmer, food market owner and developer; and Jessie Jollymore of Hope Blooms on the Nova Scotia community health centre’s youthled salad dressing business. Sally Wells will address conflict within the workplace and Janice Butler will present “Maintaining the Buzz.”

Wine at Starbucks Canada TORONTO — Starbucks will be expanding its alcohol program to Canadian locations by the end of the year.

Starbucks Canada president Rossann Williams told the Toronto Star the pilot project dubbed Starbucks Evenings, which started in 2010 in Seattle and has since expanded to about 30 U.S. locations, would be coming to Toronto and other big cities.

Luisa Girotto, director of public affairs Starbucks Coffee Canada, said in an email the company is “looking at expanding this experience to Canada in select stores by the end of the year. Canadian cities and stores are not yet confirmed.”

Starbucks Evenings includes a menu of up to 10 different types of wines and offers a variety of hot foods, such as chicken skewers, a grilled vegetable plate, truffle macaroni and cheese and chicken, sausage and mushroom flatbread.

MICKEY CHEREVATY Consultant, Moyer Diebel Limited MARVIN GREENBERG Consultant JACK BATTERSBY President, Summit Food Service Distributors Inc. BARNEY STRASSBURGER JR. President, TwinCorp PAUL LECLERC Partner, Serve-Canada Food Equipment Ltd. PAUL MANCINI Director of Retail, Inventory and Wholesale, LCBO JORGE SOARES 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 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.

ONTARIO RESTAURANT NEWS VOLUME 30 · NO. 2 · MARCH 2015 Ontario Restaurant News (www.ontariorestaurantnews.com) is published 12 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ont. L4X 2W1 T: (905) 206-0150 · F: (905) 206-9972 · Toll Free: 1(800)201-8596 Other publications include the Canadian Chains Directory and Buyers’ Directory as well as: P A C I F I C / P R A I R I E

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Anaheim Convention Center. Left: photos from the show floor.

Industry gathers at NAFEM Show 2015

By Jonathan Zettel, Associate Editor ANAHEIM, Calif. — More than 20,000 professionals from the foodservice industry gathered in Anaheim, Calif., to attened the bi-annual National Association of Foodservice Equipment

Manufacturers Show.

Vendors showcased the latest in induction cooking, combitherm ovens, smallwares and lighting at the Anaheim Convention Center from February 18 to 21.

Foodservice professionals from around the

world were able to get hands on and look at the latest in energy efficient and sustainable foodservice equipment.

From blenders to one touch specialty coffee machines, the massive floor had something for everyone in the industry.

The next NAFEM Show will be held in Orlando, Fla., at the Orange County Convention Center on February 9 to 11, 2017.

Below are just some of the many new products on hand for attendees to see and learn about.

NAFEM PRODUCTS 1. Scotsman’s Prodigy Plus line

5. Franke’s brewing system

Built off the company’s Prodigy line released in 2006, the Prodigy Plus ice machines include some key upgrades: a relocated auto-alert indictor light; a self-aligning front panel for easier access; a front-located air filter that eliminates the need for side clearance; and built-in antimicrobial protection. www.scotsman-ice.com

Franke Foodservice Systems has introduced the BKON Craft Brewer. The machine uses negative pressure through a patented reverse atmospheric infusion process to extract flavours with precision and speed. It can be used for tea, coffee or to infuse alcohol. www.frankeamericas.com

2. Hatco plate warmer

6. Champion’s reduction system

Hatco has also released the Portable Heated Glass Shelf Modular. The unit is made from food-safe black ceramic glass that creates uniform heat across the top surface. It can be set from 130 F to 200 F and can hold a 12- by 20inch food pan. www.hatcocorp.com

The Foodwaste Reduction System by Champion can reduce organic waste volume by as much as 95 per cent. The system transports waste through a grinder, into a centrifuge and then into a dehydrator. The remaining product resembles sawdust. The system guarantees no harmful emissions. www.championindustries.com

3. Vitamix multi-coloured blenders Geared toward operators looking to reduce potential allergen cross-contamination, Vitamix has released several blender colour options. By identifying coloured blender containers specifically for dairy, nuts, soy etc., operators can help protect patrons from food-based allergies. The new line is produced from a copolyester material and is both chemical and shatter resistant. www.vitamix.ca

4. Brute’s vented garbage pail Venting channels along the sides make Rubbermaid’s Brute refuse container 50 per cent easier to pull bags out by reducing suction. The line also carries integrated cinches, so you no longer have to tie a knot to keep the bag inside the pail. Rounded handles make lifting and moving easier. www.rubbermaidcommercial.com

6 | Ontario Restaurant News

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7. Sterno’s flameless candles SternoCandleLamp has teamed up with Vancouver-based Northern International to produce a line of flameless candles. The line includes a range of units that can operate in rain and extreme heat, alongside candles that can be recharged without changing the battery and candles that can be programmed to turn on and off automatically. www.sternocandlelamp.com

8. Cookshack smoker Cookshack has released a pellet-fired smoker oven for commerical kitchens. According to the company, the pellets eliminate heat fluctuations that dry and shrink meat. The smoker does not require gas and simply plugs into an outlet. www.cookshack.com

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Changes for STA Think tank talks future grads STRATFORD, Ont. — Stratford Tourism Alliance (STA) announced a new vision in early February that will see the organization turn its attention to the local food scene.

STA has been producing the annual Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival for seven years, bringing celebrity chefs from across Canada to the area, introducing food trends and pairing local chefs with producers for the Grand Tasting event.

“It was a really fun street festival and as a result of that, it has brought a lot of attention to our community, which is very strong agriculturally and has a lot of culinary prowess,” said STA marketing manager Cathy Rehberg. “The Stratford Tourism mandate is really to promote and market Stratford, more so than to produce large full-scale events.”

She said the board had been examining the festival for a couple years and decided to step away from the project.

In December, they invited stakeholders to talk about the new direction for the festival, which has been handed over to a six-person steering committee of local chefs, produc-

ers and business owners who have expressed an interest in creating a smaller event.

Rehberg said the new, grassroots event will focus more on the local community, producers and chefs.

“We don’t have all the details yet, but we felt it was important to come forward now and let people know that what we had in the past, isn’t going to be there in the same form,” she said.

“Over the period of seven years, the Savour Stratford brand has become, I would say, much larger than a two-day festival. For a community of 32,000 people, we really have a lot of cool culinary experiences and local products,” said Rehberg, adding the STA plans to focus its attention on the area’s chefs, businesses, events and programs throughout the year.

She pointed to the recent cheese week and Maple Trail as examples.

Starting in May, Peter Blush of Puck’s Plenty will be teaming up with local chefs to prepare a menu with what was gathered on the foraging tour. “It’s that kind of thing that we want to focus on and draw more attention to the individual producers and chefs in Stratford,” said Rehberg.

TORONTO 2015

TORONTO — Seneca School of Hospitality and Tourism hosted more than 70 industry representatives at an industry think tank in Febuary to help shape a new type of graduate better equipped to meet future needs.

Trudy Parsons, director, workforce development at Millier Dickinson Blais, a national economic development consulting firm, told the group that often the talents and skills of the people in a certain region don’t align with what employers need, and the challenge is to create opportunities and provide students with what they need to succeed in a changing world.

One of the skills hospitality and tourism professionals will need in the future is lingual flexibility. “People are coming to us with many different languages. Tourism from China and South Korea is increasing both in number of visits and dollars spent,” Parsons said. She added that in 2010, Canada spent an average of $688 per employee on training, while the U.S. spent $1,071. The Canadian figure is down from from $1,116 in 1993.

“Lifelong learning is needed, and employees must be adaptable, responsible and accountable,” Parsons said.

Later in the morning, an industry

yOuR fOOd busiNess capiTal

April 28 to 30, 2015

Direct Energy Centre, Toronto

panel looked at what will be different pectations and manage change.

“Restaurants are becoming gatein the hospitality and tourism induskeepers of customers’ well being,” try in 10 years.

Robin O’Hearn, director of tal- Dooher said. “We’re in charge of ent management at Delta Hotels, said healthy, informed dining, and we technology will look a lot different need to set the tone for [those who and work spaces will be collabora- are new to the workforce]. We make tive hubs, but hospitality still needs people happy — that’s the most imthat human element. “There will be portant thing! A number of young a lot of automation, and the winners people are coming out of college and will be those who strike a balance,” university who have never had a job.

Some have a born-to-the-manor atshe said.

Donna Dooher, interim chief ex- titude. We need to manage their executive officer of Restaurants Can- pectations.” ada and owner of Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in Toronto, said the restaurant industry provides entry-level jobs for people 18 to 25. Her employees are always the same age, but she continues to get older. “And the frustration gap widens ... ” One of the big challenges will be to work together, John Walker, former dean of George Brown and to understand their Humber colleges, and Angela Zigras, Seneca needs and wants, School of Hospitality and Tourism chair. to manage their ex-

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8 | Ontario Restaurant News

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W

ith an increase in meat prices and growing consumer interest in vegetable types and varieties, operators can increase profits by making room on the menu for interesting plant-focused creations.

“The main course meal, in a lot of cases, is becoming less and less protein based and more vegetable based. Vegetables are moving more to the centre of the plate,” says Lorie Goldfarb, director of operations for Bamford Produce. “More and more restaurants are seeing the value of fresh, wholesome foods.”

He says everyone wants the protein to get smaller and is adding a second or third vegetable to the plate. He thinks fresh produce and healthy offerings can be the key to growth across the foodservice industry.

Kind Organics farm. Photo Julian Hall.

Put your best vegetable forward Every year, David Evans meets up with other Gordon Food Service corporate chefs to explore what’s happening in trend-driving cities.

“As we go to some of the top spots, we see things that are very vegetable forward,” says Evans, Gordon Food Service corporate chef for Ontario.

He describes baked cauliflower and broccoli sandwiches as main dishes.

Grasslands’ pesto cream fettuccini.

At Chalk Point Kitchen

Creative sides With a Holland Marsh grower on board, Evans is getting his clients excited about this year’s harvest of a new potato variety with deep blue flesh.

“A double-baked blue steel potato with truffled butter, cipollini onions and wasabi greens … Can I get $6 for a baked potato?

I hope so, because I’m making a lot of money if I do that, but I’ve done a lot of work to it,” says Evans.

Foodland Ontario spokesperson and executive chef at Mississauga’s International Centre Tawfik Shehata has a passion for sustainable agriculture and his commitment to supporting local producers.

“I think accessibility to a lot of different vegetables has brought about more awareness,” says Shehata. He attributes people’s knowledge and interest in what’s available in Ontario to the growth of farmers markets and the ability to connect with the grower.

Shehata likes to work with different varieties to bring visual appeal and interesting flavour to International Centre guests.

“Instead of having your generic orange carrots, we’ll use heirloom carrots, so we’ll have yellow, purple and red carrots on the plate,” he says.

He attributes the rise in interest in heirloom varieties to our growing immigrant population farming the things they are used to growing. In his home country, Egypt, carrots are purple.

Goldfarb says people are becoming more aware of what’s available and more creative with vegetables not regularly eaten until more recently.

“Today, you’ve got brussels sprouts becoming a forefront side on a plate. Different restaurant chains are becoming very creative with the product,” says Goldfarb.

International Centre. Photo by Sonya Poorter.

1 0 | Ontario Restaurant News

in New York, chef Joe Isidori offers up a selection of 18 share plates, all vegetables. Executive chef Jeff McInnis and chef de cuisine Janine Booth are incorporating the whole vegetable by using carrot tops to make pesto at Root and Bone in New York.

“As the prices for your leading protein commodities are increasing, operators are looking to give value and have contribution to margin,” says Evans. “If I can take a cauliflower and roast it and maybe make a little chicken salt by roasting the chicken skin and drying that and then sprinkling the handmade chicken salt over the roasted cauliflower, it’s still got the meat, it’s got the lower food costs and it’s got the higher perception of value because of what I’ve done to it or what I’ve made it into, so my contribution to margin could be good.”

Evans notes the importance of having meat-free options on the menu. He talks about the “veto factor” in a group of diners. “You’re going to go to the place where the person who has a special dietary requirement is going to be comfortable.

They’re one person out of five, but they’re the driving force

behind the decision of where to go,” says Evans.

A vegan since his teenage years, Stephen Gardner, chef and owner of Grasslands (formerly Fressen) and three Urban Herbivores in Toronto, believes healthy whole foods should be available to everyone regardless of income.

He says since he attended culinary school about 30 years ago, foodservice has become less about cooking and more about the whole product.

When he opened his vegan restaurants, there wasn’t a whole lot of innovation in the vegetarian restaurant category.

“You have to make food understandable to the customer,” Gardner says. “We keep the same plate structure: protein, starch, vegetable, but the protein is often a vegetable-based protein.”

He says a good way to build flavours is to bring the components together with sauces. “I think that was a lot of the problem with veggie cuisine before, people weren’t putting it together with sauces,” says Gardner.

Mixing it up According to Technomic’s 2013 report on The Lettuce Revolution, 83 per cent of restaurant customers say the type of salad green is important to their decision about whether or not to order a salad.

Evans says heritage greens and hardy leaves are popular.

He notes lettuce leaf hearts allow good plate coverage and require less ounces to fill a bowl than romaine. “I’ve got 80 cents of chopped, washed, boring old romaine in one bowl and I’ve got a dollar of this in another bowl. However, the perception of value of this salad is more,” says Evans, explaining that you bank more in the end with an initially more expensive item.

“Don’t be scared to invest; put a little bit of money into the quality of the produce that you’re using, because your contribution to margin at the end can be better,” says Evans.

Shehata says sprouts are a great way to spruce up a salad.

“There are quite a few local greenhouses and a lot of interesting greens: baby kale, red kale, different colours of lettuces, multicoloured pea sprouts,” he says. “Sprouts, when they first get what they call their true leaves, have a ton of flavour. Some of the radish ones are really spicy, some of the broccoli tastes like broccoli and the arugula is very peppery.”

Sandra and her husband Tamas Dombi started Kind Organics five years ago on a King Township farm where they grow greens and sprouts for salad mixes.

Creative salad blends is her creative outlet and while she tastes everything that is picked, Dombi says her focus is on visual appeal, texture and quality.

“I like to see it and have it be beautiful,” she says.

“I like all the different sprouts and all the different tastes. One little radish sprout tastes like this incredibly potent radish, but it’s green and more nutritious than the root of the radish,” she says.

“We’ve put flowers in our blends because lots of

people love it,” says Dombi. “Some of them are tasty and some of them are just really pretty. I always tell people they are full of vitamin H, happiness.”

Kind Organic’s Cosmic Blend includes aromatic herbs, flowers and corn sprouts, which are sweet and bright yellow.

Over the winter, greens stay relatively small and some grow better than others.

Dombi says the flavour profile changes with the seasons, with leaves often tasting milder in the spring such as arugula, which is more peppery mid-summer and milder again in fall.

“In the summertime, Swiss chard tastes like butter, it’s the most amazing thing,” she says.

At Urban Herbivore, customers can build their own salads. A revamp of the brand will see preset combinations on the menu for the “salad-challenged person who doesn’t know what to have, because they’ll make a bad salad,” says Gardner.

An example of one of his creations is a sesame tofu salad with spinach, grape tomatoes, grated carrot and beet, red onion and chick peas with a lemon tahini dressing.

With salads often served cold, Gardner says temperature and texture are important and suggests adding a warm grain to the mix.

Kind Organics. Photo by Julian Hall.

Double-baked blue potatoes. Photo by Gordon Food Service.

Good things grow Joan Fraser is the public relations specialist for Foodland Ontario, a consumer program that was established in 1977 to support and promote the consumption of Ontario produce.

There are many ways foodservice providers can communicate the local food message. Some of these establishments — such as Canyon Creek, Toppers Pizza Canada and Casino Rama — are using the Foodland Ontario logo to identify local menu items.

Fraser has been with the organization for 25 years in different roles and in her current position, is involved with recipe development and demonstrations surrounding Ontario’s bounty by highlighting some forgotten vegetables, such as “the poor little parsnip.” Fraser laughs while adding, she hopes rutabaga also catches on soon.

While developing recipes, she’s found nostalgic cooking to be a good hook, creating Caribbean dishes in the winter and Italian favourites with greenhouse tomatoes.

“You can cook a lot of Asian food with Ontario produce, especially in the spring and summer,” says Fraser, adding bok choy, daikon radish, edamame, okra and Belgian endive all grow in the province.

She says there are plenty of year-round options in Ontario, such as: mushrooms; potatoes; rutabagas; cabbages and carrots almost all year because of storage; greenhouse cucumbers and lettuce; cooking onions; and bean sprouts. Fraser adds many additional items are available for 10 months of the year.

“There is generally a lot more available than what people think. I’m a big supporter of farmers markets because that’s where you go to learn about what actually grows here and what’s available,” says Shehata. “Go to a farmers market, ask questions, get to know your farmer and you’ll know what’s in season, when it’s in season, when it’s best, what you can do with it. Go to the people who grow it and they can give you the most information on the best ways to eat it.”

Growing for taste Sustainable good foods consultant David Cohlmeyer is working with the University of Guelph’s organic agriculture program in an effort to determine the best growing practices for producing the tastiest vegetables.

While the two-year study received its funding to measure secondary metabolites, which are potential anticancer agents, Cohlmeyer notes these are also responsible for making plants taste good and lengthening shelf life.

“The perennial question is: is organic food more nutritious than conventional food?,” says Cohlmeyer, noting a graduate student performed a meta analysis of data, which indicated organic produce is higher in secondary metabolites, the substances that protect the plant.

By creating more secondary metabolites, farmers can get both better and better-tasting yields. “I’ve noticed that when food tastes good, it lasts longer,” adds Cohlmeyer.

Implementing growing practices that produce higher measures of secondary metabolites, he says, would reduce food wastes, encourage the use of cellaring and decrease dependence on importing produce. “It doesn’t have to be fresh to be good if something stores well,” says Cohlmeyer.

Last year, he planted 56 plots which were given seven different treatments including: high chemical nitrogen levels used by conventional growers; compost used by most organic growers; boosting micronutrients; the application of compost tea; and a combination of additional micronutrients and compost tea.

In Cohlmeyer’s experience, vegetables taste best and last longer with balanced soil fertility, which includes micronutrients, and a wide variety of soil bacteria, fungi and microbes, which are obtained by applying compost tea, “the aggressive bubbling of water and compost with molasses,” he describes. “I think the most important part of the compost is the biology that comes with it.”

In the tests that have been done so far, Cohlmeyer says, the latter treatment seems to have “generally higher results.”

The data will be analyzed at the university, which will also be looking at differences in terms of taste, while individuals from George Brown College are determining flavour profiles and preferences.

Cohlmeyer is also working to determine “secondary proof of taste” with Ontario Greenbelt Foundation funding.

In terms of the potential effect on Ontario agriculture, Cohlmeyer says the research could shift the motivation of buying local produce from an economic or philosophical decision. “Chefs and the public will buy more local food because it tastes better,” he says.

Greenhouse peppers by Foodland Ontario.

March 2015 | 1 1

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How to get FSR customers to order more

By Scott Stewart The full service restaurant (FSR) segment offers consumers a unique purchasing experience. Individuals at an FSR can very acutely control their costs at any given occasion. Running low on disposable cash this month but still want to visit your favourite casual restaurant? Just order water instead of beer and skip the appetizer and you’ve saved more than $10.

Beyond the traffic challenges FSRs have faced since the economic downturn in 2009, this behaviour of limiting spending on items has also become more prevalent in the market. As a result, the FSR industry is facing a double whammy of sorts: less traffic, and fewer items ordered from those who do visit. According to the NPD Group, average items per eater at FSRs have dropped from 4.1 per customer in 2008 to 3.8 per customer in 2014; on average, a seven per cent decline in the number of items ordered at every FSR meal.

With this in mind, FSR operators need to become more strategic

in order to drive more orders at these occasions. While driving traffic overall is important to the health of the industry, the continued flatness of the market means operators must maximize every visit.

First items to be cut In recent years, FSR traffic has remained flat, but certain items have continued to decline as consumers cut back. Despite flat traffic since 2012, beverages and side dishes have declined by three per cent, appetizers by four per cent, and desserts by six per cent. In that same time, sandwiches have grown by two per cent. What’s happening is clear: FSR consumers are ordering mains, but skipping the drinks, sides, apps and desserts.

The power of peers Alcohol presents many profit benefits to FSR operators, yet the category has declined in servings in recent years. According to the NPD Group’s FSR Report, a solution for this problem may be right at the very table. Consumers report that the top

trigger for ordering an alcoholic beverage at an FSR is that others in their party also ordered it. The social nature of alcoholic drinks lends itself to this group-motivated behaviour, and this presents a leverage point for operators.

Knowing that consumers — especially those under 30 — look to others in their group for decisions on alcohol ordering, FSR operators can train staff to engage entire groups by attempting to encourage alcohol orders from one or two of the patrons.

Once these initial orders are made, it is likely that the rest of the table will follow, helping operators to maximize spend from this occasion.

The allure of fixed pricing While alcohol orders can be encouraged by others at the table, increasing appetizer and side dish orders may require a different strategy.

For these parts of the meal, the lead trigger for consumers is a fixed price menu. This speaks to the consumer’s desire for these complementary items that help perfect a restaurant experi-

ence, combined with their desire to get value out of the meal and limit spend.

By offering a fixed price meal, consumers can have an all inclusive experience at the restaurant, and still feel like they’ve received good value.

This provides multiple benefits to the operator: items and cheques increase, helping to drive better sales; and the customer now experiences the full offerings of the menu, and is more likely to return to that restaurant.

Treat yourself Finally, for operators to reverse the trend in dessert declines, strategies need to be based around indulgence. The top trigger for dessert orders at FSR is treating, meaning this consumer decision is driven by emotion. Secondary triggers for desserts are menu pictures and descriptions, which is where manufacturers can support operators to provide these visualizations and encourage more dessert orders.

Combining these two strategies, operators could help increase dessert

orders by offering menus after meals with exciting photos and descriptions, and training staff to speak to the indulgence of the products and the emotional experience of treating yourself at the restaurant.

Finding your strategy While an operator may not implement all of these tactics to help drive sales, these triggers highlight the need and the potential benefit of strategizing to drive more item sales. By selecting a target for drinks, sides or appetizers and working with staff and suppliers to tactically increase those orders, FSR operators can begin to maximize consumer spend at their restaurants and drive sales growth back to the industry.

Scott Stewart is an account manager, foodservice Canada for The NPD Group. The NPD Group has more than 25 years of experience providing comprehensive consumerbased market information to the foodservice industry. For more information, visit www. npd.com or contact him at scott.stewart@ npd.com.

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1 4 | Ontario Restaurant News

IN FOCUS

Thunder Bay’s Sleeping Giant. Photo by Cameron Montgomery.

Courtesy Thunder Bay Tourism.

Courtesy Thunder Bay Tourism.

Thunder Bay on the rise

By Jonathan Zettel THUNDER BAY, Ont. — While Thunder Bay is home to the picturesque Sleeping Giant, the restaurant scene has been quietly awakening for the past five years.

Jim Comuzzi, owner Rooster’s Bistro and chair of the Waterfront District BIA, said the city is abuzz with new restaurants and unique culinary experiences.

“Over the past five years, the growth has been enormous as far as businesses go and, more importantly, as far as restaurants go,” Comuzzi said. “What’s more, the increase in the variety of restaurants has been phenomenal.”

The Waterfront District — which is becoming the city’s arts and entertainment district — is home to some of the city’s culinary attractions. From burgers to seafood and fine dining, the area overlooks Lake Superior and holds many independently run establishments. According to Comuzzi, it’s this independence that resonates with both local and transient customers.

“We have so much to offer that people are unaware of,” he said. “The tourism industry has taken off tenfold in the last four or five years; people are coming in from all over.”

Comuzzi said just within the Waterfront BIA in the last three or four years, 28 new businesses and 12 new restaurants have opened. Recently, development of the area included a splash pad, an outdoor skating rink and two new condos. An event centre and a 140-room Delta Hotel are also in the works.

“We’re all working together and creating our own traffic,” said Comuzzi. “We grow exponentially on the backs of each other.”

Away from meat and potatoes Thanks to what Parker Smith, chief operating officer of the Prospector Steak House, calls “the Food Network generation,” restaurants in the area have moved away from traditional meat and potatoes dishes to more international dishes and gastro-pub food.

“Within the past five years, there’s been a huge food revolution here,” Smith said. Prospector Steak House has been a staple for more than 25 years on the Thunder Bay culinary scene, said Smith. The menu is in the process of being refreshed for the first time since it opened through a series of specials to test how well they do and whether or not they should be added to the menu full time.

While a large part of the restaurant’s continued suc-

cess is consistency and providing steakhouse essentials — including what Smith believes to be the last salad bar in town — the move to new and innovative dishes is essential for growth, he said.

Students from the growing Lakehead University, Smith said, are travelling more and are more aware of international cuisine.

“They’re the ones that are really driving the change,” he said, adding wine and cocktail knowledge is also growing.

Although Thunder Bay is well known for its cold winters, with the mercury frequently dipping below -40 C, Smith said it actually brings everyone closer together.

“Because of where Thunder Bay is located, we’re so secluded and away from everything, I think there’s definitely a feeling of camaraderie,” he said. “Often businesses will work together … All the restaurants are very unique and we don’t step on each other’s toes.”

According to Smith, locals are fiercely proud of the city.

“Our excitement for the future of the city is a big point; we’re ensuring that we’re changing and we all believe the good people of Thunder Bay deserve the best.”

A beer of their own Matt Pearson, general manager of the Sleeping Giant Brewing Company, said locals are proud of their home, which translates to the culinary stage.

“In Thunder Bay, people like to support local but it seems to be at another level here,” Pearson said.

While for his craft beer company it means an army of loyal customers, the movement also promotes the many farms in the area and the local festivals put on by the city to help bolster tourism and restaurant business.

With events including an Octoberfest celebration, the Northern Ontario Food Show, Canada Day celebrations and weekly live music events, Pearson said the scene continues to grow.

In March 2014, the brewery teamed up with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra for an event called Brew and Beethoven. More than 700 people received beer passports to sample selections while the symphony played.

“I think proactive cities are identifying food and beer as important and the ones that are hip to it and embracing it, it’s really defining certain areas,” Pearson said.

According to Pearson, many locals see themselves as ambassadors of the city they love.

“We all need to support each other,” he said.

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Baskin-Robbins celebrates 70th anniversary TORONTO — Baskin-Robbins is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year with more than 7,500 locations in nearly 50 countries.

The ice cream company was founded in 1945 in Glendale, Calif., by brothers-in-law Bert Baskin and Irv Robbins and is now owned

by Dunkin Brands. To date, in Canada, there are just shy of 100 locations, most of which are in Ontario.

“They essentially just shared a dream to create an innovative ice cream store that would be a gathering place for families,” said Natalie Joseph, field marketing manager for BaskinRobbins Canada.

Over the years, the brand has continued to innovate, releasing monthly new flavours and keeping franchises up-to-date.

Originally, the brand’s logo was brown and pink but that was changed about three decades ago to the now ubiquitous blue and pink, Joseph said.

“We are expanding, we are growing; that’s our continued plan,” she said.

The company has more than 1,200 flavours in its repertoire. Popular options include pralines and cream, jamoca almond fudge, lunar cheesecake and love potion #31, which was designed to be a suitable flavour for every day of the month. Flavours are generated and tested at “Brand Central” in Canton, Mass., where both

Dunkin Brands and Baskin-Robbins operate.

According to Joseph, the company’s mission hasn’t strayed far from ice cream over the years.

“Our focus is all about ice cream and delivering on our product innovation,” she said. “We are known for our high quality ice cream and I don’t think we ever want to risk diluting that.”

Currently, Baskin-Robbins Canada is remodelling stores with digital menu displays, lounge-style sitting areas and the brand’s iconic pink spoon door handles. The company is also initiating a system wide POS system that will allow head office to track and measure sales and introduce gift cards and an online cake ordering system, Joseph said.

Within the last two years, the company has also opened Canadian locations co-branded with the specialty popcorn company Kernels.

“We were looking for someone we could partner with to help offset costs — for us it just seemed like a perfect pairing,” said Joseph, adding the locations remain solely Baskin-Robbins franchises with product purchased from Kernels.

Joseph said the company — which is made up entirely of franchised locations — continues to seek expansion in Ontario.

It September, she said, Baskin-Robbins Canada will team up with SickKids Hospital to raise money and celebrate the 70th anniversary.

Bert Baskin and Irv Robbins.

Original location in Glendale, Calif.

Q&A with James Chiu, president of Mandarin Kingston location, being so far from the rest of the company’s restaurants? How will supplies and food be distributed to Kingston?

JC: We have a distribution centre, which supplies all of our 23 locations currently. They will deliver food and supplies to Kingston.

ORN: Has Mandarin considered moving outside of Ontario?

JC: We have received many offers, but at this moment we are focused on growing Mandarin — and potentially other concepts — within Ontario. But, who knows what the future will hold. We are considering various regions right now; currently our main focus is in the Ottawa area.

From Left: Mandarin co-founders James Chiu, Diana Chiu, George Chiu and K.C. Chang.

With the January announcement from Mandarin that the company would be opening in Kingston, Ont., ORN took the opportunity to check in with the Asian buffet restaurant to find out about the move, its expansion plans and challenges the company faces. Mandarin cofounder and president James Chiu responded.

Mandarin’s Brampton location.

Mandarin buffet.

1 6 | Ontario Restaurant News

ORN: Can you speak to why the Kingston, Ont., is a good market for Mandarin?

James Chiu: We are absolutely delighted to open our doors in the original capital of Canada: Kingston. It is a historic move for Mandarin as we enter Eastern Ontario and open in a city with such a vibrant mix of community-minded people and businesses. Kingston has always been an attractive location for us and we have had people asking us to open in Kingston for years.

We were just waiting for the most appropriate space to become available, which is approximately 14,000 square feet with 340 seats.

ORN: Will it be a challenge to supply the new

ORN: What is the biggest hurdle to growth?

JC: Like many of our industry colleagues, our biggest hurdle to growth is labour and management; how to find the best people for the job and how to inspire management to continue to develop these people. We have been lucky in that we have great staff and management on our team and our turnover is quite low, however, sometimes we do have a shortage of labour.

ORN: Is there a concern with maintaining quality and consistency as the company grows?

JC: It is so important to maintain consistent quality at all our restaurants. Customers should be able to go into any of our 23 restaurants and experience the same quality food and service.

We utilize a variety of methods to maintain our standards. Some of the methods include mystery guest shops and auditing. For our mystery guest shops, we have people visiting the locations and evaluating all aspects of the food, service and atmosphere. As for auditing, we have quite an extensive program consisting of both internal

staff and hired consultants who examine different areas such as food safety and operations. Of course, one of the keys is to not only examine and evaluate, but also to follow through; reward or retrain based on the results.

ORN: Are there any challenges (labour, food safety, food costs etc.) the company is facing?

How does the company manage these challenges?

JC: Our main challenge is labour. We try to overcome this by soliciting feedback from our employees to try to understand how to better attract and retain employees. And we always keep our lines of communication open with our staff and our franchise owners. We also offer opportunities for advancement within our company for interested employees; if they are qualified, they are able to enter a training program at our head office. All of our franchisees are selected from this program — we promote from within.

ORN: How has consumers’ taste for Asian cuisine changed over the years, and how has Mandarin adapted and helped shape consumer tastes?

JC: We have noticed that our customers are becoming more educated about Asian cuisine and food in general. We have responded by continuing to develop our menu while maintaining customer favourites. For example, we added the sushi bar more than 10 years ago, but at that time, many of our customers were not interested in raw fish, so we came up with a variety of cooked rolls. Over the years, some of our customers have become better acquainted with raw fish, so we have been trying out sashimi at some of the restaurants. We are always looking for feedback from our customers about our menu so that we can continuously improve.

Shamrock Burgers interior.

Shamrock starts franchising TORONTO — Founded in 1970 by Danny Maleganeas and his brother in Scarborough, Ont., Shamrock Burgers began franchising last year with a Dec. 13 opening in Leduc, Alta.

With his son Greg Maleganeas as president, the chain plans to open three more locations in its home province and in Sherwood Park, Alta.

Vice-president Joel Friedman said he believes three different stores are necessary before starting to franchise in order to work out all the ins and outs. Shamrock opened its second location in Brooklyn, Ont., six years ago and another in Ajax, Ont. in 2013.

Three years ago, the chain brought on Jump Branding & Design to give them a new look. Focusing on the colour green, the stores now have a rock n’ roll focus in terms of décor and music.

Friedman said the chain marries that hip theme with the business’ 45-year-old roots with Shamrock’s traditional burger blend, homemade gravy, in-house cut and blanched fries and onion rings thick-battered with the founder’s wife’s recipe.

The patties are available in four, six, 10 or 20 ounces and Friedman said they sell quite a few of the largest size.

The chain holds what it calls the Monster Sham eating contest, which was held in Alberta in early February to coincide with the location’s grand opening celebration. The winner ate 49 ounces in 10 minutes. “Here in Ontario, the record is 64 ounces and then after the guy finished the 64 ounces, he waited about 10 minutes and he had another burger,” Friedman said.

The menu is rounded out with a

Fonda Lola co-owner Andres Marquez.

“beyond burgers” section, which includes sandwiches, chicken fingers and salads.

With an average footprint of 1,200 square feet with 35 seats, Friedman said Shamrock hopes to open in Nova Scotia.

In Ontario, Friedman said the company wouldn’t be opposed to another location in the Greater Toronto Area, but has found the stores do well in smaller communities. He said they are considering Peterborough and Lindsay, Ont. Friedman said the plan is to open between three and five locations annually.

“It is about growth, but it’s about good growth,” he said. “We’d rather have 25 locations doing great volume and the franchisees making money than have 50 and have them struggling.”

Fonda Lola interior. Photo by Caroline Aksich.

Crowdsourcing for second Fonda Lola TORONTO — Fonda Lola’s ownership team announced in February they are inviting diners to become “owners,” releasing 1,000 memberships at $75 apiece, which equates to 20 per cent of the company’s market value. Money raised though the online Indiegogo campaign will be used as capital for a new location with a tequila tasting room.

The memberships can be redeemed in restaurant credit, and those who buy will be given perks based on the amount invested.

The Queen West Mexican restaurant opened in November 2013, and is named for the owners’ grandmother and great aunt.

Co-owners Andres Marquez and Ernesto Rodriguez are Mexico City expats, and hope to start looking for

a location after the two-month campaign closes.

“I actually want the city of Toronto to let me know if we should have another Fonda Lola or not,” said Marquez.

He said a spot in the Yonge and Summerhill area, in the Gay Village or in Toronto’s east end would be good. “I find that the west end is a little bit too saturated with restaurants.

The east end and north of Yonge and St. Clair, I think needs a bit of Mexican food injection,” said Marquez.

A second location would have similar décor, “mixing rustic with modern” and will not stray from the Queen West menu. “The food concept will be the same; locally sourced whenever possible, but focusing on Mexican food for what it is: healthy,

delicious and affordable,” said Marquez.

The menu features comsome Lola, a turkey, broth and vegetable dish topped with onion and cilantro, and a kale and tofu taco with avocado chili mayo and pickled onions.

The drink list includes the CocoLoco Margarita, made with coconut water and lime kefir, and the Kombucha Margarita.

“I’ve actually put a lot of thought into what goes in the cocktails and what it does to you the morning after.

I’m helping mitigate hangovers rather than reinforce them,” said Marquez.

He said if this crowdsourcing project works, the duo might do popups in other cities to see whether there is interest in the community for a location.

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Langdon Hall chef Jason Bangerter.

Continued from cover The Restaurants Canada survey also aims to identify up-and-coming trends: 1. International/street food inspired appetizers; 2. Ancient grains (for example, kamut, spelt, amaranth, freekeh); 3. Uncommon herbs (for example, chervil, lovage, papalo, lemon balm); 4. Non-wheat noodles or pasta; 5. Fewer choices on the menu; 6. Natural ingredients/minimally processed foods; 7. Fermenting; 8. Natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, agave); 9. Family-style dining; and 10. Vinegar/flavoured vinegar/house-made vinegar.

Breakfast with Dan Aykroyd Canadian icon and television and movie star Dan Aykroyd took centre stage at the third annual Breakfast of Champions on March 3.

The actor and owner of Crystal Head Vodka told the audience of more than 250 about his experiences with food and beverage. “You will always need a great vodka on your bar,” Aykroyd said, adding Crystal Head is promoted as a high-end offering.

Outgoing chair of Restaurants Canada Liam Dolan and incoming chair Paul Methot asked Aykroyd a series of questions about his vodka and experience in the industry.

Aykroyd also appeared at the show’s Shake and Sling Pavilion later that day.

The rise and rise of fast casual While the rest of the foodservice market is flat, both traffic and spend are growing in the Canadian fast casual segment. Traffic and dollar volumes at fast casual establishments is expected to rise by more than 15 per cent per year, Mark Dempsey of NPD Group said in a seminar on

Paul Methot

March 1 in Toronto.

Dempsey defines fast casual restaurants as those where customers order at the counter, have a $10-$15 cheque, are willing to wait for their food and enjoy an engaging environment.

Dempsey called fast casual “a true melting pot,” with Cafe Aroma the leader at 19 per cent of Canadian fast casual traffic, followed by Five Guys Burgers and Fries at 17 per cent; Mucho Burrito at 14 per cent; Williams Fresh Cafe at 11 per cent; Fatburger at 6 per cent; Sushi Shop at 5 per cent; Nandos at 4 per cent; and The Works and Panera tied at 3 per cent.

“Fast casual operators are specialists in all dayparts,” said Dempsey, adding that 64 per cent of traffic is on premise, and 3 per cent of patrons buy alcohol, which represents a huge opportunity to increase sales.

Coffee is rated the most important menu item at QSRs ordered by 40 per cent of patrons, followed by soft drinks, sandwiches and potatoes, all around 20 per cent; and burgers at 13 per cent. In fast casual establishments, burgers are tops at 33 per cent, followed by potatoes at 30 per cent, soft drinks at 20 per cent, sandwiches at 16 per cent and Mexicana at 12 per cent.

Fast casual rates in the top two approval categories for food taste (83 per cent); efficiency (80 per cent); value (63 per cent); healthy options (66 per cent); and atmosphere (76 per cent. All of these rate higher than QSR restaurants, except for the value category, where the two segments are equal.

“The average eater cheque is also 58 per cent higher than QSR. There’s a fast casual halo, and restaurants should take advantage of it,” said Dempsey.

Fast casual accounts for only 1 per cent of the Canadian foodservice market, but for five per cent of the U.S. foodservice mix. “I think we want to be on this train,” he said.

The number one visit driver for fast casual is loyalty. “Loyal consumers spend more than $4 more per visit than those who visit for convenience.”

Chefs Christopher Moreland and Jean Louis Martin at the Chesher Equipment Ltd. booth.

1 8 | Ontario Restaurant News

From left: Hal Roback, Paul Dykeman, Heidi Ahrens and Krista Emery.

Crafting classic cocktails TORONTO — Award-winning bartender and Nova Scotia-native Jenner Cormier went through the creation of four classic cocktails in multiple sessions at the Restaurants Canada Show.

He noted the daiquiri gets a bad reputation, but “is a really good cocktail, if made properly.”

The key is to use fresh ingredients. “The days of lime bar mix are long gone,” said Cormier.

Using squeezed juice and simple syrup, Cormier also demonstrated a twist of the Tom Collins, a John Collins (lemon juice, simple syrup and vodka shaken and served over soda).

He said it’s fine to switch the liquor or use lime juice, depending on preference. “There’s no right or wrong way to make a Tom Collins, in my opinion,” he said.

He also made a New York sour, which is a whiskey sour with a float of wine and the recently popularized Last Word, a gin-based, prohibition-era cocktail.

Cormier noted the importance of ice quality (“It’s an ingredient that most people overlook.”) and the temperature and visual appeal of glassware. “People will fall in love with a drink before it even hits their lips,” he said.

Instead of infusing liquor, Cormier suggested changing up the simple syrup by using different sweeteners and adding spices, fruit or herbs.

“I’ve done some really fun stuff with pear juice and maple syrup,” Cormier said.

Frankie Tomatto’s Innovation Competition finalists and winners Three semi-finalists presented their ideas at the Restaurants Canada Show before a panel of industry judges at the second annual Frankie Tomatto’s Innovation Competition.

Krista Emery and Heidi Ahrens from Humber College took home top prize for their idea to solve labour shortage issues with a summer camp program that will introduce foodservice profession options to high-school students and ignite a passion for hospitality.

An entry in the Toronto Culinary Salon.

Mozzarella tearing record attempt.

“I think it’s really an exciting idea they’ve come up with and it resonates with everybody in the industry because we recognize that the need is so strong and we feel proud of the industry and we want people to understand our pride and see hospitality as not a stepping stone, but a career to be proud of,” said Paul Dykeman, Frankie Tomatto’s vice-president of operations.

Emery and Ahrens took home a prize of $3,000 and will be given the opportunity to meet with industry experts to help execute their proposed program.

Sunny Choi and Jenny Kim of the University of Guelph won second place and $2,000 for their TecD idea to monitor holding stations and send temperatures to a smartphone to help mitigate food safety issues.

Rebecca McIlroy and Chloe Blais received $1,000 for their third-place idea to open a chain of Swiss-themed rösti restaurants.

The final competition was judged by Chris Knight, president and chief executive officer, Gusto TV; Ken Otto, president and chief development officer, Cara Operations; John Placko, culinary director, Modern Culinary Academy; Peter Shier, president of Naked Creative Consultancy; and Bastian Germer, general manager, Ritz-Carlton, Toronto.

Chanel Beckenlehner, Miss Universe Canada 2014 was the competition’s MC. According to Dykeman, next year’s event hopes to include submissions from across the country with the final competition taking place at the 2016 Restaurants Canada Show.

Guiness World Record attempted At the show’s pizza pavilion, 167 attendees gathered to attempt to set a Guinness World Record for tearing mozzarella.

According to organizers, tearing the cheese was an homage to traditional Neopolitan pizza makers. The official results are expected in the coming weeks.

The event was sponsored by Saputo Foodservice.

Beau’s resident chef Bruce Wood at the Ontario culinary stage.

BEVERAGE NEWS

Wine consumption on the rise Stone beer TORONTO — According to the 2015 Vinexpo study Current trends in the international wine and spirits market and outlook to 2018, global consumption of still and sparkling wine rose 2.7 per cent between 2009 and 2013 to reach more than 31 billion bottles.

The top three countries in terms of consumption are the U.S., France and Italy.

“Traditional markets drink less, although they are drinking better,” said Vinexpo chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre.

He said spirits consumption is on the rise internationally seeing growth of nearly 20 per cent between 2009 and 2013, while in Canada it grew about two per cent but is expected to decrease by that amount by 2018.

Canada ranked sixth as a consumer of imported wine, with an increase of 13.7 per cent from 2009 to 2013 and a further increase of 8.38 per cent expected by 2018.

Canadian’s wine consumption in volume grew 12.5 per cent between 2009 and 2013. Its market is valued at US$6.1 billion, which is expected to grow by about 10 per cent in the next three years.

Looking at Canadian wine consumption by colour, red wine held the majority in 2104 with 59 per cent. White wine accounted for 37 per cent with rose taking four per cent. Rose wine is expected to see an increase of almost 14 per

moves into Ontario

Vinexpo chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre.

cent by 2018, while red and white are expected to increase by 6.8 and 8.4 per cent, respectively.

The top suppliers of the Canadian market are, in order: Italy, U.S, France, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand and Portugal. “This market is really a target for all major producers in the world,” said de Eizaguirre. “Culturally, this country is very open to

traditional products.”

He said Canada produces “very good wine,” but not enough yet. “I think your production is still small compared to your demand,” said de Eizaguirre.

Vinexpo, the largest international wine and spirits tradeshow will be held from June 14 to 18 in Bordeaux, France.

TORONTO — San Diego, Calif.-based Stone Brewing brought its craft beer to Ontario bars and restaurants on Feb. 23.

The company named Horizon Beers its wholesale partner. The two beers available in the province are Arrogant Bastard Ale and Stone IPA. Ontario is the third province to carry Stone’s brews, which are also distributed in 40 states.

“We chose Horizon Beers because they believe in providing craft beer fans with quality beers at the peak of freshness — something that is extremely important to Stone. Canadians are ready for Stone, and we feel privileged to contribute to the country’s prospering craft beer scene,” Stone vice-president of sales Todd Karnig said in a release.

A team of Stone representatives toured Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Kitchener, Hamilton, and London with a host of events Feb. 23 through 27.

Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, Stone Brewing Co. is the 10th largest craft brewer in the U.S. It owns and operates facilities in Berlin, Germany and also has plans to open operations east of the Mississippi.

Jones launches fountain pop sets us apart from standard, ordinary fountain programs.”

The Jones Soda Co. fountain will carry flavours including its traditional cane sugar cola, root beer, berry lemonade and orange and cream.

John Chapman, director of restaurants for Overwaitea Food Group called Jones “an iconic brand” across Canada.

“We chose to work with Jones Soda for our new fountain initiative because we really wanted to offer something Jones Soda fountain. different and premium, SEATTLE — Jones Soda Co. announced the with higher-quality ingredients,” he said in a launch of soda fountains for foodservice in Feb- statement.

According to the statement, Jones Soda will ruary.

According to a spokesperson, the soda ma- continue to leverage its catalogue of submitted chine is available in Canada and the company photography with co-branded fountain equipis already working with B.C.-based Overwaitea ment that incorporates “both neighbourhoodFood Group and is working to set up a deal in specific images submitted by consumers, as well as retailer-selected photographs that reflect the Ontario.

“There has been a recent increase in interest theme of each location.”

“We look forward to expanding our craft for premium craft soda, making this the perfect time for Jones Soda to launch our new margin- fountain program as these foodservice concepts enhancing program,” Jones Soda chief execu- continue to expand and as larger foodservice tive officer Jennifer Cue said in a release. “We operations look to more premium craft sodas as have created a fresh, custom program that truly a real option,” Cue said.

March 2015 | 1 9

S U P P LY

Lumotune launches digital content on glass WATERLOO, Ont. — There is a reason retailers prefer to use static signage tools like clings and decals on their windows instead of dynamic displays like TVs. They block window space and look dim in bright conditions.

But imagine if TVs were transparent and looked as vibrant as a decal under the sunlight.

Restaurants could constantly change their ads on windows, and not have to compromise the aesthetics of the storefront. That is what Lumotune is enabling retailers to do, through a transparent digital screen.

In 2011, Matin Esfahani, Hooman Safaee, and Shafi Siddiqi began work on building transparent displays as a fourth-year engineering project. In April 2013, shortly after graduating from the University of Waterloo’s Nanotechnology Engineering program, they incorporated the company Lumotune and dedicated their lives to building transparent displays.

Lumotune comes from the Latin word “lumen” meaning light, and Anglo-French “tune” meaning adjust. The company is focused not on producing light, but rather adjusting light.

Lumotune’s technology uses the surrounding light in the environment to show an image to the viewer. This means it does not cause light pollution.

Lumotune is primarily selling their product to quick service restaurants.

“Our screens give the owner the ability to display information on their windows in a more dynamic and customized manner. At the push of a button, you can convert your glass to elec-

tronic blinds, a dynamic messaging board, or simply have it appear as a regular window,” said Siddiqi.

The product comes as a piece of glass that can be attached to windows of storefronts. The glass is connected to a small adapter through a wire which plugs into a power outlet. The glass is Wi-Fi connected to receive information through the Internet, making the message adjustable from anywhere. “The best ROI will From left: Lumotune founders Hooman Safaee, be for people with multiple Matin Esfahani and Shafi Siddiqi. businesses,” Safaee said. “They could control all storefronts in all locations, or customize them. Our technology allows stores to conduct A/B testing; if something is doing really well, they can just go with that promotion.”

Esfahani, the company’s chief executive officer, said turning all surfaces into digital screens will be a long journey.

“For now, we are targeting storefronts of quick service restaurants, because they have an immediate problem that we can solve with our current technology. We want to give them the Digitized example of Lumotune. ability to perpetually change what their storefront says,” he said.

“We have the ability to cut the screens to the Siddiqi noted that no restaurant front is alike, which they took into account during de- exact sizes of different windows, and easily retrofit them on top of existing glass,” he said. sign.

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“The acquisition of Cascades’ Norampac paperboard assets enhances our position in North American folding cartons and enables us to extend our customer reach in Canada,” David Scheible, Graphic Packaging’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said in a release. “The transaction is a continuation of our acquisition strategy to grow integrated folding carton converting volumes in key geographies and end-markets. These assets will broaden our customer base and allow us to offer our current customers a wider range of products.”

Affected facilities include Cascades Boxboard units in East Angus, Que., Jonquière, Que., Winnipeg, Mississauga, Ont. and Cobourg, Ont. According to the company, the move reflects Cascades’ intention to refocus its activities on the strategic sectors in which it excels and does not affect the company’s Europeanbased boxboard operations.

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Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. www.goodfoodfestival.com April 24-26: Waterloo Region Food & Drink Show, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, Kitchener, Ont. www.fooddrinkshow.com April 27: Resorts of Ontario Trade Show, Blue Mountain Resort Conference Centre, The Blue Mountains, Ont. www.resortsofontario.com April 28-30: SIAL/SET Canada Show, Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. www.sialcanada.com

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May 5-6: GE Capital’s Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit, Hilton Toronto Hotel. www.restaurantinvest.ca May 10-13: Terroir Hospitality Symposium, Arcadian Court, 410 Bay St., Toronto. www.terroirsymposium.com

Gordo’s Diner weathers the storm

Gord Purdy.

VAUGHAN, Ont. — With more than 35 years experience, Gord Purdy, owner of Gordo’s Diner, knows the business can be a real grind.

Since opening in 2007, the ’50s and ’60s diner has pushed boundaries and jumped through hoops to stay afloat, waiting for the surrounding area in Vaughan, Ont., to develop.

“Over the years, I’ve learned patience here,” Purdy said. “It took a long time to build up our regular customer base.”

A bridge, which brings traffic to the doorstep of the restaurant at 200 Edgeley Blvd., began construction in 2007, but wasn’t finished until four years later. Now, a planned subway station

and several new condominium towers promises to increase traffic in the area tenfold, providing many new potential customers.

According to Purdy, once everything is built, the restaurant will be a gold mine. Until then, he said, he’s pulling out all the stops to stay in business.

The first move was to pull out of a franchise agreement after three years of business with a major diner chain. Purdy said the move to independence gave the diner more room to maneuver and to create more home-style meals made from scratch.

At one point, Purdy sent out 88,000 coupons for free french fries, but only got one returned just after the promotion expired. “Of course we honoured the deal and gave the customer the free fries,” Purdy said.

Purdy has also tried newspaper and magazine ads and a pamphlet, but the business had markedly better success with a video advertising campaign through a local cable company.

Armed with the tagline, “Gotta go to Gordo’s” the advertisement ran about 25 times a day, costing $3,000 a month.

“When we first ran the ad, it increased sales by 40 per cent,” Purdy said, adding it was always his goal to get people in the door once in order to develop long-term customers.

Purdy said the surrounding hotels have also been very helpful with drumming up business.

“The hotels have told me they prefer to send people here because wherever you go you have the typical restaurants, but they prefer to send them to an independent,” he said.

The 2,800-square-foot space has room for 80 seats, with booth seating and a corner table for larger groups. The radio is tuned to ’50s and ’60s music to add to the atmosphere. The walls are littered with old cars and period memorabilia.

Purdy said hockey teams and seniors groups often come through because “there’s something for everyone on the menu,” which includes three daily soups, sandwiches and all-day breakfast.

“We’ve tried to model ourselves after the oldschool diner,” he said. “Everybody is trying the new wave and fusion, but I’ve gone the other way.”

Recently, Purdy made the decision to close in the evenings because sales were “hit and miss” and he felt pressure to keep labour costs down.

Gordo’s Diner has won three “Best of Vaughan” gold medals from a local media company for best breakfast, best family restaurant and best burger.

“Right now we’re just bearing down and waiting for the subway — it’s going to be two more years,” Purdy said. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel and I don’t know how long the tunnel is, but I can see the light.”

Talking change at Terroir TORONTO — Hospitality industry symposium Terroir announced its 2015 roster of speakers in late January.

The industry foodservice and hospitality event is in its ninth year and will be held at Toronto’s Arcadian Court on May 11.

This year’s theme “Pioneering change: crafting the way we eat,” will bring together female culinary leaders and diverse culinary influencers.

Keynote presenters include: author and food writer Ruth Reichl; Prune Restaurant NYC chef and owner Gabrielle Hamilton; Dominique Crenn, chef and restaurateur of San Francisco’s Atelier Crenn; and Big Gay Ice Cream Truck proprietors Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff.

“We’re trying to explore the idea of the way food is influenced through the lens of hospitality and some of the people who have helped shape those changes,” said Terroir chair Arlene Stein. “And we’re not talking about big, massive changes necessarily, but we’re examining both icons and innovators.”

Sarah Wiener, who worked with Alice Walters to create Slow Food Nation, spearheaded the Good Food Awards. “It has had a massive impact in the states in terms of that sector of the economy as a result,” said Stein.

“And then there’s Jair Téllez, as an example, who is relatively obscure to a Canadian audience, but yet he, working in Mexico, is one of the leading chefs who is revolutionizing modern Mexican cuisine,” Stein added.

Sustainable seafood champion Antonio Park is working on a process for freezing fish without the oxygen, allowing it to maintain its

integrity.

Mark McEwan, she noted, “has shaped hundreds of careers throughout his tenure.”

The lineup also includes workshops and demonstrations and presentations by: Will Beckett, owner, Hawksmoor, U.K.; Ben Reade, independent food researcher and cook; Gavin Kaysen, chef and owner of Spoon & Stable, Minneapolis; Lindis Sloan, anthropologist and community developer from Norway; Zita Cobb, Fogo Island Inn, N.L.; Mark Schatzker, author of The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Flavor and Food; Ian Brown, author and feature writer for the Globe & Mail; Anton Sucksdorff, a photographer from Finland; Yaron Milgrom, owner of Local Mission Market, San Francisco; April Vignone, chief operating officer at Verlain International; Eric Werner, chef and owner at Hartwood, Tulum; and Farzam Fallah, pastry chef, Richmond Station, Toronto.

“I think that people are constantly learning at the symposium. The inspiration for this year is how can you, in your own work, influence the way people eat and how can you take some of the lessons from the people who are on the stage and apply them to your own work,” said Stein.

“What the delegates should take away is: how do I think about the work that I do and figure out how I can influence the way people eat.”

A panel of chefs involved in social justice work includes: Jean François Archambault, executive director and founder of La Tablée de Chefs; David Hawksworth, Hawksworth Restaurant owner and founder of the Young Chef Scholarship Foundation; and Ned Bell, executive chef of Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and

David Hawksworth.

Ned Bell.

director of Chefs for Oceans.

This year, Terroir is a including a second day in the form of a roundtable discussion in partnership with Bell and leaders in sustainable seafood in an effort to educate chefs and clear up some misconceptions.

Stein said they are hoping to create a chef ’s charter of actionable items to increase sustainable seafood consumption and are taking a small group to St. John’s, N.L. to learn about Atlantic Canada’s fisheries. “I think it’s really exciting and it’s going to take Terroir one step forward in doing our own activism,” said Stein.

Rising young stars in Ontario TORONTO — The Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) announced the recipients of its 2015 Top 30 Under 30 recognition program in midFebruary.

The annual list celebrates young professionals in the hospitality and foodservice sectors.

Here are this year’s honourees in alphabetical order: • Sarah Atzmueller, head butcher, The Healthy Butcher; • Sophie Doria, President’s Choice Test Kitchen chef recruitment and internship officer, Loblaw Companies Ltd.; • Bykova D’Sa, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, George Brown College; • Christine Fancy, corporate pastry chef, The Drake Hotel commissary; • Julia Gilmore, product development co-ordinator, Ontario Tourism Alliance; • Gracie Goad, food and beverage manager, The Drake Hotel Properties; • Rebecca Gordon, student leader, University of Guelph; • Brianne Hawley, wine student liaison, social media, Niagara College; • Michelle Hewitt, general manager, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen; • Lee Jackson, general manager, Oliver & Bonacini; • Hayden Johnston, chef de cuisine, Richmond Station; • Emma Kamp, assistant general manager, Bread Bar Guelph, Pearle Hospitality; • Marc Kanatkin, manager, Imago Restaurants Inc.; • Yiannis Kokolakis, roomservice and stewarding manger, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto; • Kristin Leiska, senior marketing manager, Tortoise Restaurant Group; • Benjamin Lillico, chef de partie, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa; • Semion Merzon, franchise owner and operator, Aroma Café; • Marcus Monteiro, executive chef, Brassaii Restaurant; • Emily Newton-Przulj, executive meeting manager, The Fairmont Royal York; • Garrett O’Kane, general manager, O&B Events, Oliver and Bonacini; • Candace Rambert, culinary technician, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, George Brown College, Food Innovation and Research Studio; • Sarah Russell, meeting and event manager, The Westin Harbour Castle; • Michelle Siman, new product introductions specialist, Tim Hortons; • Jay Thomsen, executive general manager, Chase Hospitality Group; • Mark Tsujimoto, assistant guest services manager, Park Hyatt Toronto; • Audrius Valiulis, account manager, apetito Canada; • Carolina Ventura, assistant catering manager, Metro Toronto Convention Centre; • Mary Catherine Wasilik, customer experience, Rosewood Estates Winery; and • Nikki Weiler, owner and manager, Janet Lynn’s Bistro.

March 2015 | 2 1

PEOPLE

Paul Moran

Graham Hayes

French’s Foodservice brought on Graham Hayes as a Canadian corporate chef in January.

The Northern Ireland native was most recently in a similar position as culinary director for a food broker and has 15 years experience working with SIR Corp as culinary director for Jack Astor’s and executive chef with Canyon Creek.

According to French’s, Hayes brings knowledge of the Canadian palate to the culinary team and will be working with national, multiunit accounts on ideation and determining customization options.

Ten chefs under the age of 30 from across Canada faced off for a spot in the San Pellegrino Young Chef for 2015 at the Milan Expo June 25 to 27.

Paul Moran from the CMH-K2 Lodge in Nakusp, B.C., beat out the two semi-finalists, Cara Davis from George and Hayden Johnston, of Richmond Station in the second round at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto in February.

Moran prepared blood pigeon smoked and roasted, beet jus and charcoal oil, polenta and salsify for the three judges: chefs Susur Lee, Cory Vitello and Matty Matheson.

Lee will travel with Moran to Milan this

Cara Davis

spring and mentor him before he goes up against young chefs from 19 other countries. Lee was pleased to see Moran prepare the whole bird and suggested Moran open the head “last-minute” so the brains don’t dry out.

“It’s a strong dish, chef; I like it,” said Matheson.

Lee called Johnston’s duo of duck dish with salt-baked breast and braised and glazed leg “a great winter dish.”

Davis’ dish of quail roulade with beet and smoked apple combined “fine dining and outof-the-box thinking.”

Canadian Tourism and Human Resource Council (CTHRC) promoted from within, after an extensive search and selection process, unanimously selecting Philip Mondor as the new president, replacing Wendy Swedlove who is retiring. He assumed his new role on March 16, 2015.

Mondor joined the CTHRC in 1996, and has held the title of senior vice-president for fourteen years.

In addition to his work at CTHRC, Mondor has also served on a number of boards and as an advisory member to numerous Canadian and international organizations, including the Council of Education Ministers – Canada, UNESCO, the South African Services Sector Education and

Philip Mondor

Wendy Swedlove

Claudio Baldinelli

Nancy Gagnon

Training Authority, the International Network of Skills Sector Organizations, the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils (Standards, Certification and Accreditation Committee), the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment, the Occupational Standards Competency Accreditation Community of Practice, and the International Events Management Body of Knowledge Project.

Swedlove will retire on March 31 after a distinguished 30-year career, during which time she built a legacy of strongly supporting the tourism industry in Canada. She is CTHRC’s founding president and for over 20 years, the council has supported the tourism sector in addressing human resource issues and building a globally competitive and sustainable Canadian tourism industry.

Alto-Shaam announced promotions on the sales and customer service teams in February.

Tito Rodriguez was promoted to vice-president of sales, Claudio Baldinelli was promoted to vice-president of sales for Canada and Chris Harvey was promoted to business development manager. In customer service, Booke Wilman was promoted to customer service manager for inside sales and Nancy Gagnon was promoted to customer service manager.

According to the company, Baldinelli will

lead and direct the sales team to meet or exceed sales revenue, sales profitability and budgetary objectives for Canada. He will also develop, prioritize and execute the corporate sales growth strategies and will work with the Canadian culinary team to expand sales and business development throughout the provinces.

Gagnon will lead the direction of all customer services and support efforts in the equipment and service parts sales for Canada. Gagnon joined Alto-Shaam in 2005 as the first representative in Canada.

Artisanal bread supplier Manoucher Food and Company announced changes to its executive leadership team in late February, with Henny Etminan taking the helm as chief executive officer.

The daughter of founder Manoucher Etminan, she has been with the company since its inception 31 years ago and most recently served as the company’s director of sales and managing director.

“As the industry continues to enjoy robust growth, our senior team is well-positioned to guide the company’s expansion,” Etminan said in a release.

The Toronto-based company distributes internationally to gourmet food shops, airlines and foodservice.

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ORDER YOUR FREE CATALOGUE 1-800-361-0388 VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.TCUNIFORMS.COM NO MINIMUM ORDER REQUIRED ONLY $7.50 FLAT RATE FREIGHT CHARGE TO ANYWHERE IN CANADA

2015-02-24 08:14

Leavoy Rowe Beef Co. " Your Tailors in the Meat Business"

INTRODUCING

HALAL CERTIFIED

HALAL CERTIFIED

For more information please contact us at: sales@leavoyrowe.com 905.272.2330 1.866.444.7974

BEEF, LAMB & POULTRY

Leavoy Rowe Beef Co. 2576 Wharton Glen Avenue Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2A9

Federally Inspected

HACCP Recognized

EST. #577 CANADA