Onatrio Restaurant News - May 2013

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estaurant News R May 2013 Vol. 28 No. 4

restaurant

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Fionn MacCool’s

Restoration “Just another block day at the office.”

established 1996

JOSH PEACE Franchise owner

By Elaine Anselmi, assistant editor HAMILTON—A brand new Artext. 404 primepubs.com franchising@primerestaurants.com 1-877-694-8186 Deco style chophouse is moving into a part of the historic Lister Block at the corner of James and King WilProject: RestaurantNews Ontario Edition | Trim: 10” x 3” | Build: 100% liam streets in downtown Hamilton.

Owner and seasoned restaurateur Chris DesRoches told ORN that his new 28 Lister, a chophouse and grill, is the right fit for the restored space.

“I’ve been watching this building since 1995,” said DesRoches. “I decided to make the concept more in conjunction with the building.”

DesRoches’ plan includes a 120 to 140-seat dining room with a patio on King William Street that seats another 60 people.

The space was designed by Robert Senate Design and DesRoches said SLEEMAN’S HISTORY CHEF MICHAEL restaurant pub it will continue the theme of “clasTOLD AT U OF GUELPH HUNTER SEES RED sic meets contemporary” that runs through the 28 Lister concept. “It’s a renaissance revival building. We’ll established 1996 carry that Art Deco feature into the SUPERMARKET SWEEP: restaurant with colours from the peToday’s grocery stores are riod,” he said. “There will be amber serving up a lot more than balighting, and black and white tile sic necessities. Turn to flooring matched up with 10 inchpage 10 to find out wide plank flooring.”

One feature of the 4,200 square how some retailers foot restaurant will be a 10-seat are getting customchef ’s table that can be broken up ers to add foodservice into smaller tables. DesRoches said to their carts. a massive Art Deco chandelier and Client: Prime Restaurants | Docket: Development | Project: RestaurantNews Ontario Edition | Trim: 10” x 3” | Build: 100% burled wood will give the secluded area – designed for private meetings and functions – a warm feeling.

A TASTE OF PERSIAN HISTORY IN TORONTO

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A DAY IN THE COUNTRY Client: Prime Restaurants | Docket: Development | FOR TERROIR 2013

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“Just another day at the office.”

SUE CHRISTENSEN Franchise owner

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

franchising@primerestaurants.com 1-877-694-8186 ext. 404 primepubs.com

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Continued on page 3

• pub

Fionn MacCool’s established 1996

“Just another day at the office.”

MANNY SIDHU Franchise owner

franchising@primerestaurants.com 1-877-694-8186 ext. 404 primepubs.com Client: Prime Restaurants

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Jump Restaurant’s million-dollar renovation includes a whisky, scotch and bourbon display at the front entrance.

Photos by Allison Woo.

Paul Benallick

Jumping forward for Oliver & Bonacini TORONTO—Taking a leap forward, 20-yearold Jump Restaurant has a million-dollar makeover and a familiar face in the kitchen.

“It’s more approachable and has refinement to it, but also a type of swag as well,” said district general manager of Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants Cyrus Cooper to ORN. “We want to make it an investment for the next 20 years.”

The restaurant opened its doors after a onemonth renovation by Karen Skobel and Paula Gauci of deSignum Design.

The space features a new 46-foot sculptural light fixture spanning the dining room, as well as

expanded private dining areas for 60 guests.

The colours of cognac in the leather and warm amber in the wood tables reflect the whisky, scotch and bourbon display that replaces the wine rack area in the restaurant’s entrance.

The menu at the 200-seat bar will focus on brown liquors, with over 60 types available and whisky and bourbon-infused cocktails developed

by Cooper and the bar team. The Ritual, created by one of the bar members based on a drink she had in New York with pickle juice and Jameson Irish Whiskey, layers Jameson with maple syrup and a potato chip garnish.

In the back of house, Paul Benallick returns to the O&B kitchens after his most recent stint as chef de cuisine at Stock restaurant in the Trump Hotel in Toronto.

Benallick worked at Canoe as chef de cuisine in 1997, at Auberge du Pommier from 2000 to 2002 as sous chef and chef de cuisine, and at Steakfrites Bistro as executive chef from 2002 to 2004. He was also a partner in a restaurant in North Yorkshire, England.

DesRoches has worked collaboratively with his already-hired executive chef on developing the menu that he described as simple and relying heavily on the product being of high quality. The menu offers a 10-ounce beef tenderloin, dry-rubbed and glazed with Stilton cheese, topped with crispy fried leeks and a house-made Worcestershire sauce. As well, a Bronzed Cioppino can be ordered for one or two people, made with lobster, shrimp, mussels, salmon and calamari, served with Roman basil crisps. DesRoches said a standard lunch will cost approximately $25 per guest, including wine or beer and a premium coffee. Dinner, he said, will be around $45 including an appetizer, wine and dessert.

In addition to the full-service restaurant, DesRoches is offering a barbecue box in which customers can take out an item from the menu, at the same cost, either ready-to-eat or with the in-

gredients to take home and cook. “You open the package and have five steaks, two orders of fish, and the prep for equal portions of salad,” he said.

DesRoches is also drawing on his catering experience to offer the service for large-scale events.

Desroches’ first company, which he started at 19, was a catering service and, during his years owning and operating several La Costa restaurants, he continued in this vein. His La Costa catering serviced several Toronto International Film Festival closing parties and Desroches said he has served up to 10,000 people at an event.

To meet the demands of the restaurant, takeout and catering, the Lister Block location offers space for separate prep and production kitchens.

DesRoches said the production kitchen, located in the main area, is a short hop away from the 700-square foot prep kitchen that will also house dry storage, walk-in fridge space and an office. Final cooking and service will be out of the main kitchen, he said.

Restaurateurs and Food Entrepreneurs ask FIRSt about...

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18 Wellington St .W. (416) 363-3400. www.oliverbonacini.com/jump.aspx.

A new life for downtown Hamilton’s Lister Block Continued from cover

Food Innovation & Research Studio

When DesRoches closed the first La Costa in 2005, he said Hamilton was in a state of disrepair. “Downtown was deteriorating. There was all sorts of talk of it being repaired but no one doing anything, so I left,” he said.

“Having watched Hamilton, now I can see that the city is coming alive. There are building permits being issued and cranes in the air. People are coming in and they’re investing in the city,” said DesRoches.

After years in the industry and having earned his Red Seal in Nova Scotia and taken chef training and food and beverage training at George Brown College, DesRoches will be focusing on service at 28 Lister.

“The restaurant is going to require a strong front of house presence and I’m going to take on that role to begin with,” he said. “But, I will have my whites ready to go.”

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www.ontariorestaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Elaine Anselmi ext. 226 eanselmi@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor, Digital Content Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com National Sales Manager Dave Bell ext. 230 dbell@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianrestaurantnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco ext. 221 sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

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mere five days before both homegrown and international chefs gathered at the Terroir Symposium to discuss food origins and other ideas, an Alliston, ON restaurateur found himself in a fight over local food that hits close to home.

The owner of Bistro Burger Joint was sent a letter from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which admonished him from using the word ‘local’ while advertising his restaurant, according to a copy of the letter posted on his Facebook page. An anonymous complaint led to the investigation, said the CBC. At issue was owner Jay Klausen’s use of the word local to describe meat sourced 200 kilometres away, for which he may face fines of up to $50,000 because it contravenes the CFIA’s line in the sand defining local as no more than 50 kilometres.

This public argument comes a month after the government of Ontario re-introduced the Local Food Act defining local as “within provincial borders.”

Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Mickey Cherevaty Executive Vice-president, Moyer Diebel Limited Neil Vosburgh President, Imago restaurants Inc. Marvin Greenberg President, S+H Realty Corporation Jack Battersby President, Summit Food Service Distributors Inc. Barney Strassburger Jr. President, TwinCorp Paul LeClerc Partner, Serve-Canada Food Equipment Ltd. Michael Stephens Director of Retail, Inventory and Wholesale, LCBO Ralph Claussen Director Food and Beverage Operations Woodbine Entertainment Group Adam Colquhoun President, Oyster Boy John Crawford Director of Sales-Canada, Lamb Weston Tina Chiu Chief Operating Officer, Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation Matt Johnston Vice-president, Marketing, Moosehead Breweries Martin Kouprie Chef/Owner, Pangaea Restaurant Joel Sisson Founder and president of Crush Strategy Inc. Leslie Wilson Vice president of Business Excellence Compass Group Canada Chris Jeens Partner W. D. Colledge Co. Ltd. Volume 28 No. 4 Ontario Restaurant News is published 12 times year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., which also publishes: Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Ontario Chains and the ORN Buyers’ Directory.

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Premier Kathleen Wynne is using Klausen’s predicament as an example of why the term local needs to extend to Ontario’s borders. At press time, Klausen was still awaiting word as to whether he would face fines if he didn’t remove the signage.

The fact that this conversation is ongoing clearly means that the definitions and challenges with local eating continue to change.

Local food has been in the headlines and trend lists so often in past years that it’s hardly news to operators that the consumer is savvier about these issues. It’s been championed by supporters as not only ethical but also of higher quality, condemned by detractors for being too expensive, and parodied by satires such as Portlandia with glee. Simultaneously, eating local has been heralded as both the way of the future and a throwback to the past, a reflection of both the way we consume food and the changes in the circumstances surrounding that consumption.

It used to be—not even 100 years ago before the advent of reliable refrigeration

BI TS Corby partners with The Wine Group TORONTO—Corby Distilleries Ltd. and The Wine Group LLC have entered into an agreement providing Corby with the exclusive rights to represent The Wine Group brands in Canada for the next five years.

Under the agreement, the marketer and distributor of spirits and imported wines will represent all of the California-based marketer and producer of table-wine brands, including Cupcake Vineyards, Big House Wine Co., Cocobon, Concannon Vineyard, Grayfox Vineyards and Mogen David Wine Co. “Their range effectively doubles our wine market share and provides an excellent complement to our existing successful premium wine portfolio that includes Jacob’s Creek, Stoneleigh, Graffigna, and Campo Viejo,” said Patrick O’Driscoll, Corby’s president and CEO, in an April 25 news release.

Toronto Public Health report suggests menu labelling TORONTO—A Toronto Public Health report is encouraging the Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care to develop legislation requiring chain restaurants to put calories and sodium values on menus. The report, released April 23, was presented to the Board of Health on April 29.

“Toronto residents are eating out more, but studies show diners underestimate the calories and sodium in their restaurant meals,” Toronto’s medical officer of health David McKeown said in a release.

Studies conducted by University of Toronto researchers show that putting calorie and sodium values on the menu is strongly supported by the public, according to the release.

Promoting Canadian cuisine in Mexico OTTAWA—In an effort to promote Canadian cuisine in Mexico, a federally funded food truck got rolling on April 10.

Celebrity Mexican chef Jorge Valenica was behind the wheel of the three-week pilot project which kicked off in Mexico City’s culinary school Centro de Estudios Superiores de San Angel (CESSA) and travelled to the country’s foodie neighbourhoods, according to a statement on the Agriculture Canada website.

AND

News of the project was met by criticism from members of Canada’s culinary scene in The National Post. The project, which ended April 28, aimed to highlight the “Canada Brand” and offered an appetizer, main dish, dessert and a drink.

“It starts with a choice of either poutine a la Mexicana or a hardy lentil salad. The poutine features crisp, Canadian French fries with melted Oaxaqueño cheese from Mexico – a fusion of two classic ingredients from two countries, into one dish,” read the statement. Customers had a choice between maple glazed albacore tuna and a classic tourtière. Dessert featured Canadian apples and oats in a crumble.

John Higgins, director of Toronto’s George Brown Chef School, told the Post the efforts are well-intentioned, but don’t showcase what Canadian food really is. “It’s embarrassing,” he said.

“The thing is, we’ve got a wonderful country and all we can do is French fries?”

According to Agriculture Canada, if the $50,000 pilot project is deemed successful the food truck may be involved in a May gastronomy festival in Mexico City.

Night and day in Niagara NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE—Peller Estates Winery is bringing back its Food Trucks Eats over the May long weekend and introducing a night market.

This will be the second incarnation of the food truck and wine pairing event, according to an April 10 release.

The event will serve up the cuisine of 20 food trucks from Canada and the U.S. with 20 wines under the Peller Estates brand. On May 19, the trucks will stay open for the night market that will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a lineup of live DJs. Guelph’s first food truck, Food Man and Culture Boy, will be one of the participating trucks at this year’s event.

Other food trucks involved are: The Big Chief, Bonfire Catering, Buster’s Sea Cove, Caplansky’s, Dirty South, Dobro Jesti, El Gastronomo Vagabundo, The Feisty Jack, Gorilla Cheese, Gourmet Gringos, Hank Daddy BBQ, Manual Labour Coffee, Rome’N Chariot, Southern Smoke Truck, Tide and Vine, Itty Bitty Pie Company, Tony’s Corner StrEATery, Roaming Buffalo and R&R BBQ.

methods changed everything for the consumer—that local meant going no further than walking across the street and shopping only for what they needed that day rather than stockpiling for a week.

Food shopping was closely tied to the rhythm and routine of cooking, and in turn, drove the cooking process through seasonality and availability.

(See this month’s home meal replacement feature on page 10 for a prime example of how the lines between grocery and gastronomy are blurring.)

And yet, at a time when ingredients from other countries and cultures are available for import at an unprecedented level, and where restaurant customers prize both locally raised meat and a fish flown in daily from Japan, the conversation around local is one that will continue to evolve with each generation.

After all, although borders—both political and culinary—shape the world that we live in, we shape and shift those same borders every day.

Leslie Wu, Editorial Director

BITES Student to open freegan café BOSTON—A university student plans to use salvaged food from grocery store dumpsters in a Boston-area, pay-whatyou-want, café this summer.

Maximus Thaler, a Tufts University philosophy of science student, is hoping to open an “underground restaurant and grocery store” this summer in Sommerville, Mass.

Gleaners’ Kitchen’s freegan menu will be entirely dependent on what produce, herbs and meats are found in nearby dumpsters, according to Time. “We turn waste into wealth by making fresh, wholesome meals that others thought were garbage,” states the Gleaners’ website.

So far, organizers have raised more than $3,000 for rent, utilities and to fix a custom “bike truck.”

The café, would operate out of an apartment where Thaler will also live. Coffee, tea and lentil soup will be available at all times and a meal served daily at 6 p.m.

Thaler told the Boston Globe everything is inspected and washed; inedible items will be discarded.

Thaler, who has several years of dumpster diving experience, told Boston Public Radio he’s wellversed in the area’s best supermarkets, what’s safe to eat and what is legal and illegal.

Gourmet Gringos parks long-term TORONTO—Gourmet Gringos, Toronto’s first Latin street food truck, is opening a brick and mortar location in May. The restaurant, of the same name, will be located at 1384 Bathurst St. near St. Clair, according to BlogTO. The new location will offer the same menu as the truck, with some additions such as vegan and gluten-free options, salads and a grilled fish taco as well as the stand-by deep fried option, said BlogTO. Gourmet Gringos owners Terry Nicolaou and Krystian Catala rolled the food truck out in August 2012 with executive chef Arturo Gress Cardenas.

According to their website, Catala has more than 20 years’ experience in the restaurant industry and Nicolaou owns a prior restaurant as well as having worked in the industry. Cardenas trained at the Culinary Institute of Ambrosia, in Barcelona and has worked in two Michelin Star restaurants.

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

DEC ODI NG THE D ATA

One Stop

Shopping:

The rise of the home meal replacement

By Ian Wilson

T

he home meal replacement (HMR) channel has become a significant competitor in the restaurant industry. We have witnessed a relatively new player in the foodservice industry evolve into a formidable opponent.

While either purchasing groceries or dropping in after work, many consumers are now purchasing meals from a grocery store’s HMR section.

We have noticed this area in grocery stores change significantly over time.

The HMR section is now located in

a prime area of the store and many include a section for on-premise consumption.

Many grocery stores provide fresh, daily prepared meals. These changes have transformed the HMR into a successful channel which is stealing share from its competition.

Over the last five years, HMR displayed a 10 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) compared to two per cent for the total market.

This was the fastest growing channel over this timeframe and this has captured the attention of the foodservice industry. This growth has translated

TOTAL FOODSERVICE SHARE

into a 7.2 share of the total market, which represented an increase of 2.2 share points in a five year timeframe.

The increased share has many manufacturers looking to target the HMR consumer and capitalize on the success of this channel.

Convenience is key So why are consumers frequenting the HMR channel? One main reason is convenience, with over 61 per cent of consumers selecting HMR for this factor. This channel mainly captures a combination of families and young adults who find it easy to grab food at HMR and carry on with their day. In fact, 32 per cent of all visits to this channel are by a family and 46 per cent are below the age of 35. These are typically two demographics that are becoming increasingly strapped for time. As the food at HMRs

is prepared in advance, line-ups usually move faster than other channels and this is certainly an advantage.

Almost 84 per cent of all visits are off-premise. While more than 38 per cent of consumers take their food home, 22 per cent eat at work. This indicates that a portion of the convenience aspect to consumers is the portability of the products. As most meals will be consumed off-premise, it must be easy to carry food items to another destination and have them remain intact.

The importance of perception Another HMR purchasing factor is a perceived higher quality of foods.

Almost 60 per cent of HMR consumers indicated that HMR offers higher quality, fresher and better tasting foods when compared to the overall foodservice market.

While there is a limited selection of foods at the HMR channel, healthy food items are mostly found in the top 10. Chicken entrees, salads, bottled water, juice and non-fried vegetables are some of the most popular items at this channel. If HMR is going to have continued success, the menu will need to expand. Typically, most dishes centre around chicken and a

combination of sides. The younger demographic can be considered explorers when it comes to food. They will expect variety in dishes at HMR to maintain their interest and loyalty.

As HMRs have become more popular at grocery stores, counter space allocated is expected to increase. This additional space should be used for innovative products to portray a fresh look to consumers.

With convenience and a perception of higher quality foods, HMRs should continue to grow in the near future. However, fierce competition is on the horizon. The introduction of many U.S. fast casual brands will certainly challenge competitors on food quality. While service may be a little longer, QSR chains have also increased food quality over the years.

The battle for increased share in the convenience sector will be intense and challenge many restaurants to adapt and evolve to consumers’ needs.

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

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

Adaptive cooking grads honoured by ORHMA An acquisition and new Graduate Clifton Young shakes hands with Sheldon Aaron, general manager, Best Western Lamplighter Inn.

By Colleen Isherwood, senior contributing editor LONDON, ON—The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) honoured the 15 graduates of its first-ever Adaptive Cooking Class April 4 at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn in London, ON. The ORHMA’s president and CEO Tony Elenis and Fatima Finnegan, director of corporate marketing and business development, were on hand, along with chair Darren Sim from A&W, and Alfred Spencer of the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario.

The 15 participants attended cooking classes conducted by Nick Gucanin Gazibaric, executive chef at the Best Western Lamplighter. Over the course of six weeks, the students, who have sight and mobility disabilities, learned to manage a budget, shop for food, and

prepare a variety of healthy dishes.

“At the beginning of the program, we asked participants how many packaged meals they had eaten in the past week, and the answer was around seven.

At the end of the course, that number was down to one or two,” said Anne Robertson, who initiated the idea along with fellow Londoner Brenda Ryan.

Adaptive devices and gadgets make all the difference when it comes to culinary skills. For example, participant Clifford Young, who had a stroke, is paralyzed on one side and has trouble using a knife. A cutting board with a knife that is anchored at the end and pivots solves that problem. For the visionimpaired participants, stable devices that prop open a freezer bag allow the cooks to pour liquids, since they can feel the edges and rest the pot on the device.

For participants who must depend on

others to prepare the food, the course teaches them how to guide or instruct these support staff on how to prepare healthy, cost-effective meals.

The participants worked in a portable adaptive kitchen, specially designed and donated by McCormick Foods.

Spacious enough to accommodate wheelchairs, it has a water pump with sink, a separate butane burner and a convection oven. An overhanging mirror makes it easier for many to see the cooking process. Adjustable shelving in the front and sides allows for volunteers to come up and assist the chef with the cooking. It takes just minutes to set up and dismantle, and is small enough to be stored in a garage.

The kitchen was reassembled for another course being held during April and May at the Delta Toronto East hotel.

The ORHMA is planning other courses throughout the province. There is no charge to participants.

At the ceremony, each participant received a diploma and a seed cup so they can grow their own basil for cooking. The ceremony was emotional at times, as participants told the volunteers and staff how much they enjoyed the course, and smiled and joked as they received their diplomas.

“Each week, when they came into the lobby for the course, they were so excited,” said Sheldon Aaron, general manager of the Lamplighter Inn, who donated a room with a fireplace at the front of the hotel that could accommodate the modular kitchen.

CEO for Leisureworld MARKHAM—Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation recently announced the acquisition of Specialty Care.

The company’s portfolio is expanding by 10 Ontario properties; including six long-term care (LTC) homes, two retirement residences and two mixed properties, according to an April 4 news release.

Paul Rushforth, chief operations officer, told ORN the acquisition will not result in significant changes for the foodservice sectors of Leisureworld or its new properties.

He said Leisureworld compared Specialty Care’s supplier list to its lists and contracts.

“There’s very high alignment with similar suppliers,” said Rushforth, adding Sysco services both organizations.

“We are focusing on continuing to grow Leisureworld as a leading provider of LTC homes and retirement residences,” said chair Dino Chiesa in a release.

The acquisition adds 1,235 beds, increasing Leisureworld’s long-term

care capacity by 28 per cent and nearly doubles the number of retirement suites with an additional 326.

Lois Cormack, president of Specialty Care Inc., took on the role of president and CEO at Leisureworld April 22. According to the release, Specialty Care increased beds by 32 per cent under Cormack’s leadership.

Cormack is the immediate past chair of the board of directors of the Ontario Long Term Care Association, where she served for six years.

She holds a Masters of health administration from the University of Toronto and is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

“Last year, Leisureworld embarked on a thorough process to identify its new CEO,” said Chiesa.

“Ms. Cormack brings significant experience in the senior housing sector, valuable relationships, knowledge of the regulatory environment, strong leadership skills and a passion for the business.”

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A taste of Persian history

Left: Alireza Fakhrashrafi and Danielle Schrage. Top right, dishes from front to back: zeitoon parvardeh, salad armani with potato, chicken breast, green peas, carrots and pickles, borani laboo. Bottom right: A line of poetry from Sohrab Sepehri. Photos by Bryanna Reilly.

By Leslie Wu, editorial director TORONTO—The line of poetry painted on the front window of Takhte Tavoos reads, “Wherever I am, let me be,” a fitting quote for a husband-wife team who just opened their third restaurant concept to expand into the breakfast/lunch dayparts.

Alireza Fakhrashrafi and Danielle Schrage, who own Persian restaurants Pomegranate and Sheherzade in Toronto, opened 30-seat Takht-e Tavoos in late April on College Street Fakhrashrafi and the kitchen staff rotate between the three locations as needed, Schrage told ORN. “He’s happy in that position, which

is definitely not for everyone,” she said.

Pomegranate’s 40-seat-space offers daily prepared, homestyle Persian food. “Nothing there is just cook and serve…it needs advanced preparation,” she said.

Sheherzade, a 25-seat grill place, with stew specialties that are made throughout the day, offers more of a restaurant-style menu that Persians don’t eat at home, such as the kebab, said Schrage.

For Tavoos, the duo saw the new restaurant as an opportunity to try something different. “My husband had dishes kicking around that he wanted to try, such as Iranian breakfast specialties,” said Schrage. “He worked in the

staff kitchen for months and months to develop recipes and when he brought it to me, it was as thick as a cookbook. We really worked on it to cut it down to a workable menu that won’t exhaust the customer.”

It was also important to the pair to give each item a sense of place by crediting the region where the dish originated, such as an egg dish on the menu called guisavah: two sunnyside up eggs cooked on a bed of butter-sautéed chopped dates and walnuts, served with shiraz (ricotta topped with nigella seeds) from the Ardebil region of Iran.

“In a place like Tehran, it’s now a mega city with 14 million people, but most of those people came, postwar,

from villages that are disappearing,” said Schrage, who has a degree from the University of Toronto in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, focusing on Iranian Studies in language, history, art, and literature. “People are moving into the city but aren’t from there. But if you show people dishes from Tehran, they’ll say ‘yes, my grandmother made that.’ People feel like they have ownership over the dish, and it changes their perspective on the food and brings them closer.”

Other specialties include kalleh pacheh, a sheep’s head and hoof broth served with two hooves and a tongue, as well as Persian flat bread, pickled garlic, lemon juice, fresh onion and

parsley and a glass of Persian chai.

“There’s a system to eating it, and it’s eaten all over Iran but especially in the mountain regions.”

The average check is $15 to $17 including tax and tip, and all meals include a glass of Persian chai. Although not originally available at the restaurant, Turkish coffee is now on the menu “because it’s breakfast and it’s not fair to deny people coffee,” she laughed.

The 1,000 square foot space is designed to be “very traditionally Persian”, with mirrors based on the Peacock Throne (the restaurant’s namesake) that were brought from Iran. “Mirrored tiles have filled palaces, mausoleums and any place of importance in Persian history, and my husband wanted to bring some of that feel over,” said Schrage. With calligraphy from Iranian calligrapher Mehrdad Shoghi, who has done murals in Iranian subways and shows in London, and miniature coffeehouse paintings and nature scenes from artist Roxanne Ignatius, the design is meant to evoke the 16th century Safavid era, said Schrage.

Although the restaurant is currently only open for breakfast and lunch, the long-term goal is to also serve dinner with a more casual menu than the other restaurants, including grilled or stewed items and appetizers in small portions to share.

“We’re building a menu that blends the two sides of our restaurants in a casual way,” said Schrage, who hopes to have the dinner menu and liquor licence by summer.

1120 College St. W., 647-352-7322.

It’s a brand new ROM temporarily closes c5 Drake for downtown

By Elaine Anselmi

TORONTO—After cryptic details were released about a new Drake outpost in downtown Toronto in early March, further information about a standalone concept in Toronto’s Financial District are out.

Drake One Fifty will open in the early summer at 150 York St. and Adelaide, in a former bank location.

The 6,000 square foot space will seat 175 people with the addition of a 70-seat patio.

The space, which includes a dining room, bar and scaled-down version of the Drake General Store, was a collaboration between the Drake team and British designer Martin Burdnizki.

The menu will be developed by newly appointed executive chef Ted Corrado (as reported in the April issue of ORN) who also oversees the other Drake properties, and Jennifer Von Schleinitz, who will be the new location’s general manager.

“Drake has always shown a genuine commitment to its food and beverage offerings, which have consistently been a source of deep pride for us,” Jeff Stober, CEO and founder of Drake Hotel Properties, said in a release.

“Our new venture in the thriving core of downtown Toronto allows us to showcase our superb food and cocktail program as the headline act, with all the usual Drake cultural offerings backing it up,” he said.

These cultural offerings at Drake One Fifty will include permanent and rotating art collections. Mia Nielsen will curate the collection that, in its first year, will host an installation by Douglas Coupland, a Canadian author whose public art contributions spot the city.

The restaurant will also feature performance space, a DJ area reminiscent of the Drake Underground, and projectors for video art.

Drake Hotel Properties will be opening another location in 2013, the Drake Devonshire Inn in Prince Edward County.

This first Drake installment outside of Toronto will be a boutique hotel in a restored historic building on the shores of Lake Ontario. Further details of the Drake Devonshire Inn have yet to be released.

Drake One Fifty, 150 York St., www.drakehotel.ca, @thedrakehotel.

TORONTO—The restaurant housed in the Royal Ontario Museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal suspended service as of May 1. The ROM released a notice of temporary closure for c5 restaurant in early April, however the space will remain open for catered events, the ROM’s deputy director, Glenn Dobbin, told ORN. Compass Group Canada’s termination of their contract in April did not come as a surprise, said Dobbin.

“One of the clauses in the agreement was that they had to provide notice,” he said. “They provided us with notice at the mid-point of last year. We issued the [request for proposal] (RFP) last September.”

“As far as the ROM is concerned, we’re disappointed. We were very happy with Compass Group Canada running the operation,” said Dobbin.

“Compass Group Canada has operated c5 at the ROM since it opened in 2007 and recently determined to re-evaluate its food service operations at the Museum,” Kathy Salazar, manager corporate communications and media relations for Compass Group Canada, said in an email to ORN. The restaurant’s closure comes after the ROM received less of a response to the issued RFP than they had hoped, said Dobbin. “We only had one [application] and we’d like to consider more than one,” he said.

A new RFP will be released later this year to try and have a new operator in place by the end of the year. “I don’t think it would be wise to do exactly what we did before. One of the elements was that the RFP wasn’t just for c5, but was for other food and beverage as well,” said Dobbin. “I think you could expect the [new] RFP, when it comes out, to be quite broad to consider multiple options.”

C5 opened with the installation of the ROM’s crystal expansion. Named for its location in the top of the fifth crystal, the space was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind.

Chef Corbin Tomaszeski was hired on to head up c5’s kitchen last year, but Dobbin said he was hired

by Compass, so it is undetermined whether he will return to c5’s kitchen under a new operator.

Compass also operates the ROM’s

The dining room at c5.

Photo by Dave Hollands.

casual dining space, the Food Studio, located in the basement. “It has also been part of the RFP, so that is undecided as to whether it will continue,” said Dobbin.

Several private events are booked for c5’s space in the coming months, but Dobbin said they would still be held. “Those events are done by Compass Group,” said Dobbin. “We’re still in talks about whether they will do it or not, and otherwise they will be privately catered.”

The ROM garnered some criticism from caterers and local newspapers in the fall for adding a $10,000 minimum investment on the part of caterers for a spot on their “Preferred Caterer” list.

Dobbin said that this was unrelated to c5 restaurant.

“The $10,000 applies to catering outside, in general food and beverage, not fine dining,” he said.

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rom stories about the humble potato to the interweaving of fine art with the plate, chefs form food memories in the most diverse places. At this year’s Terroir Symposium, held early April at Toronto’s Arcadian Court, chefs from all walks of life gathered to share how their food experiences have translated to their plate and the diner’s palate.

“Everyone here has a special feeling about food,” said restaurateur Peter Oliver in his opening remarks. “Food is holy, and connects us spiritually to the universe.” Oliver recalled food memories from his childhood in Capetown, South Africa, and how that has shaped his approach to food.

For some in the food industry, their experiences are shaped by exterior influences, such as trends or technology. Kate Krader, Food & Wine Magazine’s restaurant editor, talked about her struggle between the desire to document food through photography and the need to experience it; a familiar dilemma to both consumers and chefs. “It’s possible to go a little crazy, picture wise,” she said, mentioning an example of a meal where she took 25 photos and ended up eating only one dish. “I want to be more thoughtful about my food.”

To Alison Fryer, co-owner of the Cookbook Store in Toronto, technological change has come more gradually, but just as definitively. In the 30 years the store has been open, “only two things

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Dispatches from Terroir 2013 By Leslie Wu have stayed the same: flicking the lights on and clearing the sidewalk in the morning,” she said. In the public’s fascination with chef culture, a sharp increase in cookbook production has occurred every year, and now 22,000 cookbooks are published annually, she said. For chefs looking to cash in on the cookbook game, however, she offered the following caveat: “Writing cookbooks will make you 23 cents an hour. It’s not a big moneymaker.”

Food design and artistry Moving from the commercial to the artistic element, Irish chef JP McMahon of Aniar restaurant turned to the work of American sculptor Robert Smithson (specifically his Spiral Jetty earthwork at Rozel Point) to demonstrate how art, like food, can be material and sitespecific but also a metaphorical symbol.

“A chef’s occupation doesn’t define you fullstop,” he said. “You can be influenced by cookbooks, but can’t be separated from history.”

Chefs can also use aesthetic cues to shape the customer’s experience, said American design researcher Ingrid Fetell. She used the example of how, when presented with the same drink in red and green, people will say that the red one is sweeter based on colour cues. Colour and design can both satisfy and play up a consumer’s crav-

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Four takes on Toronto’s restaurant scene: identity, self-confidence and “The David Chang Effect”

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ing for wildness in food, and the tension between “the environment that we’ve evolved for, and that where we find ourselves living,” she said.

Community service Not surprisingly, one of the hotly discussed topics was the notion of social responsibility in cooking, eating and throughout the supply chain.

“We don’t want a system where the wealthy get local and organic and the poor get diabetes,” said Nick Saul, CEO, Community Food Centres Canada. Chef Joshna Maharaj, who works with hospitals to incorporate more local food, furthered the analogy by comparing a recipe for carrot soup to a prescription pad.

When it comes to the production of food itself, some chefs challenged their peers to be more thoughtful in their use and consumption of product. “We make bad choices because it is easy to do so,” said Magnus Nilsson, chef/owner of Fäviken, Sweden.

Describing how he cried when he had to slaughter the lamb that used to check his pockets for treats on the family farm, Nilsson made a stir in the audience by airing a graphic film depicting a horse being slaughtered for meat. “If everyone had to raise and kill their own animals, no-one would eat meat carelessly,” he said.

Following a review by Globe and Mail critic Chris Nuttall-Smith where he called New York-based chef David Chang’s Momofuku Shoto “the best restaurant in Toronto,” a panel discussed the ramifications of “Eating our own: local ingredients, foreign chefs”.

1. Rae and Noah Bernamoff, owners of New York’s Mile End Delicatessen: “Cultural reappro-

State of mind In an industry where pressure is high and increased attention is paid to the back of the house, some chefs used their sessions to discuss their strategies for coping with stress. Paul Rogalski, chief culinary officer/owner of Calgary’s Rouge Restaurant, spoke of how cooking is all about second chances, likening it to a game of golf. “If you’re out on the course and you miss the shot, then you have another crack at it,” he said.

The drive for perfectionism and dealing with external pressures is something that closing speaker René Redzepi knows well. “Have you ever burned out?” he asked the audience. “I have.”

Redzepi talked candidly about how the fame of his restaurant Noma started to affect his mindset and how he overcame the pressure by not worrying about small details and other people’s expectations. “People started asking why our waiters didn’t wear suits,” he said. “Like a [expletive] bow tie would have made the food taste better.”

Ultimately, Redzepi, like many of the speakers during the day, returned to the concept of joy in the discovery of food and its memories. “I remember when I first learned how to bone turbot,” he said. “I cheered ‘I know how to fillet fish!’ all the way home. I cheered as if Denmark had won the World Cup.”

priation is a very national thing to do. We wait for the Alan Richmans and Anthony Bourdains to give us their approval.”

2. Tobey Nemeth, co-owner, Edulis restaurant: “There’s enough room in this business for every type of restaurant. It’s raising the bar. I hope that restaurants like this make us a destination for chefs.”

3. Joe Warwick, food critic for London’s The Guardian: “Hotel planners like recognizable names.”

4. Lesley Chesterman, food critic for The Montreal Gazette: “I have no problem with David Chang, but when I heard this massive endorsement of a restaurant that had only been open for eight weeks, I spat up my coffee.”

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Creating identity and value through culinary collaboration

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A day in the country The conviviality continued in the day following Terroir, as chefs and speakers set out to explore the Prince Edward County area. Starting at Humble Bread, chief baker Henry Willis showed off their custom-made, wood-fired oven in the circa 1870 barn.

Willis—along with local cohorts chef Neil Dowson of The Waring House Pub, Matty DeMille, chef of Wellington’s Pomodoro, and chef Christopher Wylie from the Manse Boutique Inn in Picton—founded The Sons of Edward, a chef collective promoting fellowship in Prince Edward County through foraging expeditions and local specialty dinners, including the recent “Laying our Roots.”

The exploration continued with a stop at Closson Chase Vineyards to listen to manager Keith Tyers explain the winery’s use of chardonnay

and pinot noir grapes. Although the output of Prince Edward County’s wine region is still small compared to a more developed region like Niagara, said Tyers, producers like Closson Chase are using sustainable methods that take advantage of the cool climate of the region.

The day culminated in a grand communal cook-off at Norman Hardie Winery, where producers, artists and chefs from across the country mingled by speaking the language they know best: food. Chefs used outdoor grills, homemade smoker boxes and in one case, a clean garbage can, to fashion ovens and other cooking implements for the day’s work.

A final feast included halibut roasted over a campfire by chef Todd Perrin of Mallard Cottage in St. John’s, made-to-order omelets by chef Paul Rogalski and roasted pig’s face from John Jackson of Calgary’s Charcut.

Awards of excellence Three industry members were chosen by their peers for the second annual GE Monogram Terroir Awards of Excellence in Hospitality. Clockwise from top: Stephen Beckta, proprietor of Gezellig, Beckta and Play Food and Wine in Ottawa won the outstanding service professional category. Connie DeSousa, chef/owner of Charcut Roast House in Calgary took home the outstanding chef award. Jeremy Bonia, owner/sommelier of Raymonds in St. John’s, NL, won the outstanding beverage professional category.

Photos: 1. René Redzepi, Noma. 2. Magnus Nilsson, chef/owner of Fäviken, Sweden.

3. Kobe Desramaults, chef/owner, In de Wulf, Belgium. 4. Nick Saul, CEO, Community Food Centres Canada. 5. Kate Krader, Food & Wine Magazine restaurant editor. 6. JP McMahon, chef, Aniar, Ireland.

7. Trevor Gulliver, partner, St. John’s, UK 8. Ingrid Fetell, design researcher, The Aesthetics of Joy. 9. Joshna Maharaj, chef/culinary activist, Toronto. 10. Rossy Earle, SupiCucu, Toronto.

11. The Sons of Edward, left to right: Neil Dowson of The Waring House Pub, Christopher Wylie from the Manse Boutique Inn in Picton, Matty DeMille, chef of Wellington’s Pomodoro, and Humble Bread chief baker Henry Willis. 12. Todd Perrin, Mallard Inn, St. John’s, NL. 13. John Jackson, Charcut Roast House, Calgary. 14. Paul Rogalski, Rouge, Calgary.

Those in the foodservice industry know one of the biggest challenges facing restaurants these days is acquiring culinary talent. But how does one retain ambitious cooks and chefs when the scene is conservative and lacks a definitive culinary identity?

What is our culinary identity and why does it matter when, in these economic times, one of the most pressing issues with a restaurant is the bottom line? How does exploring the cultural, social and environmental issues around food benefit a restaurant aiming to fill seats?

Alessandro Porcelli, co-founder of Cook it Raw, one of the world’s most talked about, yet off-the-mainstream radar, avant-guard movements, has been aiming to bridge the divide between what is produced on the plate and its use as a socially conscious vehicle for discussion. The intimate, invitation-only event is part congress and part playground, where a dozen or so of the world’s most influential and creative chefs, including Albert Adrià (41°, Tickets), David Chang (Momofuku), Daniel Patterson (Coi), and René Redzepi (Noma), venture to remote areas to learn about food from an unfamiliar environment.

Since its inception in 2009, the group has examined issues of sustainability, tested their creative prowess on cooking using minimal energy, worked in both wild and barren landscapes, and explored the roles of tradition and culture in modern gastronomy.

But the draw to this forum is the freedom felt by attendees to create and exchange ideas.

Instead of serving a signature dish or technique, participants are invited to create something never done before – an increasingly difficult endeavour in today’s restaurants. It’s a unique opportunity for chefs to step outside the confines of the kitchen by giving them the ability to explore, and possibly fail, among like-minded culinary thinkers and friends. They share the story of their journey in a final dinner serving dishes that were inspired by the local surroundings and food culture.

So how does an essentially elite chefs club relate to Canadian restaurant operators? To stand out in the crowd, a restaurant must create an identity. According to Porcelli, that identity is created through stories, and the ability to plate and sell these narratives in a way that’s palatable to your customers. Instead of protecting trade secrets, the creative consultant tells us that changes start through collaborative interactions.

Most notably, in the kitchen.

If it’s a possible achievement at the highest level – much of it revealed through heartfelt anecdotes, images, and recipes in Porcelli’s new

book Cook it Raw – then it certainly can be adapted by other groups. “[The business] is so competitive, political or strategically challenging,” Porcelli explained.

“I’ve come to realize after many years of travelling, consulting, creating ideas and events that the future of local cuisine comes from creating a strong group of chefs who work as a team and learn from each other. Each one has his own individuality, but together they form something extremely strong.”

As they say, no man, chef or restaurant, for that matter, is an island. This is an interesting challenge for those seeking recognition on the global podium. Porcelli looked at Canada’s budding scene with great interest. Using Daniel Boulud (Daniel Boulud Restaurants) and Chang as examples, he argued that it’s the perfect time to explore these creative concepts given the draw of international jet-setters to the country. While the change won’t happen overnight, he noted the groundwork is already laid, citing the underground dining scene and network of young chefs he encountered on a recent visit to Toronto for the Terroir Symposium as being something to be excited about.

“You have the infrastructure and passion, but now it’s finding the stimulus,” said Porcelli.

This stimulus in the trades is created when a community of hard working people jointly break out of their daily routine to go out and inspire each other, taste different foods, and interact. Porcelli shared his excitement over what local chefs such as Scott Vivian, Bertrand Alépée, Rob Gentile and Matty Matheson have accomplished to date, and the way they work with and support each other in their own events. Equally impressive, he said, is the ease with which chefs from Western and Eastern Canada such as Connie DeSousa from Charcut and Todd Perrin from Mallard Cottage are able to collaboratively work together with the group or catch up over late night bites at Bar Isabel and Oddseouls.

“Unfortunately, with food, we can only detect a part of the experience through our taste buds; but what we can do in our restaurants is to create a unique environment and a story that customers can remember,” said Porcelli. “You can be the greatest talent in the world, but without a support system or story, you won’t create a scene.”

Renée S. Suen is a scientist by training, but now channels her preoccupation with discovery and documentation into freelance food writing and photography. She writes about Canada’s evolving restaurant scene for Toronto Life and Sharp Magazine, contributes to dining guides, food and travel apps, and sits on the panel for a number of restaurant surveys. https://twitter.com/rssuen.

Alessandro Porcelli.

Photo by Renée Suen.

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rocery stores and markets have exploded on the foodservice scene, positioning home meal replacement (HMR) as a less-expensive alternative to sit-down restaurants, and a healthier alternative to fast food. While the product varies, one thing is certain: some retail outlets have taken HMR far beyond traditional rotisserie chicken and potatoes.

Michael-Angelo’s director of prepared foods Anthony Caruso says the foodservice market is tough right now and HMR can offer both good food and good price points.

“Are we a restaurant or are we a grocery store, or somewhere in between? I think we’re some sort of fusion.

We’re a blend of both,” he says.

When chef Mark McEwan delved into the prepared food market in 2009 with gourmet grocery store McEwan—at the Shops at Don Mills across the street from his own restaurant, Fabbrica—he found moving into retail required a different mindset.

“I spent my whole life preparing food under pressure, so I thought preparing food in a retail environment would be pretty easy,” he says. “It turned out to be a little more challenging than I thought.”

He says thinking back on that first week seems like a nightmare, but now that he’s ironed out the business aspects and gotten a better idea of what people want and how they want it packaged, he could duplicate the model in a heartbeat; it’s merely a matter of finding the right people and location. McEwan still plans on opening a downtown location, but it has to be the right demographic mix, he says. “I’m going to be patient.”

Beyond chicken and wedges Longo’s has been working towards a more robust foodservice offer, says marketing and communications manager Sandra Duff, which goes beyond what was traditionally found in a grocery store’s HMR section.

Longo’s started out much like other grocery stores when it began offering HMR in 1987, says director of meat, seafood and foodservice Brian Langley. The stores began with salad buffets and started offering barbecue chickens and a hot table for lunch crowds in the 1990s.

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ence what they make available. “We Longo’s Kitchen brand with a sit-down section could put beets with tarragon, beets and coffee bar at a Brampton location. with chèvre, beets with vidalia onions,” At that point, Longo’s started offering pizshe says. za and deli sandwiches and worked with the Another thing the kitchen—headed up by strength of its salad bar, adding items such as chef Nicole Rumball—ensures is that the menu steamed, fresh vegetables about a decade later.

“We’ve never had a fryer in any of our loca- has items that work well together, says Rodmell. tions,” says Langley. This health focus has served Demographically speaking the chain well. In 2010, Longo’s identified some Rodmell says the store is seeing its customer key elements of running HMR in a grocery store, which included a better understanding of base change, with more urban professional and young working couples, between the ages of 30 the customer when building meal solutions.

“People are on the go more often, eating and 45, and families.

“They’ve become a lot more aware of health. less at a meal in a meal sitting, and eating more meals during the course of the day for health, They want to eat what is good for them. They diet reasons and time restrictions,” says Langley. aren’t prepared to eat pizza every week and they Michael-Angelo’s acknowledged growing aren’t prepared to have their children eat pizza interest in meal solutions by offering its own every week,” says Rodmell.

She says All the Best’s customers want variHMR line in 2002. Three years later, the family-owned Mississauga grocery store expanded, ety. “They’re certainly urban in their tastes; they opening a Markham location. Caruso says the eat out at restaurants … we have to offer good second location’s additional space meant the flavour,” she says.

Location is a big factor in determining the chain was able to expand its HMR section, add a coffee bar and 50 seats inside, with another 40 store’s clientele. Those who come in during the week live or work nearby. “On Friday, Saturday on the patio.

The cold case features a selection of at least and Sunday people come from further afield and they will often pick up things for the week four proteins, sides and appetizers.

“I’ve tried to create an environment where … it’s a destination,” says Rodmell.

“What we can do as a small business is re(customers) can come in and build a meal,” says spond very quickly to trends,” she notes.

Caruso.

Duff says Longo’s customers are extremely McEwan says prepared food is the heart and soul of his store, and the reason people come varied. “We do have typical families on the go here is the store’s interpretation of food and ar- who are looking for solutions because they are very busy in the evenings with soccer and other tisanal offers.

“We manufacture, label and package over after-school activities,” says Duff. “Some of our stores that are located 650 items and we do around businesses do everything on premsee a good lunch-time ise. It’s a big underbusiness as well.” taking,” says McEwan.

Are we a restaurant As for McEwan, Often, a store’s the gourmet grocer HMR offering is dicor are we a grocery is a special occasion tated by customer dedestination for some store, or somewhere in mand. Jane Rodmell, and a go-to for others. founder of All the between? I think we’re “Interestingly Best Fine Foods, says enough, we see a huge if the store stopped some sort of fusion. demographic swing serving some of its of people. I see people prepared meals, such We’re a blend of both. who shop here three as the Italian grilled times a week, once chicken and southa month, or once a ern fried chicken, – Anthony Caruso, Michael-Angelo’s year,” says McEwan. customers would The store aims to get mad. “We’d hear capture those with a about it immediately,” European sensibility says Rodmell.

The store, located at 1101 Yonge St., has al- of shopping—a two-bag, all fresh, limited grocery ways made baked goods and moved into more buy, only choosing what the customer is going savoury foods over the years, such as quiche. to eat for the next couple of “We did cheesy things because we were a cheese days, he says. “It really runs the gamut; it shop,” quips Rodmell.

The store started offering full meals in the sort of depends 2. mid-1990s and, in response to demand, it has on the indiwho become more and more of what the store does, vidual she says. In the last decade, demand has in- really enjoys creased by about 50 per cent for HMR. Prepared the product food from the Leaside kitchen accounts for 60 and likes the story beper cent of food sales.

All the Best Fine Foods makes its weekly ro- hind it,” says tating menu available online and trends influ- McEwan.

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By Kristen Smith, assistant editor, digital content

Sarah Dobec, public relations and education outreach co-ordinator of The Big Carrot, says lunch is the busiest meal at the Danforth Avenue organic grocer’s vegetarian deli. Dobec says there is a correlation between time-of-day and how customers prefer prepared food: people are more likely to sit down in the café at lunch and take food home for dinner.

“I think people want to eat healthier but don’t know how. So they rely on us to make good, wholesome dishes they can feel good about eating. The dishes change daily so customers know they will have new options everyday. It is also quick and easy to eat at our deli,” she says.

Dobec says the demographic is eclectic, but does tend to attract mothers and women between 30 and 45.

The convenience factor Longo’s put more focus on prepared food after big box stores got into groceries, according to Langley.

The supermarket’s “take it, make it and learn it” options allow them to compete on various levels of convenience and cost, and customers get to pick the right individual balance, says Langley. Learning it is the cheapest option and involves the most cooking, and the ‘make it’ option provides the prep work.

Of course, some people do enjoy cooking, he notes.

Langley says Longo’s understands it can’t please everyone; if someone is looking for a hamburger, its HMR won’t be top of mind and notes the importance of sticking to your brand.

Near Michael-Angelo’s Markham location, there is a lot of competition, between restaurants and other grocers, and Caruso says the store’s HMR is thriving. “At the end of the day, who wants to fire up the stove for one meal?” he asks.

“They want convenience, they want quality,” says Caruso, adding price is a factor. “They want restaurant-quality food, without restaurant prices.”

How long would it take the average consumer to make beef bourguignon, vegetable Moroccan stew or cottage pie? About half a day, notes Rodmell. People like to have choices, she says, and with single or multiple-serve options, customers can get variety without waste.

Taking cost into consideration Many HMR providers charge customers by weight, allowing them to determine how much they want to eat and how much they want to spend.

The Big Carrot deli dishes cost, on average, between $8 and $10 and a 16-ounce selection from the juice bar is $7.

Caruso says the demand for Michael-Angelo’s HMR selection is constantly growing with people looking for convenient, affordable options. Michael-Angelo’s offers a number of price points, he says; customers can pick up a dinner for two for about $15.

Whole Foods Market offers dinner deals and family meals for about $20 and customers have the option of building a dinner from the cold case, and salad and soup bar.

All the Best Fine Foods also offers a weekly meal and dessert.

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“We have customers who look for that every week,” says Rodmell. A customer could feed the family for about $20, but most opt to mix and match, she says.

“They would probably get tempted, I hope, to spend a little more,” says Rodmell, noting that a main and two sides usually falls between $13 and $15.

McEwan is not purporting to operate the cheapest grocery store. “It’s about a fresh-driven product, a 3. quality-driven product and a fair price,” he says. A dinner of salmon, heirloom carrots and chickpea, feta and fregola pasta salad for one comes to about $15.

Taking a seat In-store seating has strengthened grocery stores and markets’ position in foodservice. It allows for solo diners to sit in a more casual atmosphere than a casual restaurant and allows people to get out of the office for a break, while continuing to cater to those on the go.

Whole Foods Market set foot on Canadian soil in 2002 and when it did it already had a solid HMR model in place. Janice Chan, Ontario marketing manager, says having cafés and patios has always been part of its grocery store structure.

“I think it comes hand in hand with having prepared food,” says Chan. “We definitely want a space where our customers are comfortable.”

McEwan says his 38 seats turn over three or four times throughout the day.

“People get to relax, they get to look at your store, rather 4. than packing the floor with more merchandise,” says McEwan.

He says his seating area offers room to breathe and a chance to connect with the product.

The idea is to serve people on a variety of levels, he says.

Customers can come in for curry on Monday, do some grocery shopping the next day and grab steaks to throw on the barbecue on the weekend.

With its Maple Leaf Square and Leaside locations doing well, Longo’s is set to open Corks Beer and Wine Bar’s third location in Oakville.

The full-service seating area allowed the chain to incorporate items from the retail floor kitchen, offer weekly oyster nights and attract people in the area for special events.

Duff says Corks has made Longo’s a gathering place. “It may not be a traditional, sit down dinner, but it might be drinks and some appetizers,” she says.

Each Corks offers local wine and beer and has about 40 seats.

Joey Bernaudo, director of deli, bakery and Corks, says the atmosphere is one of the things Longo’s is most pleased with. Perched above the retail floor overlooking the produce department and kitchen, Corks offers a seasonal menu, but also allows those shopping on the retail floor to bring up a snack or meal.

“It’s a very comfortable, inviting, warm environment,” says Bernaudo.

Appealing to special diets At the Big Carrot, the selection of specialty foods allows the deli to cater to people on specialty diets, including people looking for vegan, vegetarian, raw and gluten-free fare, says Dobec. The store opened in 1983 and has had a vegetarian deli for those 30 years.

“Back in 1983, there were no manufacturers preparing natural food salads to go. We had our own cooks come up with recipes and prepare dishes that customers requested,” according to Daiva Kryzanauskas, the only remaining original member of the member-owned co-op. Kryzanauskas says they have expanded the items offered significantly and the market has seen a large increase in demand for the prepared food.

Executive chef John Robertson heads up the kitchen for the 100-item deli, which offers seating for 24.

“It is a vegetarian deli so we do a lot of tempeh, tofu dishes and lentil dahls,” he says.

He has been at The Big Carrot for nearly four years, during which time the kitchen has taken on more and increased the variety of food, such as lentil pâté, sauerkraut and kimchi, made in-house.

“I have a background in classical French cuisine, so I kind of brought technique to the kitchen and trained people on how you can make vegetarian food using classic techniques,” says Robertson, citing caramelizing onions to add flavour, and moving away from one-pot dishes as examples.

“We’re always constantly evolving and trying to make dishes that are known or seen in the mainstream and people can relate to,” he says. “I want people to look at it as good food, not as vegetarian food.”

All the Best Fine Foods has always offered vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free options, but recently began using icons to help customers distinguish which dishes meet their dietary needs. Rodmell says staff can access the full list of ingredients for customers who want to know exactly what is in each dish.

Local food and sustainability At the Big Carrot, which achieved its organic kitchen certification in 2009, they “focus on organic, sustainable, non-GMO to the best of our abilities,” says Robertson.

As all produce in-store is organic, as well as at least 80 per cent of food used in the kitchen, staff follow protocols to maintain the integrity of organic food.

At All the Best, everything is seasonal, prepared daily and as local as possible, says Rodmell.

“We have this debate, how important it is to our customers that we follow that route? With some, it is very important, with others, as long as it has the taste and it’s fresh, that is not their concern,” says Rodmell.

McEwan says he doesn’t think HMR is pulling a lot of people out of restaurants.

“I think it’s sort of catching them in a different mode. It’s very casual and impromptu.

Many of these people are by themselves having lunch or a fast, early dinner or just an additional sampling,” he notes, adding it’s a different mindset, almost like being two entities.

“Everybody wants to do prepared food; it’s a huge commitment to do it and do it well

from a labour side and it’s a whole different expertise than what traditional grocery ever was,” he says.

Langley sees things slightly differently. “If you truly want to be a leader in HMR, your mindset has to change; you have to think that your competitor is QSR and FSR, not the other grocer,” says Langley.

You have to ask, ‘how are you going to get QSR business,’ 5. not, ‘how are we going to sell more chickens?’

“Longo’s Kitchen is not about a grocery store, it’s about foodservice,” says Langley.

1. Sandwiches from McEwan gourmet grocery store at the Shops at Don Mills, Toronto.

2. Whole Foods Market’s HMR area at the Square One location in Mississauga, ON. Photo by Tom Davis.

3. Cold case selections at McEwan in Toronto.

4. The 24-seat café at The Big Carrot’s vegetarian deli in Toronto. Photo courtesy of The Big Carrot.

5. Michael-Angelo’s hot food table at its Markham, ON location.

6. A Marché Adonis employee makes crepes to order at the first Ontario location, which opened in Mississauga in April.

New kid on the supermarket block Marché Adonis president and CEO Jamil Cheaib says the time was right for the Québecbased supermarket to move into the Greater Toronto Area. The first Ontario store opened its doors in mid-April in Mississauga.

A glass window allows shoppers to see two separate meat kitchens, one of which is for Halal preparation.

The vast assortment of Mediterranean food extends to the store’s HMR section, which lines the back of the store. Cheaib says the store sells food for all cultures.

Kafta, falafel and shish taouk are prepared before the customer’s eyes and the bakery makes fresh pita and pastries, says Cheaib.

Chocolate, banana and strawberry crepes are made-to-order.

Cheaib thinks people should “have fun while they shop” and that’s one of the reasons the store has seating available for about 30 patrons.

The Mississauga location is the first of five stores planned for the GTA over the next three years. Cheaib says Marché Adonis aims to open its second in Scarborough in about six months.

With a 65,000 square foot space, Cheaib plans to put in more seating at 6. the next location.

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A new home for Coke on T.O’s King St. East

LINES

By Leslie Wu

Top left: The new Coca-Cola offices and main atrium at 335 King St. East, Toronto. Bottom left: Deliberate colour choices on the walls echo the caramel colours of a glass of Coke. Right: Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada president John Guarino.

TORONTO—In early April, CocaCola opened its three-storey, 100,500 square foot headquarters to the 400 employees as well as the media, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Glen Murray. The offices are in a new facility on top of the Toronto Sun Building at 335 King St. East.

“There are some unique opportunities in this neighbourhood,” Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada president John Guarino told ORN. The office deliberately does not have a cafeteria in order to get employees to interact with local businesses and restaurants, and the company has been working with small restaurants in the area, said Guarino.

The office space emphasizes natural light, with recycled materials used for carpeting, furniture and lighting. Small details relate back to

the brand, such as wood paneling on walls and open concept desk areas that are the same caramel colour as a glass of Coke.

The employees moving into the new offices included management, marketing and on premise channel staff. Manufacturing was previously moved to Brampton and will remain there, said Guarino.

Although all technical work is done out of the Brampton offices, such as support for the transformational business involving the Coke Freestyle drink machines released last year, Guarino said that the company is looking to expand with “measured growth.”

The fastest growing area for the company is the glass bottle package, said Guarino.

Coca-Cola in Canada operates across the country, with 6,300 people in more than 50 facilities, including seven production facilities.

Fifth Town is getting back in business Ontario moves to enact the Local Food Act

By Kristen Smith

PICTON, ON—After closing last year due to financial difficulties, Fifth Town Artisan Cheeses will reopen its retail shop under new ownership May 30. The factory, however, will remain closed as the processing facility is reapproved for production. It is expected to reopen next year.

Cheesemaker Laura Todd said the company’s goat cheddar will be available at the store, but Fifth Town cheese won’t be available for distribution until January at the earliest.

Todd said they are aiming to be in production by Winter 2014. “If it starts in January, then we should have fresh cheese immediately,” said Todd, noting this includes chèvres and soft cheeses.

The retail store will carry other local foods, such as charcuterie, honey and preserves. Todd said the

BR I E F S

SAI Global expands SAI Global Limited (SAI), an international food safety auditor and certification group, purchased the supply chain certification services portion of Charlotte, N.C.-based Steritech Group, which specializes in brand protection services in the hospitality, retail and food processing industries.

According to a statement on April 1, the branch offers auditing and training services to manage food safety risks throughout their supply chains.

“I am excited that SAI will be joined by some highly regarded food safety experts and industry leaders that will further strengthen our leadership position in the North American market,” said Paul Butcher, global head of

store will continue to partner with local producers to bring together artisan wares from the area.

The shop, located about 20 kilometres southeast of Picton on County Road 8, will feature products honouring the new owners’ Italian roots and the food produced in Prince Edward County.

Patricia Secord and Hugo Bertozzi, third-generation producers, affineurs and purveyors of artisan cheeses in Italy, purchased the environmentally-friendly business in November. “We’re going to continue with our product line to the best of our ability,” said Todd.

Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company was founded by Petra KassunMutch and opened in June 2008 with five employees and three farm suppliers. The goal was to demonstrate the possibilities of small-scale dairying in Ontario and sustainable

assurance services of SAI Global, in a release.

“We believe that our clients’ supply chain certification needs will be better served by an organization with global reach and a broader service offering,” said Mark Jarvis, CEO of Steritech, which will now focus on pest prevention and retail auditing.

Canadian Franchise awards VANCOUVER—The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) honoured several foodservice operators at its National Convention on April 8. COBS bread, along with Cora Tsouflidou, Dairy Queen Canada and Andrew Ogaranko of Pitblado Law were presented with Recognition Awards, according to a CFA release.

COBS bakery was named a Franchisees’ Choice for the third time and

enterprise management. The retail store and production facility closed May 1, 2012.

“The transition period between shutdown and start-up is a long process, but will ultimately reward us with a refurbished manufacturing facility and world-class cheese,” states the company’s website. “Fifth Town is opening the shop in order to support the company during the transition.”

Todd said the company is considering a few changes, but nothing that will change the basic principles.

She said the aging rooms will remain the same and the production facility will see some refurbishment.

“We’d be willing to change and try new things, but ultimately we’d like to stay true to the products we had before, which were really good and people liked them,” said Todd, noting Cape Vessey, a washed-rind cheese, was extremely popular.

awarded the CFA’s 2013 Corporate Citizen Award, according to its April 11 release.

Recipients of the Corporate Citizen Award are chosen based on their dedication and support given to community or social service groups. The Franchisees’ Choice is awarded based on responses from CFA members who voluntarily take part in a survey of franchisees. The franchisor is assessed on business model, information package, leadership, training and support and ongoing operations.

Tsouflidou was given the CFA Lifetime Achievement Award for founding the breakfast and lunch franchise and Dairy Queen won the CFA Hall of Fame Award for 60 years of business in Canada.

Ogaranko was posthumously given the Vince Nichols Memorial Award for

TORONTO—The government of Ontario re-introduced the Local Food Act, with some additions.

The Act, if passed, would see an increased availability of local foods in restaurants, as well as the public sector, according to the March 25 release.

“Eating local isn’t just good for Ontario families – it’s good for our economy. That’s why our government will continue to work with the agri-food sector, including retailers and foodservice operators, to bring more Ontario food to the table,” said Premier and Minister of Agriculture and Food Kathleen Wynne.

The Act includes growing awareness of local food by working with stakeholders to set targets for local food usage, according to the release. years of dedication to the CFA through volunteerism and contributions to franchising in Canada.

Tension over cheese tariffs OTTAWA—A case before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal has some of the country’s dairy farmers at odds with big names in the nation’s restaurant industry.

BalanceCo, whose membership includes dairy producer organizations such as the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, has taken the Canadian Border Services Agency to the tribunal over the designation of imported products including cheese, from the U.S., according to the Globe and Mail.

The case is seeing BalanceCo’s appeal of a ruling made by the agency last year. Working with Pizza Pizza Ltd., Oakville-based importer J. Cheese Inc.

The Act also suggests implementing a “Celebrate Ontario Local Food Week” in October of each year.

The Act was originally tabled in late 2012 and dropped with the prorogation of the Legislature after former Premier Dalton McGuinty stepped down.

The re-introduced act includes an additional stipulation for public sector organizations to provide information related to local food usage to the Minister to prepare a report every three years for publishing on the government of Ontario website.

The Local Food Act, including the new amendments, passed the first reading in April and will go on to further debate and discussion by committees. won the right to categorize a cheese and pepperoni pizza-topping kit as “food preparation” which is imported duty free, said the Globe. Had the 80per cent cheese, 20-per cent pepperoni mix been labeled as cheese, it would carry the standard 245.5 per cent tariff.

While BalanceCo argues that the designation detracts from a government ruling put in place to protect the Canadian dairy industry, members of the foodservice industry argue that access to cheese at the world price is necessary for survival, said the Globe.

Frozen pizza manufacturers, including McCains Foods Ltd. won the right years ago to purchase cheese at the cheaper international price, and the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association has said the same right should be granted to the restaurant industry.

GFS Show goes on a safari TORONTO—The Toronto Congress Centre was bustling on April 10 for Flavour Safari, the 2013 Gordon Food Service (GFS) Spring Food, Tabletop & Supplies Show.

GFS representatives donned safari hats and animal tails keeping in line with the theme.

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More than 200 GFS vendors showed off their wares to members of the foodservice industry. Guest chefs Darryl Fletcher, Shaun Edmonstone, Patrick McMurray and Christian Pritchard talked trends on a demonstration stage with GFS Ontario chef David Evans.

Above: GFS showed off its own line of foodservice products. Below: Chef Patrick McMurray shucks oysters on stage.

Above: The local produce area offered creative displays of fruit and vegetables.

Resorts of Ontario’s call to action “Go Resorting” was the tagline for the Resorts of Ontario conference, as well as the title of the organization’s new magazine.

By Colleen Isherwood, senior contributing editor ORILLIA—One of the stars of the show at Resorts of Ontario’s annual conference held last month at Casino Rama and Fern Resort was a new phrase, “Go Resorting.”

It’s also the title of the association’s new magazine, unveiled at the conference. Resorts of Ontario is now selling the “resorting” experience.

The magazine includes personal vacation stories, plus articles by professional travellers, resort owners and guests. Grace Sammut, managing director of the association, explained that Go Resorting is the primary print piece in an otherwise digital strategy, and has evolved from a resort guide to a magazine format.

“By migrating to a digital strategy and significantly ramping up our digital footprint, an exciting framework has been built around the deployment of the magazine, in tandem with social media, including Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and blogs,” Sammut noted in a post-conference digital news release.

“Through the magazine, we will be able to sell the resort experience in a more emotive, storytelling way that people can easily relate to,” she said.

The digital strategy is already yielding results, with a 300 per cent increase in unique visits in spring and summer 2012, Greg Elmhirst of Elmhirst Resort noted in his marketing report during

the annual general meeting. This tally takes in radio, digital, a campaign-specific URL, Flyerland contests, Google AdWords and other marketing initiatives.

The Resorts of Ontario website got a distinct facelift Sheila Maxwell and Greg Elmhirst show at a miniscule cost off Resorts of Ontario’s new magazine. thanks to recommendations from Mark Coles of First Page SEO. All members are now listed on the website, and last year the website alone had a 52 per cent increase in traffic over 2011, with page views numbering just under half a million.

In other Resorts of Ontario news, the association has hired Glenn Spriggs as member field services general manager, to liaise, recruit and maintain association membership. Spriggs came to the association in December, after four years with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC).

The mood at the conference was Glenn Spriggs cautiously upbeat, as Brian Stanford, of PKF Consulting, told delegates they should take advantage of slow but capacities to create unforgettable expesteady growth in the next few years, riences for guests.

Fern Resort hosted a multi-course and raise their rates. Sean Billing, general manager of Horseshoe Resort, gave gala dinner, at which outgoing chair a well-received motivational speech Sheila Maxwell, of The Briar’s Resort, about identifying your resort’s unique turned over the reins of the association capabilities, and working within your to Mark Downing of Fern Resort.

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my family’s artifacts,” said John W. Sleeman, founder and chair of Sleeman Breweries, in the release.

“I have always hoped that we could somehow preserve them for the future, but also make them available for the public to see and enjoy,” said Sleeman, the great-great-grandson of original brewmaster, John H. Sleeman.

The collection was received in phases over the years, according to the release, and unveiled April 3 at the McLaughlin Library.

Kathryn Harvey, head of archival and special collections at the university library, called it an “important contribution” to the region’s history.

“The Sleeman family has a long history in this area, playing a role not just in the brewing

Sleeman makes history John Sleeman.

Photo by Vanessa Tignanelli.

GUELPH, ON—Everything you want to know about the storied history of the Sleeman family and brewery can now be found at the University of Guelph.

The university’s library will house archives, including photographs, business records, newspapers and correspondence relating to one of Canada’s oldest breweries, according to an April release.

“For many years, we have been accumulating

business, but in the very fabric of Guelph society,” said Harvey.

John H. Sleeman named his business Silver Creek Brewery when it moved from the Niagara River region to the Guelph area in 1851. His son, George, took over in 1867 and became the first mayor of the new city. He helped introduce hydroelectric power and pay for streetcar service. Personal debts incurred, resulting in a bank takeover.

George and his wife Sarah didn’t give up.

They opened a rival brewery, bought back Silver Creek five years later and merged the two under the management of their son, Henry.

During Prohibition, Henry and his brothers smuggled alcohol for more than a decade and, in 1933, were charged with smuggling and tax evasion. The family’s licence was suspended and the Sleemans barred from brewing for half a century.

Nearly 50 years later, John W. Sleeman was given his family’s recipes by his aunt and was encouraged to start brewing. He opened Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co. with the original recipes, bottle and trademark in 1988.

Quebec woman named one of world’s top wine experts

By Kristen Smith TOKYO—Two Canadians placed in the top 20 at a major international sommelier competition, with Quebec’s Véronique Rivest earning the second place spot.

Rivest was named runner up on March 29 at the 14th Contest of the Best Sommelier of the Word, held every three years by the International Sommelier Association. This was her third time competing and on both previous occasions she placed in the top 12.

“I knew I had what it takes, it just meant keeping on working really hard and studying,” Rivest told ORN. “It felt awesome.”

She said it was an honour to compete and her goal was to make it to the finals. “There had never been a woman in the top three; it was about time for that to happen,” said Rivest, noting the top 12 always has a high proportion of women when compared to the number competing.

A Swiss sommelier, Paolo Basso, finished first out of 57 competitors.

Will Predhomme, sommelier at Toronto’s Canoe Restaurant, finished 17th and is hoping to compete again in 2016. “All in all, it was just phenomenal to have two people from Canada (in the competition),” Véronique Rivest Will Predhomme Predhomme told ORN. “To be one of them was an honour.” nist for the past 15 years, Rivest said she had He noted it was interesting how seriously been focusing on studying and preparing for the rest of the world takes the art of wine and the competition. how much fun it can be.

“Hopefully, 2013 will see the opening of Rivest, whose first job was in catering at my wine bar; it’s a project that’s been kind of age 16, said she has devoted years of study to on ice for many years,” she said. developing her wine tasting skills.

“It takes years to prepare for the Worlds,” For more of ORN’s interview with Véronique said Rivest who only found out she had qualRivest and her insights into the restaurant inified last fall when she placed first at the Best dustry and world of wine, go to: Sommelier of the Americas competition. www.ontariorestaurantnews.com.

A restaurant consultant and wine colum-

California Wine Fair

Nancy Cardinal, senior vice-president of sales and marketing at the LCBO.

TORONTO—California wine is currently the fastest growing segment in the Ontario wine market, a growth driven by red blends and premium wine sales, according to Brent Shortridge, managing partner of AndersLane Artisan Wines, LP during his speech at the Toronto stop on the 2013 California Wine Fair at the Royal York Hotel in early April.

“For the first time, U.S. wine sales have

passed the five-million case level in Canada in 2012, and market share has grown to 11.7 per cent,” said Shortridge.

Shortridge was one of the representatives from 125 wineries who poured samples, for trade and media guests, from 450 wines on offer.

The tour, currently in its 33rd year, visited six cities across Canada: Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax and Montreal.

An LCBO California Lifestyle thematic in March was very successful, reported Nancy Cardinal, senior vice-president of sales and marketing at the LCBO. Vintage sales of California wine were up 50 per cent, and general list close to 80 per cent.

California wines are the fourth largest volume sold in Ontario after wines produced within the province, Italy and Australia.

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Brewing up community spirit TORONTO—Construction is starting this spring on Kensington Brewing Company (KBCo), a full-production brewery at 299 Augusta Ave. in Toronto.

Founder Brock Shepherd sold the rights to the Burger Bar name to new operators, who will renovate the restaurant’s former space at 319 Augusta Ave. Fermenting tanks in the basement will extend to the main floor, which looks impressive and allows for bigger tanks, Shepherd told ORN. The brewery will have a retail store and a bar to sample the beers brewed in-house.

“It’s not going to be a brewpub…I just sold a restaurant that I had for 15 years,” said Shepherd. Food will be offered on a small-scale, however, with selections from Hogtown Charcuterie, Sanagan’s Meat Locker and Hooked.

The head brewer at Kensington will be Dave Lee, who has an International Diploma in Brewing Technology from the Sibel Institute in Chicago and five years’ experience at Mill Street Brewery.

Lee will oversee the creative direction of KBCo, brew house operations and the quality assurance program.

The brewery is also turning to crowdsourcing to fund construction. The Community Supporting Beer (CSB) program, modeled on community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, allows buy-ins for one of five tiers, ranging from “Keg Washer,” which offers gift cards, to “Brew Master,” which allows people to spend a day making beer from their own recipe, with the assistance of a brewer, and have use of their own fermenting tank.

299 Augusta Avenue.www.kensingtonbrewingcompany.com. @drinkgoodbeer. facebook.com/kensingtonbrewingcompany.

Brick Brewing has a trio of winners in Waterloo KITCHENER—Brick Brewing’s craft division Waterloo Brewing Co. has garnered recognition for three of its beers.

Monde Selection, the Belgium-based International Institute for Quality Selections, awarded gold medals to the Waterloo Dark, IPA and Amber for their brewing quality, according to an April 10 release.

The awards are based on laboratory and panel testing of the products. Russell Tabata, chief technical officer for Brick Brewing, said the award-winning brews are the result of the brewing team’s dedication.

“Gold medals across the board suggest our hard work is paying off,” said Tabata.

Waterloo Brewing Co. traces its roots back to Formosa, ON, where it was established in 1870. It has recently introduced a Classic Pilsner under the Waterloo label, and also offers small batch and seasonal brews.

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Brewers Plate

Top, from left to right: Andres Marquez, Fonda Lola. Tony and Abby Sabherwal, Magical Catering. Jose Hadad, Frida. Ed Ho and Dan Sanders, Globe Bistro.

TORONTO—Chefs and brewers from across the province filled the Barbara Frum Atrium at the CBC Building on April 17, a new venue for the event. The benefit raised funds for local charity Not Far from the Tree, which uses volunteers to harvest fruit from residential trees to share between the homeowner, volunteer and food bank.

Beverages included tastings from breweries such as Spearhead, Amsterdam, Barley Days, Mill St. and Nickel Brook, wineries such as Southbrook Vineyards and drinking chocolate from ChocoSol Traders.

Chefs from across the province dished out local food, such as Brad Long of Café Belong and Michael Smith from Gladstone Hotel, as well as producers such as Mountainoak Cheese.

Burger King Canada gets sold to Redberry MIAMI—Burger King Worldwide has sold Burger King Restaurants of Canada, along with 94 company-owned outlets, to Redberry Investments Corp.

The sale, made final on April 22, makes the privately-owned corporation Burger King’s Canadian master franchisee, said Alison Fletcher, director of marketing for Redberry Foodservices Inc., the new division created for the acquisition.

“It’s a negotiation that’s been going on for quite some time,” said Fletcher to ORN. “I think it’s been clear for a long time how much potential Burger King has in the Canadian market. If you look at the number of Burger Kings worldwide and the strength worldwide, our profile here in Canada is quite small.”

Burger King Worldwide operates in 86 countries and territories, according to an April 24 release, and has more than 12,900 locations, about 97 per cent of which are owned by independent franchisees.

While it is a new company for Burger King, Fletcher said Redberry has had its restaurant support service here in Canada for years.

Redberry is owned by three shareholders, Robert Laverdure, Andreas Kragaris and Christian LeBrun, and also operates another QSR brand, Pizza Hut, out of its Montreal office.

Redberry Foodservices Inc. will head the nationwide portfolio of Burger King restaurants out of its Toronto office.

“Our relationship here in Canada with Burger King Worldwide has always been very strong and that will continue,” said Fletcher. “There is an amazing opportunity for us here to grow the brand in Canada with the new leadership.”

New remodeling strategies and a restaurant opening program are a part of the sale agreement to Redberry.

Fletcher said expansion and renovation plans are aggressive for the next three to five years.

Restaurants will be updated to the brand’s “global 20/20 design” that has already been put into practice in several restaurants in Calgary, and one in Orillia, ON. “Our ‘global 20/20 design’ is an artistic embodiment of a very grill-centric design,” Fletcher said. “One of our most powerful equities is our fire-grilling and the consumer knows that.”

The design will play off this cooking style that Fletcher said is one of the brand’s defining characteristics.

The décor includes neutral colours and the use of reds, and a more contemporary design, she said.

Seating is dining-oriented, allowing options for families, couples and singles alike.

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Heitz used cabbage from cold storage in Uxbridge and sourced Ontario turkeys and ACE ciabatta buns.

Another first-time participant, Krista Moore, owner of Madelyn’s Diner in Stratford, ON headed to the show with nearly 5,000 bacon butter tarts. The show was trying to promote Ontario culinary tourism and “Stratford is rich OCTA executive director Rebecca LeHeup for that area,” Moore introduces Krystina Roman, of Rosewood told ORN. She has Estates Winery, for a talk on mead. been at Madelyn’s for 28 years (her mother

By Elaine Anselmi is the restaurant’s founder and namesake). She said she was honTORONTO—Visitors to the Green Living Show oured to be asked, especially since her diner is on at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre were taken on the outskirts of town, rather than in the downtown a trip to some of Ontario’s tastiest destinations. where most of the culinary tourism is focused.

From Prince Edward County, west to Oxford, loHooked, a Toronto seafood supplier and cacally sourced and chef-made goods were on offer terer, has been serving up local tastes at the Green at the show which ran from April 12 to 14.

Living show for the past five years, said owner For the first time, the show paired with the Dan Donovan. The show “speaks to pretty much Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA) to everything, as a business, we believe in,” he told host the Ontario Culinary Adventures Pavilion.

ORN. It’s as if, “someone has gone and focused Offering a wide variety of tastings and a cooking and weeded out exactly who our customers are.” demonstration stage, the event was sponsored by Donovan served fish tacos made with white Foodland Ontario, OCTA executive director Reperch from the Taylor Fish Company in Wheatley, becca LeHeup told ORN. ON, located on the shore of Lake Erie.

Thomas Heitz, executive chef of Durham reEach provincial region had a few operators gion’s Port restaurant, hosted a cooking demo showing off their own spin on local flavours, and showcasing local farm products including fruit, included Toronto, Prince Edward County, Durvegetables, pork and fish. Heitz kept his pickled ham Region, Oxford County, Wine Country, Niand smoked demo hyper-local. “The only nonagara Region, Grey-Bruce and the Apple Pie Trail, Durham ingredient was trout and that was from Simcoe County, Stratford and Perth.

Manatoulin,” he told ORN. “We chose destinations within the province In his first contribution to the Green Living with the focus being that these are growers, proShow’s food offering, Heitz made an orange soda ducers, chefs and owners who are committed to braised pulled turkey on a bun. “We wanted to ofdelivering an authentic taste of place,” said LeHefer a meatier option, so we looked at the trends up. “We wanted to showcase the great destinations and what was available to us,” he said. For coleslaw, Ontarians can travel to for that taste of place.”

Provincial tastes at the Green Living Show

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A cup of kindness in Hamilton

By Elaine Anselmi

since its inauguration has forced them to come up with a system to keep track of the suspended coffee purchases, and Chichakian said the word spread so quickly they had customers coming in to purchase a suspended coffee before the staff even knew they were running the program. “One woman walked in and wanted to buy a suspended grilled cheese,” she said. Pattison said one customer came in and purchased six suspended coffees in one go. “It’s that heartwarming outpouring of community support,” he said.

The suspended coffee will also be given out by the staff at Homegrown to people who look like they are in need. There are also a number of people who come in and ask for a free coffee, which Pattison said is a regular occurrence and fine by them.

Since announcing the suspended coffee program, Lidster said they had approximately 16,000 hits on their website. Although the program was not announced as a marketing campaign, they are happy to see the idea is getting attention and perhaps inspiring other operators to get on board.

Lidster said he has received calls from people in Ottawa and Toronto wanting to know how the program works.

HAMILTON—A Hamilton coffee shop is starting a new trend with old roots. Homegrown Hamilton began a Suspended Coffee service in early April, where customers can purchase an extra coffee along with their order to be given out at a later time to a person in need, co-owner Beth Chichakian told ORN. “It’s something we’ve always done,” said Chichakian. “For us, it goes along with the whole community support feeling of this place.” Prior to making the program official, she said they would regularly give out a free cup of coffee or soup on a cold day. Similarly, she said their clientele were generous about buying food or a warm beverage for community members. Chichakian recalled last winter when a man was walking around in the snow without shoes on, she brought him out a coffee and found a line of soups from the café that customers had purchased and brought out to him.

The Suspended Coffee program was formalized after the owners were sent a link to some information on its origins in Europe. Co-owner Mike Pattison said it goes back to Italy following the Second World War. “Coffee became the commodity of the community,” he said.

“Those who could afford it bought it for those who couldn’t.”

With coffee, cuisine and community as their flag, he said it was an appropriate program to bring into the shop.

When customers purchase a suspended coffee, an empty cup is marked and put in a designated stack, said co-owner Tim Lidster. All of Co-owners from left to right: the cups used at the café are Mike Pattison, Beth Chichakian recyclable. and Tim Lidster.

The program’s popularity

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COMING EVENTS May 7: Flanagan Foodservice Annual Tradeshow, Owen Sound Show, Owen Sound Bayshore Arena, Owen Sound, ON. For information, go to: www.flanagan.ca.

May 9-10: Canadian Society of Nutrition Management and Dietitians of Canada joint conference. Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel, Toronto. For information, go to: www.csnm.ca.

| 17

Copious cabanas crop up

By Kristen Smith TORONTO—Less than four months after Playa Cabana opened its second location in the Junction, owner and chef Dave Sidhu is in the midst of opening a third location.

Playa Cabana Cantina opened in December on Dundas Street West, near Keele. Playa Cabana Hacienda is expected to open in less than two months at 14 Dupont St., a few blocks from the flagship location at 111 Dupont St., in the former Vittorio’s location has moved to Job –#which IW-0001 137 Avenue Rd. Operations director JobMatthew King said the

new three-floor location will seat about 140 guests, with additional weather-dependant seating on its two patios, one in back on the main floor and another above street level out front.

King said the menu will be almost identical to the other two locations, with the addition of elements such as in-house, wood-smoked meats. He said chef Sidhu will cook up some specials for the new location, but stay true to the original Playa Cabana menu, which features homemade, locally-sourced, Mexican fare. King called Cabana a “relaxed fine-dining” exClientPlaya Imagewear - Magazine Ads perience, and said the new location will have cozy and rustic décor.

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He said people were coming from different areas asking when a Playa Cabana branch would open near them.

“When people start asking ‘When are you opening in our neighbourhood,’ it’s definitely the right time to do so,” said King.

Sidhu will continue to oversee the food in the three locations, with King handling operations.

King hinted at further growth for Playa Cabana: “If Hacienda does as well as Cantina did – which I’m definitely anticipating – then you could definitely see a fourth pop up in no time in some neighbourhood where they are asking for us.”

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May 18-21: National Restaurant Association Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. For information, go to: www.restaurant.org.

May 29–30: Canadian Restaurant Investment Conference, Hilton Toronto, Toronto.

For information, go to: www.restaurantinvest.ca.

May 29: 50th Anniversary of Canadian Culinary Federation National Conference, Marriott River Cree Resort, Edmonton. For information, go to: www.ccfcc2013.ca.

May 30: We Care Golf Classic with LCBO, Cardinal Golf Club, Newmarket, ON. For information, go to: www.friendsofwecare.org.

May 30: Kampai Toronto Festival of Sake, Distillery Historic District, Toronto. For information, go to: www.kampaitoronto.com.

June 1: We Care Gala Dinner & Awards, International Centre, Mississauga, ON. For information, go to: www.friendsofwecare.org.

June 7: Flanagan Foodservice Golf Tournament, Foxwood Golf Club, Kitchener, ON. For information, go to: www.friendsofwecare.org.

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July 8: 19th Labatt Charity Golf Classic, RattleSnake Point Golf Club, Milton, ON. For information, go to: www.friendsofwecare.org.

June 9: Toronto Taste 2013, the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. For information, go to: www.torontotaste.ca.

June 26-30: Canadian College and University Food Service Association National Conference, Charlottetown. For information, go to: www.ccufsa.on.ca.

Oct. 20-22: Canadian Coffee and Tea Show, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver.

For information, go to: coffeeteashow.ca.

GOT EVENTS? Email lwu@ canadianrestaurantnews.com

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2013-04-11 2:12 PM

PEOPLE

Michael Hunter is the new executive chef at Reds Wine Tavern in Toronto’s Financial District. Hunter started working for Reds’ parent company SIR Corp. in January. Along with Reds, SIR Corp.’s portfolio includes chain restaurants: Jack Astor’s, Canyon Creek and Alice Fazooli’s, as well as several signature restaurants.

Before joining SIR Corp., Hunter worked at various Toronto establishments including the Thompson Hotel’s Scarpetta, Sassafraz in Yorkville and Oliver & Bonacini’s Luma.

Hunter is a supporter of local farming and plans to source fresh and local food as much as possible.

As executive chef, he will work on developing seasonally-inspired dishes for the Reds’ menu of shareable plates. Hunter is replacing chef Ryan Gallagher, who saw Reds through a re-launch in 2012 and, according to an April 8 release, has left to pursue other interests.

Leslie Smejkal is the new vice-president of government relations for the ORHMA. She got her start in the restaurant business while managing a busy restaurant in the City of Guelph.

Most recently, Smejkal’s career took her to Tim Hortons Inc. as manager of government affairs, where she spent seven years working with all levels of government across Canada.

Steve Meehan is the new executive chef at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts, a part of St. Clair College in Windsor. Meehan was previously chef at Grill 55 in the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, and has also worked at the Hilton Windsor Park Terrace Restaurant.

With the centre’s food operations under his charge, Meehan will oversee both banquet and student foodservice. The school’s culinary program is instructed at the school’s main campus by executive chef Mike Jimmerfield.

Erno Szabo, executive chef at Grill 55, will continue at the restaurant that Meehan helped establish about two years ago.

Gordon MacDonald joined Cerise Fine Catering as general manager at Toronto’s Allstream Centre in March. Cerise is part of Centerplate, an event hospitality partner to North American sports stadiums, entertainment venues and convention centres.

MacDonald was most recently the general manager and director of operations for the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex.

MacDonald has more than 25 years’ experience in the events and hospitality industry.

Originally from Nova Scotia, MacDonald has lived in Toronto for 15 years and his catering sales background includes six years at the Fairmont Royal York. He also spent eight years in the U.S. working for the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas and the Sheraton Washington.

“We welcome his contribution to the excellent reputation of Allstream Centre and his wealth of industry knowledge to our company,” said Centerplate senior vicepresident Greg Fender in an April 10 news release.

Burger King’s CEO Bernardo Hees will be taking over the top spot at H.J. Heinz this summer when 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway take over the once publiclytraded company in a buyout valued at $23 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Burger King is also owned by 3G, who purchased the chain in 2010 and appointed Hees to the CEO position, said the Journal.

The announcement of the two private firms’ takeover of H.J. Heinz came at a February press conference, hosted by Heinz’s previous CEO Bill Johnson.

Berkshire Hathaway and 3G said they were in discussions about continuing Johnson’s role with the company, said the Journal.

Burger King’s current chief financial officer Daniel Schwartz will move into both the chief operating officer and CEO position as of July 1.

Baptiste Peupion has been appointed the executive chef and culinary director of Quebec’s Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.

Originally from Paris, Peupion has worked in Britain, the U.S., Australia and Hong Kong during his culinary career and has more than 15 years of experience.

After working under Alain Ducasse, Peupion became chef at his Parisian restaurant, Rech, in 2007 and 2008. At the age of 29, Peupion was the youngest chef to head one of Ducasse’s restaurants.

He has worked in several Michelinstarred restaurants, including Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris, Monaco.

In 2010, Peupion joined the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris in his most recent position as chef de cuisine. He holds a professional cooking certificate and a bachelor degree (cooking option) from Lycée Hôtelier JeanDrouant Méderic Paris.

Panera Bread Co. co-CEO Bill Moreton will step down from his position, and transition into the executive vice-chairman role.

According to an April 23 release, the changeover will take place as of Aug. 1, when Panera founder and current chairman and co-CEO Ron Shaich will become the sole CEO. The reason behind the move was a “family matter,” according to the company statement.

“As a result of this family matter, I have found myself unable to travel and am now clear I will be challenged to fully execute my responsibilities as president and co-CEO of Panera Bread,” Moreton said in the release.

“In this new role, I hope to be able to fulfill my personal responsibilities while maintaining a strong engagement with Panera and assist Ron and our team in leading our company.”

Top: Michael Hunter. Bottom left: Gordon MacDonald. Bottom middle: Baptiste Peupion.

Bottom right: Leslie Smejkal.

Brick Brewing appointed Sean Byrne chief financial officer as of April 29.

A certified management accountant with a master in business administration from Edinburgh Business School, Byrne brings more than two decades of senior financial management experience to the nearly 30-year-old, publicly held brewery. Most recently, Byrne held the position of vice-president of finance with RR Donnelly in Mississauga, ON, according to an April 18 release. Byrne replaces Jason Pratt, who resigned in late January.

“We were not only looking for a CFO who had good educational and practical experience as a public company’s CFO, but also

ISHCOM APPOINTMENT NOTICE: Steven Isherwood, publisher of Ontario Restaurant News, is pleased to announce that Kristen Smith has joined the editorial team of Ishcom Publications as assistant editor, digital content.

With newsroom experience as a reporter at the Orillia Packet & Times and a multimedia journalist at the Collingwood EnterpriseBulletin, Kristen has also interned at the National Post following her postgraduate Journalism degree at Humber College.

Reporting to Restaurant News editorial director Leslie Wu, Kristen will be working on the revamped Restaurant News and Canadian Lodging News websites and recently launched social media platform.

looking for a really solid business partner,” president and CEO George Croft told ORN. Croft said Brick Brewing, which has worked over the past three years to improve operations, is in a position to execute its growth strategy. He said the strategy consists of strong organic growth in Ontario, marketing and expansion, mergers and acquisitions and co-pack production.

“All of which (Byrne) has done to some degree at stops along the way,” said Croft.

The announcement of Byrne’s appointment comes shortly after Nick Relph joined the company as vice-president of sales and marketing in early March.

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