Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News - August 2014

i s h c o m p u b l i c at i o n s s i n c e 19 8 6

P

A

C

I

F

I

C

/

P

R

A

I

R

I

E

estaurant News R August 2014 Vol. 20 No. 4

N A T I O N A L

C O V E R A G E

R E G I O N A L

F O C U S

$ 5 . 9 5

For the love of

Mexico

By Kristen Smith, assistant editor, digital content

WOLF IN THE FOG HOWLS INTO TOFINO

TIM’S LOOKS INTO FUTURE CONCEPTS

8

17

Life

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

A day in the

From grower to plate, PRN takes a look at some of the faces and places along the supply chain process.

9

EDMONTON—The team behind Tres Carnales is opening a new restaurant in the 101-year-old Mercer Building on 104th Street in Edmonton’s downtown warehouse district.

Daniel Braun, Chris Sills and executive chef Edgar Gutierrez opened Taqueria Tres Carnales in 2011 on Rice Howard Way. “We always had the idea of opening a few concepts—all revolving around Mexican food, mainly—because that’s my heritage and I’m completely in love with it and I’m happy to have business partners who are as in love with it as I am,” Braun told PRN. “We always wanted to showcase how multifaceted the cuisine is in Mexico and, obviously, you can’t do that with only one taco shop.”

At press time, Rostizado, which translates to “roasted,” was slated to open by early August.

Braun said the 2,900-square-foot, turn-of-the-century building, with its “beautiful exposed brick and wooden beams,” was the right fit for their new concept.

Designed with the help of designer Erika Sanchez, the 70-seat eatery has four areas: the bar, which seats four and includes an eight-seat communal table; a six-seat “living room” area with televisions running Mexican shows from the 60’s and 70’s; a 10-seat private room overlooking the open kitchen; and the main dining area, which has 42 seats in a combination of banquettes and tables.

Gutierrez pairs roasted, locallyraised meat with vegetables and grains to reflect the cooking and din-

ing style of Mexican rosticerias in what they are calling “modern Mexican cuisine.”

The menu is inspired by a place the trio frequent in Puerto Vallarta.

“They make these beautiful rotisserie chickens with these potatoes that catch all the drippings,” said Gutierrez.

“The rotisserie is so dynamic, we will be able to do racks of lamb [or] whole fish,” said Braun.

Gutierrez said while the two large rotisseries are “the pulsing heart” of the restaurant, the new concept also allows him to work with more vegetables than when creating the Tres Carnales menu.

Other dishes include habanero-

From left: Rostizado owners Daniel Braun, Edgar Gutierrez and Chris Sills.

cured seabass served with tostadas; fried masa cakes with tequila and piloncillo-smoked salmon; and a quail-egg-stuffed meatball braised in chile de arbol and roasted tomato salsa. Desserts will include fresh churros with dulce de leche and a flan de queso topped with fruit sauce.

Braun estimated the average check to fall between $25 and $30 dollars.

At the bar, along with a selection of about 16 tequilas and mescals, bartender Jason Osbourne crafts Latin American and Spanish-inspired cocktails, such as “la bonita,” which consists of muddled pineapple and cilantro, fresh lime, mescal, passion fruit, chili juice and agave simple syrup.

The Tres Carnales Group, which is slang for “three sons of different mothers,” doesn’t plan on stopping here. Some ideas for future establishments include a savoury breakfast joint and a brasserie concept. The group is also considering opening a second Taqueria Tres Carnales.

The group doesn’t plan on opening these in quick succession, however, Braun said the trio doesn’t plan on franchising the brand and will be fully involved with any future openings, bringing on like-minded individuals and, in time, giving them a piece of the ownership stake.

Suite 101, 10359 104th St., Edmonton, rostizado.com, @Rostizado_yeg.

Canada’s minimum wages set to increase TORONTO—Minimum wage has increased or is set to rise in nearly every Canadian province this year.

In Alberta, it will increase to $10.20 on Sept. 1 following annual hikes since 2012.

On Oct. 1, Saskatchewan and Manitoba’s wages will increase to $10.20 and $10.70 respectively. The most recent rise in Saskatchewan was in 2012 from $9.50 to $10. Manitoba saw wages increase in 2012 and 2013 to $10.25 and then $10.45.

In Ontario, minimum wage increased in June to $11. The previous

rise was in 2010 to $10.25.

Quebec’s minimum wage workers saw an increase to their base rate in May to $10.35. In la belle province, hourly wages increased in 2012 to $9.90 and in 2013 to $10.15.

Nova Scotia saw its minimum wage increase by 10 cents to $10.40.

It has seen slight raises for more than three consecutive years, increasing from $10 to $10.15 in 2012 and to $10.30 in 2013.

Prince Edward Island will implement two increases this year. In June, minimum wage increased from $10

to $10.20 and will be set at $10.35 in October.

Newfoundland and Labrador last saw a minimum wage increase in 2010 to $10. In October, the province’s rate will increase to $10.25 with another 25-cent hike next year.

In the Yukon, minimum wage increased from $10.54 to $10.72 this year. In 2012, the territory saw two bumps, bringing the minimum wage to $9.27 and then $10.30.

Minimum wage in Nunavut, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Northwest Territories will hold at

$11, $10.25, $10 and $10, respectively.

Minimum wage rates in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut haven’t changed since 2011. The last increase in B.C. was in May 2012 from $9.50 to $10.25. In New Brunswick, minimum wage hasn’t moved since April 2012, when it saw a 50-cent hike.

A lower minimum wage exists in some provinces for liquor servers or employees who usually receive gratuities: Alberta ($9.20), B.C. ($9), Ontario ($9.55) and Quebec ($8.90).

Continued on page 3

Give your guests a side of entertainment with Bell TV. Business Satellite TV from Bell helps draw in hungry customers. They’ll enjoy news, premium sports and must-have Pay-per-view events with the stunning picture quality of HD. Plus, it’s reliable and simple to use, and it integrates with your existing wiring. So adding flavour to their visit couldn’t be easier.

Visit bell.ca/barsandrestaurants or call 1 866 716-8040.

BEL3665_BARREST_CRN.indd 1

2014-03-19 11:13 AM

AU G U S T 2 014

| 3

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com Add

Park life

DONAIR

PIZZA

To your menu

Left: Food evolution overlooks a duck pond in Kildonan Park.

Above: The restaurant’s menu draws from eastern Europe.

By Leslie Wu, editorial director WINNIPEG—A pavilion in the city’s Kildonan Park has a new lease on life with WOW! Hospitality Concepts’ latest restaurant Food Evolution, which opened in early June.

“The restaurant is rooted in the centre of a diverse cultural neighbourhood. It’s amazing how you can walk through the restaurant and hear any number of different languages,” said chef Michael Dacquisto, who has worked with WOW! for 19 years opening a number of the group’s restaurants such as 529 Wellington and Muddy Waters Smokehouse. “We wanted to pay a little homage to the strong eastern European base in Winnipeg, mixing traditional items such as kielbasa and pierogies and mixing them up with a modern take.”

The original concept was the brainchild of WOW! Hospitality Concepts president and chief executive officer Doug Stephen. With 100 seats inside and room for another 140 seats on the patio, the restaurant sits in the city-owned Peguis Pavilion, right above a duck pond, said

Dacquisto. Average check for the dining room in the evening runs about $30 per person, including alcohol. A takeout café in the front area with grab-and-go sandwiches, soups, salads and ice cream averages around the $5 to $7 range.

With six entrée-sized items and another 12 that are either sharing or appetizer plates, the menu is based around local products, with proteins such as beef brisket and duck breast smoked in-house. The restaurant uses meat from Metro Meats, local organic eggs from Nature’s Farms, lettuce and sprouts from Neva Hydroponic Farms and butter churned to spec from Notre Dame Creamery.

Touching on Ukranian and Russian influences, Dacquisto, chef de cuisine Beau Schell and the nine-person staff play with a “retro modern” take on the classics, such as housemade pork belly pastrami. “It tastes like eating beef pastrami, and it’s pretty rich, so it’s not a huge portion,” said Dacquisto. The dish is accompanied with popcorn potatoes cooked in a saltwater solution to emulate the white coating

and taste of popcorn.

The menu will evolve with the seasons, including items such as beet fritters on locally picked dandelion greens with braised mustard seed, dill and homemade crème fraîche or a dish composed of seasonal wild mushrooms including brown and black morels, porcinis and chanterelles. Five types of homemade mustard are available, including a peppercorn Dijon blend.

Winnipeg-based interior designer Jennifer Stockford oversaw the design—filled with Andy Warhol style prints, soft wood décor produced from local elm trees—which projects “an older vibe combined with a cleaner, modern look,” said Dacquisto.

The restaurant will be open year round, and plans are in place to attract winter guests with Costa Rican coffee and hot chocolate from the take-out counter situated by the park’s skating rink.

2015 Main Street, Winnipeg. (204) 284-7275.

Wowhospitality.ca.

Canada’s minimum wages set to increase Continued from cover

New StatsCan study According to Statistics Canada, the average national minimum wage amounted to $10.14 in 2013.

In a study released on July 16 titled The ups and downs of minimum wage, 1975 to 2013, analysts looked at “real minimum wage” over the years by translating the average of provincial wages over the time period into 2013 dollars to account for inflation and allow for comparison.

According to the data, real minimum wage was “almost identical” last year and in 1975 at $10.13, but it varied within the time period.

The real minimum wage declined to $7.53 in 1986 and increased to $8.81 in 1996. Up until 2003, it remained stable at about $8.50.

Since then, real minimum wage has increased by almost $2, from $8.27.

Last year, the proportion of Canadian workers earning minimum wage was 6.7 per cent, up from five per cent in 1997. According to StatsCan, the increased proportion— which mostly occurred between 2003 and 2010—

was to some degree a result of increases in minimum wage rates in many provinces.

According to StatsCan, 17 per cent of employees in the retail trade and 27 per cent of those in the accommodations and foodservice sector were paid the minimum wage rate in 2013. These sectors accounted for more than

60 per cent of those earning minimum wage in Canada.

The proportion of employees paid at minimum wage varied by province in 2013, led by Prince Edward Island (9.3 per cent) and Ontario (8.9 per cent). Alberta had the lowest rate at 1.8 per cent.

Provincial minimum wage at year’s end in 2011 and 2014

Canada’s #1 supplier – Cones, loaves, sauces and breads

1-888-859-7222 www.bonte.ca FEDERALLY INSPECTED

Coming next issue...

The Franchise Report Sustainable seafood and fish farming Bonus distribution: CONNECT Food + Drink + Lodging Show, Vancouver B.C.

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

4 |

RestaurantNews

Role playing

Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com

Assistant Editor Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 jzettel@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor, Digital Content Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianrestaurantnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianrestaurantnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com

kitchen managers and processors, talking to the unsung heroes that may not make headlines of magazines about food, but are crucial to its delivery.

Like many of us, their day starts before they even get into the office, checking smartphones and tablets to put out fires before setting foot in the door. Keeping a 9-to-5 schedule is a shared impossibility for many of our interviewees, as well as an expanding job description that encompasses doing more with less.

And yet, thriving on the pressure and unpredictability of the job is a highlight for some of the people we talked to; whether it’s coordinating 15 departments before the lunch rush or ensuring no detail gets overlooked in a 1,000-cover day.

Regardless of whether they’re new at their job or have worked in their roles for over three decades, all of them demonstrated an enthusiasm and care for their work that shows in every word. And since no one knows what today’s job may look like in the future, perhaps that is the most essential career skill of all.

Comm e n t

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

I

n the race to the bottom line, a chain in the U.S. has created a new role designed solely for profit. Noodles & Co. is experimenting with “upsell waiters”; floaters whose goal is to boost the average check.

“The server will stop at guests’ tables when they’re nearly done with their meal, ask if they’d like to order anything else, and bring the extra items to the table—no gratuity required,” according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

As chefs become brand managers, maîtred’s shift to “experience co-ordinators” and roles combine and transmute in new ways, thinking about what we do and how we do it is becoming increasingly important.

A decade ago, social media managers would have been deemed ludicrous for a large-scale restaurant, let alone a small independent. Yet

today, they are vital to the marketing strategies of some tech-savvy eateries.

Although attention has moved to the back of house in recent years in the rush to spotlight the chef, many silent and supporting roles go unnoticed but are essential elements of the dining experience. Consumers may not appreciate the multitude of steps that it takes to get an item to their plate—even as they become more attuned to the farm-to-table cycle—but should any of those stages get interrupted, they would definitely notice an item’s absence as the entire process grinds to a halt.

This month, we take a look at some of those silent but essential figures along the supply chain process in “A Day in the Life” (page 9). Using a simple loaf of bread as an example, we follow a path through the daily routines of

Leslie Wu, Editorial director

How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

Bi t s

Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

Volume 20 Number 4 Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News is published 6 times per year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes: Ontario Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Canadian Chains Directory 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada 1 800 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada & USA: $24.95/ year or $39.95/two years Single copy: $5.95 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1702-3483 GST number R102533890

Winnipeg considering smoking ban on restaurant, bar patios WINNIPEG—City council in Winnipeg is considering banning cigarette smoking on outdoor patios.

In late June, council approved a plan to ask provincial health authorities to investigate the idea.

“I’ve listened to doctors talk about the tragic results of second-hand smoke,” Mayor Sam Katz told the Winnipeg Free Press. Katz said he believes smokers have rights, “but I think you would also defend the rights of people who do not want to be impacted.”

The ban, as proposed by two city councilors, would affect restaurants and bars with outdoor areas that allow smoking.

A number of Canadian municipalities have similar bans, including Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Just Eat expanding VANCOUVER—Toronto-based Just Eat Canada announced a number of delivery partnership deals in July, including Vancouver-based Daily Delivery, which will expand the service to the Kitsilano and Burnaby areas.

The online food ordering service also signed deals with small businesses in Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal.

According to a release, Just Eat plans on taking on hundreds of new restaurants by the end of the year.

Just Eat is also partnering with Can U Deliver, expanding the service to Regina.

The Just Eat Group, which was founded in Denmark in 2000, now has its headquarters in London, UK, and is active in 13 countries.

In Canada, there are more than 4,000 participating restaurants.

MTY makes acquisitions MONTREAL—The MTY Food Group Inc. announced in early July it had acquired Café Dépôt, Sushi Man, Muffin Plus and Fabrika

a nd

concepts. The company also gained two buildings in the $14.8-million deal.

The deal includes 102 stores in operation, 90 of which are franchised and 12 corporately-owned. All of the stores except for one are in the province of Quebec and produced $42 million in sales in 2013.

“We expect that the 102 stores will be a good fit with MTY’s existing network,” Stanley Ma, chief executive officer of MTY, said in a statement. “The combination of those strong brands with MTY’s expertise will create exciting synergies.”

Olive Garden revamping design ORLANDO, FL—In early July, Olive Garden announced the final phase of its brand revitalization, which includes a restaurant remodel, new logo and online ordering.

During the next year, more than 75 locations will be remodelled, including the removal of walls, a more modern lobby and bar area, flexible seating to better accommodate large parties and vibrant colours, textures and fabrics.

“As we continue to update our brand experience, we needed to send a strong signal to our guests that there’s something new and exciting at Olive Garden, and our new remodel design, web experience and logo are designed to do just that,” Jay Spenchian, executive vicepresident of marketing, said in a release.

The company launched a menu overhaul in February, which included more than 20 new items.

There are six Olive Garden locations in Canada.

Parent company Darden Restaurants announced the sale of its Red Lobster chain to Golden Gate Capital for $2.1 billion in May.

Pita Pit opens 500th location KINGSTON, ON—Pita Pit celebrated the opening of its 500th store in late June at 7925 McLeod Rd. in Niagara Falls, ON. “We’ve come a long way since our first

Bi t e s

opening in Ontario almost 20 years ago,” Pita Pit founder Nelson Lang said in a statement.

“We’ve experienced outstanding growth in the past few years, and I am extremely excited about the opening of our 500th store worldwide.”

Multi-unit owners Alan and Rana Matukaitis, who joined the brand in 2012 and have two other locations in St. Catharines, ON, operate the 500th unit.

Denny’s blasts into retrogaming VANCOUVER—Denny’s has released three iOS and Android mobile titles based on classic arcade games. Hashteroids lets smartphone users blast hash browns from a ketchup bottle and is based on the classic Atari game Astroids.

As a take on Atari’s Centipede, users shoot ketchup at eggs in Centipup and in Denny’s game Take-out, based on arcade classic Breakout, users bounce a ball off a plate, smashing through bacon and eggs.

TouchBistro adds PayPal NEW YORK—TouchBistro has announced the integration of PayPal with its mobile point of sale system. Customers will be able to use a PayPal app on their smartphones to purchase products from businesses that use TouchBistro without having to ask the server for the bill or wait for transactions to process.

“There are two pain points that we have identified in the dining experience—ordering and paying—and we are now solving both with the use of mobile technology,” Alex Barrotti, chief executive officer and founder of TouchBistro said in a release.

“Restaurants that are using TouchBistro POS solutions across North America and have a PayPal account can immediately enable and begin using the integrated Pay at Table service,” said Barrotti.

According to a release, the first restaurant to use the new technology was Boëhmer in Toronto.

ADVERTISEMENT

BY S . P E L L E G R I N O

Meet Chef Grant van Gameren, the culinary pioneer and driving force behind Toronto’s Bar Isabel, named as Canada’s Best New Restaurant in 2014. We asked him to reveal his sources for inspiration and ingredients, and tell us what’s on his radar for the future.

CAPTURE THE ESSENCE O F W H AT ’S H A P P E N I N G IN THE CANADIAN C U L I N A R Y S C E N E.

S: 13

Orphans cooking with orphans.

In Toronto, the people opening restaurants now are in their late 20s, early 30s who haven’t been slugging it out in a brigade-style kitchen for years like the founding fathers. There’s a generation of us rebellious teenagers just opening up restaurants, hiring our friends and taking risks. Hopefully, these young chefs grow into the leaders of Canada’s modern culinary movement.

HOW DO CULINARY T R E N D S I M PA C T YO U R MENU?

I’m too busy to concern myself with trends. Evolution is made, not speculated. If there’s anything I’m into, it’s about finding something new. Maybe not something new to the world, but new to me. That’s my food trend.

W H AT I S I N S P I R I N G YO U RIGHT NOW?

Gooseneck barnacles-pre-historiclooking crustacean creatures, super tasty. Only in season for about a month. When I sourced some, I was so excited that I posted a photo on

Instagram. 48 hours later there was an article about how these are the “next new thing.”

ASIDE FROM THE F O O D , W H AT M A K E S A G R E AT R E S TA U R A N T EXPERIENCE?

Everything you put on the table matters. The details can dramatically elevate the dining experience—like a good quality napkin, artisanal bread or a bottle of S.Pellegrino. Even the bottle itself is beautiful; it’s like a bottle of wine. Water is the first thing served at the table and the last thing that remains.

So it only makes sense that the kind of water you serve is considered.

If you think about it, filtered water or tap water—it’s only as good as its source.

GIVE US A HINT ABOUT

GRANT VA N GA M E R E N

W H AT ’S O N T H E H O R I Z O N F O R YO U ?

I’m excited about a new venture I’m working on inspired by the Pintxo bars of San Sebastian.

It’s a completely different way of eating, very social and a new style for Toronto. It’s food-at-your-ownpace that takes traditional tapas to a whole new level.

“E V E RY T H I N G YO U P U T O N T H AT TA B L E M AT T E R S . T H E D E TA I L S C A N D R A M A T I C A L LY E L E VA T E T H E D I N I N G EXPERIENCE, LIKE A GOOD QUALITY NAPKIN, ARTISANAL BREAD OR A BOT TLE OF S.PELLEGRINO.”

For more inspiration visit

TEXT BY

F I N E D I N I N G LOV E R S . C O M

PHOTO BY

Angie Mosier Brock Elbank

6 |

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Passage to India Above left: Chef Vikram Vij. Middle, top: Mirrored discs adorn the exterior. Middle, bottom: Colourful lights brighten the dining room. Right: Bar area with a B.C.-only wine and beer list.

By Leslie Wu SURREY, BC—Vikram Vij is giving diners a peek into the homes and kitchens that he’s travelled to in India with his new restaurant My Shanti, which opened on June 1 at The Shops at Morgan Crossing, near Croydon Drive and 24th Avenue.

“The restaurant is an homage to the chefs of India,” Vij told PRN. “It’s not about the country, but the chefs and the regions; the dishes I’ve learned in people’s homes and the places I’ve been.”

My Shanti, which means “my peace”, is Vij’s first restaurant without his wife Meeru Dhalwala, who partnered on his namesake

restaurant Vij’s and sister eatery Rangoli and is now focusing her efforts on Shanik in Seattle.

“This is my baby,” said Vij. “I wanted to create my own style of cuisine.”

Dishes on the menu reference the chefs and places that were the source of Vij’s inspiration, such as Chhatra Sagar baby eggplants with mango powder and chilies, which is cooked in mustard oil.

Vij adapted the recipe to local tastes, switching the flat pan method to blacken the mangoes completely with a combination of grill and oven roasting because “people thought it was burnt,” he said. “We’re still true and pure to the flavours, but we’re changing it

slightly to where we live.”

Other dishes reflect different regions, such as Mysorian vegetable thoran with grated roasted coconut, or the tongue-in-cheek Indian democracy of samosas (chicken, lamb and beef) with local fruit and mint chutney.

Average check at the restaurant runs to $57 per person without tax, tip or wine; a lower average than Vij’s, which comes in at $70 to $75. The wine list and beers on tap come from within B.C., and Vij will be hiring a sommelier to oversee the beverage program.

In the kitchen, chef Gaurav Gaba manages the day to day operations, and line chef Arjun Sethi performs expediting duties.

The 88-seat, 4,000-square-foot restau-

rant was in the works for three years. “There were so many stops and goes,” said Vij. “It was a million-dollar project that became a $2.7-million project.”

With an exterior wall half covered in hundreds of thousands of shimmering silver mirrored discs—all attached individually by hand—the Indian sari-inspired design was created by Marc Bricault of Bricault Design.

“I wanted the wow factor; to be in your face with shimmer and reflect who I am. I wear jewellery, earrings and have a nose piercing. I’m not a subtle kind of guy,” said Vij. 15869 Croydon Drive, Surrey, BC. (604) 560-4416. www.myshanti.com.

Fatburger Canada chain expands eastward THORNHILL, ON—Fatburger Canada continues to move east, making its first stop in Ontario in late May with the opening of a 40-seat, 1,600-square-foot Thornhill, ON, location.

Frank Di Benedetto, the Fatburger franchisor for Canada, and chief executive officer of Frankie’s Burger Enterprises and the Ricky’s All Day Grill chain, said the brand is committed to growth in Ontario.

He said Fatburger has a strategic “slow and steady” growth plan, which includes more locations in Ontario, bringing the brand to the maritime provinces and, hopefully, Quebec.

Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express serves up six-ounce burgers made from fresh, lean, hand-pressed Angus beef prepared before the customers—lettuce is sliced to order.

The chain also offers veggie burgers and rosemary and sage-seasoned turkey burgers served with cranberry sauce.

The Buffalo’s Express co-branding also brings chicken wings, boneless wings and southern U.S.-style, hand-battered chicken tenders to the menu. The premium fast casual eatery sells milkshakes, and is licensed to serve beer and margaritas.

Average check across the chain is about $13.

Fatburger Canada has established its restaurant base in British Columbia, with the first opening in 2005 in Vancouver’s West End. Over nine years, Fatburger Canada, owned by Ricky’s Family Restaurants,

opened about 40 locations in Western Canada and the Prairie Provinces. The controlling company also has about 100 full-service restaurants in its portfolio.

Di Benedetto said 17 new eateries will be opened this year between the two brands.

“Next year, we will do the same. In fact, next year, the number might be a little higher than that,” he said, adding the company is already committed to opening a dozen Fatburgers and seven Ricky’s in 2015.

One of the new locations, a corporate training centre, is slated for the Greater Toronto Area, which will serve the franchising efforts in Ontario and the Maritimes.

Fatburger and Ricky’s recently brought on Toronto-based franchise development professional Jeff Young to spearhead the eastern franchise expansion efforts.

Di Benedetto said there are six variations of the brand including a high-pedestrian foot traffic urban model, food court model, and the signature model, which ranges from 2,000 to 2,400 square feet and might be found in a major shopping centre area.

With a flexible footprint, Fatburger locations have on average between 52 and 60 seats and new opens receive a site-specific design. “Every Fatburger that we open and design has its own distinct colour board,” said Di Benedetto.

There are some common design elements such as a black and white mural of the original Fatburger location in south Los Angeles, which was opened in 1948 by

founder Lovie Yancey and her husband and called Mr. Fatburger. When they divorced a few years later, Yancey took down the honourific and carried on with the business.

The African-American entrepreneur was

Frank Di Benedetto.

an appreciator of good tunes and musicians frequented the original Fatburger, which is represented in new locations by loud music and wall murals paying homage to past and current artists, said Di Benedetto.

Energy efficiency.

Good for smaller footprints.

And your bottom line.

We can help you with rebates on high-efficiency natural gas foodservice equipment and energy saving tips and tools. fortisbc.com/smallerfootprints

FortisBC uses the FortisBC name and logo under license from Fortis Inc. (14-182.3 05/2014) 14-182.3_Foodservice_Ad_10x13-P2.indd 1

6/6/2014 10:38:28 AM

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

8 |

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Wolf in the Fog howls in Tofino

TOFINO, BC—The coastal town of Tofino, BC, has a new culinary destination with the opening of Wolf in the Fog at the end of June.

The name came from a fishing trip where chef Nicholas Nutting saw a wolf in the fog.

“It creates a pretty vivid mental image right off the hop and it’s something that is not actually uncommon in Tofino,” said Nutting, who opened the eatery with his team at 150 Fourth St. “We’ve been talking about opening this restaurant for so bloody long and now it’s actually real,” Nutting told PRN. “We’re right on the main intersection in town; it’s an area of Tofino that the municipality] put some effort into developing,” he said.

The two-level space holds 22 seats downstairs with a 12-seat patio and 80 seats upstairs alongside a 40-seat, second-level patio.

Nutting said the space was originally designed for a brewpub with high ceilings but had housed a gallery prior to the opening, which required building a full kitchen.

The building also houses a surf

shop, an organic grocery store and a fitness gym in the basement.

Nutting said the menu will take fine dining and make it more accessible to the general public. “People want to try new things, but are intimidated, so we’ve got a menu that offers everything from a burger to foie gras. We’re trying to emphasize that dining is fun.”

According to Nutting, the restaurant was born out of his love for fishing and foraging and features many local ingredients. “You can get a fresh fish caught within an hour of here,” Nutting said.

Menu items include: spicy beef tartare with peanuts, scallions and yogurt; corn-battered, Jamaicanstyle fried fish, with yogurt and cabbage slaw; Tofino salmon with green beans, grains and sprouts; and four sharing platters including one with cod, octopus, mussels, romesco sauce, tomato salad and foccacia.

“This is my definition of what Tofino food is, in general,” Nutting said.

Pastry chef Joel Ashmore created a summer parfait with lemon curd, an olive oil madeleine, fruit, torched meringue and a butterscotch brulee with raspberry gelato for the dessert menu.

Chef Nicholas Nutting.

All of the plateware was purchased from vintage shops in the area. “It’s the first time in my career that I’ve plated on something other than the standard white,” Nutting said.

The beverage program, headed

by Hailey Pasemko, features cocktails such as the Hush N Stone made with corn-infused amber rum, nectarine liqueur, salmonberry bitters and basil, and Drama on the High Seas made with demerara rum, bourbon, macadamia nut liqueur, honey, coconut water and an ice sphere.

The beverage menu also includes punch bowl options for up to six

Would your kitchen pass the Clean test?

people to share, dessert cocktails and craft beer on tap. The bar will also serve several local wines on tap alongside an international selection of bottles.

Jorge Barandiaran is the house manager and Andre McGillivray is the business manager.

Nutting said the business supports local products as much as possible and even uses a large cedar tree out front by picking cedar fronds to make a jelly for salmon dishes.

“I feel that in Tofino, a place that’s pretty conscious of waste and the carbon footprint, there’s a million

from coast to coast ... i s h c o m p u b l i c at i o n s s i n c e 19 8 6

P A

F

N A T I O N A L

I

C

/

P

R

A

I

R

I

E

C O V E R A G E

R E G I O N A L

F O C U S

$ 5 . 9 5

No tipping at B.C. restaurant GROWING NEW IDEAS AT TERROIR

6 Smoke ‘N Water staff.

By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor

INDUSTRY FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT AT CRIS i s h c o m p u b l i c at i o n s s i n c e 19 8 6

O

N

T

A

R

I

6

O

Restaurant News July 2014 Vol. 29 No. 6

C O V E R A G E

R E G I O N A L

F O C U S

Power to the

people

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

Michael Bowyer and Susan Carr.

By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor hood are hungry, we figured out we’re going to have to feed people,” Bowyer HAMILTON, ON—Along a strip of told ORN. “So we kept coming back boarded up and rundown storefronts, to food and I thought, ‘What about a a new restaurant has opened with the restaurant?’” mandate to empower local residents.

Customers can pay it forward The 541 Eatery and Exchange by purchasing buttons for a dollar, opened on June 20 on Hamilton’s which can be used by those who canBarton Street East and will provide not afford food or drink: one button fresh sustainable food at an afford- equals one dollar. The Eatery sells cofable price. fee for a dollar and a full breakfast of Co-founder Michael Bowyer said two eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast the project took about six years to de- for $5. A roast beef or chicken dinvelop after he and a team considered ner with potatoes and vegetables is APPROVAL REQUIRED several options to help the communi- priced at $4. Bowyer said the menu The enclosed proof is sent for your approval. We will not proceed with the job until the proof is returned.

DOwhich NOT GIVE CAREFULLY! ty,Beyond heVERBAL said isINSTRUCTIONS. in an area CHECK known is designed so that nothing stays in this point we cannot accept responsibility for any errors. Alterations (other than typographical errors) will be charged extra. Mark proof “OK” or “OK with corrections” as the case may asbe, a “red zone” due to its high levels the building for more than two days, signing your name so we may know that the proof reached the proper authority. of poverty. with last night’s dinner being used for SIGNATURE OF APPROVAL DATE “Because people in the neighboursandwiches the following lunch.

The restaurant will run under a for-benefit business model, putting all profits back into the business and has five staff members and a team of volunteers who run the daily operations. Nearly all of those involved live within walking distance of the building.

“If the neighbourhood isn’t involved, they don’t own it,” Bowyer said, adding nearly 15 different community groups from the city have helped with the process.

Executive director Susan Carr will handle the human resources side of operations. James Peters will chair the steering committee and help with fundraising.

Continued on page 6

JOIN THE

WINNING TEAM CALL US NOW.

Felix DeCata Jennifer Murphy

905.361.3608 905.361.4836

FROM PASTRY CHEF TO RUNNING A KITCHEN

The art of sandwiches Deconstructing the portable meal.

10

3

9

$ 5 . 9 5

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

N A T I O N A L

OFF TO MARKET STREET AT ST. LAWRENCE

ER S A

I

Restaurant News

Order your CleanSAFE Program today!

NIV

C

June 2014 Vol. 20 No.3

Preventing Sanitation and Food Safety risks Maintaining a pest-free kitchen environment Being ready for your next kitchen inspection

AN

150 Fourth St., Tofino, BC, (250) 725-WOLF, @wolfinthefog.

WE HAVE IT COVERED

Train your kitchen staff on:

A $50 value FREE when you call 888-210-7050 or email cleansafe@abellgroup.com

reasons why it’s a good idea above and beyond just the financial benefits of it,” Nutting said.

Nutting is a member of the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild, which brings together chefs in the region for the marketing and distribution of local ingredients. He said the region has a close-knit community, calling it the antithesis of his experience in larger city centres where “competition between restaurants can be pretty cutthroat.”

5LEBOE PARTNERS

2014 NRA SHOW HIGHLIGHTS AND PRODUCTS

STUDENTS GO LOCAL WITH GREENHOUSES

WITH CONCORDE

14

16

CONVERT YOUR RESTAURANT

2014

TO A BOSTON PIZZA. Top 50 IT’S WORTH A CALL. IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK.

Chains Report

18

PARKSVILLE, BC—A Vancouver Island restaurateur opened what he is calling Canada’s first no tipping restaurant on June 2.

David Jones, owner of Smoke ‘N Water, said the business model that includes tipping is broken and does not work for restaurants.

“We want to be innovative, we want to create a transformational shift on the business model of how restaurants are run,” Jones told PRN. Jones said, although a handful of restaurants across the U.S. have no tipping policies, no Canadian restaurants currently prohibit the customary practice. The practice of tipping, according to Jones, creates disparity of wages between front of house and back of house employees.

“We’re drawing a line in the sand and saying it stops right here,” Jones said. “No longer will a woman working in the back of the house … for thirty years, be a single mother with an 11-year-old son and be paid $11.50

with no medical or dental. That’s not OK.” Jones said he plans on paying “a living wage” to both cooks and servers and will factor labour costs into menu prices. He said operations is budgeting the cost of labour at 30 per cent and considers his business model one of profit sharing. An additional two per cent of gross sales will go to provide dental and medical care to all employees and one per cent of sales will go into a social fund, of which the use will be determined by staff on a monthly basis.According to Jones, the practice of tipping makes for difficult management situations, citing incidences when servers provide excellent service yet receive a poor tip.

“How does that make you feel as a human being?” Jones said. “How do I, as an owner, tell my server to shake it off?”

Reconsider tipping models Jones said he got the idea of banning tips in his restaurant after listening to University of Guelph professor

of tourism and hospitality Bruce McAdams on CBC Radio.

McAdams—who has more than 25 years experience in the restaurant industry—has researched the effects of tipping and has been a proponent of rethinking tipping and creating a dialogue around the subject.

“The biggest thing is probably the inequity of wages it causes between the front and back,” McAdams told PRN, noting servers can make up to $30 per hour while cooks and dishwashers make between $10 and $14 per hour.

This inequity, McAdams argues, causes real financial consequences for operators because the industry has a high employee turnover. Culinary students coming into the industry leave after a couple years because they are living paycheck to paycheck and some servers come into restaurants to make as much money as possible then leave. McAdams estimates it can cost up to $1,500 to train a new employee.

McAdams said over the past 15 years, operators have tried to balance

the wage disparity by having servers tip-out to the house. Unfortunately, he said, this practice causes trust and transparency issues and puts restaurants in a high-risk situation with the Canadian Revenue Agency because tips collected from servers are “controlled tips” and must be taxed.

The practice of tipping also makes it difficult for restaurants to hire mangers, McAdams said, because managers often make less, have more responsibility and work longer hours than servers.

McAdams said tipping has the ability to influence quality of service, but not as much as one might think.

McAdams said, some restaurants may try a no-tipping policy, boost prices and not pass along the revenue to staff. “You have to try and have faith in the marketplace and you hope that people will move to places where they are treated properly,” he said.

According to McAdams, Canadians tip $6 billion annually.

i s h c o m p u b l i c at i o n s s i n c e 19 8 6

N

T

I

C

R E G I O N A L

Executive chef Erin Henry.

CHARLOTTETOWN—At Row House

while a Jugo Juice and a Starbucks are located post-security near the Earl’s restaurant. The Starbucks location is a new concept for the company and has 20-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows.

Meyer said a survey of customers was taken over three years to determine how to best support demand and found the airport had very long dwell times ranging between an hour and a half and two hours.

“We also found that the average income was over $189,000, which is more than double the Canadian average, so they had a lot of cash in their jeans to spend on products,” said

A

C O V E R A G E

Continued on page 3

By Kristen Smith, Assistant editor, digital content

chises selling wine.

The terminal will also house two full service restaurants. Earl’s Kitchen and Bar will be found post-security and provide customers with features unique to the airport location such as grab-and-go options and a breakfast menu. Pre-security, located near the terminal’s main entrance, Famoso will open its first airport location, offering Neapolitan pizza, salads and a full bar.

Along with Burger King and Subway, a Tim Hortons and a Mary Brown’s Chicken and Taters make up the remainder of the food court,

L

June 2014 Vol. 16 No. 3

N A T I O N A L

lobster

Craft beer at Burger King in new YMM terminal FORT MCMURRAY, AB—Burger King and Subway will serve Canadian craft beer as part of the foodservice at the new Fort McMurray airport terminal slated to open on June 9.

Both QSRs will be located presecurity in the terminal’s food court.

“Obviously, it is one of the first in Canada but I think it’s becoming the trend going forward and it’s usually specialty craft beers that are being sold,” Jim Meyer, senior director of airport business development at SNC-Lavalin Inc., told PRN. Meyer said QSR liquor sales are taking off in the U.S., with some fran-

A T

Restaurant News

House of

Lobster Co., seafood—especially the Meyers, adding many travellers are namesake crustacean—is the star of the show. coming from remote camps as partNamed for its Victoria Row location, the restaurant opened May 5 at 146 Richmond St. in Charlottetown of the oil sands development projects in the space formerly occupied by Castello’s Ristorante & Pizzeria. and have not had a chance to spend “The concept really was to take a product and a category that we think money in some time. “We tried Prince to Edward Island and Charlottetown should be known for, and build align the selection with what the cuson that with a high-quality food extomer was telling us,” he said.

A large percentage of the foodservice is pre-security, which Meyer said goes against current airport trends.

This was done because of long dwell times, to provide easy access for terminal employees and promote the use of an outdoor courtyard.

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor

perience,” owner Chris LeClair told ARN. ARN The dinner menu for the 52-seat restaurant (which has an additional 40 seats on the patio) is organized into small plates, lobster dishes, signature mains and land and sea entrees.

Executive chef Erin Henry, who studied at the Culinary Institute of Canada and has about 12 years of kitchen experience, met LeClair while running his self-serve frozen yogurt shop Berry Healthy.

“We would talk all the time about food and food concepts. At one point Erin said to me, ‘It sounds like you are really interested in owning, not a

frozen yogurt shop, but a restaurant.’

I said: ‘Oh, absolutely. Would you be interested in being the executive chef in a restaurant?’ She said: ‘Absolutely.’

The conversation went from there,” recalled LeClair.

“We have a lot of really great products on P.E.I,” said Henry, noting the Island has fantastic quality lobster, potatoes and dairy, in particular. “Just those three ingredients can be put together to make some pretty amazing stuff.”

She said the idea behind menu creation was to showcase P.E.I. products—such as beef and chicken from farms 25 minutes away, mushrooms

F O C U S

from St. Peter’s Bay, PEI, and blue mussels from Borden-Carlton— without overshadowing them.

“As the weather warms up, all our produce will be [sourced] from down the road as well,” said Henry.

Henry said Row House has all the staples one might expect, such as chowder and lobster rolls, which are served on Charlottetown bakery Buns & Things’ rolls, but the menu also features items such as tempura lobster lollipops and lobster tacos.

Oysters Rockefeller are baked with double-smoked bacon, wilted spinach, Pernod Anise and aged cheddar crust. The artisan cheese board is served with house-made preserves.

The church supper dinner is a platter with a whole lobster, a halfpound of steamed mussels and a cup of chowder, served with lemon, butter and a side dish. Henry also makes cioppino, a seafood stew with lobster, mussels, halibut and haddock in a garlic tomato and fennel broth.

First cook and pastry chef Marliese McGee had a hand in creating the dessert menu, which includes vanilla bean panna cotta, served with lemon curd, berries and a shortbread cookie.

Working with Ottawa-based McTavish Design and local interior designers The Ottoman Empire, LeClair said renovations opened up the 1,000-square-foot space.

“The look that I tried to achieve in the restaurant is what I’m calling rustic elegance,” said LeClair. The back wall is made of horizontal barn boards, there are chocolate brown hardwood floors, honey-coloured banquettes and tables made from reclaimed wood with brushed metal bases.

Continued on page 3

$ 5 . 9 5

RUSSELL HALIFAX OPEN HOUSE

NEW BUBBLES FOR JOST VINEYARDS

3

13

2014

Top 50 Chains Report

10

Taking a bite out of Cape Breton

By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor

Continued on page 3

DeCataF@BostonPizza.com MurphyJ@BostonPizza.com The Bite House location.

BADDECK, NS—A Cape Breton chef is inviting tourists and locals over to his house for dinner.

On June 4, 26-year-old chef Bryan Picard opened The Bite House, an intimate, 10-seat restaurant inside his home, 11 kilometers outside the village of Baddeck, NS. “It just made sense because the house is big and I don’t need all this space,” Picard told ARN. It took four or five months to obtain all the necessary permits to open the 250-square-foot dining room inside his personal residence, which Picard said was the hardest part of the process.

Guests can choose from a threecourse menu for $35 or a five-course meal for $50.

“It’s going to be kind of informal but the food will be very high top quality, which is what is important,” Picard said. “It’s more like a few people come to my house and I cook for them.”

Picard said the menu will rotate and depend on what is seasonally available. For the opening menu, he prepared smoked trout, snow crab, and braised beef and served rhubarb and wild strawberries for dessert. The Bite House also offers a selection of Nova Scotian wines and craft beer from Big Spruce and Uncle Leo’s Brewery.

Picard said he has no plans to open a larger restaurant someday and joked the business expansion plan might be to go from 10 to 12 tables.

“I think smaller is better,” he said.

“I moved out here to have a more sus-

tainable lifestyle and I think doing it in my home and growing the veggies is on the path toward self-sufficiency.”

Prior to opening his own restaurant, Picard worked for two years at the Chanterelle Country Inn at the North River Bridge on the Cabot Trail. Picard studied at the l’Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Quebec in Montreal.

Picard has a large herb garden, a smaller vegetable garden and some chickens for eggs, but will purchase the bulk of the restaurant’s supplies from local-area farmers.

The Bite House is named after Picard’s blog, a collection of simple, home-style recipes featuring Maritime ingredients.

1471 Westside Baddeck Rd. (902) 3221436, www.thebitehouse.com.

The 50 Years of Boston Pizza design, Boston Pizza and the Boston Pizza roundel are registered trademarks of Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership, used under licence. © Boston Pizza International Inc. 2014.

NAME: SIZE:

RestaurantNews_AD_APR2014-BP 10" × 2.875"

DATE:

APR - 2014

JOB NO:

14-232

INK:

CYAN

MAGENTA

YELLOW

BLACK

With over 8 editions annually, Restaurant News gives you the regional and national news, trends and data you need to make informed decisions.

RY

Visit CleanSafeKitchen.ca or call 888-210-7050

DON’T MISS OUT, SUBSCRIBE NOW! www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

AU G U S T 2 014

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

Day in the Life:

| 9

From plate to grower, Pacific/ Prairie Restaurant News follows the path of a loaf of bread through the supply chain, taking a look at some essential people along the way.

By PRN staff

1. Equipment Manufacturer

2. KITCHEN MANAGER

1. EQUIPMENT MAN UFACTURER

Corporate chef and product development manager Rational corporate chef and Fredrik Rasmusproduct development manager son has been with Fredrik Rasmusson.

Rational for five team years, starting with the of more company at its headquarthan 100 ters in Germany and moving to restaurant certihis role in North America in Februfied chefs who carry out the ary 2013.

Originally from Sweden, where he did minimum four hours of training included his culinary training, Rasmusson moved to with the sale of each piece of equipment.

Rasmusson says restaurants are taking Germany in 2001 and worked in two and baking bread very seriously for which Rathree Michelin-starred restaurants.

After completing food and beverage tional has incorporated a new baking secmanagement training, he took a position tion in the May release of SelfCookingCentre 5 Senses. at Rational.

The redeveloped baking application Rasmusson starts each day by responding to client queries. “That’s always my first was the result of baking a vast number of priority, to get the customer the answers goods from scratch in a recently created they need so I can help them through the bakery section of the food laboratory in Germany. day,” he says.

Part of Rasmusson’s team is in GermaRasmusson says training is one of the most important aspects of his job, which ny and they test all the cooking processes applies to new customers, but also to a before a new product is released. “We have the final word to say ‘well, this is the way team of internal sales staff.

“I make sure that they have the best the chef would like it’,” he says.

Rasmusson’s job involves a fair bit of possible knowledge about our equipment; so I visit them in Canada, I visit them here administrative work—it’s not just cookin the U.S. and we have training a couple of ing and testing food, but also documenting and writing reports, he says. times a year,” he says.

“I think the amount of work that Rasmusson gets support from Guerin Sykes, Canadian corporate executive chef doesn’t have to do with any cooking would be a little bit surprising for most people,” and key accounts manager.

Rasmusson also manages and trains a he says.

Jay Arumuganathan, a kitchen manager at The Pickle Barrel, spends his day overseeing a high volume output at the chain’s location at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue in Toronto.

Arumuganathan started out his career as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant, working his way up through prep and cook positions. Before his move to management, he was a line cook at two Pickle Barrel locations.

“Since I know the line, I didn’t need that training when I moved to the kitchen manager position,” he says. “Instead, I took a month-long training course for the kitchen which involved ordering, scheduling, portion and cost control, labour and food costs, purchasing prep and inventory control.”

Arumuganathan starts each day with a quick walk around with his team.

“I ask about opening and closing, how they’re feeling and if there are any issues,” he says. Part of

Arumuganathan’s duties also include a taste and temperature checks to ensure products are up to par. Items such as bread will be received and go to the different lines in the restaurant, such as challah and English muffins to the breakfast side, or onion buns and rye to the deli bar.

Due to the busy nature of the Yonge and Eglinton location—a weekend night can see 500 to 600 covers—Arumuganathan says much of his concentration is spent on how the food is plated and how quickly it goes to the customer. “We’re located in a business area, so we need to stick to that 30-minute window for service,” he says.

With 15 to 20 staff members in the kitchen per shift, Arumuganathan emphasizes that team involvement is crucial to being prepared for high volume times, such as the lunch rush.

Arumuganathan also takes over expediting, checking chit times and presentation for consistency. After lunch, ordering, spot checks, portion control and scheduling occupies his time.

“Keep in mind that it’s the team that helps you run the restaurant,” he says.

“Treat them in a way that indicates that they are the boss of their station. Listen to the staff to get an idea of the product and they will provide food that comes from their heart.”

Jay Arumuganathan, a kitchen manager for The Pickle Barrel.

2. Kitchen Manager

10 |

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

5. MAN UFACTURER

For Jeff Silverstein, making bread is in his bones.

Along with brothers Mark and Brian, and father, 83-year-old Sonny, Jeff is a third-generation to take on the family bread making facility Silverstein’s Bakery in downtown Toronto.

Officially, his title is vice-president of sales and marketing, but “each day is almost like a different hat you put on,” Silverstein says.

Silverstein, who has been with the company for almost 40 years, says he worked his way through the operation to learn the business, spending time in production and delivery as well.

“We work with a philosophy of ‘whatever it takes’,” he said, adding

he had to make deliveries recently because three of the company’s drivers were off for various reasons.

“Each day is really different in our business and we operate 24-7,” Silverstein says.

His primary role is customer service, which he says is key to standing out from the competition.

Silverstein says he meets with many chefs and foodservice professionals across the industry. “These guys all have a real passion for what they do, and part of what makes it so very rewarding, is dealing with them because anybody who’s got a passion makes the job easier when they love it as much as you do,” he says.

Silverstein says he is a member

of the Les Toques Blanches’ Toronto branch and says it’s a good group to socialize and network with away from work.

The bakery, he says, has flour delivered and bakers make the different varieties of dough, which are proofed, baked and packaged onsite.

Silverstein’s products include bagels, buns, baguettes, challah and rye breads.

According to Silverstein, the operation is mobile enough to accommodate many special requests from foodservice professionals.

“When I meet a new chef and say, for example, he’s from Switzerland and he’s got an old family recipe, we’ll try and duplicate that for him,” Silverstein said.

5. Manufacturer

3. PURCHASING MANAGER

3. Purchasing Manager

4. DISTRIBUTOR

4. Distributor

4,000 covers. His day includes dealing with requests from the catering manager, such as product specs and availability, as well as managing seasonality and coordinating with the executive and sous chef on the culinary team. On an average day, he interacts with 15 differKal Kopman, purchasing ent departments within manager at the Metro Toronto the MTCC, ranging from Convention Centre. accounting to parking and technology services.

“One thing that may be surK a l prising about this job is how vast it is: Kopman, I could be coming out of a meeting for purchasing manager at the Metro Toronto Convention requirements for fine dining and go right Centre, describes his typical day as one of into talking about upgrading toilet cleanconstant motion. “I spend a lot of the day ing programs and from there to discusrunning from department to department, sions about new ideas for tabletops,” he says. “It’s a renaissance man’s dream job.” like a hamster on a wheel,” he laughs.

In addition, he is constantly co-ordiKopman, whose background includes eight years of buying experience for nating with the MTCC’s 100 suppliers, event-based catering companies and re- making sure the supply chain is running tail purchasing, has been responsible for smoothly. Due to the sheer size of the all purchasing requirements for the Metro 14,000-square-foot kitchen space and the Convention Centre since November 2013, fact that on any given day, there are up to from food and beverage to china and uni- 18,000 meals being served in the convenforms. His education includes a three-year tion centre, Kopman’s job involves a lot of Purchasing Manager’s Association of Can- careful planning.

“We currently deal with about four ada certification and a four-year bachelor bakeries and all our bread comes in fresh of e-commerce from Ryerson University.

Along with a purchasing administra- at 5 a.m. the day of, requiring certain stantor and a co-op student, Kopman facili- dards that I need to establish with suppliers tates the flow of product throughout the about receiving,” he says. “Due to the large MTCC’s massive kitchens. One of his first volume, I can’t call in and ask for 4,000 events included simultaneous occasions in mini pretzel wiener rolls to be delivered in the north and south buildings, each with two hours.”

Jeff Silverstein, vice-president, sales and marketing for Silverstein’s Bakery.

Flanagan Foodservice distributes to more than 5,000 restaurants and foodservice operations across the province of Ontario.

Ruth Doig is the company’s category manager for grocery and frozen food and it is her job to orchestrate the delivery of products from suppliers to restaurants.

“We’re really the logistics person and the conduit between those two,” says Doig.

“We look at developing a comprehensive product offering that will support our sales team in meeting whatever our customers needs are currently and into the future.”

In order to get information about products to the customer base and the sales team, Doig says the company hosts food shows, produces a publication highlighting new and existing products, produces flyers and calendars and holds sales meetings on how to sell the product at a customer level.

Customers can also view products on the company’s website. According to Doig, she is always on the lookout for new products.

“We want to see what’s new, what will be a possible fit within our customer mix.

We’ll often go out to our sales team and ask, ‘This is something that’s new, have you been asked for it?’” says Doig.

“Or the vender community will come to us with a new product … so it really comes from both sides.”

Doig says most of the bread distributed through Flanagan Foodservice is frozen and either proof-andbake, parbaked or fully cooked.

“In most cases we find our customers are moving toward that parbaked/fully baked offering because it’s just ease of use and there is little or no waste,”

says Doig.

Bread manufacturers, says Doig, have made great strides in created a variety of high-quality, gluten-free products to match customer’s demands.

“We certainly see a continued interest in artisan breads and breads with benefits having such things as flax seeds,” says Doig.

“We are seeing customers wanting a cleaner deck with less additives and preservatives and there was also a push for reduction in sodium levels.”

Customers order product from Flanagan Foodservice and it’s delivered in company trucks, with supply replenished from manufacturers.

“Most of our bread suppliers are right here in Ontario and they use Canadian wheat, so that really speaks to the local movement,” she says.

One of the challenges is to manage through seasonal spikes in business, says Doig.

“We have a purchasing system that assists in doing that to make sure that our service level is the best we can possibly offer,” she says.

AU G U S T 2 014

6. PROCESSOR

Arva Flour Mill owner Mike Matthews’ family has been running the mill since the 1910s. “I’ve been involved my whole life, but I’ve been the owner since 2005,” says Matthews.

The mill itself dates back to 1819, when it was built on the banks of Medway Creek in what is now called Arva, just north of London, ON, and is Canada’s oldest continuously operating, water-powered mill. “I feel it’s a piece of history and I try to do it as authentically as possible.”

“Our product is truly artisanal.

There’s no computer or flashing red light if something goes wrong. You have to touch the flour and feel it to know that it’s being milled properly.”

Matthews has taken business

| 11

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

courses over the years, but learned most through experience.

“It’s never really a typical day around here,” says Matthews. He noted it’s also not a typical mill— they maintained a number of practices that have died off over the years.

The day often starts at 6 a.m. with some paperwork and invoicing.

With one full-time time and seven part-time employees, Matthews takes on much of the work, including ensuring the equipment is working, contacting potential new clients, following up with current customers and dealing with distributors.

Using equipment from 1903 means Matthews must check the equipment daily in case a piece needs to be fabricated. “I’m the grounds

crew as well, so I’ve got to make sure all the grass is cut and the gardens look nice,” he says.

The mill produces a hard wheat, a soft wheat and a spelt flour.

“I deal directly with farmers. All my grain, even my hard wheat, is grown locally—I source pretty much all my product within 20 kilometres of the mill,” Matthews says.

He says 70 per cent of the mill’s business is through the retail store.

“Our biggest clients are distributors, they’re the ones who can actually get it out to the restaurants,” says Matthews. “Up until about the time I took [the business] over, we didn’t have a distributor. People had to come here and pick it up or we delivered inside London.”

Mike Matthews, owner of Arva Flour Mill.

7. Grower

6. Processor

7. GROWER

Levi Wood, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.

Levi Wood, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, is one of the more than 50,000 Canadian farmers growing wheat on more than 22.8 million acres of land.

The 30-year-old grew up on a farm and has been actively farming since 2008. His family has been farming since 1887.

He went to university for commerce and worked in the finance sector before the prospects in agriculture seemed sunnier. Since then, he has also completed an MBA at the University of British Columbia, which included a specialization in international business at Hong Kong University.

INDEPENDENT OPERATOR While much of the bread that lands on restaurant tables touches many hands throughout the foodservice industry, there are operators who cut straight to the chase.

Carrie Surrette is the owner of Heartwood, a vegetarian/vegan restaurant that buys flour directly from a local mill—who also grow the grain, package the flour and distribute it—so her team can bake pizza crusts, sourdough and foccacia bread three times a week at her Halifax eatery.

“For us, it’s extremely important: our focus is on quality products so we wouldn’t be able to find or purchase from a baker with the quality of a product that we make ourselves,” Surrette says. Many Heartwood customers have allergy and food sensitivity concerns and they want to know precisely which ingredients have been used and where they come from, she says.

Heartwood has a wheat-free kitchen using only organic kamut and spelt flour purchased from Speerville Flour Mill in Speerville, NB. Surrette says the only ingredients in the house-made bread are flour, sea salt and some oil. The restaurant also adds onions to its focaccia bread.

The bread is started in the morning, and it takes between three and four hours until it is ready to be worked with. The restaurant’s baker comes in around 3 p.m., bakes the bread and leaves it sit overnight so it is ready for sale the following morning. Heartwood uses the bread for all of its sandwiches and bread to go with soup. They also sell the bread in-store to customers.

The starter for the sourdough bread was created by Heartwood founder Laura Bishop and has been used in the store for 17 years. Surrette bought the location from Bishop two and a half years ago after selling her health food store in Moncton and moving to Halifax.

Wood farms about 1,900 acres in Pense, SK, about one third of which is wheat each year.

He says each day is different and depends on the time of year. The crop was seeded in May and will be ready for harvest from mid-August until October.

Before harvest, he is checking the crop for progress and watching for threats that might reduce yield.

“We’ve had more rain in the last five years than we think is sort of normal for this area, so there has been a lot more crop diseases,” he says.

“There are two sides to it: one side is actually growing the crop and

the other side is figuring out when you’re going to sell it,” he says. He added you have to factor in a number of things including harvest times in other parts of the world.

If the grain isn’t sold immediately, it is stored in bins before entering the grain handling system. “The more storage you have on your farm, the more options you have about how to manage your crop,” he said.

From there, it is hauled by truck to a grain elevator, where is cleaned and sent out by rail. Wood’s grain could end up at a mill in Canada or the U.S. and he says much of it will be sent by train to a port and shipped to overseas customers.

HEALTHCARE Susan Bull, manager of nutrition and foodservices for Scarborough Hospital’s General and Birchmount campuses, tries to lead by example,down to the small details, such as not entering the kitchen without wearing appropriate footwear and headgear. “I walk the talk in terms of maintaining standards.

If I expect the team to get here in a snowstorm, so do I. It goes a long way towards the staff feeling good about the relationship.”

A manager at the hospital for the last 26 years, Bull oversees 110 people between the two campuses in shift work positions: a combination of foodservice co-ordinators who oversee the menu day to day, menu clerks, diet technicians, cooks, and dietary helpers.

Bull and her team handle three daily meals for 275 people at the General campus, which is traditional hot plating and 215 at the Birch-

mount campus, which uses cold plating rethermalization.

With a bachelor’s degree in science from Western University, Bull is a registered dietician with Dieticians of Ontario, and says she never stops learning. Whether it’s computer technology or new equipment, Bull must stay on top of technological advances and adapt to new programs such as a recently rolled out bedside ordering system where staff use a wireless system on wheels to ask patients daily what they feel like eating in an effort to avoid food waste.

Bull oversees a complex ordering system that has unique demands due to hospital protocol. Although a twice-weekly bread order is contracted to big suppliers and is a standing order with quanti-

ties that do not fluctuate often, the hospital has gradually shifted its stocking system to a “just in time” model. The exception, says Bull, is that some bread is kept in the freezers to use for sandwiches in case of an influx of people from an external disaster. The stored bread is then rotated out and turned into toast after a certain period.

Susan Bull, manager of nutrition and foodservices, Scarborough Hospital.

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

12 |

Industry fires back at new TFWP rules

Garth Whyte and Restaurants Canada board members are among the industry advocates against the changes to the TFWP.

BC’S EVERYTHING HOSPITALITY TRADE SHOW MARK YOUR CALENDARS

November 3 & 4, 2014 Vancouver Convention Centre

CONNECTING BUYERS AND SUPPLIERS AT WESTERN CANADA’S LARGEST HOSPITALITY TRADE SHOW For more Information call 1.844.628.5655 or visit connectshow.com facebook.com/connectshowbc

twitter.com/connectshowbc

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

OTTAWA—The federal government has announced changes to the temporary foreign worker program (TFWP), ending a moratorium placed on the foodservice industry in April.

Minister of employment and social development Jason Kenney and minister of citizenship and immigration Chris Alexander made the announcement on June 20, stating that the changes will bring the program back to its original intent as a limited resource to fill labour shortages on a temporary basis.

“Our government has been clear that Canadians must be first in line for available jobs,” Kenney said in a statement. “These comprehensive and balanced reforms restore the TFWP to its original purpose: as a last and limited resource for employers when there are no qualified Canadians to fill available jobs,” he said.

Under the new rules, employers in places with high unemployment will not be allowed to hire foreign workers in the foodservice and retail sectors. Companies will also have to re-apply annually to hire TFWs, instead of every two years, and the cost will rise from $275 to $1,000 per employee.

Garth Whyte, president and chief executive officer of Restaurants Canada, called the program “a no-win situation” under the new rules.

“We appreciate the TFW program will be technically available, but are concerned by the impact of these changes on our members, their employees and their customers,” Whyte said in a statement. “In areas of the country where restaurant owners cannot find enough Canadian workers, there will be business casualties that will put Canadians out of a job,” he said.

Restaurants Canada said the new changes will make the program unavailable or cost-prohibitive to many of its members and is urging the federal government to develop a national labour strategy to alleviate key problems with the job market.

Paul Meinema, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada), called the TFWP “broken”. “[The] announcement does nothing to change a system that still allows irresponsible employers to exploit workers with impunity,” Meinema said in a statement.

“There is no long-term strategy here. This is merely an additional bandage on a broken system,” he said.

The government also announced it will introduce stronger enforcement and penalties for companies who misuse the program and fund two surveys to be conducted by Statistics Canada to develop a better understanding of the Canadian labour market.

According to a government statement, the cost of administering the program will be entirely paid for by the companies using the program, and not the taxpayers.

Last year, more than 200,000 temporary foreign workers sought employment in Canada.

Quiznos completes financial restructuring DENVER, CO—Quick service restaurant chain Quiznos announced that the company had completed its financial restructuring and emerged from Chapter 11 on July 1.

Quiznos chief executive officer Stuart K. Mathis said the restructuring “marks a new chapter for our company.”

He noted the company appreciated the support of its franchisees, employees and vendors throughout the process.

“With our financial restructuring behind us, we now have a stronger foundation to execute our comprehensive plan to strengthen performance, revitalize the Quiznos brand and reinforce its promise as a fresh, high-quality and great-tasting alternative to traditional fast food offerings,” Mathis said in a statement.

The chain filed for bankruptcy protection in March and agreed on a restructuring plan to reduce debt by more than $400 million.

Quiznos has about 400 restaurants in Canada, with all but three owned and operated by franchisees.

According to a Quiznos spokesperson, none of the Canadian operations were included in the financial restructuring process.

Getting Creative in Calgary with Scopa CALGARY—The Creative Restaurants Group is continuing growth with the opening of Scopa Neighbourhood Italian, the Calgary-based company’s third new eatery in less than two years.

The group, led by restaurateur Stephen Reid, opened the 2,800-squarefoot eatery at 2220 Centre St. N. in May in the former Boccavino location.

Scopa is the fourth Italian restaurant in Calgary in the group’s portfolio, joining its flagship Bonterra Trattoria, Cibo and Posto, which opened in October.

Creative Restaurants Group is also involved in Loco Lou’s, 4th Spot, Italian Farmhouse in Bragg Creek, AB, Rose & Crown in Banff, AB, and Richmond Station in Toronto.

Glen Mansur is the executive chef for the four Italian eateries in Calgary and John Roberts heads up operations.

Creative Restaurants continued operating Boccavino for four months to get a feel for the location before closing the restaurant for two and a half months of renovations, which Roberts said were mostly cosmetic and included new kitchen equipment.

Scopa has about 100 seats—a combination of banquettes, tables, bar seating and room for six guests at a kitchen counter—and there are plans for a 50-seat patios.

| 13

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

AU G U S T 2 014

Similar to all of Creative Restaurants’ new openings, Scopa was designed internally with the help of the contractor.

“We wanted it to be very comfortable and warm feeling. We’ve got reclaimed wood and warm colours,” said Roberts.

Roberts said they noticed the community was under-serviced in terms of restaurants after opening nearby 4th Spot.

“The community is very loyal to the businesses in the area,” he said.

Head chef Sheldon Guindon, who moved over from Bonterra, built the menu with the management team.

Roberts said the menu is built around rotisserie meats and seafood and includes pizzas and a selection of pastas, including Bonterra’s signature carbonara recipe.

With the other three restaurants in more urban settings, Roberts said Scopa has placed more focus on value and appealing to families.

“We really are focused on delivery of high-quality products to the people in the community,” he said.

“We use all of the best local and fresh, seasonal ingredients we can in the kitchen in all the restaurants—we feel it’s the right way to cook, the right way to prepare food, so it’s all fresh, in house.”

The eatery offers more than a dozen red and white wines by the glass,

GOT NEWS? We want to hear from you.

Email tips about your restaurant openings, appointments, acquisitions or other news to lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com

for editorial consideration.

From left: Scopa sous chef Paul Gustilo and head chef Sheldon Guindon.

with a number of Italian bottles on hand, which are showcased behind the bar.

Roberts said Creative Restaurants Group is working on new projects and considering several locations, but no deals have been signed.

“We’re certainly a growing company and probably growing very quickly,” said Roberts, adding they are keeping their eyes open for good chefs and sous chefs.

“We’re certainly growing as quickly as our labour force will let us,” said Roberts. “A lot of our chef team has come up from the ranks.”

2220 Centre St. NE, Calgary.

(403) 276-2030. scopacalgary.com

Scopa interior.

14 |

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

By Kristen Smith

I

n chef Dan Barber’s book, The Third Plate, he discusses a cuisine going beyond raising awareness of the provenance of food in which food culture reflects the landscape.

“The right kind of cooking and the right kind of farming are one and the same,” wrote Barber.

During a talk at George Brown College in Toronto, Barber noted that growing good wheat is expensive from a biological perspective. “If we’re not supporting all the things that make wheat so delicious, we’re in big trouble,” he said.

To demonstrate whole farm cooking, Barber created “rotation risotto” to be served at his restaurants Blue Hill in New York and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills. An ode to everything but wheat (and without rice), the dish featured other grains, legumes and a brassica puree.

“The best flavours come from diverse systems,” Barber said. “The trick and the challenge is to support it—and support it means [to] eat it. We’ve got to eat the crops that support a truly sustainable landscape.”

He thinks chefs are in an ideal position to be proponents of a sustainable system and many are putting the pieces together, but as a whole, there needs to be an understanding of what constitutes regional eating, which he says might result in thousands of micro-cuisines. “What we need to do is know the niche,” he says.

Although farm-to-table can be an overused and perhaps abused descriptor, Barber points to the influence of chefs in helping to broaden the movement.

“The promise of farm-to-table cooking is that menus take their shape from the constraints of local agriculture and cel-

ebrate them,” he wrote.

He points out that a growing number of chefs are advocating for change in the food system. “As someone whose job it is to address the end result, how can you not care about the beginning?” he asks.

Back to the roots For decades, chefs across the Canada have committed to cooking with food that has been sourced sustainably.

For chef Brad Long, this means being part of a sustainable cycle and putting his purchasing power toward those who are stewards of the land and treat livestock ethically.

“You can’t just say ‘let’s do better’,” says Long. “If you want to change the process of how we treat animals, you have to actively support the ones who do it right.”

Long says he has felt resistance to supporting local, sustainable food because some feel it sounds wishy-washy, unnecessarily complicated, expensive or impractical.

“I’m a capitalist entrepreneur and I know—both at foundation and from end to end of process—that profit is the first priority of sustainability, which means I stand in a very complicated place each and every day,” he says. “You can’t haggle for price, or the great grower or artisanal producer, or they won’t be there for long.

“I want to take care of my supply chain, I want to stabilize my supply chain, I want to love my supply chain,” says Long.

After hearing that chefs and farmers wanted to work together, but were missing the time and resources, Paul Sawtell and Grace Mandarano started 100km Foods Inc. in 2007.

“We’ve found that we’re selling more within each of our

accounts … in the beginning, I think we were more of a niceto-have, fringe item on some people’s menus, we’ve become a little bit more of a mainstay,” says Mandarano.

She says source-identifying the company’s 75 producers is an important part of the business. “There is really a terroir to food. We don’t think of any kind of food as a commodity, because either the soil is different so it actually tastes different, or some farmers grow something larger than another farmer or differently than another farmer.”

When it comes to sustainable, local and organic food, Mandarano says the question becomes: “Do you do imported, organic or conventionally grown, local? And the answer is you try to move as much as possible to local organic,” she says.

Mandarano says the farmers are always paid a fair price, which 100km Foods marks up for its service. As she and Sawtell were planning the business, they “realized that we had a fair trade issue in our own backyard.”

She says an important component of sustainability is financial viability.

“It’s all fine and good to want to do the right thing, but the only way we can affect change in the world is to be part of it,” she says.

Brent Preston and Gillian Flies run The New Farm, a 100-acre organic farm near Creemore, ON. “When we first started, we grew everything imaginable and we’ve whittled it down to the stuff that really grows well here,” says Preston.

The couple’s salad mixes, beets, specialty potatoes and greenhouse cucumbers can be found in restaurants and some retail locations.

AU G U S T 2 014

| 15

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com being a huge part of the province’s history.

“People around here have been picking fiddleheads for years; our woods are filled with wild mushrooms,” Vergen says.

“As chefs, we can put on the blinders and we see a beautiful, sexy product that we just have to work with and is inspiring us,” says Vergen, but for something to be sustainable, it’s necessary for the business model to work.

Vergen pays $3.50 to the enthusiastic guys down the street, for a bundle of organic rainbow carrots, when he could get a bag for not much more. He says you have to consider how you use them—“you want to showcase them.”

Supply and demand

Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

“We wanted to do something that was going to have a positive impact environmentally,” says Preston, who uses little mechanization, minimizes the farm’s input and offsets electricity use with solar power.

He says while many chefs have been leading the charge with respect to sustainable food, more restaurants are becoming interested because customers are demanding it.

“Restaurant customers are asking about providence, asking about terroir, asking about where the ingredients are coming from and they want to know the stories behind the food, so that’s really driving our business and driving the demand from restaurants for our product,” Preston says.

The more farmers and chefs understand each other, the better farmers can understand the supply needs (reliability and consistency) and chefs can figure out the best way to get local and seasonal products on their menus, says Preston.

“I’m having increasing trouble with the emphasis on local as opposed to sustainable and organic,” says Preston, adding industrial, chemical-based agriculture is the dominant model in Ontario. He says people need to be thinking about what the terms sustainable, local and organic mean and asking questions.

“Chefs are absolutely in the forefront of this whole movement and I think it’s a really important, broad movement that is developing around good food,” he says. “The power that chefs have in our society today is absolutely unbelievable.”

Paul Rogalski, chef and co-owner of Rouge Restaurant and Rouge Bistro in Calgary, says there needs to be some collective work done toward some common solutions in the field of sustainability for the sake of

lasting food systems and the recovery of the oceans.

“Sustainable is a very, very big word and I think a lot of people are viewing it as a trend, but it’s a reality more than anything else,” says Rogalski.

When Rouge started its restaurant garden a dozen years ago, Rogalski says initially it was for the flavours. “I know food well enough to know that if you pick something, the sooner you eat it, the better it’s going to taste,” he says. “The garden really taught me a lesson that Mother Nature controls everything; we can react to it, but we can’t change what’s going on with the weather.”

He thinks “farmers are, and should be, our new rock stars.”

Rethinking local economy When it comes to running a restaurant, food needs to be consistent.

“It comes down to, we’re all business people, but we’re also in a powerful position as the ones who are dealing with the food and that gives us the ability to share that message,” Rogalski says. “I think it’s powerful coming from us; as food handlers we’re looking at quality, we’re looking at travel times, we’re looking at flavour.”

David Cohlmeyer, Cookstown Greens founder and sustainable good food consultant, is working on a study with the University of Guelph in an effort to determine which farming practices provide the best tasting and longest lasting carrots.

Cohlmeyer has planted carrots on his property near Thornton, ON, and is comparing those grown with: high nitrogen and potassium used by conventional growers; compost used by most organic growers; additional micronutrients used by some growers; and using compost tea. The

harvested carrots will be analyzed for secondary metabolites, flavour profile, phytochemicals, yield and shelf life.

Cohlmeyer uses an example of Cookstown’s leeks, which he sold for about $2 a piece, to demonstrate the divide between thinking about cost and plate cost. The way the controller looked at it, they could get three for $5. But from the chef ’s perspective, the more expensive leeks are clean, which Cohlmeyer says his staff took extra care to not let dirt splash in, and since the cook didn’t have to cut it down the middle to clean them, it increased the possibilities of how it could be used.

“Bottom line is the chef said that the plate cost of these leeks is the cheapest, but on the surface they look like the most expensive,” says Cohlmeyer.

He says the commitment needs to come from the restaurateur and must be part of the business plan. It should also be transparent. “What is local? Quite often, it’s ‘local, when possible’, which is code for when it’s cheap enough,” says Cohlmeyer.

Jesse Vergen, chef and partner of the Saint John Ale House in Saint John, NB, says while part of the motivation to buy local is putting money back into the community, the appeal is definitely the freshness, flavour and nutrients.

He says New Brunswick has one of the most interesting and diverse areas for local food, with oceans and agriculture

Leavoy Rowe Beef Co. partner Chip Leavoy said when they first started the business in 2005, there was a lot of demand from the foodservice industry for U.S. beef.

“We take no small amount of pride in our role in developing a great local meat supply chain. It was, of course, spurred on by chefs,” Leavoy says. “The local, seasonal ingredient approach is classic cuisine.”

He says the company’s local beef brand, Wellington Country Premium Beef, has grown over the years.

“Unlike some other trends that have become more faddy, I think the local trend is here to stay,” Leavoy says.

Earlier this year, McDonald’s announced it would begin sourcing “verified sustainable beef ” in 2016.

Sherry MacLauchlan, director of government relations and sustainability for McDonald’s Canada, says without a working universal definition of sustainable beef, the company has to work with its

suppliers, with non-profits and with national associations, such as the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, to develop a global framework.

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef has drafted a definition, principles and criteria, which was out for public comment and is being reviewed.

Jeffrey Fitzpatrick-Stilwell, McDonald’s Canada senior manager of sustainability, says the recently launched Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef “will take those high-level principles around treatment of employees, animal welfare and land those good things” and figure out what this translates to in Canada.

“If you’re going to say that animal health and welfare is an indicator of sustainable beef, which everybody would, which indicators do you look to say this producer is producing beef in a sustainable manner?” explains Fitzpatrick-Stilwell.

While they are doing a lot of work around indicator development, he says the roundtable—which brings together producers, provincial and national associations and agriculture ministries—is also looking at what is already in place.

Fitzpatrick-Stilwell says the pilot group is looking to determine the Canadian method of verifying sustainable beef, which will end up informing other regions.

He says it is important to have collaboration along the entire value chain. “When we get to the end state here, the goal is for everybody to understand … and be onside with the indicators.”

The end goal, he says, is for everyone, not just McDonald’s Canada, to be able to use the term “Canadian verified sustainable beef.”

Chef Jesse Vergen’s greenhouse at his Quispamsis, NB, farm.

16 |

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com P A

C

I

F

I

C

/

P

R

A

I

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

R

I

E

BeverageNews A REPORT ON THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

New distillery in Alberta gets crafty TURNER VALLEY, AB—An Alberta craft distillery released its first batch of spirits in early July.

Eau Claire Distillery’s Three Point Vodka is produced with water from the Rocky Mountains and local grain from southern Alberta farms.

With its farm-to-glass philosophy, founder Davis Farran said it made sense to be close to Eau Claire’s suppliers, so the small-batch distillers opened up shop in Turner Valley, AB, in a former 1920s movie theatre.

A tasting room and barrel storage area will complete the 8,000-squarefoot operation.

According to the company, they are the province’s first craft distillery, and as such, Farran said there were a few regulatory hoops to get through.

Eau Claire received its approval from the province before the new liquor laws removed minimum capacity requirements last December.

Eau Claire is producing its vodka, gin and whiskey in a 750-litre, custom made, copper still from Germany. Farran said the distillery could have met the old rules requiring an annual capacity of 2,500 hectolitres, but it “would have been a stretch.”

“We would have had to add huge fermentation capacity that we never

would have used. It really would not have been economical, but we believed that because of all of the other jurisdictions in North America that were changing, that Alberta would change. It was a gamble, but one that paid off,” said Farran.

As a hobby, Farran farms using horses and said it dawned on him how great it would be to use the grain he produced to distill spirits.

“Alberta is one of the best producers of grain in the world—we ship Alberta barley to Scotland to make scotch. Why don’t we have a craft distillery in Alberta, of all places?” he said.

After seeing the growth of the craft distilling market in the U.S., the former vice-president of Big Rock and the brewery’s first hire, approached former brewmaster Larry Kerwin, who is now Eau Claire coowner and master distiller. The third co-owner is Brad Stevens.

“One of the things I can see in distilling is the parallels between the growth of craft beer in those days and what I see in craft spirits. It’s 20 years late because of regulations, but it’s a similar kind of a story,” said Farran.

“The vodka is unusual in that it’s

From left: Larry Kerwin, David Farran and Brad Stevens.

Photo by Matt Palmer.

a barley base, so that gives it some great viscosity and a very smooth, sweet flavour,” said Farran. The vodka, which is available to Calgary retailers and restaurants, will be available province-wide within two months.

Eau Claire’s gin, slated to be released mid-July, is a London dry

style with a barley base and about 10 botanicals, including some Alberta ones such as Saskatoon berries and rosehips.

The distillery’s long-term goal is to produce a single malt and a rye whisky. “We’re making sure that we can trace our ingredients right back to individual farms and I think that

has translated into some great taste because we can pick and choose our ingredients instead of them coming as a commodity,” said Farran, who thinks this traceability is exciting for the farmers too. “Everybody likes the full circle of being able to see their product go into something that they can taste and enjoy themselves.”

Rebellion finds a home in Saskatchewan B.C. approves happy hours and sets minimum prices

Mark Heise and Jamie Singer.

REGINA—A long-time home brewer and a team of beer enthusiasts are going against the grain of conventional beer-production with the opening of a craft brewery in early September.

Mark Heise, vice-president and brewmaster of Rebellion Brewery, said the brewery should have beer for sale as early as September at 1901 Dewdney Ave. in Regina’s warehouse district.

“It’s a very exciting time, because

it’s really just starting to take off here,” Heise told PRN. Heise said the brewery will have five year-round beers, including a blonde ale, an amber ale, a Belgian wheat beer, an oatmeal stout and an IPA. The brewery will have seasonal selections and create several sour beers, which Heise said have garnered the most positive feedback to date.

Rebellion will also produce mead from local sour cherries and

local honey, kombucha (a low-alcohol fermented tea product), and several non-alcoholic sodas including a turmeric, ginger and lemon flavour.

According to Heise, the brewery will not bottle or can beer to start, but will sell growlers and kegs. Heise said kegs could be distributed as far away as Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatoon.

Heise said the company will not name the beers, opting to put the brand logo up front and only denoting the type of beer.

The 6,000-square-foot space will house 10 fermenting tanks and a 20-hectolitre system.

A brewer’s garden will grow alongside the brewery providing the team with ingredients such as hops and herbs.

Heise said the area around the brewery is under development and will bring in more restaurants and residential buildings.

Jamie Singer is president and brewmaster and will oversee the daily operations of the facility and its 10 employees. Evan Hunchak and local entrepreneur Neil Braun are also partners in the project.

VICTORIA—B.C. officially opened the door to happy hours and implemented minimum drink pricing on June 20.

Consistent with the views heard from both industry and health advocates during the Liquor Policy Review, B.C.’s minimum drink prices are in place to encourage responsible consumption and are based on ounces of alcohol sold at licensed establishments.

For example, the minimum price an establishment can charge for a five-ounce glass of wine, 341 ml bottles of coolers, beer and cider, or a 12-ounce sleeve of beer or cider, would be $3.

On July 25, the province updated the minimum prices to included a category for draught beer and cider servings 50 ounces and over, with a minimum price of $0.20 per ounce, setting the minimum price for a standard 60-ounce pitcher at $12.

In the changes, the province set the minimum price of $3 dollars per ounce for spirits.

Additional changes stemming

from the Liquor Policy Review also came into effect. Food-primary establishments must continue to offer a full menu, but if patrons simply wish to order drinks, they are not obligated to order food as well. Also, customers can now move freely with their beverage from one adjoining licensed area to another, such as from a pub to an adjoining restaurant; a change from the previous rules, which required staff to carry customers’ drinks for them.

Licensees may now transfer small amounts of liquor between similar types of establishments. For instance, if a pub is experiencing a shortage of a specific liquor product, a nearby restaurant can transfer liquor to it, or a liquor store can transfer alcohol to another store with the same kind of liquor licence.

Hosts of family Special Occasion Licence (SOL) events may now serve homemade and UBrew/UVin beer, wine or cider. Also, owners of UBrews and UVins, as well as their family members, are now permitted to own other liquor-related establishments.

| 17

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

AU G U S T 2 014

Interior of the Tim Hortons concept store.

Connecting food and lodging

The BC Connect show will return to the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Chef Garley Leung.

Kevin Wall from Joey Group.

Tim Hortons unveils concept store TORONTO—Tim Hortons unveiled a fullscale concept store at a company convention in mid-July at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

According to the Canadian Press, the concept store was set up to allow suppliers and franchise partners to imagine what could someday be possible at a local Tim Hortons.

Some of the more striking ideas included coffee-flavour beer on tap, a unisex washroom and a completely redesigned brand logo featuring a bright red coffee bean.

The concept store also featured digital interfaces on the table, which would allow customers to order their food and have it delivered. A staff mixologist would create smoothies and health drinks to order and a variety of omelettes, crepes, cupcakes and poutine pretzels could also find their way onto shelves in the future.

The unveiling also showcased upgrades to the company’s Timmy Me application for smartphones. According to CP, the app will remember the users’ names and favourite food items, which could potentially reduce wait times.

A grab-and-go section of the Restaurant of the Future would allow customers in a rush to grab from a selection of sandwiches, salads and hot food items.

Even employee uniforms were redesigned with a red-trimmed asymmetrical neckline.

While some of the changes might be implemented in the near future, chief operating officer David Clanachan told CP some of the ideas may never see the light of day.

After 50 years in business, the company’s “Store No. 1” located at 65 Ottawa St. N., Hamilton, ON, will be renovated to include some of the ideas unveiled with the Restaurant of the

Future. “We wanted to create a showpiece here,” chief operating officer David Clanachan told reporters at the unveiling. “We wanted to see in this transformation of our Store No. 1 that it will pay homage to our history while embracing some of the new designs in technology and that you are seeing now in our restaurants as well as our Restaurant of the Future.”

Two adjacent houses were purchased to make room for the new 4,000-square-foot building, which will be two-storeys and have two patios.

The restaurant will act as a museum for the company with memorabilia and a walkthrough section on the second floor showcasing the company’s progression.

Clanachan also announced the company would host a block party before the end of the summer in collaboration with the Hamilton mayor’s office. The event will close the road and allow members of the community to share their memories of the brand, he said.

“The past will meet the future,” said Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina of the renovations.

Bratina thanked the company for its continued support of the Hamilton community.

“Our city is on the move,” Bratina said. “We are one of the poster cities for growth and rehabilitation.”

In early July, Tim Hortons also launched a new CIBC Visa credit card with two active buttons. Cardholders can press one button to receive one per cent of each dollar spent in rewards redeemable at Tim Hortons. To redeem rewards, cardholders touch the second button when purchasing the company’s products. Each button is illuminated when in use and the card also offers payWave and chip-and-pin technologies.

VANCOUVER—British Columbia’s Connect Food+Drink+Lodging Show will return to the Vancouver Convention Centre West on Nov. 3 and 4, with new show management.

Hospitality industry association partners include Restaurants Canada, the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) and the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of British Columbia.

In addition to hundreds of exhibitors, Connect will host educational seminars and networking events for delegates.

At press time, the educational program included: a trends breakfast; beverage seminars; tastings and cocktail demos by the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association at its beverage pavilion; featured speaker chef Vikram Vij; a session on 15 common marketing mistakes in the restaurant industry; and RestaurantMarketing.com’s Joel Cohen on websites, email and social media—what’s going to increase sales and not waste time.

The inaugural 2013 Connect Show featured more than 350 exhibit booths and 4,000 attendees.

“We are pleased to announce that show management will be handled by Samantha Scholefield and Nora Cumming (Chemistry Consulting Group),” show director James Chase of the BCHA said in a release.

Chase noted the two event professionals bring a combined 35 years of event experience to the Connect Show, with backgrounds in the management of hospitality events including the BC Foodservice Expo, the Vancouver International Wine Festival and the BC Hospitality Conference & Expo.

“We are constantly striving to improve the show and deliver an event that is not only better than the previous year, but also better than the competition,” said Mark von Schellwitz, Western Canada vice president of Restaurants Canada.

“That is where our advisory committee comes into play. Representing both buyers and suppliers from all sectors of the industry, the advisory committee will provide feedback to guide decision-making around all aspects of the Connect Show—from seminar topics, to floor plans, to special events,” he said.

The 2014 ambassadors and advisory committee: • Michael Audet, marketing and customer relations manager, Sysco Vancouver; • John Brugman, owner, Brugman Commercial Kitchens; • Warren Erhart, president, White Spot Restaurants; • Jamie Henderson, executive vice-president business development, Keg Restaurants; • Sarah Kirby-Yung, executive director marketing and communications, Coast Hotels; • Gavin Parry, general manager, Coast Capri Hotel; • Susan Senecal, chief marketing officer, A&W Foodservices of Canada; • Vikram Vij, chef and owner, Vij’s Restaurants; • Rob Weiss, manufacturers representative, Weiss Wares Ltd.; and • Earl Wilde, general manager, Victoria Regent Waterfront Hotel & Suites.

The Marketplace

PE OPLE 1.

Bartender Jay Jones is the latest addition to the Rogers Arena food and beverage team as of mid-July.

Jones moves into the sports sector as director of wine and beverage from his stint as executive bartender and brand ambassador with The Donnelly Group, a role he held since rejoining the group in January 2013.

A founding director of the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association, Jones was also named to The British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA)’s Hall of Fame last year.

Jones’ move is the most recent shuffle in the food and beverage program at the Rogers Arena: executive vice-president and arena general manager Michael Doyle was named president of Toptable Group when it was acquired by Aquilini Group (owner of the Vancouver Canucks and the Rogers Arena) in March.

Toptable’s operations include CinCin, West, Blue Water Café and Whistler’s Araxi.

Alex Svenne is the new executive chef at Winnipeg’s Inn at The Forks, where he will be responsible for all culinary operations including banquet and catering, room service and a new casual fine dining restaurant slated to open in early September.

Details about the new restaurant will be revealed mid-August.

“I will continue to provide quality and value by using local ingredients, and artisanal producers while taking my casual fine dining style to a new level with this exciting concept,” Svenne said in a release. “The new restaurant at Inn at The Forks will be

about food, fun and community, and I look forward to the opportunity to cook in front of my guests and to get to know them through the dining experience.”

In 2006, Svenne opened Bistro 7¼ with his wife Danielle. He previously worked at Tap & Grill, Green Gates and Pasta la Vista. He also held the role of executive chef at Pineridge Hollow in Springfield, MB. As Svenne takes on his new position, Barry Saunders moves to the executive chef position of foodservice operations at The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where he will oversee a 70-seat bistro and catering facilities that can accommodate 1,000 guests.

Grant Sceney of The Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver was crowned the 2014 Canadian Bartender of the Year in the Diageo World Class Canada competition.

According to a release, Sceney showcased his technique, balanced drinks and bartending charm before a panel of industry members including Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Steve Olson and last year’s victor, Jenner Cormier from Halifax.

In late June, ten of the country’s best mixologists competed for Canada’s Bartender of the Year title during four challenges over two days testing their bartending knowledge, skill, speed and showmanship.

For the “sensoria challenge,” Sceney prepared his Three-eyed Raven cocktail that featured Dalwhinnie 15 year old single malt scotch, bee pollen syrup, chocolate bitters, tea, malted barley and lemongrass.

As the 2014 Canadian champion, Sceney will travel to Britain, where he will compete against bartenders from 42 countries at the World Class Global Finals from July 28 to Aug. 1.

“Canada’s thriving cocktail culture has generated international attention and we’re proud to have a Canadian participate for the second year in a row,” said Jakob Ripshtein, Diageo Canada president.

Globetrotting chef Karan Suri has joined the kitchen at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport as executive chef, bringing with him a philosophy of “locally sourced and globally inspired.”

Prior to landing at the Vancouver hotel, Suri’s culinary tour of duty included Singapore, Dubai, Nairobi and New Delhi, working with several Michelin-starred chefs along the way.

Born and raised in northern India, Suri began his culinary career with the Oberoi Group in New Delhi in 2005 as kitchen executive. In 2008, he joined the Raffles hotel brand and relocated to Dubai where, as chef de cuisine, he was responsible for Fire and Ice, Cellar & Grill and Azur restaurants during his two-year stint.

From there, he returned to Delhi to work for the Leela Palace as executive sous chef and refined his skills at the property’s Le Cirque and Megu restaurants.

In 2012, he joined Fairmont Hotels as group executive chef based out of the Fairmont Norfolk in Nairobi and oversaw a trio of properties that included the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and the Fairmont Mara Safari Club.

2.

3.

1. Bartender Jay Jones. 2. Executive chef Alex Svenne. 3. Diageo World Class Canada competition.

NRA Show 2014 products CHICAGO, IL—Investment and interaction were themes throughout the 95th annual National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show this year, with a new financial summit and hands-on area for chefs to experience different cuisines.

The show and the concurrentlyheld International Wine, Spirits and Beer Event (IWSB) took place in late May at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

High-tech cooker Rational has announced the release of the SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses, calling it an intelligent cooking system that communicates with the chef and learns as it goes. The machine uses sophisticated sensors that can recognize size, load quantity and condition of products to calculate appropriate browning.

All in one oven Combine a convection oven, kettle, steamer, fryer, smoker and dehydrator with the latest from Alto-Shaam. The CTPROformance Combitherm Oven helps expand menu offerings through a wide range of versatility. An innovative design includes a large touch screen and the machine includes the ability to determine precise humidity to optimize food quality, texture and yield. Also, the CombiSmoke feature allows for operators to smoke products whether they are hot or cold.

NRA PROducts

shuts conveyors down. The electronic booster can be adjusted for a 40- or 70-degree farenheit rinse.

It’s freezing in here

Clean up time

The MBCTM4-F countertop freezer adds to the Fusion Series line for Master-Bilt.

The machine includes adjustable thermostat and three adjustable shelves. Fluorescent lighting provides product illumination and the heated door perimeter is a double pane of tempered glass with self-closing magnetic gaskets for lower operational cost.

Moyer Diebel has introduced the MD44 conveyor ware-washing machine, which washes 219 racks per hour using 130 gallons per hour and 0.59 gallons per rack. Built-in diagnostics troubleshoot machine problems and an anti-jam feature

1. Rational SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses.

2. Alto-Shaam CTPROformance Combitherm Oven.

3. Moyer Diebel MD44 conveyor ware-washing machine.

4. Master-Bilt MBCTM4-F countertop freezer.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Profit from our expertise You may know us as the people behind the IÖGO brand. But the truth is, Ultima Foods has been making and selling yogurt for over 40 years in Canada. Maybe that’s why our food service team has a pretty good insight into your needs. It’s also why we never stop listening. If there’s any way we can help you improve your bottom line, we’re all ears.

1-800-363-9496 food.service@ultimayog.ca or visit us at iogo.ca

Maryse Leboeuf Mark Delany

Proud Canadian manufacturer for over 60 years

A family of 10 highly versatile and trendy flavour highlighters Inspired by great chefs from around the world

10 AUTHENTIC FLAVOURS • Available in 1 kg or 9 kg unit • Instant dispersion • Combine with LUDA HTM product and get less than 500 mg of sodium/serving

LUDA, a reliable family for over 60 years

Hoyas hi Raisu HACCP • SQF 2000 • GFSI

www.

.ca