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Volume 15, No. 4 n April 2016

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April 2016

news and information

Looking Back………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 FSM News…………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Special Report: Osman Yazgan………………………………………………………………… 6 Association News RAMW………………………………………………………………………… 8 The Dining Experience as Kinship………………………………………………………… 10 Advertiser Spotlight: American Energy…………………………………………………… 12 Seafood 2016…………………………………………………………………………………… 13 Association News VRLTA……………………………………………………………………… 18 OCHMRA Spring Trade Expo Recap……………………………………………… 20, 28, 29 Association News RAM………………………………………………………………………… 23 Ad Index…………………………………………………………………………………………… 31 Restaurant Activity Report…………………………………………………………………… 32

columns Sauce on the Side by Michael Birchenall…………………………… 2 Bob Brown Says by Bob Brown………………………………………… 9

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Volume 15, No. 4 n April 2016

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Food Smarts by Juliet Bodinetz……………………………………… 22 The Latest Dish by Linda Roth……………………………………… 24 Working in America by Becki L. Young……………………………… 25 Whining ’n Dining by Randi Rom …………………………………… 26 Balti-MORE by Dara Bunjon………………………………………… 27 Modern Business Solutions by Henry Pertman………………… 30

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on the cover Celia Laurent and Eric Ziebold at their new restaurant Kinship. photo credit: Michael Birchenall

Foodservice Monthly is the only publication to be awarded the RAM Allied Member of the Year award and the RAMW Joan Hisaoka Associate Member of the Year award, the highest honor for a non-restaurant member.

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APRIL 2016 | 1

SAUCE ON THE SIDE Michael Birchenall

Makes Me Smile … and Just a Thought

T

he news broke after the magazine was finished … except for my “sauce on the side.” So here I am this month with some news. Yes, it made me smile when the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced that Bob Kinkead would be the 2016 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement honoree.

I can’t think of a better recipient this year for the accolade.

I don’t know Bob that well and 21 Federal was before my arrival in Washington. But what a presence and old school kind of leader Bob has been over the years … and did I say a premier chef. He had several restaurants while I’ve been here, but my favorite was always Kinkead’s, An American Brasserie.

The restaurant had a dignity to it … without being elitist or stuffy. It felt comfortable and the seafood dishes were impeccable.

My favorite Kinkead’s visit was when I had dinner with Ernesto Illy, the head of his family’s Illy espresso company. I could see Bob at the helm in the kitchen overseeing every dish with his team of professional culinarians executing his menu with skill. And Ernesto Illy and I both had an espresso.

This was a time of Roberto Donna, Jean-Louis Palladin, Jeffrey Buben, Jose Andres … the chefs that built the foundation on which the young culinary stars of today’s DC stand and work.

Congratulations Bob … you are the epitome of the Duke Zeibert award and yes, my young friends, there were fine restaurants and chefs in Washington before 2008.

Just a Thought As you can see from the lead news this month … ’tis the awards season. A celebration of the wild and delicious foodservice/hospitality world is a great thing. There are plenty of awards to be given but in our crowded and growing restaurant world, being one of the finalists of five is indeed an honor. I know it sounds like a rationalization for those that don’t win the awards, but I really do believe that. We will have fives stars in each category for both associations, not one winner and four losers.

Volume 15, No. 4 n April 2016

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Contact

Editor and Publisher michael@foodservicemonthly.com Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Design and Production fsm@eink.net Dennis Barry, Juliet Bodinetz, Bob Brown, Dara Bunjon, Andrew Kline, Genevieve LeFranc, Celeste McCall, Henry Pertman, Randi Rom, Linda Roth, Michael Sternberg, Jay Treadwell, Becki Young phone: 703-471-7339 email: info@foodservicemonthly.com fax: 866-961-4980 web: www.foodservicemonthly.com

Foodservice Monthly is published by Silver Communications, Corp. The FSM mission is to provide the Mid-Atlantic foodservice professional with news and information in an informed, imaginative and insightful newsmagazine. Foodservice Monthly assumes no responsibility for material submitted to us. All information contained in this publication is believed to be accurate. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part or transmitted in any form without prior permission from the publisher of Foodservice Monthly.

2 | APRIL 2016

This year I heard more comments about the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s awards. In an Association where all the winners are selected by the public, the voting is always a popularity contest. But that’s fine as well, RAM can make their own rules. But this year in their Favorite Restaurant award, they have Applebee’s as a top five

finalists with all their 20 locations.

That doesn’t seem quite fair when in a public vote they would have a sure advantage in drawing their fans to the vote. Applebee’s versus a Baltimore Thai restaurant doesn’t seem like they are apples to apples, but rather lemongrass to a watermelon. I’m not saying that national multi-unit chains should not be eligible for recognition, but put them in their own category and let them duke it out.

In any case, good luck to all the finalists … and try to remember there are no losers. I believe it.

lookingback

That brings me to annual discussion of RAMW’s decision to only allow members to be included.

It is discussed as if it’s an aberration.

Look at other associations in other

foodservicemonthly Michael Birchenall Lisa Silber Electronic Ink Contributing Writers

industries … they do the same thing. Architects have their awards, doctors have their awards. It is a choice a restaurant makes. Some people are not joiners. That’s OK. They, too can be great restaurants and super talented chefs. All it means is they are not eligible for a RAMMY.

Looking Back, Looking Forward One of our best road trips was to Bell & Evans Chicken in Pennsylvania in 2010. Ris Lacoste, Katherine Newell Smith and I visited their processing plant and followed the birds from arriving in trucks, to the kill, inspection and processing. Note that the chickens are hanging in an air chilled environment, not soaking in water and adding weight from the water solution.

Some say that if you visit a poultry house you won’t eat chicken again. No problem here ... the place was pristine and the chicken i took home that day roasted quite nicely in my oven at home ... that same night.

May is our annual Poultry Issue ... where should we go this year?

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—Michael Birchenall foodservicemonthly

FSM NEWS

Restaurant Associations Announce 2016 Awards Finalists

‘T

is the season for industry celebration and recognizing the best with the annual parade of awards as the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) and the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) recently announced finalists for their association categories.

The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced finalists for the 2016 RAMMY Awards, the winners of which will be announced at a black tie gala on Sunday, June 12 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. RAM will hold their Stars of the Industry Awards Gala May 1 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

2016 RAMMY AWARDS FINALISTS Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year Acme Paper & Supply Company Coastal Sunbelt Produce Events DC Republic National Distributing Company USI Insurance Services

Restaurateur of the Year Cava Group (Cava Grill, Cava Mezze, Cava Foods, Sugo) Gruppo FT Restaurants (Fiola, Fiola Mare, Casa Luca) JL Restaurant Group (Hank’s Oyster Bar, Hank’s Pasta Bar, The Twisted Horn) Mike Isabella Concepts (Graffiato, Kapnos, G, Kapnos Taverna, Pepita, Yona) Paul Ruppert, Warehouse Industries (Room 11, Petworth Citizen, Slim’s Diner)

Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year Iron Gate Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier Rasika Restaurant Eve Trummer’s on Main foodservicemonthly

Chef of the Year Amy Brandwein Centrolina Erik Bruner-Yang Toki Underground, Maketto Scott Drewno The Source by Wolfgang Puck Tarver King The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm Cedric Maupillier Mintwood Place, Convivial

New Restaurant of the Year Centrolina Clarity Convivial Maketto Masseria by Nicholas Stefanelli

Service Program of the Year Bourbon Steak Fiola Iron Gate Rasika The Source by Wolfgang Puck

The excitement builds at the RAMMY nomination party at The Hamilton … led by Kathy Hollinger, president/CEO RAMW and David Moran, Clyde’s Restaurant Group.

Pastry Chef of the Year Jemil Gadea Masseria by Nicholas Stefanelli Eva Kronenburg Convivial Alex Levin Osteria Morini Bridie McCulla Northside Social The Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall Tressa Wiles Bayou Bakery

Rising Culinary Star of the Year Erin Clarke Casa Luca Brad Deboy Blue Duck Tavern Jonah Kim Yona Piter and Handry Tjan Sushiko James Wozniuk Maketto FSM NEWS Continued on page 4

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Who Attends?

RAMMYS Demographics: 1,900+ Attendees 400+ Restaurants, Restaurant Groups and Hotels Represented 125 + Members of the Media Attendees by Mid-Atlantic Region: 68% District of Columbia 15% Northern Virginia 10% Maryland 7% Other Gender: 56% Male & 44% Female Trade: • Restaurateurs & Independent Operators • Executive Chefs • Pastry Chefs • Chef/Owners • Sous Chefs • Line Cooks • Restaurant Managers • Sommeliers and Beverage Directors • Service Staff • Distributors/Wholesalers • Suppliers • Food Industry Technology • Importers/Exporters

APRIL 2016 | 3

FSM NEWS continued Employee of the Year Jorge Martinez The Source by Wolfgang Puck

Jack Rose Dining Saloon Republic Right Proper Brewing Company

Jim Mayo PassionFish - Reston

Wine Program of the Year

Aniko Olah Martin’s Tavern Yovani Peralta B Too Andrea Raiello Water & Wall

Manager of the Year Carlos Fernandez Best Buns Bread Company Margarita Krivchikova Belga Café Sudhir Kumar Indique Jennifer Lucy Estadio Atul Narain Rasika

Everyday Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year Bar Pilar Daikaya The Fainting Goat Pearl Dive Oyster Palace Pizzeria Orso

Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year Le Diplomate Osteria Morini Sushiko The Red Hen Zaytinya

Favorite Gathering Place of the Year 1905 ChurchKey Martin’s Tavern Northside Social Coffee & Wine Room 11

Cocktail Program of the Year 2 Birds 1 Stone barmini by José Andrés Del Campo Kapnos by Mike Isabella Tico

Beer Program of the Year The Arsenal at Bluejacket Granville Moore’s 4 | APRIL 2016

Raynold Mendizabal Urban Butcher

Mrs. K’s Restaurant & Barrel Bar Silver Spring

Ted Stelzenmuller Jack’s Bistro

VIN 909 Winecafe Annapolis

2941 Restaurant Bourbon Steak Charlie Palmer Steak Le Diplomate The Red Hen

Craft Brew Program of the Year

Mutiny Pirate Bar Glen Burnie

Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year

Alewife Baltimore

DC Brau Brewing Company Port City Brewing Company Don Ciccio & Figli Green Hat/New Columbia Distillers One Eight Distilling

Pizza Tugos Taproom Ocean City

Upscale Casual Brunch

Favorite New Restaurant

Blue Duck Tavern Fiola Mare Kapnos by Mike Isabella Osteria Morini The Source by Wolfgang Puck

Everyday Casual Brunch DGS Delicatessen DC Duke’s Grocery Republic Tico Vinoteca

Favorite Fast Bites Bub and Pop’s Cava Grill - Chinatown G by Mike Isabella Red Apron Butcher - Union Market Taco Bamba Taqueria - Falls Church

RAM’S 2016 STARS OF THE INDUSTRY AWARDS FINALISTS Favorite Restaurant Founding Farmers - Potomac Applebee’s - Statewide Andy Nelson’s Barbecue - Cockeysville Lib’s Grill - Perry Hall My Thai - Baltimore

Chef of the Year Chris Amendola Waterfront Kitchen Stephanie Wilson Vintage Michel Tersiguel Tersiguel’s

The White Oak Tavern Ellicott City Harrington’s Pub & Kitchen National Harbor

Oscar’s Alehouse Eldersburg

Ananda Fulton Ristorante Firenze Reisterstown Preserve Annapolis Pistarro’s Ristorante Frederick

Allied Member of the Year Congressional Seafood Tim Sughrue Ecolab Bryan Kight CohnReznick Greg Remeikis Coastal Sunbelt Produce John Corso FoodBridge Kosmas “Tommie” Koukoulis

Restaurateur of the Year James King Blackwall Hitch John Liberatore Liberatore’s Ristorante & Catering Joe Hospital Dogfish Head Alehouse

Encantada Baltimore

David Dopkin Miss Shirley’s Café & The Classic Catering People

Favorite Bar or Tavern

Kyle Algaze Iron Rooster

Buffalo Wild Wings Statewide Jimmy’s Famous Seafood Baltimore River Hill Sports Grille Clarksville

Brice & Shirley Phillips Lifetime Industry Achievement Award Rob Beall Ledo Pizza Systems

Frank and Nic’s West End Grille Baltimore

The Otto Schellhase Award Recognizing Service and Dedication to RAM

Bull on the Beach Ocean City

Bob Garner Glory Days Grill

Heart of the Industry

Hospitality Hall of Honor

Brendan McCool (Manager) Victoria Gastro Pub

Maggie’s Westminster

Alex Osterhoudt (GM) Rams Head Tavern

Western Sizzlin Restaurant Cumberland

Ross Adams (busser & food runner) AIDA Bistro

TJ’s of Calverton Restaurant Beltsville

Wine and Beverage Program of the Year

Shenanigan’s Irish Pub & Grille Ocean City

Liquid Assets Wine & Martini Bar Ocean City Cunningham’s Towson

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Rusty Scupper Baltimore

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SPECIAL REPORT: SO YOU WANT TO BUILD A RESTAURANT Osman Yazgan

Rising Construction Costs: How to Control and Reduce It

O

ver the last few years, it would be hard to argue against the premise that we live and work in one of the busiest and fastest growing restaurant markets in the nation.

The Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. construction market started slowly during the beginning of the economic recovery, but gradually is on rise. We are seeing new high rise buildings, shopping centers, metro stations, multifamily complexes, you name it.

Needless to say DC is almost getting rebuilt. We are lucky to have this growth in our region comparing to rest of the country. But life is not perfect. As we know, growth and demand bring costs higher, if supply is not keeping up. With fewer qualified subcontractors available per project, the supply is clearly lower than demand. I remember the recession we all went through, it was dead slow. Many general contractors (GCs), including myself had to go after local and Federal government projects. There were 20-30 bidders per project; we barely

used to make a profit.

We just wanted to keep good employees busy. I am sure sub-contractors did the same thing. Now the market is very busy, demand has increased, subs and GCs just do not want to make profit but also make up the money they lost during the recession. Not only this, but also since there are a lot of opportunities for both GCs and sub-contractors, they became more selective in the work they accept or go after.

Restaurant owners new or old need to determine what they are looking for in the construction process from selecting architect to contractor. This means typically weighing price, quality and speed against each other. After establishing first and secondary priorities, it is important to develop a relationship with a general contractor and select a general contractor as a trusted adviser and partner, rather than a commodity. If you establish a close and trusted relationship with GC, and if GC uses their relationship with subcontractors, you will find that you can get the best prices to

meet your budget or even lower your budget. But remember that among three: price, speed, and quality, you can only get two, not all, so you have to make the choice.

I know there are many architects in our region who work with a percentage of the construction cost, but there are also many architects work with a flat fee. You may also want to make the best selection for your budget. Is it worth to pay high cost for the architectural fee for a percentage rather than flat fee because you believe you are selecting the best architect?

Previously high competition and bidding wars gave restaurant owners opportunity to get the lowest cost, but now both general contractors and sub-contractors no longer want to spend their time bidding, when they already have all the work they want. Sub-contractors would rather price out a job to a general contractor that already has the job when it’s someone they trust and will pay them on time, will be reasonable with change orders and with expectations and works well with them as a team. With this new environment, when you develop a close relationship with

general contractor, and minimize competition, you shall have the best price for your project.

Some of you may remember my previous articles. One of them was about design build. As an owner you must set a budget, then find an architect who has restaurant construction experience, who can also find a way to meet your budget, and then find a GC with restaurant construction experience to make your goals happen. The key of the success is in my twenty-two years experience is collaboration rather than competition.

The owner should negotiate a contract with GC that includes the cost of the sub-contractors plus the fixed fee for the overhead.

This way all the trusted parties can work collaboratively to meet the objectives and lower the cost.

Especially if you are planning to open multiple locations, working with same GC and subcontractors shall not only reduce the price but also increase the speed of the project and quality very effectively. In this case, who knows you may get all three: price, speed, and quality!

OSMAN YAZGAN is the president of ITEK Construction + Consulting, Inc.

Marshall High Real Food For Kids Culinary Challenge and Wellness Expo “It was more like a restaurant presentation,” said Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Executive Chef of DC’s Ripple and Roofers Union restaurants and recent Top Chef Contender. Meek-Bradley was a judge in Real Food For Kids Culinary Challenge and Wellness Expo at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax. She was referring to Marshall High School’s winning entry of Thai-Inspired Chicken Wrap served with a soba noodle and vegetable salad. Marshall also won the competition in 2015.

Marshall’s Culinary Academy team was one of four that was challenged to create a more delicious

6 | APRIL 2016

and nutritious version of a typical school lunch entre that could be adapted for use on the Fairfax

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County Public School (FCPS) menu. Chantilly took second place with its Asian and Mexican Fish Tacos and tied for third place were Edison’s Orange Beef and South Lakes’ Orange Chicken.

“We could use these ideas,” said FCPS Food Service and Nutrition (FNS) director Rodney Taylor, another competition judge. “This kind of input serves our goal to ensure students have access to nutritious meals that promote lifelong healthy eating behavior.” Fellow judge, Dr. Becky Bays, Loudoun County Public Schools’ FNS supervisor, agreed. Both were excited to see students’ imaginative renditions of school food.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS RAMW Kathy E. Hollinger, President & CEO • Gus DiMillo, Chairman of the Board 2015-16

The Changing Landscape of the Regional Restaurant and Buisness Community

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his has been a great year for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) and the industry overall. The Association and Board of Directors continue to be true advocates for the industry as we reinforced our relationships with elected and

appointed officials across the region to ensure we have a voice at the table in every jurisdiction where our members operate. As we close our fiscal year (April 2015March 2016), we wanted to share some highlights and industry notes we discussed at our Annual Meeting.

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Restaurants Have a Great Story to Tell It was critical, this year, to tell the story of our industry. We impressed upon elected officials and lawmakers that the restaurants and small businesses in the Washington, DC Metropolitan region are not just businesses; they are organizations led by local entrepreneurs who choose to invest in the region. They live and work in the neighborhoods, their children go to local schools, and they create businesses that are true community gathering places.

We have been telling the story of our operators in so many ways. We shared faces of the industry through our RAMMYS in Focus Photography Project in partnership with FotoDC and Pepco. www.fotodc.org/rammysin-focus-2015 In the Washington Business Journal, we showcased the industry as one of opportunity and growth and explained the economics of running a restaurant. ramw.org/ news/industry-opportunity And we launched www.

DCWorksHere.org where members of the foodservice community are sharing their dynamic stories and highlighting the industry as an amazing career path.

All of these touch points serve to educate government leaders and the public about our industry, as well as remind these audiences what is at risk.

Political Action As lawmakers consider more and more legislation which challenges an operator’s ability to run their business, and costs go up, the cumulative effect of the legislation is reason for concern.

A recent shift in legislative focus is bigger than the restaurant industry, however. The pace at which legislation is introduced is often hasty and lacking in significant research and data for industries and government to fully understand impact and cost. Therefore, RAMW is working in close partnership

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with the entire business community including the DC Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trade, our neighboring state restaurant associations, and other organizations representing key industries to provide data and critical input to government entities.

RAMW Programming The Association continues to promote members through our Restaurant Weeks, marketing initiatives, and The RAMMY Awards Gala, which returns to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Sunday, June 12.

In training and workforce development, we expanded our Education Foundation — Educated Eats — and its scholarship program and partnered with Culinary Agents on a new job board for RAMW.org

Five-Year Plan Over the last six months, our team worked hard to create a FiveYear Plan that provides an overview of our strategic direction as we look toward RAMW’s 100th anniversary.

The content of this Five-Year Plan is fueled by the leadership of the organization and our members.

The goal of this plan is to provide a framework of how we’ll work to serve our members and represent our community in the coming years, as well as how we’ll strengthen our organization as our industry continues to grow and evolve.

Working for You We are ending this year stronger than ever before. We have nearly 1,000 members across the region who are engaged, energized, and active business leaders in their jurisdictions.

Over the past 96 years, RAMW has upheld our commitment to provide Advocacy, Resources and Community to our Industry. Over the next five years — and then into the following 100 — we look forward to working with you. foodservicemonthly

BOB BROWN SAYS Bob Brown

Server Alert: Don’t Leave Your Guests with Their Menus Too Long!

T

he most dangerous thing you can do is leave guests with their menus too long. Why? Because after you get the beverage order, blast off to the service bar, and return with drinks, you get the, “We’ve already decided” letdown. Guests left alone with menus order safe—and less.

Internet scouring millennials, and Food Network-indoctrinated guests’ appetite for listening is in steep decline. So, how do you ensure they don’t make decisions without your expert advice?

and menu suggestions together. When selling cocktails, beers, and wines, combine them with an organized set of menu suggestions. “While I’m getting your drinks, they’re a couple of items not to be missed: our Kale Salad with roasted walnuts and a Champagne vinaigrette and our amazing Salmon and Foie Gras. And be the envy of fellow guests with our dry-aged Tomahawk Ribeye.”

4. Use the preview-the-positive approach. If guests insist on drinks first, launch into, “Ladies and

the guest experience, and close the deal on the spot.

BOB BROWN, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, www.bobbrownss.com, pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program and has worked with clients such as Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Nordstrom, Olive Garden, and Ritz Carlton

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TODAY’S GRAZING, TAPAS-STYLE ORDERING GUESTS WILL HIT YOU WITH, “NO NEED TO TELL US ABOUT THE MENU. WE’LL STICK WITH OUR MOJITOS AND FISH TACOS FOR NOW,” WHICH IS CODE FOR WE’RE DONE ORDERING. 1. Be a product knowledge powerhouse. Load up on the details of every beverage and dish you serve: how it’s prepared and interesting well-edited inside information. Get rid of generic talk.

Use brain stickers. Instead of saying, “Today, our special cocktail is a lemon martini,” try, “Our bartender, Erik from Holland with the pink ponytail, makes a great Tito’s Citron Martini.” Guests listen when you use names, brands, and places. Pick out faithful winners, and practice your presentations out loud at home and at the table until you’re pitch perfect. Guests listen to subject matter experts and artful speakers.

2. Be a master cue reader. When you approach a table, you’ll get hundreds of nonverbal signals. Are you getting a red light cue telling you to shut up and go away? Or a yellow beam with, ‘I’ll listen, but you better be interesting.’ Or is a shining green light, signaling the go-ahead to offer the Full Monty. Always let cues guide your approach.

3. Front-load your beverage foodservicemonthly

gentlemen, while I’m getting your Mambo Margaritas, check out three of our top sellers: the Ahi Tuna Poke made of diced tuna tossed with cucumber and black sesame, the Arugula and Poached Pear Salad dressed with a pomegranate vinaigrette, and our full-flavored farm-raised Scottish Salmon raised in low-density pens. Don’t make any decisions as I’ll be back to tell you about two amazing specials. Put your guests’ decision making on hold, and give yourself a fighting chance.

5. Beware of pairing appetizers with drinks: A long-standing approach has been to offer drinks with starters. If it works, great. But, watch out. Today’s grazing, tapasstyle ordering guests will hit you with, “No need to tell us about the menu. We’ll stick with our mojito’s and fish tacos for now,” which is code for we’re done ordering.

In the end, combining drink and menu items is not for the meek.

It requires delivering interesting, well-organized presentations while responding to cues that ensure you’ll sell more and faster, enhance

and works internationally with the prestigious hotels such as Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

He has appeared on the Food Network is author of bestselling The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. Contact Bob for speeches, workshops breakouts executive retreats at 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2014.

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APRIL 2016 | 9

ERIC ZIEBOLD & CÉLIA LAURENT …

WELCOME TO OUR HOME, KINSHIP

BY MICHAEL BIRCHENALL

S

tories can have a life of their own … and this one took a turn I hadn’t expected, but loved that it did. Sometimes I supply a list of question to help direct my focus and give the persons interviewed a heads up on where I’m coming from. I interviewed Kinship’s Chef/Owner Eric Ziebold along with his wife Managing Partner Célia Laurent separately on the same day.

They have opened Kinship and their second restaurant in the same building with a separate entrance Métier will open shortly. Both are located at 1015 Seventh Street NW, in a historical building dating back to 1907. It is set in the Shaw neighborhood and just steps north of Mount Vernon Square and across the street from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

In a bi-level space, Kinship,

10 | APRIL 2016

opened in early December 2015.

It is located on the street level and seats approximately 85 guests, including a 15-seat bar. Accessible by private elevator, Métier, will be discreetly tucked on the lower level.

Featuring a partially open kitchen and a private salon, the intimate dining room will seat 36 people (24 in the main room and 12 in a private space for private dining).

Eric and Célia came up with the name Kinship because of the historical significance of the location and their philosophy on the dining experience they want to offer.

During the 1800s until the early 1900s Seventh Street NW, was the main thoroughfare for travelers and farmers coming into the city from the north and a major commercial artery, with a farmers market just blocks away.

“The way we look at dining is that it brings family and friends together to enjoy a shared experience, which creates lasting memories,” states Ziebold. “We want to emphasize that dinner brings people together.”

Eric sees this as dinner at his house but “only it’s at a restaurant, by professionals, with amenities I don’t have in my house.”

Over the years Eric’s style of cooking has been influenced by the seasons, travels, different cultures and history, but holds true to modern American cuisine and that is what diners will find on the menus. Eric gives a lot to charities but what he offers is a dinner prepared by him in the home. It brings him closer to the people and turns into a fun-filled relaxed evening at home with the meal prepared by a James Beard award winning chef.

Kinship has the setting to be a fun, lively gathering place, yet serious enough for those serious about food – a relaxed and elegant restaurant at the same time. it is Eric’s and Celia’s vision of what a truly modern American restaurant is, celebrating the rich diversity of influences that have come to shape America and its cuisine. The space has wonderfully high ceilings to open the space for comfort.

The menu is a seasonal à la carte menu organized in four distinct categories: Ingredients, Craft,

History and Indulgence along with a For the Table section. Rather than the traditional “appetizer-entréedessert” format, the five categories will offer a different and flexible approach for guests to design their own menu and are a reflection of where Eric draws inspiration.

Within the “Ingredients” section, Eric will feature dishes that celebrate the beauty and product’s unique character – for example, a soft shell crab, a Spring asparagus, an Heirloom tomato.

The “Craft” section will showcase dishes that are inspired by the discipline of cooking – for instance, a Gratin Dauphinois or a dish of Tuna Tataki. The “History” section will revolve around dishes that have a classic heritage, such as a Brunswick Stew, Poule au Pot or a

KINSHIP MÉTIER 1015 Seventh Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 www.kinshipdc.com www.metierdc.com

Look for the whole roasted farm raised chicken. The chicken is only cooked when you order it so it’s a 45-60 minute wait … you can be enjoying a first round of foods, a nice wine or a cocktail. The chicken is presented to the table whole and is whisked away to the kitchen to be carved and then brought back to the table. It is the best chicken I’ve ever tasted. It can serve a party of four or like myself, you can take it home, something I don’t do, but couldn’t stand thinking of leaving any behind. I could go through the rest of the menu (and of course, the Parker House rolls) but that’s for you to find out. The menu changes so don’t expect all you read above … you might find instead a Maine Lobster French Toast or a Kinship Stroganoff with crispy sweetbreads as the star.

They worked with Washingtonbased interior designer Darryl Carter to bring their vision to life.

Aligned with their philosophy and aesthetics, Darryl believes that the most outstanding spaces “tell the story of the people who live there.”

In the small waiting area, you will find books from their home, art on the wall that belongs to them. Even the menu has a delightful drawing from her mother.

Eric told friends at a party in his honor that the restaurant would be like no other in Washington. That sounded like a bold statement, not having then seen anything. Well, Eric and Celia it’s like no other restaurant I know. I would gladly invite you to my house … and cook for you. It’s an inspiration.

Carbonara. Lastly, the “Indulgence” section will focus on dishes that can be enjoyed as special pleasures, such as truffles, Japanese Kuroge beef, caviar, lobster and other such delicacies.

Additionally, a separate menu section, “For the Table”, gives a nod to dining in the spirit of Kinship and truly sharing your meal with fellow guests at the table; featuring larger format entrees with offerings such as whole-roasted farm-raised chicken with a garlic-lemon panade or a saltcrusted 20 ounce Shenandoah Valley New York strip steak.

I don’t do reviews (anymore) and that’s not what you are looking for.

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ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT: AMERICAN ENERGY

Thirty-Seven Years … Emergency Service Guaranteed by Your Next Meal

J

im Strickler, president of American Energy, started the company at his home in 1979 with the same commitment, guarantees and integrity that the company lives and works by today.

American Energy accomplishes their mission by starting with a skilled staff with years of experience managing restaurants and selling restaurant equipment. From tricky technical questions to recommendations on equipment, their sales team understands your specific needs. Fast quotations, excellent advice, impeccable attention to detail and helpful service are always just a phone call away.

As the 57th largest food service equipment distributor in the United States and a 3A1 rated business, American Energy maintains an inventory of both new and used equipment. They have 20,000 square feet of warehouse space with over $2 million of merchandise. Now they have added the AERE Depot with 6,000 square feet of showroom space. This means you consistently

have a great selection of quality products from every top manufacturer. Choose from: • Cooking Equipment • Refrigeration • Ice Machines • Dishwashers • Water Softeners •Full Service Dishwasher and Ice Machine Leasing Program with Emergency Service Guaranteed By Your Next Meal!

At American Energy, Strickler and his team are committed to working with you to find the best solutions for your restaurant. Let’s talk life cycles, maximum efficiency and used equipment options. They buy direct from the factory and pass the savings on to you.

Call for a free quote, equipment availability or to receive their catalog: 703-644-6666, ext 632. Stop by the AERE DEPOT for equipment bargains!

Located conveniently located in Springfield, Va. near the intersection of I-95 and I-495.

Get to Know the Many Faces of Hearn Kirkwood Where Freshness Is Always in Season!

USDA kitchen on-site making fresh sandwiches, wraps and salads on a daily basis, servicing hotels, retail, grocery, B&I and C-Store chains.

Hearn Kirkwood has been delivering the freshest produce to the MD, VA, DE and PA markets since 1946. This family owned company takes pride in the quality of products they offer—dairy, fresh cut meat, poultry and seafood. Our 70,000 sq ft processing facility has a USDA kitchen on-site and a state of the art production and processing area.

Fresh cut division of Hearn Kirkwood, processing cut vegetables and fruits for all channels of business including foodservice, retail and C-Store.

7251 Standard Dr. • Hanover, MD 21076 • 410.712.6000 301.621.2992 800.777.9489 • hearnkirkwood.com 12 | APRIL 2016

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Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving It Safely

T

he U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring that the nation’s seafood supply, both domestic and imported, is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled.

Fish and shellfish contain high quality protein and other essential nutrients and are an important part of a healthful diet. As with any type of food, however, it is important to handle seafood safely in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Follow these basic food safety tips for buying, preparing, and storing fish and shellfish — and your customers can safely enjoy the fine taste and good nutrition of seafood.

Buy Right: Fresh Fish and Shrimp Only buy fish that is refrigerated or delivered on a thick bed of fresh ice that is not melting.

• Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy, sour, or ammonia-like.

• A fish’s eyes should be clear and bulge a little.

• Whole fish and fillets should have firm, shiny flesh and bright red gills free from milky slime.

• The flesh should spring back when pressed.

• Fish fillets should display no discoloration, darkening or drying around the edges.

• Shrimp flesh should be translucent and shiny with little or no odor.

Selecting Shellfish Follow these general guidelines for safely selecting shellfish: 1. Look for the label: Look for tags on sacks or containers of live shellfish (in the shell) and labels on containers or packages of shucked shellfish.

These tags and labels contain specific information about the product, including the processor’s certification number. This means that the shellfish were harvested and processed in accordance with national shellfish safety controls.

2. Discard cracked/broken ones: Throw away clams, oysters, and mussels if their shells are cracked or broken. foodservicemonthly

3. Do a tap test: Live clams, oysters, and mussels will close up when the shell is tapped. If they don’t close when tapped, do not select them.

4. Check for leg movement: Live crabs and lobsters should show some leg movement. They spoil rapidly after death, so only live crabs and lobsters should be selected and prepared.

Frozen Seafood Frozen seafood can spoil if the fish thaws during transport and is left at warm temperatures for too long. Check carefully for signs of thawing when receiving product.

Thawing Thaw frozen seafood gradually by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.

If you have to thaw seafood quickly, either seal it in a plastic bag and immerse it in cold water.

Serving Follow these serving guidelines once your seafood is cooked and ready to be enjoyed.

• Never leave seafood or other perishable food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours or for more than one hour

when temperatures are above 90°F. Bacteria that can cause illness grow quickly at warm temperatures (between 40°F and 140°F).

• When it’s used on a buffet party, keep hot seafood hot and cold seafood cold: ✧ Divide hot party dishes containing seafood into smaller amounts (don’t stuff the chafer).

Keep platters refrigerated until time to reheat them for serving. ✧ Keep cold seafood on ice or serve it throughout the gathering from platters kept in the refrigerator.

Store Properly Put seafood on ice or in the refrigerator or freezer soon after receiving it. If seafood will be used within two days after delivery, store it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, wrap it tightly in plastic, foil, or moisture-proof paper and store it in the freezer.

SaMe greaT ProduCT noW In Frozen ForM

Separate for Safety When preparing fresh or thawed seafood, it’s important to prevent bacteria from the raw seafood from spreading to ready-to-eat food.

Take these steps to avoid crosscontamination: • Make sure cooked seafood is physically separated from raw seafood.

• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after handling any raw food.

• Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with soap and hot water between the preparation of raw foods, such as seafood, and the preparation of cooked or ready-to-eat foods.

• For added protection, kitchen sanitizers can be used on cutting boards and counter tops after use.

Or use a solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of water.

• If you use plastic or other nonporous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use.

H.M. Terry Co., InC.

P.o. Box 87 | Willis Wharf, Virginia 23486 757-442-6251 www.sewansecott.com Twitter @sewansecott Instagram @sewansecott Facebook Sewansecott Clams & oysters

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APRIL 2016 | 13

The Atlantic Limpet ‘Quarterdeck’: United Shellfish Has ’Em and We’re the Sole Distributor!

• • • A hitchhiker from the USA returns from France • Imported by the Ipswich Shellfish Group for USA • Flavor is a cross between a clam, abalone and a mushroom • Under MSC Assessment • Pack: Frozen 5 x 2.2 lb. or Freshened ½ Gallon • From the ocean direct to you • Ask your sales rep today about our other terrific brands from the Ipswich Shellfish Group

The Ipswich Shellfish Group, with offices from Maine to South Carolina, is at the docks and shore daily, proudly bringing you the bounty of the ocean.

IPSWICH SHELLFISH GROUP

Ellworth, ME • Kennebunk, ME • Ipswich, MA Branford, CT • Grasonville, MD • Charleston, SC

United ™ Shellfish

Located on the Chesapeake Bay Servicing customers throughout Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, DC

800.368.2565 sales@unitedshellfish.com

14 | APRIL 2016

Do You Know About IUU Fishing?

T

he acronym IUU represents a global food security danger … fishing that is Ilegal, Unreported, Unregulated. It is a catalyst for what we know as seafood fraud – selling fish that is not what they claim it to be. You’ve seen the stories that always make the “investigative” reporting circle when the DNA of a fish in a grocery or restaurant is tested and found to be something else.

NOAA Fisheries announced a proposed rule to establish the first phase of a seafood traceability program through the collection or retention of data regarding the harvest, landing, and chain of custody of certain fish and fish products imported into the United States that have been identified as particularly vulnerable to IUU fishing and seafood fraud.

IUU fishing and seafood fraud threaten valuable resources critical to global food security and place law-abiding fishers and seafood producers at a disadvantage.

Seafood traceability is an important tool to combat these illegal activities and reduce their harmful impacts on resources and markets.

Seafood fraud includes mislabeling or other forms of deceptive marketing of seafood products with respect to their quality, quantity, origin, or species (i.e., species substitution).

Seafood fraud is generally driven by economic motives and can occur at multiple points along the seafood supply chain. Seafood fraud includes practices like visual enhancement, where a product is made to look better in grade and quality than it actually is. For example, treating tuna steaks with carbon monoxide to make the fish stay red while frozen would be fraud if not noted on the label.

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Mislabeling quantity includes instances where, for example, added water weight is noted instead of the actual weight of the seafood product by declaring glaze weight as the net weight, or the fish is soaked in water or water is pumped through the fish to change the weight.

The proposed rules include the data reporting and record-keeping procedures necessary to ensure traceability of seafood products from harvest to the point of entry into U.S. commerce; Includes no new reporting requirements for domestic landings of wild-caught seafood, as similar information is already collected under various Federal and/or State fishery management and reporting programs; Does not include a consumerfacing labeling or certification scheme. It is a business-togovernment program limited to the collection, review and verification of data considered essential for tracing fish and fish products from harvest to point of entry into U.S. commerce; and Is designed to build upon existing resources and processes, aiming to maximize effectiveness and efficiency, while minimizing impacts on the fishing and seafood trade community.

To achieve these objectives, NOAA is encouraging detailed comments from the fishing and seafood industries, conservation community, and other interested stakeholders engaged with sustainable seafood. Ask your seafood wholesaler what they think about the prosed rules. Where do they stand on the issue?

This proposed rule is now open for an extended comment period, ending on April 12.

foodservicemonthly

BUYING BY PRICE IS A HUGE RISK IN THE SEAFOOD BUSINESS.

MAKING THE SEAFOOD BUY

BY GREG CASTEN WITH MICHAEL BIRCHENALL

T

hank you to Greg Casten at ProFish for giving my introduction to the cost of seafood and buying in the 2014 Seafood Issue. Just as the chef and the consumer are concerned about the price they pay for their fresh seafood, the buck doesn’t necessarily stop with the person who delivers it to your kitchen door. In my buying days in Ohio, I used to buy top quality product from Navillus Seafood in Cleveland.

They had shirts made that had the phrase, “Good seafood isn’t cheap, Cheap seafood isn’t good.” It should be fairly priced and then you need to decide what is your fair return.

The consumer has to understand the cost/value relationship in their buying decisions.

Michael Birchenall

When and where was it caught?

Is it firm/soft?

A buyer should be asking his fish company for information about a multitude of species so he can take advantage of the species which have plenty of availability – a good foodservicemonthly

wholesaler will direct a buyer to purchase the right product for their use.

Buying by price is a huge risk in the seafood business. Fish loses value every day — so whenever you buy based on price alone, a fish wholesaler has probably overordered a product and thus the product quality is less stellar. The key to a good wholesaler, frankly the reason there are so many wholesalers, is because their job is to have enough fish to cover their needs for a day or two at most. To accomplish this a wholesaler needs a solid customer base whose habits he knows.

Some wholesalers have a tendency to purchase, through a broker, an entire boat run and are thus forced to purchase the entire catch. The catch will have a shelf life with the fresh/quality clock always ticking and the wholesaler might not be able to sell all of that fish in as quick a time period as he desires. So if a wholesaler bought 1000 pounds of Swordfish on Monday and on Thursday he still has 600 pounds, then he is forced to move that 600 pounds as quickly as possible — the most efficient way to accomplish

this is price. And that is why always buying price is a dangerous way to buy seafood.

The best buy in seafood is constantly changing — as Seafood remains the only center of the plate protein predicated on the hunt, the best buy changes as the catch changes. The catch changes based on a myriad of events — including the moon, the weather, government regulations, the season, the location

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in comparison to the season and other less direct reasons — time of year, foreign currency values, foreign purchase competition and so forth.

All in all it’s quite a complex protein — more so than any other protein available out there and it takes the expertise of fish wholesaler to understand these issues and to work through them for you — that is why a good relationship with your wholesaler is so important. And with sustainability growing — the relationship will become even more critical as knowing the source and knowing the harvest will be factors in the buy.

APRIL 2016 | 15

Who’s Fishing in Social Media Waters?

I

would have never thought this is the way things would prove themselves … but of the centerof-the-plate specialists (the primary seafood, meat, produce, poultry/dairy houses) it’s the local seafood distributors who shine. Yes. The smart water folks are on top of the Instagram game as they show off their products, their training (some like Samuels & Son use videos) and their customers. Besides Instagram and Twitter, one of the best for an international, national news connection is @seafoodsource.

Then we have the electronic email newsletter which has been around for a while but some have taken the effort to not only tell you that the price of lobster is up … but why. I am impressed with the knowledge of our seafood purveyors and how well they express themselves. Steve Vilnit, JJ McDonnell, and Tim Sughrue, Congressional Seafood, have great insight into the seafood market and have a skill of bringing it words with their passion for the industry forming the backbone of their writing.

It’s all part of their strategy to engage their customers … and

16 | APRIL 2016

that in turn develops a loyalty and commitment. Seafood has always been a mystery to many people … our Mid-Atlantic seafood houses have decoded that part of the equation freeing the chef to create and work with a product that comes from a house of integrity.

ISSUE: When something or someone threaten the balance of the bay and its feeding riverways from across the state, the they speak out.

Here is and excerpt from a email sent to customers and the press regarding the invasive Blue Catfish.

“Congressional Seafood’s VicePresident and expert on domestic fisheries, Tim Sughrue, is on a mission to spread the word about the wild blue catfish currently threatening the health of the Chesapeake Bay. An aggressive species the blue catfish are multiplying rapidly and eating everything in their path posing an environmental catastrophe to our local rivers and streams.

Catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River basins but they’ve made it to the Mid-Atlantic. They were introduced

here into the Chesapeake Bay in the 1960s for sport, and since then, they have grown exponentially and practically taken over the waterways, devouring native species like blue crabs, rockfish, herring and shad, leaving fewer of them for us. With a diet like this the invasive blue catfish produces a delicious white flakey filet.

Jumping on the band wagon and taking matters into their own hands, area chefs are putting this tasty bully on their menu, and diners are snapping it up.

David Guas, chef at the Bayou Bakery in Arlington and a judge on the Travel Channel’s American Grilled, is currently serving his favorite whiskered fish crusted and oven-baked. Guas, a native of New Orleans, knows his catfish recipes.

Chef Jeff Black of the District’s acclaimed Pearl Dive Oyster Bar, makes a mean catfish po’ boy. Black expands the BLT acronym to CEBLT — catfish, egg, bacon, lettuce and tomato. The sandwich has been lauded by the

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Washington Post as a “Delta prize.”

Sughrue says of the blue catfish, “We need to eat-em to beat-em before they beat us and eat everything in the Chesapeake that we hold near and dear – especially our rockfish and blue crab. It’s a real problem that needs our immediate attention.”

Blue catfish are available from distributors like Congressional Seafood and others throughout the region as efforts are being made to raise awareness of the issue while promoting solutions for eradicating the species from our local waterways.

foodservicemonthly

ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA Eric D. Terry

Loudoun County and Virginia Beach Teams Take Top Honors at State Culinary Competition

L

ast month, Friday, March 11 to be exact, more than 70 students representing 15 teams, 12 instructors, and countless family and friends descended on the Sysco Hampton Roads facility and offices for the 2016 Virginia ProStart Student Invitational (VPSI).

Teams from across the state (one driving nearly five hours the morning of the event) met this day to compete for two top awards in Culinary Arts and Restaurant

Management.

The action at the VRLTA Educational Foundation’s 13th annual Virginia ProStart Student Invitational was fierce, as teams of high school students put their skills to the test. By the end of the day, only the slimmest of margins separated the winning teams from their fellow competitors.

But in the end, C.S. Monroe Technology Center’s Team 2 (Loudoun County) and Landstown High School (Virginia Beach) took home

Culinary Arts: C.S. Monroe Technology Center’s Team 2 (Loudoun County)

Airlie Team Partners with Stop Hunger Now

More than 40 Airlie employees package 10,000 Meals Airlie worked with the team at Stop Hunger Now to set a goal of packing 10,000 meals. Airlie volunteers gathered in a meeting room and organized an assembly line that included packing up a complete meal by combining rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a packet containing 23 essential vitamins and minerals into small meal packages.

The meals will be shipped throughout the world to support school feeding programs, orphanages, and crisis relief. The food is stored easily, transported quickly, and has a shelf life of two years.

18 | APRIL 2016

“We are thrilled to be taking part in this important activity,” said Leazer. It is a great team building activity for staff and provides participants an opportunity to learn about global hunger and practice being good stewards to the Earth that is part of Airlie’s mission.”

Volunteers set up and take down packaging stations and equipment, fill bins with raw ingredients, scoop ingredients into meal bags, weigh and seal the bags, box and stack them on pallets, and load the pallets and equipment onto a truck.

Restaurant Management: Landstown High School (Virginia Beach) the top prizes for Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management, respectively.

The top three teams in each competition also became eligible for nearly $1 million in scholarships from culinary and restaurant schools across the country.

The team from C.S. Monroe excelled during knife skills challenges and overall preparation. Their creative abilities were tested as they prepared a three-course meal in sixty minutes, without access to running water, electricity and only two butane burners. That meal consisted of a Raviolo Al’Uovo with a ricotta filling and a shitake and bacon topping, a Smoked Mahi Mahi with risotto and grilled asparagus and, finally, fried Zeppoles.

The Landstown HS competitors developed a business proposal for an original restaurant concept and presented it to a panel of industry judges, who then challenged them

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to address the issues restaurant managers face on a daily basis.

Their restaurant concept, Umami, is a self-service, quick-causal dinning establishment featuring an Asian inspired, healthy menu with traditional Japanese, Korean, and Central Asian cuisine.

Winners from both the Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management competitions will head to Texas later this month to compete in the 2016 National ProStart Student Invitational.

Congratulations to all of the student competitors, instructors and volunteers on an exciting and successful 2016 Virginia ProStart Student Invitational.

And a special thank you to our sponsors — Sysco Hampton Roads, Suffolk Virginia Tourism, Mercer Culinary and Ecolab. Without your generous support, contributions and time, this event would not have been possible. foodservicemonthly

The Maryland Wholesale Produce and Seafood Markets are the places to find the freshest variety of produce and seafood.

Visit our website for more information.

The Maryland Wholesale Produce & Seafood Markets in Jessup, MD Produce: 410-799-3880 | Seafood: 410-799-0141

2016

Scenes from the 2016 OCHMRA Spring Trade Expo ANNOUNCING OUR NEW OFFICE IN WASHINGTON,DC

FROM IDEA TO REALITY INTERIOR DESIGN | INTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN NEW CONSTRUCTION | RENOVATION | ADAPTIVE REUSE

1009 N. Charles St. | Baltimore, MD 21201 | 410.752.1313 4400 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20007 | 202.629.0269 www.ritastclair.com | rsca@ritastclair.com

20 | APRIL 2016

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SCENES FROM 2016 OCHMRA SPRING TRADE EXPO cont. on page 28 foodservicemonthly

H&S CARES ABOUT YOUR NUTRITION

H&S Bakery Family owned and operated has developed since 1943, our products are baked new products to better serve your daily and delivered 5 days a week. customers who seek more wholesome choices. Inquire today about our fresh-baked, All Natural, Organic, and White Wheat breads and rolls created with newly established Variety, Service & Quality USDA guidelines as a benchmark for healthier selections everyone will To order, call 800-769-2253 savor. or visit www.hsbakery.com

FOOD SMARTS Juliet Bodinetz

Understanding the Temperature Zone … For Real

C

ontrolling time and temperature and keeping food out of the Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ) is one of the most important things we can do to prevent foodborne illness.

As per the Food and

Drug Administration, the TDZ is between 41°F and 135°. This translates to having to hold cold food to an internal temperature of 41° or below and hold hot food to an internal temperature of 135° or above in every

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circumstance of holding food.

The FDA states that food must be discarded at an accumulation of four hours. This means at a minimum limit, when holding food for service, a temperature check must be done every four hours and should the food temperature measure above 41°F or below 135°F at four hours, your only corrective action is to discard the food.

The purpose of keeping food out of the TDZ overall is to avoid replication of bacteria. Generally, one bacteria is capable of replication every 20 minutes. To put this in perspective, one bacteria is capable of becoming a billion at 10 hours when held at room temperature (TDZ) — thus, the four hour cut off. Plain and simple: There is nothing we can do to fix the food to make it safe at four hours. The only corrective action available is to discard the food.

In contrast, food prepared in-house and kept under refrigeration at 41°F or lower can be held with a seven-day expiration date. In real life, I would look at you as if you were crazy if you tried to serve me seven-day-old tuna salad. It wouldn’t be pretty and I wouldn’t return to spend my money.

But biologically, it wouldn’t kill me.

According to the FDA, the temperature range between 70°F-120°F is considered to be the most dangerous part of the TDZ. I notice quite a few of my students are confused by this distinction.

I translate this as if it were beach weather. Just as we are happiest in beach weather, so are bacteria especially happiest in this portion of the TDZ and the replication process in this range is exponentially crazyfast, hundreds of times in an hour.

This explains the “why” of when we are cooling or reheating food, and if we pass the food through the most dangerous part of the TDZ up

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or down again; we are limited to two hours!

The FDA cooling rule is a twostage process. Cool food from 135°F to 70° or lower within two hours and then continue cooling to 41°F or lower in the next four hours.

This means after cooking food, we can’t put hot food directly in the refrigerator. We can refrigerate it when it is at 70°F or lower. That is why when cooling food, we first divide the food into smaller sections, use ice water baths or stir the food to dissipate the heat, all actions to facilitate faster cooling.

In reality, if you can reach 70°F or lower in the first stage of cooling in a “hot kitchen,” in two hours or less, the second stage will be faster in your cold refrigerator. If you don’t reach 70°F or lower within two hours in the first stage, you have to correct it using one of two applicable corrective actions. One, fix it by correct reheating to 165°F within two hours and then try the cooling process all over again. Your other available corrective action is to discard the product.

When reheating food for hot holding, we must reheat all the way to 165° within a two hour limit.

This is so important when reheating food for hot holding. If you don’t reach a minimum temperature of 165°F within the allowed two hours, your only corrective action is to discard the product.

FOOD SMARTS cont. on page 23 foodservicemonthly

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM

RAM Brings Back the Car Raffle

D

ue to popular demand, the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation (RAMEF) has brought back the car raffle. The prize for the winning raffle ticket is a 2016 Corvette Stingray Coupe or $45,000 in cash! RAMEF is selling just 250 tickets this year for a chance to win, so the odds are good.

Tickets are $300 each and the proceeds benefit RAMEF’S Maryland ProStart Program. ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders.

From culinary techniques to management skills, ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum provides real-world education and builds practical skills that will last a lifetime. Over 4,000 students participate in the Maryland ProStart

program at over 70 Maryland schools.

The winner will be announced at the Stars of the Industry Awards Gala on Sunday, May 1, 5-10 p.m. at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

With more than 600 guests, some of the best restaurants in Maryland, as well as the top foodservice industry professionals expected to attend, it is the foodservice industry’s most exciting event of the year! Tickets are $175 — with premium and standard tables available. To purchase tickets contact Kim Schlosser, Marketing & Events Coordinator at 410-290-6800 or kschlosser@ marylandrestaurants.com

Full Service Restaurant Supply Cash & Carry

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FOOD SMARTS cont. from page 22 When holding hot food, you must check food temperature every four hours. If it has dropped in temperature, it most likely is in the 70°F-120°F range and there is nothing you can do to fix this food.

Again, our only corrective action is to discard the product. In contrast, there is an alternative corrective action if one checks the temperature at two hours or less and the hot product has entered the TDZ. Your window of opportunity to save money and your product is at two hours or less You can properly reheat the food to 165° within two hours and your four hours starts again.

When holding cold food, still at a minimum effort, you must check food temperature every four hours.

If the product has gotten warmer and in the TDZ, but is lower than 70°F, the FDA Food Code says you foodservicemonthly

can throw it away in two more hours because it was not in the most dangerous part of the TDZ. Yes, that does add up to a final of six hours in the TDZ. The justification for this additional two hours is that it is unlikely there is fast replication of bacteria if the temperature is under 70°F. Study this for real … your next reality test is the next time you open to serve the public.

JULIET BODINETZ is the executive director of Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions with more than 30 years industry and training experience. Her team of instructors’ specialty is food safety, alcohol training and ServSafe training in both English and Spanish; and writing HACCP Plans in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. metro area. www. bilingualhospitality.com, juliet@bilingualhospitality.com or 443-838-7561. For latest food safety tips, become a fan on Facebook or Twitter: @BHTS

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APRIL 2016 | 23

THE LATEST DISH Linda Roth

Ivy City Tavern Joins the Smokehouse for a Double Dose of Good Eats and Drinks

I

vy City Tavern, is for now, a 45-seat tavern, serving tavern food above Ivy City Smokehouse and retail fish market at 1356 Okie Street NE in the Ivy City neighborhood. It’s owned

by Greg Casten and Ronnie Goodman. Greg is better known for his company just around the corner for the past 25 years – ProFish. It’s an emerging neighborhood, so the plan is for it to become a full-service restaurant at the right time. Its huge rooftop lends itself as an ideal spot to eat steamed crabs and drink beer on warm summer evenings. There is also an (indoor) PDR adjoining the patio. It’s a seafood market and a tavern, soon to become a restaurant and a private dining venue with a potential 225-person capacity.

Just Opened Tim Ma and Joey Hernandez recently opened Kyirisan, serving Asian/French food at 1924 8th Street NW in Shaw. It’s got catchy menu categories: “in the ground,” “on the ground” and “under the water.” Michael Schlow’s Alta Strada also just opened at City Vista at 465 K St. NW under the culinary supervision of Chef Michael Zentner, who re-located from Boston. Italian favorites include thin-crusted pizza. Plans call for Conosci, a crudo bar to open later in the season, along with a patio.

Andrew Evans of The BBQ Joint, joins Ian and Eric Hilton to open a summer camp-themed bar in the old Maurice Electric Building at 500 Penn St. NE, an area made cool by Union Market. The casual restaurant will serve summer camp staples as well as “better” summer camp staples such as grilled (better) cheese on bread baked at Lyon Bakery.

24 | APRIL 2016

Chef Update Angel Franco, formerly of minibar and Maketto, is the new executive chef at Compass Rose … Dennis Fieldman will be the chef at Flavio Italian restaurant, which replaces Paper Moon at 1073 31st Street NW in Georgetown. It will continue to have the same ownership.

CCCHanges The Majestic will re-open in May under the direction of Chef Gaby Hakman, most recently of Miami.

Alexandria Restaurant Partners is renovating and will re-launch as a new concept … Mason & Rook replaces Hotel Helix by Kimpton.

Chef Jonathan Dearden, formerly of Ardeo & Bardeo, heads up the kitchen at their new restaurant Radiator. The adjoining bar will feature craft cocktails. An April opening is planned. Kimpton is renovating the rooftop to offer cocktails and light fare, poolside PN Hoffman and Madison Marquette’s SW waterfront development, The Wharf, will also have a very large Spanish seafood restaurant called Del Mar by Fabio and Maria Trabocchi, of Fiola, Fiola Mare and Casa Luca. Maria’s Spanish heritage and influence will take front and center here. The 11,500 sq-ft two-level restaurant will include a significant outdoor patio space with waterside cabanas. Included is a PDR, wine cellar and bar. Opening is targeted for Q4 2017.

Quick Hits Kapnos Kouzina opens in 4900 Hampden Lane in Bethesda Row in partnership with chef George Pagonis … George Kennedy, formerly of Rhino Bar in Georgetown plans to open The Spirits of 76 in Clarendon where Taste of Morocco used

Andrew Evans is adding Summer Camp Food to his culinary portfolio. to be on Washington Blvd. His partner is Patrick Doody formerly of O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (next door) … Chuy’s plans to open its fourth location (they have locations in Fairfax, Springfield and Woodbridge) in Sterling at the beginning of May. Vietnamese Chelsea Restaurant will open in Columbia Heights at 1413 Park Road NW … Jimmy Johns is also slated to open in Columbia Heights on 14th Street, NW in May … Ajizen Ramen is what will replace Mehak on 7th Street NW in Chinatown … Yard & Toast, a meat and wine-focused spot with 246 seats, is slated to open in Shaw in Q2 …

The Hallal Guys are slated to open at 814 H Street NE … Exiles will open where Stetson’s was at 1610 U Street NW by a partnership group called TeemNow LLC. Social Restaurant Group plans

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to open Bonfire this month at the two-level building at 1132 19th St. NW where Famous Luigi’s used to be. Fire appears to be a prevailing theme as there are light fixtures are fire hydrants, matchstick art on the walls, with fire hoses for décor.

Fire on the menu too with charred hangar steak and s’mores. The chef is R.I Boyd and the pastry chef is Ellen Diekemper.

Kudos Congratulations to Jacques Haeringer and the Haeringer family on the 40th anniversary of L’Auberge Chez Francois.

LINDA ROTH is president of Linda Roth Associates, Inc. specializing in marketing, promotions and publicity in the hospitality industry. Contact Linda at 202-888-3571 or linda@lindarothpr.com or visit her website at www.lindarothpr.com foodservicemonthly

WORKING IN AMERICA Becki L. Young

Sebastien Watteau: DC’s Very Own ‘French-Mex’ Chef

“I

f you had to choose between French and Mexican cuisine, which would you pick?” I asked Sebastien Watteau.

“It would break my heart to have to make a choice,” he replied.

Watteau, an executive chef who currently runs one of the restaurants at Bethesda’s National Institutes of Health (feeding postdocs from all over the world), is an expert in both French and Mexican cuisines, with a diverse and intriguing culinary career.

Born in the Loire Valley in France (to a mother from Campagne, a region known for foie gras, truffles, and the famous Limousin beef cattle), Watteau moved to Mexico at the age of six months with his parents, who worked for Alliance Française (a French cultural organization). He spent his childhood in Mexico with the exception of his sixth grade year, when he lived in the border town of McAllen, Texas.

Having experienced as a child some of the best hospitality that Mexico had to offer — he remembers in particular Club Maeva, a spectacular beach resort in Manzanillo, Mexico — Watteau had his heart set on working in the industry from a young age. He commenced his hospitality career soon after graduating from high school, at a hotel in San Diego.

After a brief stint at a hospitality school in Seville, Spain, Watteau returned to France to complete his mandatory military service, ending up as a cook in a hotel for highranking military officers.

Watteau then returned to McAllan, where his mom was living, and enrolled at Texas State Technical College where he completed an Associate’s degree in Food Service. foodservicemonthly

The entrepreneurial bug soon took hold, and not long after his graduation the 23-year old Watteau — together with his mother — bought a small sandwich shop called The Gourmet Shop in Hidalgo County, Texas. They turned it into a French restaurant (13 tables, two cooks and two servers) which operated successfully for several years.

Watteau sold The Gourmet Shop to open The Creamery, a 188-seat eatery in Edinburg, Texas. The much-beloved restaurant received a great deal of local press and featured Watteau’s unique culinary creations (such as the fajita burger).

Over the years Watteau continued to rise through the ranks of the food and beverage (F&B) industry. He worked for a time as the executive chef, and then F&B director for La Posada Hotel in Laredo, Texas. He was F&B director at several other properties until 2001, when life brought him to the DC area.

The 888-room Grand Hyatt on H Street NW — where Watteau served as director of outlets — was his first stop in DC; he also worked as F&B director at the Hilton Fairfax and chef production manager at the University of Maryland, before he commenced a challenging culinary role at the Maryland Jockey Club which operates Pimlico race course in Baltimore (home of the Preakness Stakes) and Laurel Park race course in Laurel, Md. The Maryland Jockey Club is a massive operation with more than 600 employees, sometimes serving more than 100,000 guests in a single day. According to Watteau, due to the sheer size of the operation, sometimes even supplying change for the cash registers is a logistical challenge.

His time with the Maryland Jockey

Club was impressive, but then Watteau outdid even himself with his next gig as a contract chef working alongside White House Chef Cristeta Cummerford executing food prep for various social events for the First Family (4th of July, Presidents Day, state dinners, Christmas).

He has also served as a culinary instructor in the adult education program at Carlos Rosario School in DC. Watteau describes his own culinary style as a fusion between the cultures he knows and loves; his three favorite cuisines are Spanish, Mexican and French. Some of his dishes that showcase his unique culinary style are scallops with Yucatan sauce, and bone marrow reduction with a homemade tortilla.

When I asked about his favorite restaurants in the area he named Jaleo, as well as the now-shuttered Sol de Espana in Rockville. In the end though, if given the choice, Watteau says he would much rather be doing the thing he loves — cooking — at home, with his friends and family.

BECKI L. YOUNG, co-founder of Hammond Young Immigration, is a business immigration attorney with 20 years of experience in the field. She has represented more than 100 of the world’s most prominent hotels and restaurants, and facilitated the sponsorship of foreign professionals, trainees, interns and individuals of “extraordinary ability.” Ms. Young is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

She can be reached at 301-917-6900 or byoung@hyimmigration.com.

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APRIL 2016 | 25

WHINING ’N DINING Randi Rom

Lisa Markiewicz: Out with Waterstone, In with West Madison Craft Beer & Wine Bar

S

he’s ba-ack! After selling Waterstone Bar & Grill in Mt. Vernon and a multi-year break to focus on her education, Lisa Markiewicz re-purchased the restaurant and launched a new concept – West Madison Craft Beer and Wine Bar. The property showcases a number of comfy bar and lounge areas with indoor seating for 90. The menu features upscale bar food in a casual setting with a bar that showcases 50 local beers, 40 local wines, 16 taps and a growler filling station.

Waterstone’s executive chef is Adam Moss who held previous positions with Corner Charcuterie Bar and 13.5% Wine Bar. The menu lists items in categories like Tapas (duck sliders and ahi-tuna crisps), Street Food (West Madison Signature Hoagie and Chicken Apple Sausage), Earthy (Seaweed Salad and Arugula Greens) and Desserts (Sea Salt & Caramel Pie, Limoncello Mascarpone and Red Velvet Cake). Congrats Lisa — can’t wait to visit! 311West Madison.com Everybody’s fave Federal Hill bar/restaurant – Mother’s Federal Hill Grille opened a new location Mother’s North Grille at 2450 Brand Avenue in Hunt Valley – just off Padonia Road. Being in Fed Hill kinda gives the bar a reputation for being more of a bar than a restaurant – probably because of the location and their Purple Patio (home of some cray-cray B-more Ravens fans) but, the new location is more family friendly and the kitchen focuses on fresh, made-from-scratch, signature menu items. They also feature low calorie and gluten-free options, an extensive Bourbon list, a 20-draft beer system and multiple HD TVs. A third location – Mother’s Peninsula Grille or MPG

26 | APRIL 2016

is on Ritchie Highway in Arnold. Kudos to co-founders Dave and Adam Rather (executive chef) – my steak was way tasty! MothersGrille.com Rock Star Chef Patrick Fanning opened Rock Lobstah at 315 Gay Street in Cambridge featuring — nwhat else? Seafood! I’m coming to visit this summer chef. Facebook. com/RockLobstahCambridge

Coming Soon A slice of D.C. is coming to Baltimore as artisan pizza parlor &pizza will open a restaurant this summer on the ground floor of 1201 S. Charles St., a new apartment building in Federal Hill. &pizza is part of a Washington-based chain that has 14 locations in and around D.C. The pizza chain is best known for its gourmet pies and a menu that has seven signature pizzas, including the “Farmer’s Daughter” — a pizza that has a spicy tomato sauce, spinach, mozzarella and fennel Italian sausage and a topping of farm-fresh eggs as well as a make-your-own-pizza option. AndPizza.com Developer Greenberg Gibbons announced that leasing at Foundry Row in Owings Mills is nearly at capacity, six months before the official opening of the $140 million project. The new tenants include Bar Louie, Mission BBQ and Chipotle. The 50-acre, 350,000-square-foot project at Reisterstown and Painters Mill Roads is scheduled to open in September with its anchor store, a 130,000-square-foot Wegmans market. Greenberg Gibbons previously announced leases with Bagby Pizza, Panera Bread, Zoe’s Kitchen, Smashburger and Nally Fresh. GGCommercial.com

Touring Italy in style with Mary Ann Cricchio.

Basta Pasta, a full-service Italian and seafood restaurant and bar, has signed a lease with St. John Properties, Inc. at Liberty Exchange, a mixed-use business community near the intersection of MD Routes 32 and 26 (Liberty Road) in the Eldersburg section of Carroll County. This is the first Carroll County location for Basta Pasta and third in the greater Baltimore metropolitan region, with other restaurants currently operating in Timonium and Fallston. The restaurant at Liberty Exchange is expected to open in late summer.

BastaPastaMD.com Ruby 8 Noodle and Sushi Bar has signed a lease in McHenry Row, a mixed-use project on E. Fort

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Avenue in Baltimore City. With an expected early-May opening, this will be the second Baltimore City-area location for owners Chil and Joyce Chong, who have operated an authentic Asian-Sushi restaurant at the Horseshoe Casino since summer 2014. The 130-seat McHenry Row restaurant in the Locust Point neighborhood will be configured as a more upscale, modern and contemporary version of the Horseshoe Casino, with a greater emphasis placed on sushi, Asian cocktails and 18 taps featuring local and imported beers. Ruby 8 will also be adding a raw bar serving fresh oysters, clams and crab claws.

McHenryRow.com

WHINING ’N DINING cont. on page 32 foodservicemonthly

BALTI-MORE Dara Bunjon

The Food Market Opens Private Kitchen to Diners Chefs’ tables are dining tables set up in restaurant kitchens so guests can be immersed in the mystique and the intensity of the kitchen’s inner workings during service. Chefs’ tables are not new, but what is new and open to the public is the “Private Kitchen” at The Food Market in Hampden. The Private Kitchen is not exactly in the restaurant kitchen, it is located in the basement but it is still a fully equipped kitchen.

Patrons can rent the Private Kitchen for small intimate gatherings

choosing from a fivecourse dinner, ordering ala carte or the option called “Slay the Menu” where all experience over 50 percent of the menu.

DARA BUNJON: Dara Does It – Creative Solutions for the Food Industry offers a myriad of services: public relations, social media training and administration, freelance writing, marketing and more. Contact Dara Bunjon at 410-486-0339, info@dara-does-it.com or visit www.dara-does-it.com, Twitter and Instagram: @daracooks Listen to her Dining Dish radio program on Baltimore Internet Radio.

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APRIL 2016 | 27

2016 SCENES FROM THE 2016 OCHMRA SPRING TRADE EXPO

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2016 SCENES FROM THE 2016 OCHMRA SPRING TRADE EXPO

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APRIL 2016 | 29

MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Henry Pertman

Managing Your Online Reputation: From Enterprise to Employee

I

n March, I worked with Todd Collins from Platinum Reputations to put together several seminars to be presented at the annual Spring Trade Expo, hosted by The Ocean City Hotel-MotelRestaurant Association.

The attendance was particularly impressive. However, the response we received from attending restaurant owners and senior management to the ideas that were presented was even better.

I wanted to share a synopsis of the ideas that received the best response so you too can use the discussion to add value to your restaurant. It came as no surprise that the subject matter that gained the most attention was focused on social media and controlling online

30 | APRIL 2016

reputation. It seemed that most, if not all, hospitality companies now address social media as an important component of their businesses. It is now common practice to have an employee or an agency committed to maximizing the benefits of social media, but also helping them control the potentially negative aspects.

The attendees had plenty to say when online review websites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor were mentioned. It was agreed that bad reviews need to be addressed as soon as possible — each and every time, with no exceptions. When someone reads a bad review with no positive response, the reader could jump to the conclusion that

the management does not care about their customers’ opinions.

By responding to the negative feedback, you could not only potentially be salvaging your relationship with the disgruntled customer, but you are also showing everyone else that you care about what your customers have to say.

Likewise, all good reviews should be addressed as well. You want to thank that reviewer for taking their time to share positive feedback but also to, again, show to all readers that you care, read the reviews, and appreciate your customers.

Beyond online review websites, we also discussed more general web-based insights and suggestions.

The attendees together concluded that not having an up-to-date website can give your customers a reason to exclude your restaurant as an option before they even have the chance to visit in person. Old menus, wrong prices, inaccurate opening or closing hours, and a calendar of events featuring special nights that have already passed only make up a short list of things that can upset a guest and tarnish their experience. Make the information useful and accurate to ensure the online experience is complementing the excellent in-house dining experience.

Taking the time to read the social media posts of your guests is obviously important, but there can also be a great risk in not keeping up with the posts of your staff. Educate your employees and help them understand that anything they mention online regarding the restaurant is not only a reflection on them, but also the restaurant and its ownership. One controversial post attributed to them could easily result in negative attention on your restaurant’s social media pages and ramifications that go beyond online.

Another great conversation at the Expo led to us all understanding

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that most negative posts, whether by an employee or from guests on Yelp, can be quickly removed.

This can be done based on your intervention in helping the guest or employee retract the post, or by securing the services of one of a number of companies whose business is doing this task.

Outside of our discussions around controlling online reputation, I walked away with a few other best practices that the restaurant management in attendance have used to be successful over the past few years.

There was universal agreement that a better focus on the hiring process makes the guest experience, as well as the culture of the restaurant, much easier to control in the shortterm and long run. It is crucial to be selective when introducing new members to your staff. Take your time and interview to find the right person to fit the needs of your business. Hiring someone who is not hospitable has far worse consequences than leaving the position open longer while you wait to find the right person for the job.

Attendees agreed that the potential for increasing business and continued growth seems to be in progress. The economy is favoring hospitality businesses, and millennials and families are all eating outside of their kitchens more often. As the trend continues to gain momentum, the future for those in the hospitality industry looks bright.

Let me know if you would like to discuss any of these, or any other issues that are important to you. I am always happy to chat.

Start celebrating with your customers. The weather is getting better and “spring has sprung”!

HENRY PERTMAN is Director, Hospitality Consulting at CohnReznick, located in the firm’s Baltimore, Md. office. 410-783-4900, henry.pertman@cohnreznick.com. foodservicemonthly

RAR RESTAURANT ACTIVITY REPORT

CURRENT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, LEASES SIGNED, OWNERSHIP CHANGES AND BUSINESS BROKERAGE ACTIVITY Editor’s note: The Restaurant Activity Report (RAR) is a lead summary. The information is supplied to readers of Foodservice Monthly by the RAR and the RAR is solely responsible for its content and accuracy. The list is edited for space.

GRAVITAS Matt Baker 636 Florida Ave NW Washington DC 20001 281-627-8865 www.gravitasdc.com A new eatery called Gravitas is expected to open in the fall 2016 in Washington.

Gravitas highlights the abundant resources of the Chesapeake and surrounding areas. Every week the chef will create two unique four-course menus, a Chef’s Tasting Menu and a Vegan/ Vegetarian Tasting Menu.

Each menu will feature dishes comprised of the very best seasonal offerings of the field and market.

Contact number listed 281-627-8865 is for this location.

LIVE OAK Justus Frank 571-221-7884 1603 Commonwealth Ave Alexandria VA 22301 We previously reported that Live Oak, a new restaurant coming to Alexandria, Va, was slated for a spring 2016 opening. We now know that the restaurant is slated for a May opening. The restaurant will feature southern inspired cuisine on its menu. In addition, the restaurant will have full ABC. We have also received contact information for the restaurant. 571-221-7784 is for partner and chef Justus Frank.

PORTNER BREWHOUSE Catherine Portner 703-646-0466 portnerbrewhouse.com 5770 Dow Ave Alexandria VA 22304 Portner Brewhouse, a brewery restaurant and craft beer test kitchen will be opening in Alexandria, Va. While the restaurant’s menu has yet to be disclosed, we do know that the restaurant is slated to open by summer 2016. Contact number 703-646-0466 is for owner Catherine Portner.

WINTHORPE AND VALENTINE’S COMMUNITY Mark Bucher 202-237-1432 7770 Norfolk Ave Bethesda MD 20814 A new eatery called Winthorpe and Valentine’s Community will be opening by late summer 2016 in Bethesda, Md. The menu will serve classic American cuisine with a twist. Full ABC available. Contact phone number 202-237-1432 is for Mark Bucher, owner, at his other eatery Medium Rare.

FAMILY MEAL Bryan Voltaggio 410-601-3242 bryan@voltrestaurant.com www.baltimore.voltfamilymeal.com 17276 Valley Mall Rd Hagerstown MD 21740

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Bryan Voltaggio announced plans to open a new location of Family Meal in Hagerstown, Md. Existing restaurant features a menu with a modern twist on comfort foods classics and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Contact number 410-601-3242, is for location at the Baltimore location. The best way to reach Bryan Voltaggio is via email at bryan@voltrestaurant.com.

ASHLAR RESTAURANT & BAR 703-838-8000 info@ashlarrestaurant.com www.ashlarrestaurant.com 116 S Alfred St Alexandria VA 22314 Ashlar Restaurant will be opening in Alexandria, Va. The restaurant’s menu will focus on American Mid-Atlantic cuisine with dishes such as crab fritters with Old Bay aioli, bass and shellfish. Contact number for the restaurant is 703-838-8000.

MI JALISCO RESTAURANT Jesus Mendoza 804-550-4744 mi-jalisco.com 4019 MacArthur Ave Richmond VA 23223 Mi Jalisco Restaurant will be opening in Richmond, Va. The restaurant, which is slated to open in May 2015, serves an affordable menu of traditional Mexican-American restaurant fare, such as tacos, burritos and fajitas. In addition, this will be the fifth Mi Jalisco restaurant. Contact number 804-550-4744 is for location at 9523-B Kings Charter Drive in Ashland, VA 23005.

ROOSTER & OWL Yuan Tang 703-217-6527 www.roosterowl.com 1328 14th St NW Washington DC 20005 Chef and owner Yuan Tang announced plans to open a new eatery called Rooster & Owl in Washington. The menu will serve seasonal, vegetable-focused cuisine with small plates. ABC available. Contact number listed 703-2176527 is for this location. Note: Rooster & Owl is hosting pop-ups at Mess Hall on Thursday, March 31 @ 7:00, Friday, April 1 @ 6:00 & 8:30, and Saturday, April 2 @ 6:00 & 8:30.

AT LIGHT’S END Jonathan Mayers 410-356-9900 2 E Wells St Baltimore MD 21230 Signage is up for a new 3,723 sqft eatery called At Light’s End. The new eatery is expected to open by late August 2016. Construction for this location is expected to begin soon. The menu will serve seasonal American cuisine with ABC. Contact number listed 410-356-9900 is for Jon Mayers of Chesapeake Realty Partners, the building’s owner.

PANCHO VILLA MEXICAN CUISINE 540-368-9470 www.panchovillava.com 1850 Fort Myer Dr Arlington VA 22209 A new location of Pancho Villa Mexican Restaurant will be opening in Arlington, Va. The restaurant features a menu of authentic Mexican food such as soups, appetizers and entrees such as enchiladas and steak. In addition, the restaurant will have full ABC. Contact number 540-3689470 is for existing location at 155 Garrisonville Road in Stafford, VA. THE SHAW BIJOU Kelly Gorsuch kelly@theshawbijou.com www.theshawbijou.com 1544 9th St NW Washington DC 20001 We previously reported that a new eatery called The Shaw Bijou will be opening in early 2016 in Washington. We now know the owners will be Kelly Gorsuch and Glenn Paik.

The contact information for Kelly is kelly@theshawbijou. com. He normally responds same day. The concept is to have guest experience stories through food. The menu will feature favorite dishes from the chef and staff. The eatery is expected to open by May 2016.

BONFIRE Mike Bramson 202-643-5790 www.bonfiredc.com 1132 19th St NW Washington DC 20036 Social Restaurant Group announced plans to open a

new eatery called Bonfire. The two-floor, 5,500 sqft restaurant and bar will serve new American cuisine with full ABC. Contact number listed 202-643-5790 is for Mike Bramson, co-founder at Social Restaurant Group.

KAPNOS MARKETA Mike Isabella 202-234-5000 eat@kapnosdc.com 7062 Elm Rd Baltimore MD 21240 An employee at Kapnos Kouzina confirmed the owner would be opening a new sister restaurant called Kapnos Marketa at BWI airport in Concourse B, Baltimore. The menu will feature a gyro counter and quick-grab items.

Contact name and number is for owner/chef Mike Isabella, at another location, phone 202-234-5000.

URBAN FARMHOUSE Kathleen Richardson 804-325-3988 theurbanfarmhouse.net 4821 Old Main St Richmond VA 23231 Urban Farmhouse is opening a new location in Richmond.

The new location is expected to open by May of 2016. The menu will feature sandwiches, fresh salads, and entrees, and changes seven times a year. Contact phone number listed 804-325-3988 is for the original location at 1217 E Cary St, Richmond, Va. MEZEH MEDITERRANEAN 703-685-9907 mezeh.com 11716 W Broad St Richmond VA 23233 A new location of Mezeh Mediterranean Grill is coming to Richmond. The restaurant features a build your own meal concept specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. In addition, Mezeh is slated to open by fall 2016. Contact number 703-685-9907 is for location in Arlington, Va. HAIKAN Daisuke Utagawa 202-589-1600 805 V Street NW Washington DC 20001 Daisuke Utagawa and Yama Jewayn plan to open Haikan May 2016 in Washington.The menu will feature chicken ramen, fried Chicken and more chicken. Contact phone number 202-589-1600 is for Daisuke Utagawa at his other restaurant Daikaya located at 705 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20001.

LETENA Yamrot Ezineh 3100 14th St NW Washington DC 20010 Yamrot Ezineh plans to open LeTena May 2016 in Washington. LeTena will serve authentic Ethiopian dishes including vegetarian dishes, tibs, stews, salads and other Ethiopian specialties. The 30-seat dining room is a comfortable spot to enjoy classic Ethiopian dishes served with injera in traditional fashion, or wrapped, with bread or rice for those who wish to use utensils.

DEL MAR Fabio Trabocchi 202-628-0065 info@fiolamaredc.com SW Waterfront Washington DC 20024 Fabio Trabocchi plans to open Del Mar Spring 2017 at The Wharf in Washington. Del Mar will be a two story 11,500 sqft Spanish seafood restaurant. Though plans for the menu are still in the early stages, paellas will be a focus, along with tapas and seasonal dishes. In warmer months the restaurant will boast about 1,900 square feet of outdoor seating. Contact phone number 202-628-0065 is for Fabio Trabocchi at his other establishment Fiola Mare.

THE BOATHOUSE AT CITY POINT Kevin Healy 804-360-7200 boathouserva.com 701 W Randolph Rd Hopewell VA 23860 A new location of the Boathouse will open in Hopewell, Va. The 6,000 sqft location will feature lunch, dinner and weekend brunch as well as full ABC. In addition, the new restaurant is slated to open by fall 2016. Contact number 804-360-7200 is for Richmond location.

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

HOMESTEAD Nic Makris hello@homesteaddc.com www.homesteaddc.com 3911 Georgia Ave Washington DC 20011 A new eatery called Homestead will be opening by May 2016 in Washington. Homestead will serve both small plates and family-style portions of classic favorites with a twist … like bison meatloaf, catfish nuggets and lamb bacon. The bar menu will include seasonal cocktails and a large draft selection of craft beer and cider. Contact information listed is for Nic Makris, the owner, via email hello@homesteaddc.com.

SAMOVAR Solijon Nasimov 301-998-8294 201 N Washington Rockville MD 20850 Solijon Nasimov and Ika Nasimova plan to open Samovar in Rockville, Md. The restaurant will be 3,300 sqft and will feature Russian cuisine with Eastern European and Central Asian influence. Contact phone number 301-998-8294 is for the Rockville Town Center, who verified that Samovar will be opening.

CHAPS PIT BEEF Bob Creager 410-483-2379 www.chapspitbeef.com 1013 Beards Hill Rd Aberdeen MD 21001 We previously reported that a second Chaps Pit Beef would be opening a new eatery at a to-be-announced space in Catonsville, Md. We now know the new eatery will be opening at 1013 Beards Hill Rd in Aberdeen, Md. and it’s expected to open in May 2016. The menu serves pit beef, turkey and pork as well as BBQ chicken ribs and home-style sides. Contact number listed 410-483-2379 is for Bob Creager, the owner, at the original location.

BOBOKO INDONESIAN CAFÉ Man Ridwan bobokocafe@gmail.com www.bobokoindonesiancafe.com 217 S Liberty St Harrisonburg VA 22801 A new restaurant called Boboko Indonesian Café will be opening in Harrisonburg, Va. The restaurant will serve Indonesian cuisine and is slated to open by summer 2016. While telephone number has yet to be established, the restaurant can be contacted through bobokocafe@ gmail.com with secondary email at riceandcoconut@ gmail.com DAILY KITCHEN & BAR Jared Golden 804-342-8990 contact@thedailykitchenandbar.com www.thedailykitchenandbar.com To Be Announced Richmond VA 23221 The Daily Kitchen and Bar will be opening a new location at a to-be-disclosed address in Richmond. The restaurant serves health conscious dishes which are organic, vegan and paleo friendly. Existing location is open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. In addition, the new location is slated to open by year end 2016. Contact number 804-342-8990 is for existing location in Richmond.

HONEYGROW Justin Rosenberg 215-279-7724 ComeTogether@honeygrow.com www.honeygrow.com 716 7th St NW Washington DC 20001 Honeygrow has announced a new location will be opening in the winter 2016 in Washington. Honeygrow serves stir-fry, salads, smoothies and is a honey bar quick-serve spot. The space will be able to seat approximately 50 guests. Contact phone number 215-279-7724 is listed for an existing location at 110 South 16th St. Philadelphia, Pa. 19102.

No reproduction without express written permission under penalty of law. Published by Restaurant Activity Report, PO Box 201, Willow Springs, NC27592; Office: 919-3460444; Toll Free: 888-246-0551; Fax: 919-882-8199; www. restaurantactivityreport.com

APRIL 2016 | 31

WHINING ’N DINING cont. from page 26 La Folie, a new restaurant by Bill Irvin will open in Canton in an as yet to be announced location. It’s slated to feature a single menu item — steak frites with lot’s ‘o sides. More to come.

Whisperings About …

Eggspectation opening in Owings Mills at Metro Centre, two new restaurants coming to Quarry Lake and a new restaurant in Reisterstown. More to come.

What’s Happening?

Fufills All Maryland Health Department Requirements Recommended by: Coastal Sunbelt Produce, Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Foodservice Monthly, MICROS, PFG, RAMW & SAVAL

The “always elegant” Mary Ann Cricchio, owner of Da Mimmo in Little Italy and Executive Chef Masood Masoodi will host one of their legendary tours of Italy … this time with Tuscany as the destination. The tour will take their guests from August 12-22 coinciding with Siena’s storied horse race The Palio. Mary Ann has visited the region for 35 years, owns a home and of course she speaks fluent Italian. She has secured 22 tickets to the raise. The tour will also include a visit to Florence and the Italian Riviera towns of the Cinque Terre. For more information go to DaMimmo.com I attended a media lunch with girl-about-town Downtown Diane and FSM’s own Dara Bunjon at Roy’s Restaurant in Harbor East.

Roy’s features Pacific Rim cuisine in a casual, friendly atmosphere. I had the Grilled Mongolian Chicken Salad, gluten-free style, and it was amazing. Lots of beautiful and tasty drinks, apps and desserts … you must try the chocolate bombs! I went home with a happy lil goody bag. Big, fat thank you to my new BFF Managing Partner Megan Martin, chef Matt Ellis and Group

Sales Manager Merritt Dworkin.

RoysRestaurant.com Rusty Scupper, a seafood restaurant and bar located at 402 Key Highway at the Inner Harbor named William Wilt the restaurant’s new executive chef. Wilt previously worked at Café Deluxe, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Ciao Bella, County Fare Inn, Nickel City Grill and Fiori’s. RustyScupper.com On May 26, The Howard County Conservancy (1050 Old Frederick Road in Woodstock) will celebrate their 25th anniversary by hosting the 9th annual Wine in the Garden/Beer in the Barn event. Enjoy the three acre native plant garden, taste craft beers in the historic barn, and sample tasty foods from local restaurants and caterers including The Elkridge Furnace Inn and Innovative Gourmet Catering as well as live bluegrass music and a silent auction.

HCConservancy.org Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach will host a unique event on Spirit Cruises that combines wine tasting, a comedy show and interactive games. “Something to Wine About” is set for Friday, April 8 with boarding at The Inner Harbor Promenade. Laurie is a leading wine expert and author of the awardwinning book The Sipping Point: A Crash Course in Wine. She’s a Certified Sommelier, National Speaker and TV personality and has appeared on Dr. Oz and Martha Stewart Living Today. Love her!

SpiritCruisesBaltimore.com.

RANDI ROM is a Baltimore special events planner, marketing and public relations maven, freelance writer and the head of R. J. Rom & Associates. Have a hot scoop?

Contact Randi via email at randirom@comcast.net or phone 443-691-9671.

FSM’S ADVERTISERS SUPPORT THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY OF THE MID-ATLANTIC WHEN THEY SHARE THEIR MESSAGE EACH MONTH. CALL LISA SILBER, SALES MANAGER, 301-591-9822 OR EMAIL LISA@FOODSERVICEMONTHLY.COM FOR THE BEST WAY TO REACH THE REGION’S BUYERS.

ADVERTISER INDEX Acme Paper & Supply................................................ 6 Alto Hartley............................................................... 8 American Energy....................................................... 7 Barter Systems Inc................................................. 31 Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions...................... 31 BME....................................................................... 27 Congressional Seafood............................................ 17 DePalo & Sons....................................................... 23 ECOLAB.................................................................. 29 FoodPRO................................................................ C3

32 | APRIL 2016

H & S Bakery.......................................................... 21 Hearn Kirkwood...................................................... 12 H.M. Terry Co.......................................................... 13 Itek Construction + Consulting................................. 22 JJ McDonnell............................................................ 1 Kreider Farms......................................................... 28 Martin Bamberger................................................... 27 MD Dept Natural Resources.................................... 15 Maryland Food Center Authority................................ 19 Metropolitan Meat Seafood Poultry........................... C4

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

Newell Rubbermaid................................................. 11 Restaurant Assoc. of Maryland Education Found....... 30 Restaurant Assoc. of Metropolitan Washington........... 3 Rita St. Clair........................................................... 20 Saval Foodservice................................................... C2 Tech 24 Construction.............................................. 18 United Shellfish...................................................... 14 US FOODS................................................................ 5

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