Food Service Monthly

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Volume 16, No. 2 n February 2017

TM

OCEAN CITY 2017 SPRING TRADE EXPO

43 Years of Bringing Hospitality Buyers and Sellers Together

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insidefsm Volume 16, No. 2

February 2017

news and information

Advertiser Spotlight: Soft Stuff…………………………………………………… 16 Advertiser Index……………………………………………………………………… 32 Association News RAM……………………………………………………………… 13 Association News VRLTA…………………………………………………………… 21 Baltimore’s R House………………………………………………………………… 30 Michael Birchenall Remembrance………………………………………………… 2 Nora Pouillon Honored……………………………………………………………… 26 OCHMRA 2017 Expo…………………………………………………………………… 6 RAMMY’s Call for Nominations…………………………………………………… 28 Taste of Maryland…………………………………………………………………… 20 USDA Takeover of Catfish…………………………………………………………… 24

columns

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Balti-More……………………………………………………………………………… 23 Bob Brown Says ………………………………………………………………………… 4 Food Smarts…………………………………………………………………………… 12 Latest Dish……………………………………………………………………………… 15 Modern Business Solutions ……………………………………………………… 14 Restaurateur’s World………………………………………………………………… 16 Whining ‘n Dining……………………………………………………………………… 18 Working in America…………………………………………………………………… 17

Volume 16, No. 2 n February 2017

TM

OCEAN CITY 2017 SPRING TRADE EXPO

43 Years of Bringing Hospitality Buyers and Sellers Together

on the cover Liz Walk and Susan jones of OCHMRA photo: Michael Birchenall

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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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WHERE HOSPITALITY BUYERS & SELLERS MEET The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

FEBRUARY 2017 | 1

HUSBAND • FATHER • BROTHER • MENTOR • ARTIST • EDITOR & PUBLISHER • FRIEND

MICHAEL BIRCHENALL 1948-2017 Michael Birchenall, founder and editor of Foodservice Monthly, passed away January 9, 2017 surrounded by his wife and children.

Michael was the face and inspiration of this magazine. His unparalleled knowledge and insight of the foodservice industry helped him launch and grow Foodservice Monthly, which has evolved into a staple for restaurateurs and foodservice professionals throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. To say he’ll

be missed is an understatement.

To say he’ll be remembered is a certainty. His contributions to our industry extend far and wide. He had so many longtime friends and colleagues. He worked closely with the Restaurant Association of Maryland and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, covering trade shows, events, and cooking competitions.

His wisdom and impact will live on. And with the help of Silver

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Volume 16, No. 2 n February 2017

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Michael Birchenall Lisa Silber Electronic Ink Contributing Writers

Contact

Editor & Publisher michael@foodservicemonthly.com Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Design & Production fsm@eink.net Dennis Barry, Juliet Bodinetz, Bob Brown, Dara Bunjon, Andrew Kline, 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, a division of Silver Communications, Corp., is owned and published by Silver Communications, Corp. The Foodservice Monthly mission is to provide Mid-Atlantic foodservice professionals 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 | FEBRUARY 2017

Communications and the many devoted contributing writers and others who knew and loved him, Foodservice Monthly will carry on, fulfilling the magazine’s mission in a manner that would make Michael proud.

Silver Communications Ho Pham & Lisa Silber Michael Birchenall was my editor for more than 20 years.

Our relationship began with Restaurant Digest and continued with Foodservice Monthly, which he founded in 2002. Many of us have followed Michael, as our loyalty was to him, a man of honor and integrity.

Michael was always the unobtrusive guy with the ponytail at the back of the room — or the front ­— taking photos. He captured the entire industry, interviewing chefs, distributors, restaurateurs, brokers and culinary teachers. He was a keen observer, and with his ever-present

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camera, he captured the evolution of the DC metro dining scene. When he was diagnosed with lung disease, he didn’t let that define him. He never made that an excuse for anything.

If you had not seen Michael for a while, it was because he was battling his illness but did not want to alarm anyone. He did, however, wanted to make sure he got out every issue of Foodservice Monthly. He was the heart and soul of Foodservice Monthly — from editorial topics to page layout.

Michael and I loved to gossip. I could tell Michael and know all secrets were safe. We loved to talk shop: the ups and downs of various restaurateurs and burgeoning parts of the region. We mainly talked when he would call to remind me of my deadline, as I was usually the last one to submit my column.

I will miss those calls. I made the deadline this time, Michael. I got the message.

Linda Roth, Foodservice Monthly foodservicemonthly

We’ve all lost a good friend and food service/restaurant advocate.

Michael Birchenall epitomized a gentleman, a warrior, a mensch, a father and a friend — there will be a vacant spot in my heart for a long time to come.

Dara Bunjon, Foodservice Monthly What can you say when someone who touched your life in such an impactful way leaves this earth?

I met Michael Birchenall, as so many others did, through the food business. He saw me grow up in this business, and was a steady mentor and friend through it all.

During a big career change for me, I realized what a quiet champion he was. I could always call him and he would give me honest feedback without sugar coating. He offered connections that resulted in long-time job opportunities. Our conversations extended to personal family stories and shared recipes — he even made his famous Red Velvet cake for a family event! The public relations profession is about building good strong relationships and I count Michael Birchenall as one of those. I will miss his friendship to my core.

Dianne Murphy, PR Consultant Michael Birchenall was a special friend and colleague. He was also an amazing writer and truly one of a kind. I first met Michael at a press event downtown, at a time when food bloggers were flooding the DC food scene. The two of us became fast friends. Later, even though he lived far away from Olney, Michael began visiting the farmers market I run. His passion was our plum tomatoes. Every year, when I ran into him at press events, he would ask when we would have our plum tomatoes. I regret that this year I forgot to tell him about those tomatoes he loved so much.

Janet Terry, Olney Farms Market What a shining light in our community. Michael’s knowledge, generosity of spirit and celebration of our industry was always a highlight.

John B. Snedden, Rocklands Barbecue What a great sadness. Michael was a lovely and truly unique person.

Kristin M. Rohr, Guest Services Inc foodservicemonthly

Very sad. There was such great synergy between Michael’s publication (his heart and soul) and RAMW, as our organization survived extinction and, along with Foodservice Monthly, grew and prospered. RAMW events will not be quite the same without Michael and his camera.

Andrew J. Kline, Esquire

We will all surely miss Michael.

Scott Attman, Acme Paper & Supply It’s a very sad day — a true friend has left us. During his years in DC Michael did so many great things for the industry he so dearly loved.

We should each stop and remember how Michael believed in RAMW and The Rammy’s. He was a tireless advocate and promoter.

Jodi Lehr, Santa Lucia Estate Coffee We will remember Michael as a spirited, engaged storyteller with integrity. From one Joan Hisaoka Associate Member of the Year to another; I salute you, Michael.

Your insight and thoughtfulness will be missed. Our prayers for his family and friends. Fair winds and following seas, God speed.

Rob Mumma, Belair Produce Grateful for his contributions and commitment to this community; he will be missed. RIP Michael.

Scott S. Kinlaw, EagleBank Michael had a big impact on the restaurant industry in Washington DC. You will be greatly missed.

Robert Wiedmaier, Marcel’s et al He was an amazing man with a great heart and a love for everything food. Rest in peace, my friend.

Grace Abi-Najm Shea, Lebanese Taverna I will always remember Michael for his kindness, his smile, his commitment to the industry and RAMW and of course, the camera around his neck.

David Moran, Clyde’s Restaurant Group Champion. Advocate. Supporter.

Mentor. Creator. Friend. One of the good guys. Michael Birchenall.

Thank you for your friendship and guidance. I’ll miss you always. And-

remember you with love.

Randi Rom, Foodservice Monthly I don’t think there is anyone who knew the food industry quite like Michael Birchenall. I remember fondly the times he would visit and we would discuss new restaurant openings, new chefs coming to town or just share interesting stories about the food scene. His commitment to Foodservice Monthly and to the industry never wavered.

I could always count on Michael to stop by with magazines in hand. On behalf of all of his friends at Metro, we extend our deepest sympathy to the Birchenall family, friends and colleagues. His unparalleled contributions will never be rivaled.

Steven Kohan, Metropolitan Michael Birchenall was a true gentleman, always genuinely interested in our success, as he was with every company in our industry.

He was a dear friend of Saval Foodservice and a part of our family.

His industry insight was unequaled and he shared all that he knew with anyone willing to listen. Michael cared about us, he always took the time to speak with everyone at an event and he made everyone feel important.

Michael had become our industries’ historian. Appearing at every event with his camera, everyone waited for the next publication of Foodservice Monthly to see their picture. All of us at Saval Foodservice will miss seeing him at RAM and RAMW events, trade shows and our celebrations — they truly will never be the same. May his legacy live on. We’ll miss you Michael.

Paul Saval, Richard Hatcher and Bryan Bernstein, SAVAL When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him, lies on the paths of men.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Michael and I met few years ago and became close during my daughter’s illness — he was always kind, supportive and thoughtful. I consider myself privileged to have known and worked with him. He was as Longfellow described: a great man who left behind a legacy and many warm hearts.

Osman Yazgan, ITEK

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Michael was a dear comrade and colleague. A true gentleman, leader, trailblazer and friend to everyone. He had an incredible knack for making those around him comfortable. Hospitality and kindness towards others was the foundation of his character. Michael treated everyone the same – with the utmost respect. Always willing to engage, he was truly interested in hearing your story and thrived on learning more about you. He did not shy away from stating his mind and was the first to speak out against injustice. In the end, he taught me lessons on grace and gratitude that will be with me forever. So Michael, thank you.

For being steady, for being present, for sharing and caring, and for never making work the basis of our connection. In an industry that sees a lot of change, you were a constant.

Kelly Morris, KSM Marketing Michael’s passing will leave a void in the foodservice world as the depth of his knowledge and passion were unmatched. His humble and heartwarming personality, combined with a natural ability to connect so many industry puzzle pieces, will be remembered forever. Each year, I looked forward to our Expo as I knew that meant we’d be able to catch up. We both loved our view from above overlooking the tradeshow floor — one of his favorite spots for capturing Expo photos. Rest in peace my friend.

Susan Jones, OCHMRA Michael, you were a wonderful friend and fellow foodie; and so many people loved you.

Alexandra Greeley, cookasia.com A gifted writer and one of the most organized, focused and thorough editors I have ever had the privilege to work with, Michael was that rare combination — a professional of the highest order who also truly cared about the industry and its people. I will miss our monthly late night production sessions collaborating on the design and layout of Foodservice Monthly.

But mostly, I will miss his kind, gentle, and softspoken way.

Leslie LeFranc, Electronic Ink FEBRUARY 2017 | 3

BOB BROWN SAYS Bob Brown

Casting: Your Secret Weapon to Building a Championship Team

A

manager’s greatest gift is to put people in roles they love and let them fly.

Build your Hospitality A-Team by tuning into your team members’ special talents and putting them in roles where they’ll shine the brightest.

I’ll never forget former manager Michelle, who berated me for stacking plates in front of two guests. She never offered to help and banished me to the worst stations. When I finally got a crack at a decent section, I built a $3,000 check helping a businessman close a deal. Michelle was shocked when I bolted to another restaurant where the management took quick advantage. Remember, people don’t

leave companies, they leave managers. Michelle missed the three tactics my mentor Michael used to build a multi-talented ensemble cast.

Know Your Actors Like a great director, recognize and develop talent. First, observe with razorsharp focus and analyze the galaxy of things that make your players unique: their habits, routines, mannerisms, and idiosyncrasies.

Dial into everything from how well they read guest cues to how well they work with a prep cook.

Customize Your Feedback Everyone has a preferred way of learning and taking direction.

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Know that, for some, a simple whispered insight is enough. For others, demonstrating the “how” is critical: Don’t ask guests if they want a drink. Try “Stanley, our bartender from Catonsville, makes a fabulous Tito’s martini.”

My mentor Michael knew I liked to be coached: straight up, on the spot, and often. One Friday night while standing near the pizza oven, Michael appeared as if from nowhere. “What’s up with table 18?” he probed. “Well, the Wilsons are on their entrées,” I replied. “Did you notice they need their wine topped off?” he fired back. Moments later I sold a second bottle. Later, he grabbed me in the side stand saying, “Nice job. Now sell them a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for the grand finale.”

3. Cast for Star Performance Michael understood that some team members loved to do certain jobs, and, yes, hated others.

Balancing strengths and weaknesses is a practice that moved our team toward amazing success. We were a diverse group Michael transformed into celebrity status — a staff whose sum ability was greater than its parts. These were some of the starring roles: • The side work, teamwork player.

Michael knew that Brett loved order, collaboration, and staff efficiency. Michael made him the side work king. He had him orchestrate opening, ongoing, and closing side work. And, when training for teamwork, you shadowed Brett.

• The hospitality charmer. Julie worked the French door patio station. Michael knew his Ms. Congeniality would woo potential guests from the multitudes, who nightly filed past us on Wisconsin Avenue in DC. Like a carnival barker, she entertained with her New Jersey wisecrack warmth.

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And, although Julie wasn’t a natural born salesperson, Michael gave her helpful hints.

• Mr. Nimble. Matt turned tables like a whirling dervish. So, Michael had him work in our shoulder-to-shoulder jammed cocktail section. There he hawked beers, martinis, glasses of Chianti, and pizzas to share at warp speed. He was a perfect fit for the madness of the Georgetown bar mob. He hated working in the dining room, and rarely did.

• The super salesperson. Always enjoying being front and center, Michael put me in the primo dining room station where I flourished selling everything from bottles of Ruffino Ducale Gold label Chianti to our white chocolate banana mousse pie. Yet, he managed my aversion to side work and let me focus on what I did best.

Avoid a common manager mistake to expect every team member to perform brilliantly on every level, every night. Like Michael, build an ensemble cast with each actor working to their strengths, while at the same time playing off the strengths of each other. Never try to make a Julie a top salesperson or a sales superstar a side work enthusiast. Let each player excel in the worlds they love. Become a master caster. You’ll create a championship team, banish superstar turnover, boost sales, and make your guests lifetime advocates.

BOB BROWN, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions (bobbrownss.com) pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program; worked with Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Nordstrom, Olive Garden, and Ritz Carlton; internationally with Burj Al Arab in Dubai; has appeared on the Food Network; authored The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success. Contact Bob at 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2016. foodservicemonthly

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FEBRUARY 2017 | 5

OCHMRA EXPO IS ALL ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF HOSPITALITY

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onnecting hospitality buyers and sellers has been paramount to the Ocean City Hotel-MotelRestaurant Association since its founding as a non-profit trade group in 1971. One of the best ways to accomplish this goal was to create a tradeshow. So, in 1974, the OCHMRA launched the Ocean City Spring Trade Expo and it has been a terrific tradition ever since.

Currently the Expo features over 400 exhibit booths and welcomes more than 5,000 attendees. They are in high gear to do the same on March 5th and 6th.

New Products Galore New products and the latest innovations are always a highlight of tradeshows and rest assured, you’ll find many of these at the Ocean 6 | FEBRUARY 2017

City Trade Expo. MXH Hospitality will showcase RoomCast™ which allows today’s guests to watch TV the way they want to using their mobile devices and apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Pandora. Also featured, will be their GIZGO HUB which contains a charging hub with 8 portable chargers. The chargers have integrated iPhone and Android lightning cables, so your customers can charge their smartphones at their table. Both the charging hub and the chargers are brandable and are the perfect solution to increase customers staying time, in turn, increasing sales. New exhibitor Micros Synapse will unveil their POS System and digital menu boards for the restaurant industry. Showcasing an all-in-one restaurant management software, SynergySuite will demonstrate

their cloud platform managing the entire back office; from inventory management and controlling your supply chain end-to-end, to business intelligence, food safety and employee scheduling. Essential Systems Solutions announces partnership with MobileBytes, an EMV capable iPad POS technology company. Partnering with MobileBytes will give ESS the unique opportunity to offer a full featured, cloud based, POS system for iPad. The high quality MobileBytes solution is designed for a variety of food & beverage environments.

Living Canopies, developed by a University of Maryland professor and students, is set to be one of the most unique products shown. The product grows plant panels so that customers will have full canopies

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for shade when the al fresco dining season begins in the spring. The patent pending, self-watering system keeps the canopy looking great all season long. Because the Living Umbrella allows air to pass through its leafy canopy, unpredictable weather will not blow it down or break it, so there is no worry about the living umbrella being out in a storm. Rooftop General Contractors will unveil their new rooftop grease containment system which collects grease from the exhaust fan on the roof. This product will help keep grease out of drains and out of the bay!

Pioneer Concepts, Robert Wyne is an honest, hardworking entrepreneur, inventor and restaurateur who was born in

OCHMRA EXPO cont. on page 7 foodservicemonthly

OCHMRA EXPO cont. from page 6 Maryland and with his wife Rose has served over 55,000 guests at their award-winning restaurant On the Bay Seafood. Anyone from Maryland knows that crabs have a certain odor, so Rob was determined to develop a solution. Using the restaurant as a “test-pad” for some of his products, he ultimately is first in line to be the first customer/buyer of his own products. He was involved in the development of a unique product line called DumpsterCure.

This odor absorbing granule helps to eliminate odors, flies and germs while fragrancing. This product line is now being manufactured by UniKem Chemicals. Rob has also been working extensively on bringing this great, commercial product to a new marketplace, now known as TrashCan Treat for the residential usage. TrashCan Treat has been re-packaged for a convenient, easyto-use, application for your home. foodservicemonthly

Stop by Pioneer Concepts booth to find out what is next!

New exhibitor, DryZone, will highlight their PolyLevel® injection foam which will raise settled concrete so owners will get a faster, affordable alternative to repair concrete slabs. BFPE International uses electronic reporting for testing and inspection of fire protection systems. These reports can be sent as electronic files that can be saved, filed and forwarded electronically making fire protection easier to manage. Ocean City native, Wyatt Harrison entered the Expo last year with great success with his new company PLAK THAT. He creates truly unique, customizable wood prints which showcase any image on his beautiful and sustainable wood. This year, he’ll introduce custom printed sound panels. New exhibitor, ICF will introduce the BGE Smart Energy Savers Program® which offers a variety of energy

efficiency programs that can help hotels, motels and restaurants cut costs. Incentives are available for such things as guest room energy management systems (e.g., HVAC and receptacle occupancy sensors), lighting retrofits, new HVAC equipment, and kitchen and refrigeration equipment upgrades.

Restaurateurs will find several new products to spice things up.

Tatanka Sauce is a national and world award winning sauce with a unique blend of spices and herbs that create waves of flavors through four levels of heat to satisfy all that enjoy spicy foods. Check out their Screaming MiMi, which was an award winner at NYC Hot Sauce Expo or their “Pepper Blend” which placed 3rd in Louisiana World Hot Sauce. Belair Produce & Watermark Foods will highlight their new lines, La Padella Olive oil cooking blend and Corto extra virgin olive oil brands. XS Energy/ELK Marketing

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has an all new blast mixer which is great for smoothies and juice bars as it is an alternative to the high priced cans normally found behind the bar.

It is an all-natural energy with mega B vitamins and herbs; try a sample at booth 1200. Also in the beverage category, try the new flavors from Slush Puppie which is the newest addition to the Signature Program line at H & M Wagner and Sons.

Baked Sliced Italian sub rolls in small, medium and large, as well as, the new Artigiano plain and garlic gourmet breadsticks will be found in the Traditional Breads/CBF booth.

The delicious, made in Ocean City, Hoop Tea will be debuting two new flavors at the trade show for release in the spring; Peach Tea Lemonade and Watermelon Mint Green Tea which are made with all natural flavors, organic sweeteners, and contain 4% alcohol. Wholesale distributor, MS Walker will

OCHMRA EXPO cont. on page 8 FEBRUARY 2017 | 7

OCHMRA EXPO cont. from page 7 showcase The Pogues Irish Whiskey which is dubbed as the official Irish whiskey made in Skibbereen, West Cork. It is a blended whiskey with sweet and intense notes of malt and cracked nuts. MS Walker will also feature samples from West Cork Distillers who is now one of only two independent distilleries in Ireland, as well as, St. Elder. St. Elder is crafted in small batches from a natural extract of fresh elderflower blossoms resulting in a finely balanced, versatile liqueur that easily pairs with a variety of spirits, wines and beers to liven up any classic cocktail. It offers up silky floral notes and alpine herb aromas with undertones of sweet ripe stone fruits and notes of citrusy grapefruit on the palate. Bacchus Importers will bring along High West Distillery which won the 2016 Distiller of the Year by Whiskey Advocate.

Additionally, they’ll showcase Four 8 | FEBRUARY 2017

Vines Naked Unoaked Chardonnay.

To help keep alcohol sales tracked and accounted for, check out Bar Controls of North America’s Berg interface. This product permits the bartender to pour the drink and automatically ring the sale into the POS or cash register, providing speed, accuracy and accountability.

Located beside Bar Controls of North America, you’ll find Sysco Eastern MD. Recently, Sysco entered a new partnership with North Coast Seafood out of Boston and can now sell FRESH fish and shellfish harvested just hours before. Satisfy your sweet tooth by stopping by long-time exhibitor Hershey Ice Creams booth. They’ll be sampling some of their new hand dip flavors for 2017: Salted Caramel Bananas Foster, Honey Roasted Peanut Butter, Ferocious Fireball, Autumn Apple Pecan Crunch, Brown Butter Bourbon Truffle and value priced Tally Ho

Farms in 9 flavors! Hershey’s will also have new novelties which include: Salted Caramel Brownie Bar, Brownie Batter Sandwich, and a No Sugar Added Orange Ice Pop. If you are interested in capturing pizza sales, then check out Market First’s new Neapolitan ovens, which are designed specifically to accommodate the high-volume pizza making with brick ovens. These ovens will also be at the Orlando, Las Vegas and Chicago food shows.

Georgeo’s Water Ice has grown over the many years of exhibiting and he will now offer products that meet state standard nutritional needs, such as, RICH’S A+ SCHOOL products & ROSATI. Finally, a retired nurse turned entrepreneur will roll out her delicious creation at her booth Smores2.0.

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Keynote Speaker & Educational Workshops Industry expert and author, Bob Brown will be the Keynote speaker and can be seen on opening day at 1:30pm in Seminar Room 208 where he will present, “Turn Your Staff into Sales Superstars – How to Not Leave $$ on the Table.” The target audience will be Owners, Managers and Supervisors. Bob will explore these angles; how much money are you leaving on the table with robotic order takers? During this program, learn 7 steps to help move your staff to star status by helping them break the yes/no habit, giving them guided tours of your products, upsell without being pushy while enhancing the guest experience. Bob has shared these techniques during his sessions with Disney, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Red Lobster and Olive Garden.

His insight and teaching will

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continue and Monday, March 6th beginning at 10:00 am where he’ll present “Service Excellence for Lifetime Loyalty – How to Handle Today’s Demanding Customer.”

This target audience is Owners, Managers, Supervisors and Front of the line employees. In today’s review driven, word-of-mouth marketing travel world, learn how you can win over customers through 5 proven steps to give your business the service edge. We will examine the process of creating a winning service culture while learning how to turn dissatisfied customers into some of your most loyal advocates and in turn, helping your reviews.

Sunday, March 5th, 3:30 pm and Monday, March 6th, 2:30 pm

From Boss to Coach: Turning Great Managers into Great Coaches Presented by Leslie Sheldon & Phil Monetti of The Integrity Team Success in management isn’t foodservicemonthly

based solely on following a set of mechanical, process-driven rules.

It begins within the head and heart of the person. This session focuses on shifting managers’ coaching mindset from that of a “mistake catcher” and “problem solver” to a coaching leader capable of instilling confidence, a sense of ownership, and fully realized potential in the people they manage. In this seminar attendees will learn a practical roadmap for building a coaching culture that unleashes inner potential and drives results from people of all ages and experiences.

Attendees will leave with the recognition that effective coaching is a developmental process that equips managers with knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs to improve performance and develop people of all ages and backgrounds to their highest potential. We will discuss the “Law of Limited Performance” and how to overcome its negative

consequences. We will explore the reasons why some managers are reluctant to coach, but share a simple, practical roadmap for building a coaching culture that unleashes inner potential and drives results from people of all ages and experiences.

Sunday, March 5th, 1:00 pm Monetizing WiFi Presented by AdTran Wi-Fi is now the preferred method of access to the network.

More and more applications are moving to the cloud. Consumers are demanding always on anywhere wireless internet access and they are expecting it for free. This possesses a significant challenge for owners who were not that long ago, able to charge for Wi-Fi internet access in public venues and share in the revenue. Particularly for the owner, what was once a source of revenue has now become a cost. So what are

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the options for monetizing Wi-Fi without a direct exchange of money?

Sunday, March 5th, 2:30pm Tracking Security Personnel in Real Time and Reporting Presented by Delmarva Two-Way Radio PD41X Patrol System is a guard tour solution to provide real-time tracking management. It’s composed of a Patrol Radio, Receiving Station, Patrol Checkpoint and Patrol Software. It allows an operator to monitor the real-time tour guard because the patrol data is sent to the receiving station connected to PC (Patrol Software w/Location Mapping). Learn about this latest technology so you can better manage your property!

Monday, March 6th, 12:00 pm How to Avoid Employment Wage Violations Join the MD DLLR as they

OCHMRA EXPO cont. on page 10 FEBRUARY 2017 | 9

OCHMRA EXPO cont. from page 9 guide you through the Maryland minimum wage and overtime laws and correct calculations of tipped credits. This is definitely not an audit session as the MD DLLR is here to assist businesses in learning and applying the law.

Monday, March 6th, 1:00 pm Revenue Management – The Basics and Beyond Presented by InnQuest A detailed review of best practices and use of roomMaster’s innovative Revenue Management Tools and Interfaces to help your property increase REVPAR!

Culinary Showcase Stage The Culinary Showcase Stage will come alive when the vibrant Brooklyn Baking Barons step up to provide a glimpse into their 10 | FEBRUARY 2017

journey and their recipes during the 43rd Annual Ocean City Spring Trade Expo. Creators of the Honey Whiskey Cake, Tony Lanuza and Chris Poeschl, will share their stories and baking tips as they describe this culinary adventure.

Oozing with sweetness, their cake has been compared to the Caribbean’s Rum Tortuga Cake.

Chris and Tony are partners in work and in life. A mutual friend introduced them in 2012 and fate brought them back together in 2013 in New York, where they were both pursuing professional careers in the theater. As they hosted dinner parties, friends were impressed with the quality of their meals, and they were insistent that they “do something” with their cooking skills. While neither has professional baking training, they both grew up with the kitchen being the heartbeat of their families.

“Family is food,” Chris stated. Tony,

whose background is Italian and Spanish, nodded in agreement. “The kitchen was our family,” he added.

For Chris’s birthday in 2014, he told Tony he wanted a cake that was like a rum cake, but not a rum cake.

Tony went to work and developed what was the first test of their now signature dessert: the honey whiskey cake. Shaped like a personal sized bundt cake, the honey whiskey cake has a caramel-like sweetness and moist consistency from the subtle whiskey infusion.

As their minds began moving, the mission soon became to share all things delicious. The next step was booking tickets with the foodie talk show, The Chew, where they planned to roll out the revolutionary marketing plan for the new business. When Co-host Mario Batali tasted the cake, he couldn’t resist helping to put them on the culinary map. Soon after, The Chew co-host Daphne Oz shared

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the cakes with another television personality, Ree Drummond of Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman. Drummond went on to select Honey Whiskey Cake as one of her “Gifts for Foodies” in the Dec. 7, 2015 issue of People magazine.

With the publicity from People and subsequent online buzz, the Barons got so busy, they needed to hire 15 part-time staffers, to help bake and ship nearly 3,000 mail orders through the 2015 holiday season.

Michele Obama has enjoyed their cakes aboard Air Force One, thanks to a friend who works as a makeup artist for the First Lady, and Oprah has sampled them as part of her famous annual “Favorite Things” collection. They have been featured in: People Magazine, Coastal Style Magazine, Forbes Magazine, HGTV, Huffington Post, Jarry Magazine, Live with Kelly and Michael, NBC 4 New York, Robb Report Magazine,

OCHMRA EXPO cont. on page 11 foodservicemonthly

Hotel Information

Headline Speaker

For your convenience, rooms have been blocked at the hotels listed below. In order to take advantage of the special rates please make your reservations no later than February 10, 2017. *Don’t forget to identify yourself as an Exhibitor at the OCHMRA Spring Trade Expo when you make your reservation. (Rates based upon availability. Tax not included.)

Headlining these educational sessions will be Foodservice Monthly columnist Bob Brown.

Bob Brown is an industry expert, author, and seminar leader, trainer and keynote speaker.

Bob’s passion, humor and high content presentations have inspired executives, managers and front line employees in over 20 countries for over 20 years. His strategies, tools and techniques have been incorporated into the cultures of industry leaders that include Marriott, Disney, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, Jumeriah, Nordstrom, Ritz Carlton, Viceroy, Morton’s of Chicago, Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

His is also a regular presenter at the Las Vegas Nightclub and Bar Show.

Bob’s tactical practical approach helps restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, casinos and other business interested in improving their customer service increase sales, improve market position, improve leadership skills and boost employee morale and retention.

Bob’s high content, inspirational presentations are packed with proven takeaways.He is a top rated keynote speaker at restaurant and hotel GM conferences, state and national association meetings in the US and abroad. He’s been rated #1 four of the five times he’s spoken at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. Bob is the author of the best-selling Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success selling over 100,000 copies worldwide and is frequently quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Dunes Manor Hotel

Lighthouse Club Hotel at Fagers Island

28th & Oceanfront 800-523-2888 From $65

60th St. & Bay 410-524-5400 From $125

Grand Hotel & Spa 21st & Boardwalk 800-447-6779 From $65

Hilton Suites Clarion Fontainebleau 101st Street & Oceanfront 800-638-2100 From $89

Comfort Inn Gold Coast 112th Street Bayside 800-4CHOICE From $49

Courtyard By Marriott

32nd St. & Oceanfront 866-729-3200 From $109

Holiday Inn Oceanfront 67th St. & Oceanfront 800-837-3588 From $49

Holiday Inn Suites 17th St. & Oceanfront 866-627-8483 From $69

15th & Oceanfront 410-289-5008 x0 From $89

The Chew, and also The View.

While the Honey Whiskey Cake put them on the map, it isn’t their only product. “Cake is just the beginning of us,” Chris said. “We’ve come up with a lot of great partnerships with different companies around the country.

We want this to become a lifestyle brand. This cake is getting us into everybody’s home, and now we want to stay there.” Their goal is simple; they want to bring flavor and joy into people’s lives through their food.

Their energetic and enthusiasm will spill over throughout both days of the Expo as they will make more than dessert. They are perfecting their skills and will deliver appetizers, entrees and dessert demos on the Culinary Showcase Stage. Look for the Brooklyn Baking Barons to infuse their cooking with local craft brew.

Their Expo journey begins on Sunday, March 5th at noon in the Ocean City Convention Center. foodservicemonthly

Add Ons Creators of the previous competitions, MIXED!, Crush the Clock Orange Crush and Pie in the Face, Ocean 98 will shake things up a bit this year when they debut a Restaurant style Family Feud. This game will be based on the popular television show Family Feud. Look for more details on this always fun and exciting event!

With Market First introduction of Neapolitan ovens, attendees will be able to taste brick oven pizza and rest for a bit in the Market First Lounge located in the Dockside Hall. Alongside the lounge area is the Craft Beer Pavilion where more than 40 local brews can be tasted.

Expo Facts The Expo is not open to the public, therefore to walk the show floor, you must be a buyer or guest in the industry and you must be 21. For example, hotel, motel,

Paradise Plaza 9th St. & Boardwalk 410-289-6381 From $75

Quality Inn Oceanfront 54th St. Oceanfront 800-837-3586 From $54

Sea Bay Hotel 60th & Coastal Hwy. 410-524-6100 From $49.95

For a complete list of hotels and rates check out our website: www.oceancitytradeexpo.com/ ocmd-trade-show-attend-lodging

restaurant, catering, concessions, bed & breakfast, condo/property management, campground, coffee house, ice cream store, nightclub, liquor store, convenience store, cafeteria, nursing home, schools/ colleges, hospital. Expo management reserves the right to determine if your registration fits these parameters. If you sell to these types of businesses, you would be considered an Exhibitor and must purchase a booth to attend the Expo.

Expo hours are Sunday, March 5th, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and Monday, March 6th, 11:00 am – 4:00pm. After February 24th at 4pm, on-site registration is $15pp with proof of being in the industry; a business card or license or letter from employer on letterhead; paystubs no longer being accepted.

For complete Expo information, check out www.oceancitytradeexpo. com or call 410-289-6733.

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

FEBRUARY 2017 | 11

FOOD SMARTS Juliet Bodinetz

Parasites in Our Salmon and What to Do … For Real

S

ushi, it seems, has become more and more fashionable here in the U.S. When we say sushi grade fish, most people presume it is fresh, raw fish. This is probably one of the best misconceptions in the sushi world. The fish you are eating raw is not fresh and has been previously frozen.

U.S. law states that fish intended to be served raw as sushi or sashimi has to be bought by an approved supplier and has to be previously frozen. The purpose of the freezing process is to kill any parasitic contamination that might be found in the fish. Parasites need a host body, animal including humans

12 | FEBRUARY 2017

or fish to live and can be destroyed with heat or freezing. Please note that freezing will not kill the other pathogens responsible for foodborne illnesses, i.e. viruses, bacteria, fungi and toxins.

Recent news reported a Japanese broad tapeworm was found in salmon from U.S. Alaskan Pacific waters. This tapeworm has normally been associated with fish found in Japan, South Korea and Russia. This tapeworm can grow to 30 feet long in human bodies. The Center for Disease Control reports that most infected people have no symptoms, but some can suffer from diarrhea, stomach pain, weight loss and

vitamin B-12 deficiency.

The CDC reports that treatment of praziquantel and niclosamide are two drugs used for treatment.

In our Food Service Manager certification classes, we teach that sushi — raw fish — can be eaten because it is so fresh and has been previously frozen. My initial reaction to the news story of parasites being found in salmon was, “Why would there still be parasites found in the salmon? It’s been pre-frozen, no?”

Then I realized that not all fish is sold pre-frozen because not all fish will be served in its raw state as sushi or sashimi.

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

Heat, in the form of proper cooking temperatures, kills the parasites as well. The Food and Drug Administration recommends cooking fish to a minimal internal temperature of 145°F for at least a duration of 15 seconds. Herein lays

FOOD SMARTS cont. on page 32

foodservicemonthly

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM Alex Cooper

AFFORDABLE  DURABLE  DESIGNER

World Champion Quarterback, Broadcaster and Entrepreneur Delivered Keynote Speech at RAM Expo

I

n case you didn’t get a chance to attend the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo, Joe Theismann, former star quarterback for the Washington Redskins and current entrepreneur, spoke about his game plan for success and his 42 year long experience as a restaurant owner.

Mr. Theismann owns a popular Virginia restaurant, Joe Theismann’s Restaurant and Bar. His namesake restaurant has offered good food, friendly service and comfort for their patrons for over 40 years. To achieve this success, Mr. Theismann talked about his journey from a star quarterback to an endorsed athlete who wanted to take a more integrated stance on the restaurants that bore his name.

FLOORING SOLUTIONS

Name as a Brand Unbeknownst to many, Joe Theismann changed the pronunciation of his last name when he was first drafted in football because his agent thought that a different pronunciation would receive a better response from the media and fans. Then in 1975 Mr. Theismann was approached to put his name on a restaurant. He later on he bought out his 26 partners and grew and expanded the business.

“It is a brand that I have carried since 1970. So when you stop and think about it for almost fifty years I have had the opportunity to represent one thing and one thing only and that’s who I am.”

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From Football to Food As quarterback for the Washington Redskins, Joe Theismann was the fourth

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM cont. on page 26

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The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

FEBRUARY 2017 | 13

MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Henry Pertman

A Loss for the Hospitality Community Mourning the death of my old friend, Michael Birchenall

M

ost of you only knew Michael from his picture in this magazine over the years. Most of you enjoyed his candid and always on-point editorials and learned a little something about hospitality as you read. I know I did. Not just from his writings, but in my case, for having known him as a friend of 30 or so years. I cannot remember when I first met Michael, but I remember so much of what he said, how he said it, how sincere he was, and how much I learned from him.

I googled the word hospitality, as that is what I write about, and

sometimes need to remind myself of its definition so that I am true to the meaning.

Today I looked at the synonyms, and there was Michael. Over and over and over. The synonyms?

Friendliness, warm reception, helpfulness, warmth, kindness, congeniality, geniality, cordiality, courtesy, amenability and generosity could not sum up better the person and persona that was, and in my heart and mind, still is Michael Birchenall. He always seemed happy to see me. Always greeted me with a smile. Always went out of his way to fulfill any

HE NEVER SAID, “SAY CHEESE,” THAT I CAN RECALL, BUT HIS PICTURES TOLD THE STORY: SMILING FACES. BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HE KNEW HOW TO DO — MAKE PEOPLE SMILE.

promises or commitments he made, and not just to me, to be sure, but to everyone he touched. And he touched so many people in his professional and personal lives. His living after all, was taking pictures.

He never said, “Say cheese,” that I can recall, but his pictures told the story: smiling faces. Because that is what he knew how to do — make people smile. Make people happy.

Michael’s illness took its toll over too long a period of time, painful and agonizing for him, I know. Yet,

he showed interest in others, in me, whenever I saw him or spoke with him. Until now, when I can just feel his friendship, daydream his laugh, and take great satisfaction and comfort in having known and grown with and because of him.

I love you Michael. Always have.

Always will. Rest in peace.

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

Come see us at the Spring Trade Expo on March 5th & 6th at the OC Convention Center to learn about the newest products and trends.

14 | FEBRUARY 2017

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

foodservicemonthly

THE LATEST DISH Linda Roth

DC Celebrity Eateries Come Full Circle

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elebrity-owned restaurants are popular once again — with DC celebrities, that is. Tony Kornheiser, Maury Povich, Gary Williams and Alan Bubes are the new owners of Chad’s (formerly Chadwick’s) in Friendship Heights. Sports fans will have a lot to look forward to, as Tony plans to do his (sometimes) sports talk podcast from there. The name will change, based on a contest Tony will run on his podcast. Geoff Dawson of Penn Social, Carpool and Buffalo Billiards will be the operator. Out of all these sports & media personalities, guess which one plays golf with Michael Jordan whenever he comes to town? If you play golf at Woodmont, you know the answer.

Frederik de Pue plans to debut a Flemish-inspired restaurant, Flamant, in Annapolis in Q2 2017.

The 2800-sq ft Flamant will serve classic European cuisine with a twist. It’s open for dinner only, seats 40, with a cozy 12-seat bar, and an outdoor patio when the season hits. He will continue to operate his catering company out of Flamant kitchen on a limited basis.

Raphael Francois is the new executive chef at Panache on DeSales Street, NW, which is undergoing a major renovation. He was executive chef at Le Cirque in New York City and at Launceston Place in London. He was raised in France and Belgium, so the menu will reflect that. Owners Aziz Safi and Farid Nouri also own MXDC and U Street bars Marvin and The Gibson.

Another big 337-seat steak house will open in downtown DC in Q3 2017. Wisconsin-based Nobel Chef Hospitality plans to open Rare Steakhouse & Tavern in

foodservicemonthly

Laborer’s international Union building at 16th & I Streets, NW. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the restaurant also has catering rights for the private events space on the top floor that overlooks the White House.

Bar Bao opens in Clarendon at 3100 Clarendon Blvd. where Mad Rose Tavern used to be. It’s brought to you by Social Restaurant Group (Provision N. 14, The Prospect, Pamplona).

Bar Bao will specialize in bao, fluffy white buns filled with savory flavors, popular street food in Asia.

They are slated for a March opening.

joins Michael Schlow Restaurant Group as the executive pastry chef, overseeing all restaurants in DC (The Riggsby, Tico, Alta Strada, Conosci, Casolare) as well as in Los Angeles and New England…

Brian Drosenos is the new chef de cuisine for The Hay Adams hotel.

Pidzza, offering Turkish-inspired pizza, opened in the Hecht Warehouse in Ivy City at 2000 Hecht Avenue NE in December.

Owner Koray Bozkurt, plans to expand into Penn Quarter at 736 6th Street NW, as well as the H Street NE and U Street NW corridors. Nicholas Acker has been hired as area manager.

Hotel Restaurant Update

Just Opened Ari and Stacy Gejdenson of Mindful Restaurant Group opened Ari’s Diner, La Puerto Verde and Dock FC (which stands for Football Club since Ari played professionally in Italy) in Hecht’s Warehouse in Ivy City… Penn Quarter’s Free State Atlantic Bar with orange crushes and Berger cookies. The Baltimore connection comes from owner Brian Leonard, as he grew up in Aberdeen, Maryland and went to University of Maryland. Go Terps…. Ivan Iricanin opened Baba just below Ambar at 2901 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon.

Baba translates to “grandmother,” and is open for breakfast, lunch and small plates dinner, as well as an evening lounge with a DJ on weekends. The space was designed

by Ivan’s wife, Nya Gill.

Chef & GM Update Chad Medina is the kitchen manager at SteelFire Kitchen & Bar in Maple Lawn development in Howard County. He comes from Blue Stone seafood restaurant in Baltimore’s Timonium. Kristin Shedd is the general manager…

Alex Levi of Osteria Morini in SE

At The Line hotel, slated to open

in early May: Erik Bruner-Yang will open a casual Brothers & Sisters with a bar called Eastern Bar Parlour. Broken English will be his more formal dining space.

Spike Gjerde will open Rake’s Progress, a Rake’s Bar and The Cup We All Race 4 (sounds similar to Baltimore’s legendary Horse She Road In On)… Nakazawa by Chef Daisuke Nakazawa opens in Trump International Hotel care of NY-based Bedford Street Hospitality

Quick Hits Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s Nobu is slated to open at 2501 M Street, just over the M Street/Pennsylvania Ave bridge bordering Georgetown,

MGM OPENING cont. on page 32

Second Generation DC Restaurant/Bakery for Lease • 4619 41st St/Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown • Fully equipped kitchen with pizza oven, 4200 sq.ft. street level • Fully equipped bakery, 2200 sq.ft. lower level • DC liquor & entertainment license; bar seats 12+ • Dining rooms seat 180, plus 80 on the patio • Neighborhood parking, 100+ spaces after 6:30 pm • Private meeting room • Three minute walk to Metro • New $2.7 million buildout in 2014 • Two vent shafts

• Five HVAC zoned units • Ten year lease with options • Monthly rent $17,500 plus $1700/nnn ($36/sq. ft. all in) • $200,000 for FFE & improvements • Shown by appointment only; financials required For more information, contact Mike Meliker: phone: 301-641-6929 email: mike@melikerrealty.com

Although information contained herein is from sources deemed reliable, such information has not been verified and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal or further change without notice. Prospective purchasers and tenants should conduct their own study to determine the feasibility of the business and property as per their specifications

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

FEBRUARY 2017 | 15

ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT Soft Stuff Distributors, Inc

L

ois Gamerman started Soft Stuff in 1990 in the sunroom of her home with one product: ice cream. Today, they are the region’s premiere specialty foodservice distributor, located in Jessup, Md. in a 33,000 sq. ft. freezer warehouse. Specializing in menu category management, they now offer more than 4,000 line items including ice cream tubs and novelties, soups, appetizers, bagels, breads, cakes, cheesecakes, wraps, frozen doughs, cookies, brownies, dessert bars, individual desserts, miniature pastries, muffins and muffin batters, cinnamon rolls, croissants, quiche, hors d’oeuvres, pound cakes, sheet cakes and … lots more. Whew!

FYI: Lois brought in a line of French filled beignets that are flying off the shelves — or out of the freezer, as the case may be.

They also carry gluten-free items 16 | FEBRUARY 2017

that follow GF guidelines, many of which are certified.

Always on top of industry trends, look for clean, authentic flavors, international influences and smaller servings in 2017.

You may be wondering why the company is called Soft Stuff when they have thousands of delish items.

Well, they tried to change it but customers loved it! A silly name for a serious company.

Soft Stuff is a certified womanowned business, although Lois and her husband Bob are very much a team. This is a family business. With Soft Stuff, you get attention to detail and stellar customer service. They have low delivery minimums (they will break cases on most items), offer 5-day a week delivery (in most areas), and an after hours ordering line for next day deliveries.

In keeping up with demand (they now service Philly to Richmond),

Soft Stuff recently increased their fleet of trucks to 12; are in the process of updating their ERP software systems and website; and growing their social media presence

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

as well as building a site for better training purposes. Their goal is customer satisfaction and they pride themselves on 5-diamond customer service for corporations and independent restaurateurs.

To that end, all employees are knowledgeable about everything the company offers — from the delivery team to the sales staff. In five years, Lois and Bob expect that the company will service the Carolinas as well as Florida.

Soft Stuff is proud to be Sodexo North America’s Strategic Diverse Partner of the Year and North American Vendor Partner of the year (2015). They understand that their success is directly tied to customer satisfaction and their mission is to provide one hundred percent,100% of the time.

For more information, go to: www.GoSoftStuff.com

foodservicemonthly

WORKING IN AMERICA Becki L. Young

David Deshaies: Another Great DC Immigrant Chef

F

or a chef / restaurateur with a classical culinary pedigree, David Deshaies has made some very unique contributions to the DC restaurant scene. This spring, he’s poised to introduce his latest offering — the Unconventional Diner in the DC Convention Center in Mt. Vernon square.

The Unconventional Diner, says Deshaies, was inspired by the “greasy spoons” that he and his mentor Michel Richard visited while traveling around the US during the heyday of Richard’s culinary empire. Deshaies served as corporate chef for Richard’s restaurant group during that period.

The two chefs traveled around the country together ­— and would often end up in a local diner, late in the evening. On one of these evenings, Richard suggested that Deshaies open up a “hip” diner in DC; Deshaies didn’t pay much attention at the time but years later the idea came back to him, and the Unconventional Diner was conceived.

The concept for the new restaurant includes a 50 seat daytime café/baker with counter service, and a 110 seat nighttime full-service restaurant and bar.

The restaurant will offer a different approach to diner food with fresh and local ingredients; says Deshaies, “everything will have something you don’t expect.”

Deshaies is proud to follow in the footsteps of the great immigrant chefs who have nurtured and grown DC’s food scene — in addition to Michel Richard these include Jose Andres, Roberto Donna and Fabio Trabocchi.

A native of France’s Loire Valley, France, Deshaies comes from a family of restaurateurs and chefs.

His uncle, a charcutier/ traiteur (basically, a high-end caterer)

foodservicemonthly

was an important early influence. Deshaies learned about food preparation by helping his uncle make specialties such as rillettes, pate, and sausage every summer when he was a teenager.

More importantly to his professional development, Deshaies remembers the glamourous events his uncle catered — the music, the dancing, the champagne, the ambiance. He recalls his uncle coming out in his white chef jacket, greeting the guests, receiving compliments — basically, being the star of the show.

All this made a great impression on the young Deshaies and steered him toward a career in the food world. After spending a ski season at a four star hotel in Courchevel, Deshaies traveled to Mallorca, a beach resort in Spain, where he worked at a 1* Michelin restaurant — gaining solid knowledge of cooking fish and seafood.

The next stop was the 3* Michelin La Cote St. Jacques in Burgundy, where he trained under world-renowned chef Jean Michel Lorain for two years (and met fellow DC chef Cedric Maupillier).

A desire to learn English and to continue his professional journey led Deshaies to Washington DC and to Michel Richard. After 18 months on a J1 trainee visa, Deshaies was sponsored for a professional worker visa and at the ripe age of 23 he became the Sous Chef (and then, a year later, Executive Chef) of Richard’s flagship Georgetown restaurant Citronelle. After more than a decade working at Citronelle and traveling the US as Richard’s corporate chef, Deshaies returned in 2013 to Richard’s Central restaurant in Penn Quarter, where he took up the role of General Manager to round out his restaurant expertise.

2017 promises to be an exciting year in Washington in many ways, and the opening of the Unconventional Diner will certainly be one of the highlights!

BECKI L. YOUNG, co-founder of Hammond Young Immigration, is a business immigration attorney with 20 years of experi-

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

ence 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.

FEBRUARY 2017 | 17

WHINING ’N DINING Randi Rom

Saying Goodbye to One of the Good Ones

M

y friend for more than 20 years. My editor. Just one of the good guys.

And a one-of-a-kind force in the Baltimore/ DC hospitality industry.

Michael Birchenall. One day, my friend and fellow Foodservice Monthly contributor, Linda Roth called and asked if I wanted to write a restaurant column in her friend’s magazine called Restaurant Digest. At the time, I was an event producer and, as Michael used to say, I knew everybody in B-more. So they asked if I’d write a column about the restaurant scene in and around B-more.

When Michael left Restaurant Digest and started Foodservice Monthly, I followed him. When trying to come up with a name for the column, and I suggested Whining & Dining, he wasn’t sure because he never liked people to write anything negative.

After reading a few of my columns, he said, “Yeah, it kinda fits you.”

Things will never be the same. But we’ll carry on in your name. Rest in peace.

Oh My Darling Clementine!

It’s ba-ck. One of my all time fave restaurants, Clementine on Harford Road in the Hamilton neighborhood, closed a year ago, so owners Winston Blick and his wife Cristin Dadant could focus on their catering business and spend more time with their young son. But — there was a huge void-not only for them but the community and regular customers. So they decided to re-open — YES! Clementine focuses on honest, fresh food with an ever-changing menu, using local products whenever possible.

Right now, they’re open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner (the bar is open til midnight) and brunch is coming soon. One especially cool 18 | FEBRUARY 2017

thing is that they serve both large and small portions of the menu items so you can do your own thing or share a bunch of plates. They’re well known for their house-made charcuterie, great desserts, regional cuisine and fan favorites like pot pie and meatloaf.

Gotta say-they have THE best roast chicken I’ve ever had. Except for Mom Roms. ClementineBaltimore.com

Congrats The award-winning Iron Bridge Wine Company in Columbia. Full Service Restaurant Magazine named award-winning Iron Bridge Wine Company’s Bar Manager Stephen Wecker as one of the “40 Under 40 Rising Stars in the Hospitality Industry”. Wecker took over the bar program and added craft beers and innovative cocktails to a bar program that relied almost exclusively on wine sales. They were also listed as one of the “Ten places to go in America for Amazing Food and Drinks” by USA TODAY and Wine Enthusiast named them “One of the Best New Restaurants in The United States” in their first year of operation. Executive Chef, Tyler Skinner has elevated the dining experience by introducing Asian influences to their newly launched winter menu. IronBridgeWines.com.

This one’s gonna be great! Tom Looney, Annmarie Langton and Ed Scherer-the people that brought you the Gypsy Queen Food Truck and owners of the wildly popular but now defunct-Helen’s Garden (closed in 2010 after 15 years in O’Donnell Square in Canton) are opening a brick and mortar at 3515 Clipper Mill Road in a formerly working garage. Construction is moving slowly until they get their liquor license. The 1800 square foot

Stephen Wecker, bar manager, Iron Bridge Wine Company spot will be a meeting of the mindsoffering fave dishes from Helen’s as well as Gypsy Queen. They’re looking to hire 10 employees who will be trained to work both the food trucks and the restaurant.

And they’ll have a third truck permanently parked outside for guests seated on the outdoor patio, which will seat 85. More to come…

Cool New Promo Da Mimmo in Little Italy is offering a unique and exclusive dining experience for two. You and your guests will be escorted to a table adorned with a dozen long stem red roses and petals where your server will open a bottles of champagne

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

and wine for you and ask you only one question for the entire evening: Do you wish to eat from the land or from the sea? What follows is a seven-course, fine Italian meal designed by their Executive Chef, which concludes with their signature homemade limoncello and you can take the roses home. The cost is just $250 including tax and tip. And, they only take one reservation an evening! DaMimmo.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.

foodservicemonthly

FRESH. LOCAL.

The Maryland Wholesale Produce and Seafood Markets in Jessup, MD... ...the places to go for the freshest variety of produce and seafood.

Produce: 410-799-3880 | Seafood: 410-799-0141 Visit MFCA website for more information.

Owned and operated by:

Taste of Maryland 20 | FEBRUARY 2017

The 27th Annual Taste of Maryland took place on Monday, January 16 at the Loews Annapolis Hotel.

Guests sampled delicious food from more than two dozen local restaurants while enjoying cocktails and mingling with members of Maryland’s state legislature. The Taste of Maryland is the most celebrated legislative reception of the year, with hundreds of hospitality leaders converging to build relationships with state delegates and educate lawmakers about the impact legislation has on foodservice businesses.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA Eric D. Terry

Virginia ProStart Competition on Front Burner

T

hirty-nine hundred students took to the kitchen this year in classrooms all across the Commonwealth.

And like many students before them, this year’s class has aspirations to graduate high-school with a ProStart Certification of Achievement, and possibly even head off to pursue higher education in culinary arts and restaurant management.

for March 10, 2017 in Blacksburg) will provide a hands-on opportunity for students to demonstrate the skills they learned throughout the year and be judged by Virginia’s top industry professionals. The competition is split into two parts — Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management.

Last year, the top three teams in each competition also became eligible for nearly $1 million in

higher-education opportunities.

Please take a few minutes to learn more about the competition at www.

VRLTA.org/VPSI, and contact Jim Wilson (jim@vrlta.org) if you would like to learn more about sponsoring or volunteering.

ERIC TERRY is president of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association and is a seasoned leader in hospitality who brings more than 30 years of experience in restaurants, hotels, casinos and entertainment venues to VRLTA

NOW E BL AVAILAIVELY S EXCLU OM FR ACME

VISIT US AT THE OCHMR TRADE SHOW A MARCH 5 & 6 BOOTHS 506 & 507

ACME

PROSTART IS A NATIONWIDE, TWO-YEAR PROGRAM THAT UNITES THE CLASSROOM WITH THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY. IT DEVELOPS THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST TALENT INTO TOMORROW’S RESTAURANT AND FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY LEADERS. For those who don’t know, ProStart is a nationwide, two-year program that unites the classroom with the foodservice industry. It develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice industry leaders. In the program, students learn essential kitchen skills, including food safety and knife cuts, as well as important management lessons, such as menu development and marketing.

This year, the Virginia ProStart Student Invitational (scheduled foodservicemonthly

scholarships from culinary and restaurant schools across the country.

To help this 14th Annual Invitational run, Virginia ProStart and the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association Education Foundation are seeking industry professionals to volunteer as judges, timers and aids. We are also in need of industry and culinary program sponsors to help us truly make this a successful event and further encourage students to pursue

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FEBRUARY 23 9/15/162017 2:20| PM

USDA Takeover of Catfish

Windfall profits for the good ole boys that will affect your wallet

BY TIM SUGHRUE, CONGRESSIONAL SEAFOOD CO.

M

ississippi Senator Thad Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, arguably one of the most powerful men in America, is in charge of appropriating hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money yearly. He also just so happens to represent an area of the country where virtually all the farmed catfish for the US is produced. Way back in 2008, Senator Cochran, at the behest of his constituents, inserted (without a Senate vote) a few sentences in the massive 2008 Farm Bill, transferring authority over all catfish from the FDA to the USDA. The mandate has remained unfunded until this year where it looks to become a reality.

The proponents are pushing this change under the guise of food safety. Well, gee wiz, that’s news to me. Having been in the seafood business for only 35 years, surely there must be compelling evidence showing that catfish represent a clear and present danger above and beyond all other seafood categories and the USDA must be called to save the American public from this terrible catfish menace. An FDA study perhaps? Maybe a study by the National Academy of Sciences?

NADA ZERO ZILCH — no evidence — they say there are toxins in the imported catfish. So the FDA doesn’t test for toxins?

Okay, so let’s suppose you believe this delusional argument about food safety. Who cares which agency is in charge of inspecting the lowly catfish? How will it ever affect me as a chef/restaurateur? Oh, it will.

24 | FEBRUARY 2017

You see, this transfer of authority also behaves like a trade deal. All shipments of imported catfish from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and even fresh catfish from the Caribbean will stop until “equality” is achieved. Not to bore you with the details of trade negotiations but these typically take six to 10 years to hash out. So, when you take 400 million pounds of fish fillets (that is the total amount of imported catfish entering the U.S. last year), representing 1.6 BILLION meals, off the market EACH YEAR, the resulting vacuum will cause ALL FISH PRICES TO RISE DRAMATICALLY.

this legislation is to drive everyone out of the catfish business and in its present form, it will achieve this goal. When the USDA takes over, any wholesaler who even touches a catfish has to have their plant pass a USDA inspection, totally different standards than an FDA inspection.

The USDA inspects multinational, billion dollar companies processing beef, chicken and pork. A dealer in North Carolina was told he had to make improvements to his facility totaling over $700,000 just to continue handling catfish. A USDA inspector has to be on site anytime we touch a catfish. Not only do we have to schedule them three weeks in advance, they cost $70 an hour over eight hours. Ludicrous you

WHEN YOU TAKE 400 MILLION POUNDS OF FISH FILLETS (THAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF IMPORTED CATFISH ENTERING THE U.S. LAST YEAR), REPRESENTING 1.6 BILLION MEALS, OFF THE MARKET EACH YEAR, THE RESULTING VACUUM WILL CAUSE ALL FISH PRICES TO RISE DRAMATICALLY. The “good ole boys” stand to make boatloads of extra profits from this deal. When you get rid of all your competition through restrictive trade agreements, you are left with the fox guarding the chicken coop.

A conservative estimate is that cat fillet prices will jump $1 per pound.

So, if the average plant cuts 30,000 lbs. daily, 600,000 lbs. monthly or $7.2 million pounds annually, you can see how the money piles up quickly and even quicker if you multiply that times 16 companies.

There is even enough money to fund 90 year-old Senator Cochran’s re-election campaign fund into the next millennium. I hope he lives forever. Don’t complain, we have the best political system money can buy. And in a year when the dark underbelly of American politics is front and center in our living rooms nightly, this story won’t even make a good footnote.

As it is plain to see, the intent of

say? No, it is actually genius on the part of the proponents. They knew exactly what they were doing when designing this.

When the dealers stop buying catfish because it is not worth the money or the hassle, THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN FISHERMEN and their families will suffer. They will have nowhere to sell their fish and if they do, the remaining buyers will have too many fishermen and not enough market resulting in lower dock prices for the fish. Commercial fishermen are the backbone of the US seafood industry providing locally caught sustainable seafood to area restaurants and retailers.

They have neither the time or the money, in this case millions spent on lobbying, to plead their case on Capitol Hill, to our stellar representatives.

If you are still not convinced, there is an environmental argument to this also. The wild blue catfish

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is invasive to the Chesapeake Bay and is now the top predator in the Bay’s ecosystem. Native to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, they were originally introduced into the James River in the late 70s. Since then their population has exploded, with wild blues occupying almost 74 percemt of the total volume of fish in the James. Similar infestations are occurring in the Rappahanock, York and Potomac. These fish live for 20 years and grow to more than 100 punds. They eat millions of blue crabs, menhaden, rockfish and many other native species. Blue cats are now in every single tributary in the Bay. USDA takeover of catfish would allow the continued assault on the entire Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem by these apex predators.

I’m not sure what, if anything further, we can do. The proponents of this are powerful people wired into the very top of our political system. Our current administration is against the USDA takeover.

The Senate actually passed a bill, repealing the USDA’s authority on catfish (boy I bet that got Senator Cochran’s juices going!) but the House leadership (Paul Ryan — he is an outdoorsman who claims to be a conservationist) refuses to take up the bill.

One last thought. If you think this stops with catfish you are dead wrong. The domestic Gulf of Mexico shrimp producers are already lining up on Capitol Hill (through powerful lobbyists of course) saying they want the same deal the 16 catfish companies got. If they are successful in their efforts, you can look forward to seeing your shrimp prices jump 30 to 50 percent. Hold on to your wallets. Capitol Hill is just like a Trump casino, money talks and you know what walks.

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Nora Pouillon Honored by James Beard Foundation

N

ora Pouillon, the chef whose eponymous Washington restaurant paved the way for other chefs to cook with local, organic ingredients, will be honored with a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award, the foundation announced Tuesday. She will accept the prize at the James Beard Awards on May 1 in Chicago.

“To get a Michelin star — for me, that would not be as much as getting this award,” said Pouillon.

The award is especially poignant because it reminded her of the time that James Beard himself dined at her restaurant in the early 1980s, a few years before the death of the prolific author, TV host and cooking teacher.

“James Beard was my big hero.

He believed in local, seasonal food, and he cooked delicious food, but simple food, and that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. “He came to the restaurant — he had so much terrible gout, he came in his

slippers — and we sat at the bar.”

There, she opened up to him about how difficult it was to get diners in her adopted country to understand her philosophy about food.

“I told him I was struggling with the Americans because I had to buy whole animals, and no one wants to eat liver or kidney,” she said. “He said, ‘Just keep on doing what you’re doing, and they’ll come around.’”

Austrian-born Pouillon, 73, moved to Washington in the 1960s with her French journalist husband and was shocked at the unhealthful food she saw here. She began a cooking school in her home, and opened Restaurant Nora in 1979. It was the first restaurant in the nation to be certified organic, inspiring a generation of chefs to source the best ingredients from farms with sustainable practices. She also became a female chef-owner in an era when they were scarce.

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM Cont. from page 13

Believe in Who You are and Other Lessons Learned

highest paid play in the NFL and was known by his teammates to be an arrogant person who believed he didn’t need anyone but himself.

Then, before a game against the Giants in 1985, one of his coaches told him “Tonight your life is going to change Joe”. This turned out to be a prophecy, because Theismann sustained a broken leg that ended his football career.

It was an emotional moment as Theismann apologized to his couch for his arrogant behavior and the audience gave him an ovation as he was put onto a stretcher and escorted off the field. With his NFL career in the rear view mirror, Theismann turned his drive and passion toward the food industry and for a time he was managing six restaurants in the DC metro area.

“It seemed like every step I took up the ladder of business, I took steps backward as a person,” he said. “I’m not proud of what I became, but I recognize that’s what I had become.”

26 | FEBRUARY 2017

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During his talk, Mr. Theismann went over some lessons he learned over his decades of experience. His first word of advice was that if you don’t believe in who you are, than no one will anticipate you and your product. He encouraged new business owners to educate themselves on the industry as he had to. He also encourage business owners to take some risks in creativity to set their business apart from other similar ventures.

The second lesson was that there is never a failure, but an educational experience that didn’t quite work out.

“The only true way to fail is to stop trying.” he said. “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” he said.

The 2017 Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo will take place on Septemer 26-27 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Learn more at midatlanticexpo.com.

ALEX COOPER is the director of membership and marketing for the Restaurant Association of Maryland. foodservicemonthly

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FEBRUARY 2017 | 27

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R

estaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2017 RAMMY Awards are now open and will be accepted through Friday, February 3, 2017 at 11:59pm.

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Presented by RAMW, The RAMMY Awards Gala honors the exceptional ability and accomplishments of the hard-working individuals and organizations of the Washington, DC region’s restaurant and foodservice community. Named the #1 Food & Restaurant event

by BIZBASH Magazine since 2008, the RAMMYS celebrate one of Metropolitan Washington’s greatest assets: Its restaurants. A RAMMY Award has become the most prestigious award presented to members of the restaurant, food, and beverage industry in the Washington Metropolitan region.

The 35th Annual RAMMY Awards and Gala will take place on Sunday, July 30, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Downtown DC. Finalists will be announced on April 3rd at

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The RAMMYS Nominations Event.

(Invitation only, invitations to follow.)

Who Is Eligible

Any RAMW member, in good standing, who meets all the requirements of the category is eligible for nomination. Need to check if your membership is in good standing? Email therammys@ ramw.org to check.

Restaurants and businesses that were previously named winners in past RAMMYS are not eligible to be nominated in the same category for five years following their win. They are, however, eligible to be nominated in other categories. Finalists who did not win their category are eligible to be nominated again in the same category.

Who Can Nominate

RAMW members, public relations representatives, restaurant owners, operators, staff, and the public are all welcome to enter submissions.

Submissions are reviewed by RAMW for eligibility and approved to move foodservicemonthly

on for judging. There is no fee to enter submissions. Each restaurant needs ONLY one nomination in each category to be considered.

Duplicate nominations will be deemed ineligible.

How to Nominate

Nominations are submitted online only through the nominations website.

Site users will first be asked to create a login and password to use for all your submissions. The user name and password are unique to the nominator, not to the restaurant.

If you have a login from the previous year, you can login with the same username and password, or follow the prompts to reset the password if you cannot remember.

Site users will have access to their unique portal to view what submissions they need to finish and what has been submitted as complete. Once submitted as complete, submissions cannot be changed.

Please submit accurate and factbased information as required.

It is recommended that restaurants enter submissions for any and all categories for which they are eligible for the best chance at becoming a finalist in a category.

Why Nominate?

We often hear from members, “Why do I need to nominate my restaurant? Won’t RAMW include me as a member in the nominations even if I don’t enter submissions?”

Good question. The judges will consider all restaurants and companies for RAMMYS nominations who are RAMW members in good standing.

However, there is no guarantee that the judges will add your restaurant to the running for a specific category if you do not selfnominate. The nominations process is a key step in the RAMMY Awards wherein members tell the judges what categories they think they are most eligible for and would like to be considered. It helps the judges understand that your establishment foodservicemonthly

prefers to identify as Upscale Casual instead of Formal Fine Dining, for example. It is also a step during which much critical information is collected, such as how long a restaurant has been open, how long your chef or pastry chef has worked in the DC region, who your 2017 RAMMYS contact should be for this restaurant, and who your current PR team might be. If you are hoping to be considered for the Awards, it is essential that your establishment submits nominations.

Changes to Categories for 2017

Key changes were made this year to the eligibility requirements in several categories to better represent a full year and picture of the Washington, DC regional dining scene.

RESTAURANTS ■ MULTI-FAMILY ■ REMODELS ■ INTERIORS ■ TENANT

• First, the New Restaurant of the Year category extends its time frame to include restaurants that opened between December 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016.

• Similarly, all the categories that previously had a December 1 cutoff (i.e. must have opened by December 1, 2016 to be eligible) are now extended to December 31, 2016.

• For the Neighborhood Gathering Place category, the previous requirement that the restaurant must have been in operation for 5 years, changes to 2 years in operation to be eligible.

• The Regional Food and Beverage Producer category will now be voted on by the RAMW restaurant membership, instead of the judges panel.

• And finally, four categories received changes to their category names. Everyday Casual Restaurant and Everyday Casual Brunch have been updated to Casual Restaurant and Casual Brunch. Similarly, Upscale Casual Brunch is now simply Upscale Brunch.

Visit theRAMMYS.org for more information about The 2017 RAMMYS, sponsorship opportunities, and more.

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FEBRUARY 2017 | 29

R House Opens in Baltimore’s Remington Neighborhood The converted 50,000 ft. auto dealership warehouse has been converted into a new style food hall, one that focuses on new chefs, new foods — a platform that is chef driven.

Each of the 10 chefs had a blank canvas spot to create their vision both visually and with their food. A flavor, a food for everyone — free parking in lot and on the street, easily accessible off Baltimore’s I-83 Jones Falls Expressway.

Let us not forget the R Bar headed up by Baltimore’s top mixologist Aaron Joseph and Amie Ward.

R House is Baltimore’s latest hotspot for food, drink, and conversation.

R HOUSE

Remington Avenue & W. 29th Street Baltimore, MD r.housebaltimore.com @rhousebaltimore Open 7 am to Midnight R Bar’s Amie Ward and Aaron Joseph 30 | FEBRUARY 2017

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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 1401 Okie St. NE info@gravitasdc.com 202-596-1653 Washington DC 20002 www.gravitasdc.com A new eatery called Gravitas is expected to open in by late spring 2017 at 1401 Okie St. NE in Washington, DC 20002. Gravitas highlights the abundant resources of the Chesapeake and surrounding areas. Every week the chef will create two unique 4-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 202-596-1653 is for this location.

HUMAGALAS Robert Frankis 16 Bel Air S Pkwy 410-515-3222 Bel Air MD 21015 A new eatery called Humagalas will move into the space that recently housed DuClaw Brewing Co. at 16 Bel Air S Pkwy, Bel Air, Maryland 21015. The menu will serve locally sourced locally-sourced healthy gourmet burgers, artisan pizzas and craft beers. Contact number listed 410-515-3222 is for this location.

LUIGI’S ITALIAN DELI Allison Perrelli 846 W. 36th St. allison@luigisdeli.net 443-438-4195 Baltimore MD 21211 www.luigisdeli.net An employee at Luigi’s Italian Deli, 846 W. 36th St. in Baltimore, Maryland 21211 confirmed the eatery is now under new ownership. The menu serves hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups and simple sides. Contact number listed 443438-4195 is for this location.

BRASSERIE SAISON Hunter Smith 111 E. Main Street 434-202-7027 Charlottesville VA 22902 www.brasseriesaison.net Brasserie Saison is a new restaurant opening at 111 E. Main Street in Charlottesville, Virginia 22902. The restaurant will offer French and Belgian cuisine, with shareable plates, seafood, and desserts. In addition, the new restaurant will be open daily from 11a to 10p and is slated for a February 2017 opening. Contact number for the restaurant is 434-202-7027.

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FLORA Jason Alley 203 N. Lombardy Street 804-780-0416 Richmond VA 23220 A new restaurant called Flora will be opening at 203 N. Lombardy Street in Richmond, Virginia 23220. The restaurant will offer upscale-casual Mexican fare, including dishes from southern Mexico as well as full ABC. The restaurant is slated for an early 2017 opening. Contact number 804-780-0416 is for Pasture, also in Richmond, which shares the same owners.

JHANE’S SWEET LOUNGE Stephanie Wadnola 731 Granby Street 757-359-1902 Norfolk VA 23510 Jhane’s Sweet Lounge is a new restaurant and bakery slated to open at 731 Granby Street in Norfolk, Virginia 23510. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and will serve a variety of dishes including seafood cakes, portobello stackers and chicken waffle bites. In addition, the restaurant will offer full ABC. The bakery portion of the restaurant will offer specialty desserts and will be open all day. Contact number 757-359-1902 is for restaurant owner.

THE SALT LINE Kyle Bailey 7 Potomac Ave SE 202-737-3773 Washington DC 20003 www.thesaltline.com An employee at The Dubliner confirmed the owner would be opening a new eatery called The Salt Line at 7 Potomac Ave SE in Washington, DC 20003. The 3,500 sqft eatery is expected to pen in late spring 2016. The menu will be inspired

by New England and the Chesapeake Bay with a prominent raw bar, and other items like friend clams and seafood charcuterie. Contact number listed 202-737-3773 is for Kyle Bailey, the owner at The Dubliner.

PIZZA CS Ankur Rajpara 1020 Rockville Pike 240-833-8090 Rockville MD 20852 An employee at Pizza CS confirmed the owners would be opening a second location 1020 Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland 20852. The original location focuses on Neapolitan pizza with sauce the new restaurant will offer 14- and 18-inch New York-style pizza. Contact number listed 240-833-8090 is for Jonathan Allen, co-owner at the original location.

CHECKERSPOT BREWING COMPANY Steve Marsh 175 W. Ostend St. Baltimore MD 21230 Signage is up for a new brewery and tap house called Checkerspot Brewing Company at 175 W. Ostend St. in Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

Construction will take place through June on the 10,000 sqft space. The menu sill serve simple bar fare with the main focus being on the craft beers.

The best way to reach the owners is via Facebook: www.facebook.com/CheckerspotBrewing/. The owners normally respond same day but declined to give a number or email.

HARDYWOOD Eric McKay 1000 W. Main Street info@hardywood.com 804-420-2420 Charlottesville VA 22902 www.hardywood.com UPDATE! We previously reported that Hardywood Park Craft Brewery would be opening a new location at 1000 W. Main Street in Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 by September 2016. We now know that the brewery will opening by the first quarter of 2017. The brewery will feature a 3-5 barrel brewery, a taproom and an outdoor beer garden. In addition, the taproom’s menu will feature locally roasted coffee, locally brewed kombucha and snacks such as fresh-baked pretzels and charcuterie. Contact number 804420-2420 is for original location in Richmond, Va. BAY LOCAL Adrian Colaprete 972 Laskin Road info@baylocalvb.com 757-227-4389 Virginia Beach VA 23451 www.baylocalvb.com A new location of Bay Local Eatery will be opening at 972 Laskin Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451. The restaurant will be open daily from 7a-3p and the menu will focus on oysters.

In addition, the restaurant will feature full ABC. Contact number 757-227-4389 is for original location also in Virginia Beach.

TASTE UNLIMITED John Pruden 407 W. 21st Street 757-422-3399 Norfolk VA 23517 www.tasteunlimited.com UPDATE! We previously reported that a new location of Taste Unlimited would be opening at 409 W. 21st Street in Norfolk, Virginia 23517. We now know that the address is 407 W. 21st Street.

In addition, the restaurant is slated to open by mid-2017. The new location will be approximately 6,030 sqft. In addition, Taste Unlimited’s menu serves lunch all day and features sandwiches on fresh-baked bread with house dressing, homemade deli salads, prepared, healthy salads, soups and several different desserts items. No ABC available.

Contact number 757-422-3399 is for location on Pacific Avenue in Virginia Beach, Va. RESTAURANT Brent Kroll 202-737-7663 Washington DC 20001 Brent Kroll announced plans today that he is opening a new eatery at a to-be-announced location in Washington, DC. The new unnamed eatery is expected to open in late spring 2017.

The new wine bar will also serve beer and cocktails with a small dinner menu. Contact number listed 202-737-7663 is for Brent Kroll and Max Kuller at Proof.

CHADS FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS Tony Kornheiser 5247 Wisconsin Ave NW 202-362-8040 Washington DC 20015 www.chadsdc.com An employee at Chads Friendship Heights, 5247 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015 confirmed the eatery is now under new ownership.

The new owners plan to renovate the eatery and upgrade the menu including the beer and wine menu. Contact number listed 202-362-8040 is for this location.

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PEKOPEKO RAMEN David Forster 7 East 33rd St Baltimore MD 21218 www.pekopekoramen.com A new eatery called PekoPeko Ramen is expected to open in late January 2017 at 7 East 33rd St in Baltimore, Maryland 21218. The restaurant will feature affordable house-made ramen dishes merging the traditions of Japan with local ingredients and preferences. Number for this location has not been listed yet and the owner declined to release it. The best way to reach David Forster, the owner is via Facebook. They normally respond within an hour. www.facebook.com/ pekopekoramen/.

DUCK DONUTS Russell DiGilio 1475 Stafford Market Place 757-258-3825 Stafford VA 22556 www.duckdonuts.com A new location of Duck Donuts is coming to 1475 Stafford Market Place in Stafford, Virginia 22556.

Existing locations serve made to order donuts where the customer selects from fresh-made cake doughnuts and an array of glazes and toppings to create the donut their way. Contact telephone 757-258-3825, is for the Duck Donuts location at the Monticello Market Place Shoppes at 4655103 Monticello Avenue in Williamsburg, Va. SUGAR SHACK DONUTS Ian Kelley 703-577-9023 Charlottesville VA 22905 www.sugarshackdonuts.com A new Sugar Shack Donuts is coming to a to-beannounced location in Charlottesville, Virginia 22905. The fast casual donut shop offers yeast and cake donuts, pastries, cheesecakes, biscuits, rolls, and coffee roasted on site. In addition, the new location is slated to open by mid-2017.

Contact number 703-577-9023 is for Alexandria location at 804 N. Henry Street.

DECOYS Teresa Mullina 3305 Ferry Road 757-238-8808 Suffolk VA 23435 Decoys is a new restaurant slated to open at 3305 Ferry Road in Suffolk, Virginia 23435.

The restaurant will offer a casual atmosphere and while the menu has yet to be announced, we do know that it will revolve around seafood.

In addition, the restaurant is slated to open by mid-2017. Contact number 757-238-8808 is for Vintage Tavern also in Suffolk, which shares the same owners.

No reproduction without express written permission under penalty of law. Published by Restaurant Activity Report, PO Box 201, Willow Springs, NC27592; Office: 919-346-0444; Toll Free: 888-246-0551; Fax: 919-882-8199; www.restaurantactivityreport.com

FEBRUARY 2017 | 31

FOOD SMARTS Cont. from page 12 the problem. Many chefs don’t like to cook salmon according to FDA recommendations, as they consider it overcooked. Many chefs actually cook salmon to 135°F, 130°F or even 125°F so the center of the fish is opaque. Chefs have found overall that guests consider fish overcooked when it is cooked to the proper internal temperature of 145°F. Here are some ways around this if a chef wants to continue undercooking salmon to the guests’ preference. Research shows that tapeworm parasites are usually unlikely to be found in fish from cold salt waters. Salmon is a strange fish as it travels and can live in fresh water as well as salt water. Purchasing salt water fished salmon or farm raised salmon can help versus purchasing fresh water salmon. Note that nothing is guaranteed to be parasite free.

Consider freezing your “fresh’ and not pre-frozen bought salmon onsite for at least seven days with a freezer that is capable of freezing at -4°F. Commercial freezing is done at -35°F so it does not have to be frozen for as long a period of time. At least 15 hours should be sufficient at that very cold temperature. When you freeze fresh

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

THE LATEST DISH Cont. from page 15 seating 234…Reverie is slated to open this summer on Grace Street in Georgetown by Chef Johnny Spero of minibar, who is currently executive chef at Columbia Room, serving modern American food, seating 60…Black Restaurant Group’s Addie’s is planning their Q2 2017 opening at Park Potomac Development.

salmon at home or on site, because our freezers are not as cold as commercial freezers, at least seven days at -4°F is required. At this point it is unlikely that parasites will survive and you would thus diminish the risks associated with under-cooking the fish.

Again, please note, that bacteria will not be destroyed by freezing and that reinforces the needs to follow the guideline of properly cooking fish to an FDA recommended internal temperature of 145°F for a duration of 15 seconds.

I would recommend that you add salmon or undercooked and raw fish to your consumer advisory to allow your guests to know this, just as you would add rare, medium rare undercooked meat to your consumer advisory.

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

New restaurant signs spotted in Rehoboth: The Blue Hen (at The Avenue), The Vineyard, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls.

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

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

ADVERTISER INDEX Acme Paper & Supply.............................................. 21 Barter Systems....................................................... 32 Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions...................... 32 Chesapeake Employers Insurance............................ 27

EMR....................................................................... 17

RAMEF .................................................................. 26

H&S Bakery............................................................ 25

R&R Coatings......................................................... 13

Holt........................................................................ 22 Itek Construction + Consulting ................................ 28 Maryland Food Center Authority................................ 19 Meliker Realty......................................................... 15

Sandalye,ci............................................................. 12 Saval...................................................................... C2 Singer Equipment Co. ............................................. 14

Metropolitan Meat Seafood Poultry ......................... C4

Tech24 Construction............................................... 29

Congressional Seafood.............................................. 5

NRES..................................................................... 14

Valley Proteins, Inc.................................................... 4

ECOLAB ................................................................. 23

OCHMRA.................................................................. 1

Wagner & Sons Foodservice.................................... C3

Coastal Sunbelt...................................................... 28

32 | FEBRUARY 2017

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