Food Service Monthly

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Volume 16, No. 4 n April 2017

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GMO Seafood: A Necessary Conversation Congressional Seafood Company’s Tim Sughrue

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insidefsm Volume 16, No. 4

April 2017

news and information

columns

Around Town……………………………………………………………………………… 2 Advertiser Index……………………………………………………………………… 24 Association News RAM……………………………………………………………… 18 Association News OCHMRA ……………………………………………………… 20 Association News VRLTA…………………………………………………………… 19 FSM News………………………………………………………………………………… 3 GMO Seafood: A Necessary Conversation……………………………………… 10 OCHMRA 2017 Expo………………………………………………………………… 22 Selecting and Serving Seafood…………………………………………………… 12

Balti-More by Dara Bunjon…………………………………………………………… 4 Bob Brown Says by Bob Brown ……………………………………………………… 6 Food Smarts by Juliet Bodinetz……………………………………………………… 8 Latest Dish by Linda Roth………………………………………………………… 14 Local Cooks: Missy Carr by Alexandra Greeley……………………………… 23 Michael Birchenall Scholarship Fund…………………………………………… 17 Modern Business Solutions by Henry Pertman………………………………… 5 Whining ‘n Dining by Randi Rom………………………………………………… 16

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Volume 16, No. 4 n April 2017

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GMO Seafood: A Necessary Conversation Congressional Seafood Company’s Tim Sughrue

on the cover Tim Sughrue, executive vice president and founding member of Congressional Seafood Company, showing off his catch of wild red drum in West Matagorda Bay, Texas. photo: John Moore, Perfect Crab Company

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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.

APRIL 2017 | 1

AROUND TOWN Lisa Keathley

Restaurant Brain Trust’s Recipe for Success

S

o you want to start a restaurant in a new market?

Or grow a restaurant chain?

Or use your skills as a great chef to open your own restaurant?

So many issues, so many questions!

Where do you go for advice? The Restaurant Brain Trust!

Restaurant Brain Trust is an effort by the DC restaurant community to help restauranteurs and their staffs with advice, information, and networking opportunities. The Trust held its inaugural event — a panel discussion called “Recipe for Success” — on March 7 at Matchbox (1901 14th St, NW). A lively crowd listened intently as three experienced restauranteurs talked of their experiences opening restaurants, including the good, the bad, and the in between!

foodservicemonthly Volume 16, No. 4 n April 2017 Silver Communications Publisher Lisa Keathley Managing Editor lisafoodmag@gmail.com Lisa Silber Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Electronic Ink Design & Production fsm@eink.net Contributing Writers Dennis Barry Henry Pertman Juliet Bodinetz Randi Rom Bob Brown Linda Roth Dara Bunjon Michael Sternberg Andrew Kline Jay Treadwell Celeste McCall Becki Young Contact phone: 703-471-7339 email: lisa@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 MidAtlantic 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 | APRIL 2017

The panel included …

Peter D’Amelio, president & CEO of Matchbox Food Group, Amy Brandwein, chef/owner of Centrolina Mercato E Osteria, and Jack Sosnowski, president & CEO of Nobel Chef Hospitality. Bethany Kazaba, cofounder and principal of Neighborhood Retail Group and one of five founding members of Restaurant Brain Trust, moderated the event, asking each panelist several common questions. What were the biggest obstacles? What would you tell others trying to expand into a new market? What lessons would you share?

Event panelists (l-r): Peter D’Amelio, president and CEO of Matchbox Food Group; Amy Brandwein, chef/owner of Centrolina; Jack Sosnowski, president and CEO of Nobel Chef Hospitality; and Bethany Kazaba, cofounder and principal of Neighborhood Retail Group

Founding members of Restaurant Brain Trust (l-r): Jody Ruth, Redstones; Bethany Kazaba, Neighborhood Retail Group; Michael Sternberg, Sternberg Hospitality; Trish McHugh, BDO; and Elaine Chon-Baker, Mokja Ventures

improve performance. “Data is not fun or sexy,” he says. But it lead him to a more “disciplined financial approach” that he has used across a spectrum of restaurants including The Cheesecake Factory, Great American Restaurants, Coopers Hawk, and now Matchbox.

be competitive and include bonuses.

Amy agreed that it’s hard to find and keep good people. “There is a lack of human capital in DC. Most parents want their kids to be lawyers or doctors here!” All three panelists said social media can be a big help to success.

Peter’s take was, “Connect with your audience by reading all of those millions of comments on social media and take the time to do something about them.

Quality is the number one goal. Social media can help you get there.”

The Restaurant Brain Trust plans more events like this in the future so stay tuned. The Trust’s founding members are Elaine Chon-Baker, Mokja Ventures; Bethany Kazaba, Neighborhood Retail Group; Trish McHugh, BDO; Jody Ruth, Redstones; and Michael Sternberg, Sternberg Hospitality. A Restaurant Brain Trust website is under development. With questions or comments in the meantime, please check out BDO’s Restaurant Practice’s page: www.bdo.com/ industries/restaurants/overview.

Comments may also be sent to Trish McHugh, the greater DC contact, at tmchugh@bdo.com.

Several themes emerged …

Amy Brandwein (nominated

by JBF for a 2017 Mid-Atlantic Best Chef award) said the biggest obstacle for her in starting Centrolina was funding. “Getting people to invest when you are a first-time operator was a tremendous struggle,” she said.

“People knew me as a chef but not a businessperson.” She said it was very difficult as a woman to negotiate with contractors and construction companies. “I had to re-bid to stay on budget. I had to learn to say no.”

Jack Sosnowki opened six successful Rare Steakhouse & Tavern restaurants in Wisconsin and is opening soon in DC. “I’m crazy ambitious,” he says. “I love seeing a concept come together after seeing it in your head.” That said, Jack noted that the biggest obstacle is “people problems. You have to get the right team that can help you grow.” He also said that if you set an opening date, you have to open “even if there are contractors still in the room!

You can’t let the public down.”

Peter D’Amelio also noted the importance of knowing your “public.” He hired outside consultants to evaluate menus and conducted guest surveys to

Staying true to you, staff pay, and emphasis on quality …

All three experts emphasized the need to stay authentic. In Peter’s case, as the number of restaurants goes up, he said, “You encounter a different culture that is just not you anymore. You must share your vision with all staff so everyone pulls together.” Jack agreed, saying he is in constant touch with employees with whom he maintains an open door policy. “It’s important to have trust between you with constant communication,” he noted.

Amy said as a chef/operator, there is no “duplication of concepts.

You must reflect your own style of cooking” that brought customers to dine with you in the first place.

Another common theme was staff pay. Both Peter and Jack said pay must

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FSM NEWS

James Beard Semifinalists Announced The James Beard Foundation has announced the semifinalists for the 2017 Restaurant and Chef Awards … and our community can celebrate some local names!

2017 JBF Lifetime Achievement Award: Nora Pouillon, Restaurant Nora, Washington, DC. Best New Restaurant: Pineapple and Pearls, Washington, DC. Outstanding Baker: Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, DC. Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional: Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Del.; and Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur, Va. Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic: Amy

Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, DC; and Tom Cunanan, Bad Saint, Washington, DC. Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location: Pati’s Mexican Table, Host: Pati Jinich Food Coverage in a GeneralInterest Publication: The Washington Post “Food” section, Joe Yonan and Bonnie Benwick Home Cooking: “The Amazingly Simple Path to Incredible Homemade Bagels,” Becky Krystal and Alex Baldinger, The Washington Post.

The James Beard Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. The award gala will

In Memorium Chef Aaron Leonard McCloud, 38, passed away March 5 after a year-long battle with cancer. His wife Linda Szewczyk McCloud, whom he met at Cedar in 2012, shared this background with us because she wanted the FSM community to know “how wonderful he was.”

As a young boy, McCloud showed a great affinity for music, beginning violin instruction at the Suzuki Institute of Michigan at age three. During his early teens, McCloud became a member of the Michigan Youth Symphony at the University of Michigan and studied with the U of M violin department chair. McCloud’s culinary journey began at the age of 16 at Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Gandy Dancer restaurant, where he played violin tableside during Sunday brunches.

Realizing he preferred the kitchen, he became Gandy’s dishwasher and quickly moved to cooking on the line — finding his true calling.

After receiving a B.S. in hospitality from the University foodservicemonthly

of Massachusetts, McCloud went on to cooking at The Movable Feast in Ann Arbor, The Plaza Resort and Spa in Daytona, Fla., and Victoria and Albert’s at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. He later relocated to the Washington, DC area to open Aster as Chef de Cuisine, then the Vintage Restaurant Group. After a season as Executive Chef at The Inn at Perry Cabin on Maryland’s eastern shore, McCloud returned to DC to lead the kitchen at Cedar, where he met his wife Linda. He was inducted as an honorary member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. And most recently, he was Executive Chef of Willow Creek Farm in Ashburn, Va. where he was enthusiastic in leading the expansion of an onsite working farm.

A memorial service is planned for May in Northern Virginia.

Donations may be made to The Aaron Leonard McCloud Memorial Scholarship, c/o Interlochen Center for the Arts, PO Box 199, Interlochen, MI 49643.

be held at Chicago’s Lyric Opera on Monday, May 1. Media award winners will be announced on April 25. A full list of the nominees can be found at: www.jamesbeard.org/ blog/the-2017-james-beard-awardnominees.

Chopped Winner Chef Ype Von Hengst, co-founder and executive chef of the Rockvillebased Silver Diner chain, won the Food Network’s “Chopped” competition on the program’s February 14 episode. Von Hengst and three other competitors were required to prepare three courses — an appetizer, entrée and dessert — under severe time constraints, using baskets of mystery ingredients. In this episode, labeled Blue Plate Fare, the basket contained ingredients as disparate as marionberry jam, a BLT sandwich, string beans, and deep-fried deviled eggs. Von Hengst jumped into

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action to create a panzanella salad and a disco fries puree, involving a mix of fried potatoes, cheese, and gravy. Yum or ugh, depending on your point of view!

But it was dessert that won the competition for Von Hengst. Using cheesecake, a cup of coffee with cream, variegated figs, and coconut arancini, he concocted a Philly-style ice cream with a side of fig beignets in a fast 30 minutes. This winning dessert was served at the Silver restaurant in Bethesda between February 21 and March 12, to the delight of local patrons.

Von Hengst said he would use his winnings to “pay it forward” by donating the $10,000 check to the nonprofit humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders. The chef plans to match his Chopped prize, for a total donation of $20,000.

Definitely a win-win for everyone!

APRIL 2017 | 3

BALTI-MORE Dara Bunjon

CinéBistro: A Restaurant That Shows First Run Movies Luxe movie-going has come to Baltimore with the opening of CinéBistro, midtown at the Rotunda. Just like making reservations for dinner, you can reserve your seats for your CinéBistro movie choice, arrive 30 minutes prior to the movie, and place your order from the chefdriven menu. Then, sit back, relax, and your meal is served in the theatre before the movie begins.

Executive Chef Mark Davis is in command of the 5,000 square foot on-site kitchen. Everything is made from scratch, on the premises.

It is real dining on china and with metal flatware and linen napkins.

But you don’t have to order food.

You can go with the regulars —

movie popcorn and your favorite candy snacks.

Maybe you want just a beverage? You can get a soda, sure! But you can also order a beer, cocktail, wine, or specialty coffee. Even the movie is optional! One can dine in the restaurant area of CinéBistro and have cocktails or a coffee without even seeing a show!

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

THE ROTUNDA 727 WEST 40TH STREET BALTIMORE 667-219-2434 CINEBISTRO.COM FACEBOOK: /CINEBISTROROTUNDA TWITTER: @CINEBISTRORTDA INSTAGRAM: @CINEBISTRO

Chef Maurice Toney, left, and Executive Chef Mark Davis

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MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Henry Pertman

Part 2: Upgrading Digital Menu Boards and Kitchen Display Screens

L

ast month, we reviewed the “hows and whys” for upgrading or replacing your current POS system, beginning a discussion on technology benefits and return on investment for your hospitality business. In this piece, we lay out the rationale for other technology upgrades in your restaurant — specifically, the addition of Digital Menu Boards (DMB) and replacing those antiquated kitchen printers with Kitchen Display Screens (KDS).

Let’s address DMBs first. If you have seen these at your local fast food establishment, then you probably understand their value.

Beautiful colors, eye-catching text.

You likely ordered what is on the screen instead of what you originally thought you were going to order, right? So, how do I get my money back if I spend a bundle installing screens like this in my restaurant carry out? Here are some important considerations:

The graphics are absolutely attention-grabbing They are better than hand-held menus, as they tend to be neat, clean, and easy to read. Compared to static images, the slides or videos showing the beautiful menu items are effective in whetting appetites and influencing purchasing behavior. In short, you are likely to sell more — and more of what you want/need to sell.

It is easy to change prices In fact, you don’t even need to be at your location. No more messy and conspicuous pieces of masking tape covering old prices with new.

Nutritional, caloric, and ingredient information can also be easily uploaded. Compliance with everchanging regulations is a snap. foodservicemonthly

You can do scheduling and prioritization This means that at breakfast time, you may show only breakfast items, as well as some great graphics for your nightly specials or promotions.

Same at lunch. Then at dinner, if you want to skip those inexpensive entrée items on Friday and Saturday evenings, a quick fix makes that happen. Voilà!

No lost tickets, no fumbling with paper — just fast, efficient production with the chits clearly printed and the ability for staff to continually work with two hands.

Improved speed and accuracy are an almost immediate outcome.

You can provide live information and entertainment

This is not due only to the improved efficiency of the cooks you still have on the line, but also because there are fewer errors (think reduced food cost).

Also, with the ability to minimize chatter between stations and expo, miscommunication virtually disappears.

Customer waiting time does not seem as long. And hey, the more clever you are, the more the talk of the town you will be! Great word of mouth is always valuable, not to mention the social media impact this move will provide for you and your business.

While there are many reasons for upgrading to DMBs, these are some of the key benefits that will likely provide enough ROI to make this upgrade worth exploring and implementing.

IN A NUTSHELL, SCREENS DECREASE LABOR AND FOOD COSTS, WHILE ENHANCING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE.

They allow for faster production of food on the line

Properly placed and programmed, these wonder screens will help you reduce your kitchen labor over a relatively short period of time

Guest service becomes better and better As your cooks use and get used to the new technologies, there will be fewer mistakes and increased speeds.

In a nutshell, screens decrease labor and food costs, while enhancing the guest experience.

What are you waiting for?

The other game changers, which we will review in detail next month, are the new ovens which utilize computer technology. I know you can hardly wait! The ROI’s just keep on coming, so you can just keep on reading, learning, and hopefully taking advantage of these recommendations to improve your business.

As always, let me know if I can help in any way.

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

Kitchen Display Screens Okay, so you have upgraded your POS, and the front of the house is looking better and producing more income. Now, how about the kitchen? For more than 10 years, I have recommended adding KDS technology to almost any kitchen that currently uses only printers. I am making this recommendation again, as the ROI for KDS is really impressive.

First, do know that you keep one receipt printer on your line so that finished orders have an identifying piece of paper, either for your food runner or cashier. This cannot really go away. Now, as to the great reasons for adding these screens:

foodservicemonthly REACH RESTAURATEURS. ADVERTISE WITH US! CONTACT LISA SILBER 703.471.7339

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APRIL 2017 | 5

BOB BROWN SAYS Bob Brown

Greeting: Six Steps to Set the Stage for a Powerful Performance

M

ost of us size up our server in the first few minutes — even seconds.

How well you manage the greeting, with its multitude of opportunities to express warmth and thoughtfulness, sets the stage for a great or lackluster customer experience.

Seasoning. And, by the way, a bottle of our Robert Mondavi Chardonnay would be a perfect match,” I remarked. Minutes later, they were seated in my station and ordered exactly what I had suggested.

2. Help seat guests

Being at your table from the get-go is not only courteous but 1. Assist guests everywhere smart business. Are your guests Years ago, I observed a couple dressed to kill? Are they toting gift seated at the bar as they perused the wrapped packages? Did they bring menu of the Georgetown Seafood their children? Do they want to be Grill. “I see you’re checking out pampered or left alone? Remember, the crab cakes. They’re the best if you’re leaning up against the wall, in town, made with fresh jumbo you’re missing tons of cues that lump crabmeat lightly bound with uncover opportunities to dazzle April_Seafood_2017_v2.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/17 3:36 PM Page 1 mayonnaise, Dijon, and Old Bay and delight. While you help guests

IF YOU’RE LEANING UP AGAINST THE WALL, YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON TONS OF CUES THAT UNCOVER OPPORTUNITIES TO DAZZLE AND DELIGHT. with their chairs, eavesdrop with the intent to help. Overhearing, “Wow, I’m ready for a stiff drink,” provides an obvious lead in. “Our bartender Billy from Philly makes a great Patron margarita.”

3. Touch the table Snapchatting and Instagramming guests glued to their iPhones have little appetite for listening. Move the salt and pepper shakers or adjust the petunias. It’s a simple yet powerful way to focus your audience.

4. Find the leader/buyer Most tables have an in-charge person. She controls the conversation. She has the power.

And, she influences the buying habits of the table. So, find your leader/buyer, then stand across from her and wax eloquent about wines, cocktails, and the menu. If she likes what she hears, she’ll become your partner salesperson.

5. Use icebreakers Friendliness is defined as talking BOB BROWN SAYS cont. on page 24

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FOOD SMARTS Juliet Bodinetz

For Real … What Is ‘Sous Vide’ Cooking?

W

hen conducting our Food Service Manager classes, we touch on the subject of sous vide cooking, the variance, and the HACCP required to obtain the variance. Even though sous vide has become a more fashionable method of cooking, a lot of students don’t know what it means or entails.

First, HACCP is an acronym that stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. HACCP is a Food Safety Management system that focuses on this concept: If significant biological, chemical, or physical contaminations are identified at specific points within a product’s flow through an operation, they can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels. But what does that really mean?

HACCP was initially enforced in the U.S. for fish and meat plants.

Nowadays, it is nationally required if an establishment is seeking a variance for the reasons listed below.

The common denominator for most of these activities that require a variance is that they are “methods of food preservation.” In a nutshell, no one has permission to do the following activities unless they have a variance (permission) to do so.

Which means to get the variance for the following activities, one has to provide written proof (a written HACCP plan) which demonstrates that the establishment can handle the food safely through the entire flow of the food item. This makes sense because when preserving food improperly, there is much opportunity for bacterial growth to occur.

Activities that require a variance and a written HACCP plan are: • Smoking food as a method of food preservation 8 | APRIL 2017

• Using food additives as a method of food preservation • Curing food as a method of food preservation • Custom processing animals for personal use as a method of food preservation

• Packaging food using a reducedoxygen packaging method (MAP, vacuum-packed, or sous vide) as a method of food preservation • Treating juice on-site (pasteurizing) and packaging it for later sale • Sprouting seeds or beans • Offering live, molluscan shellfish from a display tank as a method of food preservation

So what is sous vide?

Sous vide is a low temperature cooking process that infuses flavor into food through a ‘low and slow’ cooking method. Sous vide means ‘under vacuum’ in French, referring to the process of vacuum sealing the food and putting it in a water bath for a longer than normal cooking time. The result is consistently and evenly cooked foods that are very flavorful and tender. The sealing of the bag keeps in the juices and aroma. The process originated in France in the 1970s.

Why does sous vide cooking require a variance and a HACCP plan?

Vacuum packing does not stop the growth of bacteria. Oxygen acts as a natural barrier to the growth of many spoilage bacteria. However, when the oxygen is removed, as in sous vide, other bacteria will thrive in the low oxygen condition.

Without spoilage bacteria, the typical ‘tell-tale’ signs that a food item might be bad are gone. While

bacteria are reduced in number while the product is in the warm water bath, it is not enough that the product is considered safe. Because of the risks involved (including bacteria like botulism and listeria), operations are required to request a variance and prepare a HACCP detailing how to keep the food items (and customers) safe.

Best ways to keep your food safe Wash your hands and wear singleuse gloves, use clean and sanitized equipment, and avoid any potential contamination while preparing the food items to be bagged. Once the item is bagged, be sure to label the bag with the food item, handling instructions, and use-by date. It is important that after the low temp bath, the food items are chilled properly, following normal cooling guidelines. Be sure to have a needle tip thermometer so that the internal temp of the food item

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can be monitored — a must for the health department. Cooling the food item properly can help prevent the formation of bacterial spores. Sous vide items must be stored under refrigeration at 38°F or lower, or frozen, to further reduce the risk of bacterial growth. When finishing the product for service, be sure to cook the food item to the FDA required minimum internal temperature for safety.

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

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GMO Seafood: A Necessary Conversation

Sea Products Development uses these large indoor recirculating sea water tanks to grow Sablefish. The R&D facility is a first step to developing a full-scale farm in 2018.

F

BY TIM SUGHRUE

ew subjects evoke more heated and opinionated debate than that of human consumption of genetically modified plants and animals, known as GMOs. As a wildlife biologist with four decades of experience in the commercial fishing industry, I hope this article will shed more light than heat on issues related to genetically modified fish and fish farming in the future.

This article should not be viewed as an endorsement of GMO fish.

I hope it can serve as the start of a necessary conversation about this subject. In the not too distant future, these fish will enter the marketplace, and all stakeholders, including consumers, should be able to make informed decisions.

No Evidence of Safety Issues The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine issued a report last spring in which the scientists wrote that they “found 10 | APRIL 2017

no substantiated evidence that foods from genetically engineered crops were less safe than non-genetically engineered crops.” On top of that, polling has found that 88 percent of the scientific community feels GMO foods are safe. This view is 180 degrees different than that of the general public today where only 37 percent think that GE foods are safe.

When I look at the “bigger picture” surrounding seafood, I often wonder where our fish will come from 15, 20, 30 years from now. Our domestic fisheries are well managed, for the most part, but they are all at their “maximum sustainable yield.” That means they cannot be relied on for a significant increase in harvestable poundage to help satisfy the ever-increasing demand for seafood in the future.

The logical conclusion is that we will grow our own fish to meet future demand. Aquaculture is now responsible for more than half of the seafood production worldwide.

The predominant method used to grow fish today — ocean open cage

aquaculture — has more than its own fair share of environmental issues. All ecosystems, both land and sea, have a “carrying capacity.”

When we exceed the carrying capacity of an ecosystem, mother nature moves swiftly to correct it.

When you have too many deer in a certain area, black tongue disease breaks out and kills deer by the hundreds. When you farm salmon in densities that are too high, infectious salmon anemia wipes them out. Hundreds of millions of fish being raised in one region of Chile produced an algal bloom that killed 25 million fish last year, and salmon prices spiked by 20 percent.

Zero Environmental Effects The technology exists today to grow fish successfully on land with zero harmful effects to the environment. Using this technology, there would be no reason to harvest a salmon inside the arctic circle of Norway, truck it to Copenhagen, fly it to JFK airport, and truck it to DC to put on a plate. That fish can

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instead be grown an hour outside the Washington beltway on a landbased aquaculture farm with a closed recirculating water system, powered by a wind turbine, with not one drop of pollution to the environment.

Science fiction you say? No! You can fly to the sleepy little Gulf coast town of Rockport, Texas and see this technology at work every day. Sustainable Sea Products has created a facility there with several million gallon pools inside big white “tennis bubbles” held up by air pressure. Beautiful white Vanemai shrimp are grown to twice the size (10/15 count) in half the time (20 weeks) of conventional pondreared shrimp — and not one drop of pollution to the environment!

Sustainable Sea Products is also now growing sable (black cod) in Texas, of all places, using the same technology. Eventually, we could meet all our seafood needs using this technology. We can create the “Silicon Valley” of seafood right here along the east coast, growing fish in foodservicemonthly

closed recirculating systems, only hours from major urban centers, producing tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

But the Costs So why aren’t more fish being grown this way already? The answer is cost. To put it in the simplest terms, it costs about $3 a pound to raise a salmon to 10 pounds using today’s farming techniques of open cage aquaculture. To raise that same fish on land costs about $4 a pound.

And this is where the debate about GMOs comes into play. Landbased aquaculture companies can grow genetically modified fish at or near the same cost as their ocean open cage competitors, leveling the playing field. Take the case of the first GMO salmon approved by the FDA last year. To produce it, an ocean pout gene is spliced into the salmon DNA, which allows it to grow faster, in the dark, and in cold water, saving electricity and cost.

Importantly, the process produces fish that are environmentally sustainable and nutritionally and chemically identical to their nonGMO counterparts.

The traditional farm salmon operations aren’t going to make the jump to producing salmon in closed recirculating systems on land out of the goodness of their hearts.

They will produce fish on land only if they are forced to do so through competition. If the major consumers of salmon in the country buy into the environmental benefits of raising fish on land, salmon companies will

The Clear Springs rainbow trout farm in Pocatello, Idaho where fresh mountain spring water is used to grow this salmonoid species. have nowhere to sell their oceanraised salmon.

The Oyster Tells the Tale Over the last decade, the consumption of oysters, both

A brood stock tank where Global Blue Technologies grows 50-gram and larger white shrimp brood stock. The big shrimp are sold and shipped to shrimp hatcheries around the world. foodservicemonthly

live in the shell and shucked, has exploded across the country. It is a “feel good” story with oysters being a “cornerstone species” of their ecosystems, filtering 60 gallons of water per day per oyster and benefitting every living organism in their environment. The oyster aquaculture industry has exploded to meet the increased demand.

What you may not know is that roughly 50 percent of the “half shell” oysters on the market today are genetically manipulated. They are non-reproducing “triploids.”

Their chromosomes have been manipulated so they cannot reproduce. Triploids take the energy required to reproduce and transmit that into growth energy, reaching their preferred market size of three inches in 14 months versus the 30 months required by a “diploid” oyster. They are chemically and nutritionally identical to their non-

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GMO counterparts. They have been readily accepted by the restaurant community and public for years.

We will soon face a choice about bringing genetically-modified fish to our tables as well. As seafood demand increases each year, we will have to grow more fish. The question is where — at sea or literally in our own backyards.

Which path do you choose?

TIM SUGHRUE is executive vice president and founding member of Congressional Seafood Company. He holds a BS from North Carolina State University in Wildlife Biology and Fishery Science. Tim lives on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and has worked as a full-time commercial waterman on the Bay. He has a unique perspective on the seafood industry being a former research biologist for the Maryland DNR and having sold almost a billion dollars worth of seafood in his career. He hopes to shed light on some of the larger issues in the seafood industry and facing restauranteurs today.

APRIL 2017 | 11

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

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

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

FRESH AND FROZEN SEAFOOD: SELECTING AND SERVING IT SAFELY

T

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• The flesh should spring back when pressed.

12 | APRIL 2017

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

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

FISH AND SHELLFISH CONTAIN HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN AND OTHER ESSTENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF A HEALTHFUL DIET. Selecting Shellfish Follow these general guidelines for safely selecting shellfish: 1. Look for the label: Look for tags on sacks or containers of live shellfish (in the shell) and labels on containers or packages of shucked shellfish. These tags and labels contain specific information about the product, including the processor’s certification number.

This means that the shellfish were harvested and processed in accordance with national shellfish safety controls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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• For added protection, kitchen sanitizers can be used on cutting boards and countertops after use. Or use a solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of water.

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

Thawing Thaw frozen seafood gradually by placing it in the refrigerator overnight. If you have to thaw seafood quickly, seal it in a plastic bag and immerse it in cold water.

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

• Never leave seafood or other perishable food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours or for more than one hour when temperatures are above 90°F. Bacteria that can cause illness grow quickly at warm temperatures (between 40°F and 140°F).

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

Keep platters refrigerated until time to reheat them for serving.

• Keep cold seafood on ice or serve it throughout the gathering from platters kept in the refrigerator.

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APRIL 2017 | 13

THE LATEST DISH Linda Roth

Another Renowned Spanish Chef for DC

F

rank Ruta will be cooking near his former place of employment when he opens Mirabelle at 16th & I Streets, NW, near the White House. This French-focused restaurant will open for lunch only for the first two weeks, with dinner service following.

Pastry chef Aggie Chin, who worked with Frank at Palena and the Grill Room at Capella, will join him at Mirabelle. Owner Hakan Ilhan expands his restaurant empire with Mirabelle. He also owns Al Dente on New Mexico Ave., NW, Ottoman Taverna, and French bistro, L’Hommage in the ‘hood at Mount Vernon Triangle. Jennifer Knowles

will be the wine & service director. She previously worked at the Inn at Little Washington and The Jefferson Hotel.

David Fritsche and Silvan Kraemer, Swiss chefs who recently worked together at The Dupont Circle Hotel, will open Stable at 1324 H Street, NE, featuring classic Swiss dishes as well as influences from Northern Italy, France, and Germany. They are targeting this spring to open.

Quick Hits Haidar Karoum, formerly of Proof, Doi Moi, and Estadio will open Chloe in Capitol Riverfront in Arris

Building at 1331 4th Street, SE. The 104-seat restaurant will focus on seafood & Mediterranean cuisine.

A summer opening is planned …

Pandora Seafood Restaurant & Bar will open this summer at Rockville Town Square where American Tap Room used to be. Owners are Chris Zhu and George Cheung who also own China Garden restaurant in Rosslyn … Shake Shack opened at Logan Circle, 1400 14th Street, NW, and will also open at 50 M Street, NE in the Capitol Riverfront, along with Cava Grill … Andrew Harris and Dan Koslow plan to open Farmbird at 625 H Street, NE. Think slow-roasted, grilled chicken, think brick. They are incubating at Union Kitchen. The plan is to be open by summer … Lupo Verde

will open its second location on MacArthur Blvd near the Exxon station with chef Matteo Venini, formerly of Tosca, at the kitchen helm.

Austin, Texas-based Verts Mediterranean, fast-casual chain, is slated to open at 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW at the corner of Connecticut & K Streets.

This fast-casual concept is based on the Chipotle model. Verts has 20 restaurants in Texas and is expanding on the East Coast. The goal is two to five more stores in the DC metro area.

C-C-Changes Panache on DeSales Street, NW

LATEST DISH cont. on page 15

J.J. McDonnell has always been known for EXCELLENCE in seafood, but did you know we also provide EXCELLENCE in service EXCELLENCE in education EXCELLENCE in traceability EXCELLENCE in communication

Come explore an ocean of opportunities by joining our team.

Email us at JJHR@JJMcDonnell.com

14 | APRIL 2017

www.JJMcDonnell.com 410.799.4000

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not only is completing a total renovation, with a new chef, but also a new name: Le DeSales.

Belgian chef Raphael Francoiss was previously at London-based Hélène Darroze restaurant which was awarded two Michelin stars.

Ownership remains the same …

Mackey’s Public House relocated to the space formerly occupied by Laughing Man Tavern at 1306 G Street, NW near Metro Center.

Chef & GM Update DC gets another renowned Spanish chef, as Javier Cuesta Muñoz has been named executive chef of the newly renovated Decanter restaurant at The St. Regis Washington, DC. Previously, he was executive chef at the Gran Melia Golf Resort in Puerto Rico … Mike O’Brien has been named chef de cuisine at The Salt Line,

working with longtime colleague Kyle Bailey who is executive chef.

He previously worked in DC as chef de partie at CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental hotel. Most recently, Mike was executive chef of Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco. It’s slated to open this spring in time for the first pitch … Justin Abad has been named general manager of Food & Beverage Outlets for The Dupont Circle Hotel. Previously, he had been general manager and owner of Cashion’s Eat Place and Pop’s SeaBar in Adams Morgan … Huw Griffiths was named executive pastry chef at Soapstone Market in Van Ness. He was formerly at the Tabard Inn …

David Creamer was named executive chef at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. He will oversee the entire culinary operations in the resort including its banquet kitchen and seven dining and beverage

outlets. He was executive chef at the Crystal City Gateway, Bethesda North Hotel & Convention Center and, most recently, the Renaissance Arlington Capital View.

The next Dacha Beer Garden will open near Nationals Park on Potomac Avenue, SE in the ever popular Dock 79 mixed-use project.

It will join Kyle Bailey and Long Shot Hospitality’s The Salt Line and Mike Friedman’s All Purpose Pizzeria. Lots of space both indoors and outdoors, perfect for a beer garden. Beer and baseball are a natural duo, so there will be another beer garden, Bardo, opening not too far from Dock 79.

Just Opened Anna Bran Leis recently opened Taqueria del Barrio, serving authentic Mexican in Petworth.

It opened on Upshur Street,

NW where Domku was… Dusty Lockhart and her chef husband Stefano Frigerio opened Petite Loulou Café & Pasty Shop near where they live in Purcellville …

Michael Schlow Restaurant Group opened its second Alta Strada in Northern Virginia’s Mosaic District … Nick and David Wiseman from DGS Delicatessen opened Hill Prince Bar at 1337 H Street, NE … La Colombe opened 1710 Eye Street, NW at Farragut Square near Taylor Gourmet and sweetgreen …

Mission BBQ adds its third location in Chantilly and its fourth location on Rockville Pike.

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

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9/15/162017 2:20| PM APRIL 15

WHINING ’N DINING Randi Rom

Who Doesn’t Like a Free Festival?

Whatsup Light City is a free festival that transforms Baltimore neighborhoods with large-scale light installations, performances, music, and innovation. It kicked off on March 31 and continues through April 8. Central to Light City is the BGE Light Art Walk along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor featuring more than 50 attractions including illuminated sculptures, projections, interactive technologies, performances, concerts, food vendors, and a children’s area. The FoodLab at Light City takes place on Saturday, April 8 at the IMET (Columbus Center, 701 E Pratt Street). It showcases acclaimed culinary thinkers and chefs as they

explore the world of food — how it’s grown, accessed, eaten, and innovated. One of the events celebrating Light City is The Emporiyum!

What is it, you ask? The Emporiyum is a hybrid marketplace and food festival designed to introduce people to a curated selection of over 100 artisans, producers, makers, chefs, and restaurants from across the Mid-Atlantic region and around the U.S. The Emporiyum takes place on April 1-2 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Inner Harbor in the former Best Buy Space (600 E. Pratt Street).

This very cool, two-day event allows guests to meet the people behind the brands, taste and learn about their products, and take home

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amazing edible treats. Meet. Eat. Shop! LightCity.org; TheEmporiyum.com Executive Chef Brigitte Bledsoe debuted a new spring menu at Miss Shirley’s Café. Menu options include the “Southern Skillet” — fried buttermilk boneless breast of chicken pieces on a benne seed Cajun and green onion buttermilk biscuit — and Cobb chicken salad with roasted corn, green onion, and applewood-smoked bacon. From the Lighter Side menu, there’s the “Skinny Shirley,” a crustless egg white quiche made with grilled salmon, asparagus, tomato, and capers, and the spinach and asparagus salad. FYI, Miss Shirley’s pays great attention to detail for those with food allergies.

MissShirleys.com The 6th Annual Taste of Pikesville is set for Wednesday, April 26 from 6:30 to 9 pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Baltimore North-Pikesville (1726 Reisterstown Rd.). Highlighting Pikesville and surrounding areas, the event will feature signature dishes from 45+ restaurants and caterers, beer, wine and cocktails, music, raffle prizes, the People’s Choice and celebrity judge competitions, and more.

This year, they’ll host a VIF (Very Important Foodie) reception prior to the event. Those participating include Simply Elegant Catering @ Grey Rock, Ruth’s Chris, Linwoods, Mezcal, and La Food Marketa.

TasteofPikesville.com Sagamore Spirit, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s whiskey, can be found in bars and restaurants around Baltimore. And starting April 21, fans of this hometown spirit will be able to visit The Port Covington distillery (301 E. Cromwell Street) for free public tours and tastings of the straight rye whiskey. Guests can learn about the process of making the whiskey, including bringing in water from Sagamore Farm, the Reisterstown horse farm also owned by Plank. A 22,000-squarefoot distillery building houses the production equipment. Next door is a 27,000-square-foot welcome and processing center with two tasting

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rooms. The project also includes a two-story restaurant that will house a concept by James Beard Awardwinning chef Andrew Carmellii of New York. Carmellini is also establishing the concepts at Plank’s Sagamore Pendry Baltimore hotel in Fells Point. SagamoreSpirit.com; PendryHotels.com As part of ALS Awareness Month in May, the Brigance Brigade Foundation presents … ALS Bites!

Participating restaurants across the state will feature specific food or drink items with the proceeds going to the foundation. The mission of the Brigance Brigade Foundation is to equip, encourage, and empower People living with ALS (PALS) to live life through the provision of much needed equipment, resource guidance, and support services, as well as funding various ALS research initiatives. #ALSBites; BriganceBrigade.org

Open for Biz Former “Top Chef” contestant Jesse Sandlin takes the helm in the kitchen at the recently opened Outpost American Tavern in Federal Hill. Located at 1032 Riverside Avenue in the spot where Porter’s Pub used to be, the 72-seat restaurant offers classic American fare with an upscale twist.

TheOutpostBaltimore.com.

The Delta Hotels Marriott opened at 1 East Redwood Street in a historic, 1904 building. The TellTale (a reference Edgar Allan Poe) serves Maryland-inspired coastal cuisine, local craft beer, and specialty whiskey and bourbon cocktails.

Marriott.com.

Coming Soon The owners of La Cuchara in Hampden will open a new 140-seat seafood restaurant in Federal Hill called Minnow.

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.

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APRIL 2017 | 17

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM Marshall Weston

RAM Award Winners to Be Announced April 30 NOTE: Due to the “March Blizzard,” the Maryland ProStart Student Invitational was postponed until later in the month, and the results were not available at the time of this submission. For a list of the winning schools, please go to marylandrestaurants.com.

T IGH ING RE RAIN F T EE FR UP & RT TA

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he finalists for the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s (RAM) annual awards have been decided, and voting opened to the public in late March. Now, we all wait until April 30 when the winners will be announced NOW E BL AVAILAIVELY S U L EXC OM FR ACME

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as part of the RAM Awards Gala held at the Baltimore Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. Each year, hundreds of nominations are submitted to RAM for each category. It is then up to members of the public to vote for their favorites. The results will be tabulated and the winners announced live during the awards program. We promise that the person responsible for the envelopes will not be posting on Twitter!

Maryland has 11,000 restaurants and foodservice establishments that employ nearly 200,000 people.

Restaurants are the cornerstone of the economy and local communities.

The RAM Awards Gala is the annual celebration and recognition of the hard work that restaurant employees and owners put in every day to serve their customers.

INDUSTRY AWARDS Brice & Shirley Phillips Lifetime Achievement Award Peter Plamondon Sr., Roy Rogers

Otto Schellhase Award Maria Vaccaro, Vaccaro’s Italian Pastry Shop

Maryland Hospitality Hall of Honor, Class of 2017 The Bowman Restaurant, Parkville The Brewer’s Art, Baltimore Chat and Chew Restaurant, Westernport Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, Ellicott City Minato Sushi Bar, Baltimore

VOTING CATEGORIES

Maryland’s Favorite Bar or Tavern Finalists Dock Street Bar & Grill, Annapolis Fish Head Cantina, Halethorpe Harborside Bar & Grill, Ocean City Nottingham’s, Columbia The Point in Fells, Baltimore

Wine & Beverage Program of the Year Finalists Bond Street Social, Baltimore Dry 85, Annapolis Jules, Ocean City The Tasting Room, Frederick Wine Market Bistro, Baltimore

Craft Brew Program of the Year Finalists Presented by Evolution Craft Brewing Oscar’s Alehouse, Eldersburg Frisco Tap House, Gambrills Tapp’d, Bethesda White Oak Tavern, Columbia World of Beer, Baltimore

Maryland’s Favorite Restaurant Finalists Iron Rooster, Annapolis Madrones, Frederick Mission BBQ, statewide Mon Ami Gabi, Bethesda The Prime Rib, Baltimore

Maryland’s Chef of the Year Finalists Presented by Oracle George Batlas, Manor Tavern Brigitte Bledsoe, Miss Shirley’s Café Scott Chambers, La Ferme Jeremy Hoffman, Preserve Enzo Livia, Il Pizzico The Heart of the Industry Award is given to a restaurant employee who goes above and beyond in his or her responsibilities to ensure that operations run smoothly and customers are given the best service.

Heart of the Industry Award Finalists

Maryland’s Favorite New Restaurant Finalists

Garret Hadel, Bartender at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood

Alchemy Elements, Bel Air Sello’s Italian Oven & Bar, Ocean City Duck Duck Goose, Bethesda RockSalt Grille, Westminster Slice New York Pizza, Towson

Hilary Hogarty, Server at Elkridge Furnace Inn

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ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM cont. on page 24 foodservicemonthly

ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA Eric D. Terry

Hampton and Virginia Beach Teens Take 2017 ProStart Top Honors

O

n Friday, March 10, Virginia ProStart teams from Phoebus High School (Hampton) and Tallwood High School (Virginia Beach) placed first at the 2017 Virginia ProStart Student Invitational in culinary arts and restaurant management, respectively. As the winners of the competition, held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., both schools received an invitation to participate in the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s National ProStart Invitational, April 28-30 in Charleston, SC. During the event, more than 70 students representing 15 teams

competed in either the culinary arts or restaurant management division.

Culinary teams prepared a three-course meal in 60 minutes, without access to running water or electricity and using only two butane burners.

Management teams presented a business proposal for an original restaurant concept to a panel of industry judges.

“The students who participated in this year’s competition are truly amazing,” said Jim Wilson, Director of Education & Workforce Development for Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association. “They are taught and mentored by some of the best

2017 VIRGINIA PROSTART COMPETITION TEAM WINNERS First Place Culinary

Second Place Management

Phoebus High School, Hampton

Louisa County High School, Mineral

First Place Management

Third Place Culinary

Tallwood High School, Virginia Beach

C.S. Monroe Technology Center (Team II), Leesburg

Second Place Culinary

Third Place Management

Virginia Beach Technical & Career Education Center

Manchester High School, Midlothian

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teachers in the business and truly may become their generation’s master chefs and restaurant entrepreneurs. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this program that is working to engage our industry’s next stars.”

VRLTA, along with other local

groups, is helping the schools raise money for the competition. Please contact Jim Wilson (jim@vrlta.org) if you would like to help send the students to Charleston.

ERIC TERRY is president of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association.

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APRIL 2017 | 19

ASSOCIATION NEWS OCHMRA Susan L. Jones

Summer Season Is Gearing Up

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SM’s new editor, Lisa Keathley, best summed up our 43rd Expo in a few precise words, “an assault on the senses — sights, sounds, tastes and smells.” Boy is she on point! Without a doubt, this was our largest Expo to date with 415 exhibit booths and close to 6,000 attendees. To everyone who exhibited or attended, we are so grateful for your support of our non-profit trade association, as the Expo helps fund our organization.

If you didn’t have an opportunity to attend, check out the Exhibitor List on our site, oceancitytradeexpo. com, where you will find countless products and services.

Congrats to our Ocean City restaurateurs who are nominated for the Restaurant Association of Maryland Awards. Next time you are in OC, check out nominee for New Restaurant of the Year — Sello’s Italian Oven — where the mouthwatering lump crab appetizer over bruschetta is simply amazing. Stop

by Jules Restaurant where chef/ owner Adam Sanders has created a wine and beverage program offering endless options. Finish your night off at a local’s favorite, Harborside Bar & Grill, home of the original orange crush. Make sure you take the time to vote…and see you at the RAM Gala on April 30!

OCHMRA EXPO: AN ASSAULT ON THE SENSES — SIGHTS, SOUNDS, TASTES AND SMELLS. Lots of action is taking place around the beach during this time of year. While several businesses have been open throughout the winter, many seasonal ones are busy gearing up for the summer.

If you hire J-1 Summer Work & Travel students, make plans to attend our Annual International Student Workforce Conference on

April 6. During this all-day session, we bring together employers and the sponsoring organizations who connect the international students.

We’ll have updates from the Department of State, Social Security, and the OC Police Department, and we’ll teach how to enhance the cultural experience for the students.

With this flutter of spring activity also comes many new hotels and restaurants.

Let us know if you need any help planning your vacation, or check out ocvisitor.com where we have over 225 hotel and restaurant choices!

Come out to the Virginia Beach Hospitality Expo for your opportunity to discover new products and trends in the hospitality industry. This expo features over 100 vendors plus breakout sessions with restaurant, hotel and hospitality expert, Bob Brown. Door prizes will be raffled for attendees. VBHospitalityExpo.com

20 | APRIL 2017

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Meet the Makers

A UNION KITCHEN OPEN HOUSE SHOWCASING THE BEST IN LOCAL FOOD SATURDAY, MARCH 4 • UNION KITCHEN: IVY CITY, WASHINGTON DC Union Kitchen promotes the growth of local food businesses and paves the way for many first-time business owners as well as women- and minority-owned businesses.

Iman Moussa sells savory breadsticks to restaurants as well as the public.

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Neetu & Vic Aulakh are bringing California-based CaliBurger to DC, starting with delivery only until a brick and mortar deal is made.

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Republic Restoritives, a woman- (actually two) owned distillery in DC is already batting it outta the park.

APRIL 2017 | 21

22 | APRIL 2017

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LOCAL COOKS Alexandra Greeley

Go Fish! Missy Carr: Driving the Seafood Truck

I

n the past few years, food trucks have gained great popularity, selling every food type from barbecue and doughnuts to kebabs and bratwurst. But the one category that may be filled by only one or two vendors? Seafood.

That’s where Missy Carr and her Go Fish truck win the prize. Driving around and selling her goodies, primarily in Montgomery County and sometimes in DC, Carr sells a variety of fishy goods, from fish and shrimp tacos and lobster rolls to crab quesadillas and salmon burgers. She even sells on any given day such soups as Clam “Chowda” and Red Hot Maryland crab. It all sounds so yummy!

balance to keep inventory moving.”

By late morning and early afternoon, to start selling prepared seafood was a better business model than selling raw fish.

Carr realized that no high-end food trucks were traveling around the Montgomery County area. “So in 2013,” she said, “I bought out the Go Fish food truck business from ProFish and stopped delivering fresh seafood product. I just focused on prepared seafood in the food truck business.”

Now with 24+ food trucks, Carr has selected suburban areas where fewer food options exist. “We go around in Montgomery County to service office buildings for lunch”

FOOD TRUCKS HAVE GAINED GREAT POPULARITY, SELLING EVERY TYPE OF FOOD … BUT THE ONE CATEGORY THAT MAY BE FILLED BY ONLY ONE OR TWO VENDORS? SEAFOOD. But how did a trained chef who graduated from Gaithersburg’s L’Academie de Cuisine choose food trucks over restaurant kitchens?

She actually did cook in some area restaurants, worked as private chef, taught cooking, and had her own catering business. But when the wholesale company ProFish caught her attention, she partnered with them to sell retail home delivery of raw fish, and Go Fish was born.

To do so, Carr and her partners bought a food truck as a marketing tool for the Go Fish brand in the community. She also frequented farmers’ markets on weekends to sell not only fresh fish but also ready-to-eat seafood.

“We went to markets,” she said.

“It was expensive, and we had perishable food products. So when you are left with several pounds of scallops, there was nothing we could do with that perishable product on the truck. It was a real tough foodservicemonthly

she said. “Business managers post emails to let employees know we are coming. In DC, you can just pull up because people are expecting food trucks. But some restaurants in my area don’t want us near them so it is a little extra work because of the scheduling.”

To help potential customers, Carr posts on Facebook, Foodtruck Fiesta, and Instagram and tweets on Twitter as the best ways to let people know where to find her truck. “I am working on creating an app,” she said. “Right now, I am scheduling through the fall.”

And which are the most popular Go Fish treats? Number one are the fish tacos, she said, of all the items she sells. “Really, my fish tacos are the most popular item we have,” she said. “These are very good. We have sold many thousands, last year, about 7,000.”

For more information, please go to the website: gofishtruck.com.

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The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

APRIL 2017 | 23

BOB BROWN SAYS cont. from page 6 about non-business topics. To unlock the purpose and context of your guests’ visit, show genuine interest by asking questions or making thoughtful comments: “Is this your first time with us?”

This opens the door in two ways.

A “yes” provides an opportunity to give an overview of your menu, wine, and beverage lists. A “no” lets you inquire about their last experience. “What was your favorite appetizer?”

“What brings you to Georgetown? Guests will tell you if they’re tourists, live in the neighborhood, are attending a convention, visiting relatives, celebrating an anniversary, or closing a deal.

“Are you in town for business or pleasure?” This question helps you customize your approach.

“You’re here to celebrate your promotion? That calls for a three Tomahawk Ribeye and bottle of Veuve Clicquot.” Or, “Since you’re here sightseeing, don’t miss our crab cakes. They’re hard to find in Boise, Idaho.”

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM cont. from page 18 Manny SanJuan, Manager at Captain Dan’s Crabhouse

RAM Allied Member of the Year Finalists

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

Business & Commercial Ventures, Jerry Blumenthal DePalo’s Mid-Atlantic Restaurant Supply, Michael DePalo Howard Bank, Mitch Phillips Royal Cup Coffee, Joe Pawelchak Soft Stuff Distributors, Bob Gamerman

“I love your pin!” This greeting provides insight into how people spend. “I bought this this at Nordstrom.” Now you know you have an educated buyer who’s interested in quality.

6. Make hello special Avoid robotic greetings. A genuine, “Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, good evening and welcome to Jay’s Tavern. We’re delighted to have you,” is polite, warm, and gracious.

This greeting is more than “Hi, I’m Bob. Can I get you a drink?”

A well-orchestrated welcome sets you apart, builds trust, boost sales, and creates a top-drawer experience for your guests.

BOB BROWN, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, www.bobbrownss. com, pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program and has worked with clients such as Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Nordstrom, Olive Garden, and Ritz Carlton and works internationally with the prestigious Burj Al Arab in Dubai. He has appeared on the Food Network is author of bestselling The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. Contact Bob for speeches, workshops, breakouts, executive retreats at 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2016.

RAM Restaurateur of the Year Finalists Presented by the Maryland Restaurant & Hospitality Self Insurance Fund Candace Beattie, Thames Street Oyster House Bob Giaimo, Silver Diner Lee Howard, Urban Bar-B-Que James King, Blackwall Hitch, Greene Turtle, Roy Rogers, J. King’s John Liberatore, Liberatore’s Ristorante For more information on the RAM Awards Gala go to marylandrestaurants.com.

MARSHALL WESTON is president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

FSM 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.............................................. 18 Barter Systems....................................................... 24 Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions...................... 24 BME....................................................................... 21 Congressional Seafood ........................................... C3 ECOLAB ................................................................. 15 Hearn Kirkwood........................................................ 4 H&S Bakery.............................................................. 9

24 | APRIL 2017

H.M. Terry Co., Inc. ................................................ 19 Itek Construction + Consulting ................................ 16 J.J. McDonnell ....................................................... 14 Kreider Farms ........................................................ 17 Martin Bamberger................................................... 23 Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources ........................ 3 Maryland Food Center Authority ............................... 13 Metropolitan Meat Seafood Poultry ......................... C4

The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

RAMEF .................................................................. 21 Restaurant Depot...................................................... 6 Sandalye,ci............................................................... 1 Saval...................................................................... C2 US Foods ................................................................ 7 Virginia Hospitality Expo.......................................... 20

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