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Volume 18, No. 2 â– April/May April /May 2019
CHEF CATINA SMITH
PROMOTING DIVERSITY IN EVERY KITCHEN
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insidefsm Volume 18, No. 2
Cover photo by Daniel McGarrity
foodservicemonthly Volume 18, No. 2 ■ April/May 2019 Silver Communications Publisher
April/May 2019
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Lisa Keathley Managing Editor lisafoodmag@gmail.com Lisa Silber Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Electronic Ink Design & Production fsm@eink.net
Max Franz Photography
News & Information
Columns
Advertiser Index ……………………………………………………………………18 Association News OCHMRA by Susan Jones ………………………………… 7 Association News RAM by Marshall Weston …………………………………10 Association News RAMW by Kathy Hollinger ……………………………… 8 Association News VRLTA Robert Melvin ………………………………………14 FSM News ……………………………………………………………………………24 Photo Gallery / Boston Seafood Show ……………………………………… 3 Photo Gallery / The OC Expo ………………………………………………… 16
About Town by Lisa Keathley …………………………………………………… 4 Balti-MORE by Dara Bunjon………………………………………………………19 Bits & Bites by Lisa Keathley …………………………………………………… 6 Bob Brown Says by Bob Brown ………………………………………………… 2 Culinary Correspondent by Celeste McCall …………………………………18 From the Sea by Tim Sughrue ……………………………………………………11 Local Cooks by Alexandra Greeley ……………………………………………22 Modern Business Solutions by Henry Pertman ……………………………15 The Latest Dish by Linda Roth …………………………………………………20 Whining ’n Dining by Randi Rom ………………………………………………17
In the Spotlight
Chef Catina Smith, Promoting Diversity in Every Kitchen by Lisa Keathley …………………………………………………………………… 8
Contributing Writers Kathy Hollinger Linda Roth Susan Jones Tim Sughrue Celeste McCall Eric Terry Henry Pertman Marshall Weston Randi Rom Contact phone: 703-471-7339 email: lisa@foodservicemonthly.com fax: 866-961-4980 web: www.foodservicemonthly.com
Juliet Bodinetz Bob Brown Dara Bunjon Michael Gabriel Alexandra Greeley
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.
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BOB BROWN SAYS | Bob Brown
Beverage Sales — 8 Tips for Success Your restaurant’s beverage focus determines how and in what order drinks are offered. Is the spotlight on wine and cocktails, beers, or even nonalcoholic beverages? Your comfort level with each category determines whether you’ll enhance the guest’s experience or leave money on the table.
7. Be on the lookout for signs of celebration.
1. Remember the ground rules.
Oddly, you rarely hear recommendations of after-dinner drinks. Group desserts with digestives, liqueurs, cognacs, and coffee at the end of the meal. Mention brand names like Sambuca, Amaretto, Gran Marnier, and even Louis XIII. Suggest guests drink their dessert with a cappuccino with a half-shot of Frangelico or Baileys, along with a famous chocolate “disappearing” spoon. Finding the beverage sweet spot is key to creating a great guest experience. Be prepared with interesting details and strategies that don’t push…but inspire. That’s a big win for you — and your guests.
• Avoid yes/no questions like, “May I start you off with a beverage?” unless you want the, “No, I’ll just have water with lemon, and bring plenty of sugar packets so I can make my own lemonade” response. • Use brand names to help guests visualize. “In addition to a complete bar service, we offer an excellent Grey Goose Martini.” • Be prepared to offer alternatives, answer objections, and confidently discuss what you’re selling.
2. Water’s first up. The instant guests are seated, they want water. Some restaurateurs pour water, discouraging bottled water sales — or worse, sales of cocktails, beer, and wine. Try “If you enjoy bottled water, we offer Panna Still and San Pellegrino Sparkling.” No pressure. Stay away from, “Would you like bottled or tap?” or “still or sparkling?” Don’t make it easy to get the, “No, I’m fine with tap” response.
3. Plant the wine seed. Mention wine early and often. Give an overview of the list, then 2 | APRIL/MAY 2019
“You’re celebrating your anniversary?” followed with, “That calls for a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne” bumps your check and is a perfect fit for a special occasion.
8. Don’t forget back-end beverages.
suggest specific wines with brief descriptions. “Ladies and gentleman, our wine list is set up by varietals such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, and Merlot. On the left, you’ll find our whites, along with sparkling wines and Champagnes. Reds are on the right. An excellent white is our Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc…citrusy, crisp, herbaceous, and dry. If you love reds, consider our full, spicy, and dry Penfolds Cab/Merlot blend.” Wine creates a positive moodaltering experience that inspires guests to order complete meals.
4. Add cocktail pizzazz. “May I start you off with something from the bar” doesn’t cut it. Talk names, places, and brands. “In addition to our full bar service, Eric Brisben from Holland with the pink ponytail makes a great glutenfree Tito’s Martini,” creates a series of brain stickers. Who will ever forget
the pink ponytail?
5. Save long-winded spiels for beer aficionados. Be descriptive but don’t overwhelm. “We offer some great local craft standouts. For the lightest, try DC Brau’s Public Pale Ale. In the middle, go for the hoppy Heavy Seas Loose Cannon IPA. Full and malty is our Port City Porter.” Don’t forget to offer samples. Tasting is believing.
6. Show some class with nonalcoholics. Selling a Funky Monkey Piña Colada mocktail is a lot better than a zero tip tap water with ice and lemon. Name your sodas. “We offer Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite,” not “We offer Coke products.” And, don’t say “We offer juice.” Be specific. “We offer fresh-squeezed orange, as well as cranberry, pineapple, and apple juices.”
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BOB BROWN, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, www.bobbrownss.com, pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program and has worked with such clients as Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Nordstrom, Olive Garden, and Ritz Carlton. He works internationally with a number of prestigious hotels, including Burj Al Arab in Dubai. He has appeared on the Food Network and is author of bestselling The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. Contact Bob for speeches, workshops, breakouts, and executive retreats at 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2016. foodservicemonthly
DIDN’T WE SEE YOU AT... | Boston Seafood Show
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Aubrey M. Vincent Sales Manager, Lindy’s Seafood, Inc.
Na Petty Hollywood Oyster Company
Ron Buckhalt Director, Seafood Marketing ture Maryland Department of Agricul April_Seafood-Poultry_2019_v1.qxp_Layout 1 3/20/19 9:53 AM Page 1
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ABOUT TOWN | Lisa Keathley
When Randy Met Patsy — A “Great American” Love Story When Randy Norton first saw Patsy in geometry class at Fort Hunt High School in Alexandria, Va., little did either of them know it would lead to a lifetime of success — in both matrimony and the restaurant business. Their high school romance would lead to marriage in 1967, followed by five successful decades in the hospitality industry. Together, they built not only a family but Great American Restaurants (GAR), an enterprise with more than a dozen restaurants throughout greater D.C., including Carlyle, Coastal Flats, and Sweetwater Tavern.
And soon, there will be three more. That’s right. Patsy and Randy Norton are being honored by their three children and GAR as a recognition for what they have helped build together: Patsy’s American will open in May. Randy’s Prime Seafood & Steaks opens a month later, in June. The restaurants, like their namesakes, will be “coupled together” on Leesburg Pike in Tysons Corner, with Best Buns Bakery & Cafe (which has a sister location in Shirlington Village) opening next door.
But let’s step back to the beginning… In 1974, Randy Norton and Jim Farley opened Picco’s, a 16-table pizza place in Fairfax City, Va. At
4 | APRIL/MAY 2019
the time, it was noted as one of the best pizza spots in the D.C. area by the Washington Post. Fellow Fort Hunt High School alum and lifelong friend Mike Ranney joined the team a year later, and, with the opening of Fantastic Fritzbe’s Flying Food Factory (now Silverado) in 1976, Great American Restaurants was born. Fritzbe’s captured the hearts of the Annandale, Va. community with overflowing baskets of popcorn (so fun!), happy hours where a spin of a wheel determined drink prices, and desserts that Patsy Norton made herself in their home kitchen. In fact, in those early days, Patsy often waited tables, even when nine months pregnant!
A family affair Along the way, Patsy, Randy, and their restaurants have accrued all kinds of top honors — from best new restaurant to best chef to RAMW’s “Future of the Industry” award, along with several nods from Washingtonian magazine as a best place to work in the region. The enterprise now includes all three Norton children. Daughter Jill is vice president of construction and design. Son Jon is GAR’s CEO, and Chef Timmy, who inherited his mother’s love of cooking, helped create many of the dishes in the new restaurants.
The Norton Family
Patsy and Randy Norton on their wedding day
What will the new restaurants feature? About 75 percent of the offerings will be the same ones patrons have come to love over the years, as consistency is a hallmark of restaurants in the GAR group. Patsy’s American will have a fun back bar and even feature one of Patsy’s original lobster roll recipes — though Patsy herself won’t be baking the pastries anymore! Randy’s Prime Seafood & Steaks will debut as a 28-table restaurant, showcasing a raw bar, fresh seafood, prime and wagyu cuts, and an exceptional wine list that is being curated by Randy Norton himself.
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According to a quote in Northern Virginia Magazine, CEO Jon Norton said of his dad, “My father realized it would be his last project. He decided he wanted to have some fun.” Best Buns Bakery & Cafe will feature breads and pastries, of course, but will also offer to-go salads and sandwiches as part of the team’s entry into fast-casual eating.
High school romances rarely last. But this one has, indeed. Randy and Patsy’s “Great American” love story is still going strong…giving the region a romance — and soon to be 16 restaurants — for everyone to love. foodservicemonthly
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BITS & BITES | Lisa Keathley
United States of Pizza: Women’s Slice of the Pie Care to know what pizza ingredients work for your home state’s pizza? Here’s a partial list! Arizona: Pozole Pizza — hominy, pork, chilies, cabbage, queso fresco, and queso seco California: Cioppino Pizza — shrimp, mussels, tomatoes, onion, peppers, and Cioppino Moshe Zusman
Ruth Gresser Who knew pizza had a political side? Chef and restaurateur Ruth Gresser does! She and her five Pizzeria Paradiso restaurants have taken notice of the uptick in women in the U.S. Congress with a special pizza promotion called: “United States of Pizza: Women’s Slice of the Pie.” This weekly, rotating menu of state-themed pizzas highlights and honors female elected officials. “This menu is all about elevating the discussion of women’s leadership, and as a woman business owner in a very male-dominated industry, this is an important issue for me,” Gresser told FSM. “Women make up 50.8 percent of the U.S. population, and they have just reached 25 percent of our nation’s leadership,” she noted. The increase, of course, is due to the 2018 elections, which saw a record number of women running for and elected to office. Gresser — named a semi-finalist as Outstanding Restaurateur for the 2019 James Beard Awards — is no stranger to the political nature of the nation’s capital. “We offered a similar menu in November, ‘Political Pours and Pizzas,’ that recognized the record number of women running for office,” Gresser continued. “It was a very popular menu, and so many in the community loved the idea that we developed a new way to keep women in the spotlight. Frankly, we 6 | APRIL/MAY 2019
Photo: Reema Desai
didn’t want The Year of the Woman to end, and by recognizing the women who lead our nation, we’re keeping it going.”
She Should Run… On March 8, International Women’s Day, all Pizzeria Paradiso locations donated 100 percent of the day’s sales of a special Virginiathemed pizza to She Should Run, a nonprofit promoting female leadership and encouraging women to run for office. Honored during the promotion were newly elected Virginia Congresswomen Elaine Luria, Abigail Spanberger, and Jennifer Wexton. The ingredients for the Virginia pie? Virginia country ham, of course, along with cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, creamed corn, black-eyed peas, collard greens, and onions. The series is intended to be a celebration of bipartisan female leadership, Ruth Gresser explained, and the female politicians’ party affiliations are not listed on the menu. Arizona’s pizza, for example, highlighted Senators Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema and Congresswomen Ann Kirkpatrick and Debbie Lesko. Connecticut’s special pizza honored Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Jahana Hayes. New York’s pizza took
note of Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Carolyn Maloney, Elise Stefanik, Grace Meng, Kathleen Rice, Nita Lowey, Nydia Velázquez, and Yvette Clarke. It’s all about women in leadership, Gresser said, and not what party they represent.
Food traditions from each state In developing the pizzas for United States of Pizza, Ruth Gresser and her team have looked to many sources for inspiration. It might be an iconic dish from the state being represented, an ingredient (or ingredients) grown or produced in the state, or ancestral foods of a portion of the population of the state. “We create a pizza from what inspires us. By focusing on the varied food traditions of this country, we highlight both the diversity of our nation and how we unite at the table.” Ruth Gresser has run Pizzeria Paradiso for 27 years and is credited with popularizing craft beer and Neapolitan style pizza in D.C. and the region. The Women’s Slice of the Pie promotion runs through November. Pizzeria Paradiso locations are in Dupont Circle (2003 P St., NW), Georgetown (3282 M St., NW), Spring Valley (4850 Massachusetts
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Connecticut: New Haven Style Pizza — tomato sauce, mozzarella, and oregano Hawaii: Pineapple Farm Pizza — pineapple, prosciutto, red onion, fontina, and rosemary Illinois: Hot Dog Pizza — onion sauce , Chicago hot dogs, provolone cheese, and hot dog relish Massachusetts: Chowder Pizza — clams, bacon, potato, red onion, Béchamel sauce, parsley, and parmesan New York: Super Bowl Pizza — Buffalo tomato sauce, chicken, light gorgonzola, and fontina Rhode Island Pizza — clams, mussels, shrimp, tomato, peppers, onion, linguica, and gremolata Texas: Chile Pizza — beef (chuck) cooked in chile sauce, orange cheddar cheese, scallions, and cilantro with avocado Washington: Apple Orchard Pizza — apples, brussels sprouts, portabella mushrooms, red onion, thyme, and cheddar Ave., NW), Old Town Alexandria (124 King St.), and Hyattsville (4800 Rhode Island Ave.). Visit www. eatyourpizza.com and @eatyourpizza on social media for more details about the promotion and each week’s menu. foodservicemonthly
ASSOCIATION NEWS OCHMRA | Susan L. Jones
Expo 45 — a Grand Success! Thank you to all those who exhibited or attended our 45th Annual Spring Trade Expo in Ocean City in early March! With close to 5,000 attendees, 400 exhibit booths, and numerous educational sessions, the opportunities for learning and networking were endless. See photos of this year’s Expo on page 16. One noticeable trend was an increased interest in pre-cut produce, pre-made items, and everything else that would help reduce labor costs. Many folks were also shopping for carry-out packaging alternatives to styrofoam due to recent discussions in Annapolis. New this year, we’ll have a virtual trade expo up on our site for an entire year — easy access to all the great ideas! Stay tuned for the launch!
Make a date with delicious Raise your glass and let’s toast to spring! It’s that delicious time of year again as Ocean City Restaurant Week returns April 28 and runs through May 11. Member restaurants are feverishly working on their menus and creating tasty temptations sure to please any palate! This culinary celebration provides the opportunity for restaurant-goers to taste new dishes while visiting tried and true favorites. For participating restaurants and menus, visit www. OceanCityRestaurantWeek.com.
Inaugural Jellyfish Festival set for June Activity abounds during the summer in Ocean City, and our newest activity — the Jellyfish Festival — is set to take the stage June 21-23. The core of Jellyfish foodservicemonthly
is the Main Stage, right off the Boardwalk on Somerset Street beach, which will host three days and nights of top-level regional and national music acts. The historic Ocean Bowl Skatepark will also be utilized as a music venue, with Jellyfish tentacles extending throughout Ocean City to participating venues. Jellyfish will be much more than just music. Attendees will also find the Jellyfish Village just beside the main stage, with five blocks of interactive, family-friendly activities, including a beach fitness challenge, a skateboard and fat tire bicycle zone, a secondary music stage, as well as vendors and artists. Pro surfing contests and demos and FMX freestyle motocross shows will take place daily. The activities are free; however, the main music acts are ticketed. Weekend and daily passes will be available for the three-day event or for individual concerts through Ticketmaster. Check it out at: https://www.jellyfishfestival.com/.
Snowbird in Utah; Camp Woodward in Pennsylvania; Woodward West in California; and the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya Woodward in Mexico. The Ocean City WreckTangle will be the seventh location, and more locations, which are yet to
be announced, are on the way. The WreckTangle will be located on 3rd Street and Philadelphia Avenue. SUSAN L. JONES is the executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association.
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WreckTangle coming to OC! We are super excited about the partnership between Ocean City and Woodward, a playground for progressive sport experiences. Opening in late April and running through October, the Woodward WreckTangle is a proprietary ninja obstacle challenge course built for kids and adults and named after its rectangular shape. It is designed with an edge that only Woodward can create. Using the WreckTangle app, participants can compete with friends near and far, share videos of their run, and track their individual ninja athlete progression as they strive to be the fastest WreckTangle finisher in the galaxy. The Woodward WreckTangle first debuted in 2017 at Copper Mountain in Colorado. It has since expanded to include locations at Killington Resort in Vermont;
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ASSOCIATION NEWS RAMW | Kathy E. Hollinger
And the 2019 RAMMY Finalists Are… With the proverbial lights, camera, and action, not to mention a good deal of food, drink, glitz, and bling, the 2019 RAMMY finalists have been named. At a March 11 D.C. gathering at The Hamilton Live, I was delighted to announce the finalists, joined on stage by hosts, NBC News4 early morning co-anchors Eun Yang and Aaron Gilchrist. Winners will be announced at a black-tie gala on Sunday, June 30, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. We hope to see you there! The voting public will decide in four categories: Favorite Gathering Place, Upscale Brunch, Casual Brunch, and Favorite Fast Bites. Votes for can be cast online at www. nbcwashington.com/RAMMYS through Tuesday, April 30, at 5:00 p.m. The public categories and the finalists are:
Favorite Gathering Place of the Year: • • • • •
Duke’s Counter Open Road Perry’s Quarry House Tavern Vinoteca
Upscale Brunch of the Year: • • • • •
Estadio Seasons The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm The Source by Wolfgang Puck Unconventional Diner
Casual Brunch of the Year: • • • • •
Kalorama Photography
8 | APRIL/MAY 2019
Brookland’s Finest Bar & Kitchen Casolare Ristorante & Bar Compass Rose Bar + Kitchen Maketto The Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse
• Shouk • Taco Bamba Taqueria The rest of the winners will be chosen by an anonymous panel of volunteer judges, consisting of food and dining journalists, educators, and foodservice industry professionals. The finalists in those categories are:
Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year: • • • • •
Arcadia Farm Atlas Brew Works Ayrshire Farm Ivy City Smokehouse Logan Sausage Co.
New Restaurant of the Year: • • • • •
Chloe Kaliwa Poca Madre Spoken English St. Anselm
Cocktail Program of the Year: • • • • •
barmini by José Andrés Bresca Daikaya Petworth Citizen and Reading Room Royal
Beer Program of the Year: • • • • •
B Side Caboose Tavern Pizzeria Paradiso – Dupont Republic Roofers Union
Wine Program of the Year: • • • • •
Cork Wine Bar and Market Le Diplomate Maxwell Park minibar by José Andrés Trummer’s On Main
Favorite Fast Bites of the Year:
Rising Culinary Star of the Year:
• CHIKO • Little Red Fox • Rasa
• Javier Fernandez, Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly • Adam Howard, Blue Duck Tavern The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
• John MacPherson, Three Blacksmiths • Daniela Moreira, Call Your Mother Deli, Timber Pizza Company • Kwame Onwuachi, Kith and Kin
Employee of the Year: • Oscar Ardon, Doi Moi • Maria Contreras, Jaleo Crystal City • Valentine King, Hummingbird Bar and Kitchen • Eloy Juarez Alvarez, Mintwood Place • Fred Uku, The Red Hen
Manager of the Year: • Dave Delaplaine, Roofers Union • Sabrine Marques, PassionFish Bethesda • Donna Seal, Oceanaire • Richard Stewart, iRicchi Ristorante • Paris Twyman, Founding Farmers Tysons
Service Program of the Year: • • • •
Ambar – Clarendon Carlyle Grand Cafe Iron Gate Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, & Stone Crab • The Riggsby
Casual Restaurant of the Year: • • • • •
All Purpose – Shaw Bantam King Bindaas – Cleveland Park Maketto Royal
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: • • • • •
Centrolina Iron Gate Momofuku CCDC Sally’s Middle Name Sushi Taro
ASSOCIATION NEWS RAMW cont. page 23 foodservicemonthly
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APRIL/MAY 2019 | 9
ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM | Marshall Weston
Maryland Lawmakers Pass Final Version of Minimum Wage Legislation In late March, the Maryland General Assembly passed the final version of the long-debated minimum wage legislation. Because the House and Senate passed slightly different versions of this legislation, a special conference committee had to resolve differences and bring a compromise version back to the floor of each chamber for a final vote. The legislation passed both the House and Senate chambers by vetoproof majorities, which means that the legislature could easily override any veto. The phase-in schedule is based on the number of employees, including full-time and part-time. Employers with 15 or more employees will be required to pay the $15 per
hour minimum wage by January 1, 2025. Employers with 14 or fewer employees will have until July 1, 2026. This phase-in schedule does not apply in Montgomery County which has its own $15 minimum wage law and phase-in schedule. There were several additional components to the minimum wage bill that did not pass. The overwhelming turn-out of restaurant owners, managers, and employees who testified at the House and Senate Committee hearings, as well as industry emails and calls to lawmakers, led to the following changes: • Lawmakers removed language from the legislation that would have required automatic future
increases beyond $15 based on the consumer price index (CPI). • Employees under age 18 can be paid 85 percent of state minimum wage. The original bill contained no such exception for youth workers. • No change to tip wage — it stays at current $3.63. The original bill would have completely phased out the tip credit, requiring employers to also pay tipped employees $15 per hour. • Restaurants with tipped employees will be required to show effective hourly tip rate on wage statements. The proponents of the $15 wage for tipped employees “claim” that servers often make less than minimum
wage and that they are being taken advantage of. Numerous tipped employees showed up at the hearings to testify that this is not true. However, RAM requested this amendment in the legislation to ensure more transparency regarding what tipped employees actually earn per hour and to eliminate any doubt in the future. At the time of this article, Governor Hogan has neither signed or vetoed this bill, and, therefore, the final result is subject to change. If this legislation does become law, RAM will be sharing additional compliance information after DLLR provides guidance materials.
ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM cont. pg 16
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From the Sea | Tim Sughrue
Moondancers... Growing Oysters Indoors? When I heard there was an oyster farm in Maine growing oysters indoors, I had to see it to believe it. I have been on a lot of plant tours in my more than threedecades long seafood career, but none as impressive as the one I took in late March at Mook Sea Farms on the Damariscotta River in Walpole, Maine. It was like…oyster aquaculture meets NASA!
An indoor recirculating tank system... ...holds hundreds of thousands of oysters in trays like those shown above that allow oyster sales during “rain closures” and hard freezes. The oysters are stacked floor to ceiling with a 10-foot deep, 75,000-gallon oyster pool underneath the floor. Every aspect of an oyster’s life can be controlled in this room. It is absolutely mind blowing. I haven’t even scratched the surface of the technology used in this operation. The company bought a gigantic centrifuge and is creating its own high-quality frozen phytoplankton “paste” for sale to other hatcheries around the country. When you mix the paste in water, the little phytoplankton wake up and start swimming around as if nothing ever happened! Mook Sea Farms is “light years” ahead of any other oyster farm I have ever seen. I highly recommend a trip up there. But if that’s not possible, order some Moondancers and see for yourself!!!!
Owner Bill Mook with a prime specimen brood stock oyster Bill Mook started growing oysters in 1983, way back before anyone thought there was money in it. In the 35 years since, he has become one of the leading authorities in the country on oyster genetics, aquaculture, and ocean acidification. We drove three hours north of Boston, way up the snowy Maine coast, to a picturesque town on the Damariscotta River. Mook Sea Farms, located on the banks of the river, is a completely “vertically integrated company” — from spawning its own brood stock in its own lab on site, to feeding and growing the larvae until they are ready to set, to setting the larvae on microculch, and then maintaining complete control of the grow-out process until the oysters reach marketable size. What takes other farms in the area 30 months to grow a three-inch oyster, Mook is closing in on doing in just 12 months!! foodservicemonthly
Growing algae for oyster food Water enters the hatchery pumped directly from the Damariscotta River and is then filtered to remove any phytoplankton and zooplankton. That water is “gin clear” — perfect for growing oysters. The larvae are “set” on microscopic particles of oyster shells and then “screened” weekly to separate fast growers from slower growers. The oysters are fed a rich diet of phytoplankton daily, formulated and grown on site, and water is then forced up through the oysters in a process called “upwellers.” Looking closely at the “coke bottles” in which they are grown, one will see dark horizontal lines. Those are marks that show how much the oysters grow in one day!!! Mook Sea Farms specializes in producing deep cup oysters. The smaller ones, under three inches, are
One day’s growth marketed as “petites.” Bill says they sell like hotcakes, and he cannot keep enough of them in the house! We tried the Moondancers at the Eventide Restaurant in Portland, and the oysters were fat and delicious!
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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. He is a former research biologist for the Maryland DNR, has worked as a full-time commercial waterman, and has sold almost a billion dollars worth of seafood in his career. APRIL/MAY 2019 | 11
Cover Story | Lisa Keathley
CHEF CATINA SMITH
Daniel McGarrity
PROMOTING DIVERSITY IN EVERY KITCHEN
Chef Catina Smith puts on the finishing touches
12 | APRIL/MAY 2019
“I want to be great!” says Catina Smith…as in a great chef. Not a female chef. Not a black chef. A great chef! And she is trying to do what it takes to get there…opening doors for herself — and for others — along the way. Born in Bethesda, Chef Cat, as she is now known, always liked cooking as a kid. She didn’t follow in the footsteps of a mom or grandmother who cooked. Instead, “I was just naturally drawn to it,” she says. She watched the Food Network and, by high school, realized that she “had a passion for cooking and could do that as a career.” After attending culinary school, the young chef took her first job in the industry at an Irish pub in Baltimore, where she prepared side salads and desserts. “I was about 18,” she notes, “and I was the only black person in the kitchen.” It was a new — and sometimes difficult — experience. “I was unaware of what a kitchen culture would be like. It was not like culinary school at all. When I was working there, I didn’t know what to expect.”
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Dismal statistics
As noted in the Baltimore Sun, nationally, only 16.4 percent of chefs and head cooks identify as black or African-American while roughly 20 percent of all chefs and head cooks are women. This, according to 2017 data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But as Chef Cat points out, once a dish is served, the patron has no idea who prepared it…whether black, white, Hispanic, Asian, male, female, or any combination thereof. Changing the statistics is one of Catina Smith’s goals, and it’s a goal shaped, in part, by some of the many life lessons she learned in her early cooking days. Among them, how to roll with the punches. “A kitchen has no memory,” she says. “You have to come in with fresh eyes. Every day is a new day to start fresh.” Smith started fresh as a sous chef at the newly opened Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, and she quickly learned it was nothing like culinary school foodservicemonthly
Below: Chef Cat with some of her cooking students at The Food Project in Baltimore
Daniel McGarrity
Above: Catina Smith (second from left) with Baltimore restaurant owners (L-R) Felicia Covel Rami (Xquisite Catering), Heather Smith (Blacksmith’s Cafe), and Taueret Thomas (Khepera’s Kitchen) either. “That was nuts!” she exclaims. “I worked 17 hours a day for a month.” A stint as executive chef at a pastry cafe and then in the cafeteria at an all-women’s college followed. During these experiences, she came to learn the importance of a mentor. “Mentorship is so necessary!” she says.
Mentorship came… …in the form of Chef Mark Levy, executive chef of Magdalena in Baltimore’s Ivy Hotel. “I saw a post on Instagram from Chef Mark that he was hiring. I didn’t think I was qualified, but it was posted twice so I thought it was a sign.” Smith went in for a cooking test. “I cooked eggs four ways. Chef Mark said, ‘this is not how we do it,’ but I guess he liked my energy and hired me anyway.” Under Mark Levy’s eagle eye, Chef Cat says she totally changed how she cooks. “I’m more disciplined now. I care more about how I set up my station. Working my way up, I did not have that guidance. I was just thrown in the fire. I respect Mark Levy so much and am so disciplined because of him.” The experience at Magdalena showed Chef Cat that she wanted to pursue her career in fine dining. “I didn’t start there originally, but I’m pursuing my career at the finer foodservicemonthly
end of the cooking spectrum.” She is currently a line cook at the newly opened Alexander Brown Restaurant in downtown Baltimore. Among the lunch items she prepares are octopus and chicken liver pâté appetizers, ricotta gnocchi, duck confit, and salmon with black rice congee. “Hopefully, I will help create new meals down the road.”
Giving back, looking forward In her “spare” time, Cat Smith has finished a master’s degree and regularly gives back to the community. Three years ago, she started the Baltimore Chef Alliance, which brings together chefs for “industry night” meet ups. She has been a leading force behind Eat Black Baltimore, a food expo and mini emporium that focuses on black restaurants and food businesses. She pops in to cook for and help train young people at The Food Project and Black Girls Cook, two Baltimore non-profits that teach inner-city youth how to cook. She often serves as a panelist for SheChef, a professional networking organization to promote equality and diversity for women in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. And she even created a calendar highlighting black female chefs from Baltimore. That sparked the Just Call Me Chef initiative, which
provides mentorship, internships, and professional opportunities for women of color. “I just kind of became a resource for people and a connector to direct them here and there. By me being a black woman chef, I try to see how I can help the people in my own group and beyond.”
Advice for others “I wish growing up that I’d had a mentor. Representation is so important. There are so many stereotypes around black chefs that involve soul food. That’s all I saw. If you want fine dining, how do you find someone who looks like you? Find a mentor to help and guide you.” Chef Cat adds that, knowing what she knows now, “I wouldn’t go to culinary school. I would just go ask a chef. Hands on training is key. Books, videos, a chef will teach you everything you need to know. As a black women, it’s sad, but you have
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to be, you HAVE to be twice as good as others because we are a double minority. You must always be on top of your game.”
At the end of the day… …why does Chef Cat cook? “I do it because I love it and not just for a paycheck.” She notes that in the world of social media, anyone can claim to be a chef, with beautiful photos and a great social persona. “What people don’t recognize,” she says, “is the nitty gritty of it. It’s hard and stressful. It’s long hours. You are burning yourself, and cutting yourself, and not seeing your family. Real chefs do it for passion. It takes a special kind of person to be a chef.” Indeed, it takes a special kind of person to be a chef and even more dedication to become a great chef. Chef Catina Smith is striving for that goal, and she is creating opportunities for a more diverse kitchen community along the way. APRIL/MAY 2019 | 13
ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA | Robert Melvin
2019 General Assembly Update … Burdensome Mandates on Restaurateurs Stopped in Virginia Legislature Another hectic, short Virginia General Assembly session has adjourned. The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association and our members were successful in defeating many measures that would adversely affect restaurants in the Commonwealth. These proposals ranged from establishing new employer mandates and levying restrictions on plastic products to exempting food trucks from local license taxes and amending Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) laws.
Employer Mandates Numerous proposals to establish new, burdensome labor requirements for employers were introduced. A
handful of them, such as HB2120, and SB1639, would have created a paid family and medical leave program in the state that would be funded through payroll taxes on both employees and employers. HB2261 took a different approach by mandating employers to provide paid family and medical leave to staff. In addition, HB2130 was an attempt to require employees be provided paid time off to vote. Minimum wage and tipped wage legislation also garnered significant attention this year. Several bills — HB1850, HB2157, SB1017, and SB1200 — sought to increase the minimum wage to a rate of either $10.10 or $15 per hour. One
legislator introduced HB2631 in an attempt to allow localities in Virginia to adopt any minimum wage increase above the current Virginia threshold of $7.25 per hour. Legislation specifically targeting the tipped wage was considered as well. HB1757 sought to change the tipped employee classification, the HB2195 would have increased the tipped wage from $2.13 per hour to $6 per hour. All of these bills addressing employer mandates were defeated in committee. However, SB1200, which would have imposed a $15 minimum wage requirement on businesses, did advance to the Senate floor, where it failed by a single vote.
Plastic Bags and Straws Bills that would impact the use of plastic products were introduced in the House and Senate. A common theme among the proposals — HB1669, HB2095, SB1070, and SB1116 — is the authorization of local governments to enact taxes on plastic bags, but HB2095 went even further. It would have allowed for the local prohibition of not only plastic bags, but other plastic products such as plastic straws. All these bills were defeated in committee.
Food Trucks Legislation that created an unequal application of licensing taxes between restaurants and food trucks has been sent to the governor for his review. The bill, SB1425, would require new food truck owners to only pay the license tax in the locality where the food truck is registered, but would exempt them from paying license tax in any other jurisdiction in which the truck would operate. The exemption would apply for two years, after which the food truck would be required to pay the license tax in any jurisdiction where it engages in business. Moreover, this measure would allow a food truck operator to exempt up to three food trucks from the license tax in other localities. The 14 | APRIL/MAY 2019
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proposal would put new brick and mortar restaurants at a competitive disadvantage to new food trucks.
ABC Alcohol Beverage Control issues remained a hot topic again during the General Assembly session. Bills to scale back the restrictions on alcohol sale in dry counties were passed by both chambers. HB1905 would allow a greater number of establishments in dry jurisdictions to serve mixed beverages. In addition, both HB2634 and SB1110 amend the referendum process governing the sale of mixed beverages by “dry” counties. It does this by changing the requirement that a locality must initiate a referendum to go “wet” rather than require that a locality must instead initiate one to go “dry,” thereby turning existing “dry” counties into “wet” ones. As you may know, the Mixed Beverage Annual Review has attracted significant interest the past several years in the General Assembly, and this year was no different. Legislators took another swipe at attempting to change the MBAR ratio in SB1242, but the adjustments sought by the bill’s sponsor caused significant opposition from the restaurant industry, which ultimately led to the measure’s defeat. Big changes were made to Virginia’s happy hour laws this legislative session. Two companion bills — HB2367 and SB1726 — would expand a restaurant’s ability to promote happy hours. The measures go as far as permitting restaurants to advertise the prices of featured alcoholic beverages and use creative marketing techniques, so long as the efforts don’t induce overconsumption by patrons or consumption by minors. The proposals were passed by both chambers and have been signed into law by Governor Northam. ROBERT MELVIN is director of government affairs for VRLTA. foodservicemonthly
MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS | Henry Pertman
Beyond Great Food: Tips to Make Your Restaurant or Bar THE Place to Be With so many options for grabbing a bite to eat or enjoying drinks with friends, how can you make your place THE place in the neighborhood? For most, the first answer is to offer a fantastic selection of menu items, cooked to perfection. But, let’s assume your location is surrounded by other restaurants that fit those criteria. What do you do?
First, start with the basics. Your place must be clean. In fact, it should be impressively clean and well equipped, with spotless bathrooms, floors, and tables. Customers notice. Check out your competition, and you’ll no doubt find most lacking in one way or another. Be better.
Second, and this may tie for first… …have the right folks working for you. This is easier said than done. In fact, it’s always a work in progress. Here are some hints to help you make it happen: • You are only as good as your weakest link. You want experienced employees who know your culture, menu, and customers. But, don’t let that experience come at the cost of sacrificing attitude and service. Make it a point to weed out employees who can’t deliver both. Employees who can’t bring a positive attitude and good service might be the employees your customers will complain about and will most definitely cause poor reviews. • ABI: Always Be Interviewing. One of the worst things you can do is wait to interview candidates for a position that you need to fill immediately. This often does not allow enough time to draw the best applicants, and, as a result, you may hire a less-than-ideal candidate. This applies to many foodservicemonthly
positions, regardless if it is a line, service, or manager job. Make Mondays “Interview Mondays,” and have a funnel of qualified candidates you can call back when the need arises. • Check those references. Always. If you do not validate employment history, you may be disappointed with your staff. • Never forget: You’re in a service business. Don’t hire a prospect who doesn’t smile, laugh, and exude engagement during an interview. Sure, you may miss a diamond in the rough, but one can rarely teach an employee to smile, be friendly, and be engaging. Remind yourself of this before every interview.
network or cooking shows. This will deepen the sensory engagement during mealtime. • Customers love a good tasting. Work with your vendors to offer regular wine and food tastings. Encourage vendors to provide samples to your customers while requiring those customers to pay for the restaurant promotion. Vendors should benefit from the customer feedback, and you can determine the attractiveness of adding the item to the menu and also better estimate pricing. • Make special occasions memorable — for both you and your customer. When someone has a birthday party at your establishment, require that the celebrants pay for
their cake, but give them a gift box with an appropriate gift card and a personal birthday greeting. Provide each guest at that party with a $5 gift card for a next visit. How’s that for a tale to tell friends or to post on social media? And, of course, the gift cards should increase customer visits. For more great ideas, please get in touch. I’d love to help. HENRY PERTMAN is director of Hospitality Consulting at CohnReznick LLP, located in the firm’s Baltimore, Maryland office. He can be contacted at 410-783-4900 or henry. pertman@cohnreznick.com.
• Train, train, train. Once you have a staff of friendly, caring, and positive employees, set up your employees for success. Create manuals, checklists, rules, and regulations. The clear direction that these guidelines provide makes for happier employees who are more efficient and effective in executing their jobs.
So, you’ve set the stage… …with great food, a wonderful ambiance, and engaging employees. Now, you can focus on further enhancing the customer experience. To do this, you must thoroughly understand your target customers to best assess how to enrich their visit. Let’s assume that your objective is to help your customers have fun, without sacrificing profitability. Here are a few suggestions: • Make the bar a hopping place. Happy hours should be killer great. Make them a good value, and you’ll see increased food sales. • Use those flat screens to maximum effect. If the local football team isn’t playing, show the food
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APRIL/MAY 2019 | 15
DIDN’T WE SEE YOU AT... | The OC Expo
Photos: Lisa Silber
ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM cont. from page 10
First ever Foodie Fest! For the first time ever, RAM is hosting a food festival. It’s scheduled for Saturday, June 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. The Maryland Foodie Fest will showcase RAM restaurant members — offering a sampling of unique and upscale dishes, beer and wine 16 | APRIL/MAY 2019
tastings from local breweries and wineries, live music all day from bands such as The Rockets and The Kelly Bell Band, and family friendly activities, hosted by Phillips Seafood. Additional food trucks, food vendors, artisans, crafters, and exhibitors will offer attendees even more engagement during the festival. Partnering with the World Food Championships (WFC), this Harford County festival is the first of its kind in the state. It will offer three sanctioned food competitions where
both professional and home cooks will be able to go head-to-head to create their signature dishes in three categories — Burger, Seafood, and Chili. Winners of each of the competitions will win a significant cash prize. Each first place winner will also receive tickets to represent Maryland in the WFC, held this October in Dallas, TX. The Chili competition will also feature a people’s choice tasting category where festival goers (with their chili tasting ticket) can sample the
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competitors’ dishes and vote for their favorite. RAM is still accepting applications for vendors, participants, competitors, and event sponsors for Maryland Foodie Fest. To learn more about this event or to get involved visit marylandfoodiefest. com or contact Kim Schlosser at kschlosser@marylandrestaurants. com. MARSHALL WESTON is executive director of Restaurant Association of Maryland.
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WHINING ’N DINING | Randi Rom
A New Team Arrives at Hotel Revival Coming soon
Dara Bunjon, Dara Does It
Rye Street Cerviche Max Franz Photography
Chef Hines Hotel Revival, a Joie de Vivre, boutique hotel located in historic Mount Vernon, named Scott Hines as the new executive chef and Lindsay Chapon as the director of food and beverage. The two will collaborate to bring new life to the hotel’s F&B program, which includes Topside, Square Meal, and B-Side Cocktails and Karaoke, as well as private events and room service. Chef Hines’ passion for the culinary world dates back to his pre-teen years when he learned the ins and outs of the kitchen at a Philadelphia restaurant where his father was a chef. Since then, Chef Hines has worked several positions, including his most recent position as executive chef at Baltimore’s B&O American Brasserie, where he led the culinary team for the past three years. Prior to that, Hines was the chef de cuisine at Monogram Hospitality. And, in 2015, he took home $14,000 as a winner on Food foodservicemonthly
Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Lindsay Chapon’s most recent position was director of food and beverage at Renaissance Hotels in Charlotte, N.C. She received a Bachelor of Science in finance and hospitality and tourism management from Virginia Tech and has an associate degree in culinary arts from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
What’s happening Points South Latin Kitchen in Fells Point has enjoyed such great success with its Sunday drag brunch that it has introduced Drag Dinners, which will take place every second Sunday of the month. The restaurant features South American cuisine with a modern twist. And it’s gluten-free. https://www. pointssouthbaltimore.com/. I recently visited Rye Street Tavern in Port Covington. Located next to the Sagamore Spirit Distillery, this industrial-chic property is comfy
and welcoming and features bilevel dining rooms, a seafood/raw bar, and a cool outdoor space with Adirondack chairs and fire pits overlooking the Patapsco River. The menu showcases new American/ mid-Atlantic comfort foods. Look for live music and cool special events as the weather warms up. http:// ryestreettavern.com/.
Open for biz Orto (Italian for vegetable garden) opened in the former Bottega space at Station North on Charles Street. Taking the helm in the kitchen is Executive Chef Stefano Porcile, formerly of Chez Hugo and Colette. He has created an array of veggiecentric Italian dishes. https://www. ortobaltimore.com//. Michael’s Café, the popular Timonium restaurant, opened a second location in White Marsh. The eatery offers contemporary American fare and is known for its crab cakes, mules, crushes, and live music. https://www.michaelscafe.com/.
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This summer, the folks who brought you Tagliata, Ouzo Bay, and Azumi — The Atlas Restaurant Group — will open Maximón, a new Latin concept in the Wit & Wisdom space in the Four Seasons Baltimore. The dining room will be 8,000 square feet, with an additional 125-seats in an outside courtyard. There will also be a private tequila tasting room. No confirmation on an opening date at this time. A new, fine dining restaurant, The Civil, is set to open this spring in the space formerly occupied by Warehouse, 518 in Mt. Vernon. https://www.thecivil.online/. NextAct Cinema opened in Pikesville as an independent boutique theater where guests can wine and dine in comfy leather reclining chairs while watching their fave flicks. The 3,000-square-foot facility (which initially operated from 1938 to 1984, and later reopened from 2013 to 2016) underwent extensive renovations, including a new concession area with digital menu screens and the addition of a lobby bar. While seated, guests can order wine, beer, artisanal popcorn, candy, and/or a gourmet meal prepared by the adjacent Pikes Cinema Bar and Grill — and have it all delivered by the theater’s wait staff. https://www. nextactcinema.com/about. RANDI ROM is a Baltimore special events planner, marketing and public relations maven, freelance writer, and head of R.J. Rom & Associates. Have a hot scoop? Contact Randi via e-mail at: randirom@ comcast.net or by phone at: 443-691-9671. APRIL/MAY 2019 | 17
CULINARY CORRESPONDENT | Celeste McCall
Annie’s Paramount Garners James Beard Classic Award Annie’s Paramount Steak House, the down-home, 70-year-old familyowned Dupont Circle mainstay, is among five recipients of the James Beard Foundation’s 2019 America’s Classics Award. The honor is presented to locally owned restaurants with “timeless appeal… cherished for quality food reflecting the character of their community.” This year’s winners will be honored at the annual James Beard Awards Gala May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. “In an industry where longevity is quite an achievement, it is important to honor and celebrate the establishments that have stood the test of time,” said Clare Reichenbach, James Beard Foundation CEO. “The restaurants provide not only wonderful culinary experiences but are also important and enduring pillars in their communities.”
Annie’s was founded as... ...the Paramount Steak House in 1948 by first-generation GreekAmerican George Katinas and his five sisters. Annie and Sue, two of George’s sisters, worked behind the bar and were huge draws for many repeat patrons throughout the years. George renamed the restaurant Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse in the early 1960s in honor of Annie’s devotion to her customers. Annie Kaylor presided over her namesake restaurant for more than a
half century, until her death in 2013 at the age of 85. After Annie passed away, D.C.’s Mayor Vincent Gray named a section of a close-by street after her. Founder George Katinas died a year later at 96, and his son and Annie’s nephew, Paul, 59, now runs Annie’s. “The James Beard Award is a testament to our family, dedicated employees, and loyal customers,” said Paul Katinas. “It’s a wonderful honor.”
Reasons for long-time success… By the early 1960s, Annie’s had earned a reputation for moderately priced steaks, prime rib, juicy burgers, wedge salads, and creamof-crab soup. Annie’s has also been a welcoming haven for Washington’s gay community, supporting many LGBTQ causes throughout the years. “Being family run also has a lot to do with it because Annie’s became a part of everybody’s life, and they (family members) made a good living,” Paul Katinas told me and my husband Peter on a recent visit. “I have worked in every part of the restaurant since I was 12.” Annie’s now employs about 30 people full time, plus 15 part-timers. In 1985, Annie’s moved a few blocks to its current location at 1609 17th Street, NW.
Annie’s most popular menu items? Hand-cut steaks. “We like to control quality and portion size,”
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Steak salad, a favorite at Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse Katinas explained, adding that he purchases the beef from Halpern Steak and Seafoods in Baltimore. Seated at the convivial bar, Peter and I enjoyed a generous sirloin steak salad. The steak was perfectly cooked, medium rare as requested. Annie’s Kent Island offshoot on the Eastern Shore opened in 1992 and is operated by Paul’s uncle Mike Katinas. The menu is similar to the Dupont Circle Annie’s, but it also includes crab cakes, oyster stew, and other seafoods. Located at 500 Kent Island N, Grasonville, Maryland, the Eastern Shore Annie’s is a popular stop off point for summertime beachgoers. Established in 1990, the James
Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and furthers the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders. Only two other Washington restaurants have claimed the America’s Classics title: Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street, NW and the now defunct CF Folks. Open daily, Annie’s Dupont Circle is located at 1609 17th St. NW; call 202-232-0395 or visit www. anniesparamountdc.com/. CELESTE MCCALL is a Washington, D.C. food and travel writer. Contact her at 202547-5024 or by email at cmccall20003@ gmail.com.
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.
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Tell them you saw it in Foodservice Monthly Acme Paper.............................................................. 23 Barter Services ....................................................... 14 Bi-Lingual Hospitality............................................... 23 Congressional Seafood............................................. 9
18 | APRIL/MAY 2019
Gourmet Kitchen........................................................ 5 Itek Construction...................................................... 19 JJ McDonnell............................................................ 10 Maryland Dept. of Agriculture....... Inside Back Cover Maryland Food Center Authority............................. 21 Martin Bamberger .................................................. 19
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Oceana....................................................................... 1 Performance Foodservice ........................Back Cover RAM EF..................................................................... 15 Restaurant Depot ..................................................... 3 Saval Foods....................................Inside Front Cover Tech 24....................................................................... 7
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BALTI-MORE | Dara Bunjon
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Head brewer Hollie Stephenson Hollie Stephenson spent a lot of time in Washington, D.C. as a lobbyist…but her passion was beer. A shift in careers took her to Brew Lab in Sunderland, England to up her game in brewing. She then went on to working as a brewmaster in Asheville, N.C., the place with more brewers per capita than anywhere else in America. (Who knew?) From there, she moved to take her current position as head brewer at Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore’s Halethorpe/Relay industrial area. Guinness Blonde is Hollie’s baby. She and her team have improved and refined this crisp, golden beer, which has a lively effervescence, aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, along with a cracker-bread malt flavor. It is one of four beers brewed foodservicemonthly
at the only Guinness U.S. locale, along with a number of other experimental beers on tap. Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House is home to the taproom, 1817 Restaurant, and a large patio for al fresco dining. Coming soon, the Guinness Food Truck. Optional tastings and guided tours are available. Check the website www. guinnessbrewerybaltimore.com for hours. The new brewery is the first Guinness presence on U.S. soil since 1954 and the first ever purposebuilt Guinness brewery in American history. The business is located on the site of the first Maryland distillery opened after Prohibition. 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.
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APRIL/MAY 2019 | 19
THE LATEST DISH | Linda Roth
Even More to Love near Nats Park! Chef updates
Atlas Brew Works
1500 South Cap Lager Northeast D.C.-based Atlas Brew Works will open a second location at 1201 Half Street, SE in the Navy Yard near Nationals Park. It will feature a small brewing capacity of 2,000 barrels, as well as a kitchen for an in-house food program, punctuating the point that it’s a brewery rather than a brewpub. It will offer indoor and outdoor seating, as well as 12 draft lines, including small-batch beers and special releases unique to the Navy Yard. It is slated to open in Q2 2020. Atlas and baseball at Nats Park have been a team since they rolled out a local beer partnership in 2014. Atlas sells its beers at its District Drafts carts and elsewhere in the stadium, and even brews a Nationals partnership beer, the 1500 South Cap Lager, named after the address of Nats Park.
Quick hits Buzzard Point Fish House is slated to open in Southwest D.C. where the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers converge in the burgeoning Capitol Riverfront area in Q3 2020. It’s 20 | APRIL/MAY 2019
owned and operated by Greg Casten of Profish and his partners who brought you Ivy City Smokehouse. Poke It Up plans to open its second location in Arlington at 4401 N. Fairfax Drive in Ballston. Dio Montero and Mirna Alvarado, the restaurateurs who brought you Taqueria Habanero, will open Tequila y Mezcal at 3475 14th Street, NW, just down the street from Taqueria Habanero. The 40-seat restaurant will feature foods from regions around Mexico. Nephew Israel Montero will join them in this new venture, heading up the bar program — which will focus on agave spirits as well as aguardiente, bourbon, and rum from Veracruz. After a significant renovation to Marriott North Bethesda Conference Center, Chef Jay Redington has revamped the menu for the hotel’s new restaurant, Corby Kitchen, named after the Corby Mansion, one of the first planned suburbs in the U.S. Jay is from South Florida, so lots of seafood is on the menu, as well as smoked meats. He will also oversee the conference center’s banquet food and beverage offerings.
Rakesh Singh has been tapped to lead the kitchen at Rasika West End under the direction of Group Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam. Singh hails from Patna, the northeast region of India. He most recently served as the executive chef of the Westin Hyderabad Mindspace in Telangana, India. Danny Meyer, of New York-based Union Square Hospitality Group, plans to open a new full-service restaurant and rooftop bar concept in the riverfront Thompson Hotel, coming to the Yards Development (Tingey and Third Streets, SE) near Nationals Park. He plans to open two more restaurants in D.C. at the Capitol Crossing development on Massachusetts Avenue, NW.
Sweet Lime Studios
Nick Freshman Nick Freshman, of Mothersauce Partners, is slated to open The Freshman in 2020 at 2011 Crystal Drive — a block from Amazon’s HD2 complex. The 120-seat restaurant will seat 50 on the outdoor patio. Mothersauce Partners also operates The Eleanor, Spider Kelly’s, and Takoma Beverage Company. Dauphine’s is slated to open at Midtown Center in D.C. in Q4 2019. The New Orleans-themed concept is owned and operated by Long Shot Hospitality, with chef/owner Kyle Bailey at the helm. Dauphine’s will
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partner with New Orleans-based Cure Co. owner Neal Bodenheimer and bar director Ryan Gannon to develop the beverage program. Nick Stefanelli, of Masseria and Officina, is working on a concept by Carr Properties at Midtown Center, where The Washington Post was. He will also manage a lobby bar at another Carr Properties site, 1615 L Street, NW, which was renovated and rebranded as The Hub, with lots of common area for people to congregate.
Just opened Dave & Buster’s opened a fourth location in this region at Fair Oaks Mall on March 25, joining the three existing locations in Springfield, Va. and in Capitol Heights and Silver Spring, Md. Scott Drewno and Danny Lee opened their second ChiKo location, in Dupont Circle at 2029 P Street, NW. The 28-seat fast/ fine-casual operation differs from the Capitol Hill location in that it is open for lunch. It will also have the fourseat tasting counter. Friendship Macaron Café just opened at 2434 18th Street, NW in Adams Morgan where The Phoenix used to be. The eatery serves creative pastries — including a dessert cake called a dacquoise, a pastry made with layers of almond meringue and whipped cream or buttercream on a buttery biscuit base. A dacquoise is slightly less sweet than a macaron, which the café also makes in very creative flavors, along with whoopie pies, scones, and tarts, too. Bistro Sancerre opened in Old Town, Alexandria at 1725 Duke Street, from the folks who brought you Grand Cru Wine Bar in Arlington. LINDA ROTH is president of Linda Roth Associates, Inc., specializing in marketing, promotions, and publicity in the hospitality industry. Contact Linda at 202-888-3571 or linda@lindarothpr.com, or visit her website at www.lindarothpr.com. foodservicemonthly
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.
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APRIL/MAY 2019 | 21
LOCAL COOKS | Alexandra Greeley
Vered Guttman — Showcasing Israeli Cuisine Roasted Chicken in Pomegranate and Date Molasses Recipe by chef and food writer Vered Guttman @veredguttman. Vered Guttman notes that both date and pomegranate molasses are available at Middle Eastern and kosher supermarkets. During roasting, it is crucial to baste the chicken to keep it moist — don’t skip this step. Serves 6
Vared Guttman As a native of Israel, Vered Guttman brings to her Washington, D.C. life her cultural perspective. She works as a chef and cooking teacher for the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in the Chinatown area of the city. There, she hosts events and serves up Israeli dishes that showcase her background and Israel’s ever-evolving cuisine. “I was born and raised in Israel,” Guttman said. “I grew up in Revohot, a town that is 20 minutes south of Tel Aviv, and I also lived in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.” She added that most of her family and friends still live in Tel Aviv, where she visits annually. She came to the U.S. some years ago when her husband was posted here for his job with Israeli public TV and radio. Although not a trained chef, Guttman said her mother and her grandmother taught her some typical local dishes. “My parents’ generation did not do fusion cooking, but they would serve on one table several unique dishes from all over the Jewish diaspora,” she said.
A fusion of flavors The Israeli culinary phenomenon has become the “big boom” in modern cuisine. Israel is a country of immigrants from North Africa, Iraq, 22 | APRIL/MAY 2019
Iran, Turkey, and Eastern Europe, she said. What evolved was a fusion of all these different cuisines from the Jewish diaspora. What has become “traditional” Israeli food really developed about 70 years ago. The country’s culinary turning point began in the 1990s, when young Israeli chefs created a unique, completely Israeli cuisine. “It was very nontraditional,” Guttman said. “It began with such a huge immigration of Jews from around the world, mainly in the 1940s and the 1950s. By the 1990s, the young generations started cooking homeland foods and started to mix cuisines, making wonderful, beautiful recipes from all over.” Doing that, these chefs created the “fusion cuisine.” Guttman’s mother’s family was Polish, and her father’s was Iraqi. “Think of that combination,” she said. Take falafel, a dish (most people identify as Israeli) that is popular all over the Levant. “But we serve it in a very unique way. In Israel, we use a variety of salads from the diaspora, and we make ours with chickpeas and not fava beans,” she said. In addition, Israelis use a Palestinian spicy sauce, fried eggplant, and a pickled mango from Iraqi Jews.
• • • • •
1⁄2 cup date molasses 1⁄4 cup pomegranate molasses 1⁄3 cup olive oil Kosher salt 2 pounds halved baby potatoes, or golden potatoes cut into 2-inch cubes • 6 chicken thighs • 6 chicken drumsticks
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with oil. Mix the date molasses, pomegranate molasses, olive oil,
From there to here “All my friends and I wanted to open a restaurant there,” Guttman said. “For me to move here, I wanted to have something to do with food.” She described her move as a classic immigrant’s story, as she had no working visa. Besides, the couple only planned to be in Washington for several years. But as their assignment lengthened, friends advised her to start cooking from home and to sell the food. She discovered that working as a caterer was far more challenging than she thought. After 12 years of private catering, Guttman started working at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, where she can showcase her cooking talents. “Here I work in only one place and one kitchen and make a new menu every time with what I prefer to cook,” she said. ”We have a few
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and two teaspoons kosher salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl, and mix until it is well covered with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Put the potatoes in the prepared roasting pan in one layer, spray with oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and roast for 20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and carefully arrange the chicken on top of the potatoes, skin side up. Drizzle any marinade from the bowl over the chicken. Roast for 50 to 55 minutes, basting the chicken four times during roasting, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Remove from oven, cover lightly with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve right away.
community meals a month. We sometimes hold other events such as holy days celebrations. I also do cooking classes featuring Israeli cuisine.” She explained that the synagogue’s mission is to bring the young into the faith by learning this cuisine. “We try to keep it fun and fresh,” she said. “We also use healthful ingredients.” The chicken recipe above exemplifies Vered Guttman’s culinary — and Israeli — creativity. ALEXANDRA GREELEY has more than 25 years of experience as an author, editor, reporter, food critic, staff writer, and freelance writer and editor, both in the United States and Asia. She is author or co-author of several cookbooks, including The Everything Guide to Being Vegetarian, Asian Soups, Stews, & Curries, Nong’s Thai Kitchen, and Homestyle Vietnamese Cooking. foodservicemonthly
ASSOCIATION NEWS RAMW cont. from page 8
Pastry Chef of the Year:
Fufills All Maryland Health Department Requirements
• Fabrice Bendano, Le Diplomate • Ana Deshaies, Unconventional Diner • Pichet Ong, Brothers and Sisters, Spoken English • Paola Velez, Iron Gate • Meagan Tighe, Trummer’s On Main
Recommended by: Coastal Sunbelt Produce, Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Foodservice Monthly, MICROS, PFG, RAMW & SAVAL
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: • • • • •
Blue Duck Tavern BOURBON STEAK Rasika The Source by Wolfgang Puck Trummer’s On Main
ACME PAPER & SUPPLY
Chef of the Year: • Kyle Bailey, The Salt Line • David Deshaies, Unconventional Diner • Marjorie Meek-Bradley, St. Anselm • Russell Smith, The Source by Wolfgang Puck • Nicholas Stefanelli, Masseria, Officina
Restaurateur of the Year: • Victor Albisu, Poca Madre, Taco Bamba Taqueria • Jackie Greenbaum & Gordon Banks, Bar Charley, El Chucho, Little Coco’s, Quarry House Tavern • Michael Friedman, Mike O’Malley, Colin McDonough, Gareth Croke, Red Stone • Rose Previte, Compass Rose Bar + Kitchen, Maydan • Daisuke Utagawa, Katsuya Fukushima, and Yama Jewayni, Daikaya Group RAMW will also honor two additional members with the Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year, presented to an Allied member who best exemplifies commitment to and support of RAMW, and the Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award, given for dedication and leadership that has helped transform Washington’s restaurant scene into today’s vibrant restaurant industry. These awards are determined by RAMW’s Executive Committee. The foodservicemonthly
• Restaurant Equipment & Smallwares • Sustainable Foodservice Packaging • Janitorial Equipment & Green Cleaning Supplies Duke Zeibert Award recipient is announced each year in April. The Joan Hisaoka finalists are:
Visit us at the OCHMRA show Booth #’s 505, 506, & 507
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: • • • • •
Coastal Sunbelt Produce Congressional Seafood Co. Saval Foodservice TriMark Adams-Burch The Veritas Law Firm
For more information regarding the awards, to purchase tickets, and to find out about sponsorship opportunities, email therammys@ ramw.org or call 202-331-5990. KATHY E. HOLLINGER is president and CEO of RAMW.
www.acmepaper.com 800.462.5812 Toll Free 410.792.2333 Baltimore 301.953.3131 Washington SERVING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 70 YEARS
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APRIL/MAY 2019 | 23
FSM NEWS | Lisa Keathley
Patrick O’Connell Wins JBF Lifetime Achievement Award the years. I’m living proof that you can hide out in a mountain village with a population of 133 and still be discovered and recognized by your peers. The power of good food should never be underestimated.”
The Inn at Little Washington
Patrick O’Connell Patrick O’Connell, a five-time James Beard Award winner, 3-star Michelin chef, author, and owner of The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Va., has been named the recipient of the 2019 James Beard Lifetime Achievement award. The Lifetime Achievement award is bestowed upon a person in the industry whose lifetime body of work has had a positive and longlasting impact on the way we eat, cook, and think about food in America. Patrick O’Connell, a native of Washington, D.C., is a self-taught chef who pioneered the movement to offer refined, regional American cuisine in the Virginia countryside. His alliance with local farmers and artisanal producers was an adaptation born of necessity more than 40 years ago when nothing but milk was delivered to the tiny town of “Little” Washington, Virginia. “I’m humbled to be joining a group of incredibly distinguished icons who have received this award before me,” O’Connell said. “No chef could ever receive such an acknowledgment without the talents of a dedicated team supporting him or her. I’m immensely grateful to everyone who helped me on the long and colorful journey to this point — especially to our guests for their loyal patronage through 24 | APRIL/MAY 2019
Other JBF 2019 nominees from our region, announced March 27, include… • Outstanding Pastry Chef: Pichet Ong, Brothers and Sisters, Washington, D.C. • Outstanding Restaurant: Jaleo, Washington, D.C. • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Kwame Onwuachi, Kith and Kin, Washington, D.C. Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic • Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, D.C. • Tom Cunanan, Bad Saint, Washington, D.C. • Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore JBF media winners will be announced on April 27, with the Awards Gala taking place on May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. A full list of nominees can be found at: jamesbeard.org/awards.
Back to the 1980s Remember to mark your calendars! Restaurant Association of Maryland holds its annual Stars of the Industry gala — with this year’s theme, “Back to the 80’s” — on Sunday, May 5 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. The event includes a three-course dinner, live music, and dancing, along with the announcements of the best of the best in the RAM restaurant and food service communities. Special celebrations will recognize Bill King, of Crab Shanty & Sea King, as this year’s recipient of the Brice & Shirley Phillips Lifetime Achievement Award. Cornerstone of the Industry Awards will go to Carrol’s Creek Cafe - Annapolis, Glory Days Grill
Lesley Forde Photography
Real Food for Kids and the 2019 winning team from Takoma Park - statewide, The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille - statewide, Miss Shirley’s Cafe - Baltimore and Annapolis, Salerno’s Restaurant & Catering - Eldersburg, and Tino’s Italian Bistro - Columbia. Joining the Maryland Hospitality Hall of Honor are The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant - Towson, Jasper’s Restaurant Largo, Johanssons Dining House - Westminster, Mountain Gate Family Restaurant - Thurmont, The Olde Philadelphia Inn - Rosedale, Old Stein Inn - Edgewater, and Tastee Diner - Bethesda. Visit marylandrestaurants.com/gala for more information and to purchase tickets.
Fighting pediatric cancers with food and fun The 14th annual Food for Life Poker Tournament and Taste Experience took place on March 9. Hosted by MGM National Harbor, presented by Boeing, and powered by RedPeg, the event raised a recordbreaking $2.1 million to benefit local pediatric cancer research initiatives at Children’s National Health System and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. “We are elated with the outcome of this year’s event,” said Chance for Life founder and CEO of RedPeg Brad Nierenberg. A host of local restaurant leaders
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were on hand to help, with tasting stations and treats provided by Bellagio Patisserie, Buffalo and Bergen, Buttercream Bakeshop, Call Your Mother, Chicken + Whiskey, CHIKO, Chloe, Coconut Club, Compass Rose & Maydan, Daikaya, Himitsu, Lucky Buns, Maketto, Mandu, Momofuku CCDC, Rasa, The Salt Line, South Block, Spoken English, Taco Bamba, and Yume Sushi.
A bowl of good stuff! Real Food for Kids hosted its seventh annual Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge on March 2, with a panel of judges that included Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn (Vim & Victor) and James Beard-nominated Chef Cathal Armstrong (Kaliwa). Twenty-four student-led teams from five school districts participated in the daylong competition. Their challenge: to create USDA-compliant healthy school meals with a budget of $1.80 per meal. And the winner…Takoma Park Middle School. The team’s “Winter Bowl” featured a blend of quinoa, chicken breast, craisins, kale, butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, and apple, topped with a spicy ranch dressing. Students across the region will see Winter Bowl on their cafeteria menus next year. Yum! foodservicemonthly
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JOIN US!!! ...for our 2019 Spring Expo on April 16th from 10am to 3pm
Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD 21076 Profitable Menu Solutions Recipes to take with you Business development tools Products brought to life Show only special deals Discounts on items purchased for 16 weeks Make sure your Area Manager has your email address and you will also receive an email invitation with a link to RSVP!
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