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Chef Todd Gray & Ellen Kassoff

Champions of #NotWasted!

Vol. 18, No. 3 â&#x2013; June/July 2019

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June/July 2019

Cover photo by Simo Ahmadi

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Below, Kwame Onwuachi, JBF’s Rising Star Chef, with Linda Roth

Silver Communications Publisher Lisa Keathley Managing Editor lisafoodmag@gmail.com

Lisa Silber Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Electronic Ink Design & Production fsm@eink.net

News & Information

Columns

Advertiser Index ……………………………………………………………………14 Association News OCHMRA by Susan Jones ………………………………… 9 Association News RAM by Marshall Weston …………………………………16 Association News RAMW by Kathy Hollinger ………………………………18 Association News VRLTA by Eric Terry …………………………………………15 Photo Gallery / National Restaurant Show ………………………………… 7 Photo Gallery / Sweet & Snacks Expo…………………………………… 8 & 9

Balti-MORE by Dara Bunjon………………………………………………………13 Bob Brown Says by Bob Brown ………………………………………………… 2 Culinary Correspondent by Celeste McCall ………………………………… 3 Food Smarts by Juliet Bodinetz ………………………………………………… 4 Insurance...Plus! by Anne O’Brien ………………………………………………14 Local Cooks by Alexandra Greeley …………………………………………… 7 Modern Business Solutions by Henry Pertman …………………………… 8 The Latest Dish by Linda Roth ………………………………………………… 6 Whining ’n Dining by Randi Rom ………………………………………………20

In the Spotlight

Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff, Champions of #NotWasted! by Lisa Keathley ……………………………………………………………………10

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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JUNE/JULY 2019 | 1

BOB BROWN SAYS | Bob Brown

Boost Your Tabs, Tips, and Profits with the Art of Storytelling With today’s Instagram /Twitterwired audience, you’re wasting your breath if you don’t keep things interesting. Stories are the perfect pick-me-up to entertain, delight, and inspire guests to buy.

Tito’s martini.” It’s hard to forget the pink ponytail. • Inspire guests to listen. Since we speak at 150 words a minute and think at 450, guests think three times faster than servers can talk to them. Intriguing stories draw patrons back to focus and listen.

1. Leave guests waiting for what happens next.

• Add humor. Daniel Goleman, author of the bestseller, Emotional Intelligence, says, “Laughing helps people think more broadly and associate more freely.” Fun anecdotes help guests receive information with ease.

“I have a great wine for you, the Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc. It’s produced in the northern part of Napa Valley on what once was a frog farm. When you open the bottle, the cork says, ‘ribbit.’” Thousands took the bait and were bedazzled when I showed them the word ‘ribbit’ printed on the cork.

2. Get interesting. Did you know? • Dom Perignon was the blind monk who reputedly invented Champagne and said of his concoction, “It tastes like stars.” • Caesar salad was invented in 1926 by Alex Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico, during a hurricane. • Mahi-mahi is a Hawaiian phrase meaning “strong, strong,” since, when the fish is caught, it pulls hard on the line. • In 1937, Bob Cobb of Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant created a midnight snack for Sid Grauman of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. It became the Cobb salad.

3. Establish chef credibility. “Ladies and gentleman you’re in for a treat since Chef Adam Ozga is behind the line. He graduated number one at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He interned for five years in Italy. 2 | JUNE/JULY 2019

And, his ricotta ravioli is not to be missed.”

4. Tout quality. Todd Gray, chef/owner of Equinox in Washington, D.C., arms his staff with info about his partnerships with local farmers and fishermen, “We get our soft-shell crabs from the Baxter family, the oldest soft-shelling folks on the Eastern Shore. I call the night before, and the Baxter boys are at the back door at 6:00 a.m. with three dozen gems straight from their shedding tanks off the Chesapeake.” (See cover story, pg. 10.)

5. Give a history lesson. When I was a waiter at the former Paulo’s of Georgetown, curious guests would ask me about the history of our building. “In the early 1900’s, it was a grocery store called the Sanitary Market, then an open-air movie theater. Later, it was converted into a French bistro called Maison des Crêpes. And now,

it’s one of the busiest restaurants in the world per square foot,” I’d tell guests. A trip down memory lane educates and entertains.

6. Try the ‘you’ve got to buy this to believe it’ approach. I created a special drink with a catch. “Ladies and gentlemen, for the grand finale, don’t miss our ‘Colossal Cappuccino’ — a halfshot of Kahlua and a half-shot of Frangelico, served with our famous chocolate disappearing spoon.” I sold thousands.

7. Reap story benefits that: • Show friendliness. The definition of friendliness is talking about non-business things. Sharing information about anything from your music to the origin of a dish shows your human side. • Act as brain stickers. “Eric Brisben, our bartender from Holland with the pink ponytail, makes a great

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• Break the ice. “Ladies and gentleman, please accept our JJ Flat Breads from New York.” Some guests opened up and responded with, “I used to live in New York at 83rd and Central Park West near the Natural History Museum.” Stories get guests to reveal where they’re from, what they do for living, and how they buy. In the end, when you load up your storytelling toolbox, it will boost sales and increase your bottom line. BOB BROWN, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, www.bobbrownss.com, pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program. He has worked with clients such as Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Nordstrom, Olive Garden, and Ritz Carlton and works internationally with the prestigious hotels such as Burj Al Arab in Dubai. He has appeared on the Food Network and is author of the bestselling The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. Contact Bob at 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2019. foodservicemonthly

CULINARY CORRESPONDENT | Celeste McCall

RAMW Honors Ben’s Virginia Ali — The Matriarch of U Street…and Beyond! Beloved Washington restaurateur Virginia Rollins Ali has garnered the 2019 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award. The honor was presented April 29 by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) at an elegant reception at the National Restaurant Association headquarters in Washington, D.C. The RAMW Executive Committee chose Virginia Ali, widow of Ben’s Chili Bowl founder Ben Ali, “to honor her 61-year career span, dedication, and excellence in the restaurant business, allegiance to her community, and her impact as a fearless leader, mentor, and matriarch.”

The launch of a landmark Virginia and her Trinidadian-born husband Ben Ali launched Ben’s Chili Bowl at 1213 U Street, NW — then the heart of Washington’s Black Broadway — on August 22, 1958, in what was a former pool hall. The couple started with a mere $5,000 investment. Today, 61 years later, Ben’s remains an institution, having survived the 1968 riots, gentrification, and other hurdles. Ben Ali died in 2009, and Virginia has retired. Their sons Kamal and Nizam run the business. Ben’s famous half-smokes and chili dogs have been savored by a host of celebrities over the years, including former president Barack Obama, Mohammed Ali, Bono, and Bill Cosby. The restaurant has also been seen in films like Russell Crowe’s State of Play, Denzel Washington’s The Pelican Brief, and Don Cheadle’s Talk to Me. The family’s historic papers and Ben’s Chili Bowl artifacts are archived at the George Washington University’s Gelman Library. foodservicemonthly

Ana Isabel Photography

Virginia Ali, the “Matriarch of U Street” Ben’s Chili Bowl has spawned spinoffs, including Ben’s Next Door (1211 U Street), another Ben’s Chili Bowl and Ben’s Upstairs in the Atlas District (1001 H Street, NE), and restaurants on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, and at Reagan National Airport, Nats Park, and FedEx Field, plus an online mail order business.

A Mom for everyone Known affectionately as “Mom” or “Mrs. Ben,” Virginia Ali has touched the lives of everyone she has encountered. Although she has achieved near celebrity status, her demeanor has never changed — with her natural poise and sophistication, she exemplifies the wholesome values instilled by her parents. Born and raised in rural Virginia, Ali offers love and kindness to everyone she meets, and as a result she is cherished and respected. She’s considered the “Matriarch of U Street.” At the RAMW reception, the organization’s president/CEO Kathy Hollinger recounted feasting

on Ben’s chili cheese fries while pregnant. “My son turned out fine!” she assured the celebrants. Added former D.C. Mayor Tony Williams, “Virginia [represents] the heart and soul of Washington.” But son Kamal had the inside track, saying, “Mom is a people person, a real inspiration,” he said. “Going from table to table at the restaurant, she’s ‘Mom Magic.’ ”

Awards and honors for an icon Virginia Ali graciously thanked everyone for the RAMW honor. “It’s been my pleasure to serve this beautiful city,” she said. “We’ve had our ups and downs,” she noted. At times, as U Street fell on hard times, people very down on their luck congregated outside the restaurant. She welcomed them, too, she said, as she has welcomed just about everyone who has come her way. Even today, she noted, “If I get up and have an ache or pain, I could stay in bed and worry about it. Or I could go to the restaurant and talk to people and feel so much better!” In addition to the many hours

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devoted to Ben’s Chili Bowl, Virginia Ali has also made time for other endeavors. She has served on the board of directors of For Love of Children, The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, the Islamic Society of the Greater Washington Area, and Cultural Tourism DC, among other groups. Virginia and Ben Ali have received countless awards through the years, including the James Beard Foundation’s America’s Classics Restaurant Award in 2004. The Alis were inducted into the DC Hall of Fame in 2002 and later given the ‘Key to the City’ by then D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. The Smithsonian has also placed Ben’s Chili Bowl on its list of the ‘20 Most Iconic Food Destinations Across America.’ Ben’s has also won the restaurant industry’s Faces of Diversity Award. And that is something Virginia Ali is especially proud of. When asked what her restaurant represents, she exclaimed, “Diversity! All kinds of diversity…political diversity, racial diversity, cultural diversity, religious diversity!” Not to mention what the restaurant means in terms of family and community. Virginia Ali will officially accept the Duke Zeibert Award on June 30 at the 37th Annual RAMMY Awards Gala. Named after legendary restaurateur Duke Zeibert, whose namesake restaurant fed Washington’s elite for 44 years, the Duke Zeibert Award is one of many to be presented at the RAMW Gala at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. CELESTE MCCALL is a Washington, D.C.based freelance food and travel writer. Contact her at 202-547-5024 or by email at cmccall20003@gmail.com. JUNE/JULY 2019 | 3

FOOD SMARTS | Juliet Bodinetz

When it Comes to Food Safety, Which Government Agency Does What? … For Real Keeping food safe in the United States takes a concerted effort. Just about everything we eat, including food on restaurant menus, has been evaluated by one of two federal government agencies. At the local level, our food is monitored by more agencies. When parts of the federal government shut down in December 2018, we started hearing about agencies that either stopped conducting inspections or began inspecting less frequently.

So, who are the key players at the federal level? The two main government agencies are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A support agency that provides guidance, research assistance, and food-borne illness outbreak tracking is the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), also part of HHS.

The USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects meat, poultry, and egg processing plants. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency within the USDA responsible for ensuring that the United States’ commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. The purpose of the USDA is to support the American agricultural economy and “provide a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply for the American people.” Though many people may think the USDA is the main inspection arm

4 | JUNE/JULY 2019

of the U.S. government due to its more visible logo (the USDA shield) on meats, eggs, poultry, and organic certifications, it’s actually the FDA that regulates over 80 percent of the U.S. food supply, including dairy, seafood, produce, packaged foods, bottled water, and eggs. And can it be confusing? Yes! The FDA inspects shelled eggs, while the USDA is responsible for egg products, including liquid, frozen, and dehydrated eggs. The FDA regulates the feed chickens eat, but the laying facility falls under USDA jurisdiction.

The FDA The FDA is responsible for protecting the public’s health and ensuring the safety of the food supply. The FDA inspects all foods except meat, poultry, and eggs. FDA inspectors help identify, investigate, and notify citizens of food-borne illness outbreaks. They can issue recalls — remember recent romaine lettuce-based E. coli outbreaks? Inspectors also help to keep food supplies safe during emergency situations where sanitation may be at risk, such as hurricanes and other natural disasters. The FDA helps educate citizens and businesses about proper food handling and potential dangers surrounding food-borne illnesses (think summer BBQ tips and Thanksgiving turkey cooking guidance). The agency is also responsible for protecting our country’s food supply against malicious attacks and tampering that may include poisoning or contamination (think about the ALERT program for food defense).

The FDA Food Code Additionally, the FDA conducts food research, supports biotechnology, and creates documents for guidance and regulation for food production, safety, and retail practices. The main guidance document is the Food Code, which is what city and state departments of health use when inspecting local businesses. The Food Code gives guidance on keeping food at safe temperatures and conditions in order to prevent food-borne illness and the spread of disease. Local, state, tribal, and federal regulators use the FDA Food Code as a model to develop or update their own food safety rules/laws and to be consistent with national food regulatory policy. There is a four-year interval between complete Food Code editions. However, during the interim period between full editions, the FDA may publish a Food Code Supplement that updates, modifies, or clarifies certain provisions. But do state health departments respond to these changes quickly? Not really. As of the end of 2017, over half of the states in the United States were not using the most current food code recommendations, with one state still operating off the 1995 food code.

What about fish? The FDA is responsible for ensuring that the nation’s seafood supply, both domestic and imported, is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled. Other Federal agencies also play a role in ensuring the safety of certain seafood products. The USDA has a regulation designed to ensure that seafood available in large retail stores is

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labeled to identify its country of origin. This regulation is known as COOL (Country of Origin Labeling). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is responsible for the management of the nation’s fishery resources in U.S. territorial waters and also operates a voluntary seafood inspection and grading program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with FDA, sets standards for acceptable levels of contaminants in recreational fish and works with FDA on managing risk in commercial fishery products.

Local regulatory agencies State and local regulatory agencies (normally, the state and local health departments) are the front line for inspecting food establishments. They are the ones to issue licenses and permits, investigate complaints, enforce the food code, and have the biggest bearing on the lives of food operators. They are the ones who conduct inspections, enforce regulations, issue citations, and shut operations down. There are instances when the health department can force a business to shut down because of a danger to public health. These are considered to be imminent health hazards: lack of hot water, lack of refrigeration, lack of electricity that results in loss of temperature control, pest infestation, and sewage back-up. These situations must be corrected immediately or the operation is shut down. The health department must then reinspect the operation and give approval before it can reopen.

FOOD SMARTS cont. pg 18 foodservicemonthly

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THE LATEST DISH | Linda Roth

A “Lot” of Fun in the Works The Lot, a 22,000-square-foot beer garden, will open in Clarendon where a used car dealership parking lot used to be (3217 10th Street N). Owner Mike Bramson previously worked on projects with Social Restaurant Group’s Pamplona and Bar Bao. There will be two main bars, lawn games, and picnic tables and couches. Food will be provided by food trucks, like Rebel Taco, also owned by Mike. Vintage 78, serving Persian cuisine, opens where Scion used to be in Dupont Circle at 2100 P Street, NW by the folks who brought you Peacock Café in Georgetown — Chef Maziar Farivar and his brother, Shahab Farivar. It will seat 75 in the dining area, 28 at the bar, and will offer outdoor patio seating. Taylor Gourmet will reopen several locations under new ownership and management. Source Cuisine, headed by Steve Kalifa, will partner with LAbased Margie Stufano and local chef Nishan Amenu. The plan is to reopen at least five locations after successful landlord negotiations. Kalifa has been involved in the restaurant business as an investment. He was a KFC, Popeyes, and Pizza Hut franchisee. Now that Aramark has the new food service contract at the Washington Convention Center, new food and beverage changes are next, as the firm rolls out its new f & b program — titled D.C. Eats. A new rooftop terrace will be created that is accessible from an exterior entrance. It will include a lounge and bar. There are plans for a pop-up restaurant that features local chefs and a market that includes local products. Matchbox will open in Bethesda Row, where American Tap Room used to be, at 7278 Woodmont Avenue. The 190-seat restaurant will feature an open bar area and a private 6 | JUNE/JULY 2019

dining room with additional outdoor seating on Woodmont Avenue and Elm Street. It is slated to open this summer. And speaking of Bethesda Row, Columbus, Ohio-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams will open on Elm Street in Bethesda Row this fall. Owner Jeni Britton Bauer now has 34 locations across the country. She opened her first DMV location two years ago at 1925 14th Street, NW.

Chef & GM updates Steve Salis plans to open a second Federalist Pig, this one in Hyattsville, Md. at 5504 Baltimore Avenue. Double the size of the one in Adams Morgan, it is set to open by Q4 2019 or Q1 2020. The bigger location will allow pitmaster Rob Sonderman to install two upgraded wood-fired smokers to offer more products for additional catering opportunities. The restaurant will also have a bar and a large outdoor patio. Steve also owns Kramerbooks & Afterwards Café and Ted’s Bulletin. Frank Ruta, formerly of Mirabelle at 16th & K, is now with Ashok Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, as executive chef. Which restaurant is TBD. Chas Jefferson was named wine director at Jug & Table in Adams Morgan, below Roofers Union at 2446 18th Street, NW. Most recently, he served as the head distiller at Cotton & Reed.

Quick hits The Crane, a Spanish restaurant, is opening on 9th Street, NW where Ruth’s Chris was. Little Beet plans to open more locations in Chevy Chase and at Union Station. Duet (half Italian/half Indian) opened where Toscana Café used to be at 601 2nd Street, NE near Union Station.

Just opened Grazie Grazie at The Wharf from Casey Patton, formerly of Taylor Gourmet. Carving Room opened its second D.C. location in NoMa (Mount Vernon Triangle), with seating for 70. True Food Kitchen opened its third area location, in Ballston Quarter on Wilson Boulevard. Bar Bullfrog opened in what used to be Star & Shamrock next to Bullfrog Bagels at 1341 H Street, NW. 12 Stories, a rooftop bar atop the Intercontinental Hotel at The Wharf, opened by Gerber Group, renowned for its trendy bars and lounges in iconic buildings and hotels.

James Beard Foundation

Tom Cunanan and Linda Roth

Congratulations… …to the hometown James Beard Foundation winners: Kwame Onwuachi of Kith & Kin for Rising Star Chef, Tom Cunanan of Bad Saint for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington, for the Lifetime Achievement award, and Paul Katinas for Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse, a JBF American Classics award.

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MISCellaneous Distillery

And speaking of D.C. winners at national competitions, Mt Airy, Md.based MISCellaneous Distillery won four medals for its small batch gin and barrel-aged rum as part of the 19th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The distillery won gold for both the Gregarious Gin and for Popi’s Finest Rum. Owners Daniel and Meg McNeill also took home silver for their Risky Rum and bronze for the Gertrude’s Rye Whiskey. At the 11th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge, Chef Javon Cummings, representing Barbados, won first place in the Judges’ Choice category presented by TCMA. Chef Dimitri Lilavois, representing Haiti, took home first place in the People’s Choice Award. The event was presented by Events DC. The gathering of embassy chefs from around the world showcased the unique flavors of competing nations. LINDA ROTH is CEO 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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LOCAL COOKS | Alexandra Greeley

Didn’t we see you at the...

2019 NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW On behalf of FSM, Linda Roth attended the Centennial NRA Show and the National Confectioners Association Sweet and Snacks Expo. She filed several photos of Mid-Atlantic vendors who participated in the two Chicago events!

Profile: Publicist Dianne Murphy Dawn Sweeney, NRA CEO/President (l) with Linda Roth

Alimond Photography

Sean Weddell, Jim Skehan, and Gautam Mehra, Fishbowl (Alexandria)

Mitch Berliner and Debra Moser, MeatCrafters (Potomac, Md.)

Dianne Murphy is a rock-solid publicist who sparkles with joy and kindness, qualities that have helped her grow her successful career. Murphy has been representing chefs and restaurants in the metro area for several decades. And it is not surprising that food, chefs, hotels, and restaurants have been her big draw. “I grew up in an Italian family,” she said, “I was always cooking and always around food.” When her family moved to Washington, D.C., Murphy attended George Mason University. While a student, she was a server at a now-closed restaurant in Fairfax called Charlie’s Place. She loved working in the restaurant, and during her time there, she met Dan Mesches, founder of the Star Restaurant Group. He had a spinoff restaurant (Devon Seafood Grille in McLean) and hired Murphy to become a trainer.

While in school… Dick White and George Nicoletos, Maryland Plastics (Federalsburg, Md.) foodservicemonthly

…Murphy was also trying to decide what to do as a career. One

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of her classes focused on public relations. When she wrote her final paper for the class, its subject was waitressing — a satisfying job that teaches so many disciplines, she said, including how to set tables, how to manage sales, how to manage a crisis, and how to be courteous even to difficult patrons— plus public speaking, money management, and event planning. “You do many things at once,” she said. “All that pushed me forward.” After graduation, Murphy was hired as the public relations director at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Reston Town Center. “I worked in the association business, and met lots of interesting people who were conducting meetings during association conventions. The thenowners of the Town Center were from Mobil Oil, and they were great leaders and business people, she said. She worked with the Chamber of Commerce, and learned about cross marketing — community relations and creating weekend packages. After five and a half years there, Murphy was committed to the public relations field.

A turn at Landsdowne Dianne Murphy was then hired to run public relations at Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, where she incorporated several fabulous public events. “We started the community gardens weekend packages,” she said. “We also held a community Halloween event and a turkeys-to-go event for Thanksgiving.” She noted that the Lansdowne chefs were “amazing,” and offered to hold chef’s tables events for the public. “It was an amazing time to be there to learn

LOCAL COOKS cont. pg 12 JUNE/JULY 2019 | 7

MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS | Henry Pertman

Upselling in Your Restaurant: The 5 W’s We all learned the 5 W’s way back in grade school: who, what, when, where, and why. Covering those bases likely helped you become a more thorough student. Today, the five W’s can also help you become a more successful restaurateur and help you provide better guest experiences, higher-quality employees, and a better bottom line.

What… The “what” is right in our title: upselling food and beverages in your restaurant to obtain higher guest satisfaction and happier, more productive employees, as well as to help you reach your financial goals. Upselling means many things in practice: selling more wine, more cocktails, more appetizers, more desserts, more anything. When done properly, guests may recommend your restaurant, review you positively on social media, and become repeat guests.

Why… This may be the most obvious “W.” Making more money keeps

you in business, and that, along with culinary excellence and guest satisfaction, is why you are in the restaurant business. However, there are other “whys,” as well. Guests come to your restaurant to have a great time. When upselling is part of your culture, you promote better relationships between your employees and guests. It is certainly not “pushing food down people’s throats,” so to speak. Instead, it is training your service staff to ask smart questions (see “How,” below), attentively listen to answers, and properly engage so that your guest is happy to order what the staff recommends, leading to better experiences for everyone.

Who… There are a number of “whos” in this scenario, starting at the time a reservation is made. The phone receptionist, as the first point of contact, needs to ask the right questions. The host needs to properly greet the guest. Throughout the duration of the guest’s time at the restaurant, servers, managers,

bussers, and runners can and should be involved in the upselling process.

Where and when… “Where” and “when” are joined at the hip when it comes to upselling. When someone takes a reservation, asking the right questions at that point can affect what type of upselling should be suggested. For example, the reservationist might ask if the event is a special occasion or if the guest has any time restrictions. If guests are going to a movie and have only an hour for dinner, the upselling needs to take that into account by recommending quick appetizers and entrees. On the other hand, if the guests shared that they’re celebrating their anniversary with friends, the occasion would call for a different type of upselling. A server could suggest a glass of champagne or crab dip to share or ask if diners are seafood lovers or carnivores. These questions allow specific, pointed, and relevant suggestions. Training bussers and runners to make dessert suggestions while filling water glasses – even at the beginning

DIDN’T WE SEE YOU AT...| The Sweets & Snacks Expo

of a meal – is equally important and engaging when done respectfully and properly. As an example, “Has your server told you about our chocolate tornado cherry cheesecake yet? I know you’re just getting started, but it is fantastic!”

Deploying the 5 W’s in your restaurant… Everyone can and should be taught to understand the table and its guests through honest, important questions. This creates an engagement that the guests will appreciate while they spend and enjoy the experience more, and again, can lead to repeat guests who share their positive experience with others. That is the end game of the five W’s and how they can make your restaurant more successful. Contact me if you would like to chat about more specifics or talk about how you can deploy upselling strategies at your restaurant. 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.

Shaun Palmer, Tosh Tryon, and Russell Hall, Fisher’s Popcorn (OC, Md.)

(l-r) Eric Vincent, Steve Barrella, Callie Yow, and Morgan McKenna, Divine Chocolate (Washington, D.C.)

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ASSOCIATION NEWS OCHMRA | Susan L. Jones

New Leaders at the Helm Boardwalk Hotel Group. Outgoing president Gary Figgs of Seacrets was presented with a plaque in appreciation of his hard work and dedication as HMRA president. The evening’s festivities also featured the awarding of the Bank of Ocean City Tres Lynch Scholarship, which went to Wor-Wic Culinary HRM student Kevin Leonard. Congrats to all!

Chaser Café, which landed on 6th Street and the Boardwalk. The guys at Ropewalk are adding a new twist to the OC restaurant scene with their creation of AlleyOops. Located at the site of the old JR’s North, AlleyOops will be an indoor restaurant and entertainment spot perfect for those rainy days.

OC reawakens for the season New OCHMRA board of directors is installed Ocean City’s Tourism Director Donna Abbott installed the 20192020 officers and Board of Directors of the Ocean City Hotel-MotelRestaurant Association recently, at an annual ceremony attended by more than 200 members. Tom Tawney, of Cayman Suites, was installed as the incoming president, Rebecca Taylor, with Ocean 13, became 1st vice president, and Danelle Amos, of the Beach Walk Hotel, was installed to serve as the 2nd vice president. Shawn Harman, of Fishtales/

Bahia Marina, continues his role as secretary-treasurer. The newly installed three-year board includes Karen Tomasello of Sello’s Italian Oven, Jackie Ball of the Park Place Hotel, and Carl Bozick of Macky’s Bar & Grill. Twoyear directors include Spiro Buas of OCRooms, Austin Purnell of OCMotels, and Garvey Heiderman of The Hobbit. Serving as one-year directors are Ryan Wilde of BEST Motels, Spencer Byrd of Courtyard by Marriott, and Dave Robinson of

Summer is always exciting as it signals a rebirth of our city and typically the launch of new businesses. One of the newest arrivals on the scene for this summer is Three Anchors, which is in a completely new building located in the new K-Coast surf shop on 75th Street. Three Anchors will serve coastal cuisine and spirits. A new owner took over the restaurant space in the LaQuinta on 32nd Street and captured Chef Tracy Owes from the Big Easy upon its closing. Sanibel’s will also be at Sunset Landing in the development on 67th and the bay. A second location for the guys at Shotti’s is their new Shotti’s Rhino

Mexican food, beers, and crab cakes…oh my! If the thought of authentic Mexican sweet bread makes your stomach growl, stop by 3rd Street

ASSOCIATION NEWS OCHMRA cont. pg 12

Ben Thompson and Mitchell Goetze, Goetze’s Candy Company (Baltimore)

Michael and Pierre Abushacra, Firehook (Chantilly, Va.)

foodservicemonthly

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JUNE/JULY 2019 | 9

Cover Story | Lisa Keathley

Equinox’s Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff #NotWasted After 20 Years! Equinox celebrated its 20th anniversary. That evening, with friends, family, and restaurant luminaries in attendance, they held a celebration in a restaurant that has essentially become waste-free.

Wait! Is that even possible?

Simo Ahmadi

“

Being the husband of Ellen Kassoff, I live my life reusing, rethinking, recycling, so this thing has been part of my mantra with her forever!” So exclaimed Equinox Restaurant’s co-owner and EC Todd Gray at a “#NotWasted Culinary Arts Experience” on Earth Day in April. The event, the second of its kind, brought together a panel of chefs who are leading the way in D.C.’s zero waste food movement. As the panel noted, Americans throw away about 40 percent of their food, which equals about 400 pounds of food waste per person per year. Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff are both committed to doing something about it. They and their restaurants, Equinox and Manna, are center stage in the fight to bring the issue of food waste to people’s attention. On May 19,

10 | JUNE/JULY 2019

Yes! As leaders in the D.C. #NotWasted movement, Todd and Ellen are committed to recycling or reusing everything in their restaurant so that today, there is, almost literally, no waste. Equinox repurposes kitchen scraps like carrot tops and broccoli stems, serves beverages with reusable silicon coasters instead of paper napkins, offers renewable sugar cane boxes for leftovers, and composts what can’t be salvaged. Says Ellen, “Twenty years ago, food waste was not an issue, but we gradually became cognizant about how much food waste contributes to landfills and greenhouse gases. Our mission is to bring attention to food waste. If you’re in an industry that’s affecting something, how can you turn your head away? We have a platform for the greater good and are in a position to provide the public with some knowledge. There are a million causes, so we are sticking to things that we care about and that make sense for us and our business.”

From the beginning… …Todd and Ellen have been on the cutting edge of what’s new in food. They met when she was a sales rep for a large food distributor, and he worked for Roberto Donna’s Galileo. “I walked into Galileo restaurant the day a young line cook named Todd Gray was promoted to the sous chef position. Sous chefs are always the ones who have to deal with pesky vendors like

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me! That day was his day!” Ellen laughs. The couple got married two years later in 1995 and set off to honeymoon in Napa, thinking northern California would be a great place to continue their journey about food. However, the day they got back home, Donna promoted Todd Gray to executive chef, the position he held when Roberto Donna earned a James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 1996. The duo stayed in D.C., inspired by everything that was going on in the farm-to-table renaissance. “We were such purists. We were in search for food purity in anything we could put our hands on. We were raised with TV dinners, and convenience foods, and moms who worked. We both grew up with that.” So the idea of fresh food cooked in fresh and inventive ways was new and exciting. “Because I was a purveyor and he was a chef, we both had a different angle on the business. I purveyed it, and he cooked it.”

The idea behind Equinox “At first, it was all pillow talk!” Ellen laughs. “It was honestly pillow talk to do something on our own.” The Equinox concept was born in 1998, with the idea of buying directly from local farmers. “My father-in-law, really everyone thought we were crazy!” However, as she notes, others were paving the way, too, like Clyde’s, which sourced from a local farm, and Nora Poullion, who launched the organics movement. “There were a lot of players in the same space at that time, so it was fairly easy to hook up the ponies.” The first order of business was a name. “Really, what we wanted in the beginning was a big representation of the Chesapeake Bay. I had done a lot of research all the way back to Algonquin foodservicemonthly

Good for the earth AND the bottom line…

Indian tribes and what they were eating in and around the Bay. We both grew up on the Bay, which was the source of some of our favorite foods.” The seasonality of the Bay inspired the name Equinox, with its imagery of the changing seasons.

Says Todd, “I realized when we started doing our plant-based Sunday brunches, we used so many vegetables over the week. With a case of cauliflower or a case of broccoli, if you use all the stems, and the trim, and the leaves, you get two and a half, three cases out of one really! It tends to make you think about your food costs because a lot of this is food cost driven. Yes, it’s environmentally driven, too. But our business has such a thin margin that we are always trying to find ways to maximize our product.”

Since its 1999 opening, Equinox has evolved… …”but we’ve never gone away from the mission. We’ve added a lot of layers onto in, but they all stem from the core of it, which is seasonality, sustainability, and being as hyper-local as possible. There were not many chefs in D.C. doing Chesapeake Bay regional foods at the time. We were in hog heaven! We felt like we had opened a buried treasure chest of ideas!” The “treasure chest of ideas” has led to all kinds of awards, from five JBF nominations for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic to RAMW’s Best Fine Dining Restaurant and Chef of the Year awards. The prestige has also yielded another benefit, notes Ellen. “Restaurants were starting to be counted on for community and fund-raising, and we found we had a platform to talk from. And people were listening. So we followed our hearts. Vegetarian dishes evolved into vegan and plant-based dishes. foodservicemonthly

Simo Ahmadi

At the #NotWasted Earth Day Dinner, Todd Gray (l) and Jeremiah Johnson from DC Central Kitchen prepared fish tacos made from left-over sable fish We started lobbying for more humane treatment of animals. One of our proudest accomplishments,” she says, “is that we don’t follow the idea of the day. We have stuck with what we want to do.”

Working in tandem Fortunately, this husband-wife team has followed their script together. “We influence each other. We are partners and best friends He’s back of the house, I’m front. We meet in the middle. We bounce

everything off each other, and I’m grateful that both of us have the same attitude.” Now, that attitude has taken them in another new direction. When they saw plates coming back from the kitchen with uneaten food, the Equinox twosome knew it was time to act. “It was disgusting to see what we serve portion-wise and what we throw away. We started doing research and finding more likeminded chefs who are concerned about food waste.”

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Moving forward... Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff are committed to doing their part in the growing #NotWasted movement. “I think that nobody really has the answers to all this right yet,” notes Todd. “We just have to do our part and do what you think is right and do what you know is right. We’re doing something special. I think this is going to have tremendous legs. I’m honored to be a part of it. So let’s all work together and let’s make a difference.”

JUNE/JULY 2019 | 11

In Memoriam...

Mike Daryoush, founder and president of Moby Dick House of Kabob, passed away on May 9 at the age of 66. For over three decades, Daryoush ran his successful chain of restaurants, having started with a Bethesda luncheonette that served

traditional American lunch and breakfast. Once Daryoush realized that he could offer an authentic take on traditional Persian food, people started coming back for more. He reopened the luncheonette as Moby Dick House of Kabob and never looked back. That first restaurant in Bethesda, which is still there, has turned into 23 additional locations across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Moby Dick House of Kabob earned a RAMMY Award in 2018 as the Fast Bites winner. Mike Daryoush and his restaurant success were featured on Foodservice Monthly’s July 2018 cover with the heading, “Mike Daryoush rises to the top of the Mid-Atlantic’s fast casual market with authenticity and hard work.”

ASSOCIATION NEWS OCHMRA cont. from page 9

and visit the Casita Linda restaurant in the Monte Carlo Hotel. Prefer craft beer? Head over to Taphouse Tavern at 137th Street in the spot of the former Red Onion Grille. Not to be missed are the extensive renovations at the original crab house, Phillips Crab House on 21st Street. Ocean 13 on the Boardwalk picked up a new chef, Brad Taylor, formerly at Captain’s Table. West Ocean City gained a few new players as well. Dough Roller opened up in the old Applebee’s on Rt. 50 and has added an extensive bar and new menu twists. Located in the commercial fishing harbor, MadFish Bar & Grill is delivering a completely new menu. John Fager

LOCAL COOKS

cont. from page 7 and to grow,” she said. Probably one of her most exciting and popular events there was the gingerbread house competition. “It was collaborative with the community,” she said. “We worked with the elementary schools and teachers. We went to each elementary school’s fifth grade class. We showed them the template and had the kids put it together.” The school winner for the first year was Sterling Elementary.

And from there… While at Lansdowne Resort, Murphy was tapped to work in a boutique public relations agency in Middleburg, which at the time had just won the public relations account for Salamander Resort and Spa. It was the perfect opportunity to come full circle her public relations career by learning the agency piece of the business. She was able to continue to work with hotels and restaurants but expand to other sides of client business. Murphy learned to spot a new piece of business and develop good client relations and manage different clients all at once. It was the springboard to being an independent consultant as her 12 | JUNE/JULY 2019

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unveiled a West OC Bad Monkey location, and Candy Kitchen and Starbucks have made a home in the new development beside Hooper’s.

All this and hotels, too! We can’t let the restaurants have all the fun…a couple of new hotels hit the scene too! Pinnacle Hospitality unveiled a new Hampton Inn & Suites on Ocean Gateway, and the Beach Bum Inn landed on 3rd Street. Looking for a waterfront ballroom? Head over to 45th Street to the new Aloft Hotel, also home to the fun-filled WXYZ bar. For all your lodging and dining options, check out OCVisitor.com! SUSAN L. JONES is the executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association.

It is creative, it is community, it is celebratory, and it is ever-changing and growing and full of wonderful experiences! Loudoun-based family of three sons was transitioning through the teen years, and she was able to work and manage her family with more flexibility. Dianne Murphy looks back over her amazing and rather hectic career. Bringing communities together with special events has been one important aspect, but Murphy admits that she really, really loves the food world. Why? She says it’s because it “is creative, it is community, it is celebratory, and it is ever-changing and growing and full of wonderful experiences!” 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

BALTI-MORE | Dara Bunjon

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Chaa The Verandah Kitchen Locations: 842 W. 36th Street – Hampden/ Baltimore Radhika Sule Ten years ago, Radhika Sule and her husband, Amit, took their craving for traditional Indian street food to Baltimore’s downtown Farmers’ Market. The popularity of their cuisine moved the couple to open a restaurant on the “Avenue” in Hampden. That was seven years ago. Now, 2019 finds even more growth with the opening in DE.CO Market in Wilmington, De., Baltimore’s revamped Broadway Market, and expansion into the Pratt Street Farmers’ Market. The Verandah Kitchen’s cuisine — Indian street food — offers vegans and vegetarians tasty options like samosas, chaats paratha, and wraps, as well as chicken and beef options for the carnivores. Pre-opening of the remodeled Broadway Market had Radhika showing off dishes like tiki chaat foodservicemonthly

Broadway Market – Baltimore DE.CO Food Market/Dupont Building – Downtown Wilmington Baltimore Farmers Markets: Downtown & Pratt Street www.theverandahkitchen.com @theverandahkitchen (410) 889-0999 (potato patties, curried chickpeas, chutney, and samosas), chicken curry, papdi chaat (housemade tortilla, potatoes, onions, yogurt, and chutney), along with mango lassi drinks and Thai iced tea. 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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JUNE/JULY 2019 | 13

INSURANCE... PLUS! | Anne O’ Brien

Health Benefits — Will Offering them Help Attract and Retain Great Employees? Many costs are out of your control, such as the costs of goods and rent. But one cost you may be able to help control is turnover. I think we all agree that you definitely want to keep a good employee because finding another one can be really difficult. People want to work someplace where they can make a living and have a nice life. Is your restaurant that place? One indicator is your turnover.

The costs of turnover According to the National Restaurant Association, employee turnover across the restaurant industry was 61 percent in 2016. If you have high turnover, you need to find out why because there is a high cost associated with it. The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University estimates the cost of replacing an employee at $5,864 per person. This cost includes things like: 1. The amount you can lose from an employee with one foot out the door who is less attentive to guests 2. Overtime for fellow employees who have to cover shifts 3. Costs for finding the new person, including advertising, time taken to interview, check references, etc.

4. Loss of production or less service because everyone is spread thin 5. Time it takes to train the new people and bring them up to speed…if they last that long And what happens when you get the reputation of high turnover? And how does that make your current employees feel? High turnover… 1. Can result in poor morale — which may translate into poor customer service 2. Disrupts your internal processes — other employees have to pitch in, and they may not get their part done as a result 3. Can definitely reflect poorly on your brand In a nutshell, the biggest reason you need to fix turnover is that a great place to work is linked to increased profit.

What makes “a great place to work”? It’s basically a balance of the rewards an employee collects in return for what they need to contribute to their position. So if you look at your restaurant… what are your “rewards”? Health benefits should be one of them because it says that you care about your employees and want them to

be healthy. It says you’re willing to contribute to their overall wellbeing, not just the moments when they are working for you. And most of all, it says that you care more than the restaurant down the street that doesn’t offer health benefits. For restaurant owners who truly want to have an amazing team, think about this. When asked, employees say that the things that make them stay in a position are good compensation, the certainty of their schedule, and the feeling that their employer cares about them and recognizes their hard work and flexibility. These things are challenging to provide, but if you can do it, you’ll have many more long-term employees. Plus, for you as the restaurant owner, there may be tax benefits to providing health coverage; ask your accountant. Restaurateur Candace Beattie from Thames Street Oyster House in Baltimore started offering health benefits because she thinks of her employees as family and felt it was the right thing to do. The restaurant offers medical, dental, and vision coverage, and Beattie definitely thinks it contributes to the low turnover at her restaurant. G&M, a well-known Baltimore crab

cake restaurant, started offering benefits due to required government mandates. However, according to HR manager Anna Paralis, the cost has had a great silver lining — happier employees and less turnover. If you’re thinking about offering benefits, they have to be “good,” or it’s not worth it. Employees need to feel as if they are worth the cost. The best plans need to be affordable and cover the things that employees need most and at a reasonable cost, including: 1. Office visits 2. Mental health visits 3. Urgent care visits 4. Generic drugs All plans cover these things, but how much do the employees pay? How much are you, the employer, contributing to the plan? The bottom line is to think of it as investing money in your staff members up front — rather than slowly losing them to turnover. ANNE O’BRIEN is a senior consultant and benefits expert for McQuade Consulting, a division of Diversified Insurance Industries. Connect with Anne on Linkedin or directly at aobrien@mcquadeconsulting.com or (410) 422-3000, ext. 622.

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 ............................................................. 19 Barter........................................................................ 12 Bi-Lingual Hospitality............................................... 19

14 | JUNE/JULY 2019

Gourmet Kitchen........................................................ 5 ITEK Construction.................................................... 15 Martin Bamberger................................................... 15 Maryland Dept. Of Agriculture...... Inside Back Cover Maryland Food Center Authority............................. 15

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Park-N-Dine............................................................... 13 Performance Foodservice.........................Back Cover RAM EF..................................................................... 13 Restaurant Depot...................................................... 1 Saval Foodservice..........................Inside Front Cover

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ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA | Eric D. Terry

Serving Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia & Surrounding Areas

Martin Bamberger Co. Food Market & Restaurant Equipment

Why Be Ordinary? Great question that can best be summed up by Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association’s Ordinary Awards. VRLTA launched the Ordinary Awards in 2016, and they have quickly become one of the Commonwealth’s most sought after prizes.

Why Ordinary? Another great question that can best be answered by explaining the origins of the name. Ordinary is an old term used to describe a place to rest and have a meal. Chinn’s Ordinary was built around 1728 in what is now Middleburg, Virginia. It still operates today as the Red Fox Inn & Tavern. Ordinaries were literally scattered throughout Virginia and other states. So to the hospitality, restaurant, and tourism professionals in Virginia, we proudly will once again host the Ordinary Awards on October 10, 2019 at the beautiful Hilton Hotel & Spa/Short Pump in Richmond. The 2019 Ordinary Awards feature 18 individual and organizational awards across four primary categories. Each award will be given to an honoree who demonstrates exemplary passion for the hospitality and travel industry. All awards (except the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Legislator of the Year Award) are determined

Serving the food and bakery industry for more than 70 years with honesty and integrity through a nomination process and judged by VRLTA members/ industry professionals. The Lifetime Achievement and Legislator Awards are determined by the VRLTA staff and board. Both VRLTA members and nonmembers can be nominated. Please take a minute to recognize your outstanding employees or industry friends. Go to www.ordinaryawards. com to nominate someone today!

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ProStart news ProStart, the two-year high school culinary and management program, is taught at over 60 schools throughout Virginia. ProStart is an opportunity to mentor future industry stars. This year, two teams from Richmond (Manchester High School) and Virginia Beach (Tallwood High School) competed at the National ProStart Invitational held at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. These teams were selected as the best of the best at the state level competition. We urge you to get involved either as a mentor to a school or as a judge. You can find more details at www.vrlta.org/page/ ProStart.

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JUNE/JULY 2019 | 15

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM | Marshall Weston

The Stars of Maryland Shone Brightly at RAM Gala! The Restaurant Association of Maryland is excited to announce the winners of the 65th Annual Stars of the Restaurant Industry Awards. The Gala celebration and awards presentation took place Sunday, May 5 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. Over thirty thousand people voted for their favorite Maryland restaurants and industry professionals. “The Gala is our opportunity to honor and give recognition to elite restaurants across the state. We are fortunate to have such a diverse group of restaurants to choose from who are dedicated to their customers, their community, and their employees,” said Marshall Weston, President and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

2019 Award Winners and Honorees RAM Cornerstone of the Industry Award This award is given to the companies that best illustrate how restaurants are the cornerstone of the economy and their community. These successful businesses support local communities by creating jobs and financially supporting non-profit groups, schools, scouts, and youth sports teams. • Carrol’s Creek Cafe - Annapolis • Glory Days Grill - Statewide • The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille - Statewide • Miss Shirley’s Cafe Baltimore & Annapolis • Salerno’s Restaurant & Catering Eldersburg • Tino’s Italian Bistro - Columbia

 Maryland Hospitality Hall of Honor 2019 Inductees Celebrating its 19th anniversary, the Maryland Hospitality Hall of 16 | JUNE/JULY 2019

2019 Eddison Hermond Memorial Scholarship Micros Mid-Atlantic’s Matt Freeman (l), Chef of the Year Winner Ashish Alfred of Duck Duck Goose (c), and Marshall Weston (r) Honor was created to recognize those restaurants in Maryland that embody the spirit of the hospitality industry based on their longevity and overall contributions to their customers. Awardees have all been in business for at least 20 years. • 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 • Tastee Diner - Bethesda

2019 Restaurateur of the Year Sponsored by the Maryland Restaurant & Hospitality Self Insurance Fund Steve Wecker - Cured | 18th & 21st / The Iron Bridge Wine Company / Mutiny Pirate Bar & Island Grille

2019 Chef of the Year Sponsored by Micros Mid-Atlantic Ashish Alfred - Duck Duck Goose

2019 Craft Brew Program of the Year Sponsored by Evolution Craft Brewing Co. The Judge’s Bench - Ellicott City

2019 Favorite New Restaurant (Statewide) The Charles - La Plata

2019 Favorite Restaurant Clyde’s - Columbia, Chevy Chase & Rockville

2019 Favorite Bar or Tavern Phoenix Emporium - Ellicott City

2019 Heart of the Industry Award Sponsored by Coastal Sunbelt Produce Kristen Walter, Manager The Point Crab House & Grill

The scholarship’s first recipient is Grace Schuler - Our Lady of Good Counsel High School.

2019 Allied Member of the Year Restaurant Reputations represented by Todd Collins

Eddison Alexander Hermond was born on August 15, 1978 in Brooklyn, NY. Following graduation, he joined the United States Air Force, where he served for 10 years. In 2009, he joined the Army National Guard and ultimately settled in Howard County, Maryland. While serving his country as a member of the National Guard, Eddison also worked at Victoria Restaurant Group. He was one of the first employees when the group opened Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia in 2007. He worked his way up to management, helping to open Manor Hill Tavern in Old Ellicott City in 2017. He died tragically and heroically during the Ellicott City flood on May 27, 2018. In hopes of continuing his legacy of service and love for the hospitality industry, his friends and family have established the Eddison Hermond Memorial Scholarship, to enable others to further their education and their service to others. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a member of the hospitality industry who embodies the same values that helped define the life and work of Eddison Hermond.

FOOD SMARTS cont. pg 19

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JUNE/JULY 2019 | 17

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAMW | Kathy E. Hollinger

A Q&A on Good Service Incredible service can make or break a restaurant experience and is as important as the food. We asked 2019 RAMMY Awards Service Program of the Year finalists questions related to the D.C. area’s foodservice community and the state of the industry, allowing them to offer insights into their successes as foodservice leaders and trendsetters in great service. All finalists agreed that staffing and retaining quality team members was the number one biggest challenge in today’s restaurant industry. However, when it came to other questions, everyone had different metrics for measuring success and different ideas on how to maintain a high standard of excellence throughout every element of the dining experience. Q. If you could put into words what your “secret to success” is, where would you begin? With the restaurant industry being as competitive as it is, what are some tips you’ve discovered that have helped you stand out from the crowd? Great American Restaurants COO Tom Rush: “We do not exist without our people (affectionately known as GARStars). Nothing is possible

FOOD SMARTS

cont. from page 4

What about the CDC? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) plays a support role. The CDC heads up federal efforts to gather data on food-borne illnesses, investigate food-borne illnesses and outbreaks, and monitor the effectiveness of prevention and

18 | JUNE/JULY 2019

Great service these days is about finding something new or unexpected to do for the guest. without them, and they are our greatest asset. Whether someone is with us for one year or 25 years, management or hourly, we work hard to grow and develop them, helping them to achieve their true potential. Investing in our people is the core to consistency both in service and culinary operations. What we believe separates us from the crowd is not only caring about all our people but teaching a culture of hospitality, accountability, and consistency. We focus on how to improve service, food quality, and employee development every day. We are always looking forward — not being satisfied with what we did today but what is possible tomorrow.” Q. What is it like to compete in Washington, D.C. these days? How do you see the city evolving from a culinary standpoint? Ambar Clarendon General Manager Snjeza Jaksic: “Providing a control efforts in reducing foodborne illnesses. The CDC supports state and local health departments by stepping in when there is an outbreak, providing epidemiology, laboratory, and environmental health capacity assistance.

The bottom line Federal government agencies are crucial to food inspection and food safety. But, local restaurants

welcoming experience with quality food is what has built our reputation as a favorite neighborhood gathering place and destination restaurant in D.C. Washington has become such a dining destination city so keeping the menu fresh, service excellent, and décor inviting and current is a must to keep up with the competition. The interest in different ethnic fare continues to capture a larger market interest, and I see this trend evolving.” Q. Coordinating large teams of people is one of the most challenging parts of running a restaurant. How do you ensure your staff delivers exemplary service every day? How do you ensure consistency? The Riggsby General Manager Bruce Joseph: “The core of management is leadership and collaboration. We challenge ourselves to be better leaders and managers every day. We encourage cross-training whenever possible so everyone on the team and food providers will be more familiar with state or local regulatory agencies as they are the ones with the power to shut you down if you don’t play by the rules. Be sure to keep staff trained and certifications up-to-date. If you do, the inspections will be more of a business consulting session to confirm you are managing your business properly versus a nuisance or a nightmare.

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is familiar with each other’s roles. Our pastry chef, from time-to-time, might work the host stand as the maître d’, and our servers may do a stage in the kitchen. We all work as a team to make sure that each plate that leaves the kitchen is consistent and exemplary.” Q. What defines great service in 2019? Iron Gate General Manager Blake Smith: “The standards of good service are set and known. Warmth and precision are expected. But great service these days is about finding something new or unexpected to do for the guest. Relieve them of a small burden they’re accustomed to — keep take-home bags tucked away until the guest is ready to leave. Give them a gift they didn’t know was possible — a taste of an off-menu wine or dish you think they might like. Diners today are savvy, and they come in knowing what they want. Greatness comes in finding a way to give them something more than they knew they could expect, more than they knew they wanted.” KATHY E. HOLLINGER is president and CEO of Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.

JULIET BODINETZ is the executive director of Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions, with over 30 years of industry and training experience. She and her team of instructors specialize in food safety, alcohol training, ServSafe training in English or Spanish, and writing HACCP Plans in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. metro areas. 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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Fufills All Maryland Health Department Requirements Recommended by: Coastal Sunbelt Produce, Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Foodservice Monthly, MICROS, PFG, RAMW & SAVAL

ACME

Marshall Weston (l), Restaurateur of the Year winner Steve Wecker (c), and Chairman of the Maryland Restaurant & Hospitality Self Insurance Fund Larry Wilhelm (r)

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM cont. from page 16

For the first time ever, two new awards categories were introduced.

2019 Favorite Fast Casual Restaurant Moby Dick House of Kabob Baltimore, Pikesville & Montgomery County (Please note the memorial tribute to Moby Dick House of Kabob founder Mike Daryoush on pg. 12.)

Eddie Dopkin First Course Award

David Vaughn Jr., Stratford University (Note: The Dopkin family created this $5,000 scholarship to celebrate the life and memory of Eddie Dopkin, founder and visionary behind the award-winning Miss Shirley’s Café and a partner with The Classic Catering People.)

Jackelyn Alfaro Sherwood High School

Honey Pig Korean BBQ Ellicott City & Rockville

2019 ProStart Teacher of the Year:

Bill King - Crab Shanty & Sea King

• Restaurant Equipment & Smallwares • Sustainable Foodservice Packaging • Janitorial Equipment & Green Cleaning Supplies

2019 ProStart Student of the Year

2019 Favorite International Cuisine Restaurant

The Brice & Shirley Phillips Lifetime Achievement Award

PAPER & SUPPLY

Honoring Entrepreneurship in Hospitality, presented by Miss Shirley’s Café and The Classic Catering People

Andre Williams Bladensburg High School MARSHALL WESTON is president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

www.acmepaper.com 800.462.5812 Toll Free 410.792.2333 Baltimore 301.953.3131 Washington RAM Gala attendees celebrated their Stars! foodservicemonthly

SERVING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 70 YEARS

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JUNE/JULY 2019 | 19

WHINING ’N DINING | Randi Rom

New Fun in Chestertown! the owners of The Elephant (formerly The Brass Elephant) in Mt. Vernon announced that they are open and will remain open now that the conflict has been resolved. The Elephant serves globally inspired cuisine in an iconic 1850’s mansion showcasing decorative arts by Tiffany, De Forrest, Waterford, and Rinehart…a stunning property. https://theelephantbaltimore.com/. Chris Golder

Open for biz…

98 Cannon Riverfront Grille has opened in historic Chestertown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Executive Chef Christopher Golder (formerly from The Boathouse Canton and one of my all-time fave chefs) takes the helm in the kitchen, offering elevated, casual cuisine with a focus on Chesapeake Bay seafood and farmto-table fare. 98 Cannon is not only a great new restaurant overlooking the water, but it’s also a food and fun experience that includes kayak and paddleboard rentals, live music, and cool events. http://www.98cannon. com/.

Annapolis hotspot Blackwall Hitch opened a 10,000-square-foot, fine dining restaurant on the lower level of the Candler Building on East Pratt Street. Executive Chef David Montanz offers fire-roasted flatbreads, salads, sandwiches, and entrees, including ‘Crab Caprese Rigatoni’ and a fresh fish board — you choose the fish, preparation style, and topping. Love that! FYI, it’s open for lunch, brunch, and dinner. https://www. theblackwallhitch.com/baltimore-md. Tiny Brick Oven, a new pizza shop, opened at 1036 Light Street in Federal Hill. The “fast casual” spot specializes in artisan, personal-size pizzas, prepared in a portable brick oven, that take only two minutes to cook. Kinda cool — right? The menu includes custom pizzas (including vegan options) and gelato. http:// www.tinybrickoven.com/. Twisted Teahouse, a traditional tearoom, opened in Hampden on The Avenue. Specialties include scratch scones, doughnuts, and muffins, along with tea in lovely china cups. Check out the “high tea,” which is served every day, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. https://twistedteahouse.com/. Restaurateur Charlie Gjerde opened Papi’s Tacos in Hampden in the spot previously occupied by Dmitri’s Tavern. The eatery serves Mexican street food, including al pastor tacos with meat cooked over a spit, enchiladas, tortillas, margaritas,

What’s happening… Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis has expanded access to GDL Italian by Giada, her restaurant at Horseshoe Baltimore. Until recently, only patrons 21 and older were able to dine at the restaurant. Newly designed entrances allow under-21 guests to access GDL Italian by Giada and Guy Fieri’s Baltimore Kitchen + Bar without entering the casino floor. The casino’s third celebrity chef restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Steak, is already accessible without entering the casino floor and, therefore, can also host guests under 21 years of age. https://www.caesars. com/horseshoe-baltimore/restaurants/ gdl-italian - .XM7m85NKifU. Are they in or are they out? Following some legal scuffles that threatened the sale of the building, 20 | JUNE/JULY 2019

beergaritas (Dos Equis Lager topped with frozen margarita), and more. FYI, there is a parking lot in the back! This is the second location for Papi’s, with the original in Fells Point. Gjerde also owns Huck’s American Craft in Brewers Hill, Wicked Sisters (also in Hampden), and Alexander’s Tavern in Fells Point. https://www. papistacoshampden.com/hampden.

Serving crab cakes, crushes, and frosé, this open-air restaurant also has a great green space next to it for kids (big and little) to enjoy. https:// www.facebook.com/Garden-PartyRotunda-390098775173215/. Chad Gauss, chef/owner of The Food Market in Hampden, opened Quality Snowballs in a shippingcontainer-turned-snowball-stand

Phillips Seafood Crab Deck

Dining al fresco — it’s BACK! Warmer weather in B-more means it’s time for dining al fresco! Here are a few hotspots now open for outside eating and drinking. Phillips Crab Deck opened for the season in downtown Baltimore. Perched out into the harbor on an overwater dock, the Phillips Seafood Crab Deck offers a menu of Eastern Shore faves, including steamed crabs straight from a steaming station. Shout out to marketing phenom Michelle Torres! https://www.phillipsseafood. com/locations-and-menus/baltimorecrabdeck. Mt. Washington Tavern’s Skybar is comfy and casual. FYI, the Creekstone Farms burgers are really good. https:// www.mtwashingtontavern.com/. From the folks at Avenue Kitchen & Bar, the outdoor bar Garden Party is open for biz at The Rotunda.

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at 1014 West 36th Street (on The Avenue), across the street from the restaurant. Look for a huge assortment of new, fun flavors (Banana-Oreo, Dirt Cup) as well as the B-more classic-egg custard with marshmallow. (Mom Rom’s favorite!) Just a note, “backin-the-day,” it was spelled snoball — without the W. https://www.instagram. com/qualitysnowballs/.

Coming soon… Rock & Toss Crab House will open a 3,060-square-foot seafood restaurant in Foundry Row in Owings Mills this summer. http://www. rockandtosscrabhouse.com/. 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. foodservicemonthly

SAVE THE DATE!

ITALIAN FALL FESTIVAL

October 1, 2019

12pm - 4pm