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Volume 16, No. 12 ■ December 2017

Kith and Kin Kwame Onwuachi Brings his Caribbean, Creole, and African Roots to D.C.’s New District Wharf

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insidefsm Volume 16, No. 12

December 2017

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Volume 16, No. 12 n December 2017

Kith and Kin Kwame Onwuachi Brings his Caribbean, Creole, and African Roots to D.C.’s New District Wharf

news and information

columns

Advertisers Index …………………………………………………………………… 28 Association News OCHMRA by Susan L. Jones …………………………… 14 Association News RAMEF by Jessica Waller ………………………………… 12 Association News RAMW by Kathy Hollinger ………………………………… 8 Association News VRTLA by Eric Terry ………………………………………… 15 FSM News by Lisa Keathley ………………………………………………………… 2

in the spotlight

Balti-MORE by Dara Bunjon……………………………………………………… 26 Bits & Bites by Lisa Keathley ……………………………………………………… 7 Bob Brown Says by Bob Brown ………………………………………………… 10 Food Smarts by Juliet Bondinetz ……………………………………………… 16 Local Cooks by Alexandra Greeley …………………………………………… 17 Modern Business Solutions by Henry Pertman ……………………………… 6 The Latest Dish by Linda Roth ………………………………………………… 13 Whining 'n Dining by Randi Rom ………………………………………………… 2

D.C.'s New District Wharf by Lisa Keathley ………………………………… 18 District Wharf's Kith and Kin by Celeste McCall …………………………… 19 Weinstein Raises the Bar at Hank's by Lisa Keathley …………………… 19

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

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On The Cover Kith and Kin's Kwame Onwuachi celebrates his new restaurant at District Wharf Story by: Celeste McCall Photo by: Rey Lopez

DECEMBER 2017 | 1

FSM NEWS

Holiday Celebrations Here, There, and Everywhere! Food and fun festivities abound during the holiday period, and there is no way to capture even a fraction of them. However, here are a couple of fun events to get into the spirit.

The Christmas countdown John Melfi, the executive chef of The Oval Room, is planning a total of 12 new menu items—savory, sweet, and cocktail-related—as a nod to the Twelve Days of Christmas carol. You know it…“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..” Every day from December 11 through 23, one new item will be added to the menu, with each special offering exclusive to that date. Melfi has revealed a few of the specials. For example, six geese a-laying showcases goose egg ravioli, crispy Italian cured guanciale, roasted wild mushrooms, charred onions, and duck fat béarnaise. A partridge in a pear tree translates as a roasted seckel pear tartlet, pistachio ice cream, and toasted pistachio streusel. On the cocktail side, guests can imagine the twelve drummers with a drink called The Drummer’s Drambuie, made with Drambuie,

Kahlua, cream, simple syrup, and egg whites, garnished with bourbon-soaked amarena cherries. The seven swans a-swimming offering will feature a Swan Lake made with whiskey, half-and-half, white crème de cacao, simple syrup, and Cointreau, garnished with an orange peel. The Oval Room, 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW. www. ovalroom.com.

6620 or email marvina.tribbeywilliams@hyatt.com. Advance reservations are required.

Meanwhile, for the kids and the dogs… …Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. will host a seasonal culinary experience for young chefs, “MiniMasters of Food,” on Sunday, December 17, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Rising star chefs, between the ages of eight and twelve, are invited to don an apron and hat for an interactive, display-size gingerbread house decorating class with Pastry Chef Erin Reed. The experience includes materials and an assortment of sweets and drinks for the young chefs. Tickets are available for purchase through Eventbrite at https://minimasters-gingerbread. eventbrite.com. For additional information, please call (202) 419-

Photo: Gregory Woodman

Kids and dogs are invited to drop off letters to Santa at the St. Regis …and over at the St. Regis Washington, D.C., children can send holiday wishes to Santa by visiting the hotel’s very own “Santa Mailbox.” Santa will be writing personal notes from the North Pole back to every child or dog that drops off a letter before December 20. A contribution will be made to the Community of Hope for every letter from a child. Letters from pets will result in donations to the Humane Rescue Alliance.

five years later and with a second location in the Atlantic Plumbing Building, Bazaar Spices continues to be a destination for fine quality ingredients from around the world. It’s also a community hub where foodies, home cooks, and adventurous eaters congregate, share stories, take classes, and learn about global cuisines and techniques. “When we first dreamed about opening a shop, we wanted to create the kind of authentic food market experiences we had while traveling the globe to such countries as India, Peru, and Egypt,” says Ivan Fitzgerald, co-owner of Bazaar Spices. “We love the joy we bring to customers when they discover a spice from their country that they couldn’t find anywhere else,” he says. When Ivan and his wife, Monica Grover, opened in 2012, Bazaar Spices was Washington, D.C.’s first locally owned and operated gourmet spice shop. Recently, the duo has been awarded a Great Streets Grant to help revitalize and energize the local business community in Shaw. A tour through the two shops is a delight to the senses, with over 625 types of spices, herbs, botanicals, and teas and over 125 kinds of rice, grains, beans, and lentils. Among the best selling spices: black peppercorns, chimichurri, green cardamom, lavender, and sumac. Mmmmmm!

City Winery announces… Bazaar Spices turns five!

Photo: Rey Lopez

The Oval Room’s John Melfi is planning 12 new items in recognition of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” 2 | DECEMBER 2017

Since opening its doors in 2012, Bazaar Spices at Union Market (1309 5th St., NE) has become a go-to destination for premium quality spices, herbs, botanicals, grains, and hard-to-find ingredients from around the world. Now,

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…the appointment of Heather Otto as general manager and Colleen Hendricks as director of sales of City Winery Washington D.C., the company’s upcoming multi-purpose, 40,000-square-foot entertainment and dining venue set to open in early 2018. Otto and Hendricks join the team to lend their expertise to developing the 320-seat concert foodservicemonthly

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FSM NEWS cont. from pg 2

Volume 16, No. 12 ■ December 2017

venue, urban winery, 175-seat restaurant, and private event space for up to 1,000 guests — sure to give its Ivy City neighbors and greater Washington residents alike a new destination to enjoy. “We are so pleased to welcome Heather and Colleen to the leadership team at City Winery Washington D.C.,” said Michael Dorf, City Winery’s founder and CEO. Otto brings more than 16 years of experience in hospitality, having served in several management positions of popular Hard Rock Cafe locations up and down the East Coast. Hendricks spent 10 years leading marketing and sales initiatives at high-volume New York and Washington-area entertainment and dining venues, most recently acting as director of sales for Carmine’s in D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood, preceded by a position as director of sales for the Howard Theatre. City Winery Washington D.C. will be located at 1350 Okie St., NE, Washington D.C.

Most admired CEO The Maryland Daily Record has named Ronald Attman, CEO of Acme Paper & Supply, one of Maryland’s 2017 Most Admired Attman CEOs. This will be Attman’s third time being recognized with this award. Founded in 1946, Acme Paper & Supply is the leading Mid-Atlantic distributor of innovative, customized, and costeffective packaging, equipment, and supplies to the hospitality, health care, recreation, education, food processing, and property management industries. Attman has worked with Acme for 50 years in a variety of roles, working his way up to the top leadership position. The Daily Record created the Most Admired CEOs awards program to recognize talented business CEOs

and nonprofit executive directors throughout Maryland for their leadership and professionalism. “To be a Most Admired CEO means that you have gained the respect and admiration of those around you. It means you are making a positive impact on the lives of others,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, publisher of The Daily Record. “Our honorees this year were nominated by coworkers, community organizations, and other leaders not just for their professional achievements but because they are truly admired by their peers and employees. The Daily Record is pleased to recognize their leadership in our state and beyond.” Congratulations!

New to the Maryland Hall of Fame! Stanley Pearlman, of Stanley Pearlman Enterprises, joined the elite ranks of the Maryland Food

FSM NEWS cont. pg 24

Silver Communications Publisher Lisa Keathley Managing Editor lisafoodmag@gmail.com Lisa Silber Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Electronic Ink Design & Production fsm@eink.net Dennis Barry Juliet Bodinetz Bob Brown Dara Bunjon Alexandra Greeley

Contributing Writers Kathy Hollinger Susan Jones Celeste McCall Henry Pertman Randi Rom

Linda Roth Michael Sternberg Eric Terry Marshall Weston

Contact phone: 703-471-7339 email: lisa@foodservicemonthly.com fax: 866-961-4980 web: www.foodservicemonthly.com Foodservice Monthly, a division of Silver Communications, Corp., is owned and published by Silver Communications, Corp. The Foodservice Monthly mission is to provide 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.

Safer Customers. Simplified Procedures. Better Results. NO RINSE FOOD CONTACT CLEANER SANITIZER Simplified procedures with fewer steps help reduce cleaning time increasing productivity. Customers and employees will be safer with the improved food safety compliance providing protection against a variety of foodborne illnesses.

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DECEMBER 2017 | 3

MY TAKE | Michael Sternberg

Only Restaurant People…

had the great pleasure of opening a restaurant for a client recently. It’s been a few years since I have been so integral to an opening, and this was a particularly rewarding experience because I participated in every aspect of the development. I started the project working for the landlord, advising on practical lease terms, identifying the right tenant for the space, and assisting with the

lease negotiation. Once the lease was signed, I went to work with the tenant with the landlord’s blessing, as their agent through construction, and as project manager through opening. My services included advising my client on everything from hiring the chef, the sous chefs, and the management team all the way through opening training, including the menu and wine list development and directing the opening schedule. I was particularly proud and happy with the eventual placement of a long-time protégé as the director of operations/GM. With the opening, I even got to work with other old friends and colleagues, both as teammates and as suppliers.

It reminded me how openings can be both wonderful and frustrating at the same time. Most of all, this opening reiterated how terrific restaurant people can be. Anyone who identifies as a restaurant person or even a “reformed restaurant person” knows that we are a little different; idiosyncratic, focused, quick to decisions. More importantly, restaurant people are eager to please, flexible, and inventive. Most restaurant people get their “fix” from the immediate gratification of a perfectly cooked dish or a very happy table — and take it personally when the extra effort we provide isn’t recognized. We are “special” in a way that only we can understand. So with the holidays upon us, it seems the timing is opportune to celebrate “Restaurant People” with a list of some of the things we do and how we behave that makes us so special.

use them to make stock — an act that rarely actually happens at home.

Only restaurant people ...

. . . know that it is their responsibility to treat you much better than you ever get treated at home.

. . . know that “it’s fine” is not a compliment. . . . stock their home refrigerator with all the labels facing out. . . . understand that the “Theory of Relativity” explains why 10 minutes after you’ve ordered feels like 45 minutes when you are hungry… …and that waiting for a table for 10 minutes feels like hours. . . . can hold a discussion with you about your meal, the NBA, what to do while visiting D.C., and what to have for dessert — while mentally organizing the mis en place for their other three tables. . . . look at bones and carcasses and automatically think “STOCK!” On the other hand, only restaurant people hold onto old vegetables and bones at home, thinking they will 4 | DECEMBER 2017

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. . . can withstand holding a hot pan without dropping it because the pain is worth not dropping the dish. . . . think that regardless of what time the day started, going home before the dinner rush makes it a “half-day.” . . . can serve 500 dinners perfectly, but overcook one steak and think the night was a failure. . . . pick up paper towels off the floor and wipe down the sink in the restrooms of other restaurants. . . . get as excited about the food in other restaurants as they are about the food in their own. . . . really understand that technology is not nearly as important as a smile.

. . . and your dog might be the only ones that really are happy to see you. There are lots of other “Restaurant People” traits that I’d love to hear about. Please share. As for me, I’m just happy and proud to be in the ranks.

MICHAEL STERNBERG is an award-winning expert in a wide array of foodservice venues, including restaurants, hotels, stadiums, arenas, and airports, with operations ranging from full-service to grab & go. He is CEO of Sternberg Hospitality, a full-service restaurant and hospitality consultancy, and a principal in Mokja Ventures, an investment fund for creative, scalable restaurant concepts. He can be reached at: michael@sternberghospitality. com or 703-298-2706. foodservicemonthly

To our valued customers & vendors/ broker partners,

It's been an honor serving you this year, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and partnership.

ORTER OF FO PP O SU

P SU

RID DB

GE · PROU D

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As we head into 2018, our most important mission continues to be providing you with the very best service. Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday! H & M Wagner & Sons Foodservice 7204 May Wagner Lane Glen Burnie, MD 21061 800-492-4571· 410-766-1150 HMWagner.com

TER OF F POR OO

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DECEMBER 2017 | 5

MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS | Henry Pertman

Giving Thanks, Giving Back, and Planning for the New Year

appy December everyone! I sincerely hope that the articles you read here every month provide guidance and solutions that make your business better and stronger. ’Tis the season for giving thanks to friends and family and, hopefully, to your family of restaurant employees and special restaurant guests. If you have done things like presented your employees with bonuses, given random acts of gift cards to special

20 18 START

PLANNING NOW

guests, and perhaps a catered meal or two for a community group you support, then it is already the time to celebrate your holidays! If you have not done these things, or similar, it is certainly never too late to give gifts of joy and appreciation. While carrying out gestures that help to maintain important relationships is not — and should not be — a once-a-year event, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are reminders to give back and show appreciation. With or without an ROI, these gestures would be important; but in fact, the ROI is 6 | NOVEMBER 2017

significant and keeps you on point all the while. So, 2018 is coming fast, and you have the opportunity now to make the new year one of the very best for you, your business, and your family. As in all important life decisions, proper planning is needed well in advance of the actions that will define your successes. The game plan is familiar, tried, and true…and will work if you deploy it properly: Plan on updating your website and your social media presence For whatever that may imply for your business, and at whatever level of sophistication, having a plan to refresh, update, and improve what you already have will have a huge impact on your business. Make it important.

employees, front and back of the house, understands that importance and how it affects pride, service, quality, consistency, and the building of guest relationships — so vital for your success. Engage with a consultant Though on the surface selfserving, this is sound advice that will help you develop yourself and your business in ways you may not even see right now or do not think you can accomplish on your own. As Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, once said, “Every famous

athlete, every famous performer has somebody who’s a coach; somebody who can watch what they’re doing and can give them perspective. The one thing people are never good at is seeing themselves as others see them. A coach really, really helps.” Happy holidays, Happy New Year, and, as always, let me know if I can help. HENRY PERTMAN is director, Hospitality Consulting at CohnReznick LLP, located in the firm’s Baltimore, Maryland office. He can be contacted at 410-7834900 or henry.pertman@ cohnreznick.com.

Evaluate and rework your menu to make it more interesting and more profitable Spend the time that is needed to do a proper analysis of your menu mix and your food costs. Eliminate items that are dated, do not sell well, or do not reflect well on your brand. Be sure that every menu item is worth selling from a quality, consistency, and profitability standpoint. Take a careful look at your restaurant’s interior Does it need a refresh? Do the bathrooms need to be improved or remodeled? What does the entryway say about your place when a new guest comes in? Are you making the right impression? Take the time to train and retrain all of your staff on the importance of hospitality First, know what it means to you, and then be sure every one of your The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

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BITS & BITES | Lisa Keathley

Neighborhood Watch!

iterally! Thanks to WETA Television, the public broadcasting station serving the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, viewers can watch two different program series to learn about restaurants, cafes, and other eateries in their own backyards!

Neighborhood Eats — an exclusive WETA TV 26 production created for this region — is a 30-minute companion to the longrunning WETA Neighborhoods series. It takes viewers through a variety of local neighborhoods where the food scene is vibrant and thriving, thanks in large measure to local patrons. The most recent Eats episode featured restaurants in Del Ray (Alexandria, VA), Silver Spring (MD), D.C.’s Adams Morgan/Mount Pleasant neighborhood, and in D.C.’s Southwest quadrant. “We look for neighborhood places where the customer base is from the community they serve,” says WETA executive producer Glenn Baker. “It could be a new place open for only a couple of years or a mainstay that has been there up to 20 years, as long as there is an interesting story.” As an example, Baker noted the Evening Star Cafe in Del Ray, which has a garden on the rooftop where the restaurant’s fresh produce is grown. Other featured Del Ray foodservicemonthly

Photo courtesy WETA

Rose Previte (second from left) on the Check, Please! DC set with a panel of citizen food reviewers

eating establishments were the café and biscuit house Stomping Ground and Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap, which bakes its thin-crust pizza in a floor-to-ceiling wood-burning oven. Silver Spring’s featured Neighborhood Eats restaurants included La Casita Pupuseria & Market — serving pupusa, the national dish of El Salvador — Denizens Brewing Company, and Urban Butcher, where meats are aged and butchered in house. The Adams Morgan/Mount Pleasant dining destinations were Federalist Pig, Sakuramen Ramen Bar, Purple Patch, featuring classic Filipino

recipes, and Pleasant Pops, with its crowd-favorite ice pops. Station 4 and Cantina Marina rounded out the episode’s restaurant tour in Southwest Washington. The other WETA food program — Check, Please! DC — follows a different format. In each episode, three citizen reviewers recommend one dining spot for review by the other two guests. After anonymously trying each restaurant recommendation, the guests join the show’s in-studio host to discuss their experiences. “The premise for this program is that it’s not experts, or specialists, or food

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reviewers. It’s more like listening to a recommendation from your

BITS AND BITES cont. page 9 DECEMBER 2017 | 7

ASSOCIATION NEWS - RAMW | Kathy E. Hollinger

Good Food with Good Wine!

hhhh… What could be better? At the 14th Annual Wines of Chile Awards in November, 13 D.C. chefs paired winning Chilean wines with dishes highlighting the bounty of Chilean cuisine in a competitionstyle event. Sponsored by Wines of Chile, ProChile, Foods From Chile, and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), the celebration took place at the National Restaurant Association building in Washington, D.C. There were two competition winners: a favorite dish and wine pairing selected by a panel of judges and the people’s choice winner selected by via a social media campaign. The chefs all received the winning wines in advance and created dishes to pair with them. The judges included Mario Pablo Silva, President, Wines of Chile; Rodrigo Contreras, Trade Commissioner, ProChile; Myriam Gómez, Executive Director, Image of Chile Foundation; Julio Fiol, Chargé D´Affaires, Embassy of Chile; writer and blogger Sarah Dolan; wine

writer Ashley Davidson; and Julio Robledo, Co-founder & President, Grand Cata. For the people’s choice award, patrons had the night to taste all dishes with wine pairings and cast their votes for their favorite pairings on social media using the hashtag #AWOCA17.

Judges Pairing Choice Chef Jesse Miller of Bar Pilar created a Carignan and five-spice beef belly. Highlighting beef from Patagonia, Chef Miller used young sheep’s milk cheese-stuffed prunes with oak-smoked beef bacon, honey, honey and sumac yogurt, kabocha squash, merquen, and pickled plum.

Peoples Pairing Choice Daniel Morton from Del Frisco’s Grille took the people’s choice award for favorite dish of the night with his empanadas de pino. The traditional empanadas were stuffed with merquen spiced ribeye steak and prunes. Other chefs who participated included last year’s People’s Choice Winner Chef Steve Mason of Grilled

The two best in show winners of the 14th Annual Wines of Chile Awards and used in the chef pairings were: • Best Syrah: Viña Casas Del Bosque, Gran Reserva Syrah 2015 • Best Cabernet Sauvignon over $50: SANTA EMA, Catalina 2014 Other top placements were: • Best Sparkling: Viña Undurraga, Undurraga Rosé Royal N/V

8 | DECEMBER 2017

Photo: Linda Roth

Jaime Merino’s best in show Santa Ema Catalina was paired with Kaz Okochi’s Chilean spiced short ribs; both are having fun here in a mock battle Oyster Co., Chef Victor Albisu of Del Campo, Chef Pablo Catalan of Pennsylvania 6, Chef Angel Roque of Cuba Libre, Chef Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro, Chef Rob Rubba of Hazel, Chef Kamal Chanaka of Smith Commons, Chef Bart Vandaele of Belga and B Too, Chef Brittany Todd of Quarter + Glory, Chef Jenn Flynn of Roofers Union, and Chef

• Best Sauvignon Blanc: Viña Haras de Pirque, Albaclara Sauvignon Blanc 2017 • Best Other White: Viña Casas del Bosque, Gran Reserva Late Harvest Riesling 2015 • Best Chardonnay: Luis Felipe Edwards, Marea Valle de Leyda Chardonnay 2016

Susan Delbert of Fourth Estate. Winning wines were selected by 27 judges including wine writers, master sommeliers, and professionals during a two-day blind tasting of more than 300 wines. The group awarded 82 gold medals to

CHILE AWARDS cont. pg 9

Apalta, Carménère Blue Label 2015 • Best Other Red: Viña Valdivieso, Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2013 • Best Red Blend: Viña Cousiño Macul, Lota 2011

• Best Pinot Noir: San Pedro, 1865 Selected Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

• Best Cabernet Sauvignon under $20: Viña Requingua, Puerto Viejo Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

• Best Carignan/Secano: Luis Felipe Edwards, LFE100 CIEN Carignan 2012

• Best Cabernet Sauvignon $20-$50: Viña Maipo, Protegido Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

• Best Carménère $25 and over: San José de

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CHILE AWARDS cont. from pg 8 outstanding wines, two best in show winners, and 13 top placements in varietal categories including: Sparkling, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Carignan, Red Blends, Pinot Noir, Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon. “Our Chilean Chef Challenge was taken to new heights last night,” said Rodrigo Contreras,

BITS AND BITES cont. from pg 7 Trade Commissioner, ProChile. “By pairing Chile’s finest ingredients, including free range beef, olive oil, and Patagonia mussels with some of the nation’s most renowned wines selected by Wines of Chile, the event was better than ever. Nothing pairs better with great food than great wine.”

Photo: Linda Roth

(l-r) Steve Mason, Grilled Oyster Company, 2016 Chilean Chef Challenge winner Kaz Okochi, Kaz Sushi Bistro, and Dan Morton, Del Frisco’s Grille, 2017 People’s Choice winner

best friend,” says WETA’s Baker. Citizen reviewers apply to appear on the program. Check, Please! DC is hosted by Rose Previte, founder of Compass Rose, which won a 2017 RAMMY for Casual Restaurant of the Year. Her newest restaurant, Mayden, opened just before Thanksgiving in the alley of the Manhattan Laundry Building complex (1346 Florida Ave., NW). “She has insights that only a restaurateur could have,” says Baker. Spanning the entire DistrictMaryland-Virginia area, Check, Please! DC covers a wide array of establishments and cuisines from the region’s diverse offerings. From special occasion destinations to strip mall gems, the first six episodes have taken viewers on a journey of culinary discovery, featuring everything from Laotian “jungle” cuisine to Uyghur hand-pulled noodles

to southern Mexican fare to oldfashioned comfort food. WETA Executive Producer Glenn Baker says WETA plans to produce 12 new episodes of Check, Please! DC each year. He sees a real connection between public broadcasting and local eating. “Restaurants are about bringing the community together. That’s part of our WETA mission, too.” Baker says that in an age where people are isolated behind their devices, “restaurants are our idealized social space. It’s where friends, family, and others come together for a shared experience. It’s not just a meal. It’s a real commitment to the community.” MORE INFORMATION on Neighborhood Eats, Check, Please! DC, and other WETA programs and services can be found at www.weta.org. On social media, visit www.facebook.com/wetatvfm on Facebook or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter.

Happy holidays

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DECEMBER 2017 | 9

BOB BROWN SAYS | Bob Brown

Seamless Systems:

Four Ways to Make the Right Thing the Easiest Thing to Do

fter a boat ride up the Potomac one October afternoon, I stopped by a Washington Harbour cafe with my family. While struggling to put two tables together, a server scolded, “You must check in with the host, and you can’t sit here unless you order entrees!” Needless to say, we took our $70 elsewhere. When we experience poor service, our first inclination is to blame the staff. But the real culprit is in the systems. How do you uncover and fix breakdowns?

suits, and stop by the pool bar for a ‘Funky Monkey’ piña colada!”

Make It Easy

Listen The key to delivering great service lies within the people we expect to be hospitable. Tune in to those closest to the action — dishwashers, servers, hosts, bussers, bartenders. One of our best questions was, “If you owned this restaurant, what would you do differently?” says Kathy Stewart, former director of training for Great American Restaurants. “We got gems on how to build and improve systems and extraordinary insights into our company culture. Our most powerful tool was our yearly anonymous survey.” Listening, whether in focus groups, preshifts, or one-on-ones, uncovers the cogs in the wheel.

Involve Years ago, while working with the View Lounge, a rooftop bar at the Marriott Marquis overlooking Times Square, it didn’t take long to find out why its service scores were in the tank. I overheard a server 10 | DECEMBER 2017

THE REAL CULPRIT BEHIND MOST SERVICE FAILURES IS IN THE SYSTEMS, NOT THE PEOPLE.”

reprimanding a group of patrons pounding down martinis, “Sorry folks, fire policy says you can’t sit by the windows in groups larger than five.” Servers were put in the position of playing the bad cop. So, we worked with the team to create a gracious approach, “Ladies and gentleman, thanks in advance for your understanding. It’s important for your safety to sit on the second tier. I’d be happy to move your snacks and drinks, and the next round is on me.”

Reengineer It was bad enough when groups flying from Newark to Aruba had to endure long

security lines, a two-hour Miami stopover, customs, luggage retrieval, and a bus to the Marriott. So, when beleaguered guests finally arrived, they reached their breaking point as they elbowed their way off the bus to be first in line at the front desk. Taking action, we had bus drivers greet guests at the airport with bottled water and cold towels. Then, when the bus arrived, we had a gracious host hop on the bus with, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Aruba Marriott. There’s no need to rush to the front desk. Greeters will direct you to tables where you can pick up your key packets and go straight to your room, slip into your bathing

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“How can you work in that guestpacked nuthouse with a two-hour wait,” friends often asked when I served at Paolo’s in ‘87. My manager, Michael O’Grady, built a salesman’s paradise. He set up the wines behind the service bar for easy access. He assembled a cadre of Thai bussers who could clear and reset a table in 15 seconds flat. Our highly proficient hosts packed the room tighter than a drum. Michael’s super teams, along with brilliantly crafted systems, created a workspace where guests were dazzled, and I could thrive. I wonder if that server is still at that Washington Harbour cafe spending all of her time policing guests. Poorly designed systems create incompetence, demoralize staff, and make for angry and defecting guests. Artfully designed systems guarantee seamless service, boost morale, and build sales and guest loyalty. BOB BROWN, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, www.bobbrownss.com, pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program and has worked with Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Nordstrom, Olive Garden, and Ritz Carlton, and internationally with such hotels as Burj Al Arab in Dubai. He has appeared on the Food Network and authored the bestselling The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. Contact Bob for speeches, workshops, breakouts, and executive retreats: 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2014. foodservicemonthly

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DECEMBER 2017 | 11

ASSOCIATION NEWS RAMEF | Jessica Waller

FREE Online Alcohol Awareness Training – Introducing RAM Alcohol!

he Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation (RAMEF) believes that high-quality, accessible,

inexpensive training is the key to ensuring that every foodservice and hospitality industry employee is given the opportunity to learn, grow,

and become the next industry leader. We believe this is so important, we are giving RAM’s alcohol awareness training away for free.

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“RAM Alcohol” is the new alcohol awareness program offered by RAMEF. Our program is fully approved by the Comptroller of Maryland and is valid in every Maryland county. RAM Alcohol features free online training at MarylandRestaurants.com. Once the online training is completed, you can decide if you want to take the final exam to get your Alcohol Awareness Certificate. Per Maryland law, the proctored exam is always taken in person with an approved RAM Alcohol instructor/ proctor. The training is free, but the certification cost is the same as it has always been at RAMEF: $65. RAM members receive a $20 discount. Not everyone needs the certificate, but everyone needs the training. The free online training provides a way to ensure that your entire team is trained in responsible alcohol service at a pace that makes sense for your organization, and only those who need the certification have to pay for it.

The trainers Many of our RAM Alcohol instructors/proctors are inhouse trainers. This saves their organizations a lot of time and money by providing the flexibility they need to ensure their team is properly trained. Our instructors/ proctors pay significantly less in certification costs per student, and all of the training material is provided to our approved instructors free of charge. Having an in-house

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RAM Alcohol instructor/proctor makes sense for businesses that want to ensure their whole team is certified. Certifying your entire team can have some insurance benefits.

In the classroom RAM Alcohol is also available as classroom training. Check out our ad in this issue (page 4) for upcoming dates, or visit MarylandRestaurants. com to see a full list of upcoming classes and to register online. If you are interested in becoming a RAM Alcohol instructor/proctor or you have questions about our program, please give us a call at 410-2906800.

So many benefits! Training your entire team on responsible alcohol service is one of the best ways to ensure that your employees have the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves and your business. Training pays for itself many times over by boosting employee confidence and morale, helping them make better decisions, and encouraging them to take ownership. RAMEF is dedicated to providing our industry with the training resources needed to be successful. JESSICA WALLER is the Executive Director of RAMEF foodservicemonthly

THE LATEST DISH | Linda Roth

Hot off the press! Joseph Mattioli, the general manager of the St. Regis Washington, D.C., plans to launch a new French café concept (as he is French) in the historic 1926 hotel lobby, featuring French pastries and espresso (the real thing) to ring in the morning, and a champagne bar (perhaps with caviar?) to congratulate those who made it through the day. Fingers crossed it happens before the end of the year. Ryan Seelbach and Jeff Sunderland, who brought you Takoda in Shaw, will turn the recently closed 1905 (on 9th Street, NW) into Cortez, named after the Sea of Cortez on the Baja Peninsula. Cortez will feature a year-round rooftop tequila bar with appropriate culinary complements, such as fish tacos. The dining room will seat 40, and the rooftop bar will, as well. Expect colorful murals and cactus plants. A March opening is targeted. Chantilly is hot now, as Wegmans, plans to open there in August at The Field at Commonwealth, a huge retail development at Route 28 and Westfields Blvd. The grocery will be joined by several other foodservice concepts: Cava Mezze Grill, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Mellow Mushroom. Blackwall Hitch will replace the Green Turtle Sports Bar & Grille in Chantilly Shopping Center. Both brands are owned and operated by Mid-States Management Group. Blackwall Hitch also has locations in Alexandria, Annapolis, and Rehoboth, DE.

Congratulations: Elisabeth Devon Capili was named executive chef at the Arlington

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Just opened:

Photo: Linda Roth

Frans Hagen Fund scholarship winners (l-r) Omar Errico Miranda and Lifen Zhu, with Greg Casten of Educated Eats and RAMW Executive Director Kathy Hollinger Capital View Renaissance Hotel. Five students have won scholarships from the Frans Hagen Fund, a part of RAMW’s Educated Eats. Greg Casten, Educated Eats chairman and a RAMW executive committee member, announced that the organization will award scholarships totaling $12,000 to the recipients. Students are chosen by RAMW’s executive board for their passion and commitment to the hospitality industry.

CCChanges: All five Ted’s Bulletin restaurants are now owned by Steve Salis, the co-founder of &pizza, who also owns the iconic Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café in Dupont Circle. He bought it from Matchbox Food Group. Steve’s Salis Holdings partnered with JPB Capital Partners. Salis Holdings

is also a co-owner of Adams Morgan’s Federalist Pig barbecue place. Ted’s Bulletins are located on Capitol Hill, on 14th Street, NW, and in Gaithersburg, Reston, and Merrifield. Raynold Mendizabal, chef/owner of Urban Butcher in Silver Spring, plans to open a second restaurant in Grosvenor Americas’ new mixeduse development on the corner of Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue. The full-service restaurant aims to open in summer 2018. Denmark-based Joe & The Juice will open at 1500 K Street, NW in January, where a CVS used to be. It has one unit in Bethesda, 20 in the U.S., and 200 throughout Europe. The Denmark firm is also scouting locations at The Yards and at 17th and I Streets, NW.

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Jenny Feldt, formerly of Le Diplomate, and Lukas Smith, formerly of Cotton & Reed, have opened Ampersand, a pop-up bar under Smoke & Barrel on 18th Street, NW in Adams Morgan, just on Thursday through Sunday nights. In addition to their cocktails, they serve beer and whiskey from the upstairs barbecue restaurant. Moreland’s Tavern opened in the Swampoodle space at 5501 14th Street, NW, with chef/partner Emily Baran at the helm. It’s from the folks who brought you Boundary Stone in Bloomingdale and DC Reynolds in Petworth. Ashok Bajaj opened a second Bindaas in Foggy Bottom. It’s located at The Shops at 2000 Penn (2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW) where Johnny Rockets was. It seats 70, with 21 at the bar. Its menu and beverage list exceeds the one in Cleveland Park. Rosslyn is getting a food hall at 1801 N. Lynn Street in a secondstory space in Central Place, above McDonald’s. It will be operated by Social Restaurant Group, which owns Pamplona and Bar Bao in Clarendon and Provision No. 14 and The Prospect in D.C.’s U Street corridor. The group also runs La Vie, a French-themed restaurant and lounge, and Rival & Rye, a whiskey and sports bar at The Wharf. Other retail tenants in the food hall include sweetgreen and Little Beet. On the other side of the plaza, Compass Coffee and Cava Mezze Grill plan to open. 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.

DECEMBER 2017 | 13

ASSOCIATION NEWS OCHMRA | Susan L. Jones

Celebrate the Season at the Seashore

hile one would think Ocean City is a ghost town this time of year, it is actually an enchanting time to visit. The crowds are gone, leaving the roads open for exploring and the room rates at an all-time low. Restaurants reward patrons braving the weather with off-season specials sure to please any purse and palate. Recently, the annual light display, Winterfest of Lights, turned on its twinkle, celebrating the 25th anniversary of this award-winning event. More than one million lights sparkle on the animated, fairy-tale-

Ocean City’s Winterfest of Lights themed light displays throughout Northside Park. Hop on the train and ride the one-mile journey, which takes you through 58 acres of lights and features a 50-foot Christmas tree. After the train ride, be sure to

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A COMMUNITY OF GIVING Dine United / Stay United check for $71,398 will benefit the lower eastern shore grab hot chocolate in the heated Winterfest Village pavilion and take pics with Santa in front of the large poinsettia tree. Admission to board the train is only $5 for guests 12 years and older and FREE for children 11 years and younger. So grab your family and friends for this wonderful tradition! Also at Northside Park, the town of Ocean City will be hosting a New Year’s Eve fireworks show to celebrate the beginning of 2018. The fireworks display, which will begin promptly at midnight on New Year’s Eve, will be accompanied by live entertainment. Winterfest of Lights hours will be extended until midnight, giving you plenty of time to ride through the winter paradise. Several hotels and restaurants also offer fabulous New Year’s Eve packages. Ocean City is a great place to ring in the new year!

Community Giving It never ceases to amaze me how giving our community truly is. Over the summer, we partnered with the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore to raise funds that would stay in our backyard. Together, Dine United and Stay United raised over $71,000! Cole Taustin, vice president of Blu Crabhouse & Raw

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Bar and the inventor of the Dine United OC Competition, stated, “I could not be more excited about the success of Dine United and Stay United. The generosity of the business community in Ocean City has always been tremendous, and this is just another testament to that.” Thank you to all restaurant participants: Surfin’ Betty’s Beach Bar, DaVinci’s By The Sea, Sello’s Italian Oven Bar, Little House of Pancakes, Ribs & Pizza, Coastal Coffee, The Dough Roller – 41st and 70th Street locations, Happy Jack Pancake House, Outback Steakhouse West OC, Brass Balls Saloon, Blu Crabhouse & Raw Bar, Phillips Seafood House & Phillips Crab House, Grotto Pizza – 15th and 125th Street locations, The Embers Restaurant, Crab Bag, O.C. Seacrets, and The Harrison Group Restaurants, including The Original Pool Bar & Grill, Deep End Pool Bar, The Coral Reef Café, Hemingway’s at the Coral Reef, Atrium Café, Caribbean Pool Bar & Grill, Mañana Mode, 32 Palm, Rumbas Lounge, and Harrison’s Harbor Watch.

OCHMRA NEWS cont. pg 28 foodservicemonthly

ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA | Eric D. Terry

Virginia Elections Equalize Power, Setting Up Tough Battles in 2018

ast month, as anyone in the DMV area knows, Virginia held its elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and all 100 seats for the House of Delegates. Seen by most pundits as a referendum on the 2016 national election, Virginia saw not just a wave but a tsunami of Democratic support across the Commonwealth. As one of only two states in 2017 to hold elections for this many officials, this highly anticipated election proved the existence of momentum well beyond what most would have thought. The result? A significant shift in the political makeup of the state of Virginia. Most voter turnout models seemed to give the impression of close races

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in all three statewide elections and safe bids for Republican incumbents and candidates for a number of contested House races. While turnout was slightly higher from the GOP than in past gubernatorial elections, the Democratic turnout was explosive and more than many Republican candidates could handle. Based on the turnout, Democrats handily swept all three statewide races. Incoming Governor Ralph Northam (current lieutenant governor) won the day by nearly nine percent, a much larger margin than what any poll had predicted. Incoming Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax will be new to the political scene, while incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring will continue his duties in that role.

Ideologically speaking, there will be little change from the top three Virginia legislative positions. While many across the country had their eyes on the governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race, at the end of the day, the elections for the House of Delegates are what stole the show. While the initial election results were still unofficial at the time this was written, Democrats are expected to pick up 15 of the 17 seats that Hillary Clinton won over Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. These anticipated wins create a dramatic shift from a 66-34 Republican majority in the House to a slim 51-49 majority. In three key races, incumbent delegates Tim Hugo (R-Clifton) and David Yancey (R-Newport News) and candidate

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Bob Thomas (R-Stafford) all lead their respective races by less than one percent of the total votes cast in their races, with Yancey holding onto an astonishingly small 10-vote lead. As it stands at the time of this writing, recounts are anticipated in all three of the races listed above. The outcome of these recounts will determine which party will control the majority in Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House of Delegates. There is also the very real possibility that a 50-50 split will occur if one of the aforementioned races flips following the recount. The last time there was a 50-50 split in Virginia was 1999. At that time, the

VRLTA NEWS cont. pg 28

DECEMBER 2017 | 15

FOOD SMARTS | Juliet Bodinetz

Holiday Party Food — Is it Safe? …For Real

Have you ever wondered about the safety of those foods sitting out all afternoon, with no temperature control? No Sterno cans and chafing dishes, no cold packs — the usual equipment we use in the food industry to keep our food safe while being held. Does the mantra “cold food cold, hot food hot” run through your mind as you check out auntie’s food? It has been sitting out at room temperature, about 68 degrees F, for several hours now. You know that after four hours in the temperature danger zone — between 41 degrees F and 135 degrees F — the food may no longer be safe to eat because the number of bacteria will have grown high enough to potentially cause illness.

to receive special permission to do this. You will need to add a page to your HACCP plan indicating how you are safely holding hot or cold food without temperature control. Your plan will also need complete tracking information to be able to prove to the health department that you are following guidelines correctly. Effective written procedures communicate what the task is, where the task will take place, how and when the task will be performed, and who will perform the task.

Using time only as a guide

• If cooling food that is prepared, cooked, and refrigerated, describe how the food will be properly cooled;

In your commercial food operation, time is used in combination with temperature to control bacterial growth or toxin production in foods that need time and temperature control (TCS foods) to prevent foodborne illness. Time as Public Health Control (TPHC) refers to using time only to monitor food, instead of both time and temperature. The temperature of the food is not taken into consideration since the focus is on time. According to the FDA, you can hold cold food without temperature control for up to six hours if you meet certain conditions: • The food was held under refrigeration at 41 degrees F or below before it was set out • Label the food with the time it was removed from refrigeration • The food should not exceed 70 degrees F during service • Serve or throw out the food within six hours For hot food, the guidelines are:

appy holidays everyone!!!! I know this is going to happen to lots of you this month… so, here’s the scene. You get invited to your friend or auntie’s holiday open house, on a Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. You show up mid-afternoon, and after visiting with friends or relatives for a few minutes, you head into the dining room, where there is an incredible array of foods. You eye the ham, salads, dips, and fruits and wonder what to try first.

16 | DECEMBER 2017

• The food should be 135 degrees F or above before setting it out • Label the food with the time it must be thrown out • Serve or throw out the food within four hours Notifying the health department In a commercial operation, if you are going to hold food without temperature control, the health department needs to be notified in advance of your using this procedure, and you will need The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

To ensure compliance with TPHC requirements, written procedures may include the following: • List what specific food will be held using TPHC and where each food will be held;

• Describe how the container will be marked to show when food will be cooked, served, or discarded within four hours; • Identify who is responsible for each task; • Identify how the information will be monitored, recorded, and verified. Remember, any food that is held without temperature control must be discarded at the appropriate time — it cannot be saved and reused. Note that if you serve a highly susceptible population, such as elderly clients in a nursing home, you cannot use time only as a public health control. So what to do as you check out the food choices in your aunt’s dining room? Think about the FDA guidelines and choose accordingly. Or ... arrive earlier at the party, when you know everything has been just put out, and temperature is not so much an issue. And carefully reconsider the offer of taking some of the left-overs home with you! JULIET BODINETZ is 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, and ServSafe training in English or in Spanish and writing HACCP plans in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metro area. www. bilingualhospitality.com, juliet@bilingualhospitality.com or 443-838-7561. For Latest Food Safety Tips: Become a fan on Facebook or Twitter: @BHTS

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LOCAL COOKS | Alexandra Greeley

Farm Market Maven Graduates to Brick and Mortar

approved beforehand, and then you can start getting bids from builders.” But Brown now has the space, the kitchen is built out, and she has the keys in hand. All that’s left is installing the equipment, a few more permits, and the decorating.

But until the official early 2018 opening…

“I

work 120 hours a week,” says Jennifer Brown. “But it feels like only 90!” The baker, package wrapper, deliverer, bookkeeper, and dishwasher of Cupcakes Lounge seems to have unlimited energy and simply loves what she does. And, as she will happily explain, her baking business is the realization of her dreams. A resident of Montgomery County who moved east from Southern California, Brown is a 2003 graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg. Her route to the baking business took her through several part-time jobs, all of which were somehow related to the food industry — opening up a Trader Joe’s and working as a server, for example. “I always loved food and feeding people, so making food and providing it is something that just warms me.” Plus, she laughs, “I loved watching The Food Network on television!”

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…Brown will keep baking, baking, baking. Of course, customers have their favorites, and not surprisingly, the most popular goodies are the fresh blueberry, raspberry, and banana nut breads. “In every single blueberry loaf,” she said, “I place the blueberries in by hand. It’s got to be done right so the berries are evenly distributed and do not sink to the bottom of the loaf.” Besides the bread — for which she has recipes for 70 different flavors — Brown has an extensive line of baked goods, including cupcakes, pies, macaroons, cake pops, bread puddings, cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, brownies…and the list goes on. No wonder that at the various farmers markets she attends, she always has something new for sale. “I make 3,000 to 3,500 items weekly,” she said. “And that does not include wedding and birthday cakes or my catering business.” Brown is thrilled that her cupcakes were voted #1 in Montgomery County last year, and she said it’s that kind of success that keeps her going. Her fans can only hope she always has the energy to bake, bake, bake. Jennifer Brown, http://www. cupcakeslounge.com,12968 Pinnacle Drive, Germantown, MD 20874.

In 2010… …after taking business courses at Montgomery College, she started her own company, Cupcakes Lounge. “At first,” she said, “I did catering and made wedding cakes. Then I started selling at local farmers markets in Olney and Kentlands.” By 2013, Brown was selling at six farmers markets, but she still had a goal to open own brick and mortar place. “I had the energy to keep going because I am working towards something.” And she pointed out that opening her own bakery will allow her to work with her own ovens, instead of renting kitchen space to do her baking.

A space and a place Fortunately, Brown found not only an affordable empty warehouse in Rockville but an agreeable architect who put a plan in place. “But turning a warehouse into a food-safe place has been a bit over my head,” she said. Remaking the warehouse into a bakery took longer than expected.

Owner and pastry chef Jennifer Brown pauses during the build-out of Cupcakes Lounge “The architects took 14 months to present plans to the county and for the approval. You have to get all

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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. Her expertise lies in Asian culture, having lived in China for several years and traveling there on extended research trips for her books.

DECEMBER 2017 | 17

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

WHERE D.C. MEETS

WATERFRONT A New Destination in Town: The District Wharf

hase one of The Wharf opened in October in D.C.’s Southwest quadrant. The $2.5 billion, 3.2-million-squarefoot waterfront neighborhood features spaces for residences, offices, hotels, shops, cultural events, and bars and restaurants, along with 10 acres of public waterfront parks, promenades, piers, and docks. Built as a public-private partnership that began more than a decade ago, the new waterfront destination is a place for music (including four live music venues), sports (think sailing lessons

18 | DECEMBER 2017

and kayaking in summer and ice skating in the winter), and enjoying (with swings, fountains, and fun-togather-around fire pits). And, oh, the eating and drinking! Guests can enjoy everything from an ice cream cone to a hoagie to a five-course dinner…from Italian to Mexican to French, and beyond. Or how about a beer or a specialty cocktail overlooking the harbor! Among the first to open: Ben & Jerry’s, The Brighton (from nightlife gurus Ian and Eric Hilton), Del Mar (from Fabio and Maria Trabocchi), Hank’s Oyster Bar (see feature, page 19), Kirwan’s Irish Pub, Kith and

Kin (see feature, page 19), Requin (from Mike Isabella and Jen Carroll), Shake Shack, Taylor Gourmet, and Velo Café at District Hardware. More restaurants, bars, and cafes are scheduled to open in the coming months, along with a facelift for the 200-year-old municipal fish market—for a whopping 2,200 restaurant seats in phase one alone. Move over museums, monuments, and cherry blossoms! D.C.’s got a new destination for tourists and locals alike. Phase two of The Wharf is scheduled to begin construction in late 2018 with completion in 2021. More food and fun to come.

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ON THE WATERFRONT At full build-out, 14 signature buildings— each designed by a different architect—will be linked by 10 acres of public space and parks. The community comprises 24 acres of land and 50 acres of water and includes: • A restored 200-year-old fish market • 1,400 waterfront residences • A 127-year-old yacht club • Three hotels • A 6,000-person-capacity concert hall and conference center • Four public piers • 75 restaurants and shops extending along a mile of waterfront

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Photo: Rey Lopez

Weinstein Raises the Bar at Hank’s on the Wharf BY LISA KEATHLEY Photo: Rey Lopez

Kith and Kin's Kwame Onwuachi adds the finishing touches to one of his Caribbean, Creole, and African specialties

The District Wharf’s Kith and Kin

wame Onwuachi is back. This past October, he unveiled his highly anticipated Kith and Kin in the sprawling District Wharf. The successor to his short-lived Shaw Bijou, Kwame’s 96-seat, AfroCaribbean restaurant is ensconced in the stylish InterContinental Hotel. “The process of bringing Kith and Kin to life has been a very exciting, rewarding, and a personal endeavor for me,” said Onwuachi. “I’m thrilled to share this chapter of my story in Washington with locals and visitors…especially at The Wharf with its rich history. This food is a celebration of my heritage, and I strongly believe that the representation of these cuisines – many of which have direct connections to each other – has long been missing from our dining scene.”

The moniker Kith and Kin… …refers to Onwuachi’s multiethnic ancestry, as he draws on his Caribbean, Creole, and African foodservicemonthly

cultural roots. He was born in the Bronx a mere 27 years ago. Besides spending a few years in Nigeria with his Celeste McCall grandfather — where “I was taught invaluable lessons about respecting food, including every single ingredient from raising animals and produce to paying respect to the animals used for meals” — he also lived in New Orleans with other family members and learned to enjoy and appreciate Louisiana’s Creole cuisine. “I grew up a Creole, Nigerian, and Jamaican in the Bronx,” he told Eater DC. “If it weren’t for the stories of my ancestors and my parents making sure I understood, I wouldn’t be here (in the food world)

CULINARY CORRESPONDENT

today…It’s time I honored that. I’m looking forward to sharing these beautiful cuisines with our guests, educating them, enlightening their palates, and [providing] memorable dining experiences.”

At age 21… …Onwuachi founded Coterie Catering company, inspired by his caterer mom, Jewel Robinson. He says his constant exposure to food while growing up had a positive impact. “Most kids watched the Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon,” he recalled. “All I’d watch was the Food Network, the original ‘Iron Chef,’ and clips of Julia Child. I just loved it.” After attending Cardinal Spellman High School and the Bronx Leadership Academy, he followed his mother to Louisiana in 2009. While there, Onwuachi cooked on a boat for oil spill relief workers. Then, he returned to New York to start his catering business.

By then… …there was no stopping this

KITH AND KIN cont. pg 21

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essica Weinstein’s story wasn’t supposed to turn out the way it did. But then, whose story does? She started out as a fine aarts rts student at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. But she returned to the Washington area “for a boy, which many people do when they are 18 and stupid!” she laughs. However, for her, it may have been the best thing that ever happened. While she was studying psychology closer to home at Montgomery College, her older brother worked in a whiskey bar, and it needed staff. “Why not,” thought Weinstein, though she didn’t know the first thing about whiskey. The boss suggested she read “Whiskey” by whiskey expert Michael Jackson. That awakened a thirst (ahem) for knowledge in the spirits business that continues unabated and unquenched! “I never went to bartending school,” Weinstein notes. “I learned on the job and through books.” Plus, the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild. “I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now without the Guild. They have such an amazing program.” As she learned more about spirits, she learned more about the creation

WEINSTEIN cont. pg 20 DECEMBER 2017 | 19

WEINSTEIN cont. from pg 19 of those spirits and realized that history, math, and science all come together in a cocktail glass. “So much science comes up when speaking about booze,” she says. “History, too! I learned about alcoholic drinks created over 100 years ago and discovered how people lived and made whiskey and other spirits.” Armed with new knowledge and new skills, she landed a job with the Black Restaurant Group. “There,” she says, “I had a boss who needed a vacation. He threw an apron at me and asked me to help in the kitchen.” That proved to be the next step in Weinstein’s education. “A lot of what I learned about bartending, I learned in the kitchen, like cleanliness and efficiency.” She also got a first-hand look at many new and unusual fruits, vegetables, and spices — which would come into play when she became a BRG bartender and started to create her own cocktails.

Photo: Rey Lopez

Jessica Weinstein, beverage director of the JL Restaurant Group, in mixologist mode

Her newest concoctions?

Three and a half years later… …Weinstein interviewed for an AGM and bar manager job with Jamie Leeds, chef/owner of the JL Restaurant Group. “I googled how to run a bar because I really wanted to work for Jamie!” she exclaims. She got the job, and the next part of her adventure began. “I started reading more about spirits. I found experts and made them my mentors.” And she traveled to other markets far and wide to learn about and experience spirits in their original settings. In Guadalajara, for example, she experienced tequila at The Hacienda de Patrón. While visiting other parts of Mexico, she saw how various agave plants can be made into small batches of mezcal that never get bottled and are served only in small mountain tavernas. She has visited a Kentucky bourbon distillery and seen rum production in Puerto Rico. Last year, she harvested juniper berries, the primary botanical used in gin, in Wisconsin. Jessica Weinstein’s creativity — once focused on art school — is now focused on her drink specialties, and she credits Jamie Leeds with supporting her growth. “Because 20 | DECEMBER 2017

Jessica Weinstein (middle, black hat) with the bar team of Jamie, I am able to fully express myself and really be who I am as a mixologist!” The newest member of the JL Restaurant Group family, Hank’s on the Wharf is the fourth location of Hank’s Oyster Bar, along with Hank’s Pasta Bar in Old Town, Alexandria, and Hank’s Cocktail Bar. The 3,390-square-foot space, which opened in October, is situated on the boardwalk facing the Potomac. It has a 64-seat patio, along with an outdoor bar and an inside 16seat bar. As beverage director of the entire Hank’s group since April 2016, Weinstein and her team have overseen the opening of the bar at the new facility and have had great fun developing a whole new bar menu.

“I love everything pickled,” she notes. She created a savory martini with pickled red grapes that was inspired by a brussels sprout dish that her mom makes at Thanksgiving. “It’s the bomb!” she laughs. Another new drink, “You Had Me at Beef Jerky,” features Copper & King’s apple brandy, a house-made melon cordial made with real honeydew, and the poblano chili liqueur Ancho Reyes Verde, served on the rocks with a stick of peppered beef jerky and Hellfire bitters. “I also like getting weird in the spice aisle. It’s a place where I can do anything — try new ingredients, pepper, and spices, and things we see in the kitchen that we don’t usually connect with booze.” She says the best part of creating a new drink it to “pull flavors out of food dishes and connect great food with a great drink.”

For December... ... Weinstein has created a special Advent drink calendar, with a new “surprise” drink for each day, just like a children’s Advent calendar. FSM got a sneak peak. On December 8, for example, the surprise drink is called, A Case of Tinselitis— with

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Glendalough gin, Green Chartreuse liquor, pineapple, lime, and mint. Guests can also toast the first night of Hanukkah with a drink reflecting the signature flavors enjoyed around a Jewish table. Called It’s A Membership to the Jelly of The Month Club, this libation will feature plum reserves, allspice, Spring 44 gin, rum, cinnamon, and walnut bitters. If you want to know more December drink specials, you'll have to show up and be surprised!

The best part… …”life-long learning!” Jessica Weinstein says without hesitation. “I want to learn and grow within the spirits industry. I’ve been so lucky that I’ve found people I have connected with on a professional level that have allowed me to grow, and learn, and thrive!” Weinstein says it’s not a journey she expected, but it’s one she would not change for anything. Her story continues to be written, of course, but at this point, she says, “I’m the luckiest person in the world!” FIND WEINSTEIN AND HER TEAM these days at Hank’s on the Wharf, 701 Wharf Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 202-817-3055, www. hanksoysterbar.com. foodservicemonthly

KITH AND KIN cont. from pg 19 aspiring culinary star. Besides completing a successful stint on Top Chef, he wielded his whisk at New York’s acclaimed Eleven Madison Park. In November, 2016, Onwuachi unveiled Shaw Bijou in Washington’s thriving Shaw neighborhood. In his splashy debut, he showcased an ambitious $185, 15-course tasting menu. He soon dropped the price, but after two and a half months and less than stellar reviews, Shaw Bijou abruptly folded. But Onwuachi wasn’t giving up. Instead, he learned from his experience, regrouped, and reinvented his concept. He honed his skills, developing new dishes at local pop-ups. For example: Teaming up with an old friend from New York, chef Hiyaw Gebreyohannes, he briefly operated an Ethiopian-inspired stall in Union Market called Gorsha.

Vive la difference… Kith and Kin is quite different from his previous endeavor. Kith and Kin is more casual. The décor

Entrée portions might include a pair of “torched” mackerel pieces, accompanied by tongue-tingling, golden-hued jollof rice. Heartier options feature oxtail stew and curried goat. Veteran bartender Zachery Hoffman’s innovative cocktails — including “gin and reggae” (concocted from Jamaican rum, Plymouth gin, and mango tea) — are tagged in the mid-teens as are wines-by-the glass.

Mom as guide and inspiration… Photo: Rey Lopez

Kwame Onwuachi in his new Kith and Kin kitchen is muted, with shades of beige and grey. Placemats look woven, perhaps a nod to Africa. Bar stools are comfy, with padded seats and backs. A wine wall — holding nearly 400 bottles —looms between the main dining area and a private party space. Artist Emily Eisenhart’s enormous black and white mural, featuring chefs’ quotes, dominates a back wall. While less expensive than Shaw Bijou, Kith and Kim is still not cheap. Lunch for two, as this writer

experienced, can run close to $100. In contrast to many restaurants’ gargantuan helpings, Kith and Kin’s portions are small. A $29 “meat and cheese” tasting is a black plate dabbed with smoked chicken pate and quince jam, a swirl of jerk duck prosciutto, and rounds of cheeses. However, presentation is dramatic. A server hoists a glass cone from the plate with a flourish, releasing a cloud of aromatic smoke, yielding a memorable experience.

“Mom always said, ‘You’re only as good as your last event,’ and it’s true,” he said. As Kwame Onwuachi settles into his new restaurant, he cites his mother and her struggles as his inspiration. “I thought, if she could do it as a single mom with two kids in New York City, there’s no reason I couldn’t. My mom’s the person I look up to most. She’s my hero.” LOCATED AT 801 WHARF ST., SW (InterContinental Hotel), Kith and Kin is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Call 202-878-8600 or visit www. kithandkindc.com.

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DECEMBER 2017 | 21

WHINING ’N DINING | Randi Rom

OPEN FOR BIZ Grabbagreen, a healthy fast-casual restaurant “where great tasting, healthy food meets the speed and convenience of traditional fast food” opened in Hunt Valley Towne Centre. The “Eat Clean” menu is preservativefree, naturally gluten-free, and GMOfree. The franchise, which has 25 locations, is the first in Maryland. grabbagreen.com. D.C.’s Moby Dick House of Kabob has expanded into the Baltimore market with its 23rd location at The Rotunda in Hampden. MobysKabob. com. Molina Pizze & Polpette, a modern take on a New Haven-style pizza and meatball shop, opened at R. House in Remington. Molina will feature handcrafted New Haven-style pizza, sold by the slice or the whole pie, made with house-fermented doughs and sustainable ingredients and baked in an Italian-made stone hearth oven. And, there is gluten-free pizza, too! MolinaPizza.com. The Point in Fells opened its second location, The Point in Towson, in the former space occupied by The Crease on York Road. It will offer upscale American pub and comfort food. ThePointTowson.com.

MY FAVORITE THINGS Sooo…every year I write a whole column on my favorite things. This year, there’s so much news re openings and soon-tobe-open spots that I pared down my fave things to a portion of this column so I could fit everything in. Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and a happy, healthy, and safe new year.

JUST…DELISH The Milton Inn The rib eye steak with seriously

22 | DECEMBER 2017

Italian street fare has arrived in Severna Park with the opening of Capiche Street Food Italiano in the Magothy Gateway Center on Ritchie Highway. The 2,400-square-foot space seats 60 and features cement floors, exposed ceilings, and white brick walls with black and orange tile accents. CapicheItaliano.com.

COMING SOON Executive chef/owner Jason Hisley is leaving La Cakerie to launch a new boutique bakery. Cakes by Jason will be a high-end cake shop (they’ll also offer other baked goods, classes, and catering) and is expected to open in early 2018 in Timonium. Jason has serious culinary creds having attended Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and The Restaurant School in Vitznau, Switzerland. AND — he won both Cake Wars and Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Find Cakes by Jason on Facebook at CakesByJasonOC. Fells Point’s Diablo Doughnuts is moving to Federal Hill early next year in the spot formerly occupied by Felici Café on Light Street. Look for an expanded focus on special events and kids parties. Go to DiabloDoughnuts on Facebook. Master mixologist Brendan

colossal lumps of crabmeat in garlic butter sauce is amazing. Flourless chocolate cake — yum! MiltonInn.com. Harmony Bakery Outstanding gluten-free bagels, cookies, doughnuts and lots more from this Hampden bakery and restaurant. The chocolate cake is a lil gift from on high! HarmonyBakery.net. Pierpoint Restaurant Chef Nancy Longo’s tomato crab soup. That is all. PierpointRestaurant.com.

Dorr (head bartender at B&O American Brasserie and president of the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild) and his business partner Eric Fooy are opening Dutch Courage (next spring), a gin bar at 2220 North Charles Street. The very cool building was built in 1851and features a huge courtyard that’s almost as big as the interior. Pinehurst Wine Shoppe in Ruxton is looking to expand to include a new, 1400-square-foot, 75-seat familystyle neighborhood restaurant. It’s still in the planning stages, so stay tuned. PinehouseWineShoppe.com. Restaurateur Ali Sadeghi, owner of the way popular Grille 620 in Ellicott City and River Hill Grill in Clarksville, will open a new bar (sometime next year) and restaurant at Turf Valley Towne Square in Ellicott City called Mad Chef Kitchen & Bar. Montego Bar & Grill, a Caribbeaninspired restaurant, is set to open early next year in the spot previously occupied by Caribbean Paradise Restaurant and Lounge in Station North. The 140-capacity spot will feature Caribbean food with a West African accent. 18-8 Sushi is expected to open by New Year’s Day in the Rotunda complex in Hampden. The

2,666-square-foot space will offer sushi, Chinese food, and include a cocktail bar.

NEW MENU ROLLOUTS The new menu at Baldwin’s Station features crispy pork belly, shrimp cakes, smoked duck breast, excellent burgers, and craft cocktails. Love the heated deck overlooking the Patapsco with the trains rolling by! This converted 1800s train depot restaurant is celebrating its 20th anniversary, with lots of special events planned for 2018. Stay tuned. BaldwinsStation.com. A new seasonal menu (cocktails, too!) is available at Wit and Wisdom at The Four Seasons Hotel, featuring comfort food with an Eastern seaboard twist. Tasty selections include Wagyu steak sliders, blue crab custard, lobster pot pie, and roasted bone marrow. FYI…I had the Wagyu rib eye, and it was way tasty — clean and flavorful. WitandWisdomBaltimore.com. Locally sourced, seasonal menu options at the B&O American Brasserie in The Hotel Monaco include sweet tea chicken, rainbow trout, and duck wings. There are also specials each night of the week, including build-your-own

Sue Island Grill & Crabhouse Overlooking the water, this Essex crab house serves excellent, heavy steamed crabs. There’s live music on the deck, and the outside bar is built into a boat. Very cas(ual) and fun. My new go-to crab place. SueIslandGrillandCrabhouse. The Dog Chef Café How about a personal chef for your dog? Trained Chef Kevin Matthews creates custom meal plans and human-grade, tasty treats, including moon pies, kale biscuits, and sweet potato fries. And def try the hemp oil treats

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with catnip (relaxing effects) for joints, anxiety, and general energy. Buy online at TheDogChef.com.

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COOL GIFT IDEAS Stackable wines Stackable wine is a bottle of wine separated into four readyto-serve stemless wine glasses. A great gift idea and perfect for tailgating. The Vine on Main in Sykesville features cabs, chards, and pinot noir. TheVineSykesville. com.

Give the gift of food Who doesn’t love going out to brunch or dinner? Give the gift of food with a gift certificate to a great restaurant. FYI, many restaurants offer a free $25 certificate with the purchase of a $100 certificate. Not sure which restaurant to choose? The Restaurant Association of Maryland offers Dine Out Maryland! gift certs that are redeemable at over 350 restaurants across the state. They come with a gift envelope and a dining guide booklet that lists participating restaurants — sweet! MarylandRestaurants.com.

WHINING ‘N DINING cont. from pg 22 tacos on Mondays and cassoulet on Wednesdays. BandORestaurant.com. The Elephant on North Charles Street has a new executive chef, Orlando Amaro. The Venezuelan native recently worked as exec chef at Station 4 Restaurant in D.C., and the new menu echoes his global experience. TheElephantBaltimore.com.

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES Arômes, the French restaurant in Hampden, has closed. Word “on-thestreet” is that there will be another concept in downtown Baltimore called Chez Hugo. Parts & Labor in Remington’s fine dining atmosphere has changed to a more casual vibe featuring sandwiches and snacks. PartsandLaborButchery. Papa Gil’s, the Italian-American restaurant in Crondall Corner foodservicemonthly

Baltimore in a Box For over 25 years, I’ve been creating Baltimore in a Box gift packages for my out-of-town family, including all their fave, tasty, unique-to-B-more treats. Now, there’s a company that does it for you. Baltimore in a Box allows you to select various Baltimore-centric items, and they package and ship your box for free — anywhere in the U.S. Choose Old Bay seasoning, Berger cookies, Goetze’s caramel creams, Fisher’s popcorn, and more. BaltimoreinaBox.com.

Shopping Center on Owings Mills Boulevard, has closed.

COOL NEWS OK…not exactly local news but... very cool. Now, you really CAN have breakfast at Tiffany’s. The Blue Box Café opened on the fourth floor of the Tiffany & Co. flagship store overlooking Fifth Avenue in NYC. Dishes include avocado toast, truffled eggs, and smoked salmon bagels. The café is decorated in Tiffany’s signature blue, and you can order a take-home cake in the shape of the blue Tiffany’s box. #decadent

FOODIE FUN 411 Points South Latin Kitchen Experience traditional South American dishes at this dedicated GF eatery, while enjoying drag brunch or drag bingo! PointsSouthBaltimore. com. (See May 2017 FSM cover story.)

A limited edition, very cool “Heritage Tin” from Hoopers Island Oyster Co. is available for the holidays at Parts & Labor Butchery in Remington. Modeled after the one-gallon cans used to pack oysters in the 19th and 20th centuries (and way popular with antique collectors), the tin can be purchased along with pints of shucked oysters from the Eastern Shore’s leading oyster aquaculture producer. LOVE this! PartsandLaborButchery.com. HoopersIsland.com.

Sotto Sopra This cozy, elegant Charles Street eatery features farm-to-table contemporary Italian cuisine and showcases special Broadway and opera nights. SottoSopraInc.com. Eat good, do good Owners Michael and Jennifer Myers opened Sam’s Canterbury Cafe as a place to meaningfully employ their son, Sam, who’s on the autism spectrum. It’s since grown into a treasured neighborhood gathering spot that serves fresh, quality food in a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. Open for breakfast and lunch, Sam’s offers a great “Grab ‘n’ Go” menu, online ordering, fresh pastry, and Zeke’s coffee. Plus, you can walk your four-pawed friends to Tripp’s Terrace (soon to be heated), named after the Myers’ dog. Most importantly, Sam’s has created a culture of mutual respect and understanding, offering employment

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to adults on the autism spectrum who can work and thrive with the encouragement of a very dedicated team. SamsCanterburyCafe.com. (See March 2017 FSM cover story.)

I’M THANKFUL FOR… Sydney Norman Rom, my fourpawed son. My family: Mom Rom (and Syd’s fave brother Pedro), Robin, Jeff, Lindsey (and soon to be nephew-in-law Daniel Berkowitz), Ally (all the way in Hong Kong), Ricky, Thrish, Ryan (and soon to be niece-in-law Kate McNichol and their fur baby Bob Barker), and Reggie. Also thankful for so many great friends and extended family, Dr. Richard Layton (FYI, if you have food allergies, THIS is the man to see), Jackson Browne, Andy, Wacha, and all the housewives, great clients, and my FSM family. And thinking about Michael Birchenall, who always got a big kick from my end-of-the-year column. DECEMBER 2017 | 23

FSM NEWS cont. from pg 3 Industry Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony held in Baltimore on November 8. Pearlman is the majority owner and president of both NAFCO Wholesale Fish Dealers and Congressional Seafood Company, Inc., both headquartered in Jessup, Maryland. Pearlman started off his career in the food industry in the meat business in 1973. He moved from beef and pork into seafood, buying a small seafood company called NAFCO in 1991. After establishing himself with retail chains and

institutional distributors, Pearlman expanded the business into the world of fine dining and gourmet markets by opening Congressional Seafood in 1996. In 2003, he started a retail line of pre-packaged seafood under the label, Baltimore Crab Company. Since then, NAFCO and Congressional have become valued partners in delivering the best product to the region’s stores and chefs. Pearlman joins such notable members of the Maryland Food Industry Hall of Fame as Frank Perdue of Perdue Farms and Brice and Shirley Phillips, founders of Phillips Seafood.

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Family news Caroline Kauffman-Kirschnick has been appointed president of Electric Motor Repair Company (EMR), effective January 1, 2018. The Baltimore-based service agency is currently celebrating 90 years in business, providing service, repair, installation, and sales to the commercial kitchen, refrigeration, industrial motor, elevator, and marine industries. KauffmanKirschnick will replace her father, Roger Kauffman, the company’s longest-tenured employee, who was appointed president by his father, Harry Kauffman, in 1985. Kauffman-Kirschnick began her career at EMR working summers from junior high throughout high school and, over the past 14 years, has been deeply involved in all aspects of the company. “I am honored to serve the company that I grew up in and that my father and grandfather have dedicated their lives to building over the last five decades,” she said. “I look forward to continuing their hard work and spearheading the next technological and cultural evolution of EMR.” EMR was recently named as one of the 2017 Best Employers in Maryland, a new awards program by The Daily Record, Maryland SHRM State Council, Inc., and Best Companies Group. With 200 employees, the firm operates six locations serving the Mid-Atlantic region. For more information, visit www.emrco.com.

Best of the best Condé Nast Traveler announced the winners of its 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards, and The Hay-Adams was named the #1 Top Hotel in Washington, D.C. and recognized as The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

D.C.’S Hay-Adams hotel has been named one of the best hotels in the country by Condé Nast. #5 on its list of the 50 best hotels in the United States. The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.” Under Editor-in-Chief Pilar Guzmán, the Readers’ Choice Awards have become more selective and specific to the passions that inspire today’s travelers. More than 300,000 travelers took part in the 30th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey — setting yet another new record — submitting millions of ratings and more than 100,000 comments, voting on a record-breaking 7,320 hotels and resorts, 610 cities, 225 islands, 468 cruise ships, 158 airlines, and 195 airports. “Being recognized by Condé Nast Traveler for a 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards is an important achievement for our entire hospitality team,” stated HayAdams VP & General Manager Hans Bruland. “We wish to thank our frequent guests for their ongoing support, helping us earn this achievement among our peers.”

FSM updates… …The Food Project, a program of UEmpower of Maryland, has received city and community approval for its new home, the Samuel FB Morse Elementary School on the southwest side of Baltimore. This 501c3 charitable group will assume 6,100 square feet of space on the main level, with the remainder of the building to be shared with another community empowerment program, ‘I’m Still Standing.’ “We are blessed, extremely grateful, and very excited that the City of Baltimore shares our vision of what The Food Project can do foodservicemonthly

FSM NEWS cont. from pg 24

job opportunities, sustainable food sources, mentorship, and hope to neighborhood youth. The anticipated opening to the community is January 2018. For more information about how YOU can help, go to UEmpowerofMD.org. (Full story FSM, July 2017)

Secondary School won the March 2017 competition with its tasty chicken shawarma. This marks the first time in Fairfax County that a student dish has been adapted to serve to students. Real Food for Kids’ Mary Pope says this has been the goal of the Culinary Challenge all along. “Students are the ones eating school lunch. Through the Culinary Challenge, they have an opportunity to bring what they are hearing from their peers and adapt it to the school menu.” (Full story FSM, May 2017)

A helpful webinar series to offer true opportunity and hope to this Baltimore community,” stated Michelle Suazo, UEmpower of Maryland’s vice president and co-founder. “Children can’t focus on their education and future when they are hungry and in a situation of survival, and this is why we are here,” she said. The Food Project brings culinary skills,

Chicken shawarma debuts In November, the winning recipe from the Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge and Wellness Expo, debuted as part of Virginia’s Fairfax County Public School menu. The team from Lake Braddock

Mark your calendars for December 5, 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time for a webinar titled “From Culture to Compliance: The Link Between Food Safety Culture and Audit Preparedness.” Presented by 3M Food Safety and Neumann Risk Services, a Matrix Sciences Company, this is the conclusion of the “From Rules to Tools” fourpart webinar series on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

A special panel discussion of food safety experts will provide insight into how a robust food safety culture can positively impact audit preparedness and signal a culture of compliance. Attendees will learn what a strong food safety culture looks like and how it can help comply with FSMA and the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Code. The three previous FSMA webinars addressed the following: Part 1: “Hazards Analysis and Preventative Controls” Part 2: “Supply Chain Controls Industry Panel Discussion – Challenges Seen in Implementing and Executing Supply Chain Management” Part 3: “Foreign Supplier Verification Programs and the Sanitary Transportation Rule” Find details to access the webinars at: https://www.provisioneronline. com/articles/105522-m-food-safetyneumann-risk-services-announcestheme-of-next-fsma-webinar.

Happy Holidays.

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DECEMBER 2017 | 25

BALTI-MORE | Dara Bunjon

Pigtown’s Gourmet Market and Kitchen – Culinary Architecture

igtown has a long history. Its name — ‘Pigtowne’ — dates back to the mid-1800s when the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad released its cargo of pigs from the Midwest to be processed in slaughterhouses and meat packing plants in South Baltimore. Bordered by Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the east, Monroe Street to the west, Russell Street to the south, and West Pratt Street to the north, the neighborhood is also known as “Washington Village,” an urban renewal name given by the City of Baltimore. According to Visit Baltimore, this socially and economically diverse area has enjoyed a reinvigoration “that is making it increasingly attractive to families and business owners.” But until recently, Pigtown had a dearth of retail businesses. Enter Chef Sylva Lin and marketing pro Piper Booker, co-owners and creators of “Culinary Architecture,” an old-fashioned neighborhood market. Their shelves are well stocked with gourmet items ranging from BLiS bourbon-barrel-aged soy sauce to Col Papst Private Stash ‘all malt amber lager’ Worcestershire sauce. There is space for products by local artisans, including beverages, condiments, baking supplies, indie foods, and regional “Maryland Products.” In fact, throughout the summer, the market was a pickup location for Chesapeake Farm to Table produce. According to the Culinary Architecture website:

26 | DECEMBER 2017

“Like most things you’ll find in our market, our products have a story behind them – from farmer and baker, to candlestick maker.” But it’s much more than just a market. It’s also a daily to-go kitchen that produces everything from savory pies — think merguez lamb, rosemary chicken, and French onion — to Southern biscuits, cheddar, potato, and beer soup, and white chocolate and Italian amarena cherry brownies. Menus for both sweet and savory goodies are updated on sections of rolled down butcher paper. Culinary Architecture has visually stunning outdoor space for special dining events, occasionally mashed up with live music. Plus, a full catering menu is available for seasonal events, corporate functions, fundraisers, private parties, and more. In its short life, Culinary Architecture has become a social hub for the neighborhood. What’s next for Lin and Booker, by the way? It is their Hollins’ Street grab-and-go food and beverage space, Culinary Architecture Cafe in the Lion Brothers Building. Visit Culinary Architecture Market and Kitchen, 767 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, 443-708-8482, www. culinaryarchitecture.com, Facebook: @culinaryarchitecture, Twitter; @ culartbaltimore, Instagram: @ culinaryarchitecture.

Sylva Lin (l) and Piper Booker show off some of the goodies at Culinary Architecture

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

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DECEMBER 2017 | 27

OCHMRA NEWS cont. from pg 14 And, the winners of Dine United were:

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

• 0-150 seats - The Original Pool Bar & Grill • 150-300 seats - Happy Jack Pancake House • 300-600 seats - Harrison’s Harbor Watch • 600+ seats - The Embers Restaurant This year, we added hotels to the competition with Stay United. Thank you to all hotel participants: Courtyard by Marriott, Ocean 1 Condos, The Burgundy Inn, Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, Howard Johnson Inn, Commander Hotel, Dunes Manor, Days Inn Oceanfront, Francis Scott Key Family Resort, Princess Royale Oceanfront, Fenwick Inn, and The Grand Hotel. Winning the Stay United competition were: • 0-99 rooms - Courtyard by Marriott • 100-199 rooms - Commander Hotel

VRLTA NEWS cont. from pg 15 speaker was agreed upon, and the committees were co-chaired under a “power sharing” agreement. Down the hall of the Capitol, Republicans control the state Senate by a slim 21-19 margin, with the power of the tie-breaking vote in the hands of the lieutenant governor. As a reminder, that position is currently held by the Democratic Party and has an elected Democrat incoming. So what does this mean for the industry? When Republicans controlled a large majority in the House, the focus remained pro-business, and the voice of the restaurant industry

• 200+ rooms - Francis Scott Key Family Resort We’d be remiss if we didn’t also thank the following vendors for their generous competition support: The Erwyn Group, Tito’s Vodka, Pernod Ricard, Brown-Foreman, and Bacardi USA. The Harrison Group Restaurants raised $23,500 alone in the Dine United competition ($20,000 from the restaurants and a $3,500 vendor match by Tito’s Vodka). Mark Mayers, executive chef of The Harrison Group, noted, “The Harrison Group Restaurants take great pride in partnering with United Way in providing worthy support for so many local organizations and families in need. One hundred percent of our funds raised in the competition are put to work in our own communities. I am very proud of the efforts of our restaurant teams from the past two years, raising over $40,000.” SUSAN JONES is the executive director of the Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association.

was heard loudly and clearly on the issues affecting us. However, this dramatic shift in power means measures such as minimum wage increases, paid leave programs, Medicaid expansion, and other similar issues could be looked at quite differently. With many new faces in Richmond, everyone in the industry must stay engaged and help us to continue to have a strong voice on both sides of the aisle, ensuring Virginia continues to remain a great place to own and operate a restaurant. ERIC TERRY is the executive director of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association.

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 ....................................................... 12 Barter ................................................................ 28 Bi-Lingual Hospitality .......................................... 28 BME......................................................................6

28 | DECEMBER 2017

Capital Meat .......................................................... 9 Creative Jestures ................................................... 9 Ecolab ................................................................ 3 H&S Bakery ......................................................... 11 Itek ................................................................... 10 Martin Bamberger .............................................. 14 Metropolitan Meat, Seafood & Poultry ...... Back Cover OCHMRA ........................................................... 21 The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On

Performance Foodservice ................ Inside Back Cover RAM EF .............................................................. 4 Restaurant Depot ............................................... 15 Sandalya, CSI ....................................................... 1 Saval ............................................. Inside Front Cover Soft Stuff ............................................................. 25 Tech 24 Construction - ......................................... 24

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