foodservicemonthly
foodservicemonthly.com
Volume 15, No. 7 n July 2016
TM
DC’s Culinary Best
RAMW Celebrates Its Members
PRESORT STD. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #163 DULLES, VA
insidefsm Volume 15, No. 7
July 2016
news and information
columns
Looking Back………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 FSM News…………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 NRA News…………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Educated Eats ……………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Produce: Moving Boldly to the Center-of-the-Plate…………………………………… 12 RAMMYS Fotos…………………………………………………………………………………… 20 Association News VRLTA……………………………………………………………………… 22 Association News RAM………………………………………………………………………… 28 Advertiser Spotlight: Capital Meat, Bring Transparency to Local………………… 29 Restaurant Activity Report …………………………………………………………………… 31 Ad Index…………………………………………………………………………………………… 32
Sauce on the Side by Michael Birchenall…………………………… 2 Restaurateur’s World by Michael Sternberg……………………… 10 Working in America by Becki L. Young……………………………… 11
Volume 15, No. 7 n July 2016
DC’s Culinary Best
RAMW Celebrates Its Members
Food Smarts by Juliet Bodinetz……………………………………… 15 The Latest Dish by Linda Roth……………………………………… 24 Whining ’n Dining by Randi Rom …………………………………… 26 Balti-MORE by Dara Bunjon………………………………………… 27 Modern Business Solutions by Henry Pertman………………… 30
14
11
on the cover The RAMMYS: Scott Drewno, Robert Wiedmaier, Mike Isabella, Kathy Hollinger at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center photo credit: Michael Birchenall
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.
5
foodservicemonthly
foodservicemonthly
foodservicemonthly.com
TM
Bob Brown Says by Bob Brown………………………………………… 9
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 1
SAUCE ON THE SIDE Michael Birchenall
The Best RAMMYS Ever
T
here is nothing better than a celebration of the foodservice industry. And the RAMMYS produced by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and its members is the best. Here’s why. Each award gets equal attention … and there is no need to talk over dinner plates, chatter and whatever else distracts from the awards. This is theater style with an efficient agenda and no need for the shush over a din of noise. Even better, my two favorite awards get the same attention as every high powered restaurant and chef award … Employee of the Year and Manager of the Year. Jennifer Lucy gave a thank you from the heart to her present and past peers and mentors. Jorge Martinez (see the RAMMY story on p.3) gave a message of joy and hope in America. Later Scott Drewno, Chef of the Year, reflected on the people in the industry and the inclusivity of the hospitality industry. Is there a more open workforce? I think not.
looking back, looking forward Even better, the media reported on the good things happening that night and in the restaurant community.
Everything else afterwards was the gravy … our friends, peers, suppliers, international partners and associates talking, laughing, dancing, eating and even enjoying a cocktail or two. For me it’s a time for reflection as I think of all that the late Joan Hisaoka meant to me as a guiding light as a beacon for keeping my ship on course. Now, Frans Hagen has passed and he adds a special strength to how I see the world and how I act. I miss them both. On television they have been running a clip of a talk given by the late Jimmy Valvano where he says there are three things you should do every day … first laugh, think and have something move you to tears. He said that’s a pretty good day. The RAMMYS 2016 did all that for me.
foodservicemonthly
Volume 15, No. 7 n July 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
Michael Birchenall Lisa Silber Electronic Ink Contributing Writers Contact
Editor and Publisher michael@foodservicemonthly.com Sales Manager lisa@foodservicemonthly.com Design and Production fsm@eink.net Dennis Barry, Juliet Bodinetz, Bob Brown, Dara Bunjon, Andrew Kline, Genevieve LeFranc, Celeste McCall, Henry Pertman, Randi Rom, Linda Roth, Michael Sternberg, Jay Treadwell, Becki Young phone: 703-471-7339 email: info@foodservicemonthly.com fax: 866-961-4980 web: www.foodservicemonthly.com
Foodservice Monthly, a division of Silver Communications, Corp., is owned and published by Silver Communications, Corp. The Foodservice Monthly mission is to provide Mid-Atlantic foodservice professionals with news and information in an informed, imaginative and insightful newsmagazine. Foodservice Monthly assumes no responsibility for material submitted to us. All information contained in this publication is believed to be accurate. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part or transmitted in any form without prior permission from the publisher of Foodservice Monthly.
2 | JULY 2016
Not our finest moment … an Association rally and march from City Hall fighting the smoking ban in restaurants. I did not run this photo at the time of the march or ever before this issue. Sometimes in the past we, the foodservice industry, get buried in issues where we don’t have an exit plan. Look at the smoking battles that we finally lost … but not without countless hearings, lawyer and lobbying fees that drained dollars from our coffers. I took what I thought was the path of reason but it was really rationalizing a bad idea. My problem with smokers was that it was a filthy habit and I had to watch cigarettes ground onto floors, pay for the extra cleaning of nicotine stained suits, drapes etc. But I gave little thought to second hand smoke – it was something drummed up for the hearings by the self-righteous anti-smoking advocates. My theory as a
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
non-smoker gained from my days as a hotel F&B manager … add a non-smoking area and the consumer will grow it to capacity and beyond. Done. No regulation. Let the marketplace work. Today on issues like minimum wage, we are up against quality of life issues but as we try to take a voice of reason and negotiation and education, the opponents hold onto the poverty angle. As they tackle the topic of the tip credit, the poverty stats jump forward. What is always left out is that the poverty issue is almost always with the non-tipped employee. And that person is often an immigrant who some politicians want to send back home. So much for the American Dream if left to the politicians. They will always vote for the reelection, not for the tough decisions that face us moving forward. —Michael Birchenall foodservicemonthly
FSM NEWS
34TH ANNUAL RAMMY AWARD WINNERS Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award CHEF ROBERT KINKEAD
RAMW Celebrates 2016 Rammy Award Winners Winners in 22 Regional Award Categories Announced RAMW honored three additional members with the Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year, given to Republic National Distributing Company for exemplifying commitment to and support of RAMW, the Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award, presented to Chef Robert Kinkead for his hard work and
awards were determined by RAMW’s Executive Committee. Notable moments included Jorge Martinez, Employee of the Year from The Source, who in his acceptance remembered his childhood before coming to the US said, “To my mother, she sent me to bed sometimes without food and let me know that tomorrow’s
SCOTT DREWNO OFFERED A THOUGHTFUL INTERPRETATION OF THE INCLUSIVITY OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IN OUR REGION. outstanding initiative that has increased the profile and success of the metropolitan Washington foodservice community and the 2016 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award given to Occidental Grill & Seafood, a Washington dining icon celebrating its 110th year on Pennsylvania Avenue. These
going to be another day. And this is another day.” Scott Drewno offered a thoughtful interpretation of the inclusivity of the restaurant industry in our region … one that captivated the attendees with his openness and sincerity.
Employee of the Year: The Source by Wolfgang Puck’s Jorge Martinez
foodservicemonthly
Chef of the Year SCOTT DREWNO, THE SOURCE BY WOLFGANG PUCK Restaurateur of the Year MIKE ISABELLA CONCEPTS Service Program of the Year FIOLA Rising Culinary Star of the Year JONAH KIM, YONA Pastry Chef of the Year ALEX LEVIN, OSTERIA MORINI Employee of the Year JORGE MARTINEZ, THE SOURCE BY WOLFGANG PUCK Manager of the Year JENNIFER LUCY, ESTADIO Honorary Milestone RAMMY OCCIDENTAL GRILL & SEAFOOD Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year LE DIPLOMATE Everyday Casual Restaurant of the Year BAR PILAR New Restaurant of the Year MAKETTO Wine Program of the Year THE RED HEN
T
op foodservice industry professionals and their fans gathered at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the 34th Annual RAMMY Awards as the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced winners in 22 award categories. The selection process for the winners involved two esteemed groups, the voting public and an anonymous panel of volunteer judges, consisting of food and dining journalists, educators and foodservice industry professionals. The voting public decided the winners in four categories: Favorite Gathering Place of the Year, Upscale Brunch, Everyday Casual Brunch and Favorite Fast Bites.
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year MARCEL’S BY ROBERT WIEDMAIER
Cocktail Program of the Year 2 BIRDS 1 STONE Beer Program of the Year RIGHT PROPER BREWING COMPANY Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year PORT CITY BREWING COMPANY Favorite Gathering Place of the Year NORTHSIDE SOCIAL COFFEE & WINE Upscale Casual Brunch BLUE DUCK TAVERN Everyday Casual Brunch DUKE’S GROCERY Favorite Fast Bites BUB AND POP’S
The Honorary Milestone RAMMY was awarded to Occidental Grill & Seafood The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year REPUBLIC NATIONAL DISTRIBUTING COMPANY
JULY 2016 | 3
FSM NEWS continued
Coastal Sunbelt Hosts RAM Membership Meeting and Reception in New Facility Coastal Sunbelt Produce recently moved their offices and production facilities into a new headquarters in Howard County. To show off all that’s new John Corso and the Coastal team
hosted the annual Restaurant Association of Maryland membership meeting. TOP HALF OF CIRCLE FSM will return for the complete tourRIBBON and report shortly as the final details BOTTOM HALF OF CIRCLE & OUTER PIECES OF RIBBON are completed. OUTER CIRCLE
Full Service Restaurant Supply Cash & Carry
Conveniently Located Off 95 & 695 in Rosedale, MD
DePalo & SoINnCs. FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT, PAPER AND CHEMICALS DePalo & Sons Logo.indd 1
3/19/2015 1:09:32 PM
9101 Yellow Brick Rd., Suite B • Rosedale, MD 21237 • 410-483-1900 • depalo.com HOURS: Monday-Thursday 8:30a-5:15p • Friday 8:30a-5:15p • Saturday 9a-1p
4 | JULY 2016
C-10 M-20 Y-100 K-0 C-0 M-58 Y-100 K-0 PANTONE 299 C-86 M-8 Y-0 K-0 C-100 M-17 Y-3 K-13 C-100 M-100 Y-0 K-0 C-100 M-46 Y-5 K-18 PANTONE COOL GRAY 7 C-22 M-15 Y-11 K-32
Supply Surplus Leads to Lower Food Costs Food costs are lower this summer, thanks to a surplus of pork, chicken and beef, industry experts say. Coffee is a good buy, too. “There’s plenty of pork to be had,” commodities analyst John Barone says. “It should continue flowing.” The USDA projects pork production will increase 1.9 percent in 2016 over last year, after increasing 7.2 percent in 2015 over 2014. That should lead to lower prices through 2017. Chicken stock should rise about 2.6 percent over last year. Beef is looking meaty after a mild winter and spring. Its production should grow 4.8 percent following last year’s 2.3 percent decline. According to Hudson Riehle, the National Restaurant Association’s head of research, wholesale food prices, overall, were down 2.9 percent through April on a year-todate basis. “Restaurant operators can expect to see an overall general decline in wholesale food prices this year, especially in commodities like beef, pork and eggs, as herds and flocks are recovering from recent challenges,” he says. Only 6 percent of restaurant operators now rate food costs as
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
their top challenge, down from 14 percent at this time last year, the NRA’s monthly Tracking Survey found. Corner Bakery says it loves the price of pork shoulder right now. It uses it to make slow-roasted pork sandwiches. Food and supply chain chief Ric Scicchitano says it and chicken breasts are inexpensive. The price on roast beef also is favorable. Coffee is good news, too. “It’s a great market,” he says. “Coffee is low and not showing signs of rising. It’s a friend of ours right now.” What is he concerned about? Produce. “It’s the wild card for the industry. It can fluctuate with the weather and brings the biggest foodsafety threats. It’s one of the hardest things for us to get our hands around. I buy as much produce as I do total protein so it’s a market I’m always watching.” Riehle says fresh vegetables are trending up at double-digits, reflecting the sustained drought conditions in places like California. “Operators of salad-focused concepts could feel more of a pinch as the year progresses.” source: NRA
foodservicemonthly
FSM NEWS continued
they saw an increase between April 2015 and April 2016. Restaurant operators also continued to report healthy capital spending activity in April. Sixtyfour percent said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months. Similarly, 58 percent say they plan to make a capital expenditure in the next six months.
Kelly Bunkers Named Executive Chef at Ardeo+Bardeo Ashok Bajaj has announced the appointment of Kelly Bunkers as the new executive chef of Ardeo+Bardeo, located within the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington. Bunkers honed his skills in the kitchen working under culinary luminaries including Joël Robuchon, Royden Ellamar and Stephen Starr. In 2013, after nine years in Las Vegas, Bunkers relocated to Washington, DC to work at Le Diplomate, where he most recently served as executive sous chef for Stephen Starr before accepting his new role at Ardeo+Bardeo.
Stronger Sales, Traffic Fuel RPI Fueled by stronger same-store sales and customer traffic results, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) registered a moderate gain in April. The RPI stood at 101.6 in April, up 0.9 percent from March. “The RPI’s April increase was driven by improvements in the current situation indicators over foodservicemonthly
March,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at the National Restaurant Association. “In contrast, the Expectations Index softened for the third consecutive month, as restaurant operators remained uncertain about future business conditions.” The RPI consists of two components – the Current Situation Index (measuring current trends) and the Expectations Index (measuring restaurant operators’ six-month outlook) – and tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry. The Current Situation Index stood at 102.1 in April – up 1.9 percent from a level of 100.2 in March. April represented the third consecutive month in which the Current Situation index stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators. Fifty-eight percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between April 2015 and April 2016, up from 46 percent who reported higher sales in March. Operators also reported a solid improvement in customer traffic levels, with 52 percent saying there
The Expectations Index stood at 101.0 in April – down 0.2 percent from March. Although April represented the third consecutive monthly decline, it marked the 42nd consecutive month above 100. However, operators’ six-month outlook for sales softened for the second month in a row and their opinions are mixed about the direction of the overall economy. source: NRA
Everything to make your operation run faster. cleaner. better. tastier.
REGISTRATION INCLUDES 150+ EXHIBITORS & NEW PRODUCTS
STEP 1: Go online www.VRL-Expo.com/registration
LIVE CULINARY DEMOS BOOTY LOUNGE
STEP 2: Register Click your registration link.
21 EDUCATION SESSIONS TASTING PAVILIONS
(BOOZE. FOOD. REPEAT.)
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
STEP 3: Enter your code FSM16 for a FREE badge
For full details, visit
www.VRL-Expo.com JULY 2016 | 5
NRA NEWS Cicely Simpson
Editor’s note: Take advantage of your National Restaurant Association (NRA) membership and read your FrontBurner produced by the NRA’s Cicely Simpson. Our local associations are fighting the legislative, regulatory and banking battles, many require constant monitoring … We share here the June 21 edition.
Protect Debit Swipe Reforms Over the past ten days, banks and financial institutions have launched a new effort to repeal debit “swipe” fee reforms. Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) introduced H.R. 5465 to repeal the so-called “Durbin Amendment” that lowered “swipe fees” on debit cards for merchants. House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) has released an outline of his Financial CHOICE Act, a bill to repeal and replace the Dodd-Frank law that contained the “swipe” fee reforms. Once we see the actual bill language in Chairman Hensarling’s legislation, we’ll have seven days to respond with written comments. We are hearing that the committee intends to push forward with consideration of the Financial CHOICE Act the week of July 11. We are launching a lobbying, grassroots and communications strategy to push back on these repeal efforts. We know there are costly and ongoing issues with the debit swipe-fee rates the Federal Reserve set in 2011 for restaurants and other merchants with small average ticket sizes below $15. Our fight for lower rates, however, is at the Federal Reserve, not in Congress. The Federal Reserve is scheduled to review debit-card swipefee rates later this year or in early 2017. We’re already active in advocating for a reduction. The Durbin Amendment must remain in place for us to even have this fight on the rate.
Oppose DC Scheduling Bill DC City Council member 6 | JULY 2016
Vincent Orange, who lost his bid for re-election, brings his onerous scheduling proposal to the DC City Council Business Committee for consideration, hoping to make D.C. the second city after San Francisco with a scheduling mandate for restaurants and retailers. Proposed amendments are being circulated in the Council, but as currently written, the bill would force many restaurant and retail chains to offer part-time employees more hours before they could hire new employees, publish schedules three weeks in advance, and provide “predictability pay” when certain employee schedules change. We’re working with our member companies with operations in DC and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) to defeat the measure. We’re educating Council offices this week about how restaurants schedule their employees. Contact Mike Whatley, mwhatley@ restaurant.org, for details on how to get involved. Seattle is also considering a restrictive scheduling proposal. Activists pressing for the proposal are expected to rely heavily on a survey that’s already being called into question. Dr. Philip Garland previews the significant flaws in the Seattle survey. Garland’s critique http://bit. ly/28NEcE1
Health Care and Tax Plans House Republicans are scheduled to release their proposal for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. They are also expected to release their tax-reform agenda on Friday. These are two parts of the House GOP’s six-part agenda for 2016 and beyond. Already released: Plans to promote jobs & opportunity, cut overregulation, and clarify the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. House GOP platforms http://bit. ly/28KGSRb
Philly Soda Tax A legal fight is already brewing over a complicated 1.5-cent-perounce beverage tax the Philadelphia City Council approved last week. The Council passed the measure by a vote of 13-4 after a heated opposition campaign by the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association and other beverage and hospitality industry leaders. We’re working with PRLA and others on next steps. The American Beverage Association is planning a broad legal challenge and will soon file for an injunction to stop the tax from taking effect Jan. 1, 2017. As passed, the tax applies to ANY packaged or fountain beverage that uses any form of sweetener, including non-caloric sweeteners like aspartame or stevia. The tax will hit soft drinks, diet beverages, energy drinks, sweetened ready-to-drink coffee and tea, and non-alcoholic mixers, among others. The bill’s language is unclear on the tax treatment of fruit and vegetable juice. Philadelphia would join San Francisco as the only jurisdiction with a soda tax; nearly 40 other jurisdictions have rejected similar efforts in the past decade. Pro-tax activists are already pushing to use the Philadelphia effort as a model for other cities.
Catfish Inspection Repeal Gains Momentum Nearly 200 House members are backing an NRA-supported plan to repeal the USDA’s catfish inspection program. The measure cleared the Senate last month, and we are now urging House leaders to bring the bill to the House floor. We want to return catfish inspections to the FDA, which inspects other seafood. The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office has concluded multiple times that keeping catfish inspection at the USDA will cost American taxpayers millions annually. NRA letter http://bit.ly/28NjRAq
Most Restaurants in a Congressional District? The distinction goes to Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), who
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
represents most of the East Side of Manhattan and parts of Queens and Brooklyn. Her district is home to 4,898 eating-and-drinking places, more restaurants than in any other congressional district. See what other districts are in the Top 25. Data for all states http://bit.ly/28QDCDs , economic snapshot for your state http://bit.ly/28MxxML
Chargebacks VISA modifies its regulations: Effective July 22, 2016, through April 2018, VISA says it won’t issue counterfeitfraud-related chargebacks to merchants for transactions under $25, and effective October 2016 through April 2018 will allow a maximum of 10 counterfeitfraud chargebacks per account against merchants during a 120-period. The company estimates this will remove over 40 percent of counterfeit-fraud chargeback transactions from the Visa network. MasterCard is not making the same allowances but announced it’s taking steps to speed up approval and certification of merchants’ EMV or chip card terminals. Visa press release http:// vi.sa/28NGQcA , MasterCard story http://bit.ly/28NGIdi
Meet Lawmakers at Home Congress heads home July 15 for an extended summer recess. Restaurateurs are meeting them there. We are working with our State Restaurant Association partners to set up in-district “Restaurant Roundtables” that bring lawmakers into restaurants to talk about restaurant issues with restaurant constituents. Let us know if you’d like to join any of these meetings: Reps. Ken Buck (June 27, Greeley, Colo.); Chris Collins (June 27, East Aurora, N.Y.); Scott Garrett (June 30, Wyckoff, N.J.); Phil Roe (July 25, Sevierville, Tenn.); Lee Zeldin (July 25, Holbrook, N.Y.); and Barry Loudermilk (Aug. 18, Atlanta). Contact the NRA’s Jen Fox, jfox@ restaurant.org CICELY SIMPSON is the Executive Vice President of Government Affairs & Policy, NRA foodservicemonthly
HAVE YOU EVER COOKED FOR 12 HOURS STRAIGHT AND STILL HAD NO TIME TO EAT? It started with food but it’s bigger than that now. Your passion and your determination put you on a bumpy journey filled with fear and failure. But it’s all been worth it. That’s why we provide food and ideas that inspire your menu, tools that attract more customers and solutions that optimize your business. With all of this lined up, you’ll make more than what’s on the menu. Discover more at USFoods.com
EDUCATED EATS
Educated Eats Steps Forward with Vision and Scholarships Culinary Arts Visionary Awards The RAMW Education Foundation, known in the community as Educated Eats, presented three honorees a Culinary Arts Visionary Award at a recent event hosted at Mastro’s Steakhouse. The Educated Eats Board of
Directors created a Visionary Award to honor those whom have demonstrated dedication and leadership in culinary education in the Washington DC area’s hospitality industry. The co-host was Kaya Henderson, Chancellor of DC Public Schools. Henderson and Gregory Scholarship winners
Acme PAPer & SuPPly much more Than Paper
Your Headquarters for Green Packaging, Cleaning Supplies & Equipment Restaurant Equipment & Smallwares Janitorial Equipment & Supplies Retail Packaging • Foodservice Packaging
Casten of Profish, LTD., presented the awards. Francois Dionot, founder of L’Academie de Cuisine in 1976, was honored for his commitment to building a professional culinary school, producing successful chefs and continuing workforce in Washington, DC. Ben Hiatt, partner at The Optimum Group, was honored for his work in founding “Educated Eats” and continuing to assist restaurants in improving efficiency and profitability. Benjamin Velasquez, Executive Chef of Carlos Rosario International Charter School, was honored for his dedication in the immigrant population by investing in and supporting their journey to achieve the American Dream. Founded in 2004, RAMW’s Education Foundation, Educated Eats, advocates for the value of employment through the restaurant and foodservice industry and is committed to creating the next generation of culinary professionals. Proceeds of the fourcourse dinner with wine pairings will be used to fund the 2017 Frans Hagen Scholarship. For scholarship
information, visit www.educatedeats.org
2016 Frans Hagen Educated Eats Scholarships
The Frans Hagen Educated Eats scholarships are designed to assist individuals who demonstrate an interest and commitment to the restaurant industry. Scholarships are provided to both high school students and individuals presently working in the restaurant industry, who are interested in pursuing education in the foodservice and culinary profession. A luncheon was held at the Ivy Street Smokehouse Tavern & Market with board members of Educated Eats, RAMW staff and the scholarships winners.
Scholarship Winners • Bryan Modecki, Stratford University • Jorge V. Martinez Ramirez, Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez • Lauren Traversa, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park location • Miranda Atwood, Johnson and Wales University • Sade Bowens, Johnson and Wales University • Sarai Kashnow, Stratford University
www.acmepaper.com 800.462.5812 Toll Free 410.792.2333 Baltimore 301.953.3131 Washington Benjamin Velasquez, Kathy Hollinger, Francois Dionot, Greg Casten, Ben Hiatt 8 | JULY 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
foodservicemonthly
BOB BROWN SAYS Bob Brown
Lines to Sell By: Sell More and Faster
B
et you’ve heard “Can I get you something to drink other than water?” Let’s face it, zillions of servers ask zerotip “yes/no”’ questions and get easy-out responses. Server: Can I start you off with a beverage? Guest: I’m fine with water. Server: Can I interest you with an appetizer? Guest: I’m saving room for dessert (that I won’t buy). Server: Would you like a soup or salad with that? Guest: Does it come with it? No? Then, no thanks. Server: Are you ready to order? Guest: Give us a few minutes. Server: Did you save room for dessert? Guest: I’m on a diet and out of money and room! Server: Would you like anything else? Guest: Just the check. How do we fix this? Great sales presentations are brief, interesting, and appeal to the senses. Whether guests are tired, cold, hot, in the mood for adventure, want to share, celebrate or romance, top servers use benefit lines to sell by.
Front-End Beverage Lines 1. Bottled Water. If you enjoy bottled water, we offer Fiji still and San Pellegrino sparkling. • Do not mention tap. If guests want it, they’ll ask. 2. Cocktails. Our bartender Jason from Clinton, Iowa, makes a great Makers Mark Manhattan. • Guests listen when you use names, brands, and places. 3. Beer. You’ll find our draft beer selection on the back of the menu. Standouts are Stella Artois, Peroni, Guinness, and Chimay, an exceptional ale produced by Belgian monks. Bottled beers are listed below. foodservicemonthly
• Direct guests to the beverage menu. Suggest a brew with a brain-sticker story, then use the list to highlight the rest of the pack. 4. Wine. Our wine list, set up by varietals, is progressive. Under each category, wines range from lightest to fullest. I recommend the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc: light, bright, and crisp with pineapple and kiwi flavors. • Give an overview of how the list is organized, and suggest a target wine. Mention wine early and often. It is the easiest way to sell complete meals.
Starter, Soup, and Salad Lines 1. Appetizer. For a great change of pace, start off with our refreshing Ahi Tuna Poke, diced fresh sashimi grade yellowfin tuna tossed with cucumber, black sesame, and avocado. • Appetizers are unique, quick and tasty, great for sharing and address the adventurous.
yourself, I wouldn’t want you to miss … a celebration on a plate is our…
Dessert and Back-End Beverage Lines 1. Sweets. If you have a passion for chocolate, don’t miss our White Chocolate Banana Mousse Pie. • Guests buy desserts because they’re decadent, sweet, and delectable, harkening us back to childhood rewards. 2. Cordials, Cognacs, and Dessert Wines. By the way, our Dow’s 10-year Tawny Port goes perfectly with your Sticky Toffee Pudding. • Brand name dessert wines, cordials, and Cognacs enhance and add cash on the back end. 3. Coffee. As a perfect ending, I recommend a double Illy Espresso, roasted in Trieste Italy. • Group desserts with brand name
after-dinner drinks and coffees to create permission buying. In the end, Lines to Sell By bypass dead end “yes/no” questions and never manipulate but inspire. They create a caring tableside approach guaranteed to put money in your pocket and a service star on your lapel. 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. He works internationally hotels such 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, executive retreats: 571-246-2944 ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2014.
2. Soup: Our twist on a French classic is velvety Lobster Bisque seasoned with cream, sherry, and roasted tomato, poured tableside. • Soups are soothing and warming, hearty and delicious, or cooling and refreshing. 3. Salad: Treat yourself to our house favorite Chopped Salad: crisp romaine, friseé, and radicchio tossed with green beans, asparagus, and corn, dressed with a creamy garlic dressing and topped with avocado. • Why salads? They are refreshing, colorful, and healthful.
Main Course Lines 1. Entrées. The envy of every table is our 24-oz. Tomahawk Chop: dry-aged, juicy marbling with a deep rich flavor, and an impressive 12-inch bone. • Other lines: If you’d like to treat The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 9
RESTAURATEUR’S WORLD Michael Sternberg
Truth and Legend: Arnie Morton
O
ften, the most enjoyable times in the restaurant business are spent sharing stories after work. I had that experience recently while opening the new Rare Steakhouse in Milwaukee. One of the many reasons I like working with Rare owner Jack Sosnowski and his business partner Stephen Weber, is beyond their professionalism, high standards of operation and the tremendous team of people they employ … they love hearing my stories of my days working for Arnie Morton, the inspiration for this article.
Arnie Morton is that it is difficult to separate the actual truths from the legends. My favorite story about his Playboy days was apparently his last day. Playboy had opened a few Playboy Club Resorts under Arnie’s direction. The legend, as I heard it, was that Hef came storming into Arnie’s office one day. “Arnie” he shouted. “These resorts are losing money hand over fist. What are you going to do about it?” The never-shy Arnie, shouted back “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do Hef. Yesterday, I sold my stock. Today I am resigning.”
While many people know of Mr. Morton’s success with Morton’s of Chicago and his original hit restaurant, Arnie’s (which was credited for the revitalization of Chicago’s Rush Street neighborhood), fewer know of his background working with Hugh Hefner creating the Playboy Clubs. Clearly anachronistic and inappropriate today, if you were a boy growing up in the fifties and sixties, there was little your father could do that was cooler than being a Playboy Club key holder. Playboy Clubs, primarily known for the beautiful women in bunny costumes, were also recognized for the high quality of their service. The Bunny service manual was seriously detailed covering everything from the famous “Bunny Dip” to how to smoke a cigarette. Club development and operations were all under the direction of Mr. Morton and his colleague, Klaus Fritsch, who would later work with Arnie in the creation of Arnie’s and as co-founder of Morton’s.
“MIKE, A MAN IN YOUR POSITION SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE $20 ON HIM.”
One of the things about working for a larger-than-life character like 10 | JULY 2016
The follow-up legend was that a few years later at the opening of Arnie’s, Hefner asked Arnie “This is great! Why didn’t you build places like this for me?” Arnie responded, “I tried Hef. You wouldn’t let me.” Mr. Morton served in World War II and loved reminding his young managers that he was of a different generation, often referring to his “foxhole promotions” and letting us know that we’d probably have ended up as casualties. A year or so after being promoted to a restaurant manager position, I got into an argument with him. We had the classic “I quit”, “No. You’re fired” conversation. I worked a couple of jobs over the next year, tending bar and managing a restaurant, both of which left a lot to be desired in quality compared to my experience with Morton’s Restaurants. Eventually, I called Arnie and pleaded for a second chance. Without gloating or reminding me what a dope I had
been, he simply said, “Does next week work?” That same year, Arnie invited me to attend the annual National Restaurant Association Show with him at McCormick Place. It was my first time at the Show. Arnie managed to cover it in its entirety, with me breathlessly in tow, in less than an hour, which included fifteen minutes of his yelling at the Hobart rep about the issues he was having with his dish machine at one of the stores and at least 50 short conversations with a variety of friends and acquaintances. My big break professionally came a couple of years later in 1982 when Arnie and Klaus offered me a position in opening the country’s second Morton’s Steakhouse in Georgetown. They asked if I wanted to be General Manager or Maître D’. Being young and brash, I replied that I wanted to do both. Klaus, never missing a chance to save money, immediately latched on to the idea and offered me a whopping total of $300 a week. I leaped at the opportunity, packed up my burgundy 1980 Honda Accord hatchback and headed to DC. I arrived in Georgetown on Halloween weekend 1982 and thought there couldn’t be a better place to live in the world. Morton’s Steakhouse opened a few weeks later just before Thanksgiving with a party organized by the indomitable Linda Roth. Arnie held court with celebrated artist, LeRoy Neiman, who did caricatures for the assembled guests. Neiman, a close friend of Arnie’s, had been the house artist for Playboy and for a few years Morton’s Georgetown had one of the largest collections of original Neiman’s in the world.
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
The following week, I called Mr. Morton to ask if there was anything he needed back in Chicago as I was heading home to Chicago for my birthday a couple of weeks later. He responded “Not that I can think of Mike. By the way, how old are you going to be?” Once he got excited, it was difficult, if not impossible for him to string three sentences together without cursing four times. When I responded that I was about to turn 26, he bellowed “Jesus F-ing Christ Mike! Do you think I’d have given you a f’-ing multi-million dollar restaurant if I had known you were f’-ing 25-years old?” Final story. When Arnie came to town, I’d drive over to the Capitol Hilton to pick him up and bring him to the restaurant. Each time, upon my arrival, he’d borrow $20 from me (which, of course, never was repaid) and give it to the doorman reminding him that Morton’s was the best steakhouse in town. One day, he asked me for the usual $20 and I realized I didn’t have any money on me. When I told him so, he looked at me with all seriousness and said “Mike, a man in your position should always have $20 on him.” I miss Mr. Morton. I’m sorry I never told him so. MICHAEL STERNBERG is an awardwinning 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
WORKING IN AMERICA Becki L. Young
Family Knows No Bounds at Kinship
C
elia Laurent and Eric Ziebold have opened their first restaurant Kinship together in Washington … infused with the comfort and joy of family, good times and great food. This is the story of French partner Celia working with her husband, Iowa-born chef Eric Ziebold. Some of the special touches at Kinship in Mt. Vernon Square can be traced to Celia Laurent’s childhood in Bordeaux. The whimsical peanut toffee that ends the meal is a version of a nougattype candy bar that is eaten with coffee in France – it comes in large “sheets” and you break it with a small hammer into smaller pieces. The restaurant’s Riz à l’Espagnole or Spanish Rice was inspired by a family recipe Laurent’s grandmother used to make, with pork in a base of roasted peppers/saffron and rice. Chef Eric Ziebold (Laurent’s husband) serves the dish (which was recently reviewed in The Washington Post) with either monkfish or swordfish instead of pork. Laurent was born and raised in Arcachon, a seaside town in southwest France that is known for its oysters. Her Spanish-born grandfather was a career restaurant server, and her father was an avid wine consumer and collector. As a child Laurent learned about gastronomy and the art of the table, and through her family she was regularly exposed to dinner parties, shopping for fresh food at the local market, and convening with friends and loved ones around a great meal. Growing up Laurent often thought that one day she would run her own “little charming hotel with a very nice restaurant” and she remembers fondly some of the properties she visited in her youth that inspired her to pursue a career in hospitality: • Castel Marie Louise, La Baule, foodservicemonthly
France • Chef Michel Guérard at Les Prés d’Eugénie, Eugénie Les Bains, France • Restaurant La Tupina, Bordeaux, France • Restaurant La Colombe d’Or, Saint Paul de Vence, France • Hotel Gonnet et de la Reine, Cannes, Frances At 18 Laurent moved to Switzerland to purse a degree at the prestigious Lausanne Hotel School. Though the great majority of Lausanne graduates go into the hotel world, Laurent took a different path. In 1997 while still in school she did a six month internship at Feast & Fetes, the high end NYC catering company of chef Daniel Boulud (whose global restaurant empire – Dinex – includes DC’s DBGB). When she graduated in 1999 she returned to New York City on a J1 visa in the role of Special Events Coordinator with Boulud’s flagship restaurant Daniel, which has been cited as “one of the ten best restaurants in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, has earned multiple Michelin stars and Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award.” Laurent remained with Dinex until 2003, helping to open Café Boulud Palm Beach as her final act with the company. She says she would not be in the US today had it not been for her experiences with Dinex and Boulud. In 2004 Laurent joined the opening team of Per Se (the newest concept by French Laundry chef/ owner Thomas Keller) in the role of Director of Private Dining. There she met Ziebold, the French Laundry chef who was tasked with opening Per Se. Once the restaurant was up and running Ziebold moved to DC to open CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental hotel, and the couple had a long distance relationship (DC
photo: Jennifer Chase Photography
to NY) for several years – which Laurent says was just fine, since both partners had “very challenging and fulfilling jobs.” Laurent’s role with TKRG continued to grow over the years and she advised Keller on private dining operations for his rapidly expanding empire of restaurants until 2009, when she moved to DC to work with Ziebold at CityZen. Soon thereafter the Mandarin Oriental asked Laurent to step into the role of General Manager at Sou’wester, the hotel’s more casual dining outlet. Although she had never served in a restaurant management role before Laurent accepted the challenge, and made substantial improvements to the restaurant’s operations during her time there. When top Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr opened his first DC outlet, Le Diplomate, on 14th Street NW in March 2014, he handpicked Laurent as his Service Director – and she added this experience to her impressive list of
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
restaurant openings. The past three years have seen a burst of creative energy from Laurent and Ziebold; their first child (a daughter) was born in December 2013 followed by the opening, earlier this year, of Kinship – a 75-seat restaurant serving a modern American a la carte menu, and Métier – a 36-seat more upscale restaurant serving a seven course tasting menu. At both venues, guests will benefit from the superb culinary pedigrees of both Laurent and Ziebold, and to enjoy the warm Franco-American hospitality that the restaurant offers. BECKI L. YOUNG, co-founder of Hammond Young Immigration, is a business immigration attorney with 20 years of experience in the field. She has represented more than 100 of the world’s most prominent hotels and restaurants, and facilitated the sponsorship of foreign professionals, trainees, interns and individuals of “extraordinary ability.” Ms. Young is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She can be reached at 301-917-6900 or byoung@hyimmigration.com.
JULY 2016 | 11
Helping Reduce Risk and Facilitate Trade of Fruits and Vegetables BY CHARLES W. PARROTT DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, AMS SPECIALTY CROPS PROGRAM
M
any of us are enjoying a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables that will be available throughout the summer. During the rest of the year, some of these same fresh fruits and vegetables are available to American consumers thanks to trade agreements with Canada and Mexico. In the last five years, the value and volume of fresh fruits and vegetables from Canada and Mexico to the United States has grown. In 2015, the U.S. imported more than 2.8 billion pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables from Canada, valued at $1.4 billion. From Mexico, the
12 | JULY 2016
U.S. imported 17.4 billion pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables for $9.1 billion. U.S. fruit and vegetable growers also have benefited. In 2015, the U.S. exported nearly 7.1 billion pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Canada and Mexico, worth $4.2 billion. With more market integration between the three countries, the potential for disputes can also increase. To address potential issues, the North American Free Trade Agreement created a unified system to enable effective trade dispute resolution. The Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC) handles these disputes for the fruit and vegetable industry. The DRC is a non-profit organization established in February
2000 to smooth the trade of fruits and vegetables between Canada, Mexico and the U.S. It helps its members, including buyers, sellers and brokers of fruits and vegetables, resolve complaints about contract and payment issues as well as about the condition of the fruit and vegetables. This system is modeled on the dispute resolution system in the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), administered by AMS. Today, the DRC has nearly 1,600 members. Last week, I represented USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) at a meeting of the DRC. The recent meeting included topical discussion regarding Canada’s efforts to establish procedures similar to what the United States has had
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
since 1984 that would give sellers of fruits and vegetables a priority status in the event their buyer becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy protection. We also discussed ways to expand the number of DRC-licensed members in Mexico. All of this would provide added stability to the market place, and benefits farmers, produce suppliers, buyers, and consumers in all three countries. Since its inception in 2000, the DRC has successfully resolved thousands of trade disputes worth tens of millions of dollars. No matter the time of year, its members are working to help bring fresh fruits and vegetables to markets and stores throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
foodservicemonthly
H & M Wagner & Sons Foodservice 7204 May Wagner Lane · Glen Burnie, MD 21061 800-492-4571 · 410-766-1150 HMWagner.com
WHAT’S
BUZZING
IN FOODSERVICE!
The Buzz is a monthly
publication packed with NEW items, recipes, ontrend products, menu ideas and much more!
PRO
UD
S
TER OF FO OR OD PP
E!
·
·
BR
PP
O RT
E R OF F OO
D
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
SU
foodservicemonthly
UD
ID
P RO
G E!
SIGNATURE PROGRAM BROCHURES AVAILABLE!
U
G ID BR
SCAN THIS FOR THE BUZZ!
JULY 2016 | 13
Fruit Grades and Standards
D
o you know fruits and vegetables can be graded by the USDA? U.S. Grade Standards for fruits are voluntary and provide the fruit, vegetable and specialty crop industry with a uniform language for describing the quality and condition of commodities in the marketplace. For example here is grading information for peaches.
Grades of Peaches U.S. Fancy consists of peaches of one variety which are mature but not soft or overripe, well formed and which are free from decay, bacterial spot, cuts which are not healed, growth cracks, hail injury, scab, scale, split pits, worms, worm
holes, leaf or limb rub injury; and free from damage caused by bruises, dirt or other foreign material, other disease, insects or mechanical or other means. In addition to the above requirements, each peach shall have not less than one-third of its surface showing blushed, pink or red color.
when the peaches meet the requirements of the U.S. No. 1 grade: Provided, that in addition to these requirements, 50 percent, by count, of the peaches in any lot shall have not less than one-fourth of the surface showing blushed, pink or red color.
U.S. No. 1 Peaches of one variety which are mature but not soft or overripe, well formed, and which are free from decay, growth cracks, cuts which are
U.S. Extra No. 1 Any lot of peaches may be designated “U.S. Extra No. 1”
not healed, worms, worm holes, and free from damage caused by bruises, dirt, or other foreign material, bacterial spot, scab, scale, hail injury, leaf or limb rubs, split pits, other disease, insects or mechanical or other means.
U.S. No. 2 Peaches of one variety which are mature but not soft or overripe, not badly misshapen, and which are free from decay, cuts which are not healed, worms, worm holes,and free from serious damage caused by bruises, dirt or other foreign material, bacterial spot, scab, scale, growth cracks, hail injury, leaf or limb rubs, split pits, other disease, insects, or mechanical or other means.
Fresh Produce LOCAL
|
SPECIALT Y
|
PRE-CUT
“Because you run a company differently when your name is on the truck.” (301) 772-3333 3310 75th Ave, Landover, MD 20785 www.keanyproduce.com
14 | JULY 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
foodservicemonthly
FOOD SMARTS Juliet Bodinetz
Wash Your ‘Feces’ Produce, Please … for Real
I
t’s funny … I think we never grow up. One of my favorite parts teaching our Food Service Manager Certification & Food Safety classes is when we get to, “Please always wash your produce before cutting and preparation.” I love seeing the shocked faces on my students’ faces when I tell them to “please, please wash the poop, kaka, feces or whatever you want to call it off of the produce.” Maybe it’s funny for a quick moment, but not really … foodborne illness can have a deadly consequence. Although, we consider produce to be healthy; it can also be considered very dangerous to our health and make us ill if not washed properly. Especially, produce that will not be cooked with the kill step of heat before service. Here in the United States, about 1 in 6 Americans get a foodborne illness each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 128,000 hospitalizations and about 3,000 deaths as a result. The CDC also reports that 1 in 5 foodborne illnesses are attributable to “leafy greens.” That’s 20 percent. When I ask my students in my classes, “What are we washing off of the produce?” They always answer with the standard responses, dirt, insects, parasites, pesticides. I seem to shock a lot of them when I say, “Also poop/feces.” Feces gets on our produce in a variety of ways. Birds flying overhead, animals walking through the fields, bad farmers irrigating with sewage/fecal water to save monies instead of with potable water. Also, most fertilizer/manure is cow poop or horse poop. Then we have the fear factor of feces that can be found on the field workers’ hands – especially if they have not foodservicemonthly
been provided portapotties in the fields. The point is that we have to presume our produce has feces on it and feces carries harmful bacteria. Some of my students throw me off and say that washing produce removes bacteria. Washing produce does remove the dirt and feces that can be found on the produce and that is usually where the bacteria is residing.
lemon juice solution might be better. Use a water rinse to help remove any residual taste of vinegar. Detergent or bleach solutions are not recommended for use to clean produce as the skin of fruits and vegetables are porous and can absorb the soap or bleach according to the FDA. I recommend a scrubbing brush on something hard to rinse off with crevices, i.e. potatoes and cantalopes. One of our instructors parallels washing produce to washing hands – a little friction and running
So does washing produce kill bacteria? No. Washing – might reduce the amount of bacteria, but it won’t kill the bacteria if it’s on a surface nor will it kill what might have entered into the produce. The best thing that can be done to prevent foodborne illness from leafy greens and other produce is wash them properly. We always get asked in class if it would be better to buy one of those produce washes to wash the produce? We always answer that as per The Food and Drug Administration recommendation, rinsing under water a little bit warmer than the produce itself as sufficient. Washing with a vinegar solution (1 part to 3 parts) or a
water to remove the bacteria – or at least enough so you don’t get sick. Note: Even though we are supposed to wear disposable gloves when touching Ready To Eat Foods, the FDA says an exception can be made when washing produce. No gloves are necessary when washing produce. If you think about it, Mother Nature helps us with food safety. For example, we peel off the outer layers of leafy vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, and the skin on onions and even peel (most times) potatoes and thus remove the outer layer where the dirt and potential bacteria lay. But you still have to pre-wash the produce that you are peeling to make
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
sure no contamination from the outside gets on the surface that has been peeled. Personal Suggestion: Wash your green leafy vegetables even IF it’s labeled, “pre-washed three times.” So many recalls are associated with these products. Special care has to be made here though, to make sure your sinks are not a source of contamination. Make sure you clean and sanitize your sinks before soaking or washing produce. On a side note: please wash produce before cutting and preparation, but not before storage if you can help it as washing does speed up the spoilage process. If you do feel compelled to pre-wash your produce before refrigeration, make sure you dry it off completely with a paper towel. Does washing your produce get rid of pesticides? Not completely. Remember, your fruits and vegetables are porous and you might be able to wash off the pesticides on the surface, but if they are inside the fruit or vegetable, you can’t. The best way to avoid pesticides on your fruits or produce is to buy organic. Sometimes we get rushed and we think a quick drippy rinse spray is sufficient. Take the time to do a thorough rinse in cold water for a few minutes and then rinse the produce under running water and let it drain in a colander to allow the water to drip off. Take the time to do it right … your customers are counting on you. JULIET BODINETZ is the executive director of Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions with more than 30 years industry and training experience. Her team of instructors’ specialty is food safety, alcohol training and ServSafe training in both English and Spanish; and writing HACCP Plans in the Baltimore/ Washington D.C. metro area. www.bilingualhospitality.com, juliet@bilingualhospitality.com or 443-838-7561. For latest food safety tips, become a fan on Facebook or Twitter: @BHTS JULY 2016 | 15
Family-Owned for 106 Years and Going Strong! Belair Produce is a 4th generation, family-owned foodservice distributor in the Baltimore-Washington Mid-Atlantic market. We take great pride in supplying the finest, natural and organic proteins, dairy and fresh produce items at competitive prices. Our discriminating clientele holds us to the highest quality standards.
Supplier Profile HUMMINGB IRD FARMS
Hummingbird Farms, a local grower out of Ridgely, Maryland, has been providing red, ripe, amazingly flavorful tomatoes in an environmentally friendly way for over 30 years. Their tomatoes are grown hydroponically and without harsh chemicals so that the integrity of the fruit is maintained from the plants to the table. They produce a wide variety, from Beefsteak to heirloom, cherry, red, yellow, and orange clusters, just to name a few.
7226 Parkway Drive • Hanover, MD 21076 888.782.8008 • belairproduce.com • sales@belairproduce.com
Congratulates the Winners of the 34TH Annual RAMMY Awards New Restaurant of the Year MAKETTO
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year LE DIPLOMATE
Restaurant Employee of the Year JORGE MARTINEZ, THE SOURCE
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year REPUBLIC NATIONAL DISTRIBUTING COMPANY
Everyday Casual Restaurant of the Year PILAR
Restaurant Manager of the Year JENNIFER LUCY, ESTADIO
Rising Culinary Star of the Year JONAH KIM, YO NA
Favorite Gathering Place of the Year NORTHSIDE SOCIAL COFFEE & WINE
Pastry Chef of the Year ALEX LEVIN, MORINI
Upscale Casual Brunch BLUEDUCK TAVERN
Beer Program of the Year RIGHT PROPER BREWING COMPANY
Everyday Casual Brunch DUKE’S GROCERY
Cocktail Program of the Year 2 BIRDS 1 STONE
Favorite Fast Bites of the Year BUB AND POP’S
Wine Program of the Year THE RED HEN
Honorary Milestone Award OCCIDENTAL
Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award CHEF BOB KINKEAD Restaurateur of the Year MIKE ISABELLA CONCEPTS Chef of the Year SCOTT DREWNO, THE SOURCE Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year MARCEL’S Service Program of the Year FIOLA
Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year PORT CITY
The Veggie Trend Earns Respect at the Center-of-the-Plate
B
aum+Whiteman creates highprofile restaurants around the world for hotels, restaurant companies, museums and other consumer destinations. Based in New York, their projects include the late Windows on the World and the magical Rainbow Room, and the world’s first food courts. We share here their view of the world of vegetables. We’ve reached a tipping point for vegetables. They’re pushing animal protein to the side of the plate ... or entirely off it. Relentlessly rising beef prices, horror over hormones, a scramble for ever-more antioxidants, health-and-diet concerns, growth of farmers markets, locavore drummers, increasing numbers of flexitarians ... all the stars have
nicely aligned. It helps that vegetables are more seasonal than animals, adding menu excitement for restaurants recognizing that buying seasonally reduces food costs ... and keeps menus fresh. Say hello to “Root to Stem” dining ... a logical extension of the nose-to-tail movement ... with restaurants serving vegetables trimmings otherwise heading for the trash. Say hello to “Vegetable Forward” restaurants ... with increasing numbers of chefs deploying flesh as a condiment ... not as the main act on the plate. USDA says potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce comprise 60 percent of US veggie consumption. Fast food may be to blame ... but you also might
Serving Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia & Surrounding Areas
Martin Bamberger Co. Food Market & Restaurant Equipment Serving the food and bakery industry for more than 70 years with honesty and integrity
New Globe Mixers, Slicers Hobart Mixers All Sizes Reconditioned & Warrantied Ranges • Ovens • Grills • Refrigeration & Food Prep Equipment • AND MUCH MORE! •
Visit Our Stocked Showroom! 4110 Pinkney Rd • Baltimore, MD 21215
888.915.5300
www.martinbamberger.com • info@martinbamberger.com 18 | JULY 2016
conclude that, like fish, people shy away from cooking at home what they don’t know about. Tonight not many people are grilling cauliflower steaks ... or fabricating carpaccios of mushrooms. You go to restaurants for that stuff.
bok choi, baby pea shoots and eggplant sformata. At Semilla, in Brooklyn, you find potatoes with turmeric-fermented bok choy and morels stuffed with ramp bread pudding. Pete Wells of The New York Times put it perfectly
… CONSUMERS BEHIND THIS SHIFT ARE OMNIVORES WHO BELIEVE THEY EAT TOO MANY ANIMALS THAT POOP UP THE ENVIRONMENT. Not just vegetarians and vegans ... consumers behind this shift are omnivores who believe they eat too many animals that poop up the environment. No accident that Bon Appetit named quirky Al’s Place, in San Francisco’s Mission District, as best new restaurant of 2015. Most meat on their menu is listed under “side dishes” ... and the food is headspinningly complex ... sunchoke curry with black lime, cod and grapefruit; brined and fermented french fries with smoked applesauce. Nothing’s wasted ... citrus peels are transformed into flavored oils that are frozen for freshness ... eggplant mayo is made with pods of shelling beans. The transforming idea is that veg-forward restaurants no longer sell hippie food tasting like punishment. They’re serving great meals composed mostly (or entirely) of vegetables that are great to look at, satisfyingly memorable and compatible with wine. All-vegetarian Vedge, in Philadelphia ... has go-withs that add sparkle to any menu: broccolini with smoked onion dashi, sweet potato pate with jerk cashews and pickled onion. A movement leader is Dirt Candy, in Manhattan ... moving this year from a shoebox to a 60-seater. Proprietor Amanda Cohen proved you can bring off veg-only food in a modern context ... pulled, pickled and jerked carrots with peanut mole sauce on carrot waffles, mapo eggplant with baby
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
… “You will be browsing extensively upon stems, tubers, rhizomes seeds and other plant parts. Semilla tends to save fish and meat for moments when extra depth or intensity are needed.” Sqirl, in LA, makes a big deal of vegetable toast with green garlic crème fraiche, spicy pickled carrots, and house za’atar. In the $10 range, Jose Andres’ veg-forward fast-cas Beefsteak has sites in Washington and one coming in Philadelphia ... it is a Chipotle format (aren’t they all?) with chicken and salmon accents but, despite its name, no beef. Sweetgreen ... a fast-cas chain hoovering investor money ... has 31 units on both coasts. Sales at healthy fast casual chains totaled about $384 million in 2014, up almost 30 percent from 2013, according to preliminary data from Technomic. Of course, the idea of fresh food has legacy chains in paralysis. How mainstream are we? White Castle now has a veggie slider ... served on a vegan bun. Trying to rebuild Japanese sales ... and its healthless image ... McDonald’s this year launched Mogu Mogu Mac: a chicken patty with bits of corn, edamame and carrots, topped with ketchup ... promoted as a healthy kids meals. They’ve launched an LTO organic burger in Germany ... but here we just get breakfast round the clock. source: Michael Whiteman mw@baumwhiteman.com foodservicemonthly
Nation’s Capital Chefs Association ‘Let’s Move to Local’ Hosted by Keany Produce Guest chef Stephanie Goldfarb, Produce Alliance Corporate Chef and Food Network’s “America’s Best Cook” winner
RESTAURANTS ■ MULTI-FAMILY ■ REMODELS ■ INTERIORS ■ TENANT
BUILD IT, SERVICE IT
NO WONDER OUR CLIENTS LOVE US!
TECH24CONSTRUCTION.COM
1.800.820.7194
5256 EISENHOWER AVE. ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304 foodservicemonthly
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 19
34 ANNUAL th
RAMMY AWARDS Walter E. Washington Convention Center Washington, DC
Jonah Kim
Photo | Chris Burch
Right Proper Brewing
Photo | Chris Burch
Bar Pilar
Data Business Systems 20 | JULY 2016
Korean Pavilion
FoodPro
Congressional Seafood
Photo | Chris Burch
Blue Duck Tavern
Photo | Chris Burch
RAMW
Photo | Chris Burch
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
foodservicemonthly
C-10 M-20 Y-10
TOP HALF OF CIRCLE
C-0 M-58 Y-100
RIBBON
PANTONE 299 C-86 M-8 Y-0 K-
C-100 M-17 Y-3
C-100 M-100 Y-
BOTTOM HALF OF CIRCLE & OUTER PIECES OF RIBBON OUTER CIRCLE
A Big Company with an Even Bigger Heart We look forward to serving you from our new 330,000 sq. ft. facility
410.799.8000 9001 Whiskey Bottom Road Laurel, MD 20723 coastalsunbelt.com foodservicemonthly
Facebook: /CoastalSunbelt Twitter: @Coastal_Sunbelt Instagram: coastalsunbeltproduce
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 21
C-100 M-46 Y-5
PANTONE COOL C-22 M-15 Y-11
ASSOCIATION NEWS VRLTA Eric D. Terry
Fairfax County Hopes to Tap Restaurants to Fund Schools $100 Million Prepared Meals Tax Proposed
T
he Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted on June 7 to place a referendum before voters this Fall to increase the sales tax on prepared food and beverage items from 6% to 10% in Fairfax County by imposing an additional 4% tax. This proposed 66.67% tax increase will impact prepared food at grocery stores, fast food, convenient stores, coffee shops, restaurants, food and beverage operations in hotels, and more. County voters will be asked to approve a $100 million food tax increase on top of the $100 million
real estate tax increase the Board of Supervisors already enacted earlier this year. The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the National Restaurant Association, through the No Fairfax Food Tax coalition, have joined restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, small businesses and taxpayers in an effort to educate the voters about this dramatic tax increase. This single industry tax would only be a one-time boon for
the County, and Fairfax County estimates that the burden of the $100 million tax increase would fall on Fairfax County residents (72% according to the May 2014 Meals Tax in Fairfax County White Paper prepared by Fairfax County Department of Management and Budget). A tax of this nature not only targets a single industry, but also puts a disproportionate burden on lower income families and senior citizens. The coalition is urging every Fairfax county voter to reject these unprecedented tax increases in November. We strongly believe Fairfax County families, taxpayers and small businesses cannot afford
$200 million in tax increases the Board of Supervisors is trying to force upon them. We are asking for your support to help put an end to this referendum, join the coalition at StoptheFoodTax.com and find on Facebook at Facebook.com/ StopTheFoodTax.
With 20 years of experience raising the standards higher on every new project and client
Hungry for the latest? Comprehensive General Contracting, Design-Build, Interior Fit Out and Construction Management Services
Check out the new and improved foodservicemonthly.co
Check out the new and improved foodservicemonthly foodservicemonthly.com TM
627 Carlisle Dr. Herndon VA 20170
(703) 261-6663
www.itekconstruction.com 22 | JULY 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
foodservicemonthly
OLD S. V D L R WO E OF STATART THE Can old world, time-honored recipes meet state of the art technology to create the perfect bread or roll to satisfy your precise product standards? Yes! Ask us how. We do it every day. Variety, Service & Quality
Family owned and operated since 1943. Our products are baked daily and delivered 5 days a week. To order, call 800-769-2253 or visit hsbakery.com
THE LATEST DISH Linda Roth
Succotash Expands Beyond the Potomac As, Yes, ‘Succotash DC’
F
rom Knead Hospitality + Design’s Michael Reginbogen and Jason Berry, who last year introduced renowned Chef Ed Lee’s innovative southern cookin at Succotash at National Harbor, comes Succotash DC, opening at 915 F St NW (Penn Quarter) in the old Equitable Bank Building (which was also The Fifth Column in another incarnation). The renovation of this historic building, a labor of love (and money), will once again feature Ed Lee’s menu with a few more surprises. After extensive renovations, a late Spring 2017 opening is planned. The Heidenbergers are ready for their next restaurant venture. Brothers Eric and Alex (Shaw’s Tavern) and patriarch Dick (Front Page et al) plan to open 801 Restaurant & Bar in Shaw (801 Florida Ave NW) this month. There will be dining on two floors, three bars and the ever-popular rooftop deck. Chef Matt Baker, plans to open Gravitas at 1401 Okie St NW in Ivy City, featuring seasonal products from local farms. The plan is to create two different four-course menus, a Chef’s Tasting Menu, and a Vegan/Vegetarian tasting menu. The plan is also to open by the end of Q4. The 14th Street corridor is expanding north, with the addition of Pizzeria Vetri and soon, Rooster & Owl, a fine dining restaurant by chef/owner YuanTang. Think seasonal, veggies. August is the targeted opening month. From the Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises family, with partners Bill Rancic (“The Apprentice”) and wife Giuliana Rancic, (E’s “ Fashion
24 | JULY 2016
Police” and Bethesda native) comes RPM Italian at 601 Massachusetts Ave NW in NoMa. The five-year-old Chicagobased concept will feature more seafood dishes than the Chicago menu. The 11,000-sq-ft space seats 344. Executive Chef Doug Psaltis hails from LEYE in Chicago, which also opened RPM Steak (hey, it’s Chicago), so the DC menus includes a selection of steaks as well. The main dining room and bar seat 170, two outdoor patios seat 84 and a second dining room or PDR seats 80.
cold Natty Boh. After Labor Day (and crab season), expect a new concept to take over … California-based Jinya Ramen opened in Merrifield’s Mosaic District. A second one is planned for 14th Street corridor … Paul Pelt, formerly of Tabard Inn, opened Chao Ku, a QSR Chinese restaurant in Shaw at 1414 9th St NW, serving lunch only – for now … From Nic Makris of The Blaguard in Adams Morgan comes The Homestead, at 3911 Georgia Ave NW in Petworth. With 175
THE HAYMAKER [CHEF/OWNER MATT CORDES] WILL BE MORE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BAR THAN ITS PREVIOUS LIFE AS THE ATLAS ROOM. Columbus, Ohio-based Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is targeting a fall opening for Ocean Prime, its modern American restaurant and lounge. It opens in the Colorado Building at 1341 G St NW in Penn Quarter. This will be the company’s 13th location nationwide. Ocean Prime will serve lunch Monday through Friday and dinner.
seats inside and 70 seats outside, it features a menu from Marty Anklam, who earned his cooking chops in Mississippi … Ryan Seelbach and Eric Lund opened Buckeye + Bear, a 280-seat restaurant, club & sports bar at 1730 M St NW.
Quick HIts
Just Opened Fare Well by Cupcake Wars champion, Doron Petersan, at 406 H St NE in that hot H Street Corridor. This diner (with bar service) serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and will feature Sticky Fingers bakery classics that Doron is known for. This is the place for vegans and gluten-free advocates … Cappy’s Crabs opened where Crane & Turtle was at 828 Upshur St NW in Petworth, brought to you by Paul Ruppert. Chef Johnny Spero, formerly of Minibar, has Baltimore roots so the menu is a tribute to hot summer nights, steamed crabs and
Black Restaurant Group has found a new home for Addie’s – in the Park Potomac Development in Potomac, Md. Slated to open in Q4, the 4,000 sq-ft restaurant will have indoor and outdoor seating, like the original … The Haymaker will be more of a neighborhood bar than its previous life as The Atlas Room. Chef/owner Matt Cordes will feature more options at the H Street NE bar, such as punch (hence the new name) ... Reese Gardner plans to open Quinn’s on the Corner in Rosslyn on the corner of Wilson Blvd
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
and N Quinn St. Reese also owns Copperwood Tavern and Dudley’s Sport and Ale in Shirlington. Expect Irish and Belgian draft beers.
Adams Morgan Update The Line D.C. Hotel, slated to open in Adams Morgan in early 2017 — making it a turning point in the transformation of Adams Morgan to truly hip — will feature restaurants from Erik BrunerYang, who built his rep with Toki Underground followed by Maketto, and Baltimore’s Spike Gjerde, James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 2015 and chef/owner of Woodberry Kitchen and Parts and Labor. The Line is a 220-room hotel on 1780 Columbia Rd, which is fronted by and incorporates the First Church of Christ Scientist Building at 1770 Euclid St NW. It’s owned by NY’s Sydell Group and DC’s Foxhall Partners ... Los Cuates Mexican restaurant will open their third location where La Fourchette was in Adams Morgan. They plan to open before the end of the summer … Chipotle will open where Millie & Al’s was in Adams Morgan. Reed Walker and Jordan Cotton plans to open Cotton & Reed at Union Market this winter. These 2 NASA aerospace colleagues may prefer to soar with spirits, as they founded a distillery with the help of distiller Chas Jefferson, barman Lukas B. Smith, and engineer Dr. Jen Phelps. Stay tuned for more distilled updates. LINDA ROTH is president of Linda Roth Associates, Inc. specializing in marketing, promotions and publicity in the hospitality industry. Contact Linda at 202-888-3571 or linda@lindarothpr.com or visit her website at www.lindarothpr.com
foodservicemonthly
From Steak Houses to Sushi Bars, Chesapeake Employers has your workers’ comp covered. Qualifying restaurants could save
10% OFF Chesapeake Employers’ eligible tiers*
Every day, all across Maryland, Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance helps employers keep workers safe from accidents and injuries. We specialize in helping to contain your workers’ comp costs.
Ask your local agent for a quote or visit CEIWC.com
foodservicemonthly
*Qualifying restaurant owners must meet Chesapeake Employers’ underwriting guidelines to receive this program discount. Eligible tiers are defined within Chesapeake Employers’ underwriting guidelines. Discounts provided by this program will not apply to out of state payroll. Other States Coverage available per Chesapeake Employers’ guidelines.
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 25
WHINING ’N DINING Randi Rom
Longest Day, Newest Items … Langermann’s Summer Menu Debuts Langermann’s in Canton rolled out a new menu with items include: Pig Three Ways (crispy pork belly, pork pops & Memphis ribs); Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Scotch Eggs, Charleston Perlau and Pan Roasted Alaskan Halibut. My fave is the Grilled Flat Iron Steak Salad and the pork belly with grits and stewed tomato jam—serious yum! Here’s a lil tidbit ‘o info. Langermann’s uses only Hoppin’ John’s creamy, stone-ground, heirloom grits — the company is owned by cookbook author John Martin Taylor who is a leading authority on lowcountry cooking. I never had grits before and I did NOT know what I was missing. And-the patio at Langermann’s has been expanded and now seats 44 and they’ve added a bocce ball court, huge umbrellas (heated for chilly nights) and a new cocktail menu. You can also enjoy live music on the patio-sooo pleasant and relaxing. Langermanns. com
Open for Biz Modern Cook Shop, a combo restaurant, market and bar opened at 915 S Wolfe St in Fells Point. Brought to you by the owners of Fork & Wrench, the spot has received a positive buzz. People are raving about Brewer Hill’s newest dining spot, Gunther & Co. Jerry Trice, a graduate of Culinary Institute of America is the executive chef. He’s held the helm at kitchens such as Yin Yankee in
Annapolis and Bethesda, Sam’s on the Waterfront in Annapolis and he opened a restaurantstyle food truck in D.C., ChefDriven, which featured a rotating weekly menu featuring seasonal ingredients and was named Top Food Truck by both Washingtonian and The Washington Post. EatAtGunther.com David and Shirlé Koslowski opened Baby’s on Fire in Mt. Vernon. It’s a unique concept whereby guests can hang out and enjoy light fare while perusing bins of new, used, and collectible albums. The owners, both musicians, wanted to open a cool and comfortable space where their community could get together for conversations about music and records, while enjoying a great coffee and delicious food. Shirlé is also the owner of Four Corners Cuisine, a personal chef service for 15 years and has served everyone from Ravens football players to doing food styling for House of Cards. FYI-the name Baby’s On Fire comes from a song by one of their favorite artists Brian Eno. Upcoming plans for the 20-seat restaurant include record release parties, DJ turntable nights, music documentary screenings and musician talks. BabysOnFire.com
Coming Soon Heather Chung, the chef and owner of Brown Rice, is partnering with her sister Mimi Kim to open BeBim (a casual Korean barbeque concept opening inside R. House
this fall. Using the recipes and techniques they learned from their mother in Korea, Chung and her sister began serving healthful, more modern takes on traditional Korean dishes at their restaurant, Brown Rice in Charles Village. “Food is our heart, so for me and my sister, cooking and serving food is about making people feel full, feel good, and feel happy,” said Chung. “In Korea, our barbeque is a very special meal not an everyday food. We know many Americans love it, so what we’re going to do at BeBim is offer our traditional dishes in a casual format at an affordable price.” BeBim will serve traditional Korean Barbeque in a contemporary way: either as composed rice bowls – known as bibimbap – or with buckwheat wraps that customers can fill with grilled meats, vegetables and housemade sauces. Also on the menu – Korean dumplings from scratch, called mandu, stuffed with braised short-rib, sweet potato noodles, and sautéed peppers. Located on the first floor of a 50,000-square-foot historic automobile showroom and garage in Remington (Remington Ave. and 29th St.), Seawall Development’s $12 million food and drink emporium, R. House, will be a launch pad for 10 Baltimore’s chefs and their culinary concepts.
the region was the inspiration for BRD. “You could smell the rosemary chicken roasting on a spit from 100 feet away. It was simple, delicious; the best chicken I’d ever had. It was gourmet comfort food made with great ingredients from right down the road. I wanted to create a similar kind of concept here in Baltimore that serves inventive comfort food made from top-notch ingredients. And fried chicken to me is the ultimate comfort food,” said Janian. The chicken will only be served two ways—as fried chicken sandwiches and wings. From there, BRD’s customers can choose from a variety of topping and sauce combinations inspired by flavors from around the world. “Think Alabama White Sauce Wings as one option, and an Italian Chicken Parm sandwich as another,” remarked Janian. Beyond the bird, the menu will feature homemade iced teas and add fresh slaws, salads, and seasonal vegetable-based sides to their meals.
Also opening at R House this fall is BRD (pronounced “bird”)— which stands for Baked, Roasted and Deep Fried—chicken that is. Owner Alex Janian family trips to Florence, Italy, and the many rosticcerie they discovered around
RANDI ROM is a Baltimore special events planner, marketing and public relations maven, freelance writer and the head of R. J. Rom & Associates. Have a hot scoop? Contact Randi via email at randirom@comcast.net or phone 443-691-9671.
Reach restaurateurs! Advertise with us. Contact Lisa Silber at 703.471.7339
26 | JULY 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
Recently Announced Chef Dave Sherman will open his breakfast and coffee concept, Ground & Griddled … Farid Salloum will open ARBA, a Mediterranean street food spot and Chef Melanie Molinaro will open an upscale vegetarian concept, Stall 11. RHouseBaltimore.com
foodservicemonthly foodservicemonthly
BALTI-MORE Dara Bunjon
College Travel Buddies Partner in Gnocco Sam White and Brian Lavin, roommates from a college semester traveling abroad in Spain, Italy and Southern France was the impetus for their food and beverage careers. Chef Lavin’s culinary CV lists Salt Restaurant and Fork & Wrench and White’s notes Cinghiale. Roll the clock forward eight years later to today, for their recent collaboration Gnocco that just opened, a cozy space in Baltimore’s Highlandtown neighborhood. Gnocco’s food and beverage is reflective of those earlier Mediterranean travels serving small plates, pastas and wine varietals
from Spain and Italy along with Amaro and Vermouth programs. The menus, both food and beverage, will reflect the seasons, changing regularly and ‘snout to tail’ offal offerings interspersed on their menu.
DARA BUNJON: Dara Does It – Creative Solutions for the Food Industry offers a myriad of services: public relations, social media training and administration, freelance writing, marketing and more. Contact Dara Bunjon at 410-486-0339, info@dara-does-it.com or visit www.daradoes-it.com, Twitter and Instagram: @ daracooks Listen to her Dining Dish radio program on Baltimore Internet Radio.
Sam White, FOH and Beverage Manager and Executive Chef Brian Lavin
SANITIZING WASH ‘N WALK
FOCUSED ON SAFETY Conquer greasy floors and reduce risk of cross contamination
One product for effective floor and drain management
Ecolab’s Sanitizing Wash ‘n Walk is an EPARegistered* product that helps eliminate grease banks that cause slips and falls while killing 99.9% of bacteria on floors and in drains,** creating a cleaner, safer kitchen.
Your Ecolab representative is your business partner in helping ensure clean and safe floors. Our simple, four-step process delivers floor and drain cleaning and sanitizing.
Ready to serve you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our emergency service coverage is available around the clock. Expert service. Exceptional results.
Call 1 800 35 CLEAN or visit www.ecolab.com. * Official EPA claim ** On 5-minute contact time with non-food contact areas
370 Wabasha Street N St. Paul, MN 55102 www.ecolab.com 1 800 35 CLEAN ©2016 Ecolab USA Inc. All rights reserved.
foodservicemonthly
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 27
ASSOCIATION NEWS RAM Alex Cooper
RAM Elects New Board of Directors
T
he Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) has completed the annual nomination process for its Board of Directors after a statewide search for candidates. New Officers and Directors were voted in at the Annual Membership Meeting held at Coastal Sunbelt Produce’s brand new food distribution center in Laurel, Md.
Officers Chair: Dan Stevens, Houlihan’s (Columbia, Waugh Chapel) Vice Chair: Joe Barbera, AIDA Bistro Treasurer: Kathie Sewell, Golden Corral Secretary: Brian Boston, The Milton Inn
New Directors Michelle Hoffman, Preserve in Annapolis Jirat Suphrom-In, My Thai in Baltimore Phil Quick, Jays Restaurant Group Rick Hatcher, Saval Foodservice Tom Gussen, Sprague Energy Opened just three weeks earlier, the new state of the art facility will support Coastal’s growth as a distributor of produce and dairy products to restaurants, grocers and other foodservice businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Larry Wilhelm, chairman of the Maryland Restaurant & Hospitality Self Insurance Fund (MRHSIF) welcomed attendees and spoke about its successes. Started 23 years ago, the workers compensation insurance program is self-owned by RAM. “If you run a foodservice business and you’re not in The Fund, you should be,” Mr. Wilhelm said. He mentioned that Coastal Sunbelt
Produce is a “prime example” of a company that is safe and benefits greatly from the services the MRHSIF provides. Marshall Weston, President & CEO of RAM, next welcomed attendees. He mentioned the association’s many other popular Cost Saving Programs, including a Property & Casualty Insurance Dividend Program operated by State Auto, a program with Payce Payroll, and a new program with United Healthcare to help members achieve some savings when they consider insurance options to comply with the affordable care act. “As a member of the association or any business that has to do with foodservice, you should really look into what we have to offer because we’re here to help you succeed,” he said. Weston then talked about the Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo. Taking place on September 27-28, the 10,000+ attendee trade show just for hospitality professionals will feature 200+ exhibiting companies, educational seminars, top-notch speakers, entertainment, and a myriad of food, wine, beer and liquor samples. Weston concluded with a brief mention of the legislative work RAM does to protect foodservice businesses in Maryland. “We’ve had a lot of legislative issues over the past year,” he said. “Many lawmakers don’t understand how new legislation affects not just our business, but also our
Don’t Miss RAM’s Expo Keynote! BY HILARY YEH DIRECTOR OF EXPO, RAM The Restaurant Association of Maryland is excited to announce the Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo’s Keynote Speaker - Joe Theismann. Join Mr. Theismann at the Maryland State Fairgrounds at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28. You will hear his Game Plan for Success, while also learning about his own 40+ year experience in the restaurant industry. Joe Theismann is an entrepreneur and the former star quarterback for the Washington Redskins. He spent the last two decades working for ESPN on their NFL broadcast and the NFL Network. A 12-year NFL veteran, Theismann played in 163 consecutive games from 19741985 and holds the Redskins’ records for passing yardage (25,206), completions (2.044) and attempts (3,602). A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Theismann led Washington to a 27-17 victory
employees. We work day after day to educate lawmakers about our industry. I’m glad to say that we’ve had a lot of action from our members over the past year”. The afternoon concluded with a tour of the brand new facility led by John Corso, CEO of Coastal Sunbelt
over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. Theismann, a much sought after motivational speaker, also oversees a popular Alexandria, Va. restaurant that bears his name. For nearly 40 years, Theismann’s Restaurant and Bar has provided friendly service, great food and a comfortable good time.
Produce. The event was sponsored by Coastal Sunbelt Produce, Mountain Valley Water, Putting on the Ritz Catering, State Auto, UnitedHealthcare and Southern Wine & Spirits.
Tasty bytes at foodservicemonthly.com 28 | JULY 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
foodservicemonthly
ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT Capital Meat
Capital Meat: Bringing Transparency to Local and Sustainable
T
alking to Frank Alafoginis in his Landover, Md. office, it is clear he is on a mission, “We continue striving to provide chefs and restaurateurs with the highest quality local, sustainable and
humanely raised products the region has to offer.” He starts by citing a full range of products in their natural, sustainable portfolio … houses like Bell & Evans for poultry, Catoctin
Mountain Farm, Meadowview Farms by Gilson Martin and Shenandoah Valley Beef. Bell & Evans sets for the standard for a meticulous, modern poultry house that incorporates practices
that are humane without the use of antibiotics. The birds are air-chilled, not soaked in chemically treated water. One feature is the use of double bay temperatures … used
ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT cont. on page 32
Chris Auth, right, shows off a Bell & Evans chicken … air chilled, minimally processed and ready to be delivered. Bell & Evans chicken on the production line in Penn.
The dry age process begins, left. The customer determines how long the dry aging continues. foodservicemonthly
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
JULY 2016 | 29
MODERN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Henry Pertman
Giving Back Is Good Business
I
t’s crucial for independent restaurants to understand the importance of not only serving their customers at the table, but also serving their community. All businesses should share a sense of urgency for contributing to the community in which they operate, but restaurants are in an especially unique position. With your staff constantly interacting customers face-to-face with customers, why not utilize this as an opportunity to learn what is needed most in the community? Whether you develop a relationship with an organization to pick up food you would have
otherwise thrown away, or learn that a regular customer is on the board of a local non-profit, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. As gathering places and community centers, restaurants have an opportunity to benefit from giving back. When sincere, philanthropy can not only help those in need in your community, but also help your business bring in more profit, from increased exposure and committed customers who share your values. Let me share a few thoughts on how your restaurant can maximize its role in the community.
Find Your Niche There is no shortage of organizations that need help, so do your research and figure out which mission statements best match with your restaurant’s core values. By choosing to support causes that reflect your restaurant’s identity, you not only remain consistent with your message but also help your community to better understand your business. Listen to the needs of your customers, staff and community and figure out how your restaurant can best help satisfy those needs. Your guests will appreciate you giving back and in turn, may even want to participate in your efforts.
Give the Gift of Time Making a financial donation is a great way to give back to any organization or cause in need, but why not take it a step further and donate the most valuable commodity, time? When you make the extra effort to volunteer your time, you are making your involvement significantly more relevant. Try encouraging a few of your staff members to serve at a local non-profit dining event, or even designate a morning to a service project with you and your staff. Not only will your customers see your business actively out servicing the community, your team will also benefit from bonding and actively joining in your business’ giving culture.
Share Your Space Offering your restaurant as a meeting location for local organizations is a great way to give back, while also giving yourself the opportunity to flaunt your space. Whether it’s once per week or once per year, not-for-profit organizations would surely appreciate having the burden of finding a meeting space 30 | JULY 2016
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
taken care of for them. In addition to gifting your space to be used during meetings, you could also consider hosting larger scale events or fundraisers. Communicate closely with the charitable organizations you’re working with, see what they need, and how you can help, whether it’s food, space, or service.
Make it Official If you’re not already a member of the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Education Foundation (RAMEF) or your local Chamber of Commerce, I highly recommend you join today. Staying close to those in your professional network will give you another avenue to access information about where help is needed in your community. Find out what others like you are doing to give back using time, assets or other efforts. Meaningful dialogue and involvement will go a long way to making you feel great about your restaurant and its role in the community. Follow these guidelines and ultimately show your guests, customers and community that you genuinely care about more than just the restaurant and business. If you are willing to put your money and time where your mouth is, you will see that it will come back to you — emotionally, mentally and financially. If you need some specific ideas or organization contact information, please let me know and I will be happy to help. HENRY PERTMAN is Director, Hospitality Consulting at CohnReznick, located in the firm’s Baltimore, Md. office. 410-783-4900, henry.pertman@cohnreznick.com.
foodservicemonthly
RAR RESTAURANT ACTIVITY REPORT
CURRENT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, LEASES SIGNED, OWNERSHIP CHANGES AND BUSINESS BROKERAGE ACTIVITY Editor’s note: The Restaurant Activity Report (RAR) is a lead summary. The information is supplied to readers of Foodservice Monthly by the RAR and the RAR is solely responsible for its content and accuracy. The list is edited for space. CASOLARE Michael Schlow 202-337-9700 2505 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20007 A new 150-seat eatery called Casolare will be opening open in July inside the new Glover Park Hotel in Washington, DC 20007. The menu will serve Italian cuisine with ABC. Contact number listed 202-337-9700 is for the Glover Park Hotel. THE DISH & DRAM Jerry Hollinger 301-588-6300 jerry@thedailydishrestaurant.com 10301 Kensington Pkwy Kensington MD 20895 An employee at The Daily Dish in Silver Spring confirmed the owners would be opening a new sister restaurant called The Dish & Dram. The new eatery is expected to open in July 2016 in Kensington, Maryland 20895. The 75-seat restaurant will serve comfort food with an international twist. Contact number listed 301-588-6300 is for the owners Jerry Hollinger and Zena Polin at The Daily Dish. The best way to reach Jerry is via email at jerry@thedailydishrestaurant.com GNOCCO Brian Lavin www.gnoccobaltimore.com 3734 Fleet St Baltimore MD 21224 A new eatery called Gnocco will be opening in a few weeks in Baltimore, Md. The eatery is a Mediterranean-inspired with ABC. Chef Brian Lavin, the owner is at this location most days. THE SPIRITS OF 76 George Kennedy 703-475-9225 www.thespiritsof76arlington.com 3211 Washington Blvd Arlington VA 22201 George Kennedy, the former GM of Rhino Bar in DC will be opening the Spirits of 76. The bar will feature a Revolutionary War theme and will have full ABC. While the bar’s menu has yet to be disclosed, we do know that it is slated to open by July. Contact number for the bar is 703-475-9225. COGANS PIZZA Richard Katz 757-627-6428 www.coganspizza.com 333 Waterside Dr Norfolk VA 23510 A new location of Cogan’s Pizza is coming to the upcoming Waterside District development which will be located in Norfolk, Va.The restaurant’s menu features made to order pizza, pasta and salads as well as full ABC.In addition, the restaurant offers late hours at the bar. The restaurant is slated to open in spring 2017. Contact number 757-627-6428, is for location on Colonial Avenue in Norfolk. CAROLINA CUPCAKERY Dawn Eskins 757-351-1548 carolinacupcakery.com 333 Waterside Dr Norfolk VA 23510 Carolina Cupcakery will be opening a new location in Norfolk, Va. The cupcake shop offers an extensive variety of cupcakes made from scratch, from locally sourced ingredients. In
foodservicemonthly
addition, the new location is slated to open by spring 2017. Contact number 757-351-1548 is for the Chesapeake, Va location. PAPPAS Steve Pappas 410-666-0030 jtwindle@comcast.net www.pappascrabcakes.com 7100 Oxon Hill Rd Oxon Hill MD 20745 An employee at Pappas confirmed the owner would be opening a new location at the new MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. The menu serves upscale seafood and American cuisine with full ABC available. Contact number listed 410666-0030 is for the original location. MAIN STREET OYSTER HOUSE Brian Acquavella 443-371-7993 www.mainstreetoysterhouse.com 119 S Main St Bel Air MD 21014 An employee at The Blue Agave restaurant confirmed the owners are in the process of acquiring Main Street Oyster House in Bel Air, Md. The business transfer is expected to be complete by Sept. 1. The menu serves regional seafood fare with ABC. Contact number listed 443-371-7993 is for this location. UFOOD GRILL Sal Rincione 617-787-6000 info@ufoodgrill.com • www.ufoodgrill.com Owings Mills MD 21117 Ufood Grill will be opening location at Metro Centre, Grand Central Ave in Owing Mills, Md. The casual restaurant will feature a variety of foods including burgers, sandwiches, basic entrees, salads, and smoothies. Current locations also offer breakfast entrees. The current contact is for UFood Grill’s CEO, Sal Rincione, at their corporate office in Boston at 617-7876000 or email him at info@ufoodgrill.com. HARDYWOOD PARK CRAFT BREWERY Eric McKay 804-420-2420 info@hardywood.com www.hardywood.com 1000 W Main St Charlottesville VA 22902 Hardywood Park Craft Brewery will be opening a new location in Charlottesville. The brewery will feature a 3-5 barrel brewery, a taproom and an outdoor beer garden. In addition, the taproom’s menu will feature locally roasted coffee, locally brewed kombucha and snacks such as fresh-baked pretzels and charcuterie. Contact number 804-420-2420 is for original location in Richmond. MOXIE’S 202-846-1479 moxiesdc@gmail.com www.moxiesdc.com 1020 19th St NW Washington DC 20036 A new eatery called Moxie’s is expected to open in a few weeks in Washington. The menu serves warm ice cream sandwiches, fresh salads, sandwiches and soft drinks Contact number listed 202-846-1479 is for this location. JINYA RAMEN BAR Tomonori Takahashi 323-930-2477 jinya-ramenbar.com 2911 District Ave Ste 140 Fairfax VA 22031 Jinya Ramen Bar will open a new location in Fairfax, Va. Existing locations serve traditional Japanese Ramen, sushi and a few ramen dishes that are tailored to each particular city. Full ABC. The new location is slated to open by August 2016. Contact number listed 323-930-2477, is for the corporate office located at 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1609, Los Angeles, California 90036. 1000 DEGREES PIZZA Brian Petruzzi 856-825-2200 1000degreespizzeria@gmail.com www.1000degreespizza.com 3400 Columbia Pike Arlington VA 22204 We previously reported that 1000 Degrees Pizza will be opening a new location in early 2016 at 3400 Columbia Pike in Arlington, Va. We now know that the restaurant is slated to open by summer 2016. The casual restaurant offers a variety of pizzas, build your own salads, bread sticks, and wings. Most locations are open for lunch and dinner, daily. The current contact is for founder Brian Petruzzi at 856-825-2200 or email him at 1000degreespizzeria@gmail.com
MOORE’S CAFÉ Amy Quidley 804-359-5970 moorestreetcafe.com 2904 Moore St Richmond VA 23230 Amy Quidley and Charlie Hughes have taken ownership of Moore Street Café in Richmond, Virginia 23230 since late May/early June. The restaurant focuses on a southern menu of comfort foods and is open daily. Contact number is 804359-5970. RESTAURANT Jose Garces 267-284-7900 1270 4th St NE Washington DC 20002 Jose Garces has announced plans to open a new to-benamed eatery in Washington. The menu will serve Latin cuisine with no ABC. The contact phone 267-284-7900 is listed for Jose Garces Restaurant Group at 2929 Arch Street, Suite B-06, Philadelphia. SUSHI KING David Chiang 757-561-0102 www.sushikingusa.com Sterling VA 20164 A new location of Sushi King will be opening in Sterling, Va. The restaurant will feature an upscale menu focused on sushi as well as an all-you-can-eat concept, in addition to serve soups, appetizers and kitchen entrees. The restaurant is expected to open by fall 2016. Contact number 757-5610102 is for original location. OWEN’S ORDINARY Erik Holzherr 202-835-8353 11820 Trade St North Bethesda MD 20852 Owen’s Ordinary is a forthcoming restaurant and bar from the NRG restaurant team in North Bethesda, Md. The eatery will have 175-seat restaurant and 60-seat beer garden. The menu will serve American cuisine with ABC. Contact phone number listed 202-835-8353, is for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. TASTE UNLIMITED John Pruden 757-422-3399 tasteunlimited.com 409 W 21st St Norfolk VA 23517 A new location of Taste Unlimited will be opening in Norfolk, Va. The new location will be approximately 6,030 sq.ft. In addition, Taste Unlimited’s menu serves lunch all day and features sandwiches on fresh-baked bread with house dressing, homemade deli salads, prepared, healthy salads, soups and several different desserts items. No ABC available. Contact number 757-422-3399 is for location in Virginia Beach, Va. LA PARRILLA Ricardo Perez 757-394-1400 www.laparrillamexicangrillva.com 2100 Power Plant Pkwy Hampton, VA 23666 A new location of La Parrilla will be opening in Hampton. The restaurant serves upscale Mexican cuisine with full ABC. Existing locations are open daily. In addition, the new location is slated to open by fall 2016. Contact number 757-3941400 is for location in Suffolk, Va. UNCONVENTIONAL DINER John Cidre 202-234-6732 hello@eatunconventional.com www.unconventionaldiner.com 1219 9th St NW Washington DC 20001 Sources report a new eatery called Unconventional Diner will be opening in the winter 2016 in Washington. The menu will serve upscale diner fare with ABC. Contact number listed 202234-6732 is for John Cidre, the co-owner at his other eatery Mintwood Place. SOUTH BLOCK JUICE CO. Amir Mostafavi 703-534-1542 www.southblockjuice.com 3210 Grace St NW Washington DC 20007 South Block Juice Co. will be opening a new location in Washington. The menu serves raw, unpasteurized, cold pressed juices. In addition, the cafe offers real fruit smoothies,
The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
whole wheat burritos, salad wraps, acai bowls and Pleasant Pops. Contact number is 703-534-1542 is for the original location. TAZIKI’S Jim Keet 205-451-1860 www.tazikiscafe.com 12643 Stone Village Way Richmond VA 23113 Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe will open a new location in Richmond. Existing locations of the fast casual eatery offers a menu of classic Mediterranean dishes for lunch and dinner hours with beer and wine available. The contact phone number listed 205-451-1860 is for corporate in Birmingham, Alabama. MUGS’ ITALIAN BISTRO Todd Sheppeard www.mugsbistro.com 300 S Exeter St Baltimore MD 21202 Sources report Mugs’ Italian Bistro in Baltimore will be reopening under new ownership. Mug’s closed over a year ago but the new owner plans to reopen by mid July 2016. The menu serves American and Italian cuisine with no ABC. Todd Sheppeard, the owner is at this location most days. LA FOLIE STEAK FRITES & WINE BAR Bill Irvin 443-935-9463 2903 O’Donnell St. Baltimore MD 21224 A new eatery called La Folie Steak Frites & Wine Bar is expected to open in Baltimore. The menu will serve classic French bistro fare featuring steak frites and 20+ wines by the glass. Contact number listed 443-935-9463 is for Bill Irvin, the owner, on his personal cell phone. MIMI’S SUGAR N SPICE CAKES N CUPCAKES Mimi Daddato 540-809-7127 1707 Princess Anne St Ste 103 Fredericksburg VA 22407 A new bakery called Mimi’s Sugar N Spice Cakes N Cupcakes will be opening in Fredericksburg, Va. The bakery which will be opening in July will feature wedding cakes but also ready to eat breakfast pastries, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, pies and cake pops. Contact number for the baker. RUBICON CAFÉ Sam Cielakie 540-845-0352 sweetnsassybbqco.com 11120 Gordon Rd Spotsylvania VA 22553 The Rubicon Café will be opening in Spotsylvania, Va. The restaurant will serve southern food with an emphasis on barbeque and pork. In addition, the restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Contact number is for Sweet N Sassy BBQ Company which shares the same owner and is also located in Spotsylvania. SOBREMESA RESTAURANT Giovanna Huyke info.grupogio@gmail.com • www.giovannahuyke.com Washington DC 20005 Chef Giovanna Huyke announced plans to open a new eatery called Sobremesa Restaurant in Washington. The new eatery is expected open is 4th quarter of 2016. The menu will serve Puerto Rican cuisine. Contact information listed is for Chef Giovanna Huyke, the owner via email at info.grupogio@gmail. com. LEMON CUISINE OF INDIA Gary Singh 804-204-1800 www.lemoncuisineofindia.com 2100 P St NW Washington DC 20037 An employee at Lemon Cuisine if India confirmed the owner would be opening a new location in Washington. The menu serves traditional and contemporary Indian dishes. Every dish is made from fresh organic in-house ingredients. Contact number listed 804-204-1800 is for the original location. No reproduction without express written permission under penalty of law. Published by Restaurant Activity Report, PO Box 201, Willow Springs, NC27592; Office: 919-346-0444; Toll Free: 888-246-0551; Fax: 919-882-8199; www.restaurantactivityreport.com
JULY 2016 | 31
ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT cont. from page 29 while the birds are waiting to enter to begin the harvesting process. In the summer the bays are cooled … in the winter they are heated. Alafoginis said, “With any of our suppliers, we control 100 percent of the specifications while being 100 percent transparent.” If you want
the product, that he could meet the specs and that the quality be maintained. It is all under constant monitoring. Shenandoah Valley Beef is the heart of the local beef program … from families in the Shenandoah that have farmed for generations.
“WE HAVE EVERYTHING TO SHARE HERE … YOU CAN’T GET MORE TRANSPARENT THAN THE WAY WE RUN OUR LOCAL PROGRAM.” FRANK ALAFOGINIS to visit Capital Meat to see the local program in action, just ask. If you want to visit a farm, just ask. Gilson Martin is a Mennonite farmer that specializes in lamb. To become a Capital Meat supplier, he had to show he could supply
Capital Meat has even taken a bus of chefs to visit these farm. Alafoginis said, “We have everything to share here … you can’t get more transparent than the way we run our local program.”
Fufills All Maryland Health Department Requirements Recommended by: Coastal Sunbelt Produce, Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Foodservice Monthly, MICROS, PFG, RAMW & SAVAL
The lamb carcass from Gilson Martin is ready to be processed for a Capital Meat customer.
FSM’S ADVERTISERS SUPPORT THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY OF THE MID-ATLANTIC WHEN THEY SHARE THEIR MESSAGE EACH MONTH. CALL LISA SILBER, SALES MANAGER, 301-591-9822 OR EMAIL LISA@FOODSERVICEMONTHLY.COM FOR THE BEST WAY TO REACH THE REGION’S BUYERS.
ADVERTISER INDEX Acme Paper & Supply................................8 Barter Systems Inc.................................32 Belair Produce................................... 16-17 Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions......32 Capital Seaboard......................................1 Chesapeake Insurance............................25 Coastal Sunbelt......................................21 DePalo & Sons.........................................4 32 | JULY 2016
ECOLAB..................................................27 H&M Wagner...........................................13 H & S Bakery..........................................23 Hearn Kirkwood...................................... 12 Itek Construction + Consulting................. 22 Keany Produce........................................ 14 Martin Bamberger................................... 18 Metropolitan Meat Seafood Poultry...........C4 The Newsmagazine Foodservice Professionals Rely On
Performance Foodservice.........................C3 Potomac Construction............................... 9 Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation.............................. 30 Saval Foodservice...................................C2 Tech 24 Construction..............................19 US Foods..................................................7 VA Restaurant & Lodging Expo................... 5 foodservicemonthly
Available exclusively from
Choose Peak Produce Our growers ensure food safe conditions alongside the best yields and quality. We require state-of-the-art packing facilities and the ability to supply in tight market conditions. Our products are inspected upon packing in order to ensure our specs are met before they leave the field. Independent third parties inspect Peak produce at our shipper’s coolers, and our Quality Assurance team inspects again when product is received at our warehouse. 443.487.5300 or 800.755.4223 www.performancefoodservice.com/maryland
Fresh Meat, Seafood & Poultry cut to your exact specifications • 6 days a week delivery Hundreds of All Natural, Local, Organic & Specialty Products • Superior Customer Service
Quality Focused–Customer Driven 800.522.0060 | metropoultry.com