Restaurant Inc. Summer 2013 by Performance & Reinhart Foodservice Publications

RESTAURANT the business of food V O L

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Back to Our Roots

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Trending Now Anatomy of a Trend pg. 26

Destination La Crosse pg. 08

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Build a Better–No, the Best– Burger pg. 32

Beverage Section

The Rise of Craft Beer, Reconsidering the Pint Glass & more.

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SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 1

Letter From Our CEO

Dear Readers, Inspirational and humorous, insightful and always entertaining—like foodservice itself, Reinhart’s new magazine, Restaurant Inc, The Business of Food, is a potent mix of all. And it’s how we intend to address the many changes driving our industry and transforming the way we all work. We’ve seen that change firsthand, in the communities we’ve served for the past half-century. We’ve grown with you, using the full strength of our scale and expertise to make it easier for you to succeed in the business we all cherish. Restaurant Inc is a resource we bring to you with real pride and unlimited passion. Not just another magazine about the glories of food (although we’re all foodies at heart), but a robust collection of content, examining every nook and cranny that makes the difference between success and failure. Is music just background ambiance, or a genuine traffic builder? How do you distinguish trends that will blaze new menu paths from those that are temporary detours or going completely in the wrong direction? Is the constant Instagramming of my dishes something to encourage or pull the plug on? Millennials, X’ers and Boomers: can they play nice without a food fight? Most important of all, what craft beer works best with your juicy cheeseburger? You’re also invited to go on a road trip for three perfect days of culinary creativity to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Up and down the vast expanse of Reinhart country, we found great eats combined with operational savvy by understanding their ‘why’ better than anyone else. Our first Leader magazine, all 500 copies, was distributed to five Reinhart divisions. Restaurant Inc’s circulation is upwards of 40,000, to cover our core customers in 31 divisions. We strive to put an issue in your hand to emphasize both the immense pride we feel in this newest resource and the personal connection we have with our customers. Thank you, and enjoy the very first issue of Restaurant Inc, The Business of Food! Sincerely,

John Roussel Chief Executive Officer Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C.

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RESTAURANT the business of food

COVER FEATURED ARTICLES 08 In Our Communities— Back to Our Roots | La Crosse 26 Tending Now Anatomy of a Trend 32 Food Showcase Build a Better—No the Best—Burger

Table of Contents 24 Product Spotlight Grilling w/Greens & Veggies 39 All on the Table Wine, Dine & Dance

EDITOR-IN-CHEIF Eric Cronert COPY EDITOR Dave Salvi ART DIRECTOR & LEAD DESIGNER

64 Special Diets How to Serve PlantBased Meals

Jenn Bushman DESIGNERS Drew Frigo PHOTOGRAPHERS Dan Coha, Andrea Fae Long, Anthony Larson, Drew Frigo

66 School Segment Facing the Challenge of Change in School Foodservice

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Andrea Long CONTRIBUTING EDITORS/WRITERS

70 Customer Watch Boomers vs Millennials

Suzy Badaracco, Pat Daily, Julie Herz, Meredith Hink, Moriah Keiper, Mindy Kolof, Chef Jeffrey Merry, Isabelle Mitchell, Gerald O’Brion, Molly Reilly, Ashley Routson, Dave Salvi, Audarshia Townsend

Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C. welcomes letters and comments. Mail should be directed to: Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C., Attn: Marketing, 6250 N. River Road, Suite 9000, Rosemont, IL 60018 or magazine@rfsdelivers.com

Dan Coha

Cover Image | Dan Coha

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the business of food

TOC co n t in u e d

BEVERAGE SECTION

76 Social Media Today’s Special and a Chair for My Tripod, Please!

45 The Rise of Craft Beer 47 Brewery Spotlight Starting a Revolution

78 Sneak Peek Great Places in New England

50 Beer by the Numbers

80 Expert Opinion Restaurant Improbable

51 Cicerone Spotlight Beer Training in Session

84 | 86 Event Coverage NRA Show | Food Genius

54 Evaluating a Great Beer 56 Reconsidering the Pint Glass

88 Calendar of Events Upcoming | Food Shows

58 The Lighter Side of Dark Debunking the Myths Surrounding Dark Beer

90 Chef’s Essentials Chef Jeffrey Merry 92 | 94 Advertiser | Operator Index

60 Beer Speak Common Beer & Brewing Vocab

95 Recipes | Burgers Andrea Fae Photography

62 Beer Pairing Tips Pairing Principles Cheat Sheet

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74 Labor Solutions Your Staff Is Your Brand

96 Commodities Tracking

Ask about our Pathways Portfolio • Bundled offering of single-use tableware and take-out packaging featuring an eye-catching design • Includes 41 SKU’s in 5 different product categories

For more information about products from Georgia-Pacific Professional, please contact your local distributor, call 1-866-HELLO GP or visit gppro.com. Distributed by

©2013 Dixie Consumer Products LLC. All rights reserved. The Georgia-Pacific logo and all trademarks are owned by or licensed to Dixie Consumer Products LLC. The Reinhart Foodservice logo is a trademark of Reinhart FoodService LLC.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 7

In Our Communities

Back to Our Roots Destination La Crosse by Dave Salvi

A 3-day road trip through Wisconsin, finding food, drinks, and fun along the way Team Reinhart couldn’t wait to get out of the office and hit the road for the In Our Communities trip. We traveled from Chicago back to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where it all started for the Reinhart Family. The excursion afforded us the chance to intimately experience our customers and their operations. We shared stories, a couple laughs, and some great food! Team Reinhart also discovered a Midwestern spirit within each of our customers. It’s the spirit of hard work, dedication, and passion – the same attributes Reinhart holds for the food service business. We’re grateful to connect with our customers – it’s what we love the most! Grab your map, camera, and favorite play-list as we take the journey up to La Crosse! >>

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Paul Hatlem

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In Our Communities

day

T h e Sh an t y

Wadsworth, Illinois

he Shanty has always been a place to eat, dine and socialize, as owner Dimitri Kallianis describes. That sort of neighborhood place for folks around town. Ya know, the one with international fame—much like your oldest friend in the world becoming an Oscar®winning movie star. There’s no denying it, either. These guys have plenty of media accolades to back it up – Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food Network), LunchBreak (WGN), Around Town (NBC), 190 North (ABC), Let’s Dish (Food Network), Windy City (ABC) – to name a few. Dimitri, however, prescribes himself a strong dose of humility. Managing the restaurant seven days a week and not taking a day off in seven years is the only way he knows how to do it. When listening to Dimitri, there isn’t a complaining bone in his body. “I’m the owner, but I’m just a worker…The Shanty was truly built by the people.” It truly is—wood from 27 local barns was taken to build the structure: “We tied in the horse—equestrian—community in the area. We reached out to a lot of farmers and landowners. It’s a place where generations of people have continued to support the place.”

The Roots

Dimitri took over the The Shanty with his family nearly eight years ago at the age of 21, fresh out of college with an arts degree. The Kallianis family also operates Captain Porky’s, their smoked-meats and seafood shop, in the adjacent building. Customers were worried this kid would turn their beloved restaurant into a nightclub, but Dimitri had the prudence for success: Identify with the community. “You have to understand that the customer is why you’re here. If they weren’t here, there’d be no business,” says Dimitri. “You have to have communication with your customers. They care about the place as much as the owner cares. The base will tell him if something is wrong. Word of mouth is important.”

Ever-changing

Dimitri uses one way to speak of his operation – “everchanging.” From its humble beginnings to now two restaurants (soon to have a third location in the nearby lot), with a progressive menu style, and hard work, The Shanty has turned into a model for success. Dimitri says it was a community restaurant eight years ago

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“There’s no secret to success. If you work hard, show up every day, and you care, people will care.” when the Kallianis family took over. The people identified with its operation. The next year, it was a different style. And the next year it changed. And the next. The people continuously entered the door and ordered food. Each year, The Shanty looks at the options and changing in order to improve. And one aspect he refuses to stagnate: The menu. The Shanty Executive Think you ha Chef Brad Trowbridge ve a TVsays, “We take everything worthy dish? Tweet us! into consideration. When @Reinhart_C orp beef prices increase, we do assorted specials to utilize

Let’s create some buzz!

Bottom Line

“There’s no secret to success. If you work hard, show up every day, and you care, people will care.” Sometimes, it’s just that simple.

L o n e l y O l i v e Tr e e Dimitri’s family makes and imports olive products from Greece. [pictured below] Products are under the Lonely Olive Tree brand. The olives grown in Greece are used to make olive oil and olive oil soap. Reinhart has partnered with Dimitri to distribute his olive oil products to Reinhart customers.

The True TV Stars WHISKEY SHRIMP Four fresh jumbo shrimp flamed in their signature cream sauce served over garlic toast points with sautéed vegetables. [pictured opposite page]

TEQUILA & ORANGE GRILLED SALMON Fresh salmon glazed in tequila, orange juice, garlic and brown sugar served with jasmine rice and sautéed vegetables. [pictured left]

www.theshanty.com

other cuts of meat. We want to keep honest, good, and food familiar to everyone. But we are willing to introduce people to new menu items. Maybe it’s a sesame-crusted tuna with sweet chili sauce. We want new, exciting, and revolving.” Chef Brad says the dynamic consists of Dimitri’s creativity and imagination presenting an idea, and his own job is to do whatever he must to make it a reality on the menu. In turn, Dimitri says it’s as simple as letting his chef be his chef. It is about what the customer wants and knowing what works, not allowing egos or feelings to interrupt the process. Dimitri runs the front of the house, and surrenders the back of the house to Brad.

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Ap p l e H oller |

day Sturtevant, Wisconsin

Jeff Zimmerman

alling this place a destination would be an understatement. And it’s not another cheese merchant in the Dairyland of Wisconsin. It is a one-of-a-kind gem on I-94 en route to Milwaukee from Illinois. Where else can you find 30,000 apple trees (sprinkle in pear and peach trees for variety) on a farm with a full-service restaurant, dinner theatre, a corn maze, horse-drawn hayrides, pedal carts, and (of course) apple picking? Owner Dave Flannery opened the restaurant at this apple-themed fantasyland in 1986, eventually purchasing the entire property in 1993. Dave built the area into a tourist attraction, adding to the infrastructure of the facility and staying true to the roots of the farm. The restaurant is located in the farm’s old milking parlor. “My grandfather was a farmer – horses, sheep, cows. That aspect has always appealed to me,” says Dave. The restaurant is a yearround operation, but the farm is the stage for everything. And he keeps adding to the list. An adjoining gift shop has every trinket known to collectors, as well as apple pies, apple dumplings, apple pancakes, all-natural apple cider, apple wine, apple butter, and Apple Holler’s homemade caramel. “I don’t think there are any other businesses as weird as we are, with all the different combinations.”

Hollering About Apples

People notice that weirdness and love it. Although Dave used traditional mass media to market years ago, he’s converted his efforts to mailings and the online space. Apple Holler has built a mailing database of more than 50,000 addresses, a 17,000-name email list, and over 6,000 Likes on their Facebook page. “I feel we’re in our infancy with [online] activity. We’re trying to learn to do it as fast as we can, as it’s becoming more important,” says Dave. He maintains a progressive mentality, always looking for new ideas. His website, for example, is a robust page, but he wants to improve and revamp. To further their reach, Apple Holler participates in community events, such as July Fourth parades in surrounding towns, and a variety of fundraisers. When his apple crop is abundant, you better believe Dave is ready to give his surplus to local organizations to aid in initiatives like bake sales and donation gift baskets.

Carving the Apple Niche

To Dave and the staff at Apple Holler, staying fresh and original carries weight, as much if you weighed every apple on the farm.

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The heart and soul of the operation are in the staff’s commitment to the brand. Dave concludes, “Like any independent restaurant, it’s continuously important to be our own niche, create our niche, and be different, and especially better. There’s always somebody or some food operation coming down the pike. I feel if we’re not changing and getting better at what we do, whether it’s food or service, we’re falling behind. Change is a constant.”

A-Ha! Moment

Dave realizes a meal is nice, but an experience is greater. The addition of the activities around the farm turned his place into a destination, and a talking point. What can you do to make your operation a destination and a talking point.

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In Our Communities

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa |

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

he Grand balancing act for Executive Chef Michael Sawin at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa would make the world’s most talented jugglers jealous. With five restaurants, eight cafés and lounges, a seemingly endless event space, and 355 guest rooms (think midnight snack cravings), Chef Mike is on the go and keeping those plates spinning in unison.

The People Difference

“The key is organization. You’re only as good as your people. Talking about it ahead of time, planning it ahead of time,” Chef Mike says. He is a self-admitted “hands-on manager,” meaning Chef Mike is always in the operation, always communicating to the staff. As busy as they are, he keeps his message short and sweet and always thanks his staff for the hard work. With all the information flying through the kitchen, Chef Mike keeps his lists, his communication, and his composure. “I like being on the floor. I like being on the floor with my staff. They are what makes me,” Chef Mike says. And as a seasoned veteran, Chef Mike knows that his employees can teach him. Keeping the ears and eyes open on the operation is crucial, whether it is the culinary staff or the service staff. He likes to train all departments on working together to form a more cohesive unit.

paletes, even the rare ones. When it is event season and the resort has a party of close to 400 patrons, the kitchen will prepare 10 vegetarian meals and a handful of gluten free meals, even if the requests weren’t made. He is sensitive and aware to the different preferences and allergies. “You have to eat the cost, even though you don’t want to. But you’re talking about customer service here,” Chef Mike says – and he wants the customer happy. For instance, a customer asked to put a portabella burger on the menu, so he did. It didn’t sell well and he took the burger off. But every time that customer is in one of his restaurants, Chef Mike always prepares that portabella.

Serving the Menu to the Customer

With all the different food outlets at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, Chef Mike must try to accommodate all

Introspective How do you your communicate with rs ffe sta low staff or fel s? es zin cra amid the

www.thegrandgeneva.com

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In Our Communities

Hospitality

Jeff Zimmerman

Chef Mike knows that he’s more than just fronting a restaurant: he’s a representative of an entire resort operation. He cares about the guests and can’t reiterate that enough to his staff members.

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Presentation is everything to the end customer, according to Chef Mike. He’ll go as far as taking a picture of a poorly prepared item and show his staff. Would they want to eat a half-burnt panini sandwich? Chef Mike says no. Always trying to improve is what he preaches. “We’re not just a steakhouse, or we’re not just Italian. You’re appealing to a lot of people. You have to have the right food. You have to have it done the right way.” Chef Mike’s balancing act is a challenge, but he knows that whatever oops happen will be corrected. He has a commitment to the resort, his staff, and the guests. “At the end of the day, for me, it is seeing the guest and making sure they are happy. The rewarding part is making sure you are taking care of them,” Chef Mike says. Grand Geneva Resort guests are in good hands, even with all the plates spinning in the air.

“I like being on the floor. I like being on the floor with my staff. They are what makes me.” www.thegrandgeneva.com

The times are augmenting his menu as well, and he’s not afraid of the change. His kitchens are moving away from fried food, and serving more fresh food. Fresh fish, for example, is delivered to Grand Geneva six times a week. With all the fresh products out there, Chef Mike is prepared and is attentive to the seasons and trends. He even installed a 40 foot by 40 foot garden on the premises for select herbs and produce. “If I go to downtown Chicago, I’ll eat at four different restaurants a night to see what the food trends are. I have to check the trade magazines, staying on top of it. Also, I like to see what our competitors are doing,” says Chef Mike.

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Bluephies Restaurant & Vodkatorium |

Madison, Wisconsin

he heart of Wisconsin may be viewed as America’s Dairyland, but within the bustling town that is the state’s capital, Wisconsinites are treated to a new brand of restaurant. Not another burger bar, or wine bar, or tequila bar, or beer garden. This restaurant, part of the large Madison-based Food Fight Restaurant Group, figured to capitalize on the United States’ top-selling spirit. The vodkatorium was born. What started as a New York-style Jewish deli, Bluephies Restaurant & Vodkatorium has evolved over the 18 years of its existence. Managing Partner Bill Horzuesky has been with Bluephies for 13 years and has been integral to many of the changes that turned the operation into a success. “We were fine tuning things and learning what the neighborhood wanted. Good value, good flavor, and interesting food. The kind of food you could do at home, but dressed up,” Bill says. Like the roasted chicken mixed with chopped apples and toasted walnuts in a light dressing, served on a buttery croissant with lettuce, tomato, onion and Gorgonzola cheese. Or the meatloaf—two slices of beef plus Andouille sausage and tenderloin, served with vegetables, BBQ gravy and mashed potatoes. The people of Madison responded by feeling right at home.

From Russia with Vodka

www.bluephies.com

It was general manager Melanie’s affinity for vodka that brought the concept to life in Madison. She fancied martinis and the creative drink mixtures associated with the spirit. There was a niche and Bluephies capitalized.

“Good value, good flavor, and interesting food. The kind of food you could do at home, but dressed up.” Since Bluephies was strictly a restaurant in 2007, a bar idea floated to match high demand in the dining space. Even amidst an economic downturn, the restaurant routinely turned away people. They held prices level and their collective nose to the grindstone. They kept track of the turn-aways. Hundreds were held back, and even a higher volume on the weekend. Serendipitously, Bluephies had an opportunity to take over the commercial space next door. Bill and the umbrella company, pounced on the chance. It was originally a bar, but morphed into a vodka landmark. They conduct vodka tastings, vodka classes, Martini Mondays, and Vodka Vednesdays. Bill and the group couldn’t be happier on the return, and it helped solidify the Bluephies brand.

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In Our Communities Wait, What About the Food?

Although the vodka angle brings a unique identity to the restaurant, Bill and his staff are dedicated to the menu’s importance. Small changes are made throughout the year based on good-selling items and poor sellers. Four broadline changes each year. “Our customer base is really diverse. One thing that is important to us – we are a neighborhood restaurant. When there is a snowstorm, and hardly anyone can move, we open up and do some business. We’re fortunate to be located in an economically stable area. Families, lunch for professionals, a lot of stay-at-home parents—it’s why we have such a diverse menu.” With all the menu items, Bill admits to a smaller kitchen. They’ve added 80-90 seats, but have never expanded the kitchen. Most restaurant professionals would see this as a daunting challenge. But Bill says the staffers who flourish at Bluephies are the ones that enjoy the challenge. It’s so large, diverse and busy, that employees need to love the reward of hard work and doing right by the customer.

“We have a huge internal email list—4,000 on the email list, 60,000 for the entire restaurant group. We have fun with our promotions,” Bill says. Most importantly though, they promote within their restaurants when they have a captive audience. “We really try to take care of our guests.” Bill and his staff understand the importance of running the “challenging restaurant” with a couple of simple sentences: “We have fun with what we do” and “We do the best job we can.”

A-Ha! Moment

Melanie is also Bill’s wife, and the concept of a vodkatorium ultimately flowed through her. Listening to your spouse could mean the next point of differentiation!

Let’s Get Down to Business

Let’s create some buzz! tling Work at a bus t us! ee Tw operation? rp o @Reinhart_C

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www.bluephies.com

The restaurant expanded with a bar, added almost 100 seats, and formulated a catering business, which evolved from requests for catering. Bluephies tracked all the catering requests and through Word of Mouth (no marketing effort at all), the catering business became a monster. It accounts for 12% of their food revenue. Food Fight keeps a finger on the pulse of their operations. With all the different restaurants, FFRG is able to leverage its scale in the Madison marketplace. To align resources, their marketing department meets every month and focuses on the trends in marketing and communication, aiming to benefit each of their restaurants with the help of the others.

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Drew Frigo

La Crosse, W i sconsi n Rudy’s Drive-In

an a restaurant operation scream “Americana” louder than an old-fashioned drive-in with servers on skates, root beer floats and chilidogs? Rudy’s Drive-In screams loudest, and the people of La Crosse are answering the call. This gem opened in 1966 and has been serving its customers nostalgia for years. But stagnating isn’t in the cards for owner Gary Rudy. Gary says, “Everything’s always changing. You always need to be thinking ‘how can I do it better’ and change things quickly.” The operation re-opens every year on the first day of spring, and closes for the winter. The roller skates and the drive-in feel aren’t going anywhere. He knows the value is the excitement each customer gets when driving up to his place.

Adapting to the times

Although he says Rudy’s is most famous for its fries in the La Crosse community, he recognizes the changing trends. Healthy, sugar-free, gluten-free, fat-free, to name a few, are dominating headlines. “We always have six to eight items on the menu that are 500 calories or less, and we keep adding selections,” says Gary. Rudy’s staff skates over chicken burgers, veggie burgers, walnut burgers, and recently added a turkey burger. All dishes are well received, as well as the old favorites.

“My father and grandfather taught me to always buy the highest quality products and ingredients, from sandwiches to shortening used in the fryer. If you start with a good product, you’ll wind up with a great dish,” he says. With the rise in health awareness, Rudy’s knows how to please their customers. Their peak hours are lunchtime, and the restaurant serves families, women, children and senior citizens – plenty of old friends of his father and grandfather. It’s important for Gary to know the needs and wants of his loyal customer base.

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In Our Communities A Neighborhood PR Machine

Marketing seems simple to Gary at Rudy’s – Word of Mouth. “Our customers are our best marketing tool. If you’re happy and had a great experience, you’ll tell your friends. We’re all inundated with advertising 24/7—while some of it works, we tend to tune it out and become numb.” Gary knows if he takes care of his customers, not only will those patrons come back, but they’ll make patrons out of their friends, neighbors and family members. That is why he challenges his staff to bring the “wow” to each transaction. He tells his staff to be aware and show they care. And it’s pretty cut-and-dried – their livelihood is dependent on the customer’s happiness. The customer is paying, after all. The connection to customers doesn’t stop at the drivein. Gary involves his restaurant in Ride for Diabetes (on motorcycle), chili cook-offs, car nights, charity events and golf scrambles. Community connections hit home to the hearts of La Crosseians.

have a bonus for good referrals. We have a high retention rate,” Gary explains. He also discusses training for his employees, “Most is on the job—the first two or three days, they shadow a veteran employee. When they feel ready to go on their own, they reverse roles, and the veteran goes with them. Biggest challenge: they have to make change outside, no computers – it’s a lost art, no one teaches you how. We just practice with them: it’s a $1.72 (check) – how much would you give back if I gave you a 10?” For the answer, please check your calculators, or closest Rudy’s Drive-In employee.

R u d y ’s F u n F a c t s

Gold Medal Staff on Skates

275–600 meals are served daily, depending on the weather. There are two Rudy’s locations: La Crosse & Sparta, WI Outside of Rudy’s, Gary Rudy wouldn’t dare touch root beer; he deals with it every day!

Anthony Larson

Gary Rudy wants his staff to manifest one adjective – gregarious. And for him, it starts with the ordering process. “I look for outgoing people. If they smile a lot during the interview, and can talk freely about themselves, that’s a good sign. I like to see them laugh and have fun.” Gary says. A restaurant knows it’s a community institution when prospective staffers seek those jobs, be it skating around with trays of food, or making the plates of food. That’s what happens in La Crosse for Rudy’s. “We’re fortunate that it’s a fun place to work, seasonal, and 75% (of candidates) are referred by current employees. We

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In Our Communities

Digger’s Sting

supper club isn’t a foreign concept for Midwesterns, and this one holds true to its roots. Digger’s Sting won’t let patrons forget either, with red velvet wallpaper, a jukebox full of old-time songs, and pictures of Louis Armstrong, Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart. The people half expect Frank Sinatra to come back and play a set. And that’s what the customers have come to expect at Digger’s for the last 60 years. “People love the dim lights, coziness – it’s very quaint,” say owners Mary Jo and Tom Jansky. Repeat customers have been the key to their success. The Janskys describe it as more of place where you would get a sitter and go out for a date.

My, My, My – What a Menu!

Mary Jo and Tom have an identity and plan to keep it the supper club favorite that it’s meant to be. The concept proved successful, and then they made a slight shift when they bought the business 14 years ago. The restaurant extended the wine list, and brought in more high quality foods. According to Mary Jo and Tom, business has tripled. “Our specials are what make us special. Our chef is so creative – a trio of BBQ ribs, prime rib, and three scallops, garlic toast, vegetables, potatoes, special sauce. Every night we have different specials,” explain the Digger’s owners. In order to deal with food costs, they say, “We keep ordering prudently. We have to have both beef and fish.” The specialties of the house are prime rib, BBQ ribs, fresh fish flown in from Hawaii, and specialty drinks of Moscow Mule in a copper cup to keep it chilled. Mary Jo and Tom aren’t shy about their homemade seafood artichoke dip served with focaccia bread, and they’re most rooted for the mouth-watering garlic toast. Digger’s sells hundreds of pieces each day.

Join the (Supper) Club!

Mary Jo and Tom say three generations of La Crosseians are opening their doors, drawn in by the special service and excellent food. Very little advertising is done by the owners, and they wish the dining area was twice as big on weekends. They don’t run promotions, nor do they have a website. The married couple relies primarily on Word of Mouth, and the occasional coupon. Drawing 100–125 customers a night isn’t easy, and Digger’s engages the community by participating in charity events, Children’s Miracle Network, Oktoberfest and by donating gift certificates.

Did you know? Supper Clubs were famous for being celebrity hang-outs in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Although Supper Clubs were considered “high status” establishments, food and beverage prices were quite affordable for the times.

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In Our Communities >>

Staff Happens

Digger’s Sting hasn’t just collected a loyal following in the La Crosse area, but also has loyal and committed staff members. “We look for a bit of experience, a positive attitude, a smiling face,” says Mary Jo and Tom. Their manager has been at the restaurant longer than they have (24 years), and started at Digger’s as a server. Several servers have 10-plus years at Digger’s. The chef is originally from Hawaii, settling in the La Crosse area 25 years ago. “Our chef and staff are key to what we are.” That’s a pretty good key to happy patrons and satisfied stomachs. The supper club concept continues to endure in La Crosse for that very reason – and an occasional feeling of exclusivity doesn’t hurt either.

Piggy’s

day L

ocated on the 2nd floor of the Historic Pioneer Foundry Building, Piggy’s welcomes its patrons with on-site smokers, a blues lounge, and authentic BBQ. Since he bought Piggy’s in 2001, Chef Chris Roderique has installed a couple of changes to this BBQ destination. First thing he did was start smoking meats with Minnesota apple wood as well as hickory, bringing a local “taste” to his menu. Piggy’s did a major renovation in 2004 to include the Smokin’ Blue Lounge, bringing a casual and relaxed vibe. La Crossians responded with open arms.

I know my market here in La Crosse. If we put something on the menu with a beurre blanc, La Crosse doesn’t know that, but if I put it on as a white butter sauce, it sounds great and they’re comfortable with it.

Know Thy Customers, Know Thy Menu

Chef Chris says, “I know my market here in La Crosse. If we put something on the menu with a beurre blanc, La Crosse doesn’t know that, but if I put it on as a white butter sauce, it sounds great and they’re comfortable with it.” He had the same sensitivity with his wine list, putting down bin numbers so customers don’t mangle the pronunciation. His lunchtime is packed with business people, and the evenings pack the blues lounge with a younger professional crowd. They see an average of 250 meals a day during the week and 500-600 meals a day on the weekends. Chef Chris says he’s always evolving his approach to the menu, either with seasonal fresh fish and meats, or features on specials. He keeps an eye on the trends, and likes to set his own trends at Piggy’s, but must always keep “comfort food with a culinary twist.” The blues lounge features his signature soups and a salad buffet. Both areas of the restaurant, however, are presented with the same menu. Chef Chris throws in a pasta buffet on Thursdays called “Lotsa Pasta,” which has been so successful that he’s opened up Ahz Pasta Restaurant to satisfy the community’s pasta fix. “So many chefs make weird, wild things. And to me, it’s all about taste. We do it from scratch,” says Chef Chris “You don’t see people making things from scratch anymore. We make a lot of our desserts in house, we proof and bake dough for our bread, and we peel our shrimp down, save our shells and make stock. We bread our own cheese curds.”

Anthony Larson

20 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Engaging the Community

La Crosse residents can look up Piggy’s on Facebook, see a television commercial, and catch a radio spot. Chef Chris avoids the “cheesy TV commercial,” and gears his spots around Iron Chef-type messaging. “We’re making things and talking – it’s all about action. I’m the voice and face of Piggy’s. I do a weekly radio gig, and I talk about upcoming specials. Also, I wear my chef’s white jacket everywhere. This is my identity,” says Chef Chris. There aren’t many Piggy’s coupons out there, and that goes right to the source of future customers: kids. Philanthropy or grass roots marketing? Either way, everybody wins. “We do a lot with school-kids—a farm to school program and I do cooking classes at the school. Mine are not just demos; the 5th graders actually prepare the dishes, like guacamole and black bean salsa with baked chips. We try to teach them to eat healthy,” says Chef Chris. Healthy and delicious. La Crosse will take it. As long as it’s smoked.

Chef Fun Facts Chef Chris has a ghost chili pepper growing in his office—and can’t live without his spice rack! Chef Chris admires Celebrity Chef Alton Brown.

day

In Our Communities

Dublin Square Irish Pub & Eatery

ith the strong Irish heritage in La Crosse, Irish pubs should be popping up every season. This is not the case, however, and owner Matt Boshcka saw a real niche after an exhaustive research of the market. Seems the La Crosseians were salivating for the taste of the Emerald Isle. “The location we found was perfect, the timing was right,” says Matt. And the research continues, as Matt travels to Ireland in the summer to visit the tried-and-true Irish establishments.

Irish Upon a Star

This Irish pub offers home-cooked, hearty comfort food – the way people expect Irish fare. Throw in the largest Irish whiskey selection in Wisconsin, and a patron should feel cast back to Dublin, Ireland, with words of the Gaelic tongue bouncing from wall to wall. Matt says they were voted best burger in La Crosse in 2012, selling nearly 150-200 burgers a week. High-quality breads are baked locally, the Angus beef and veggies are locally sourced (within a 100-mile radius). Guinness beef tips and mushrooms, shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, and corned beef and cabbage round out the all-stars on the menu. “It’s all about quality products and seasoning,” says Matt.

Bang the Bodhran, Blast the Uilleann Pipes

Amid the recent and horrible tornadoes in Oklahoma, Matt and team conducted a food drive. The La Crosse community responded and filled a trailer of food on behalf of the victims. Matt is happy to help when he can, and thankful for the way things have gone in their first couple of years of operation, “When we finally opened our doors in April 2011, it was an emotional experience because we all put in so much hard work…During the day we are a family-friendly pub and eatery, and at night we are a pub and tavern.” A good balance, says La Crosseians. Here come the Irish.

A-ha! Moment

Matt realized a niche for Irish fare in La Crosse, jumping on the chance to become the Irish staple in town. There may be an obvious niche in your marketplace – what are the locals missing? n

www.dublinsquarepub.com

Matt and his staff did everything they could to get the word out. This isn’t just another Irish pub. Matt spent time their first year hustling around town to promote Dublin Square, and hotels helped drive guests to their doors. The locals caught on to the buzz as well. “We did a ‘Are you a Dubliner?’ radio promo and took 3rd best radio promo. Sometimes silly sells,” says Matt. Dublin Square also engages the community with donations to local charities and heavy involvement with the Rotary Club.

Amid the recent and horrible tornadoes in Oklahoma, Matt and team conducted a food drive. The La Crosse community responded and filled a trailer of food on behalf of the victims.

22 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Reid and Krystal Ten Kley are among the countless Alaskan families to honor sustainability in every season’s catch.

Some have SUSTAINABILITY written into their brochures. WE have it written into our STATE CONSTITUTION. To Alaskans, sustainability means protecting the long-term health of the environment, and a way of life that has existed for generations. That’s why back in 1959, when Alaska became a state, it was written into our state constitution. Now, to further verify our adherence to the highest of sustainability practices, we offer the FAO-based Responsible Fisheries Management certification — giving you assurance that we follow the world’s most recognized guidelines, those of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. We’ve always said Alaska Seafood is a responsible choice; now we go even further to prove it. Learn more at wildalaskaflavor.com

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 23

When spears of MFC Asparagus are grilled, they get a crisp, crunchy exterior and a tender, less grassyflavored interior; the flames mellow their natural astringency and give them a nuttier taste.

24 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Product Spotlight

Markon® Product Spotlight

Grilling w/Greens & Veggies! Summer heats up, as do the grills around the country. Nothing satisfies the palette like a freshly grilled food. The smoky, woodsy flavors of the grill bring back the most primitive feels, as human beings have cooked food over an open flame since the caveman days. Although we have more sophisticated methods like poaching, sautéing, and sous vide, grilling continues to hold one of the top spots on most menus. For one thing, grilling is a fairly pure method of cooking. It allows the ingredient’s true flavor, whether it’s a steak, an onion, or a head of romaine lettuce, to shine through. Add marinades and sauces to enhance the taste and Mmm Mmm! Health is another big draw to grilling because it eliminates the baggage of extra fat and calories. Grilling relies on a direct heat source – wood, coals, gast, etc. – without the need for added oil. The products absorb the rusty, smoky aromas for a more complex flavor intensity. And who can deny the nostalgia of grilling? It’s associated with family meals and times of celebration, and it’s a familiar way of cooking – a way that diners can experiment with different ingredients in a non-threatening way! Fire up the grill and get creative! n

Fresh Produce Grilling Tips Give your salad recipes oomph by grilling halved heads of

Some vegetables will always taste better when grilled—

RSS Romaine Hearts or MFC Green Leaf; chop and drizzle

load up skewers with MFC Eggplant, MFC Mushrooms,

with your favorite in-house dressings.

MFC Tomatoes, and MFC Zucchini and cook to concentrate their umami properties.

Corn on the cob seems made for the grill—cook until

Give your vegetarian and vegan customers something to

kernels are tender, then skip the saturated fat in butter by

get excited about too! Grill sesame- and soy-marinated tofu

drizzling it with olive oil and MFC Basil.

squares until browned; plate with herby rice, quinoa, or crunchy salad.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 25

A N A T O M Yof a

TREND

T r e n d i n g

N o w

Riding High on the Culinary Tides with Suzy Badaracco What do the chaos theory, CSI, 3D and culinary movements have in common? More than you might ever imagine, as talking with the country’s leading food trend forecaster, Suzy Badaracco, reveals. Culinary Tides, Inc.’s president and analytical chemist, corporate chef, toxicologist, knowledge manager and registered dietitian wears her admittedly odd assortment of hats with deceptive ease. Her multi-disciplinary expertise provides clients with an objective, accurate and unique perspective on what will be piquing palates in the next 12 to 18 months.

Beyond that, she says, no one can go with any confidence. Even within this window of time, a constant vigil must be kept to keep clients safe, because all trends are constantly in motion. And it’s why, for most people, trying to predict one is akin to catching lightning in a bottle, but not for Badaracco…

Birth Right It starts, as do most wonders, at birth. In fact, by the time you can Google a trend, you most likely have already missed it, according to Badaracco. She clarifies: “It may well be a legitimate trend that you’ve found, but if you’ve failed to spot its origins, you only have a 50/50 shot of navigating its life cycle successfully or exiting at the right time. You don’t know its personality or what caused it to happen, putting you in a reactionary, defensive position.” Tracing the birth of a trend and forecasting its life cycle is a tremendously complicated business, not recommended for the casual observer or future dabbler. For example, consider that to prepare a recent 22-slide presentation to the Research Chefs Association conference, Badaracco culled and cross-analyzed information from no less than 23 different industries and 800 individual research reports, clinical studies, surveys, mergers and acquisition announcements, product launches, industry and government data. Looking outside the food industry is critical, she maintains, because to look only at restaurants, food magazines and manufacturers might mean completely

overlooking a flavor or health trend, or worse, miscalculating its impact or life cycle. Unsurprisingly, job requirements for her seven-person staff include a proclivity for sifting through “ridiculous amounts” of data, some 1400 reports each month. The ultimate multi-tasker, Badaracco reads 70 newspapers a day and 38 magazines monthly, sometimes scanning and tagging relevant pieces of data during her workout at the gym. And that’s not even the hard part. That would be recognizing the patterns and explaining them in an uncomplicated way so clients ranging from grocers and ingredient suppliers to distributors, manufacturers and restaurateurs can understand the concepts and apply them to their individual situations. Unlike any other trend-spotter working today, Badaracco uses her strangely synergistic combination of skills to recognize the patterns (think CSI) and predict their trajectory with chaos theory (also known as the “Butterfly Effect” discovered by pioneering mathematician Edward Lorenz, popularized in his 1970s presentation Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas?).

massive amounts of research-based, multidimensional facts…with no opinion or commentary; “we are just the voice of the data.” “This is where we diverge from other forecasters, who use a linear model,” she says. “Linear looks at the past, and predicts the future based on no change. We are in a different part of the playground with chaos forecasting, assuming a dynamic, constantly

“Picture a crime scene with blood spatters, a bloody knife, a body; all sorts of evidence that’s unrelated but linked to the pattern you’re observing–let the patterns speak for themselves–good, bad or indifferent.”

From Serial Killers to Cereal Bars Chaos

theory

forecasting

based

changing world and allowing things to be linked together that don’t appear to be connected.” Badaracco says she is wired to recognize patterns, with previous training at the FBI and Scotland Yard and working as a Criminalist in Southern California to prove her point. “Picture a crime scene with blood spatters, a bloody knife, a body; all sorts of evidence that’s unrelated but linked to the pattern you’re observing.” To make sense of it, put ego and preconceived notions aside and “let the patterns speak for themselves—good, bad or indifferent.” Badaracco is arguably the only person who transferred her knowledge of forensic

>> SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 27

>> toxicology and anthropology to the culinary world, or as she laughingly recalls a friend once quipped, “moved from tracking serial killers to cereal bars.” Profiling, also commonly used by the FBI to predict a criminal’s next move, can be applied to a trend, looking at what might spark a change in direction, or an end point, or cause it to morph from trend to society norm, she says. Does it work? A near-perfect accuracy rate shouts an unqualified “yes,” with Badaracco’s ahead-of-the-curve predictions for the popularity of South American cuisine and street food legendary in culinary circles. Transforming predictive analysis from an art to a science is why Badaracco uses her “streaming intelligence” to update clients monthly, and adjusts forecasts each quarter, so no one is blindsided by relying on year-old data. Still, nothing is 100% guaranteed, and Badaracco has seen a few of what she calls “orphan children,” where everything points to a successful birth, but an obstacle exists that can’t be overcome. Her saddest orphan: Native American cuisine. “It ties into sustainability, whole grains, foraging, family meals—every single trend on the planet.” So why are we not seeing chefs jump on the bandwagon and restaurants featuring tribal fare pop up nationwide? “It’s not happening because the Native American tribes did not want it to be born,” she explains. “It’s really kind of heartbreaking, but it has no champion.”

Roads Not Taken…and Taken The non-judgmental view of the data means her reports can be interpreted in radically different ways by individual clients and still be totally correct. For instance, the surge in street food popularity in 2010 sparked one restaurateur to add a mobile truck, and another to launch a retail line of frozen street foods, both successfully capitalizing on the same forecast. Plotting a timely exit strategy is equally critical, as when Badaracco predicted the end of the Atkins™ diet craze–companies like Kraft® were savvy enough to also have South Beach Diet® products ready in the wings, while companies totally full-fat and carb-free focused lost their shirts. The same scenario might be ready to play out with the gluten-free market, she warns. “It’s going to take a tremendous downturn because 80 percent of consumers have no medical need for this diet and are starting to abandon it,” asserts Badaracco. Her advice was heeded by two clients in separate, but equally valid ways. “One client is committed for the long term, and plans to downsize the amount of products offered, while the other client is getting out quickly.” Her best advice to operators seeking trend wisdom: neither love nor hate a trend. “Emotions play no role in determining a trend’s true pattern.” Instead, spend time researching a trend’s personality and its trajectory, and don’t worry about what your competitors are doing… “After all, they may be idiots!” n

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Culinary Tides’ “Shifting Sands 2013” contains a hefty 1440+ predictions; this year’s forecasters were bolder and more confident with their predictions, says Badaracco. We’ve included some highlights below. The Pandora’s Boxes of foodservice: H E A LT H , S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y, K I D S . These all-encompassing trends have ties with other trends, and are virtually unstoppable…do not ignore! Some big trends unexpectedly missed by many of the forecasters, because “they may be obvious and not cool anymore,” says Badaracco: kids and obesity, snacking as a consumer concern, GMO, reducing fat and sugar, seasonal foods, fair trade.

ALCOHOL

is spiking everywhere, flavoring snacks and food, with the popularity of complex cocktails indicating true economic recovery.

T R AV E L - E X T R E M E foods: Nordic cuisine, island travel, Low Country (Georgia, South Carolina), anything to do with the Arctic. In the US, foods from the D E E P S O U T H remain on their five-year hot streak: “no other region can touch it.” Appalachia is just coming on. You’ll also see the D I S I N T E G R AT I O N of D AY PA RT D I N I N G S , more global comfort foods, regional Latin American foods, fin to tail, noodles, smoked foods and wild game.

S T O RY T E L L I N G , a holdover from the recession, is a way to make the consumer feel safe with your brand; in particular, digital storytelling ties into the social network phenom and encourages brand loyalty.

variety variety

vision vision

With Wisconsin Cheese, you get the complete package. When it comes to the award-winning textures and flavors of Wisconsin Cheese, variety is one word that comes to mind. Another word? Visionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as in imaginative menu incorporation, recipes, on-trend application ideas, research and more, for an arsenal of resources to help you stand out from the crowd. To learn more about the vision you get when you choose Wisconsin Cheese, visit WisconsinCheeseFoodservice.com today. Wisconsin Marketing S U M M EÂŠ R 2013 2013 R F S D EMilk LIVE R S . C O MBoard, 2 9 Inc.

T r e n d

T r a c k e r

What’s Trending now? What’s hot? What should you be looking at? Do these ideas fit your operation? Instead of trying to answer a bunch of rhetorical questions, check out Reinhart’s Trending Now topics as your guide. You will see what we’ve noticed in the foodservice industry. Keeping your finger on the pulse is the only way to know what your customer’s hearts are beating for. See trends that aren’t listed here? Email magazine@ rfsdelivers.com to submit your trending topic!

FRESH & HEALTHY “Fresh” & “healthy” descriptors on foods

58%

of consumers look for this descriptor on restaurant menus.

[Technomic]

30 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

BOLDNESS

APPLE CIDER

Bold flavors such as tangy, smoky, salty, herbal, sour, and bitter were sought by consumers twice as often as in 2011.

Flavorful additions to sweet and savory dishes, e.g. salad dressings, marinades, emulsions and even ice creams.

[Food Technology]

78% 32%

of consumers know it. want to try it.

[Dataessential]

TRANSPARENCY Consumers were glad to see posted calorie count information at restaurants, and

22%

of consumers surveyed said that those numbers had an impact on their order decision. (Technomic)

Trends Losing Steam What’s not hot? We may want to curb the enthusiasm for this item or that. Wait, you’re still serving that? Eh… Trends are meant to lose a little steam over time, and the list below is what we think might be doing just that. We don’t want you to be traveling down the path of the over-traveled! We want to prepare you to adjust accordingly!

SUBSTITUTE Lentils as meat substitute, also essential in ethnic cuisines, such as regional Italian.

82% 28%

of consumers know it.

want to try it.

[Dataessential]

PANINIS

FORMAL DINING

Predicted to be replaced by newer Mexican griddle sandwiches (tortas) and pressed Cubano sandwiches.

A majority of consumers are switching from traditional “sit-down” meals to a series of snacking and other less formal eating occasions.

Beef prices hit historic highs. Forecast is for a long-term sustained inflation for beef and veal prices, to continue through 2016.

[Food Technology]

[Hartman]

[Market Vision Inc]

BRICKFIRE BAKERY AND ALPHA BAKING COMPANY, INC. PRODUCE A WIDE VARIETY OF BUNS TO INSPIRE EXCITING CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR OUR FULL LINE OF BUNS AND SPECIAL SUMMER PRICING S U M M.E R

ADDITIONS TO ANY MENU.

GRILLED STEAKS

2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 31

F o o d

S h o w c a s e

Build a Better–no, the Best–Burger It’s a cultural touchstone, a symbol of both family-owned entrepreneurs and mega corporations, satisfying the most refined of appetites or filling a deep craving for devouring some greasy goodness. That’s a lot to wrap around a simple slab of meat, but the mighty hamburger stands tall, and bigger and better than ever, even after a century in the spotlight.

biquitous? You bet your buns, with 46% of all restaurant menus in the U.S. offering their spin on the better burger, making it more popular than even pizza or soup. With that much competition, though, breaking

Dan Coha

32 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

through the beefy barrier isn’t easy. We asked the big data gurus at Food Genius for some pointers, and you’ll find the latest intelligence on the next page, culled from their analysis of menu items offered at more than 300,000 operator locations across the country. >>

46% of all restaurant menus in the U.S. are

offering their spin on the better burger. Fork Chicago clucks in a Chicken Burger with fresh ground chicken, sage cheddar, fennel, honey crisp apples, arugula, dijonaise.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 33

F o o d

S h o w c a s e

Beef Up the menu w/Non-Beef options Consider a pork patty, a blend of beef with bacon or an ahi tuna burger. Don’t forget the vegetarian/vegan crowd—American palates have evolved to the point where a vegetable mix can sub in for a slab of beef with very little drama.

SMOKY LENTIL & BEET BURGERS A sweet and smoky beet & lentil-based burger, topped with micro-greens, red onion and feta spread.

THE INGREDIENTS

Dan Coha

The Patties: 3 T. grapeseed oil 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped 1 cup walnuts 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 cup grated beets 3 cloves garlic, smashed 2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1/2 cup cooked green lentils 1 egg 2 cups cooked brown rice Feta Spread: 1 cup/ 8 oz. feta cheese 1/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt squeeze of lemon juice 1/4 cup chopped cilantro few grinds fresh ground pepper Extras: crusty sourdough buns sliced red onions microgreens & lettuce

Who’s Serving It Up Right: n

Portobello Vegan Trattoria in Portland, Ore. features their Beet Burger, house-made, with fresh baked rosemary focaccia bun, carrot aioli, arugula, red onions and tomato confetti.

n Big Kitchen Café of San Diego offers a Jaimie’s Burger with chopped bacon mixed in the patty, avocado, cheddar cheese, red onion, lettuce and tomato. n The Alembic in San Francisco offers pork belly sliders, smoked honey mustard, pickles, mizuna. Devil’s Alley in Philadelphia has a Chorizo Burger with sunny-side-up egg and cheddar. “They’re taking the variety beyond new proteins, but also into new day parts,” says Food Genius’ Benjamin Stanley. n

34 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Mon Ami Gabi in Las Vegas Serves up a freshly ground Ahi Tuna Burger.

Change Up the

Toppings

Lettuce, onion, tomato have earned their top spot on a burger, and while there’s always a place for cheddar, Swiss or American cheese too, don’t stop there. There are over 600 types of cheese and almost as many toppings that give your burgers buzz. Choose a cheese that plays well with your other flavors—sharp Cheddars cut heavy foods like bacon and caramelized red meat, while smooth and creamy Havarti cheese accents light flavored proteins like turkey or seafood.

THE ROADHOUSE BURGER If you’re the kind of person who orders a milkshake with a cheeseburger then has the audacity to drink it with a straw, please do us all a big favor and steer clear of The Roadhouse. Prepared to go toe to toe with the heartiest of appetites—this bad boy packs a punch that’ll leave your chops wondering what hit ’em.

SCAN TO SEE OTHER UNIQUE CHEESE & BURGER SOCIETY CREATIONS

Who’s Serving It Up Right: n

Ike’s Place in San Francisco offers a wild Salmon Burger with avocado, Havarti and mushrooms.

WMMB® Cheese & Burger Society®

n Small Plates Detroit in the Moter City gobbles over turkey burgers with dill havarti, cranberry aioli and watercress on whole-wheat rolls. n

DMK Burger Bar in Chicago stampedes patron taste buds with a Bison Burger with goat cheese, pickled onions and blueberry BBQ sauce.

The Pike Pub and Brewery in Seattle serves up the William Tell Burger—over 1/3 lb. of local, sustainable beef with sautéed mushrooms, genuine Swiss Emmenthaler and a savory sauce on a toasted artisan bun.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 35

Make the

Bun the Star, Not Just a Supporting Actor Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the outside counts almost as much as the meat it delivers inside. Buns can be white, whole grain or seeded, or not buns at all, but ciabatta, Texas toast, English muffins, focaccia. Making them fresh or by hand is worth a shout-out on the menu.

Cheese & Burger Trends | Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Cheese and burgers are a classic twosome that have stood the test of time, but todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diners want flavors that go beyond the traditional. Here are three cheese and burger trends influencing menus nationwide.

Asian Flavors + Cheese Combining cheese with Asian flavors on a burger makes for an unexpected treat.

Whip It Whipped cheese is popping up on trendy menus across the country.

Convenience Cuts Cheesemakers are adding new appeal to already popular cheese varieties by making them easier to use on burgers. [pictured above is our rendition of a waffle burger] Dan Coha

36 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

F o o d

In fact, it’s worth a

S h o w c a s e

increase per burger on average. You’re welcome.

Bruxie, a five-location chain in Southern California, is purveyor of the Bruxie Burger, which features an Angus beef patty with cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes, pickles, mayo & crisp lettuce served on a light, crisp, yeasty and not-sweet Bruxie waffle.

Burgers with

Bragging Rights

Play the quality game with intensity, because this is where you can cut away from the competition with custom blends of beef, heritage breeds of cow and unique preparation methods. Think prime beef, Waygu beef, dry-aged meat, beef marrow, ground steak, short-rib or brisket.

Who’s Serving It Up Right: n Minetta Tavern of New York City serves the Black Label Burger, featuring a selection of prime dry- aged beef cuts with caramelized onions and pommes frites (fancy name for French fries). n Umami Burger in Southern and Northern California offers the Earth Burger made of mushroom and edamame patty, white soy aioli, truffle ricotta, cipollini onions, lettuce and slow-roasted tomato.

Great Moments in Burger History 1836

1924

1954

1983

2008

Put a steak in it. The start of America’s obsession was officially the appearance of hamburger steak on Delmonico’s restaurant menu. At 10 cents, it was an upscale treat… no bun, though.

Rite place, rite time. The appropriately named Lionel Sternberger earns his place in history by offering a slice of cheese atop the burgers at his Rite Stop restaurant in Pasadena, California.

McDonald’s® opens in San Bernardino, becoming as synonymous with American eating as apple pie, fries and Coke, which are also on the menu.

Paul Wenner mixes up leftover vegetables, rice pilaf, oats and cheese into America’s first veggie burger, served as the “Garden Loaf Sandwich” to appreciative customers at his Gardenhouse restaurant in Gresham, Oregon.

Over the top. Burger King’s “The Burger” makes headlines for its $200 limited edition offering of Wagyu beef, Pata Negra ham, Cristal onion straws, with infused mayo on a bun dusted with white truffle.

Sources: “A Brief History of Hamburgers,” menuism.com; “Hamburgers: Present at the Creation,” NPR

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 37

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A l l o n t h e Ta b l e

WINE, DINE, AND DANCE

Your choice of background music makes a difference By Audarshia Townsend

t the height of the “Harlem Shuffle” craze, one YouTube video stood out from the thousands of silly attempts to recreate the classic New York dance. While some videos featured performances underwater, in classrooms and in the middle of rush-hour traffic, this crowd -pleaser completely elevated the game with “dancers” using one of America’s finest dining establishments as its backdrop. The culinary staff of the Michelin-starred Tru—led by partner and executive chef Anthony Martin—suddenly found themselves in a spotlight that had absolutely nothing to do with food. And after their video experienced more than 60,000 views worldwide, they proved that an upscale restaurant on

Tru’s level loosens up every once in awhile. Music, in fact, gets significant play since Martin took over the reins two years ago at Lettuce Entertain You® Enterprises’ luxury eatery in one of Chicago’s ritziest neighborhoods. What was once known as an exceptional yet sterile dining experience now bursts with energy and color. Martin credits the dramatic change in the music program, in early 2012, for bringing new life into the dining room. “There’s so much energy in the room right now, and it is the direct result of the music change,” Martin confesses. To create the right sound, he worked with a deejay who also works at Paris Club and SUB 51 (also owned by LEYE). “It captures everything I wanted to do and actually trumps that,” he says. “The music is young and vibrant.” The progression of music and styles, ranging from Electronica and dub to formal contemporary piano, contributes deeply to Tru’s dining experience, which sometimes lasts up to four hours. The former partners used a repetitious, harp-based soundtrack as background music, which forced diners to concentrate solely on what was before them on the plates. Now the restaurant boasts more than 100 tracks, and the carefully selected list rapidly evolves. >>

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 39

>> Martin’s mission with the music program, however, engages diners’ five senses for an experience going beyond food and drink. “I want people to come to Tru and enjoy their time here,” he says. “I want it to be the highlight of their night. … The music is prominent in the room. I want people to hear it and as the room builds up [with energy], the music gets louder. We are always very conscious of it. [The music] is never an afterthought.” When the music program changed, Martin noticed a significant change of energy in employees as well. The servers “feel like dancing,” he says, and there is more energy throughout the entire staff. He also makes certain the same music playing in the dining room pipes into the kitchen, so that no one misses a beat. “If there is great energy, you’re certain to get more creative output,” he says. “Our kitchen is based on high energy and lots of movement. It’s not only creativity, but also movements they make. You never think music can make such a change like this until you see it firsthand.” While Martin helps to oversee the music program at one restaurant, Brendan Sodikoff and his savvy staff curate the sound collections at seven venues. That includes the hard hip-hop and rock music blaring in the morning at pop-up doughnut shop Doughnut Vault, the folksy-country vibe of Gilt Bar and electric French pop at Maude’s Liquor Bar. As president of the ever-growing Sodikoff Restaurant Group, he no longer personally handles the music programs. But in the early days of his first restaurant, Gilt Bar, which opened a few years ago, he learned a lot about what he needed to do to make the music matter. “We weren’t very good at it in the beginning, but we’ve learned a lot about music in the last couple of years,” he admits. “Sound quality, acoustics, what doesn’t work very well—high tones in the room, which make it very hard to talk—and certain artists that aren’t good to use. What sounds good in one restaurant doesn’t work well at all in another space.”

SOUND ADVICE Martin believes that many restaurateurs neglect to give their venues’ musical programs the attention they deserve and he offers a few key pieces of advice:

• Really give music the attention that it deserves and realize how important it is for a space. You don’t need a big budget; you just need to make sure every track is important to the space. • Start listening to different types of music. You should get out of your comfort zone. Decide what the space will require, then narrow it down from there. •The energy does not come from volume. It’s the energy in the song. It’s the notes and beats the tunes carry. It needs to be appropriate. It must be very fitting of the space. It comes with the people thinking about the overall vision of what they want their restaurant to be.

He adds that it takes a lot of time to create a successful music program. “Just like our food menus, we like to create our music for the place. It’s not easy, but it must be carefully done … because it’s part of [diners’] experience whether [they] want it to be or not.” Sodikoff offers a solid piece of advice for the musically challenged owner: “You should consult people around you who really love music and ask them to help you. There’s so much good music out there that you want to explore all genres.” Long before Terry Alexander became a partner at One Off Hospitality (Big Star, Blackbird, Publican, The Violet Hour, etc.), his name was synonymous with cool, trendy lounges and restaurants known for playing great music. Danny’s Tavern, which opened in 1989, continues to thrive, but Alexander admits

“Just like our food menus, we like to create our music for the place. It’s not easy, but it must be carefully done… because it’s part of the (diners’) experience.”

40 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

– Brendan Sodikoff

that he no longer concerns himself with that aspect of his venues. “I think it would be a little naïve for me to program the music when I have so many younger, in-touch people who know their music,” he confesses. “We have put musical directors at certain locations to handle the music.” For example, Alexander says, the soundtrack at upscale cocktail lounge Violet Hour serves to enhance the background, but it’s very important to have a certain genre playing. Instead of allowing the bartenders to hook up their iPods (“the music was haphazard and disconnected,” he says), they’ve hired two people to handle all the music. “They sit at home and fill up their iPods and decide what is good for early in the evening, prime time and closing,” he says. “They change the music every month and a half and, most important, it’s finally unified.” Across the street at the rockin’ taco joint Big Star, however, bartenders choose the music, but it’s from a collection provided in the offices at Violet Hour. According to Alexander, a few of the employees shop for music every week. It varies from classic country to blues, and when the venue gets rowdy, so does the volume of the music. Alexander admits that he misses taking charge of the music programs, but believes he made the right decision to pass the baton. IMA570113 - RFS Restaurant Inc June 2013 Burger Ad.indd

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“What we strive to do at One Off Hospitality is attention to detail, and we feel that music is another element that cannot be overlooked. We really take pride in lining up our music. It’s a fun job, but it’s also very important to set the correct tone.” n

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42 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Beverage Section

THE RISE OF

BEER BY THE #’S

Cicerone®: Beer

Brewing IN AMERICA

Craft Beer

Training in Session

Beer Speak

E VA L U AT I N G A Great Beer

You know your customers, your menu and your offerings. But given the rapid shifts taking place across the beer category—and the opportunities these changes create for greater profit in your establishment—we are dedicating a number of pages to current beer trends.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 43

44 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Beverage Section

The Rise of

Craft Beer T

he U.S. has the most diverse beer offerings as well as number and type of breweries. In a country built by home brewers, we are entering a new historic era for beer in the U.S. Craft beer has increased from 2% of the market to almost 6% of the market over the last decade, and some beer industry veterans are projecting it will become 20% of the market in the next decade. According to the Brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association, like the coffee and wine industry, it takes about 25 years for a new market to mature and become mainstream.

oday there are an estimated 95 million beer lovers, generating the $95.5 billion dollar U.S. beer industry according to the Brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association, while wine is at $40 billion according to Wine Spectator and spirits at $60 billion. But these drinkers do not stay within one category; the vast majority of alcohol beverage sales come from adults who enjoy all three beverage categories.

raft beer is fueling much of the growth and excitement in the US beer industry, with $8.7 billion of U.S. beer sales coming from craft beer and rising each year. Growth of the craft brewing industry in 2012 was 15% by volume and 17% by dollars, compared to growth in 2011 of 13% by volume and 15% by dollars.

ccording to GuestMetrics, the overall average price for beer in full-service restaurants and bars accelerated during the first quarter of 2013, though higher average prices in the Craft beer segment were driven by more expensive craft beers becoming increasingly popular among consumers.

A growing trend is the celebration of individual beer styles. As a retailer you can harness this excitement in your account with special pairings to coincide with these dates:

August 2

IPA Day

September 8

Sour Beer Day

November 8

International Stout Day

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 45

HELLO SUMMER FRUIT JUICE AND SPARKLING WATER IZZE SPARKLING ORANGE

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• 3-5 oz IZZE Sparkling Clementine

Combine IZZE and vodka with a splash of tonic to taste. Add a squeeze of lime and enjoy.

•2

oz orange-flavored vodka

• Splash • Lime

NO ADDED SUGAR

SUMMER 2013

of tonic

wedge garnish

Beverage Section

evolution Brewing’s logo is a raised fist, defiant and strong, as if saying, “We’re not going to take this anymore!” or “Here comes the Revolution, blasting through!” Whatever diction an interpreter can muster, Revolution Brewing is doing their thing and doing it well – craft beer. Starting in 2010 by owner and founder Josh Deth, Revolution Brewing has established itself

in the growing Chicago craft beer scene. Deth got interested in home brewing during college and, to hone his craft, landed a summer job in 1995 cleaning kegs at a Golden Prairie Brewery in Logan Square, Chicago. After graduation, Deth worked at Goose Island as a cellarman, and with the brewpub. Deth then opened Wicker Park bar and restaurant, The Handlebar. The idea for Revolution was ruminating, and Deth had 10 years of funding his new concept. A Revolution was born. >>

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 47

For both the brewpub and its beer, Revolution works hard to identify with their community. According to Revolution Marketing Manager Aimee Quinkert, their audience wants exciting and unique qualities of prospective craft beer brands. They respond to creative, guerrilla-style marketing strategies, approaches that Revolution certainly provides in its mass appeal. “While we hope to attract the consumer that enjoys finely crafted beer, I think that we directly appeal to the revolutionary inside of anyone – a little rebellious, a little punk rock, and a little, well, crazy!” Quinkert says. A distinct personality comes to their products via carefully curated labels and can designs, which Quinkert likens to art forms. “Craft beer fans are fun and adventurous people that are attracted to the next new or different thing.”

Part of the Revolution experience is allowing patrons to discover the great affinity food and beer share. Deth has designed a menu that is heavy on crowd pleasers, with special emphasis on items that allow the flavor nuances of beer to really shine. For starters, there’s Bacon Fat Popcorn. It’s freshly popped kernels that are anointed with bacon fat and flavored with crispy sage and shaved Parmesan cheese. That’s not enough? How about the Confit Pork Chop, served with zucchini, mead-poached rhubarb, oyster mushrooms, housecured bacon lardons and pork jus. Revolution also prepares hand-tossed pizzas that are baked in a hearth oven. Five diverse and interesting options are menued, highlighted by a Fig and Pancetta Pizza, topped with a purée of figs and goat cheese, house-cured pancetta, oyster mushrooms, garlic ricotta, and tarragon. Order up!

Andrea Fae Long

The magic behind brewpubs isn’t just the progressive menu options and organic trending dishes, but the matches with craft beers. Each of the items on the menus will be appropriately paired with one of

48 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Revolution’s 19 different craft beers (some seasonal, specialty, and part of their “Deep Wood Series”).

Deth says that restaurateurs interested in expanding or adding to the beer portfolio should,

“Always be tasting beer. It’s the easiest and best way to train the palate and learn about styles and new offerings.” He also favors having draft beer versus bottles or cans, maintaining that the beer is usually fresher and kept cold through the distribution channels from brewery to your back door. And, he says, make sure you have a good IPA on tap (India Pale Ale). It’s the biggest category in craft (beer) these days.” Quinkert concurs, suggesting that IPA’s are useful in attracting the self-proclaimed “hopheads.” The hoppier, the better is a mantra many of them live by.

Quinkert adds, “Considering that craft brewers reached 6.5% volume of the total U.S. beer market in 2012, which is up from 5.7% in 2011, I think it’s pretty safe to say that craft beer is only going to continue to gain more ground as new craft breweries tend to pop up across the country on a seemingly daily basis.” Revolution started with a brewpub almost 3-and-a-half years ago and had to expand to the large production facility on Kedzie Avenue in Chicago as a result of the increased demand and incredible popularity of their beers. Needless to say, it’s incumbent on restaurant operators to “hop” on the bandwagon of beer. n

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 49

Numbers Beer by t he

Various characteristics of beer can be summarized numerically. As these are sometimes used on labels and other sources of information, it is helpful to understand the more important ones. ALCOHOL

Measured in percent by volume, alcohol content varies from as low as 2 to as high as 25 percent, with the majority of beer in the 4 to 6 percent range.

GRAVITY The amount of dissolved malt sugars and other solids in the liquid before it is fermented into beer, expressed in degrees in the U.S. Most beers are between 10 and 16 degrees.

BITTERNESS Expressed in International Bittering Units. Beer ranges from 6 to over 100 IBU, with most beers in the 15-50 range.

COLOR In the U.S., measurements are expressed in a scale called SRM (Standard Reference Method). For most enthusiasts purposes, verbal descriptions are sufficient.

50 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Beverage Section

Cicerone

BEER TRAINING IN SESSION

Kristen Taylor shows us the ropes

The smell. The taste. The texture. The refreshment felt after the first sip moves from the lips to the belly, cooling all of the participating parts. That’s right, a deliciously cold beer has just been sampled. Although beer aficionados love this moment of truth at the end of an oak ledge in their favorite watering hole, when it comes to beer, this gal knows more than you, dude. Meet Kristen Taylor, Craft Brand Manager at Chicago Beverage Systems, a beer distributorship in Chicago. And she is a Level Two (Certified Cicerone®) of the Cicerone® Certification Program, which means that beer, particularly craft beer, is her business.

HER TAKE Taylor has been with Chicago Beverage Systems for five years, starting in special events. Living in the Wicker Park neighborhood in Chicago years ago, she found that many of the local bars prominently

featured craft beer options. When socializing, her beverage of choice was craft beers, giving her the opportunity to learn about them through first-hand experiences. For her it was a matter of culture and palate. She offers an interesting perspective on the growing trend. “People my age, I’m 28, have been drinking Starbucks coffee since they were 12. You grow into this palate that you don’t even realize you have. You have these Millennials coming in and they have their Starbucks coffee. The taste buds have evolved and changed,” Taylor says, alluding to one of the drivers of the growth in the craft beer boom. There is something artistic and creative about craft beer, Taylor adds. And the people making the beer are true artisans. They’re not throwing girls at consumers, nor offering 30 beers to a pack. “This is someone’s creation, it’s their baby.” The No. 1 priority for craft breweries, she insists, is quality beer. Consumers are looking

for something more unique and interesting. “Once these people start drinking craft beer at a young age, their palates don’t revert backwards,” she explains. The craft beer industry, however, has an issue on its hands. There is less loyalty for brands, Taylor says, than there is for types of beer, such as an India Pale Ale or Wheat Ale. Consumers prefer the tastes of the types of beer, and aren’t focused on the brand. And in fact, tasting a wide array of the many craft brands becomes a badge of honor, a goal, for these aficionados. The savvy brands are seeing the spin on that curve and adjusting. Their marketing is centered on creating underground communities, Taylor explains. “These craft breweries do an amazing job at social media.” They’re engaging the millennial generation and establishing a culture surrounding their label.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 51

“I think for bars, it’s very important to have Cicerone®-trained individuals...Servers can ask about what styles beer patrons like, ask the right questions with food and take the sale to the next level.” BRING BEER TO THE KITCHEN Taylor is familiar with the beer and food pairings out there – it was part of her Level Two Cicerone® Certification Program test. For example, the test lists a salad – black olives, bitter greens and a pungent cheese. For Certified Cicerones®, the answer is simple – a hearty beer to stand up to those flavors, perhaps a red ale or rye ale. Most industry observers agree that for further growth, it is important to emphasize food compatibility. And the knowledge has to filter down from bartenders to the servers, Taylor says. “I think for bars, it’s very important to have Cicerone®-trained individuals. Because if you want to get into this craft movement, but you don’t know how to sell the craft beer you’re putting on the menus, the beer is blamed. If something isn’t selling, [an operator] will complain something isn’t selling. Well, it probably could if you had people that could talk about it correctly. Servers can ask about what styles beer patrons like, ask the right questions with food and take the sale to the next level,” Taylor says. Sounds a lot better than, “Hey—this is new, try this!”

52 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

As the sophistication of craft beer progresses, the perception will shift, as if these beverages are like wine. Craft beer industry liaisons are working with chefs and paying close attention to incorporating beer into the menu as a way to optimize the taste correlations.

COMFORT ZONE As a fan of art, music and film, Taylor acknowledges her lack of talent in the world of art. But as craft beer tied this culture together, she found her home. It is a community she’s proud to be a part of and happy to see grow over the last couple of years. n

Fat Tire® (New Belgium Brewing®) was the beer that brought Kristen to the craft beer world when living in Wicker Park. She saw the 22 oz. bomber and fell in love. The rest is history. FAVORITE BEER & FOOD PAIRING n New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk® – dark, roasty, coffee-like, oaky, chocolate notes n Waffles with maple syrup and pecan/vanilla ice cream

Cicerones are Beer Experts The Cicerone® Certification Program is similar to a wine Sommelier, but is for experts who love and are passionate about beer. A Cicerone possesses the knowledge and skills to guide those interested in beer culture, including its historic and artistic aspects. The program got its start in 2007, and even the master level has only been given a few times. But, with more than 1,000 Certified Beer Servers already on the books, this certification is taking off rapidly. Even celebrity chefs have the program on their radar. Chris Spradley, a contestant on ‘MasterChef’, Gordon Ramsay’s show, is a student of the program. The program covers five areas of study: serving beer, beer styles, beer flavor and evaluation, brewing process and ingredients, and finally, beer and food pairing. There are three levels in the program, and three tests.

L1: CERTIFIED BEER SERVER EXAM n There are more than 1,000 in the U.S. right now. n Test is available online and takes about 30 minutes.

L2: CERTIFIED CICERONE™ n There are an estimated 120 as of July 2010. n Test must be taken in person at one of the test locations. n 3-hour written exam covers short-answer and essay questions plus tasting and a demonstration component.

L3: MASTER CICERONE™ n In May of this year, 11 candidates sat down to take the Master Cicerone® exam—a series of exams of intense written and oral questioning about beer styles, draft systems, beer evaluation, brewing technology and beer and food pairing. Only one candidate achieved the passing score, and he is now the seventh Master Cicerone to join the ranks. n In person exam, takes two days of testing. Yes, two days. 8-hours written, 2 hours oral exam and 2-hours of beer tasting and evaluation.

Want to become a Cicerone or have one of your staff certified? Scan > to sign up or take the free online 10-question sample exam. SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 53

Beverage Section

Different BREWS produce d i f f e r e n t SCENTS

TO NGUE senses flavors such as SWEET, SOUR OR BITTER among others The

e n c o m p a s s e s T A S T E and A R

b o t h

OMA

EVALUATING

A Great Beer Yo u d o n â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t n e e d t o b e a C i c e r o n e t o e n j o y a n d j u d g e a b e e r. B e e r i s a d e l i g h t f u l l y varied and complex beverage. Here are things your customers may consider w i t h t h e i r n e x t b e e r.

The tiny B U B B L E S filled with C A R B O N D I O X I D E that are held together by malt proteins that L A C E the top of the brew

B A L A N C E The interplay between the MALT SWEETNESS , HOP BITTERNESS, ROASTEDNESS and other flavors is distinct to each brew

C L A R I T Y

C O L O R

C L O U D Y

beer comes from various shades of K I L N E D or R OA S T E D malt

Some beers are best presente C L E A R , but others are p u r p o s e f u l l y H A Z Y o r

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54 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

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P A L E t o G O L D INKY BLACK, F r o m

C A R B O N AT I O N FIZZINESS from carbon dioxide gas given off by the yeast during FERMENTATION varies by style

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And many more items you need to keep your bar running and profitable : • Towels • Corkscrews • Garnishes • Juices • Mixers • Toothpicks • Bar napkins Ask your Reinhart sales consultant for details.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 55

By Julia Herz

Ah, beer, a beverage said to have literally led the human shift from nomad to farmer. Now, in modern times, with engrained and established (but not always enlightened) beer traditions, adult Americans are enjoying ale and lager beyond any other fermented beverage! America’s craft beer producers have created a shift in the food arts world by helping beer reclaim its place at the dinner table. It’s fair to say that the image of craft beer is evolving, and with that, everything from beer appreciation and service to beer glassware is evolving, too.

On the topic of glassware, there are grumblings from deep within the craft beer movement, centered around one of the fundamental beer vessels—the classic shaker pint. Never mind the fact that many in the craft beer community are still fighting just to get beer lovers and retailers to actually use a glass when enjoying a beer. So what are the concerns about the U.S. shaker pint and are they warranted?

Let’s Go Grab a Pint Throughout my adult life—and probably for most of you—the beer glass I’ve been presented with most is the shaker pint. “Let’s go grab a pint” is such a common

56 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

phrase that it fills the bill even when we know we might not be having our beer out of that exact glass. But, what I’m hearing lately is that this glass, which was originally designed to shake cocktails, should not be the standard. Some, dare I say, even want this glass to go away. Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, founders of Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California—and innovators of new American craft beer styles including the imperial IPA and American Belgo-style wild ales—share their feelings. They state, “The standard shaker pint glass…is actually one of the worst things you can use for a beer tasting.” They encourage you to do a taste test of the same craft

*Originally published by the Brewers Association. Julie Herz is the Craft Beer Program Director for the Brewers Association and is a homebrewer, BJCP beer judge and Certified Cicerone™

Reconsidering the Pint Glass*

Beverage Section

The Majestic Pint beer in a shaker pint and a stemmed glass, explaining that the latter will deliver an enhanced aroma and more flavorful experience. Personally, I have many a beer-lovin’ friend who has said they’ve done this experiment and are convinced that the beer in a stemmed glass goes flat less quickly, stays at the preferred temperature longer, and appears to be fullerflavored and more aromatic.

Dr. Michael Lewis, Ph.D., professor emeritus of brewing science at U.C.-Davis, is highly regarded as one of beer’s leading advocates. And he is on a personal and professional campaign for a move back to what he calls the “majestic pint.” Simply put, he wants to drop-kick the shaker glass back behind the bar where it originally came from. In a paper he just presented at the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) World Brewing Congress, he states some jarring points about the spirits shaker.

Dr. Lewis’ Arguments Against the Shaker Pint “Almost all beer, whether craft-brewed or made by the national brewers, is served in the ugly, nondescript ‘Shaker’ glass, or straight-sided pint, that fails in every dimension to promote and support the product.”

“Though the straight-sided pint glass can be tarted-up with a logo to improve the perception of the beer it contains, the glass still offers no technical support for the product and cannot contribute in any significant way to enhancing the consumer’s experience.”

“The same glass is used throughout the bar and restaurant trade to serve water, soda, iced tea and milk; this assures beer of similar low-level commodity status instead of the premium status it deserves.”

“The glass [shaker pint] is almost perversely designed to dissipate those very items the glass should enhance—that is: to help stabilize foam and to help entrap beer aroma. Both these benefits best accrue when the glass is narrower at the top than below, i.e. some variation of the tulip-shaped glass.”

In speaking with Dr. Lewis about the majestic pint glass mission, he shared that as soon as one leaves the U.S., there is scarcely a shaker pint glass to be found. Based on his travels and maybe confirmed by your beery travels ,too, the shaker pint is a phenomenon unique to the good ol’ US of A. The MBAA has a new and very useful educational Beer Steward Certificate program that I’ve been working my way through as of late. In chapter five they address serving beer, and ask an interesting question: “How many $100 bottles of wine would a restaurant sell if the wine was poured into an iced tea glass?” Good point, if you ask me. n

HOW TO POUR THE PERFECT BEER 1.

Beer tastes best at a certain temperature. Serving beer too cold masks a lot of the flavor and aroma. Served too warm, beer loses its wonderful refreshing quality.

Proper glassware shows off the color, supports the head, and focuses the aroma of the beer for the best tasting experience. Leave extra space when pouring, since beer foams before settling.

Make sure the glass is scrupulously clean. A dirty glass can interfere with the flavor of the beer and prevent the proper head.

Tilt the glass to a 45-degree angle. If using a bottle of beer, slosh some beer into the bottom of the glass to form a head. Then gently pour the beer directly onto the foam to break any over-sized bubbles and fill the glass. Straighten the glass as it fills and keep pouring until the head just froths over the rim. Having a head is a good thing —it releases the beer’s aroma and flavor. An ideal head should be 1” to 1½“.

Fruit Beer

40-50°F

Wheat Beer

45-50°F

Pale Lagers

45-50°F

Strong Ales

50-55°F

Dark Ales

55-60°F

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 57

Beverage Section

The Lighter Side of Dark DEBUNKING THE MYTHS SURROUNDING DARK BEER

By Ashley Routson, thanks to the Brewer’s Association Craft Beer Muses, first published on Craftbeer.com

get a kick out of messing with unsuspecting folk at trade shows and beer festivals. When they ask me for a taste of my lightest beer, I always pour them my Stout.

Most craft beers, with wheat beers being the exception, are made up of 75-100 percent base malts, the palest malts on

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58 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

D KILN MAL TY ED

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• No-to light-roasted malts yield straw and golden colors and biscuit flavors. • Medium roast yields amber and copper colors and caramel and nut flavors.

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Don’t let color deceive you. There are plenty of full-bodied pale beers with high sugar content, just as there are light-bodied dark beers with lower sugar content. The answer is in the ABV (alcohol by volume).

N NED OU P KIL TEM GH HI

THE MALT SPECTRUM OF COLORS AND FLAVORS

BEER’S MALT COMPOSITION

The color of beer is directly related to its malt content. The fermentable sugar in the majority of craft beer comes from malted barley that has been germinated and kilned. Additional color and malt flavor come from the roasting process. Let’s break it down.

• Heaviest roasts yield black color and burnt flavors.

Oh, poor dark beer, always being judged by the color of its malt. Unfortunately, most people have the misconception that the color of beer is directly related to its weight. In the mind of most consumers, dark beers are rich, heavy and full of calories. And conversely, they think that the paler in color a beer is, the lighter it is in body, alcohol and calories. Although both are not entirely wrong assumptions, I have made it my mission to debunk the myths surrounding dark beers.

• Darker roast yields brown and light black colors and chocolate and coffee flavors.

,C ET

And when they look at me like I’m crazy, I laugh and explain that, although dark in color, the Stout is lowest in alcohol, lowest in calories and lightest in body. Oftentimes, this gets them to at least taste it. And more often than not, I watch people have an epiphany…“I usually don’t like dark beer, but this one is good.”

the spectrum. Specialty malts make up the next largest amount at 5-15 percent, and black and dark malts typically make up 1-5 percent of the overall recipe—which means it only takes a small percentage of dark malt to create a darker colored beer. Think of it in terms of food dye; although food dye does not dilute or make up a noticeable percentage of a cupcake recipe, a few small drops go a long way.

Although lab tests could give you more accurate results, all you really need to know is that sugar content and calories in beer directly correlate to its alcohol content. It takes more sugar, in this case maltose, to make more alcohol. So therefore, in the most basic of conclusions possible, the higher the alcohol a beer has, the more maltose used, and the more calories in the end product. (Like I said, this is just basic science.)

AN OUNCES TO OUNCES COMPARISON To drive the point home, let’s look at a few examples. New Belgium Trippel, although pale in color, is a Belgian-style Tripel with a 7.8 percent ABV. Estimated guess: 12-oz. of this beer = over 220 calories. In addition to knowing alcohol’s relation to calories, understanding styles can be beneficial to those seeking lighter-style dark beers. The “lightest of the darkest” styles are Black Lagers (or Schwarzbiers), brown Porters and Dry Stouts.

BLACK LAGERS Black Lagers range from 4.2-6 percent ABV. They are smooth, moderately crisp, light in body, and highly carbonated, with little to no malt aroma or roasted flavors. Excellent example: Guinness Black Lager.

PORTERS AND STOUTS Primarily differentiated by the use of roasted barley and/or roasted malt, Porters and Stouts share a lot, from history to flavor. Both range from about 4-5 percent ABV (5.5 percent for Porters). Both are moderate in body and carbonation, with mild coffee, chocolate, toffee and roasted malt aromas and flavors. Great examples include: New Holland Dragon’s Milk Stout, Guinness, New Holland The Poet Porter, Revolution Brewery Eugene Porter, and Firestone Walker Reserve Porter.

THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO RECOMMEND A DECENT LIGHT BEER THAT WON’T SABOTAGE THEIR WAISTLINE, TRY TAKING THEM TO THE DARK SIDE OF LIGHT. YOU MAY BECOME THEIR GREATEST

BEER HERO.

When introducing people to the darker side of light beers, I typically ask them two questions: Do you like chocolate? Do you like coffee? If so, you are a perfect candidate for any of the aforementioned beers.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 59

BE ER

Beverage Section

S P E A K

We grabbed some of the common beer and brewing vocabulary from Craftbeer.com to aid you on your beer education journey.

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Alcohol By Volume (ABV) A measurement of the alcohol content of a solution in terms of the percentage volume of alcohol per volume of beer. To calculate the approximate volumetric alcohol content, subtract the final gravity from the original gravity and divide by 0.0075. For example: 1.050 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1.012 = 0.038/0.0075 = 5% ABV

Ale Ales are beers fermented with top fermenting yeast. Ales typically are fermented at warmer temperatures than lagers, and are often served warmer. The term ale is sometimes incorrectly associated with alcoholic strength.

Barley A cereal grain derived from the annual grass Hordeum vulgare. Barley is used as a base malt in the production of beer and certain distilled spirits.

Draught Beer Beer drawn from kegs, casks or serving tanks rather than from cans, bottles, or other packages.

Esters Volatile flavor compounds that form through the interaction of organic acids with alcohols during fermentation and contribute to the fruity aroma and flavor of beer. Esters are very common in ales.

Fermentation The chemical conversion of fermentable sugars into approximately equal parts of ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas, through the action of yeast. The two basic methods of fermentation in brewing are top fermentation, which produces ales, and bottom fermentation, which produces lagers.

Hops A perennial climbing vine, also known by the Latin botanical name Humulus lupulus. The female plant yields flowers of soft-leaved pine-like cones (strobile) measuring about an inch in length. Only the female ripened flower is used for flavoring beer. Seedless

hops have a much higher bittering power than seeded. There are presently over one hundred varieties of hops cultivated around the world. Apart from contributing bitterness, hops impart aroma and flavor, and inhibit the growth of bacteria in wort and beer. Hops are added at the beginning (bittering hops), middle (flavoring hops), and end (aroma hops) of the boiling stage, or even later in the brewing process (dry hops). Prior to the use of hops, beer was flavored with herbs and spices such as juniper, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oak leaves, lime blossoms, cloves, rosemary, gentian, gaussia, chamomile, and other herbs or spices.

Lager Lagers are any beer that is fermented with bottom fermenting yeast at colder temperatures. Lagers are most often associated with crisp, clean flavors and are traditionally fermented and served at colder temperatures than ales.

Malt Processed barley that has been steeped in water, germinated on malting floors or in germination boxes or drums, and later dried in kilns for the purpose of converting the insoluble starch in barley to the soluble substances and sugars in malt.

Tannins A group of organic compounds contained in certain cereal grains and other plants. Tannins are present in the hop cone. Also called â&#x20AC;&#x153;hop tanninâ&#x20AC;? to distinguish it from tannins originating from malted barley. The greater part of malt tannin content is derived from malt husks, but malt tannins differ chemically from hop tannins. In extreme examples, tannins from both can be perceived as a taste or sensation similar to sampling black tea that has steeped for a very long time.

Yeast During the fermentation process, yeast converts the natural malt sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. Yeast was first viewed under a microscope in 1680 by the Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek; in 1867, Louis Pasteur discovered that yeast cells lack chlorophyll and that they could develop only in an environment containing both nitrogen and carbon.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 61

Beverage Section

Beer Pairing Tips*

By Julia Herz

For centuries, beer and food have been enjoyed together as part of the good life. Being grainbased, beer can be considered a food. Beer’s broad range of flavors, aromas and textures makes it a perfect match for nearly any kind of food, from handmade sausages to the most luxurious gourmet dishes. Choosing beers and foods that enhance one another requires paying attention to the gustatory qualities of each. The Brewers Association provided us with suggestions to help you deliver excellent experiences for our diners.

J u l i a ’s

Pa i r i n g

Principles

DON’T JUST PAIR TO THE PROTEIN. That’s where wine got in trouble! Pair to the preparation, protein and ingredients, and take into account what interactions will occur. MATCH INTENSITIES. As Randy Mosher teaches: “It is simply common sense that delicate dishes work best with delicate beers. It is equally true that strongly flavored foods demand assertive beers. With beer, flavor intensity involves a variety of qualities such as alcoholic strength, malt character, hop bitterness, sweetness, richness and roastiness.” PRESENT TWO CRAFT BEERS PER COURSE.

Having two different beverages with the same course often creates loyalty in the room where people tend to like one of the beverages more with the food than the other. This technique also allows one to tangibly compare how contrasting elements and

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Cheat

Sheet

complementary flavors evolve as the result of tasting two different craft beers with same dish.

RAISE THE EXPERIENCE. My goal when pairing is to get the combination of food and beer to work together in a way that raises the experience beyond what one would get when just sampling that beer or food on its own. Generally, like calms like. SWEET (beer or food) CALMS a SWEET food or beer. A sweet eisbock, old ale, or imperial IPA will calm and stand up to a sweet dessert.

ACIDIC MATCHES ACIDIC. An acidic beer like an American Belgo style sour ale (with lactic acidity) will match the acidity of ceviche. ACIDIC calms fat and salt, and fat and salt calm acidity.

Interactions: Complement, Contrast, Cleanse & Cut Each pairing has complement, contrast and cleanse all happening at the same time. However, sometimes what you get from a pairing will lean more toward complement or contrast depending on interactions occurring.

MALT (complement & contrast)

ALCOHOL (Contrast)

Complement: Kilned/roasted flavors (caramel/roast/ coffee/chocolate) harmonize with grilled, roasted and smoked foods.

Contrast: Alcohol is a solvent and opens the pores on

Contrast: Sweetness from malt soothes heat in food and calms salt.

your tongue, thus intensifying your heat experience. That’s why 12 percent ABV wines are train wrecks with spicy foods, and lower ABV craft beers shine as they soothe heat.

Contrast:

Alcohol also contrasts against sweet

Contrast: Roasted flavors calm sweetness in foods.

flavors.

HOPS (cut, contrast & complement)

CARBONATION (Cleanse/Cut)

Cut: Bitterness of hops cuts through rich foods.

Cleanse: Carbonation scrubs the tongue and prepares

Contrast: Bitterness of hops contrasts with sweet of malt and food.

palate for the next bite.

Cut: Carbonation cuts through the richness of food.

QUICK TIP

Complement: Flavors of hops (herbal/citrus/floral) resonate/complement.

Po u r a be e r wit h the goa l of e xpe lling CO 2 to he ighte n a ro m a t ic s , a n d a ls o s o you inge s t le s s a nd don’t fill up.

*Originally published by the Brewers Association. Julie Herz is the Craft Beer Program Director for the Brewers Association and is a homebrewer, BJCP beer judge and Certified Cicerone™

We don’t compromise, so you don’t have to. It’s our job to deliver the right tomato for your business. Maglio & Company uses produce expertise and supply chain insights to guide foodservice strategies. This approach ultimately delivers the right products to improve outcomes through cost efficient solutions.

www.maglioproduce.com SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 63

How to Serve PlantBased Meals Meredith Hink, MS, RD, CD, Corporate Nutrition Services Manager “Meatless Mondays” seems like a popular diet trend nowadays. And with all the research supporting the health benefits of plant-based diets, who can blame the participants? Vegans and vegetarians are rejoicing, happy to bring more to the table. Yet, America doesn’t realize that populations across the globe have supported these “diets” for centuries. Jumping on this trend would behoove most restaurateurs, but it’s important to know how to prepare these meals, and how to market to customers.

Defining Plant-Based Diets Although there are no federally regulated definitions for a plant-based diet, some basic parameters are accepted as rules of thumb. There are a lot of floating terms when describing the habits of this eating culture. Vegan refers to people who don’t consume any animal products, including meat, fish, seafood, poultry, and animal by-products (e.g. dairy and eggs). Vegetarian refers to people who don’t consume meat, fish, seafood, and poultry, but may consume dairy and/or egg products. There are several sub-groups of vegetarians, such as pollo-vegetarian (poultry), pesco-vegetarian (fish/seafood), flexitarian (no red meat), and several others. According to a 2012 Harris Interactive® poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, 47% of the 2,030 American adults polled claim that they eat at least one vegetarian meal per week and 14% claim to follow a vegetarian diet for more than half of their meals, and 4% claim to follow a vegetarian diet exclusively.1

Preparing & Marketing Plant-Based Meals Whether a person follows a plant-based diets for reason of health, ecological, religious, economic, animal welfare or taste, a food service operator wishing to cater to the diets must know the parameters. Kitchens need to be aware of the ingredients used to prepare

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“vegan” or “vegetarian” dishes. Some ingredients in processed foods may contain or be manufactured in a way that makes them nonvegetarian. For example, the coloring agents carmine and cochineal used in some baked goods and beverages are derived from the bodies of beetles, which is not considered vegetarian. Cane sugar, although from a plant, may be processed using a cow bone filter, rendering this ingredient non-vegetarian as well. Gelatin, a common gelling agent, may be from cows or hogs and is usually considered non-vegetarian.2 Manufacturers can offer further clarification on whether the ingredients were derived from animals or not. Food safety practices in this arena are vital to complete the process. First, do not cross-contaminate these dishes with those containing meat products. Even if the meat item is cooked, such as a cold salad with cooked meat, do not remove the meat to make it vegetarian. Storing cold, ready-to-eat vegan or vegetarian dishes away from or above dishes containing meat is the only way. Preparing vegan or vegetarian meals on surfaces that were previously used to prepare or cook meat is a big no-no, unless the surface was cleaned and sanitized properly. And since meat dishes typically need to be cooked at a higher temperature, and for longer periods of time, avoid contaminating the dishes with meat juices. Be honest with the presentation. If you are using symbols or creating a section on your menu for these items, explain what the symbols signify so customers know if these contain any animal products at

S p e c i a l

D i e t s

2,030 American adults WERE POLLED: 47% SAY they eat at least one vegetarian meal per week.

14% claim to follow a vegetarian diet for more Than half of their meals.

4% claim to follow a vegetarian diet exclusively.

all. Use standardized recipes to prepare these dishes and educate the preparation staff to prevent contamination, as well as the wait staff to answer customer questions.

Getting Started on Plant-Based Meals Trying to add these items to your menu? There are many cookbooks available with recipes online. It is also possible to convert some recipes to vegan or vegetarian by substituting the meat for a protein such as legumes, beans, soy products and seitan (product made out of wheat gluten). Consider looking abroad to cultures with plant-based traditions such as India, China, Japan and Vietnam. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Start out with an appetizer of vegetarian chili made with beans and soy crumbles, spicy gazpacho soup shooters, or roasted bell pepper hummus (chickpea purée) with pita chips or vegetable sticks, or mini falafel (spicy chickpea patty) sliders. Follow up with a main course of stir fry with spicy tofu, or vegetable fajitas with black beans, a soy burger, or seitan stroganoff. Finish with a fruit sorbet, vegan black bean brownies, or fruit dipped in dark chocolate. Delicious! If you want to start small, try offering a “Meatless Monday” special. Survey says—Almost half of the people surveyed consume at least one plant-based meal per week. Why not make that meal at your place and expand your menu offerings? n

Sources: 1. Stahler C. (2012). How Often Do Americans Eat Vegetarian Meals? And How Many Adults in the U.S. Are Vegetarian? The Vegetarian Resource Group website. Retrieved May 16, 2013 from http://www.vrg.org/ blog/2012/05/18/how-often-do-americans-eat-vegetarian-meals-and-how-many-adults-in-the-u-s-are-vegetarian. 2. Yacoubou J. (April 22, 2013). Vegetarian Journal’s Guide to Food Ingredients. The Vegetarian Resource Group website. Retrieved May 16, 2013 from http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 65

Facing the Challenge of Change in School Foodservice Moriah Keiper, RD, LD, Corporate Dietitian Meredith Hink, MS, RD, CD, Corporate Nutrition Services Manager

his past school year brought about the start of major changes to the National School Lunch program for the first time in 15 years. School foodservice professionals are posed with challenges and opportunities to meet and exceed these meal patterns in their day-to-day operations while still running safe, effective establishments.

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S c h o o l

THE CHALLENGE:

New School Lunch Meal Patterns The new meal patterns are a hybrid of food-based and nutrient-based menu planning. School foodservice professionals are required to write menus for three different levelsgrades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Food group and nutrient requirements vary for each level. Calorie minimums and maximums are now in place, as well as sodium intake maximums. Saturated fat must be less than 10 percent of total calories and trans fat is not allowed. Schools are now required to serve

whole grains. For school years 2012-13 and 2013-14 at least half of the grains served each week must be whole grainrich. On July 1, 2014, all grains offered must be whole grain-rich. When the new regulations came out, minimums and maximums were put in place for grains and meat/meat alternates. Because of the hardships experienced, these maximums were lifted for the remainder of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years. The School Nutrition Flexibility Act (H.R. 1303), introduced March 20, 2013, pushes to make these flexibilities permanent. For the first time, there are requirements for schools to meet serving requirements for vegetable subgroups.

S e g m e n t

There are also new guidelines in place for fruit and milk.

School Foodservice Personal Share Their Experiences With the 2012-2013 school year behind us, we interviewed five school foodservice professionals for their take on the challenges and successes they have experienced implementing the new requirements. We asked Gay Anderson, Child Nutrition Director with Brandon Valley Schools, South Dakota; Sandi Kramer, Child Nutrition Director with Yankton Schools, South Dakota; Kelsey Salow, RDN, Assistant Manager >>

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 67

>> of Food and Nutrition Services, and Joann Franck, Manager of Food and Nutrition Services with Dubuque Community School District, Iowa; and Doug Davis, Director of Foodservice, Burlington Schools, Vermont; to share their experiences from this past year. Salow, Franck and Davis took early approaches with their school districts, gradually implementing many of the changes in the bill over time to make the transition smoother.

Valley Schools and changing the way meat toppings and croutons are offered for the salad bar for Yankton School District. Anderson notes that school nutrition professionals should “have delivered our concerns in a better way

Compliance with the grain and protein maximum daily servings was a challenge. This meant discontinuing sliced bread every day for Brandon

68 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Davis notes that presentations were made in Vermont at the statewide level to school superintendents, b u s i n e s s m a n a g e r s , principals, and administrators. He encourages school nutrition professionals that are struggling to “partner” with the school nutrition association and to “share the resources, don’t reinvent the wheel” with school districts that are successfully implementing changes. Davis notes that “for us, the success has been realized by how our kids were better able to accept the changes.”

Market, serve and work with the students in making better meal choices. to USDA” so that changes were not implemented and then reversed when they caused issues. One of the biggest challenges for Dubuque Community School District was the amount of time and energy needed to revise menus and recipes to make sure they met the guidelines, and then train staff to make adjustments in work practices such as verifying reimbursable meals.

For Burlington Schools this meant offering salad, fruit and vegetable bars. They stopped serving French fries years ago and offered roasted carrots and sweet potatoes. Kramer notes that Yankton Schools use reimbursable salad bar lines and fruit and veggie bars at the high school and middle school levels to meet their fruit and vegetable intakes.

they were “still hungry and maybe not eating all the foods the students were offered.” Her greatest success has been “getting kids exposed to coming back for seconds on fruits and vegetables and cutting down on food waste.”

Despite these challenges, all five professionals have found strategies to implement the changes and successfully market them to key players such as students, parents and faculty. Anderson notes that she met with the school board to “ask them to let me spend money (more staff) in order for me to save money.” This allowed Anderson to hire additional staff that she trained to help “market, serve and work with the students in making better meal choices.” This helped to reduce plate waste in 50% of the district’s buildings. Kramer notes that “I did a lot of interviews on radio and our local newspaper. I put info on our school district website and newsletters that went home to parents. I spoke at board meetings to educate the board on how I was adjusting to the changes.” She mentions working with parents to help them understand that kids might claim

The changes to school foodservice operations will continue rolling out for the next few years, changing the face of school lunches across the country. By working together and learning from others’ challenges, lessons and successes, school nutrition professionals will be able to help America’s children to eat healthier. n

RESOURCES 1. USDA.

(2012,

January).

Nutrition

Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Final Rule. Retrieved 15 May, 2013, from Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services website:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/

Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards. htm.

2. USDA.

(2013,

February).

Extending

Flexibility in the Meat/Meat Alternate and Grains Maximums for School Year 2013-14. Retrieved 15 May, 2013, from Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services website:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/

Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards. htm.

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©2013Foodservice, Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved. items are trademark of Independent Marketing Alliance. © 2013 Reinhart Inc. All Rights Reserved. Katy’s KitchenKaty’s items Kitchen are a trademark of aIndependant Marketing Alliance.

C u s t o m e r

W a t c h

DISCUSSION LASTING GENERATIONS:

Boomers vs. Millennials What does it mean for your operation? Data courtesy of the NPD Group, Inc.

GENERATION GAP - BOOMERS

Oh, those Boomers. Along with their parents, the “Greatest Generation,” Boomers now signify a $2.6 trillion annual market, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Which means this pragmatic cohort possess a majority of the money. Yes, they’re having trouble with all these cultural changes in the world, but they’re progressing – as they always do.

BORN BETWEEN 1944 – 1964 ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 71 MILLION PEOPLE OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION CULTURAL INFLUENCES • Pop Culture: Happy Days, I Love Lucy, Dragnet, The Beatles • World News: Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, men in space, Kennedy Assassination, Cold War PER CAPITA RESTAURANT VISITS (Pending sourcing information) • 2007 – 216 • 2012 – 218 ANNUAL PER CAPITA RESTAURANT SPENDING (Pending sourcing information) • 2007 – $1,481 • 2012 - $1,618 • Total Spending: $99 Billion Source: The NPD Group/CREST®, years ending February

CREATURES OF HABIT (Pending sourcing information) • Twice as likely to visit a FSR because they “always/regularly go there.” FOOD DESCRIPTOR INDICES, PREFERRED FOOD ATTRIBUTES (Pending sourcing information) • Sugar-Free, Diabetic, Low/No Cholesterol, Heart Healthy, Low Sodium Source: The NPD Group/CREST®, years ending Sept. 2012

TOP FOODS (Pending sourcing information) • French Fries, Burgers, Total Mexican, Non-Fried Vegetables, Breakfast Sandwiches

70 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT BOOMERS (Pending sourcing information) • Have contributed a slight increase in restaurant use, despite the economy. More Boomers are working full time later into their lives. Shifting their visits toward QSR and “younger” chains. Consuming more burgers, fries, and pizza, but remaining cognizant of health concerns; consider menuing healthier versions of old favorites. Source: The NPD Group/Boomers and Beyond Report

Tips for engaging Boomers: 1. LOYALTY: Be loyal to those loyal to you. This generation likes when you remember their name and reward their frequency to your establishment. Either by way of a handshake or a rewards card, Boomers will return. 2. COMFORT FOOD, CHANGED: Boomers are becoming more health-conscious, especially as they age and mind what they eat. Yet, they can’t stay away from their favorite foods. By offering healthy choices of things they love, everybody wins.

Connect with Us! Twitter:

www.twitter.com/Reinhart_Corp

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/company/reinhart-foodservice

YouTube:

www.youtube.com/user/RFSDELIVERS

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There are too many inapplicable idioms, but the most appropriate is “Ignorance is bliss.” Plain and simple. Accommodating both generations is important for the sales growth of any operation. Relying on one demographic is not the prudent approach to the future of your business. Boomers control the money, but Millennials are controlling the trends. Hard to hitch the wagon…but why not to both?

GENERATION GAP - MILLENNIALS

Oh, those Millennials. Trying to take over the world one punctuated sociological movement at a time. It’s not about the scruff. It’s not about the jeans or Henley t-shirts. It’s not about the car running on leftover fry oil. Nor is it the pocket companions that are smartphones—offering information, phone calls, text messages, mapping details, weather forecasts, and social media applications.

BORN BETWEEN 1980 – 1994 ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 75 MILLION PEOPLE OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION CULTURAL INFLUENCES • Pop Culture: Saved by the Bell, The Real World, Friends, The Simpsons • World Events: OJ Simpson Trial, 9/11, Global Economic Crisis, Tech Bubble bursts • Technology: Wave after wave of technology PER CAPITA RESTAURANT VISITS (Pending sourcing information) • 2007 – 248 • 2012 – 199

Tips for engaging Millennials: 1. GET SOCIAL: Spending more time and attention on the social pathways will show this generation you care. Share promotions and information, respond to feedback on Yelp!, and talk to potential customers directly. If this generation hears your operation’s name, they will search for your website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Don’t be blank there. 2. FRESHEN UP: These kids are just looking for freshness. Whenever something is fresher, regardless of generation, people respond positively. Choose your product sources wisely, and then market the fact that you do. Whether it’s organic vegetables, cage-free eggs, or grass-fed beef, this generation seeks it out.

ANNUAL PER CAPITA RESTAURANT SPENDING (Pending sourcing information) • 2007 - $1,490 • 2012 - $1,284 • Total Spending: $95 Billion Source: The NPD Group/CREST®, years ending February

RESTAURANT EXPLORER (PENDING SOURCING INFORMATION) •More likely to visit because “it was recommended,” it was “something different/new place.” FOOD DESCRIPTOR INDICES, PREFERRED FOOD ATTRIBUTES (Pending sourcing information) • Organic, Vegetarian/Vega, High Protein, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Locally Sourced Source: The NPD Group/CREST®, years ending Sept. 2012

TOP FOODS (Pending sourcing information) • French Fries, Burgers, Total Mexican, Pizza, Salty Snacks

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT MILLENNIALS (Pending sourcing information) • Eating habits have changed due to budget and health/quality of food concerns. Millennials cook and restaurants are used less for pure necessity and more for enjoyment/ leisure. They seek quality, variety, and interesting flavors. Source: The NPD Group/Reaching the Millennial Generation report

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 73

YOUR STAFF IS YOUR BRAND

The Real World Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world.

“[An operator] always has room for a good person to represent your brand well and treat your customers right.” - Marty Slevin, Director, Talent Management at Reinhart Foodservice

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This world, the real world, is full of personalities, habits, tendencies, moods, and mistakes – better known as human nature. Butting heads, arguments, customer dissatisfaction all seem to get in the way. And how do you avoid problems in the workplace? “[An operator] always has room for a good person to represent your brand well and treat your customers right. Think about when you go to a restaurant or places to eat, it usually involves the relationships, with the wait staff, managers, or the owners,” says Marty Slevin, Director, Talent Management at Reinhart Foodservice. You’re on the line. You’re cooking. You’re seating guests. You’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off. You need help. But you don’t have the time to find help. Identifying the correct people for your operation, however, is

crucial. Slevin says your recruitment sets the tone, and finding those people may take some sweat. But due diligence in the recruitment process will pay off— so do not neglect the step. The only way to recruit properly is to take the time to know your potential employee.

Recruit ‘em Rushing a hiring decision could affect an operator’s ability to properly judge a candidate, no matter the position. There are no tall tale signs of a outstanding candidate, but Slevin says look at past scenarios. These specific scenarios have challenged the candidate, and indicated how he or she handled the scenario. Real life examples are the best indicator of future behavior. He encourages all hiring managers to research a candidate’s references. There is always competition for experienced talent. There is, however, a big “but” here. What about these darn high school and college kids?

L a b o r

S o l u t i o n s

Hiring and managing your staff correctly is imperative for a smooth operator

“Hiring inexperienced people is a risk, but definitely can pay off long term. You have to be clear on expectations and what sort of commitments you make to customers. The customers have their own expectations [of the operation],” says Slevin. Today’s trainee could be the star of the operation in a short time.

Drink the Kool-Aid Okay. The manager hired the person. The person shows promise. He delivers drinks like an ace. But what do you want out of him? Most likely, the inexperienced candidates have the aptitude, but it’s incumbent upon the manager to set expectations and the example. Newbies have raw drive and desire to work. They look to the manager as a beacon to show them how to work. The experienced candidates have the ability, but have their own ways of doing things. The manager needs to show

them how the manager works.

Get Social–Have you created a LinkedIn business profile yet? Over 225 million people use LinkedIn, and the site contains over 2.9 million business pages.

Each operation carries its own personality and culture. If those aren’t instilled in new employees in the on-boarding process, things will fall through the cracks. The brand will not be represented the right way. Committing to this step in the process is crucial. Training, bonding activities, leadership by example are a ways of ensuring the brand.

(According to LinkedIn.com)

Why would your wait staff want to smile if you’re trudging around with a frown all day? n

Restaurants are expected to add 448,000 jobs summer 2013, a 4.5 percent increase over the March 2013 employment level, according to National Restaurant Association (NRA) projections. The projected gain represents an improvement over the 2012 summer season.

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S o c i a l

M e d i a

S E S S IO N HAS THE OB G P IC T U R E S W IT H TA K IN ECOME OF MEALS B TOO MUCH? L BY ISSABELLE

MITCHEL

t’s a common scene in many restaurants: as soon as the server brings the food, patrons get their cameras ready.

Some guests set up a tripod, beginners like to use a flash that lights up the whole room, others stand on chairs or take poses that would make every yoga teacher proud. The goal of this pre-dinner routine? Let their whole social network know what they’re about to eat. They take the pictures, apply a few filters for an artsy effect, add as many hashtags as possible and come up with a caption that will make friends and followers wish they were sitting there. After uploading the pictures to all sorts of social networks, they can finally start eating – unless there is no reception or WIFI, and they run outside to post the pictures. 76 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Depending on how long the pre-meal photo shoot takes, food gets cold, congeals or melts, but this is a small sacrifice for possible food photography fame. It seems only losers eat without letting the world know about it, and if there is no photographic evidence, they might as well have not just eaten the best hot dog in the universe. Apparently the instant gratification of checking the likes and comments is sweeter than any dessert. You probably already know that no restaurant experience is complete without a pre-meal photo session. In case you need

more evidence that it is a global phenomenon: There are now tumblrs that show pictures of people taking pictures of their food. CT Food, a Swedish food supplier that imports Asian food, has taken the amateur food photography trend to a new level: People who are curious about Asian dishes can upload photos of their meal on Instagram, tag it with @AskCTFood and the folks at CT Food will reply with a list of ingredients so the dish can be replicated at home. The only catch: It’s all in Swedish.

I EAT, THEREFORE I SHOOT If you are shaking your head in disbelief and confusion, you are not alone. But the food photography movement is growing and is not going away. The world has gone social. In a world dominated by social networks and fuelled by narcissism and the constant need for approval, we are what our network sees us eat. It’s not just about the food. It’s also a creative outlet: A picture of kale chips, cider-braised scallops on a bed of organic arugula and red quinoa salad with a blurred glass of Sauvignon blanc in the background communicates that the diner is not just a

foodie. They are sophisticated artists with discerning palates. Gone are the days of your guests waiting until the weekend was over to tell co-workers about that amazing steak they ate on Friday night. Now it’s order-click-upload-eat.

NO CLICK AND #YUM FOR YOU! Even though it often turns into free advertising, many restaurants discourage or even prohibit patrons from taking pictures. The blinding flashes, people standing up, and fellow diners’ irritated and often dirty looks can make both guests and staff uncomfortable. Dining out has a lot to do with atmosphere – being surrounded by food paparazzi does not contribute to the ambience. Sometimes it seems that the most important part of a meal is taking a picture, not actually eating the food and enjoying the company at the table. What’s not a big deal for avid cell phone photographers might be incredibly annoying for guests who came for the food and not the photo-op. It’s up to the restaurants to determine if premeal photography is a right or a privilege – and if we need to be reminded that no screen can replace offline company and real-life #yum. n

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Great Places in

NEW ENGLAND

eam Reinhart had such fun putting together the first-ever Restaurant Inc, The Business of Food, and we love the support from our operators. We are already planning the Fall Issue and continue to comb Reinhart Country for anecdotes of wisdom, tips and advice for success, and tracking the latest trends for our customers. With that, we’ve identified our next “In Our Communities” region of Reinhart Country – New England. With New England’s rich culinary heritage, Team Reinhart will dig deep into the roots of America to find the next set of gems to uncover. We encourage all readers of this magazine to help and participate in our initiatives. It’s a pleasure learning more about the different operators.

If you’d like to contribute or be considered for content in the Fall Issue or subsequent issues, email Team Reinhart at magazine@rfsdelivers.com.

BELOW ARE A FEW HOT SPOTS WE HAVE OUR EYE ON FOR THE FALL ISSUE:

Charlestown, Boston

Charlestown is the oldest neighborhood in Boston and home to ReinhartAGAR customer the Warren Tavern. It has a charm that has enticed a new generation of immigrants and young professionals to join its traditionally Irish-American population. The scenic town sits on the Banks of Boston Harbor, and the Mystic River on the north side of the city and is home to noteworthy attractions such as the U.S.S. Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument.

North End, Boston

The North End is well known as a community of Italian immigrants and home to American patriot Paul Revere. There is no better place to get traditional Italian cuisine than here. There are countless families serving up incredible food in this neighborhood, plus famous celebrations such as the feast of St. Anthony. 78 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Burlington, Vermont

Although this is the largest city in the state, Burlington has managed keep the benefits of a larger city while maintaining a small-town feel, particularly in the vivacious commercial district. Located on the shores of Lake Champlain, this college town contains fun, hip shops and great restaurants.

Portland, Maine

This historic city rests on a peninsula jutting into Casco Bay and is at the center of New England; it is a gateway to Down East and only a stone’s throw from Boston. The largest city in Maine is filled with cobblestone streets, independent boutiques, tasty restaurants and micro-brews. Stopping by Buck’s Naked BBQ will make you wonder why you didn’t take a road trip to Portland sooner.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Known as the “best small city” in New England, Portsmouth the feel of a small seacoast town but the appeal of a vibrant urban area. Market Square area is a popular spot. Narrow, tree-lined streets feature locally owned shops and great restaurants with water views. Portsmouth is also home to Prescott Park, a scenic waterfront with spectacular flower displays and diverse musical performances. While there, you have to make time to visit The Dinnerhorn Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar.

Beacon Hill, Boston

As one of Boston’s oldest communities, Beacon Hill draws in residents and tourists with its charming brick row houses, brick sidewalks, narrow streets and gas lamps reflective of old colonial Boston. It is home to the Massachusetts State House and is lined with antique shops and quaint restaurants. Just steps from the State House is ReinhartAGAR customer The 21st Amendment, a great pub.

New England Sneak Peek

Put a Little

NEW ENGLAND on Your Menu

A VISIT TO WOODMAN’S OF ESSEX—INVENTOR OF THE FRIED CLAM Many flavors, textures and aromas come to mind when people think of New England cuisine. Although clam chowder and lobster are a few of the local favorites, they are joined at the top of the list by the fried clam.

up clams for the 4th of July parade the next day and, much to their surprise, people devoured them. Woodman’s made $35 at the parade, their largest daily profit ever. This secured a place for fried clams on the

Reinhart-AGAR customer Woodman’s Restaurant in Essex, Mass. is recognized as the inventor of the fried clam. This New England landmark has a tried-and-true recipe that has been around for generations—and draws in customers from all over the Commonwealth, the country and even the world. Woodman’s is also renowned for their Clambake and BBQ catering. And, if you want fresh seafood but can’t get to their famous Essex location, you’re in luck. Woodman’s will ship fresh lobsters, and their famous fried-clam kits, anywhere in the continental U.S. Brilliant!

Woodman’s menu—and the rest is history.

Woodman’s of Essex is rich in history. The New England attraction will celebrate 100 years in the restaurant business next year and is still run and staffed by the Woodman Family. Woodman’s has received accolades from Boston Magazine, the Travel Channel, ABC’s “The Chew” and many more. When Woodman’s opened their doors in 1914, Lawrence “Chubby” Woodman sold everything from homemade potato chips to chewing gum. In 1916 a customer recommended frying up a few clams to see how they’d taste. Mr. Woodman liked the sound of this, so they gave it a try and by July 3rd had perfected the recipe. They decided to fry

Put some New England History on your menu: Woodman’s fried clam plate is a crowd pleaser thanks to the work that goes into the dish before it makes it to the dining room. In the kitchen, clams are drained, dried, weighed and placed in evaporated milk to soak. After a few moments, excess milk is shaken off the clams and they are placed in corn flour. Woodman’s uses gluten-free corn flour, which adds a sweet yet rich taste. After a plunge into the flour, clams are placed in the fryer to develop a crispy coating. Woodman’s is particular about their frying process: They use only 100% lard, which they prefer to canola oil for the result and final taste. After frying for a few minutes, clams are placed in a colander to drain and cool. The end product is placed on a large dish accompanied by fries and onion rings; then presented to a customer to enjoy. Do you want to see how Woodman’s creates their world-famous fried clam plate? Log on the Reinhart-AGAR’s YouTube site to see our recent visit to this famous customer; YouTube.com/agarsuma. n

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 79

E x p e r t

O p i n i o n

Restaurant Improbable Lessons from an unlikely restaurant success by Gerald Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brion

Whether you are a party of one or one hundred, Le Chateau offers the perfect balance of ambiance and fine French cuisine, with European style atmosphere. Le Chateau is located in the historic Mons Anderson House at 410 Cass Street near beautiful downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin.

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im and Eva Ewers have achieved success with an uncommon restaurant in a place you might not expect.

The success of their restaurant, Le Chateau, holds lessons for all restaurant owners from large to small, rural to urban, and $ to $$$$. Tim and Eva opened Le Chateau, a fine dining French restaurant, in 2011 in La Crosse. If you’re not familiar with La Crosse, it’s a city of 50,000 in western Wisconsin surrounded

Choose the right team. Find people with

by rural farm country. It’s two-and-a-half hours from the closest major cities – Madison and Minneapolis. Really? French fine dining in rural Wisconsin? Turns out… yes. We got up-close and personal with Tim and Eva to learn the tools they used to create a smashing success in La Crosse. You can use these strategies to elevate your success regardless of where you are, what kind of food you serve, or the size of your budget. You might be surprised to learn that Tim describes himself as “not a risk taker.” Seriously? Yep, says Tim, “Restaurant success doesn’t happen by luck. It’s a science. There’s a formula to it.” So we dug in and convinced Tim and Eva to reveal their formula.

Do something nobody else is doing.

whom you see eye to eye. Partner with people who have a high level of expertise and who are aligned on what’s important. Tim got his start when he opened his first restaurant at age 25 with a partner. He quickly realized the importance of the skills that each brought to the table. Tim and Eva have worked together in restaurants for 13 years and say that this partnership is a critical element of their success.

Creating something truly unique can be the difference between success and failure in restaurants. If you want to draw customers in the door, you need to give them a good, unique reason. While there are some restaurants in La Crosse that are considered fine dining, the city had never seen anything like Le Chateau before. Tim and Eva set out to leapfrog the competition.

Have a solid game plan. Success happens

Creating differentiation is critical, but how do you create something authentically different? When you get clear on what makes you special, stick to it. Own it. Eva is from France, and is a Frenchtrained sommelier. Tim is a classically trained, highly experienced French chef. This is who they are. It’s what they know and love, and is truly authentic.

because you plan for it. Tim and Eva laid out a solid business plan which was built to achieve the best case, but prepared for the worst case. Opening fine dining in La Crosse was risky, so they planned everything so that they could run it with just the two of them if it came to that. They knew exactly what it would take to break even if it took a long time to build their customer base. The plan started with dinner service only. Their base plan showed that they could break even with the dinner service, and they committed to making that perfect.

Think big, but don’t get ahead of yourself.

Have a multi-stage plan for greatness. While Tim and Eva were perfecting their dinner service, they already had the plans in place for other income streams that would take them from break even to profitable. When they had perfected their dinner service they introduced lunch, private meeting rooms, a wine boutique, French cooking classes, and are in the process of opening a 20-seat lounge. Know what covers the bills, make it perfect, and then expand.

Get clear on what makes YOU special.

Know what you are, and what you’re not.

Don’t succumb to the temptation to be everything for everyone. Being located in rural Wisconsin, you might suspect that Le Chateau would have some California Chardonnay or Oregon Pinot Noir on the wine list. Nope. Eva is a French sommelier, and that is the wine they serve. That’s also the only kind of wine in the boutique. Working with Eva to pick the perfect French wine for your palate and your dinner is part of the experience. It’s part of what makes Le Chateau special. As you might suspect, the largest French wine list in the region is here. >>

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 81

Understand the emotions of your customers. Take them somewhere extraordinary. >>

Know your market, know your customers.

How on earth do Tim and Eva find enough customers for Le Chateau given their location? Well, they did their homework. It turns out that several big companies had moved in recently. These companies had brought the kind of executives who like great food and wine. Also the kind of people that have lots of meetings, and need privacy. The current restaurants in La Crosse weren’t addressing their needs. They built out Le Chateau with private dining rooms fitted with intercoms. Executives can meet in total privacy and summon someone when they need service. As another example, Le Chateau does a brisk business on nights when there is theater or the symphony. These folks need to be in and out by a certain time, so a special menu allows for that.

Know your competition. There are

always other options where customers can choose to spend their money. Know your competitors and where they’re coming up short. Then set the bar way higher. Tim and Eva built this in to every part of their plan. From the menu, to the wine, to the private rooms, they planned to out-pace the competition.

Conversation, service, satisfaction.

Of course customer service is important, but it’s rare these days that a restaurant takes the time and effort to do something truly out of the ordinary. Tim and Eva believe that great service is the underpinning of everything they do. And more specifically, they believe that conversations are what open the door – to satisfaction, to elevating the experience, to making it memorable, to getting guests back next time. Guests take pride in knowing Tim and Eva. Tim visits every table he can to make a personal connection. And collaborating with Eva to choose your perfect French wine is a conversation you won’t soon forget.

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Create an experience. Understand the emotions of your customers. Take them somewhere extraordinary. Tim and Eva knew that many of their customers would have had experiences traveling in Europe. The plan from the start was to transport them back to when they were there. The menu, the environment, the wine selection, and importantly the leisurely pace of the meal all help create that experience. As Tim advises guests…”This is going to take some time, bring people you really like.” Over deliver. Give them something

they didn’t expect. Tim and Eva regularly bring small tastes of food that their guests didn’t order. This accomplishes lots of things: increases their value perception, surprises them, creates shareable stories, differentiates from competition, allows them to sample parts of the menu they may not have tried, and ultimately gets customers back again.

Word of mouth marketing. Getting

people to pass along praise about you restaurant takes time, and it’s critical. It comes from an unexpected experience that has shareable memories. Give guests an authentic and different experience, and they’ll pass along genuine praise to others. This is one reason that Tim and Eva go to the lengths they do to have conversations, create unique experiences and over deliver for every guest. After two years, two-thirds of their guests are still new customers. The word about their existence is continuing to spread. It’s growing their business and fueling their ability to expand.

Advertising. Be selective. Know where your customers are looking, and what they’re looking for. Your Internet presence is critical. Even in La Crosse, Yelp is growing. People will check you out online before they come in. Be sure your website reflects the experience people will have in your restaurant. Tim and Eva have a website and video footage that is professionally created and looks impressive. The videos play in the La Crosse airport, right where executives fly in and out. Know your hurdles. Where are your

risk factors? What are the barriers to your success? Stay focused on them. With all of their success Tim and Eva are still constantly battling the perception that the price of eating at Le Chateau is out of reach. Then when customers do dine with them, they say that it was a great value. Continuing to spread that word is an ongoing focus.

When something goes wrong, this is your chance to shine. Pull out all the stops.

If you’re really committed to this business for the long-term, show it. First, make it right, then over deliver on making it right, then get them back by making it irresistible not to. Take responsibility, and have the conversation. Tim and Eva, around the time Le Chateau opened, had a challenge with a party of 10 who were in for the first time. Every person at that table received a gift certificate for 50% of their bill that night. They made it right and did everything they could do to get the guests back. As Tim says…”When they come back, we’re going to be flawless.” Gerry O’Brion is a nationally recognized marketing speaker and author who helps restaurants win in the marketplace. Gerry teaches a simple process that helps restaurants attract their ideal customers, regardless of their budget. Gerry began his career in marketing at Procter & Gamble, and then he was an executive for Coors Light, Quiznos, and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. His Business Blueprint includes simple steps to grow your restaurant like the big guys. You can download the first section of the Business Blueprint at WhatBigBrandsKnow.com.

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LIVING LARGE AT THE NRA 62,500 attendees

50 states 1 0 0 + countries

2,100 exhibitors

9 0 0

product categories

Bigger than ever, ginormous, epic, sweeping…insert your own cliché here—because they all work when describing the vast reach and sheer range of the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show. We could throw some numbers at you—62,500 attendees from all 50 states and 100+ countries, a record 2,100 exhibitors representing 900 product categories, sprawled over more tha 1.5 million square feet, nearly 40 percent new to the NRA show—but it still doesn’t begin to reflect the palpable buzz that reached fever pitch by the last day. The combination was completely intoxicating: veteran operators, newly minted culinary school graduates, exhibitors from down the street and across the world, tech types, food mavens, and hourly demos by rock star chefs. The big issues of the day were thoroughly explored: sustainability, health care, kids’ nutrition, technology, charity, labor, food safety, social media. Tantalizing tastes of everything were on hand, from bacon-flavored vodka (don’t judge, just taste, you know everything’s better with bacon) to gluten-free spinach pita pockets (tasting absolutely no different from a more traditionally made one, exactly as advertised) to waffles on a stick (a perfect match to their cousin, tatostix). Inspiration flowed freely from Howard Schultz, the passionate leader of Starbucks—almost as freely as the rapid-fire advice to aspiring restaurateurs from celeb chefs Brian Malarkey (“Build your relationships with vendors here today, it’s the most important thing you can do”) and Marc

Scan Here to: share the stories of the year’s most creative operators.

see the best new kitchen products

Murphy (“Go work in a restaurant first; it’s a crazy atmosphere, definitely not for everyone”).

1.5 million square feet

So, we’re not going to re-create all that great coverage. Instead, we’ll specialize, with some primo pros. Food Geniuses Justin Massa and Benjamin Stanley provide an illuminating view of the rows and rows of “shiny new toys” stocking the burgeoning technology aisles. And we’ve enlisted social networking gurus and magazine editors to break down the hottest food and drink crossing the border this year. And if you still haven’t had your fill, well, there’s always MUFSO in September!

E v e n t

relish in Anthony Bourdain’s uncensored nuggets

explore what’s trending

C o v e r a g e

read how the Starbucks CEO turned around his iconic brand

In the end, it was the expansive and outspoken Anthony Bourdain who explained just why food is, and always will be, the most life-affirming part of the human experience. In his travels, the meals and foods he has enjoyed the most are those with a family history, he said.

“When people serve you food, they are, in a sense, talking to you. It’s personal—these are intimate transactions. It should mean something when someone looks you in the eye and they feed you.” Perfect. n

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 85

DOES IT PROVIDE A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE? Digital menu boards and menus can change the game as to how customers view your menu, order from it and dine. “At Union Sushi, one of our favorite Chicago restaurants, we’re given an iPad menu with all the specials highlighted, while a server comes to the table and talks us through the whole menu,” shares Massa. The happy result: “We wind up ordering far more than we planned to, because it’s interactive, it’s fun and everything looks too good to resist.” DO YOU OWN YOUR DATA? If you decide to buy technology, think deeply about data portability. “You’ve done all the work getting that customer in the door, learning their preferences, encouraging return visits, but now you may not actually own that data,” say Massa and Stanley. Systems that get high marks for data portability include Fishbowl for its guest relationship marketing systems, and Compeat Restaurant ManagementSystems. DOES THE TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR YOU, AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND? Systems that are intuitive, using visual language that’s familiar to restaurant operators, are worth every megabyte. Mopro’s website creation service is a perfect example of an operator-friendly system, says Massa. “It should be a prerequisite, this type of an all-in-one solution that’s easy to learn for the non-tech oriented.” CAN YOU QUANTIFY THE TECHNOLOGY’S IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS? If not, don’t buy it. “Systems like Rewards Network, Fishbowl, FrontFlip—that tell you how many diners you’re getting in the door, how much they’re spending, and what they’re spending it on—help you make informed decisions.” The newly merged GrubHub and Seamless offer one of the more robust solutions for online delivery and takeout, says Massa, and enable operators to meet hundreds of new diners as a result of the company’s ongoing, heavy investment in advertising and marketing. DOES THE SYSTEM REQUIRE A BIG UPFRONT INVESTMENT IN HARDWARE? Proceed with extreme caution, knowing that whatever technology you buy today will be obsolete at a faster pace than before. “The one guarantee you have is that a $40,000 investment in hardware now will be completely worthless by next year.” Massa recommends systems in which you use your own hardware, such as an iPad-based POS, or a company that provides all the hardware and maintenance for a reasonable monthly fee.

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E v e n t

C o v e r a g e

The World on a Platter A huge international presence at the NRA kept experts on the prowl for global goodies. Some of the most intriguing finds, from the digital divas of ChicagonistaLIVE!, the newly launched Food Travelist, and the editor and publisher of el Restaurante Mexicano magazine: The hot new culinary capital of Peru was sizzling, with chef Ricardo Zarate serving up beef tartare and quinoa with feta cheese. Cocktails made from the national alcohol, pisco, were ultra smooth with Macchu Pisco’s Pisco Punch and Pisco Sours, according to Sue Reddel, co-founder of Food Travelist. See more at www.chicagonista.com and www.foodtravelist.com. Australia, New Zealand and Canada continue to offer premium beef and lamb, made to industry’s highest standards, notes Reddel. Greek yogurt was everywhere, as frozen ice cream, in cheesecake, dips, mac and cheese, as the trendy sub-in for mayonnaise or sour cream. The new Ibérico de Bellota Panceta from partners Wagshal's Imports and Fermin USA—a rich, flavorful smoked pork belly —earned highest honors in the Food and Beverage Innovations (FABI) Awards. “What’s not to like about this?” asks Reddel. “The Iberico panceta literally melts in your mouth like butter.”

Prop & Peller’s truly authentic Bavarian pretzels are made with highest quality dough, from a recipe that was handed down for generations. The Mexican/Latin market segment showed enormous and growing strength, accurately reflecting the booming Hispanic population in the U.S., says Ed Avis, publisher of el Restaurante Mexicano. Editor Kathleen Furore was loving it: “I’ve attended NRA every year since 1997, and have never seen as many chef demos, educational seminars and exhibitors focused on this segment as I did this year.” Her top picks for Mexican restaurateurs include Day of the Dead– themed beer and chef shoes, agave syrup and maguey sweet sap, salsa bases, tres leches cake, dulce de leche, fresh mango pulp and authentic Spanish chorizo. See more at http://www. restmex.com/.

De-constructing the Tech Floor Dozens of flashing digital menu boards, beyond-state-of-the-art music systems, computerized marketing solutions that inform, connect, engage and do everything but serve the customer…what do you need and how do you make the right pick? First, and most important, don’t be dazzled by all the shiny new gadgets luring you in, but start with your business challenge and see if technology can provide the solution. If not, walk away fast. “If you say ‘I’m going to buy some exciting new technology today,’ that’s your first mistake,” says Justin Massa, the savvy tech whiz at the helm of Food Genius, provider of real-time, big data for the food industry. “You must have a clear business case for needing it. All the technology shown at NRA boils down to solving a marketing or an operational challenge: driving more traffic into your restaurant, or running it better. Ask yourself which, if either, you need to fix.” Massa and co-founder Benjamin Stanley offer these tips for the tech novice (and with technology changing at a lightning-quick pace each year, aren’t we all?) to help know when to buy, reconsider or hold steady.

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 87

Upcoming Events PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo

7/26 – 7/28/2013

www.pma.com/foodservice

Food Marketing Institute 2013 Sustainability Summit

8/14 – 8/16/2013 www.fmi.org

Next Level Summits Food Evolution Summit

9/17 – 9/18/2013

www.nextlevelsummits.com

Natural Products Expo East 2013 Tradeshow

9/25 – 9/28/2013

www.newhope360.com

Institute of Food Technologists International Functional Food Conf.

MUFSO Super Show

www.ift.org

www.mufso.com

Philadelphia Candy Show Gift & Gourmet Show

NYC Wine & Food Festival

8/18 – 8/20/2013

9/8 – 9/10/2013

www.phillycandyshow.com

Fohboh Foodservice Social Media Universe 2013-Conf. & Expo

9/22 – 9/24/2013

www.fohbohfsmu.eventbrite.com

9/29 – 10/1/2013

10/17 – 10/20/2013 www.nycwff.org

America’s Food & Beverage Show & Conference

10/28 – 10/29/2013

www.americasfoodandbeverage.com

Food Film Festival

NYC 10/23 – 10/27/2013 Chicago 11/21 – 11/23/2103 www.thefoodfilmfestival.com

88 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Calendar of Events

10/3/13

Reinhar t Shrevepor t

Diamond Jacks Resort & Casino Bossier City, LA

10/1/13

Reinhar t Tidewater

Virginia Beach Convention Center Virginia Beach, VA

Reinhart Food Shows

Reinhart food shows afford customers the opportunity to view showcased food and supply items, ideas for new menu offerings, and to collaborate with customers on our technology and marketing services. We also like that customers have the opportunity to meet members of the Reinhart family. Join us for one in your neck of the woods!

10/22/13

Reinhar t Twin Cities

The Depot Minneapolis Minneapolis, MN

9/24/13

Reinhar t Shawano

ShopKo Hall Green Bay, WI

9/17/13

Reinhar t Cedar Rapids

Marriott Convention Center Coralville, IA

3/18/14

Reinhar t Milwaukee

Potawatomi Bingo Casino Milwaukee, WI

EarthChoice速 products offer features including sustainable and renewable resources, reduced amounts of plastics, less fossil fuel to manufacture, and post consumer recycled content. S U M M E R 2 0 1 3 R F S D E L I V E R S . C O M 8 9

Chef ’s

Essentials

Good Knives I have a set of Henkel 4-stars that have been with me for over 30 years. They’ve never failed me and they go with me to every kitchen. Good knives are the hallmark of a great chef.

Mandoline

Another tried-and-true piece of equipment that has been with me for over 30 years. This versatile tool can do basic cuts, but also gives a chef the tools to get very creative in slicing and prep.

Chef Jeffrey Merry

A chef has many tools of the trade. Chef Jeffrey Merry, corporate executive chef of Reinhart-AGAR lists his kitchen essentials and the five basic high-quality ingredients you need in your kitchen.

Tell us yours. Tweet us at @Reinhart_Corp & @Reinhart_AGAR

4 Food processor I use my Robot Coupe R2 a lot—another invaluable tool that can set a chef apart from the others. The food processor is a workhorse and allows the kitchen to get quite a bit done.

Digital thermometer Need I say more? A must-have for anyone in the kitchen.

Tongs An extension of my hands, tongs are a musthave for any chef, and for that matter, just about anyone in the kitchen.

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Pepper Mill Sea Salt Using sea salt over iodized salt is any chef’s preference. It’s under-processed, and its coarseness makes it take longer to dissolve.

Freshly cracked pepper is always preferred over others. In short, it always provides a much fresher pepper flavor than product that has been sitting in a container.

Unsalted Butter Unsalted butter has a cleaner taste and allows a chef to adjust a recipe with other ingredients during the process. It’s also preferred by chefs in baking.

Fresh Herbs Spring and summer are great for fresh herbs. A chef might want to add mint to a summer salad or fresh basil to their tomatoes for extra flavor.

High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil The versatility of extra virgin olive oil makes this a kitchen favorite. A chef can cook, bake and sauté with it, it’s a great condiment for fresh breads and it’s good for you.

Advertiser’s

Index

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92 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

[PG.71]

Cheese Merchants of America, L.L.C. www.cheesemerchants.com

[PG.41]

Dole ® www.dole.com

[PG.77]

Georgia-Pacific www.gp.com

[PG.07]

John Morrell ® www.johnmorrell.com

[PG.83]

Lyons Magnus www.lyonsmagnus.com

[PG.72]

Maglio & Company www.maglioproduce.com

[PG.63]

Markon ® www.markon.com

McCain ® Foods www.mccainusa.com

[PG.46]

NORPAC ® www.norpac.com

[PG.67]

Pactiv www.pactiv.com

[PG.89]

PepsiCo www.pepsico.com

[PG.46]

Rochester Meat Company www.rochestermeat.com

[PG.67]

Roland ® Foods www.rolandfood.com

[PG.42]

Sugar Foods Corporation www.sugarfoods.com/SFC

[PG. 53 & 72]

Tetley ® www.tetleyusa.com

[PG.72]

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc www.eatwisconsincheese.com

[PG.29]

[PG.38]

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 93

O p e r a t o r

I n d e x

Apple Holler

Maude’s Liquor Bar

5006 S. Sylvania Avenue Sturtevant, WI 53177 www.appleholler.com

840 West Randolph Chicago, IL 60622 www.maudesliquorbar.com

[PG.12]

[PG.39]

Bluephies Restaurant & Vodkatorium

Piggy’s

2701 Monroe Street Madison, WI 53711 www.bluephies.com

[PG.15]

Digger’s Sting

501 Front Street South La Crosse, WI 54601 www.piggys.com

[PG.20]

Revolution Brewing

122 3rd St North La Crosse, WI 54601

2323 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 www.revbrew.com

[PG.19]

[PG.47]

Doughnut Vault

Rudy’s Drive-In

400 N. Franklin St. Chicago, IL 60654 thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com

1004 La Crosse St. La Crosse, WI 54601 www.rudysdrivein.com

[PG.39]

[PG.17]

Dublin Square Pub & Eatery

The Shanty Restaurant

103 N. 3rd Street La Crosse, WI 54601 www.dublinsquarepub.com

38985 North RT 41 Wadsworth, IL 60083 www.theshantyrestaurant.com

[PG.22]

[PG.10]

Gilt Bar

Tru

230 W. Kinzie Street Chicago, IL 60654 www.giltbarchicago.com

676 N. St. Clair St. Chicago, IL 60611 www.trurestaurant.com

[PG.39]

Grand Gevena Resort & Spa

Woodman’s Seafood Restaurant

7036 Grand Geneva Way Lake Geneva, WI 53147 www.grandgeneva.com

[PG.13]

Le Chateau 410 Cass Street La Crosse, WI 54601 www.lechateaulacrosse.com

[PG.80]

94 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

121 Main Street Essex, MA 01929 www.woodmans.com

[PG.79]

B u r g e r

SMOKY BEET BURGERS < Makes 8 Keep the patties small and handle them delicately. You may need to add an extra egg for more binding power. If you’re a good measurer, you should be fine with the one.

// ingredients // 3 T.

grapeseed/extra virgin olive oil

yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 C.

walnuts

1/2 C. golden raisins 1 C.

grated beets

cloves garlic, smashed

2 tsp.

sweet smoked paprika

1 tsp.

salt

1 tsp.

pepper

R e c i p e s

onion mixture and mix well. 3. Make the feta spread by mixing all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside. 4. Use lightly oiled hands to form 8-10 small patties just under 1’’ thick. 5. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron ran over medium-high heat and add oil to coat the bottom. Place the burgers in the skillet (in batches if necessary) and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. GENTLY flip the burgers, turn the heat down, cover and cook for 10 minutes until the burgers have a firm, brown crust. 6. Serve warm with your favorite condiments.

CHORIZO BURGER Makes 2

1/2 C. cooked green lentils

// ingredients //

egg

1/2 lb. ground beef

2 C.

cooked short grain brown rice

1/3 lb. fresh (Mexican) chorizo

// feta spread // 1 C.

feta cheese

1/4 C. whole milk Greek yogurt 1/4 C. chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. olive oil 2

big white, crusty rolls

large egg

slices cheddar cheese

few grinds fresh ground pepper

// preparation //

squeeze of lemon juice

1. Preheat a grill pan on medium-high.

// extras // 8

crusty sourdough buns

sliced red onions

microgreens & lettuce

// preparation // 1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes, until just golden. Add the walnuts, raisins, beets, garlic and paprika and cook another 10 minutes, stirring often. Let the mix cool slightly. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse a few times until chunky.

2. Meanwhile, use your hand to gently just combine the beef and chorizo meat. Season with salt and pepper, and divide and shape into two hamburger patties. 3. Rub the outside with the olive oil, and place on the hot grill. Cook 6 to 8 minutes per side. Once you flip the burger, place slices of cheese on top to melt. 4. Prepare the eggs sunny side up. 5. Slice the rolls in half horizontally, and place on the grill, cut side down, for 1 to 2 minutes. 5. Build the burger by piling the bun with the burger, melted cheese and egg.

2. Put the mixture in a large bowl and stir in the salt, pepper and half the lentils. Replace the food processor (dirty is fine) and pulse the other half of the lentils, egg and rice together a few times to make a coarse purée. Add the rice mixture to the

SUMMER 2013 RFSDELIVERS.COM 95

C o m m o d i t i e s

COMMODITIES TRACKING

Keep your ear on the ground with commodity pricing, as it dictates food costs. Below are select prices as of July 1, 2013.

COMMODITY PRICING

GRAINS Description

Units

Price Contract

CBOT Corn

USd/bu.

506.25

Dec 13

CBOT Wheat

USd/bu.

659.50

Sep 13

CBOT Oats

USd/bu.

350.75

Dec 13

CBOT Rough Rice

USD/cwt

15.58

Sep 13

CBOT Soybeans

USd/bu.

1,256.75

Nov 13

CBOT Soybean Meal

USD/st

372.70

Dec 13

CBOT Soybean Oil

USd/lb.

45.35

Dec 13

Description

Units

Price Contract

ICE Cocoa

USD/mt

2,151.00

Sep 13

ICE Coffee "C"

USd/lb.

122.15

Sep 13

ICE Sugar #11

USd/lb.

16.87

Oct 13

ICE Cotton #2

USd/lb.

83.23

Dec 13

Description

Units

Price Contract

CME Live Cattle

USd/lb.

122.03

Aug 13

CME Feeder Cattle

USd/lb.

149.45

Aug 13

CME Lean Hogs

USd/lb.

97.45

Aug 13

SOFTS

LIVESTOCK

Source: Bloomberg.com

Is there a commodity youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see on the chart? Email us at magazine@rfsdelivers.com with your suggestion. 96 RFSDELIVERS.COM SUMMER 2013

Exceed Expectations.

Open the gates to delicious and keep customers coming back with quality meats cut to your specifications. You have the ideas, let us supply the center of the plate. 速

Contact your local Reinhart速 Sales Consultant for more information on Eagle Ridge . The Eagle Ridge brand is available only through Reinhart.

Exceed Expectations.

RESTAURANT the business of food V O L

A Better Coffee Is Within Reach. Coffee sales are on the rise, yet customers are getting more selective about the coffee they enjoy.

Better Choices. A guarantee of excellence.

R E S TA U R A N T INC of food

or scan the QR Code.

SUMMER

www.ReinhartSample.com/coffee

For a FREE Sample of Ridgeline Coffee go to

2013

rfsdelivers.com | tracsdirect.com

Back to Our Roots

S U M M E R

2 0 1 3

Trending Now Anatomy of a Trend pg. 26

Destination La Crosse pg. 08

business

Don’t miss out - sample the new Ridgeline Coffee Roasters offerings today & win over customers!

0 1

the

Four new families of coffee distinction.

I S S U E

The New & Improved Ridgeline Coffee Roasters Brand.

0 1 ,

Build a Better–No, the Best– Burger pg. 32

Beverage Section

The Rise of Craft Beer, Reconsidering the Pint Glass & more.