Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News * Fall 2019

Canadian

&

Fall 2019

Restaurant Foodservice News Official Magazine of the Culinary Federation

EQUAL TO THE OCCASION IS YOUR RESTAURANT READY TO DELIVER ON ELEVATED EXPECTATIONS?

Publication Agreement #40033126

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX Meal kits are new to foodservice, but quickly gaining traction — Page 47

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OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

Canadian Trailblazer Mohamad Fakih | Money on the Table | The Industry’s Newest Consumer(s) | Q&A with Robin Wasicuna

contents Fall 2019 VOL. 10 NO. 3

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 39 The Culinary Federation’s À LA MINUTE

ADVERTISER FEATURES (FROM OUR PARTNERS)

18 The Natural Choice

20 COVER STORY

FEATURES

32 Equal to the Occasion When diners reserve a table, they usually do so for a reason

9 Menu Building Seven Tips to Boost Your Bar Menu

DEPARTMENTS 4 Editor’s Note Out on the Town 6 Canadian Trailblazer Purpose-Driven 10 Chef Q&A Robin Wasicuna: “It doesn’t matter what you’re producing if you’re putting out a good product” 16 Cannabis Update The Newest Consumer(s) 50 Crunching Numbers Hard Bargain

14 Tools of the Trade Saving Up 20 Beverage Feature Winning Pair 28 Dessert Spotlight Branded Boost

By Reuven International Ltd.

30 Data Driven

By Flanagan Foodservice

38 Griddle Riddle

By Heritage Parts

51 Love Canadian Farmers?

Love Canadian Canola

By Canola Eat Well

60 A Three Ring Circus for Second Harvest

By Second Harvest

47 Mealtime Supplement Thinking Inside the Box 56 Foodservice Focus Money on the Table

“

I grew up in a community that believed the more you give, the more you get back.

”

-— Mohamad Fakih, president and CEO of Paramount Fine Foods

EDITOR'S NOTE

OUT ON

THE TOWN

Some occasions will always call for sitting down at a restaurant

O

n the first floor of MediaEdge’s North York office building, a small cafe does brisk business throughout the day catering to the 15 storeys-worth of office workers. I routinely grab a quick breakfast sandwich on my way up when I come in for the day, and occasionally run down to get a midday cookie (okay, that’s pretty routine, too). A lot of foodservice operations these days are oriented around people like me looking for something tasty, quick and functional.

When we think of a restaurant, though, it’s typically the opposite: a chic space, inventive dishes, a bottle of wine — it’s a place meant for spending some time in.

These last few years haven’t been as kind to the full service restaurant space as they have to spots like MediaEdge’s local grab-and-go. But FSRs are still the go-to for a night out on the town (post night-out slices of pizza notwithstanding), and with the run-up to the holidays, replete with parties and seasonal catch-ups, they have a chance to take centre stage again.

How restaurants handle those special occasions can have a lasting impact throughout the year, too. In our cover story, “Equal to the Occasion” (page 32), OpenTable’s Julieta Garcia sheds some light on the platform’s recent survey that asked consumers what they look for when they want to paint the town red, and how those expectations shape the rest of the evening. More importantly, she discusses how restaurateurs can use that information to meet — and exceed — customers’ already sky high expectations for their big night out.

Our fall issue isn’t limited to upscale outings, though. How could it be?

Consumers need more from Canadian foodservice than just breakfast sandwiches and fine dining, and it’s constantly branching out in new directions as a result. In this issue, you’ll also find: • A briefing on the emerging meal kit market in NPD Group’s Vince Sgabellone’s “Thinking Inside the Box” (page 47); • How to open up your restaurant to Canada’s growing Muslim population in “Money on the Table” (page 56) by Nourish Food Marketing’s Salima Jivraj; • A breakdown of Canada’s newest official demographic, cannabis users, in “The Newest Consumer(s)” (page 16).

Whatever else changes in foodservice, sitting down to a meal with family, friends and colleagues for a special occasion will always be in the mix, and with the nights getting longer, it’s going to start happening more often. Best be ready to impress.

Gregory Furgala Managing Editor

4 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

&

Canadian

Restaurant Foodservice News The official publication of the Culinary Federation, RestoBiz.ca, RestoBizBYTES and RestoBizGuide.

PUBLISHER: Chuck Nervick chuckn@mediaedge.ca

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Nick Nervick nickn@mediaedge.ca

MANAGING EDITOR: Gregory Furgala gregf@mediaedge.ca DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Steven Chester stevenc@mediaedge.ca

ART DIRECTOR: Annette Carlucci

WEB DESIGNER: Rick Evangelista

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Rachel Selbie rachels@mediaedge.ca CIRCULATION INQUIRIES: Anthony Campbell

416.512.8186 ext. 234

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Magazine Editorial Advisory Board Jason Bangerter

Ryan Marquis

Executive Chef, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel and Spa

Corporate Chef, CW Shasky

Donna Bottrell, RD Owner, Donna Bottrell Food Consulting

National Director of Culinary Services, Amica Mature Lifestyles Inc.

Andrea Carlson

Brent Poulton

Chef/Owner, Burdock and Co.

CEO, St. Louis Bar and Grill

Connie DeSousa and John Jackson

Doug Radkey

Gary McBlain

Co-owners/chefs, Charcut/Charbar

Owner and Director of Operations Key Restaurant Group

Jeff Dover

Matt Rolfe

Principal, fsSTRATEGY

CEO and Hospitality Leadership Coach/Speaker, Results Hospitality

PRESIDENT: Kevin Brown

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT:

Chuck Nervick

Published by: MediaEdge Communications Inc. 5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000 Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4 Tel: 1-866-216-0860 Fax: 416-512-8344 E-mail: info@mediaedge.ca • Website: www.restobiz.ca Copyright 2019 Subscription Rates: Canada: 1 year, $50*, 2 years, $90*, US $75, International $100 Single Copy Sales: Canada: $12* * Plus applicable taxes Publications Mail Agreement No: 40033126 PAP Registration No. 10983 ISSN 1494-7625. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News or the editorial staff. Although every care will be taken of material submitted for publication, Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News, its servants or agents accept no responsibility for their loss, damage or destruction arising while in its offices, in transit or otherwise.

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PURPOSEDRIVEN Mohamad Fakih has made Paramount Fine Foods the fastestgrowing Middle Eastern restaurant chain in North America, and he did it by looking past the balance sheet

By Gregory Furgala

6 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

CANADIAN TRAILBLAZER Mohamad Fakih just wanted a kilo of baklava. His wife had asked him to pick it up from Paramount, an out-of-the-way restaurant hidden behind a police station in a Mississauga industrial park. It wasn’t easy to find, and Fakih drove in circles past identical looking buildings with no recognizable landmarks until, finally, he stumbled across it. Already put off by the search, he walked in to find a wholly underwhelming space: it was run down, the washrooms looked awful, and besides, its ambitious name had nothing to do with its location. It was disjointed, but apparently the baklava was excellent.

As he waited for his order to be filled,

Fakih called the owner and told him he’d lend him the money. About four days later, the owner called him back: the money was gone.

Fakih was flabbergasted. The owner, defeated and homesick, wanted out of Canada and transferred ownership to him.

That left Fakih out a quarter million with a business he had zero experience in and more than a dozen employees whose visas depended on Paramount. “I didn’t know how to fry an egg,” says Fakih, but with his new employees’ livelihood on the line, he’d at least try to make it work.

He started with the basics, expanding the menu and renovating the restaurant.

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“I grew up in a community that believed the more you give, the more you get back, and that you’ll never lose by giving back to the community. It’s always a profitable equation.”

Fakih chatted with the owner, who recognized him from a recent magazine article about the house he was building.

Fakih admitted that, yes, that was him in the magazine. The owner’s next question was a bit more pointed: “Would you lend me money? Would you lend me $250,000?”

Despite the baklava, Paramount was on the verge of bankruptcy, and the owner’s wild request was a Hail Mary. “I said, ‘I’m only here for baklava, I don’t know you,’” recalls Fakih with a laugh. “But I handed him my card. It was one of those things that happened in your face and you have to deal with it. I was hoping he would lose it.”

But the exchange nagged at Fakih. He has twice been an immigrant, first to Italy when he was 16, where he studied gemology, and then to Canada, where he arrived in 1999. Born in Lebanon, Fakih grew up amidst the civil war that raged there from 1975 to 1990. As a child, he ran to and from school out of necessity, and his safety was less than certain. It stifled opportunity, and the country faced — and is still reckoning with — a long recovery.

Fakih left to find a better life, and had found it running his own small jewellery business far from the armed conflict he grew up in the middle of. Now Paramount’s owner and his 16 employees, who came to Canada for a better life, faced ruin. Fakih couldn’t help but see himself in them. “Wasn’t that me when people helped me and gave me an opportunity? The people that picked me up from the airport, and helped me all my life, whichever way I turned?”

Despite its poor performance as a business, the restaurant still had decent sales, so he brought in the Fifteen Group, a restaurant consultancy, to make the place profitable.

The approach worked. Before Fakih took over, Paramount was doing about $50$60,000 in sales per month. In less than a year, Paramount was doing that weekly.

Then it was making $90,000 per week.

Fakih took over Paramount hoping to recover his money and help a group of distraught chefs. Now he had a viable business. “Even during the initial three to four months, you could see it,” says Fakih.

“You’re not only selling the product, like in other industries. It’s being part of a family.

People get to know each other the best around food.”

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Paramount has been wildly successful ever since. There are now more than 70 Paramount Fine Foods restaurants, a packaged food brand, Aya Fine Foods, and two related restaurant concepts, Paramount Lebanese Kitchen, a quick-service concept that shares some menu items with Paramount Fine Foods, and Paramount Butcher Shop, which specializes in premium halal meat. Paramount has expanded across the GTA and Ontario, out west into Alberta and B.C., and into the United States, the United Kingdom, Pakistan and Lebanon. Last year, Fakih bought the naming rights to Mississauga’s Hershey Centre, renaming it the Paramount Centre.

Changing the decor, Fakih believes, was vital. “I always had the problem of going

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8 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

into mom-and-pop shawarma places, not decorated, nothing, and the cleanliness standards were very low. I really wanted to put the standards I had in the jewellery and diamond business into the restaurant.” Fakih says the shift created an environment where Middle Eastern Canadians felt at home, and where non-Middle Eastern Canadians were willing to try. Fakih has also committed to using quality ingredients, relying on free-range chicken and Canadian beef and lamb.

More important than looks, though, is the sense of purpose Paramount has had since Fakih took over. He initially became involved in Paramount as a benefactor, not strictly as an investor, and he has continued to imbue the company with a sense of mission.

Last year, Fakih partnered with the UN Refugee Agency in Canada, building on his successful initiative in 2017 to hire five refugees at each of his restaurants (he had hired 150 by the end of the year). It’s the right thing to do, Fakih says, but it’s also just good business. When he arrived in Canada, Fakih says he was “hungry.” He had left a warzone behind and was driven to be safe and successful in his new home, and he sees the same characteristic in migrants and refugees today. “That’s why I keep talking about newcomers and refugees,” says Fakih. “You don’t only help them change their life. It’s actually beneficial to the company, beneficial to the country entirely. They want to overperform.”

“I always said, it wasn’t right business-wise what I did,” says Fakih, referring to his first investment in Paramount. “But I see a lot of cash in the bank I never imagined I’d have, and they need help, I’m going to give it to them. I grew up in a community that believed the more you give, the more you get back, and that you’ll never lose by giving back to the community. It’s always a profitable equation.”

As proof, Fakih talks about when he decided to start selling Paramount franchises, which accounted for the company’s explosive growth recently. “We had a lineup of 50, 60 people because people didn’t buy in only to good food. They didn’t buy in just for the good service. They bought in for having a company that helps the community.” Seriously — and convincingly — Fakih calls Paramount a movement. Successfully franchising aside, Paramount’s rapid growth, from one nearly-bankrupt restaurant to the fastest-growing Middle Eastern chain in North America is proof enough that Fakih’s basic principle, that people want to support a brand that helps people, is a sound one.

Fakih has confronted the ugly side of Canadians, though. In 2017, while hosting a Liberal Party fundraiser at his first Mississauga restaurant, two men, Kevin Johnston and Ron Banerjee, protested outside, falsely accusing Fakih of running a “nefarious” business that only served “jihadists.” The pair engaged in an inrregular campaign that targeted Fakih for his Muslim faith, repeating false, hateful claims on Johnston’s website, and even doctoring a photo Fakih, depicting him with his mouth and hands covered blood. Fakih sued them in response. Banerjee publicly apologized and settled for an unspecified amount, and the judge awarded Fakih $2.5 million in his case against Johnston, calling Johnston’s comments a “loathsome example of hate speech at its worst.”

“For three years, I was very affected by it,” says Fakih. He knew fighting it would be difficult, but he couldn’t back down. “I just couldn't budge on letting it go. It wasn’t the Canadian thing to do.”

From Fakih, it was unsurprising, too. His success turning Paramount into a world-spanning restaurant chain is in part due to his commitment to causes outside of the usual purview of a restaurateur, to taking on challenges for a good cause, not a strictly profitable one.

It’s in part because of the people who helped him. “The people that helped me in my life didn’t just help me,” says Fakih. “They helped the 2,500 employees I’ve hired around the world. If those people didn’t help me, I wouldn’t be able to be who I am today.”

MENU BUILDING

SEVEN TIPS TO

BOOST YOUR BAR MENU Just because people are waiting for a table doesn’t mean they can’t eat

By Misty Beazley

Many foodservice operators view the bar as a holding area for guests to enjoy cocktails while waiting for a table. Others see it as a place for those who aren’t eating a full meal, and instead just having drinks. Either way, it is a spot that is needed yet too few concentrate on.

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As restaurateurs wander through the myriad marketing options available to drive outside sales, it is easy to overlook a prime opportunity like enlivening the bar. There’s a chance to drive a captured audience into higher average cheques, and an opportunity to offer a greater guest experience by enticing guests to enjoy a new pub-influenced bar menu.

Implementing change at the bar is not as hard as it may appear. Here are seven tried and true ideas to help you get started: 1. Examine the numbers. Often a guest

will ask their server for a dish recommendation and hear, “It’s one of our best sellers,” when, in fact, it is the staff member’s favourite. There are also favourite dishes of many owners or chefs who may see a menu item through rose-coloured glasses, not objectively, which is what a menu mix report provides.

2. Seek out the bottom three sellers among the starters currently offered.

Try the items for a couple of days in a row and analyze if they are consistent. The restaurant’s culinary brigade may simply need to be retrained on how the dish was originally envisioned. Also, ask the front and back of house teams why the items are not selling. Tweaking tired dishes works too. Inject some excitement by adding a local microbrew beer sauce or farm-raised beef from down the street.

3. As an incentive, hold a contest with

service staff to see who achieves the highest sales of bar food.

4. On the topic of staff, they can provide

the most honest feedback on why dishes aren’t selling. Servers can also make or break a bar menu with their attitude. Quite simply, if they don’t love it, they won’t sell it.

So, ask them what they like to eat when they dine out and some of the spots they

patronize after work. Then get the management team together and go do some competitive dining.

5. Hold seminars on how to sell and offer

food and beverage pairings.

6. Allow servers to provide complimentary samples to guests to convert diners. There is no better way to get guests to try new or freshened items than to offer them for free.

7. The next weapon to ready in the arsenal

is the kitchen brigade. Hold a contest to see how cooks would change the nibbles available at the bar. By doing so, they will be motivated to push service staff to sell items they had a hand in creating. Best results are achieved when owners and operators let culinary team members own the dish and put their name on it. When compliments start flowing they’ll really enjoy the fruits of their labour.

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Going forward, remember why the once loved dishes were put on the menu in the first place: somewhere in the menu is a family recipe waiting to be a best seller.

Then, with the help of staff, roll out a revamped bar menu. This way both guests and staff will sing the praises of the new pub grub.

This article originally appeared on Restobiz.ca. www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 9

Q&

ROBIN

WASICUNA “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU’RE PRODUCING IF YOU’RE PUTTING OUT A GOOD PRODUCT” Between the bitter winter cold and constant summer sun, Yellowknife hasn’t had much of a restaurant scene, but that’s changing Robin Wasicuna is at a crossroads. Earlier this year, the Yellowknife-based chef closed down his brick-and-mortar restaurant, the Twin Pines Diner, to open his second food truck. His first became the sole go-to for burgers made with freshly ground meat, homemade accoutrements and proper buns, an approach that sparked some friendly, productive competition with other restaurants and earned him an appearance on Chopped Canada. His second truck, open during the summer, served tacos — another niche Wasicuna believes is going unfilled in Yellowknife.

But with three decades in the kitchen and a year shy of 50, Wasicuna is thinking of the next steps in his career, and about getting off of the line. He’s also excited for the ‘Knife: despite the bitter winter cold and summers where the sun barely goes down, young chefs are taking advantage of the region’s unique local flora — fireweed, cattail shoots, wild northern herbs — and creating a food scene unlike anything in the country.

10 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT PARTS EVERY COMMERCIAL KITCHEN

photo credit: Angela Gzowski

YOUR POCKET-SIZE PARTS EXPERT

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

CRFN: Tell me about your cooking background and culinary training?

Robin Wasicuna: When I would stay home sick from school, I would watch Wok

with Yan, the Urban Peasant and other great Canadian cooking shows. I ended up going to Holland College in PEI — I was at Summerside, at the smaller campus, simply because I couldn’t afford to go to the [Culinary Institute of Canada] at the time. I can’t say I was the most inspired the first few years, that’s for sure. I spent a lot of time just working in pubs, because in Nova Scotia there’s pubs everywhere.

In ‘94, I moved out to Alberta and got a cooking job in Edmonton, and I met my mentor there, a really close friend of mine named Jiro Oishii. We were working Von’s Steakhouse and Oyster Bar. Everything was made from scratch. We cut everything, and we did all our own stuff in house. It was so different from the pubs I was used to work in, and it inspired me in a lot of ways to see what food could really be.

Most importantly, I learned that food does not have to be stuffy, white-table-cloth to be good. Jiro and I would go around the city and eat at different places. We’d hit up a korean joint one day, then an Indian joint another day. These were little hole-in-the-wall places, mom-and-pop places. We’d go do a burger someplace at a cheap little greasy spoon, and we started realizing — Jiro showed me that good food is good food. It doesn’t matter what you’re producing if you’re putting out a good product.

In 2004, I made the move to Yellowknife. I had lived here as a child before moving to Nova Scotia, so I came back and fell in love with the place. I met a beautiful lady, bought a house, got married, and we started the Wiseguy Food Trailer in 2012 or 2013. We started our first food trailer simply based on the fact there was no place in town to get a good burger. Every place in town was serving frozen patties, and it was disheartening, so we made the choice to do fresh-ground, homemade toppings and all the condiments made from scratch. The first year was okay, then the second year came along around the same time that Chopped Canada called, and then of course business just kind of took off after that.

After Chopped Canada, we were able to make a leap into a brick-and-mortar place, so we took that chance, and in 2015, we opened Twin Pines Diner, and we had a good four year run. We just at the end of May closed our doors. Now we’re onto another food truck.

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Q&

CRFN: Do you have an idea for what that’ll look

like?

RW: Yeah, we’re going to be doing tacos. There’s

no Mexican food available in town. We’d do Saturday nights the diner, sort of a special event night. We’d pick whatever inspired me that week to do something, and we’d put on a four-course meal, or five-course meal, and so whenever we’d do Mexican, it was always incredibly popular and always sold out within a couple of hours, so this just seemed like the next move for us.

CRFN: You’ve cooked at pubs, steakhouses, diners, food trucks and had even cooked at an event for Trudeau before he was the Prime Minister. How does that diverse set of experiences influence you as a chef ?

RW: When I got started, the pub thing was just

out of necessity. I learned a lot, but you don’t ever really learn from fully-trained chefs in those pubs, especially back in the early ‘90s. I didn’t fall into — I hate using the word elitist, but that sort of only using the best ingredients and this and that. I got into that [later] because of the upscale steakhouse. What upset me, though, was my team couldn’t afford to eat the food they were cooking, and that was really frustrating for me as a chef, because you’d have to save up five paycheques just to go out to a meal at a restaurant and enjoy yourself. The appeal of my early pub days started coming back to me with all that newfound information from my mentor Jiro — it didn’t have to be elitist to be good.

I grew up on canned peas, mac and cheese and spam — whatever my mom could afford. My love of cheap food and processed food it still there in a lot of ways. At the diner, we made our own sort of Cheez Whiz that we would put it in squeeze bottles. That high-brow, low-brow combination has always been a big part of what we do, and I stick by that. That’s pretty much my style of cooking. It was developed by moving in and out of both of these worlds.

CRFN: Yellowknife gets extremely cold in the winter, and in the summer it can get 20 hours of sunlight per day. Do those extremes affect your business?

RW: Definitely. In the winter, when we had the diner

open, we were a ten-minute walk outside of the downtown core. When it’s 40 below, and there are other restaurants that are a four-minute walk away, as opposed to a 10-minute hike down the hill, it makes a big difference. People aren’t going to make that trek.

When the summer hits, your business almost disappears. We’ve been stuck inside all winter for eight months, and as soon as the sun hits, people can put on shorts and they’re outside as much as

12 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

possible. So many people here go to their cabins, or their RVs, or they’re at home BBQing and hanging out. That’s why we’re returning to our roots and opening a food truck again. It gives us that ability to be out where the people are.

CRFN: What does local cooking look like in Yellowknife?

RW: We have a lot of spruce trees, so spruce tips are

prevalent [in the summer]. There’s a tonne of wild roses here, fireweed, cattail; there’s a tonne of wild herbs and berries around. We’re kind of hands-off on wild game up here — we’re not allowed to use it [in restaurants]. But I’m working with a few departments in the government, and I’m hoping that we can maybe start to change that a little more.

CRFN: What’s the food scene like in Yellowknife?

What did it used to look like? Where it is now? And where do you hope it goes?

RW: When we started our first food truck in 2012, it was a frozen burger town. Within a year, restaurants were at least buying ground beef and making their own patties. Almost every single restaurant in town switched to that, and I was so happy to see that. A little bit of friendly competition really helped create that culinary scene. That was our number one goal with Twin Pines Diner.

Now we have a couple of kids in town, one of which did a stage at Blue Hill Farms with Dan Barber. Him and a friend of mine are really pushing local. They’re more of the tweezer set — very fancy, very soignée. They’re taking birch bark and making a flour out of it. These guys are just going full bore with that whole thing, and that’s great. If these guys can take it to another level, I’d be so happy.

We’ve also got a brew pub that opened up a couple years ago, and they’ve got some great culinary talent working there. We have a fantastic Korean restaurant in town. We have an Ethiopian and a Somali restaurant in town. There’s a place open in a museum now with a young chef who’s really getting into his groove and really pushing things and starting to blossom as a chef. I’m so happy we were able to be such a big part in creating this, because we didn’t want to be the only ones in town.

With all these places coming along, we get to go to other friends’ restaurants, and there are other chefs coming from all over the country to work at these places. It’s really starting to grow from when everybody was buying from Sysco or Gordon Foods, and quite literally all serving the same food, to where they are now because we have a couple of kids who are banging out super soignée bush food and going hard on it. When I make my next move, we can put that into play and really create something special in Yellowknife.

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SAVING UP

Kitchens are power-hungry, but the right appliances can help keep that energy consumption in check

By Gregory Furgala

Ovens, stoves, grills, planchas, fryers, bain maries, refrigerators and innumerable small appliances make up a conventional restaurant kitchen.

At peak hours they’re running full bore and using a prodigious amount of energy, eating into restaurant owners’ budgets and slim margins.

With the exception of wood oven-only restaurants, a steep monthly hydro bill is the necessary cost of running a modern kitchen. But there are ways to bring that soaring cost back to ground.

As manufacturers have made their products smaller, more versatile and more powerful, they’ve also made them far more efficient. The foodservice industry could use the help, too. In a 2013 study on energy use in U.K. pubs in the International Journal of Low Carbon Technologies, researchers found that energy use in restaurants is “vastly” greater than most estimates. Cooking is responsible for the lion’s share, accounting for 42 per cent of total average energy consumption. For context, refrigeration stands a distant second at 28 per cent.

“Kitchen and food-related activities greatly [outweigh] other energy-using activities,” the report states. “Consumption is highly variable between kitchens and appliances due in part to the wide variety of makes and models of appliances implemented.” Rephrased, the report’s authors found that some restaurants, kitted out with inefficient appliances, consumed far more energy than kitchens operating better, updated equipment.

Enter Rational’s SelfCookingCenter.

While combi-ovens aren’t exactly new — the first one was introduced in the 1960s — the combination of convection cooking and steam is flexible, versatile and fast, a trio of characteristics that make it wellsuited to modern kitchens. Since 1997, Rational has improved on that standard, adding features and improving its construction to not only make it perform better than the next combi, but also with less bottom-line impact on your hydro bill.

“A lot of customers, when they’re looking at purchasing [new equipment], ground it in the initial cost of the equipment,” says Jim Lund, a consultant resource manager at Rational USA. “People say, ‘I just want to invest $500 in a deep fat fryer, $1,000 in a convection oven and $1,800 in a steamer. I can’t afford a combioven, it’s so expensive.’ But the operating cost of the whole lifecycle is more than the purchasing cost.”

With any piece of old gear, maintenance outside of warranty will contribute to those operating costs, but reducing energy consumption can cut that cost down. The U.K. pub study found that the average grill used 36.89 kilowatt-hours (kwh) daily; steamers, 11.99 kwh; and fryers, 40.82 kwh.

Rational’s SelfCookingCenter combi-oven is an able replacement for all three, and is, on average, 30 per cent more efficient than conventional cooking methods, which adds up. In recent years, hydro rates have increased in almost every major Canadian city. Only Ottawa and Toronto saw a decrease, but that was from record provincial highs of 16.15 and 17.81 cents per kwh in 2017, to 12.16 and 13.24 cents per kwh in 2018. For argument’s sake, assuming a Toronto chef ran a SelfCookingCenter instead a grill every day last year, they would have saved more than $500 on their hydro bill.

Some of the developments setting Rational’s SelfCookingCenter apart are seemingly low tech — a third pane of glass on the cooking window, an easily de-scalable heating element for steam — but the results are startling. That third pane keeps 30 per cent more energy in the cabinet, with a net 10 per cent decrease in energy consumption. A quarter inch of limescale

14 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

buildup on the seemingly innocuous heating element reduces its efficiency by 38 per cent. That efficiency drops exponentially, with a half-inch of buildup reducing efficiency by 90 per cent. Instead, the oven prompts users when it’s time to clean the element, which is facilitated with a simple descaling tablet. A standby mode enables chefs keep their SelfCookingCenter at the ready without running them at full power all day long.

“In kitchens of the past, the first thing chefs do is walk down the cooking line, turn the oven on, turn the steamer on, turn the flat top on, turn the deep fryer on, and they’re using energy all day, even if they’re not cooking anything,” says Lund. Now, the oven can be ready at a moment’s notice, but not running at full power. It’s like overhead lights that automatically turn off when people leave the room. Not every fix needs a revolution; some of them are simple, expedient and effective.

How many appliances could a combi oven replace? Realistically, it depends on the chef and their workflow, but frying, roasting, grilling, steaming, poaching and baking are all on the table, and chefs willing to adapt their recipes and processes to a SelfCookingCenter could see substantial savings over older, inefficient appliances and save space in their kitchens. They could see savings in labour as well: the SelfCookingCenter is smart, and senses, detects, thinks, learns and communicates with the operator while cooking toward a pre-programmed result, freeing them up to take over other duties (although it can still be operated manually for cooks who want to be there every step of the way).

Rational’s SelfCookingCenter is, if it’s not clear by now, very efficient, with the end result being a significant return-oninvestment and high performance. Those benefits will only increase as the cost of electricity — and labour and real estate — continues to climb.

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www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 15

CANNABIS UPDATE

THE NEWEST CONSUMER(S) There’s more than just one kind of cannabis user — a lot more

By Gregory Furgala

Canada has a new demographic — officially, at least. With legal cannabis established, consumers who partake now constitute a new set of data points, providing business owners, restaurant operators included, new insights into understanding and catering to them.

Market research firm Technomic is amongst those exploring the category.

For the first quarter of 2019, Technomic sent out a survey based on its Ignite Consumer survey, a well-established tool measuring consumer restaurant and menu preferences, with questions added about cannabis use and restaurants. The result, Courting Cannabis Consumers, confirmed a handful of widely-held beliefs — cannabis users really are more prone to cravings — but also demonstrated that the cannabis users can’t simply be understood as a single monolithic category. Instead, the same demographic

fault lines defining other groups continue to play a role. Age and health are key differentiators, for example, although other typically important factors, like income, play next to no role.

FUN AND FUNCTION

Despite the media bandwidth cannabis occupies, Technomic’s study found that only a minority of Canadians intend to consume cannabis — it is a sizeable minority, though. Across demographics, 19 per cent planned to use cannabis recreationally, 11 per cent medicinally, and 9 per cent both recreationally and medicinally. Moreover, 70 per cent of

16 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

recreational consumers visit restaurants once per week, a 20 per cent jump over their non-using counterparts, while 61 per cent of medicinal users do the same.

They may not be as numerous as nonusers, but their habits are worth noting.

Perhaps the biggest predictor of restaurant usage amongst cannabis users is the reason they’re consuming cannabis to begin with. Recreational and medicinal users have different concerns and, when dining out, are looking to satisfy different needs. While the former tend to be health-agnostic, medicinal consumers are not, presumably because of health concerns they’re treating with cannabis in the first place. The two categories track with age, as well, with consumers between the ages of 18 to 44 greatly over-indexed for recreational use compared to the general population, with 18- to 24-year-olds (Gen Z)

CANNABIS UPDATE

indexed at 143, 25- to 35-year-olds (Millennials) at 175, and 35- to 44-yearolds 125. At over 45, that index drops to 60. Seventy per cent of recreational users also visit restaurants at least once per week. By contrast, the 65-plus set, indexed at 134, is the only over-indexed age cohort for medicinal use. Generally speaking, young people enjoy cannabis for fun; seniors use it as a remedy.

CRAVING CONVENIENCE

While foodservice segments across the board benefit from recreational cannabis use, QSRs and convenience stores benefit most. Recreational users reported visiting them 28 and 25 per cent more often, respectively, than non-users. Cafes and retailers saw 22 per cent of consumers say they visit them more often, with that figure dropping to only 16 per cent more often for the upscale restaurant segment.

As was noted, recreational users are eager to enjoy cr aveable options, particularly if they’re portable and name-brand. Those numbers are significantly lower for medicinal users, with only 15 per cent of respondents saying they go to QSRs more often, although food retailer s remained somewhat consistent at 19 per cent.

Technology use is another notable differentiator, especially amongst the 18-45 segment dominating recreational use, and operators looking to insinuate their restaurants as the go-to post-toke spot should adjust accordingly. As a group, recreational cannabis users are more fluent with technology non-users, but what’s desired from it is different among age groups. Millennials, for example, are aging and accruing family and professional obligations. As a result, they’re typically more preoccupied with convenience, making speed and app-enabled ordering, pickup and delivery critical for this set. By contrast, Gen Z responds more favorably to free wifi and video entertainment.

PRODUCT ROLLOUT

Cannabis users have different wants based on the reason they partake in the first place, as well as their age.

But before taking them into account, restaurateurs ought to look around their dining room to get an idea of their core customer, then build outward from there. Given the

diversity amongst cannabis users, most foodser vice operator s are likely catering to them in some r e s p e c t a l r e a d y, s o f u r t h e r capitalizing on at least one of the sub-demog raphics is likely just matter of adjusting, not overhauling.

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www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 17

ADVERTISING FEATURE THREE IN A FOUR-PART SERIES

Chef David Cocker

THE NATURAL CHOICE

Corporate Research Chef & Business Development Manager Reuven International Ltd.

Consumers are asking more questions about the use of antibiotics in chicken. Reuven Naturals gives restaurant operators an answer

Health and wellness is increasingly driving customer behaviour, and the concern isn’t limited to calories and nutrition. Canadian consumers are (rightfully) asking questions about how livestock and poultry are raised, what they are fed, how they are treated and how much space each animal is provided.

These are all top-of-mind issues. Few aspects of animal welfare and poultry production are as complex, however, as antibiotic use.

Simply put, antibiotics are as necessary for healthy poultry and livestock as they are for human health. Livestock isn’t immune to harmful bacteria; they get sick just like the rest of us. But overuse is a concern, and nowadays, meat and poultry producers realize the importance of using antibiotics judiciously to ensure their continued effectiveness in animals and people. If overprescribed, antibiotic residue accumulates in the bird’s tissue, while the effectiveness of the treatment diminishes as bacteria builds up a resistance to it.

Canada’s poultry industry has been wrangling with this problem for a while. In response, it limits the use of antibiotics to reactive treatment — like you’d give to somebody with an infection — and preventative treatment. Antibiotics are classified into four groups, category one through category four. Category one includes antibiotics that are considered the most important to human medicine and are administered only sparingly, never preventatively. At the end 2018, the industry stopped using category two antibiotics preventatively as well, and by the end of 2020, category three antibiotics will join that group. That only leaves category four antibiotics that are used preventatively, which are never used in human medicine.

All said, almost 60 per cent of the antibiotics used for treating poultry aren’t used for

treating people. Despite claims that some antibiotics are “growth promotants,” the amount of those used is extremely low, and Canada’s poultry industry is currently working with the government to remove all claims of growth promotion in its antibiotics.

When animals are treated with antibiotics, a waiting period is required before slaughter. As a result of these strict controls, the discovery of detectable quantities of antibiotics in meat has become rare. Reuven’s program of antimicrobial residue testing ensures that all of its finished products have no detectable limits of antibiotics, and its accredited poultry veterinarians only treat our chicken with antibiotics under prescription to ensure the health and safety of the animal. Withdrawal is closely monitored to ensure the antibiotics are no longer present in the animal’s system by time of slaughter, leaving no residue and minimal bacterial resistance.

Transparency is critical when it comes to food. Chefs and restauranteurs can create a new landscape of customer based loyalty by being up front with their guests about what they’re providing. Honesty establishes trust, and that will build customer loyalty as much as a fantastic menu. Besides, there’s nothing to hide. Some consumers are still averse to any use of antibiotics, though. Recognizing that, and the growing consumer demand for clean

labels and minimally processed foods, Reuven has just launched a new lineup of products under the Reuven Naturals brand.

These products are made using chicken that is raised without the use of antibiotics (RWA), with simple and natural ingredients, and contain no added nitrites, phosphates or gluten containing ingredients. Reuven Naturals are also certified handslaughtered halal. Our Reuven Naturals Lineup includes: • Fully Cooked Oven-Roasted Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast is made from fresh whole muscle chicken breast, hand-trimmed 90 gram (3.2oz) portion (Product Code : 21590); • Fully Cooked Low Sodium Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast is made from fresh whole muscle; chicken breast and contains 29 per cent less sodium than the government low sodium standard (Product Code 20827); • Fully Cooked Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast Strips are made from fresh whole muscle chicken breast.

Reuven’s line up of delicious premium poultry products will enhance your restaurant brand marketing and satisfy the preferences of your customers including health, wellness and, of course, great taste.

Chef David Cocker is the Corporate Research Chef at Reuven International, the global poultry experts.

With a wealth of culinary creativity, industry expertise and a unique culinology research chef background, he helps create innovative recipes, does detailed product analysis and leads customer ideation sessions from their state-of-the-art test kitchen. For more information about the latest trends in the poultry industry call 416-929-1496 or visit www.reuven.com.

18 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

Your Natural Choice!

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• Raised without the use of ANTIBIOTICS • Made with simple, natural ingredients • Formula has NO gluten containing ingredients • NO added nitrites • NO phosphates • Chickens are grain fed with NO animal by-products • Certified humanely raised chicken* • Halal certified

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BEVERAGES

Winning PAIR

The FSR segment is losing ground to quick and limited-service restaurants, but creative, value-driven beverage programs can help arrest the trend

By Sophie Mir

20 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

BEVERAGES

Full-service restaurants are struggling to flourish in today’s foodservice market. In fact, according to Technomic’s 2019 Top 200 Canadian Chain Restaurant Report, both fullservice location and sales growth have slowed down in the past three years.

This deceleration can be attributed to several factors, including losing market share to limited-service competitors and new emerging channels, such as eatertainment concepts and food halls.

Fa s t - c a s u a l a n d q u i c k - s e r v i c e restaurants continue to outpace fullservice concepts in sales growth with fast-casual and quick-service’s yearover-year sales growth up 12.6 per cent and 3.7 per cent in the last year, compared to casual dining’s 2.4 per cent.

In addition, emerging concepts such as eatertainment venues and food halls are luring consumers away from restaurant chains by offering greater entertainment value and a larger variety of dishes and flavours, respectively.

Not only are FSRs battling for business with other concepts, but they’re also struggling to get customers physically into their doors. The uptick in delivery solutions is one reason, with over half of consumers (58 per cent) agreeing that it’s more convenient to order food for delivery than for carryout, according to Technomic’s 2018 Canadian Off-Premise Consumer Trend

Report. The popularity of delivery speaks to the growing “let’s stay at home and Netflix” trend, in which fle xibility and convenience are prioritized over a formal restaurant experience. To incite consumers to dine in at restaurants, full-service operators will need to evolve the dining experience, offering foods, beverages and an overall social experience that better competes with off-premise.

One way operators are marketing the in-restaur ant e xperience is by emphasizing and reinventing their adult beverage selections, which have some of the highest profit margins in restaurants.

According to Technomic’s 2017 Adult Beverage Canadian Insights Report, adult beverage consumption from foodservice remains strong, with over two-fifths (41 per cent) of consumers reporting that they purchased an adult beverage during their last restaurant visit. Because alcohol beverages are a key part of the dining experience, operators are finding ways to profit more from adult beverages, both by luring new customers and developing loyalty among regular customers. Let’s delve into six major adult beverage strategies that operators are using to maximize revenue.

FOOD AND (MOSTLY) BEVERAGE

With almost half of consumers (44 per cent) stating that offering foods they like is an important attribute when deciding where to purchase a beverage, according to Technomic’s 2018 Canadian Beverage Consumer Trend Report¸ full-service operators are promoting popular alcohol drinks with fare favourites to appeal to customers who may be interested in an expertly paired drink and bite. For example, Symposium Cafe, a leading full-service growth chain, offers a martinis-and-mussels pairing special on Wednesdays, and Delux Burger Bar spotlights a beer-and-slider combination

www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 21

BEVERAGES deal once a week. By providing a curated pairing option that is not as easy to formulate at home, operators are attracting consumers to dine in at their restaurants for both food and drink, resulting in higher check averages.

HAPPY HOUR AND BAR DEALS

Value-driven specials are becoming increasingly significant to consumers, with over two-fifths expressing it is important that traditional casual-dining restaurants (43 per cent) and upscale casual-dining restaurants (41 per cent) offer promotions and special deals. Moreover, according to Technomic’s 2019 Canadian Future of FSR Consumer Trend Report, consumers also report that prices being too high is the top deterrent in visiting full-service restaurants.

Operators are responding to this demand for lower prices and better deals by launching happy hour specials. For instance, Scaddabush, a leading full-service growth chain, offers two kinds of happy hours: after work (from 3 to 5 p.m.) and late-night hours (from 9 p.m. to close). Specials include $5 sangrias and Aperol spritzes, as well as $8 cocktails. Lone Star Texas Grill also provides two happy hours during the weekdays: one during the day (from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and one late at night (from 9 p.m. to close), spotlighting reduced-price frozen margaritas, beer and well drinks. By offering happy hours throughout the day, operators draw in consumers to dine in during off-peak hours, gaining new customers who don’t usually stop by after work hours.

In addition to happy hour specials, concepts are also highlighting daily drink specials. For example, Cactus Club Cafe offers 50 per cent off all bottles of wine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Knowing that consumers love a deal, operators are and should continue to provide these beverage promotions to attract customers who may be thriftier, especially younger ones.

BEVERAGE TASTINGS AND OTHER ALCOHOL-DRIVEN EVENTS

Holding alcohol-related events, including tastings, is another way that full-service concepts are attracting customers to dine in. Since about half of consumers report that they visit upscale restaurants to celebrate special occasions (60 per cent) or treat themselves or others (46 per cent), operators are showcasing and promoting their alcohol knowledge and experience as a distinct form of entertainment.

For example, Midfield Wine Bar in Toronto regularly holds “Meet Your Maker” events where winemakers from various

22 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

global regions gather for an interactive wine tasting occasion in which guests can try new wines and mingle with wine experts to receive a fun-filled education. In addition, Sorrentino’s holds ethnic-inspired cooking classes that include ethnically appropriate alcohol beverages for the event.

Operators should continue to add wine tastings and cooking classes to their restaurant programs, offering consumers a different reason to visit their restaurants.

WOW-FACTOR ALCOHOL DRINKS

Full-service operators are enticing customers with craveable alcohol beverages that not only taste good, but are also visually striking. With some 40 per cent of consumers expressing it is important that full-service restaurants offer signature items that they can’t get elsewhere, operators are concocting limited-time or feature beverages that often have dramatic colouring or effects that are hard to replicate at home.

For instance, Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill offered colourful Unicorn Bellinis this summer that are made with “unicorn tears”, adding a photo-worthy option to its adult beverage menu. Further, Applebee’s menued strawberry margaritas that came with a Twizzlers straw this spring, which was not only Instagrammable but also nostalgia-inducing. To gain consumers’ attention, concepts should promote these eye-catching drinks on their online and in-store menus and signage with high-definition pictures and use social media as a marketing tool to provide further details of these typically uber-limited-time drinks, including trendy ingredients and flavours and how long they’re available.

BRUNCH 2.0

As brunch grows popular as a daypart, especially among women and younger consumers, restaurants are enhancing the brunch experience by menuing alcohol beverage specials. For instance, Earls Kitchen + Bar launched a brunch happy hour last year, marketing it as “all the motivation you’ll need to get up and get out earlier on weekends.” Select feature drinks include mimosas and spiked coffee with Baileys liqueur. By incorporating morning alcohol favourites on brunch menus, full-service restaurants are able to gain a new kind of customer: those who may not enjoy evening dining but still would like an alcohol-driven social experience. This results in increased traffic in a daypart that traditionally doesn’t get high check averages from adult beverages.

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24 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

Full-service restaurants are infusing excitement into their adult beverage selections by not only offering creative twists to alcohol drinks and offering stimulating alcohol-related events, but by also highlighting inventive mocktails as an alcohol alternative.

U.K. brand Seedlip has seen rapid growth in menu mentions in the past year, rising 100 per cent on restaurant menus, per Technomic’s Ignite menu data. Marketed as the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit, Seedlip is popping up in trendy mocktails to appeal to non-drinkers who may want to dine in at restaurants for the drinking experience, but without the alcohol. With a third of consumers, including 41 per cent of younger consumers aged 18 to 34, reporting that they would be likely to purchase mocktails that taste like they contain alcohol, concepts are and should continue to add Seedlip-infused mocktail options to draw in non-drinkers and help avoid the veto vote. For example, Ki Modern Japanese + Bar in Toronto offers its clementine fizz, made with Seedlip Grove, clementine juice and iced orange tea. Besides including Seedlip, operators can also innovate their non-alcoholic beverages to taste and look like alcoholic drinks by creating and featuring housemade spiced syrups or other concoctions that have similar flavours to certain spirits, such as a juniper-infused syrup that is reminiscent of gin, and presenting them in traditional cocktail glassware.

OUT-INNOVATING THE COMPETITION

Innovation around alcohol beverages continues to carve new opportunities for full-service operators to gain new patrons and retain old ones, as they face increasing competition from other foodservice avenues. With over a third of consumers agreeing that they are more likely to visit an upscale (43 per cent) or traditional (34 per cent) casualdining restaurant if it offered a wider variety of alcohol beverages, operators should explore various strategies to diversify their alcohol beverage menus and alcohol-related events to enhance the overall drinking experience. Restaurants that find creative ways to market their alcohol beverage selections will not only gain an edge over other fullservice and limited-service concepts, but will better compete with emerging channels that are developing into threats.

Sophie Mir is an Associate Editor for Technomic Inc., a Chicagobased foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.

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26 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

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Poultry olymelfoodservice.com www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 27

DESSERT SPOTLIGHT — IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HERSHEY COMPANY

BRANDED

BOOST

Incorporating well-known brands into your dessert menu can boost sales and turn everyday items into social media stars

By Gregory Furgala

The first iteration of Reese’s collaboration with Krispy Kreme in the United States was released two years ago on a Friday in August. The donut, a true study of excess, was stuffed with Reese’s peanut butter cream, dipped in chocolate and topped with peanut butter chips, peanuts and chocolate and peanut butter drizzle. The team-up was calculated for social media: Reese’s is a legacy brand with nearly a century behind it, Krispy Kreme is nearly as old, and both have entrenched, nostalgic appeal with consumers.

By the following Monday, a scant 72 hours later, the Reese’s-Krispy Kreme donut had generated more than a billion impressions across social media, which helped drive strong sales throughout the run of the donut. The two brands followed up with collaborations in 2018 and earlier this year, as well, making the Reese’s-Krispy Kreme relationship less a stunt than a permanent state of affairs.

Branded desserts, it turns out, are more than a novelty. They have traction.

“We know there’s a lot of trust that brands convey, and that consumers make quick decisions,” says Al Adams, a national sales manager at Hershey, which owns Reese’s. “We think that trust is really going to increase and continue.”

Given the performance of the Reese’s donut, it’s not surprising that a white paper

commissioned by Hershey last year found that Millennials and Gen Z are particularly interested in branded desserts. For starters, they’re more i n c l i n e d t o c a r e ab o u t d e s s e r t generally, with three-quarters (76 per cent) saying it’s essential for capping off a special occasion. On top of that, a third of younger consumers said they’d be willing to pay between $0.50 and $1.50 for a Hersheybranded dessert, which is fitting, since more than half of Millennials a n d G e n Z e r s e q u at e H e r s h e y ingredients with higher quality.

Naturally, social media reflects younger cohorts’ affinity for branded desserts, as well — particularly Gen Z’s. In Hershey’s white paper, 32 per cent of Gen Z respondents said ads featuring branded dessert get their

28 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

attention, and 42 per cent said it’s the number one food item they photograph. Of both Millennial and Gen Z respondents, 46 per cent had a picture of a dessert on their phone at that moment.

Branded desserts are an opportunity, but not a no-brainer. Adams says that a molten lava cake loaded with Hershey chocolate, for example, would probably underperform at most QSRs, where cutlery is rare, but has proven a good fit at Chili’s Grill & Bar. By contrast, he says, the York Peppermint Pattie, which skews toward an older market, likely wouldn’t catch on as much there, but would perform well at a restaurant like Cracker Barrel, which draws an older crowd.

“The cool thing about Hershey and our brand is that it plays across demographics, and we can really add value across the menu,” says Adams. It does, however, take some forethought and consideration.

It’s worth it, though. Krispy Kreme and Reese’s didn’t blow up social media one weekend by accident. When Hershey partners with a foodservice brand, it takes time to identify the right deployment of the right ingredient for the right market. If it’s done well, though, customers — younger customers especially — will be on board, and can help make a regular menu item into a bestseller — or even an annual event.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Jack Chaffe and family

DATADRIVEN

>>

CARVE BEEF DEPENDS ON STRICT FEEDING REGIMENS, GOOD HEALTHCARE AND EXCELLENT RECORDS

By Gregory Furgala

Raising cat tle these days is dif ferent than farming even just 20 years ago.

The cows haven’t changed much, and neither has the setting. But there is a lot more record keeping — at least that’s the case at Jack Chaffe’s feedlot.

Chaf fe is the vice president of the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association (OCFA) and fifth generation cattle farmer who finishes approximately 2,500 cattle per year and, now, produces reams of data. The “problem” is his own doing. In 2001, Chaffe helped create the OCFA’s Ontario’s Quality Assurance Program — the first of its kind in Canada — which is at the heart of CARVE beef. The program prescribes standards of care for Ontario cattle, including the type and quantity of feed, as well as procedures for treating illness. It also requires farmers commit everything to paper (or, currently, to a hard drive). “Basically, I’ve got 10 years of back reference here of animals that went through our feedlot,” says Chaffe.

That’s about 25,000-cows-worth of data Chaffe’s keeping on hand. The effort is worth it, though. It ensures that cattle raised through the Quality Assurance Program are provided with a high standard of care, and that the product is consistent and distinct, year after year. Chaffe’s collection and analysis of data may be a modern effort, but the result is timeless: great tasting beef.

“When we first started this, we wanted to have a consistent product, whether it came from my feedlot or my neighbour’s feedlot,” says Chaffe. “We’re hoping to drive more demand for consumers to buy local, and the CARVE program will help achieve that, so it is a win-win.”

30 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

That product, Chaf fe says, is consistently juicy, tender and flavourful, and with more than 500 farmers across Ontario managing their herds through the Quality Assurance Program, it means theirs are, too. It’s a team effort. Alongside farmers like Chaffe, animal nutritionists and veterinarians work together to manage feed rations and any health issues that might arise, with an eye toward the desired result of the perfect steak. If a veterinarian prescribes a cow antibiotics for an infection or inflammation, for example, it can only be sent to the abattoir following the requisite withdrawal time.

“It ’s more involved, but it ’s good for us, too,” says Chaffe. “We can follow up and look back on the treatments, or feeding programs, and we have the data to make changes to our feeding program.”

Chaf fe has continued the work that four generations of his family did before him. Where they kept tabs on a herd, though, Chaffe, with the help of nutritionists and veterinarians, keeps tabs on each cow. And if you don’t believe h i m , h e h a s t h e re c o rd s t o p ro ve i t .

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EQUAL TO THE O

When diners reserve a table, they usually do so for a reason

By Julieta Garcia

Special occasion dining — an out-of-the-ordinary night out — is an opportunity to leave an impression and build relationships with diners that keep them coming back.

Dining occasions drive unique behaviours around a restaurant meal and give context to the goals, motivations and expectations of your guests. These occasions drive what they’re looking for, why they’re looking for it and how they’re looking for it.

32 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

COVER STORY

OCCASION

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COVER STORY

OpenTable seats 29 million diners every month, which offers a unique line of sight into diner behaviours. We’re able to occasionally survey our users through the platform to gain enhanced insights. A survey of OpenTable diners was designed to find out what really counts when it comes to personalized experiences and what motivates diners to eat at restaurants. The goal was to use our findings to enhance product design on both the diner and restaurant side.

The survey ran over the course of a week and generated more than 10,000 combined responses. The results showed that 94 per cent of diners make reservations with a specific occasion in mind. We also found that diners’ behaviours and motivations kept changing depending on whether they were dining out for a celebration, meeting up with friends, going on a date or just coming home from a day at work. Diners’ behaviours and motivations changed depending on the dining occasion.

Each dining occasion is very distinct, and diners have specific goals and criteria when looking for a restaurant. Convenience and price are most important for everyday dining, a convenient location and fun ambience influences reservations for a friends’ get-together, business meals prioritize proximity to the office and a low noise level, date night dining focuses on discovering new restaurants or cuisines and special occasion dining involves greater consideration on food quality, service and ambiance.

DINER INSIGHTS AND ANALYTICS ARE CRITICAL

The opportunity for restaurants lies in understanding the motivations of diners to create personalized experiences.

“It’s on us to find out why people have chosen to dine here. Dining out is about a relationship, about hospitality, not just a transaction,” said Erik Joyal, owner of Ascari Hospitality Group in Toronto. “We keep our own diner profiles in our reservation system and will keep notes and preferences for return diners. We’ll also note special occasions based on the icons that flag birthdays or anniversaries. The flags give our servers a strong headstart in getting to know why our guests are dining out and what their expectations might be.”

“We’ve expanded our guest insights this past year by inviting our users to include their birthday and anniversary dates in their profiles. These icons automatically accompany their reservations and let restaurants know about a special occasion. Our diners also frequently notify the restaurant about special occasions when booking on the platform,” said Tania Arena, an OpenTable restaurant services manager in Toronto. “Things are only getting better for our restaurants. OpenTable has acquired Venga and will be integrating its enhanced guest analytics to give our restaurants more insight than ever into their diners.”

Our data shows that restaurants using OpenTable’s GuestCenter — our hospitality-driven guest management feature — have higher review ratings than those who don’t, at an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars. By adding customized notes and tags in your private guest details, you can better understand their behaviours, tastes, and tendencies.

34 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

WHAT SPECIAL OCCASION DINERS CRAVE

We have surveyed our diners to find out what really counts when it comes to personalized experiences, and what touches are most likely to bring them back to a restaurant again and again. Diners responded that complimentary extras (69 per cent) and seating preferences (65 per cent) would go far toward increasing customer loyalty. But it’s worth noting that 53 per cent of diners looking for those custom experiences have not actually made requests around seating or dietary preferences before their arrival.

The “Cheers Effect” is also alive and well. The next most important things diners said they wanted restaurants to know (and remember!) were their names (65 per cent) and favourite drink (50 per cent). Plus, people are overwhelmingly looking for a more tailored dining experience — a whopping 95 per cent said they’d be more likely to go back to a restaurant if the staff catered specifically to their personal preferences.

Finally, we found more evidence that guests aren’t just craving VIP treatment from special-occasion

COVER STORY

restaurants. Almost 70 per cent of respondents said they would enjoy a more personalized dining experience from casual restaurants.

Industry professionals know how much magic happens behind the scenes in restaurants. Today, tech plays a key role in helping restaurants deliver next-level hospitality and making guests feel like VIPs — whether they’re visiting from out of town or live two blocks away. That level of service makes an impact on guests, makes them eager to come back, and prompts word-of-mouth recommendations as well as online reviews.

RESERVATIONS ARE OFTEN BOOKED WELL IN ADVANCE

One of the most notable differences between the casual diner and the special occasion diner is how far in advance reservations are made. Some of the biggest dining events in Canada are Valentine’s

Day and Mother’s Day. We see a greater than 300 per cent increase in reservations on Valentine’s Day in Canada and more than half of all Valentine’s Day reservations are made at least 11 days prior to the big day. While more reservations overall are made during the cooler months leading up to the holiday season, weekends tend to show a marginal decrease in reservations, presumably because people are spending time with family.

With a special event such as Valentine’s Day, there are often high expectations. The people making those reservations are thinking in advance and committing to a memorable night out. Mother’s Day is different in that it is the single largest group dining day of the year and advanced reservations for parties of four or larger is critical. Eighty-two per cent of these reservations are made two weeks in advance.

While Canadian diners have high expectations for all their meals out, these expectations often increase when it comes to special occasion dining. Our data highlights that the level of thought that goes into preparing for an occasion is elevated around events that need to feel extraordinary. Planning, searching and deciding where to go will be generally low for an everyday dining meal. It happens frequently, so diners are

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COVER STORY

less inclined to be spending time and money to satisfy the functional need of hunger.

For a special occasions, which are necessarily infrequent, the expectations will go up dramatically, because diners are willing to spend more time planning and more money to experience the food, service and atmosphere. Our qualitative research has revealed that some diners will even visit restaurants beforehand to ensure they are up to their standards.

“Someone who joins us for a special occasion wants the best dining experience for them and their guests. Our entire team at the restaurant is always committed to exceeding our guests' expectations and offering truly personalized service. When our staff knows that a table is celebrating a special event of some kind, they will bring something to make the meal extra memorable," says Pino Forgione, Owner of Montreal's Ristorante Beatrice.

“We’re able to see from our OpenTable analytics that guests from out of town account for a significant proportion of our diners. Those insights help us better understand what brought diners to Montreal, and our restaurant, and how we can best impress them through

36 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

providing both an outstanding culinary experience and attentive hospitality," added Forgione.

WILL FLY FOR FOOD

Anything that’s out of the ordinary, such as an event or a trip, influences diners’ behaviour. Food tourism, travel indulgences, business travels and meals all represent a divergence from the everyday diner’s profile and expectations. In cities such as Montreal, 31 per cent of restaurant reservations through OpenTable come from travellers from other regions. These guests are researching their options and making dining part of their travel experience. Even more importantly, as regular users of this reservation platform, they’re accustomed to sharing their preferences and expectations when they make their reservations.

Dining out is a major part of travel — be it for business or pleasure — especially in major urban centres with thriving restaurant culture. The concept of culinary tourism has evolved into food tourism and has gained broad awareness. It also extends to a diverse range of dining options that still fall into the category of special occasion dining.

“Restaurant reservations come first; flights second,” says Myra White, a Toronto executive. “My friends and I will pick

COVER STORY

When travelling, 34 per cent of Canadians dine out every day so a direct connection to domestic travellers through a reservation platform is an effective way for restaurants to position themselves directly to this diner audience.

Restaurants in major cities using OpenTable are seating so many tourists because when OpenTable users travel, they look to the platform and app for restaurant ratings, reviews and reservations.

SPECIAL OCCASIONS OFTEN INVOLVE INDULGENCES

a destination we’re interested in and set about making reservations before we book our flights. Research and dining reservations are really the biggest part of the planning process. We’re generally less concerned about flights because it’s much easier to book a flight than it is to get a reservation at a restaurant we’re interested in.”

A recent global survey by travel search engine Momondo revealed that 17 per cent of Canadians choose travel destinations based on dining options.

The tourist-diner is a major component of restaurant dining because they are more likely to dine out and consider the experience extraordinary simply because they are in a new city. In fact, a majority (61 per cent of Canadians and 67 per cent of Americans) of those surveyed are willing to pay more to eat out when on holiday, as compared to when they are at home, making these guests important audiences for any restaurant.

Domestic travel within Canada has been steadily increasing over the past few years while international tourism to Canada achieved a record high of 21.1 million international visitors last ye a r, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e f e d e r a l government. Seventy-five per cent of those travellers visited the largest provinces (Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec), and most go to their biggest cities — Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal — which are all known for their vibrant dining scenes.

Most Canadian travellers will cut back on accommodations or shopping before they cut back on their dining.

Statistics Canada data released in January 2019 reveals that 52 per cent of Canadians see dining out as treating themselves or celebrating a special occasion or event.

Speaking to restaurant owners and operations leads across the country, there’s a common observation that when people are dining out for special events, they will spend more on cocktails and wine, order more expensive dishes or have more courses than on an average meal. Just as the food tourist or general tourist will indulge in dining patterns that are not typical of their everyday dining habits, the special occasion diner is more likely to order or dine on things that are outside the average everyday meals be it wine, appetizers, mains or desserts.

There are numerous opportunities for restaurants both large and small when it comes to cross-conversion of these diners. The special occasion diner can be so impressed that they look to the establishment for more everyday dining occasions. The more casual everyday diner can be so impressed by the restaurant’s attention to and knowledge of their preferences (the “Cheers Effect”) that it becomes the automatic destination for special occasion dining.

Regardless of diner motivations — a special occasion, friends’ get-together, everyday dining or food tourism — great food, great service and the ability to understand your guests allows restaurants to set the stage for repeat business and acquire a great reputation through word of mouth or online reviews.

OpenTable’s analytics and connection to engaged diners can help fill your dining room. Great food and hospitality is what will build your reviews profiles and keep those diners coming back.

Julieta Garcia is the District Manager of Eastern Canada at OpenTable

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

GRIDDLE

RIDDLE

Maintaining and cleaning your commercial kitchen equipment is easy with the right tools and methods Sponsored by Heritage Parts

Cleaning any piece of equipment is crucial to getting maximum efficiency out of it. Food debris and char can buildup on a commercial griddle and quickly affect the cooking process and can change flavour profiles. It can also cause uneven cooking on certain items and pose a health risk if the food is undercooked.

Why Should I Clean My Griddle?

If a dirty griddle changes how the food is intended to taste, a customer might not like it, send it back or ask for the item to be comped. Any time food has to be cooked again or comped, it will raise operating costs and, even worse, could lower a customer’s opinion of your establishment.

A dirty piece of equipment can also be frustrating for employees who have to work on it. Constantly dealing with filthy equipment can also cause good people to leave and go somewhere else because they can’t make the best product possible to serve your guests. Working in a dirty environment can also lower good employees’ expectations for what clean means at your location, and can even lead to dangerous situations. For example, if the grease wells are not cleaned, they can overflow onto electrical or gas elements and cause an equipment failure, or worse, a fire.

Best Tools for Cleaning Equipment The best tools used to clean a stainless steel grill can include a scraper, a grill block, soda water, vinegar and some good old-fashioned effort. The process typically takes only about 5-10 minutes if done on a regular basis, and if you follow those steps often, your griddle will come out shiny and looking great with little effort.

While the griddle is hot, pour one cup of cooking oil onto the griddle surface. You can use oil from your fryer.

Using a scraper or a grill block, scrub the griddle surface in small circles working out to larger circles until the entire surface is clean.

Scrape the oil into the grease trough and discard. Turn the griddle off.

While the griddle is still hot, carefully pour one cup of soda water onto it.

As the carbonation heats up, it helps break up and pull leftover grease to the surface.

Again, using a scraper, grill brick or pumice stone, scrub the griddle surface in small circles, working out to larger circles until the entire surface is clean.

• Scrape any remaining liquid into the trough.

• Carefully pour a 1/2 cup of vinegar onto the griddle surface, making sure that you spread the liquid evenly across the entire surface.

Do not let the vinegar stand in one area.

With a rag, rub the griddle surface in small circles working out to larger circles until the entire surface is polished to a shine.

Scrape the vinegar into your grease trough and discard with other liquid.

38 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

It is important to re-season the surface of the grill by using a rag soaked in cooking oil to remove any left residue and polish the steel.

How Often Do I Need to Clean My Griddle?

Light cleaning of your griddle should be done during or after each shift so that buildup does not become too much of an issue. However, you should deep clean the grill every night. Make sure you “season” the griddle after cleaning, as well. That will help maintain the integrity of the cooking plate.

Do not try and shortcut cleaning, either. We have seen people throw ice water on griddles to cool them down faster so they are easier to clean. This can cause the cooking surface to buckle and create safety issues.

If the griddle is hinged, which is becoming more common, char and debris can get caught in the hinges and cause the unit to not work properly. This can cause downtime on a piece of equipment and eventually, it can impact sales. No one wants lost revenue due to not taking care of a piece of equipment.

Every kitchen may have its own cleaning techniques and products, but we are all looking for the same end result: A griddle that is clean and protects the integrity and safety of the food and makes your customers happy.

Find the cleaners you need to keep your kitchen equipment sparkling on HeritageParts.com This article was adapted from a post originally published on Heritage Parts Canada blog at heritageparts.ca.

THE CULINARY FEDERATION’S

À LA MINUTE THE CF WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND RECOGNIZE OUR 2019 NATIONAL PARTNERS PLATINUM

BRONZE

GOLD

CORPORATE PARTNERS

+| HIGHLIGHTS FROM NIAGARA | HOW THE WEST WAS WON AWARDS AL FRESCO | THIRSTY WORK | COMPETITIVE EDGE

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

OLD FEDERATION, NEW TRICKS The industry is changing, and so are we

DEAR CF MEMBERS, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS, It was wonderful to share experiences with everyone who attended the 56th National Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, at the end of May. With a commitment to move the Federation into innovative and exciting new areas, while still honouring the tradition of the past 56 years, I trust that attendees got a sense of our dedication to continue building it, branch by branch. But whether you attended the conference or not, rest assured that we are all committed to sharing our experiences and knowledge to grow our community together.

While our bread and butter is skills development and networking, this year we decided the Federation also needs to facilitate soft skills, health and wellness, and focus on broader industry trends. They’re broad areas of focus that we broke down into three areas, including: • Fair kitchens: A movement to inspire a new kitchen culture and a positive working environment where staff happiness is as important as diner satisfaction.* • Fueling the future: Forty-one per cent of Millennials and 78 per cent of Gen Z purchasing food away from home at least twice per week, and they’re changing the face of the industry; • In the weeds: A very personal and important opportunity to share our own experiences with mental health, stress and addiction in our kitchens and our lives.

We know how important it is to talk openly about our experiences and the industry as a whole, and we’ll continue to concentrate on these essential topics in the future.

In keeping with growing our community, we are working on the collaborative, ongoing project of sharing successes, discussing areas for improvement and brainstorming what we need to do to sustain and grow our federation. This began with a half-day of breakout sessions at the conference, focusing on member engagement, brand visibility and creating infrastructure. We’ve now compiled all of the amazing feedback from the sessions and will be reaching out to the branches shortly to ensure that all members are involved in continuing the discussion and planning for the future. It is an important time for the Federation: get involved, make a difference, build and grow together.

I hope each and every one of you had an enjoyable summer, with time to rejuvenate and relax with family, friends and colleagues. Thank you for your continued dedication and support of the Culinary Federation. I look forward to growing our community together.

Sincerely, Chef Simon Smotkowicz President, Canadian Culinary Federation

*For more information on this initiative, and to join the movement, visit fairkitchens.ca.

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UPDATES

AWARDS AL FRESCO Niagara’s mild climate and verdant landscape made the perfect backdrop for the Culinary Federation to recognize its own

By Lisa Evangelos, National Administrator ON MAY 28, guests in gowns, cocktail dresses, suits and tuxedos excitedly gathered around two shiny red double-decker buses at the entrance of the Marriott on the Falls. After making their way onto the buses, the well-dressed group settled in and began their scenic trek to the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College. It wasn’t long until the guests were taking in the lush college gardens with magnificent wisteria trees in full bloom and rows of fresh herbs intermingling with the sweet aroma of meat being smoked in preparation for the evening’s meal.

The welcome reception, which was held in the wine tasting room of the college, featured wines made right on campus. Servers carried trays of mouth-watering delicacies, like lamb merguez, kale and feta spanakopita, Caesar shrimp cocktail, duck confit arancini with truffled polenta, scallop asparagus tart with crème fraiche and Acadian caviar, amongst others. Floor-toceiling windows showcased the campus in all its glory while guests mingled to the sounds of a musical duo playing soft renditions of classic hits.

The program began indoors with a presentation to chef Vanessa Marquis, American Culinary Federation champion and long-time Culinary Federation partner, and International World Chef president Thomas Gugler.

At this point, guests were directed outside to a breathtakingly decorated tent adorned with delicate strings of lights, classic white tablescapes, fresh florals and greenery. Attendants handed out wool blankets to guests to stay warm in their seats as they sat down to cookies featuring the Honour Society logo, and which were served alongside Niagara College honey.

The food was served family style, creating a wonderful atmosphere of camaraderie that allowed for the guests to visit each other while sharing a phenomenal meal. The main course consisted of slowroasted Atlantic salmon with herbed maple-mustard crumb, asparagus, sauce vierge, whole roasted heirloom carrots, baked shallots, herb-sesame pistou and bomba puree. Finally the guests were able to partake in the hay-smoked whole striploin they had been smelling since their arrival. It was finished on Santa Maria-grilled pomme puree, chimichurri and sauce Bordelaise. Pastry chefs put on incredible display of artistic and creative talent at dessert, with a milk chocolate hazelnut mousse with smoked Niagara College honey and raspberry ganache. The meal, which was prepared and served by the students and staff of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon by the attendees.

The program continued as guests ate. Each Honour Society member was presented first with a speech telling of their accolades and contributions to the Federation, the culinary community and their local branches by a fellow chef or colleague. Award recipients were honoured with a certificate, a pin and a chef jacket with their name and Honour Society status. The distinguished and exemplary honourees included Danilo Carpino, from CF Muskoka; John Higgins, CF Toronto; Craig Youdale, CF Oakville; Ronald St. Pierre, CF North Vancouver Island; Anthony Fernandes, CF Toronto; Alexander Rennie, CF Victoria; and Reinhard Foerderer, CF Okanagan. The Honour Society committee also posthumously awarded Trent Brears from CF Regina, who unfortunately passed away in the fall of 2018.

The award was accepted on Brears’ behalf by his loving wife, daughter and son, who were in attendance.

The Honour Society Committee is made up by Claude Buzon, John Kukucka, Beat Hegnauer and Claude AuCoin. They treated the guests and honourees to an unforgettable night of food, wine, fellowship and awards. Thank you to the committee for their tireless efforts, the Canadian Food and Wine Institute for hosting and celebrating the occasion with a remarkable meal, and for everyone involved in executing a truly memorable event. www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 41

UPDATES

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NIAGARA This year’s national conference took the Federation in a new direction and was as lively as ever

By Kira Smith, President CF Oakville

WITH ITS FERTILE SOIL, Ontario’s Niagara region is well known for growing a wide variety of produce in Canada. For the week of May 28, 2019, it was also a place of growth for chefs and young chefs as they gathered for the Culinary Federation’s 56th National Conference. The agenda was jam packed with networking opportunities, education sessions, culinary competitions and a mini trade show, not to mention great food, great fun, and lively emceeing from chef Rocco Paradiso, who encouraged everyone to step outside their comfort zones and start networking.

While it would be impossible to recount the entire week, we’ve gathered a collection of highlights and pictures to share.

Connection and Community Our evening social events proved to be appetizing opportunities to mix, mingle and meet, enabling our chefs and partners to connect in person and explore new opportunities. Many thanks to the Central Region branches for their delicious participation in the icebreaker. The Italian social night was full of food and joy, with live mozzarella pulling demonstrations by chef Luciano Schipano, non-stop fresh pizza from chef Carmelo Vadacchino and his Fornoteca oven, wine and beer tastings and even a wandering accordion player.

With new friends made, the conference gave chef members the chance to not only explore the community, but contribute to it.

Creations and excess ingredients from the Culinary Team Challenge event were donated to the Niagara Soup Kitchen, a volunteer-based charitable organization which prepares more than 42,000 meals annually for those in need.

The spousal program and tour days gave conference-goers the opportunity to experience all things local, including an insider’s tour of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College, an immersive Niagara Wine Country tasting tour, and a bus tour to the other side of the falls to visit Rosina Foods’ new state-of-the-art meatball and pasta facilities and customer focus centre just across the Falls in Buffalo, New York. Naturally, people went on the classic Niagara adventures well, including the journey behind the falls, Niagara’s fury and the Falls Incline Railway, and visited the world-renowned Butterfly Conservatory.

42 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

Recognizing our Best At the President’s Dinner, we acknowledged two long-standing members, Nelles Shackleton, from B.C., and Marcia Budd, from Ontario, with honorary memberships, and presented chef Carmelo Vadacchino of Oakville branch with the coveted Chef of the Year award in recognition of his significant contributions to the industry and Culinary Federation over the last year.

Culinary Skills and Development Conference attendees attended the diverse array of education sessions.

Worldchefs, a global association of culinary professions focused on education and development, led a session on sustainability; chef John Placko, who developed the menu at Pearson Airport’s Bar 120, led chefs through a session on molecular gastronomy; Canada Beef instructed chefs on the finer points of butcher; the Wellness Soldier, a veterans’ health organization, oversaw a session on cooking with cannabis; while Sysco and Season’s Retirement Communities led sessions on dining trends for Gen Z and Retirement-age consumers, respectively.

The weekend’s education session didn’t stop at teaching new skills, though. Unilever presented its Fair Kitchens initiative, which promotes inclusive workplaces predicated on diversity, communication and worklife balance. Edmonton-based chef Peter Keith, co-founder of In the Weeds, an organization promoting mental health in Edmonton’s hospitality industry, led a panel discussion about how to promote positive mental health in kitchen environments.

Keep Growing Branches from across Canada took part in an interactive Branch Health session to share in the development of new initiatives for the Federation and learn from others’ best practices. This is part of an ongoing commitment to change and renewal so stay tuned for more progress in the coming months.

The CF Oakville Branch, Central Region, and National Board would like to thank all of those that took part – delegates, spouses and sponsors alike.

We look forward to seeing you in Saskatoon for the 2020 National Conference!

UPDATES

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Despite mild weather, late May featured a pair of heated culinary competitions

By Peter Dewar

The America’s Global Chef Challenge Semi Finals On May 25, Humber College hosted the semifinal competition for the Worldchefs Global Chef Challenge Americas Regional s e m if i n a l . T h e eve nt w a s co m p r i s e d of th re e s e p a r ate competitions: Pastry Chef, Young Chef and Global Chef. Teams from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador all spent hours preparing in advance of the competition, organizing their stations and ingredients, and mentally preparing for a long, trying day in the kitchen.

Over the course of seven hours, an international panel of judges watched the actions of each competitor, noting everything from sanitation and work habits to timing and proper use of ingredients. Final dishes were scored on timing, presentation and taste. In the end, though, Team Canada managed to take the gold in the global chef category. Now, it will advance to the Worldchefs Global Chef Challenge final in Saint Petersburg, Russia, next July. Team U.S.A. took home the first-place finish in both the Global Pastry Chefs Challenge and Global Young Chefs Challenge.

The Culinary federation would like to thank Humber College and Shonah Chalmers for all their help hosting the event.

The Canadian Culinary Federation National Competitions The Federation’s National Conference in Niagara was a picturesque setting for another intense competition. On May 28, both the Senior and Youth competitions took place on the Garland Culinary Stage, where participants, who already had to prove themselves in their home province once again had to step up. Chefs didn’t have long to show off their skills, either, with only one short hour to prepare six main course plates featuring King Cole Duck.

In the end, Justin Ford, from Prince Edward Island, took first place in the Senior competition, while Manitoba’s Jordon Carlson and Alejandro Winzer, from Ontario, took second and third. Winzer was also recognized for having the best use of duck, while Brooklyn Beauchamp, from Saskatchewan, won the top kitchen score.

In the Youth competition, Chris Compton, from B.C., took first, while Nikhil Arun Khedekar, from Saskatchewan, and Anthony Guy, from Alberta, too second and third. Guy’s exceptional use of duck was recognized as well, and Compton took best kitchen score.

Special thanks to Sysco, King Cole Duck, Garland, Chefs Hat, F. Dick Knives, Pearson Education, Peugeot Peppermills and Windsor Salt for sponsoring the competition.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON A dozen chefs entered a black box-style competition during the Taste of Saskatchewan festival, but only one could come out on top CHEF SYDNEY HAMELIN, a cook at Picaro Restaurant and Cohen’s Beer Republic in Saskatoon, took home the title of Top Chef Saskatchewan after the final Chef’s Series competition at the Taste of Saskatchewan food festival in July.

The final culinary showdown took place after a week of tough competitions on the Safeway Sobeys Chef's Series Stage, now in its fifth year at the food and music festival in Saskatoon. Twelve local chefs competed in daily Chopped!-style match-ups throughout the week leading up to the Top Chef final, in which Hamelin faced off against Todd Clark, evening chef at Boffins Public House, also in Saskatoon.

The final competition kept the chefs on their toes with a round each for appetizers, soup and entrees. The audience was wellentertained throughout the show with prize giveaways, fun facts about farming and plenty of onstage action with the chefs. The two chefs had 24 minutes to prepare a soup and appetizer, and during that time, each competitor’s delegated sous chef ran to Sobeys to purchase ingredients for the entrée. The chefs did not find out what ingredients they would be cooking with until the sous chefs

returned. The sous chefs were permitted to help with cooking, but had to leave the kitchen the moment plating began.

A panel of judges adjudicated the final dishes based on taste, use of ingredients, plating design and originality. Sydney’s winning menu included mushroom-stuffed chicken breast, vegetable couscous, spicy tomato coulis and green beans and Swiss chard.

"We had a fantastic time this week," said Clinton Monchuk, executive director of Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan, a group that represents thousands of farm families and food businesses in the province. "Our objective is to help people make a stronger connection between food and farming."

Organizers would like to thank all the sponsors of the Chef’s Series, including: Safeway Sobeys, Cargill, Saskatchewan Oat Growers, Turkey Farmers of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Egg Producers, Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, Prairie Pride Natural Foods, Great Western Brewing Company and the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan. All of these products — including many other Saskatchewan-grown foods — were featured during the competition. www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 43

UPDATES

THIRSTY WORK A committed team of chef-volunteers work the grill to raise money for Project Water I AM HONOURED and humbled to work with so many culinary professionals willing to step up and help whenever asked, especially when it comes to events that give back to the local community, including the Project Water event that took place on June 19.

Project Water was conceived in response to the inexcusable fact that more homeless people die from dehydration in the summer than from exposure in the winter. Safe, clean drinking water is not a luxury; it is the human body’s most fundamental need. Unfortunately, it’s a basic need that many homeless individuals too often go without. The Project Water team have been working to bring clean drinking water and other basic survival necessities to homeless people in Toronto since 1999.

Thank you to chefs Kira Smith, Jordana Britt and Lei Dai from the Federation’s Oakville branch, who cooked up burgers and hot dogs, and served pizza, for hundreds of volunteers and agencies. Also thanks to everyone who donated food and supplies, including David Evans from GFS Canada, chef James Keppy from Maple Leaf Foods, chef Thomas Heitz from Kraft-Heinz Foodservice, Kelly Rosen from Erie Meats, Melissa Baker from Galligreen and Liz Janik from Pizza Nova. Their contribution ensured Project Water could maximize the funds that will go directly to pay for Summer Survival Kits for the homeless.

For more information, engageandchange.org.

visit

“SAFE, CLEAN DRINKING WATER IS NOT A LUXURY; IT IS THE HUMAN BODY’S MOST FUNDAMENTAL NEED.”

44 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

UPDATES

FLAVOURING THE FUTURE Windsor Salt gives young chefs the culinary experience of a lifetime!

By Brittany Failler IN EARLY JULY, 12 young chefs from across Canada had the opportunity to travel to Niagara for a five-day exchange sponsored

by Windsor Salt, taking in the region’s restaurants, wineries and, of course, new, exciting types of salt.

We kicked off the week with a presentation from two Windsor Salt representatives, Christina Siokas and Erica Williams, about the various ways salt is produced, Windsor Salt’s offerings, how to use each salt as well as the evolution of the Windsor brand.

The presentation was truly eye-opening — not every salt is created equal, and for over 125 years, Windsor has been offering different types to elevate every culinary experience and add a burst of flavour to any dish!

Following the presentation, we visited Linc Farms, a small freerange operation with a variety of animals run by a wife and husband team. It was inspirational to see all of the work that goes into farming, and to learn the true value of being a farmer in Canada.

Over the course of two days, we toured several Niagara wineries, including Two Sisters Vineyard, Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, the Hare Wine Co. and Inniskillin. We learned about different grape varietals, how they are harvested, the fermentation process and how to properly taste and appreciate the finished product. We also experienced two amazing winery dinners, one on the patio at Two Sisters, and another in Inniskillin’s cellar. Both menus featured Windsor Salt in various applications and showed off how different salts could be used.

We visited the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College on the third day of the exchange, spending the morning in the Pastry Lab with chef Catherine O’Donnell. We created nut tortes and salted caramel chocolate ganache tarts infused with Windsor Sea Salt, and experienced how the flavour of individual ingredients is heightened when finished with a sprinkling of the newly launched Windsor Pink Himalayan Salt.

After a quick lunch, we moved to the Culinary Lab, where chef Olaf Mertens presented the afternoon’s menu featuring Windsor Sea Salt, Kosher Salt, Pink Himalayan Salt and Fleur de Sel. After breaking into teams, we prepared our mise en place and spent the afternoon

preparing extraordinary dishes, including salted compressed fruit salad, lobster with sea salt and chilies, salt dough wrapped salmon, kosher salt-crusted new potatoes and sweet-and-sour sous vide duck breast with a salted crumble. This was a very rewarding day.

We learned not only how to incorporate Windsor Salt, but also why to incorporate it, seeing firsthand how salt tames sweetness and heightens flavour when used in desserts, and in baking, how crusting with salt insulates what’s inside, locks in heat and reduces overall cook time.

For our final, well-salted experience, we traveled to Buffalo, New York, to visit Mario Pingue, general manager of Niagara Food Specialties, at his new prosciutto manufacturing facility. Mario taught us about the salt curing process and the hard work that goes into it. We were also fortunate enough to taste some of his products, which were absolutely outstanding.

Throughout the week, we learned about the Niagara region’s local food scene, visiting the St. Catharines Farmers’ Market, indulging in gelato at Italian Ice Cream and enjoying meals at Casa Mia, Counterpoint Brewery, Tide & Vine, Bench Brewing and Copacabana Brazilian Steakhouse. The exchange gave us the chance to have fun, bond and develop lasting friendships. It was memorable and life changing.

I’m sure we will never look at salt the same way, either. We worked with so many unique Windsor Salt varieties and learned countless innovative culinary techniques, like baking an entire fish in a salt crust, and to “sprinkle from above” — about a foot above the dish, in fact — to ensure even coverage and maximum flavour enhancement.

We were also able to network not only with many accomplished chefs in the Niagara area, but with each other. The endless conversations about food, salt and culinary careers on the car rides were honestly remarkable.

This trip would not have been possible without our incredible chaperones, chef Ryan Marquis, chef Carmelo Vadacchino and Sue Mercer. Also, a very sincere thank you to the Windsor Salt team for sponsoring our exchange and aiding in the learning of young chefs across Canada.

www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 45

46 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

THINKING INSIDE

the Box

Meal kits are relatively new to foodservice, but quickly gaining traction

By Vince Sgabellone

Exclusive Category Sponsor

A Special Supplement to

have created a small but dedicated segment of enthusiasts in Canada. In fact, meal kits are now among the fastest-growing food segments in the Canadian marketplace.

According to data from the NPD Group, the meal kit market is small but mighty. Overall, 11 per cent of Canadians have used a meal kit in the past 12 months. But what is perhaps more interesting is that, according to recent research by NPD, 42 per cent of Canadians claim to be interested in trialing a meal kit service, with 40 per cent of them wanting to trial a meal kit in the next 6 months. This suggests that there is reason to be optimistic about the growth prospects of this segment in Canada.

When it comes to regiona lity, Ontario currently accounts for nearly half (46 per cent) of the meal kits used in Canada. The biggest opportunity, on the other hand, seems to exist out west. Western Canada accounts for just 23 per cent of total meal kit

Few questions are as enduring or universal as “what’s for dinner?� For the last several decades, the answer typically fell into one of two categories: stay in or eat out. As technology continues to disrupt the way we eat, however, we now have more options than ever before when it comes to accessing fresh, affordable, convenient food offerings. Third-party apps complicated the easy in-or-out answer to the dinner question.

Increasingly, meal kits are opening up a new space in the market and doing the same.

Meal kit companies offer consumers a menu of ready-to-prepare dishes that are typically marketed as easy to m a ke , he a lt hy a nd del icious .

Ing redients arrive pre -portioned with a recipe for consumers to follow, ostensibly mak ing cook ing more accessible, and so far, it has proven to be an attractive concept. The meal kit

business has roughly doubled since 2014, growing quickly to become a $120 million industry in Canada.

Recent estimates suggest more than 600,000 meal kits are being delivered to Canadians each month. These home-delivered meal kits, such as those offered by services like Chefs Plate, Hello Fresh and Goodfood,

48 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

MEALTIME SUPPLEMENT

orders despite representing 32 per cent of the population. Furthermore, nearly half of consumers in Western Canada indicated a desire to trial a meal kit service, suggesting that the region is underdeveloped and could see higher than average growth in the coming years.

The meal kit market was initially driven by online orders and subscriptions, but providers are increasingly offering on-demand availability both in-store and online. Consumers are trying out the different ways to purchase meal kits, with over a quarter of recent users purchasing kits in store, in restaurants and online.

When it comes to access, the subscription model is likely to remain r eleva nt , but it ’s i mp or t a nt to remember consumers are looking for meal solutions online and in stores. A good start to reaching those interested in trying meal kits is knowing who typically uses them.

Users a re more l i kely to b e

“Meal kits are now among the fastest-growing food segments in the Canadian marketplace.”

Millennials, have households with kids, and have higher incomes. Online and in-store meal kits appeal to similar demographic groups although in-store kits skew to households with children under 13 years old and with higher income levels. That younger set can help drive menu design, as well, given the more adventurous palates of Millennial consumers and their kids.

It’s clear that while the meal kit segment represents a signif icant growth opportunity in Canada, it still has a way to go before becoming fully developed. Meal kit marketers

looking to capitalize on providing m e a l s o l u t i o n s s h o u l d f o l l ow consumers to all their points of purchase to help drive interest and conversion. The data suggests that there is an untapped market for meal kits, however, it’s up to meal kit providers and retailers to find out what it will take to get a potential meal kit user to trial the product.

Vince Sgabellone is a client development manager at the NPD Group, a Toronto -based market research firm.

“It’s important to remember consumers are looking for meal solutions online and in stores.”

www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 49

A R E L I A BL E FAMILY

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TASTE THE INN VATION C LEAN LABEL | GLUTEN FREE | IN STANT

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LOVE CANADIAN FARMERS?

LOVE CANADIAN

Chefs and owners, when you look in your kitchen, what do you see? Under that locally sourced philosophy on which you’ve built your business, your legacy, the list is often the same. Quality meat from the local butcher, sustainable seafood from nearby fishermen, fresh fruit and vegetables from the farmer’s market down the road; but what about the bottle of oil in your pantry?

Every year in Canada, our canola industry produces 3 million tonnes of Canola oil for distribution to 50 markets across the world, making us the largest single producer of canola in the world. With only 10% of it being sold within our own borders, canola farmers are looking to foodservice operators to also think local when it comes to the oils in their kitchens.

WHY CANADIAN FARMERS CHOOSE CANOL A “Farmers choose to grow canola because it is a crop that has both environmental and economical benefits on our farm.

It provides us a livelihood and keeps our farm sustainable from growing season to growing season. There is so much care taken when growing canola and nothing brings us more pride than when we see those fields of gold in full bloom. When you see those bottles of canola oil on store shelves, it’s our passion and hard work bottled for all Canadians to share.

- Jeannette Andrashewski Alberta Canola Farmer

CANOLA BU T H OW I S CA N O L A O I L M AD E? Sprouting from tiny black seeds that are part of the Brassica family, canola plants grow between two and six feet before sprouting bright yellow flowers. Within these flowers’ pods are the canola seeds which then undergo separation of the canola oil from the canola meal.

The seeds are graded, pre-heated and flaked, causing an intentional cracking of their coating. The seeds are then cooked at a higher temperature for up to 20 minutes in steam-heated drums.

Next comes the canola press. Housed within spaced-bar barrels, the seeds are crushed with screw presses with rotating shafts, causing the oil extract to flow out between the barrel bars.

Beyond the Seed: Not only does canola have a high smoke point, it is chock full of essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and vitamin K.

CANOLA IN OUR KITCHENS WITH CHEF NICK LIU Why is canola impor tant to you?

Because it’s a quality Canadian grown product. I’m a big supporter of using local.

What do you use canola for?

I use co nventio nal canola for deep fr ying, sautéing, oil infusions, and making emulsified sauces. I also use it on my wooden platters to make them last longer and always look new and shiny.

For dressings and finishing plates, I use cold-pressed canola.

Overall, I go through about 50 0 -10 0 0 litres a month.

Canadian Canola Industry Annually by the Numbers

$26.7B

contributed to our country’s economic activity.

$11.4B

brought back into our country through exports.

250K 43K

jobs attributed to the growth of canola. national farmers growing canola.

www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 51

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52 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

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Krefeld, Germany, working in the same brewery that had belonged to his ancestors.

He came home to Canada for Hockley.

You could call it dumb, but we call it destiny.

Andrew Kohnen Brewmaster

HOCKLEYBEER.CA

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NOT YOUR GR ANDFATHER’S WHISKEY:

Photo by Jeffrey Chan

Bars and restaurants across Canada are stirring up their long-time mixology menus in favour of endless craft cocktail options, thanks to the emerging motley crews of American distilled spirits.

Photo by Joseph Saraceno & styling by Jon Neill

Photo by Jeffrey Chan

The Diversity Difference

What’s Old is New Again

Alongside the rise of the American single malt whiskey now sweeping throughout the world, US distilleries have spent decades experimenting toward a wide range of flavours and aromatics in their whiskeys.

B o u r b o n , Te n n e s s e e W h i s k e y a n d American Rye Whiskey can easily satisfy customers of distinct or creative behindthe-bar concepts, especially when mixed into a great craft cocktail. Whether you’re a smokin’ barbecue joint looking to showcase and utilize your top shelf collection or you’re the newest speakeasy on the block seeking new ways to uplift your business’ spirit for spirits, American whiskey is for you.

Meanwhile, for whiskey entrepreneurs like James E. Pepper Distilling Co.’s Amir Peay, it has remained an important manifesto to not leave history behind, no matter how far the world of spirits advances. Having distilled Kentucky whiskey through the American Revolution until the abandonment of production in the 1950’s, this spirit’s legacy simply could not be forgotten or given up on so easily. It was then in-depth research, distillery partnerships and a desire to do things the James E. Pepper way that helped Peay bring the brand back to life, and back to store shelves, in 2008.

An added bonus to the whiskey-based cocktail boom? The escalating ease in creating flavour pairings for restaurateurs’ ever-changing foodservice menus. More flavour profiles, more dish-match potential.

From the ‘Gram to your Glass’ For more information including brand introductions, craft cocktail recipes, whiskey inspo and more, follow @CheersAmericanSpirits on Instagram. #EnjoyResponsibly 54 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

Today, the barrels are even back in their original home, thanks to a complete restoration of the once neglected James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky; now designated as a National Historic Landmark.

CANADIAN FARM RAISED. MADE WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS. NO SAUCE ADDED. SLOW ROASTED TO PERFECTION.

Pulled ChiCken Pulled Beef Pulled Pork

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MONEY ON THE TABLE Canada’s Muslim population is growing, and reaching them only requires halal options. Fortunately, meeting that demand is easier than you think

By Salima Jivraj

56 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

FOODSERVICE FOCUS

Here’s a term that might be new to you: Census Metropolitan Area, or CMA. That’s what Statistics Canada calls a major urban centre and its surrounding area. Amongst the largest CMAs are Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa-Gatineau. Each of these has a population of about 1.3 million — keep that number in your head.

Statistics Canada also tells us that currently around 3 per cent of Canada’s population identifies as Muslim. By 2030, assuming the growth trend continues as it has, that will rise to 6.6 per cent. From that, we can estimate the population of Muslims in Canada right now is approaching 1.3 million. If they were a CMA, they’d be in the top ten in the country, and comfortably ahead of places like Winnipeg and Hamilton. Now, imagine that city’s worth of people and then think about the fact virtually none of them will eat in your restaurant — wait, what?

A 2018 Dalhousie study estimated that Canada has roughly 2.6 million vegetarian and 850,000 vegan consumers. Wisely, restaurant operators have accommodated them rather than leave money on the table. Now, it’s time to meet a new market demand: halal.

IT’S NOT YOU; IT’S YOUR FOOD

For practicing Muslims, there are culturallyspecific rules that govern how they live their lives.

These are assigned to one of two categories, halal or haram. Things that are halal are permissible (the definition of the word, which is Arabic), and things that are haram are not.

That, of course, is an oversimplification of the reality, but it’s sufficient for our purposes here.

And, as with any religion, some people adhere more strictly to the guidelines than others. But, for the restaurateur or foodservice operator, there are some basic things you should know about food, halal and Muslim consumers.

For food to be halal, it must meet certain requirements, and most of them apply to meat.

First and foremost, animals must be raised, slaughtered, and processed according to certain standards. That means sourcing livestock that’s ethically cared for, and individually blessed. Also, there can be no cross-contamination with nonhalal meat. Some foods, however, are never halal, no matter their provenance or handling. Pork is a major category of non-halal food, and alcohol is another. Others are always halal, like fruits and

vegetables, grains, and nuts. Some foods that are seemingly halal might carry hidden animal by-products which would make the food nonhalal.

The bottom line is this: if your food is not halal, a Muslim consumer won’t eat it no matter how many fantastic reviews your restaurant has.

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT’S HALAL?

So, you’ve decided you’d like to attract Muslim consumers to your restaurant. Good choice! The first thing to know is Muslims aren’t so different from other Canadians. Some families are now into their third and even fourth generation in this country. They love to dine out with friends and family, and they want the same options the rest of us have. That means halal steakhouses, halal Italian and French cuisine, and halal burgers and fries. And it means you may not have to start your menu from scratch to bring them in. First, though, you need to figure out what is and what isn’t halal. Or do you?

For anyone outside the community, the subtle nuances of halal can be difficult to grasp fully. For example, while alcohol, like beer, is not permitted, it’s probably acceptable in something like pickled cabbage where it occurs naturally, and without intent or quantity to cause intoxication. Plus, as new technologies and products become available, each one must be assessed by halal certification bodies to determine whether it’s halal. Where do you even begin?

Fortunately, there are organizations in Canada that work with manufacturers and ingredient suppliers and provide halal certification to food manufacturers, so you don’t have to figure it out yourself. Some of them work alongside companies, training them and guiding them, and determining if the end product is halal or not.

Does that mean becoming a halal-friendly restaurant is as simple as buying halal-certified products? Not quite.

GETTING READY TO GO HALAL

Within your restaurant, halal standards will have www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2019 57

FOODSERVICE FOCUS to be maintained. You’ll recall from earlier that halal meat must not come in contact with non-halal meat? That goes fo r yo u r s t o r e r o o m s, f r e e z e r s, refrigerators, prep and cooking spaces.

This may require a rethinking of how your kitchen is set up and the way it operates. You may even need a separate cooking surface, because halal meat cannot follow non-halal meat on a grill, for example. At a minimum, you’ll have to have dedicated pots, pans, and utensils, or maintain a rigid protocol for sanitization.

If you think that seems overwhelming, you’re probably not alone. That’s because, conceptually, it seems entirely unfamiliar. The thing is, though, it’s probably not. Do you have vegan or vegetarian options on your menu? How about kosher, or gluten-free? Halal isn’t so different once you put your mind to it, and in this day and age, most food businesses wouldn’t dream of excluding those food tribes. Besides, your vegetarian items might be halal already.

Don’t worry, though; you don’t have to take on this journey alone. Many of those same halal certifying bodies work

with restaurants as well as processors and manufacturers. The best among them will partner with a restaurant to develop a plan, including where to source ingredients, how to run your back-of-house and even details such as hygiene and conduct.

There’s a learning curve, to be sure, and it is a commitment. You’ll likely need to provide a complete rundown of your current suppliers and ingredients lists for everything you use. It will require staff training and a general reassessment of most of your processes. In the end, though, it may not be as difficult as you might guess, and your restaurant can earn the right to display halal certification of its own. That’s the call to the Muslim community that you’re open for their business.

What’s great about adding halal to your menu offerings is you’ve made your restaurant available to Muslims without sacrificing any of your current clientele.

Now, Muslims can choose to dine out with their non-Muslim friends at your establishment.

Let’s take it back to the statistics for a minute and remind ourselves why this is a viable strategy. The number of Muslims in

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Canada more than doubled between 1991 and 2001, and nearly doubled again between the 2001 and 2011 censuses. Muslims will soon outnumber ethnic Chinese in Canada based on StatCan projections, and they currently exceed the total of self-identified vegans — 800,000 according to data collected by Dalhousie University last year.

If you operate in one of Canada’s large CMAs — remember those? — chances are you have a significant pool of Muslim consumers to draw from, for that’s where most of them have settled. They have money, they’re well-integrated and they’re ready to eat.

RETHINKING PRESENTATION

To be realistic, merely putting your halal certification in the window and on your website won’t unleash a torrent of new Muslim patrons. This is a group that relies heavily on word-of-mouth to build trust.

Put your name out there into the community by being active on social media and participating in local events.

Working with a multicultural marketing agency may increase your visibility even more quickly and fluidly.

Pay attention to the details, too, and not just the ones on the menu. Give your new customers an environment they’ll be comfortable in. Many Muslim families in Canada are large, and they enjoy dining together en masse. Be ready with high chairs, baby changing stations, and kids’ menus. Any place their kids are happy to eat is a place parents will reward with repeat visits.

Remember, as was alluded to earlier, there’s no need to reinvent your menu.

You’re likely best off not trying to replicate traditional Muslim dishes; there are probably already restaurants your would-be customers already know ab o u t t h at p r e p a r e t h e m m o r e authentically than you’re likely to do.

Instead, keep doing what you’re doing, but tailor it to their requirements – just as you would for anyone else with specific dietary needs.

*Reg. TM McCormick Canada ®Reg. TM The French’s Food Company LLC. Used under licence.

Salima Jivraj is the Account Director and Multicultural Lead of Nourish Food Marketing, a marketing agency that specializes in Food and Beverage, working across all aspects of the food ecosystem. Clients include producers, processors, retailers, manufacturers, food service and restaurants. Nourish has offices in Toronto, Guelph, and Montreal. Want to know more? Salima can be contacted at salima.jivraj@nourish. marketing, or sign-up for the agency’s monthly newsletter at nourish.marketing.

58 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

Respect for Tradition Italian and Chorizo Sausages

Handcrafted flavour with traditional seasonings in natural casings - over 100 years of tradition goes into each sausage. Made with fresh cuts of premium 100% Canadian Pork raised without antibiotics.

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A THREE RING CIRCUS SECOND HARVEST AMIDST FIRE EATERS AND STILT-WALKERS, TORONTO’S TOP CULINARY TALENT TURNED OUT FOR A GOOD CAUSE AT THIS SUMMER’S TORONTO TASTE

Doing good has never been so delicious.

On a balmy evening in early June, so m e 1, 5 0 0 guests gathered a t To ro n t o’s Eve rg re e n B r i c k W o r k s for the 2 9 th annual Toro nto Taste, a culinary fundraiser for Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue charity.

Second Harvest captures unsold surplus food from all points in the food supply chain — from farm to retail — and redistributes it to a network of more than 350 social service organizations in the Greater Toronto Area using a fleet of trucks.

Last year, more than 330,000 adults and children benefitted from food provided by Second Harvest.

Now in its 29th year, Toronto Taste, presented by The Daniels Corporation, is a foodie’s paradise of culinary talent: noteworthy chefs like Mark McEwan, Donna Dooher, Patrick Kriss, Nuit Regular and Craig Wong brought their magic to the Brick Works; 19 of Toronto Life’s 100 Best Restaurants of 2019 were in the lineup; and four restaurants at Taste made Toronto Life and Now magazine’s Best New Restaurants lists.

Guests enjoyed exquisite tastes like gougères and duck rillettes, Fogo Island crab and capesanta e spritz, plus 45 more offerings from Toronto’s premier restaurants and chefs, and sampled beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks from 23 beverage purveyors.

“I love catching up with industry friends and guests from our restaurant [at Toronto Taste],” says chef Craig Wong, whose restaurant, Patois, has made numerous best-of lists since opening in 2014. “It’s also the best way to sample food from restaurants you haven’t visited before.”

“The Toronto restaurant community have been amazing supporters of what we do,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO, Second Harvest. “These incredible chefs have a love of food and a deep respect for the work, the resources and the care that go into bringing a meal to the table. The social and environmental reasons for

rescuing surplus food really resonate with our restaurant and foodservice partners.”

To b e p a r t o f To ro n t o Ta s te , restaurants provide 1,200 to 1,400 “tastes” — bite -sized por tions of a signature dish or a unique offering made just for Toronto Taste. Each taste is prepared and plated at the restaurant’s station as guests watch, sample and chat with chefs. What lifts Toronto Taste above a typical food event is that each restaurant donates their time, talent, staff and food — an incredible show of generosity and support for Second Harvest’s food rescue mission. Toronto Taste is Second Harvest’s largest fundraiser, contributing 15 per cent of Second Harvest’s annual revenue. “ S eco nd H ar vest do es w hat all restaurants look to do: they feed people,” says Wong. “They rescue food which would otherwise go to waste and distribute it amongst those who need it most.”

To create the backdrop for the bewitching flavours of Toronto Taste, Evergreen Brick Works, a 19th-century industrial space, was transformed into a chic vintage circus with life-size gilded lions and a gold elephant. Aerialists on silks, stilt-walkers and a fire-eater mingled with the crowd while a mystic gave tarot readings for guests in the VIP Lounge. The elephant did double duty as a teachable moment, giving guests a visual comparison for the amount of unsold surplus food rescued from landfills by Second Harvest in 2018 — about 12 million pounds or equal to the weight of 1,000 full-grown elephants.

“It’s hard to imagine that in a country like Canada we struggle with food waste and have so many who go hungry,” says Donna Dooher, author and chef at the renowned Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in Toronto, who has been part of Toronto Taste for more than 20 years. “I feel strongly that as hospitality providers we have a responsibilit y to the stewa rd s hip of fe e di n g a ll re sid e nt s of this great cit y and suppor ting organizations such as Second Harvest.”

60 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

Toronto Taste returns for its 30th year on June 14, 2020; for sponsorship and activation opportunities, please contact Jessica Westwood-Smith, jessicaws@ secondharvest.ca; 416-408-2594 ex 227.

JOINING THE FOOD RESCUE

REVOLUTION .

More and more, your guests want to feel good about what and where they eat, so make it easy for them. Here are four things you can do right now to make a difference.

• Get informed: "Waste Not: Diverting food waste away from landfills can help others and drive profit," is a quick, digestible read on restobiz.ca that explains how to get triple bottom line benefit by reducing food waste.

• Delegate an in-house food rescue champion (or team) and support their efforts to measure and manage avoidable food loss and waste.

• Find out how you can redistribute your edible surplus through FoodRescue.ca.

• Max out the potential of your website and social media. Take great photos of your rescued food donations; share smart content about preventing food loss and waste; give shout-outs to suppliers who support sustainability, and tag relevant brands, suppliers, B2B media, influencers and food rescue charities you work with.

How much do 1,000 elephants weigh?

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CRUNCHING NUMBERS

Hard Bargain THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY MAY BE COSTLY, BUT RESTAURATEURS CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO ENGAGE WITH IT

By Jeff Dover

Delivery is the fastest growing segment in Canada’s foodservice industry.

According to Ipsos Foodservice Monitor, delivery foodservice sales were $4.3 billion in Canada in 2018, an increase of 44 per cent over the previous year, with delivery now accounting for 8 per cent of QSR and 6 per cent of FSR meals. In a 2019 study, BrandSpark, a marketing agency, reported that 27 per cent of Canadians order food delivery at least once per month directly from a restaurant, while 15 per cent ordered from a third-party delivery service. Younger consumers, the largest consumers of restaurant meals, are even more likely to use third party delivery, with 23 per cent doing so at least once per month.

Service Management Group, a consumer research firm, found that awareness of third party delivery increased 24 per cent from 2017 to 2018, and usage increased 14 per cent in this same period.

The same survey found that 85 per cent of respondents will use third party delivery in the future. Users average 10.5 per cent more restaurant visits than typical consumers. Clearly, this is a distribution channel that restaurateurs should seriously consider and could be at a competitive disadvantage if they don’t.

Delivery isn’t exactly new. Foodservice delivery has been around in Canada for decades, primarily in the pizza and Chinese food segments, but most restaurants do not generate enough business or can’t find the drivers to do their own delivery. Third party delivery, for many, is a necessary evil. The commissions are significant — up to 30 per cent — and even for large chains the commissions can exceed 20 per cent.

Considering the average restaurant profit is 3.4 per cent of gross sales for full-service restaurants and 4.3 per cent for quick-service restaurants, managing that high commission is key challenge.

Other challenges, such as the third party “owning” the customer (and not sharing this with the restaurant) and the lack of integration between ordering platforms and the restaurant’s POS, commonly referred to as “tablet hell,” post logistical challenges. Customers are likely to blame the restaurant (as opposed to the delivery company) for mistakes in the order and for longer delivery times than promised. According to Technomic, restaurants experience three times as many order issues with third party delivery than with dine-in or takeout orders.

Third party delivery can be a stressor for any restaurant, but research repeatedly shows that it’s becoming a key factor for success in the restaurant business. A survey by TDn2K, a restaurant analytics provider, found that 89 per cent of restaurateurs believe delivery to be incremental business. A Service Management Group survey indicated that if customers had not ordered food for delivery, only 10 per cent would have visited a restaurant for that meal occasion. That incremental demand is also greatest when in-restaurant demand is lowest. Research by Ipsos shows that delivery demand spikes during snowstorms and heavy rain — unsurprisingly, the same times potential guests decide to stay indoors.

The TDn2K survey also found 89 per cent of limited-service restaurants and 51 per cent of full-service restaurants generate greater check averages through third-party delivery over to-go orders. This is not surprising, since remote ordering provides more comfort to customers when upsizing their orders — there’s no face-to-face guilt from upsizing that order of fries, for example — and, unlike human order takers, technology never forgets to upsell.

Third party delivery is vital for reaching the Millennial and Gen Z demographics, which have overtaken over Boomers in money spent and visits to restaurants. Netflix, Youtube and similar streaming services have resulted in the younger generation cocooning earlier; however, they want to eat what they want, when they want it and delivery appeals to such needs.

The primary reasons delivery is used, according to a Services Management Group survey, is inability to travel (18 per cent), prefer not to cook (17 per cent), ease of ordering (17 per cent) and time savings (12 per cent).

Third party delivery can be costly, but restaurateurs can’t afford to ignore it. Many Canadian operators are adjusting their menus, modifying products and sourcing packaging that maintains food quality during delivery. Some are including only their most profitable menu items on delivery platforms or offering delivery items at greater prices (although not all platforms allow for it).

That shouldn’t be a problem, though. Like the demand for delivery, the number of providers has exploded. fsSTRATEGY believes the growth in off-restaurant consumption, both takeout and delivery, will continue. Third-party delivery will increasingly become an important channel that restaurants will need to navigate to be successful. Now, with so many out there, restaurateurs can make delivery services work for them.

Jeff Dover is Principal and Managing Director with fsSTRATEGY Inc. fsSTRATEGY Inc. a niche consulting firm based in Toronto focused on assisting foodservice operators to enhance customer satisfaction, revenues and return on investment. For additional information on fsSTRATEGY services, contact us at nextsteps@fsstrategy.com or 416-229-2290.

62 Fall 2019 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News

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