// BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
FOODSERVICE TRAINING
Sara Schlossberg, Executive Director, Training New York City Department of Small Business Services
T
ell us a little about yourself. What’s your current role? I am responsible for the overall direction and management of the training offered to workers and businesses in New York City by the City’s Department of Small Business Services. Among these trainings are the Restaurant Management program and Customized Training program known as NYC Business Solutions Training Funds. Training Funds awards grants of up to $400,000 to businesses for employee training. How does the program work? This program is part of our NYC Business Solutions suite of trainings designed to help businesses grow. We really look for restaurants and other food service establishments that have been in operation for more than a year, but, who are committed to growing their business through the development of skilled entry-level employees. We hold training sessions each month that focus on hospitality and management issues, controlling food costs, restaurant marketing, and human resources management and supervision.
the impact of the time commitment is minimal, but the return is substantial. Most trainees can participate in class and still be on time for the dinner shift.
The great thing is that our training schedule allows restaurateurs not to skip a beat when it comes to training their staff. Who provides the training? We partner with the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) to provide the training, which was created by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). To ensure the program’s topics align with real life challenges found in the foodservices industry, its developers worked with more than 200 academics, operators, trainers, hiring managers and executives to identify the competencies essential to the program’s success. What material is taught/How are the classes structured?
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The material is developed to address challenges commonly found in the foodservice industry so that attendees can make real-time connections to the coursework. We cover everything from managing day-to-day operations and reducing costs associated with food spoilage to effective cost-effective marketing strategies and learning how to hire the right people. The great thing is that our training schedule allows restaurateurs not to skip a beat when it comes to training their staff. Each training session takes place over the course of three consecutive weeks, but only consist of two full days each week, and a final exam in the third week—so
Who is eligible for the program? Where does the program take place? Restaurant owners or managers can send any employee they want. We want this program to be a tool to allow restaurant owners to retain their best staffers by giving them valuable management skills. The training takes place at the New York Restaurant Association Regional Office, in Manhattan. Where does the funding for the program come from? The program is supported by a combination of government funds from New York State and New York City, including the Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO). We’re very fortunate and thankful to have this level of support where we can create a program specifically for New York City restaurants and other food service establishments.
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// NEWS
HOTELS
Hilton Debuts New Battery Park City Hotel Conrad New York opened its doors last month to savvy travelers, discerning business clientele and Manhattanites seeking fresh, engaging hospitality and a stylish setting in New York City’s vibrant Battery Park City neighborhood.
R
ising 16 stories along the Hudson River waterfront, the 463 all-suite luxury hotel is the first New York address from Conrad Hotels & Resorts, the global luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide. “With the opening of the Conrad New York, Conrad Hotels & Resorts is entering the most exciting period in its history, as plans move forward to double the size of our portfolio over the next few years,” stated John T.A. Vanderslice, Global Head, Luxury and Lifestyle Brands, Hilton Worldwide. “Conrad New York will afford the brand the opportunity to provide its signature world of style, service and connections in the heart of America’s most dynamic city.” Conrad New York is working with several notable partners, including architects Monica Ponce de Leon, Marianne McKenna of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, and Kohn Pedersen Fox, designers Jill Greaves and Peter Remedios, Herve Descottes of lighting design firm L’Observatoire, landscape architect Ken Smith, engineering firm Flack and Kurtz, catering by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events, and an art collection curated by the Public Art Fund and Elizabeth Gould Vales. Guests are welcomed into a soaring, sunlit, 15-story atrium highlighted by a dramatic blue and purple Sol LeWitt 4 • April 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Loopy Doopy, the hotel’s rooftop bar, will be the liveliest spot on the Lower West Side for drinks and dynamic conversation. Open seasonally from spring to autumn, the bar will offer small plates, sophisticated cocktails and 180-degree views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, New York Harbor and the magnificent Hudson River.
painting rising 13 floors above the registration desk. The work, considered by many to be one of the late artist’s great works, is LeWitt’s largest, spanning 100 feet x 80 feet. The work, entitled Loopy Doopy (Blue and Purple) required 100 gallons of paint and 3,000 hours to finish. Conrad New York’s signature fullservice restaurant, Atrio, is an inviting scene serving contemporary Mediterranean cuisine prepared in an open kitchen with a wood-stone oven. Atrio has a full bar featuring wines from around the world. Executive Chef Anthony Zamora, who recently came from Four Seasons Hotel New York, will oversee the restaurant, rooftop bar and in-room dining with dishes inspired by his Italian and Lebanese
roots and incorporating the freshest local ingredients. Loopy Doopy, the hotel’s rooftop bar, will be the liveliest spot on the Lower West Side for drinks and dynamic conversation. Open seasonally from spring to autumn, the bar will offer small plates, sophisticated cocktails and 180-degree views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, New York Harbor and the magnificent Hudson River. Directly above the bar will be a green roof designed by renowned landscape architect Ken Smith, including a garden with fresh herbs and vegetables for the culinary teams at Atrio and Danny Meyer’s North End Grill, located next door to the hotel. The neighborhood surrounding Conrad New York is also the scene of
The Conrad New York, located in Lower Manhattan and overlooking the Hudson River, provides contemporary spaces in the lobby atrium, oversized suites and a seasonal rooftop bar known as The Loopy Doopy Bar.
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remarkable dining courtesy of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. The hugely popular Shake Shack, which provides a modern take on a “roadside” burger stand, opened in the summer of 2011, and was joined earlier this year by Blue Smoke’s second New York City location, serving Chef Kenny Callaghan’s authentic pit barbecue. In January, North End Grill was added, a modern American bar and grill from Chef Floyd Cardoz, winner of Season 3 of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. Meanwhile, Harry’s Italian, part of the Poulakakos restaurant group, will offer award-winning Italian specialties. Upscale retail shops are situated in close proximity to the Conrad New York, with newly opened options including Francois Payard Bakery, Battery Place Market, Vintry Wines, Bloom Florist and Artsee Eyewear situated along the pedestrian breezeway between Murray and Vesey Streets. “This neighborhood has seen tremendous change and we’re proud to be part of the lower Manhattan community which we serve,” said Robert Rechtermann, General Manager, Conrad New York. “Many more people live downtown than ten years ago, which creates a need for new eateries, more retail options, and open green spaces. Conrad New York will become an important new member of the Battery Park City community and we look forward to accommodating our local residents and their families as well as international and domestic visitors.” From all-business board meetings to upscale social affairs, the Conrad New York is a prime destination for meetings and events in lower Manhattan, with more than 30,000 square feet of flexible space. The hotel’s Gallery Ballroom has more than 6,200 square feet designed to hold 600 participants with high ceilings offering cuttingedge presentation and communication technologies. Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events is the exclusive food and beverage partner for the hotel’s onsite conference and event facilities. The hotel’s valet parking provides
an even greater guest experience for people attending meetings and events at the hotel. With its strong commitment to sustainability, the Conrad New York is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for New Construction from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for sustainable building practices and design. Once certified, the hotel will be the first LEED Gold new construction project in an existing building in New York. Noteworthy environmentallyfriendly considerations at the Conrad include: a green roof and chef’s roof garden, bike racks for public use, low flow plumbing fixtures for water conservation, LED lights that consist of more than 60% of all the lighting in the hotel, low VOC materials to promote indoor air quality, and Energy Star kitchen equipment that contributes to the overall building’s energy efficiency.
Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Director of Social Media Sandy Klanfer Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2012 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
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// NEWS
EVENTS
NRA’s Sweeney Set To Highlight Annual ROC’s Conference The New Jersey Restaurant Association is continuing its mission to bring top quality educational programs and speakers to the Garden State with the announcement of the 2012 Restaurant Operators Conference (ROC) schedule of sessions, featuring: President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association Dawn Sweeney as the keynote speaker.
A
t last year’s conference NJRA hosted the Founder & CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, and renowned Restaurateur: Danny Meyer and 2011 NJRA Chairman George Ebinger directed that the NJRA deliver quality programming at every event hosted. ROC is scheduled to be held on Monday April 23, 2012 at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, NJ. As president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association, Dawn Sweeney leads the chief business association for the hospitality & restaurant industry. Undoubtedly, one of the nation’s most significant trade organizations, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) represents 960,000 restaurant and foodservice facilities and 12.8 million employees. The NJ Restaurant Association, the official state restaurant association of NJ, is proud to be affiliated with the NRA and all that it stands for. “We’re very excited to have Dawn Sweeney as our Keynote speaker at ROC, as President and CEO of the NRA she
Undoubtedly, one of the nation’s most significant trade organizations, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) represents 960,000 restaurant and foodservice facilities and 12.8 million employees.
leads the largest trade organization in our country. The NRA represents every dining segment and is committed to its mission of helping its members build customer loyalty, rewarding careers and financial success and lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve,” said 2012 NJRA Chairman Jack Koumbis. “Please join us for what promises to be an event not to be missed,” encouraged Chairman Koumbis. ROC is a full-day conference that will also feature sessions such as: ROC the
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Culinary Palette- A Panel of signature NJ chefs discuss hot button issues and trends in the industry, American Meat – A documentary screening and Q&A with film maker Graham Meriwether, Glassware presentation by Cardinal International, Reputation Management- a presentation by NJ.com, & Express Merchant Financing- a presentation by American Express. ROC will also feature the 2012 Mixologist of the Year Competition. ROC topics are geared to appeal to owner-operators, management staff and industry enthusiasts.
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// NEWS
ASSOCIATIONS
SFM Set To Tackle Critical Issues At Manhattan’s JPMorgan Headquarters The Society for Foodservice Management (SFM) will bring its 2012 Critical Issues Conference to one of Manhattan’s most prestigious venues.
O
n Thursday, April 17th, some 160 plus food service professionals are set to meet at JPMorgan to deliver valuable insights into the future of corporate dining technology. “Our goal is to host a program that will enable our membership to understand: what will consumers demand, what will technology allow and what are the hottest trends to anticipate,” noted SFM president Barbara Kane. This information-packed, oneday conference hosted at the beautiful JPMorgan Chase facility in New York City - delivers valuable insights into the future of corporate dining technology. What will consumers demand? What will technology allow? What are the hottest trends to anticipate? The event will be highlighted by an exciting lineup of educational sessions that will focus on: The Future of Hospitality Technology, Connected Consumer, Connected Experience, the Future is in the Palm of Your Hand: How Palm Scanning is Changing the Consumer Experience, Just One Look: Facial Recognition and Zero-Effort Payments and Mobile + Social: Empowering End-Users and Transforming Business. SFM’s annual Critical Issues Conference seminar program will close with an Interactive Dialogue/Q&A and following the conference and the NYSE’s closing bell
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// NEWS
OPENINGS
Panera Bread’s 1,500th Store In Manhattan Debut Panera Bread opened its 1,500th bakery-cafe and its first in Manhattan late last month. As well, the company has announced three other Manhattan bakery-cafes that it expects to open in 2012. They will be located on East 86th Street, Fifth Avenue at 40th Street and Union Square.
“W
e are thrilled to be celebrating two milestones - the opening of our 1,500th bakery-cafe, as well as Panera’s entry into the food mecca that is Manhattan,” commented Ron Shaich, Panera Bread Founder and Executive Chairman. “While New York City consumers have their pick of options, we believe that the Panera experience, high-quality food rooted in hand-crafted, artisan bread, served in
a warm and welcoming environment by people who care will distinguish Panera from the rest. Not only are we excited about opening our 1,500th bakery-cafe but we’re pleased about joining four neighborhoods across Manhattan over the coming months.” Panera Bread currently operates 90
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// SCOOP Brooklyn Barclays Burger Boom SCOOP notes that it’s not just properties that are flipping near the soonto-open Barclays Center – it’s patties. Burger joints are bouncing up around the nearly completed home of the Nets like loose balls as national chains vie with local businesses to win over thousands of hungry fans expected to hit the neighborhood in search of game-time grub. No less than five new burger spots have opened in the last year within a half mile of the arena, and while the Nets won’t tip off there until this fall, restaurant owners say the game is already on for them. “We don’t shy away from competition,” said John Agnello, the co-own-
Bay Ridge’s The Burger Bistro
er of Bay Ridge’s The Burger Bistro, which will soon hawk hamburgers from a new location near the stadium in Park Slope. “There’s an influx of burger restaurants there and we kind of just figured, ‘Lets go down there and play with the big boys.’” The big boys Agnello will be competing with are corporate giants like Five Guys, which recently opened seven restaurants in Brooklyn and two within a 10 minute walk of the arena, Smashburger, which just launched its first outpost in the city on DeKalb Avenue, and downtown favorite 67 Burger, which debuted its second location within a ball’s roll of the Barclays Center in November.
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE Real estate experts said the burger boom near the arena is not a surprise. “These national companies watch everything. I’m sure that others are looking around in the area,” said broker and real estate insider Chris Havens. “Ultimately the changes are going to be big because there’s always a ripple effect.”
Lessing’s Names M&A Guru Houston To New Post SCOOP says congrats to Mark Houston who joined Lessing’s Inc. in February 2012 to assess and execute mergers & acquisitions for the company. Lessing’s operates food service locations throughout New York and New England, some of the New York area’s finest dining establishments, and are one of the most recognizable names in catering on Long Island. Mr. Houston will be based on Long Island and looking for opportunities nationally, with a focus on the Northeast. Prior to joining Lessing’s, Mr. Houston worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group of investment banks in New York, London and Hong Kong for 12 years. Mr. Houston completed his Masters degree at London Business School and his Bachelors at McGill University in business and finance.
CT Kosher “Pizza Parlor” Employs People With Special Needs
SCOOP sees that there’s a new pizza oven in town and it’s not only baking up kosher pies; it’s providing meaningful job experience for people with special needs. Conceived by West Hartford residents Elisheva and Michael Routburg, the idea for Taste of Life was inspired by regular visits to Lambs Farm when the couple lived in Chicago. A campus north of the city where
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adults with developmental disabilities live, work, and service the community. Lambs Farm began in the ‘50s as an innovative Chicago pet store employed people with special needs. Now, it has grown into a regional tourist destination with a range of entrepreneurial and recreational faciltities. The Routburgs’ 18-year-old son, Ezriel, has autism and ADHD. Over the last several years, he became friends with Yoni Award, a student at the Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy in Bloomfield. The two would meet weekly to socialize after school, and their families got to know each other as well. Yoni Awad’s father, Yosi, is owner of Yosi Kitchen, a kosher catering business based in Windsor. “I felt so good seeing the boys together,” says Yosi who invited Ezriel to work with him in his professional kitchen. Ezriel has been employed by Yosi for almost a year. When the Routburgs and Yosi saw how Ezriel was thriving, they started brainstorming. “I see that there are more people with special needs in the community looking for work and for something meaningful to do,” Yosi says. Everyone agreed that pizza would be a good place to start. Yosi put his name and funding behind the project. The Routburgs asked Rabbi Yitzchok Adler and the board of Congregation Beth David in West Hartford if they could launch the project at the synagogue. Yosi came up with the name, Taste of Life to signify both the literal and figurative meanings of the term. “It’s the first time in my life doing something like this, and the first time in the employees’ lives that they’re tasting what it means to work and make money,” he says. “It’s the pizza, creating something for others to taste, that’s giving them this opportunity.”
NYC’s Le Cirque Takes Show On The Road SCOOP notes that the acclaimed New York restaurant Le Cirque is taking its lobster salad and other recipes on the road in a series of pop-up dinners across the country. On 10 Friday nights that began on March 9 and
Chef Olivier Reginensi
goes through June 1, the restaurant will ship its signature china as well as its chef, Olivier Reginensi, to cities including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, FL and San Diego. The dinners, though open to the public, will be held at private clubs run by ClubCorp. A maximum of 200 diners will be seated for the threecourse meals, which will feature selections like tuna tartare, porcini risotto and fillet of beef. One of its classic desserts is crème brulee “Le Cirque.” To maximize verisimilitude, black-and-white photos featuring the restaurant’s founder, Sirio Maccioni, with celebrities will travel with the pop-up restaurants as well. Dinners cost $150 per person, which covers
Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market
wine and a copy of Mr. Maccioni’s biography. The meal alone in New York costs $135, not counting the airfare.
Will Hunts Point Produce Flee NYC? SCOOP notes that a critical piece of New York City’s economy for more than 40 years, the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market, is in jeopardy. The market has provided many New York City restaurants, supermarkets and bodegas with affordable, fresh produce, while supporting nearly 3,000 jobs and generating billions of dollars in economic activity. In June, the market signed a three-year lease extension and entered into exclusive negotiation with its landlord, New York City. This exclusive period has expired which makes it free to entertain offers to move. New Jersey wants the market and the jobs it would bring. Its officials have been waiting patiently, hoping for the chance to offer incentives and land to lure the market to the Garden State. The Hunts Point Terminal Market Co-op is trying to reach a fair agreement with Mayor Bloomberg, one that will keep this institution in The Bronx. Since the interim deal was struck, we in the industry have heard that the two sides have been working vigorously to reach a long-term agreement and to create a larger modernized market in The Bronx. For the members of the co-op, a move across the river would risk losing their customers and valuable
business. It would also hurt customers, costing significant money in tolls, fuel and valuable time to reach a location far from their stores. Most likely, businesses would be forced to raise prices for their customers, New York’s citizens. This is the last thing we need in the present economic environment. Finally, with The Bronx struggling with the highest unemployment rates in the city, we simply can’t lose thousands of well-paying jobs and an important piece of our city’s infrastructure. The move could set the economic recovery of the city and the borough back decades.
Hitching His Starr To NYC Artwork SCOOP sees that for restaurateur Stephen Starr, fine dining goes hand in hand with fine art. Starr, best known for Asian hot spots Buddakan and Morimoto, is expanding his
Restaurateur Stephen Starr
string of upscale museum eateries with the opening last month of Serai, a Himalayan-themed eatery at the Rubin Museum of Art in Chelsea. Serai, under executive chef Ali Loukzada, refers to the overnight stopovers for caravans on trade routes where travelers could eat, drink and purchase goods. The museum is dedi-
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cated to the art of the Himalayas and India. The restaurant was inspired by Loukzada’s Indian roots. The menu, for instance, includes seasonal samosa, sausage bao bun and shahi chicken korma. Serai transforms into the K2Lounge with a DJ on Friday evenings. A Pan-Asian tapas menu, along with a martini and wine bar, is available during evening gallery tours concerts and film screenings, along with a Wednesday Himalayan Happy Hour. Starr Events also is the exclusive caterer to the museum. Starr who followed fellow restaurateur Danny Meyer in mixing the world of fine art and dining also operates eateries at the New York Historical Society.
Park Eatery Seen On Hudson River SCOOP notes that Hudson River Park’s Pier 26 is moving toward creation of a 200-seat waterside restaurant as planners aim to boost the sports-centered park into a dinning destination as well. This month, the Hudson River Park Trust will seek proposals to develop a large restaurant at Pier 26, near Battery Park City. The facility, which will be the biggest full-service restaurant in the park, is still in the planning stages but it will accommodate more than 200 people and will feature an open rooftop terrace. “Pier 26 in a lot of ways can shift the tides of the culinary landscape of the entire West Side Highway,” said Steven Kamali, a restaurant consultant to hoteliers such as Aby Rosen and Ian Schrager who was recently retained to advise the trust on a probono basis. The five-mile Hudson River Park snakes along the West Side Highway from 59th Street to the southern tip of Manhattan, and includes dog runs, bike lanes, athletic fields and courts. Rather than using city or state funding for its operations, the park relies on revenues from privately run concessions, permits, fees and donations.
Steven Kamali
The new Pier 26 spot sits near Battery Park City, which has experienced a flurry of recent restaurant openings. Including North End Grill, Shake Shack and high-end barbecue joint Blue Smoke, all part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Mr. Kamali said he hopes to lure big name restaurants to the pier as well. Madelyn Wils, chief executive of the trust, says the new restaurant is expected to generate limited revenue but will be an amenity to help draw a more diverse crowd to the park. “I envision a restaurant that is more seafood-oriented but something that’s fun and appropriate for a park. Nothing too upscale, but something with good food and that will be attractive to both a business person and the neighborhood,” she said. Hudson River Park already has several casualdining options, but they have enjoyed mixed success. A concession near the West Village at Pier 45, which served snacks and light fare, closed last fall. The trust also is seeking a new casual noshing spot for that space.
Manhattan’s W Union Square Gains New Nightcontinued on next page
club SCOOP sees that nightlife proprietor Gerber Group, which owns more than 25 venues throughout the world, opened Lilium underneath New York City’s W Union Square hotel. The new 1,600 square foot club replaced Gerber Group’s Underbar, which closed in June of 2011 for a design overhaul. Lilium’s interior decor was created by Gulla Jonsdottir of G+ Design to evoke a cave of wild lilies, with twisted black metal lining the ceiling, silver lilies stenciled on the walls, black steel sculptures of lilies created by artist Scot Brown placed throughout the venue and a contoured wood bar with gold-tone accents. Lilium has a rock and roll atmosphere, with different DJs playing a variety of classic and indie rock, soul and blues each night. The sleek, cavernous club’s cocktail offerings include signature concoctions with fresh ingredients like the Gin Blossom, which blends gin, fresh lemon juice, raspberry syrup and egg white, and the Grassy Kroll, made with Zubrowka Bison Grass vodka, fresh muddled ginger and lemongrass. Lilium also offers wine and champagne by the glass, domestic and imported beer by the bottle and a variety of small-batch spirits, as well as bottle service from an exten-
sive list of spirits brands. Small bites created by renowned chef Todd English include flatbreads, assorted cheeses and bistro fries.
Beloved Metro Area Equipment Rep Dies SCOOP is sad to report that Joseph Lawrence Bruno of Larchmont died March 20 in Bronx, N.Y. He was 68. Bruno was the president and owner
Bruno is survived by his daughters Karen ( James) Healey and Jennifer (Robert) Lynch, his sister Frances (Peter) Criscuolo and eight grandchildren. “Somebody who was loved by so many. He’ll be sorely missed,” noted DMM’s Ro Doyle.
A Taste Of Asia Comes To Grand Central SCOOP sees that the cherry blossoms bloomed early this year as a taste of Asia came to Grand Central. The terminal’s Vanderbilt space
Joseph Lawrence Bruno with his wife and grandchildren
of Dealers Choice, a manufacturer’s representative company in the food services industry for more than 30 years. The New Rochelle native was a Vietnam veteran. At 19, Bruno met his wife Laura and they enjoyed 45 years of marriage at their home in Larchmont. Bruno’s family was the ultimate joy in his life. In addition to his wife,
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Restaurant Daniel in New York City
was the setting of last month’s kickoff culinary gala of New York’s Japan Week. Designed to highlight the cultural contributions of Japan, the opening gala had a crowd prowling the space in pursuit of the nation’s culinary delights. Lanterns and ice sculptures decorated the hall, and restaurants and their chefs displayed offerings running the gamut from cocktails to desserts. Highlights included a specialty drink combining Yamazaki whiskey with pomelo fruit and green tea infu-
sion, created by Gen Yamamoto of TriBeCa’s Brushstroke, and a fluke with shiso bavarois dish made by chef Roger Ma of Restaurant Daniel. Chef David Bouley’s passion for Japanese cooking inspired him to open Brushstroke last year. For him, the health benefits of Japanese cooking fit into New York diners’ desire to find healthier options. Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki kicked off the festivities with the Kagamiwari ceremony, in which a large bottle of sake is cracked open in celebrations. After reeling from the effects of last year’s earthquake and tsunami, this year’s celebration of Japan’s relationship with the U.S. was even more poignant. “This year’s programs hold very deep meaning for the people of Japan,” he explained. “In such a trying time, the Japanese people knew that we were not alone.”
148 Graduate From The CIA With Bachelor’s And Associate Degrees SCOOP sees that Homaro Cantu, a leader in the field of postmodern cuisine, inspired 67 associate degree recipients during commencement exercises at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) last month. In a separate ceremony the previous day, Jeffrey Kmiec, president and managing director of the famed Green-
Chef Homaro Cantu
brier resort, offered the keynote address to 81 baccalaureate graduates. Chef Cantu shared with graduates how he lived through three years of homelessness as a child, an experience that gave him an appreciation of “the preciousness of food.” “I wish for you success, satisfaction, and drive,” said Cantu to the newest class of CIA alumni. “I urge you to be bold, to embrace the world of food, and to discover how it can transform your life.” Cantu’s inventiveness is seen through his work as executive chef and owner of Chicago’s Moto Restaurant and in the many patent applications for culinary inventions developed at his company, Cantu Designs. At the baccalaureate commencement, Kmiec advised recipients of degrees in culinary arts management and baking
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
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181 Marsh Hill Road 91 Brainard Road 566 Hamilton Avenue 15-06 132nd Street 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 305 S. Regent St. 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road
and pastry arts management that “people will look to you for leadership and they’ll take their cues from how you treat others.” And, while the adage claims you can’t please everyone all the time, Kmiec disagrees. “You can please everyone all the time - it’s just incredibly hard. But if you do, you’ll be successful,” he said. Kmiec and his team continue a long tradition of pleasing guests at the historic Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV, where 26 presidents have stayed over the years. Both Moto and The Greenbrier accept CIA students for their externship field experience.
The Food and Beverage Association Dinner Benefits the Scholarship Foundation SCOOP sees that members and guests of the Food and Beverage Association attended a dinner at The Hospitality Management Department at New York City College of Technology earlier this month. This special dinner reception was prepared by the future exemplars in our industry. President Gladys Mouton DiStefano announced that the Scholarship Foundation will be donating another gift to help with those careers. This year $20,000 was given toward Scholarships. This will enable four more students to continue their education in Hospitality
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Orange, CT 06477 Hartford, CT 06114 Brooklyn, NY 11232 College Point, NY 11356 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Port Chester, NY 10573 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 S. Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083
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Management. The actual check will be presented to the school at their Gala Fundraiser on May 18th, 2012 at the Hilton New York. Alumni and Board Members Arline Isaacson and Steve Gattullo thought one of the highlights of the evening was when this years three recipients updated us on their career plans. They all spoke with much enthusiasm
Recipients of Glayds Mouton DiStefano’s scholarships
and optimism about their fantastic goals. Common words were, without this scholarship they couldn’t have completed their studies. Cintia Moncion and Stephan Lukic have graduated and are already employed in the industry and Joslyn Taylor will be graduating in June.
203-795-9900 860-549-4000 718-768-0555 718-762-1000 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 718-707-9330 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 914-935-0220 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-791-2740 908-964-5544
// SPOTLIGHT
DL FOODSERVICE
Green in the Kitchen In recent months, more and more restaurant owners have approached DL Foodservice Design, a foodservice design firm and commercial kitchen equipment supplier, desiring greener kitchens and cooking methods.
I
n recent months, more and more restaurant owners have approached DL Foodservice Design, a foodservice design firm and commercial kitchen equipment supplier, desiring greener kitchens and cooking methods. New technology and research has led to the development of high quality brands of products that are dedicated to minimizing their environmental impact, while providing chefs with superb product lines. These are exactly the products that Owner and Lead Designer of DL Foodservice Design, Dean Langella, is incorporating into the commercial kitchens that he builds. As a veteran in the foodservice industry, Langella is well versed in the kitchen equipment he supplies and installs; manufacturers, product lines, and new trends and technology are the core of his knowledge. A request that DL Foodservice Design often receives is a kitchen overhaul with greener products. Restaurant owners and other large-scale facilities want to highlight their kitchens as ones that are environmentally responsible and they also want to cut down on their electric costs. DL Foodservice Design’s solution for these kitchens often starts with the equipment, but
it’s not just about a transition to energy efficient appliances. Langella knows which product lines are frontrunners in both sustainability, and the highest quality cooking methods. DL Foodservice Design has introduced UNOX’s combi ovens into the kitchens of many clients including
chefs to enjoy a versatile oven system, while reducing the energy that goes into preparing meals. Known for their efficiency, induction stovetops and sous-vide cooking methods are also making their way into DL Foodservice Design’s commercial kitchens. In both fine dining
Restaurant owners and other largescale facilities want to highlight their kitchens as ones that are environmentally responsible and they also want to cut down on their electric costs. the upcoming restaurant, VB3 in Jersey City, New Jersey, because of their extraordinary ability to handle many diverse cooking needs and their minimal heat loss. Like all combi ovens, UNOX has engineered their product line for maximum energy efficiency with enhanced insulation that controls heat loss and creates a much lower temperature on the outside surface. This makes the kitchen safer and enables
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and casual dining restaurants, induction and sous-vide cooking methods are leading to energy savings. DL Foodservice Design recently installed induction stovetops at a Q.S.R. and helped the restaurant transition to electric induction, a new green trend in kitchens. Over the past few years DL Foodservice Design along with the foodservice industry has watched many products evolve to become greener.
Hoods and ventilation have seen significant changes that lead to big energy savings, but DL Foodservice Design also points out that many hood manufacturers are also aware of their technology and make it as eco friendly as possible. Langella explains the importance of green technology, “Many commercial hood manufacturers such as Avtec are taking strides to only use green technology. The Avtec EcoArch is the most energy efficient exhaust only hood on the market. Companies such as Unified Brands and Middleby have been true leaders in the foodservice green movement. I’ve found that clients appreciate knowing this and see this, along with the energy savings of new hoods, to be a great purchase.” While some green kitchen additions like induction stovetops and combi ovens tend to be more expensive, Langella and his team have seen that restaurants recognize the benefits. Langella has also found that the high expectations of both restaurant owners and chefs have been far exceeded by the green transition of their kitchens. As a result, DL Foodservice Design plans to encourage all future clients to implement green kitchen equipment and products into their kitchens.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
AJC Set To Honor Three At 2012 Food Service Gala This year’s American Jewish Committee gala at the Bronx Botanical Gardens on June 12, 2012 will be special for so many reasons. The AJC’s Food Service Division’s Human Relations Award Dinner once again will be among the highlights of its calendar of events.
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his year’s honorees will be Bryan O’Rourke, President and CEO of Cardinal International, a Pine Brook, NJ-based supplier of restaurant glassware and tableware, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert and Stephanie Lasher, the presidents of DMS Corporation and Trimetro Inc., repsectively. The Corporate Leadership Award will be presented to Advantage Waypoint, and accepted on their behalf by Divisional President Mark Hanson. Advantage Waypoint is a fully integrated conglomeration of nine top foodservice brokerages.Founded in 1906, its mandate has always been to protect the rights and freedoms of all individuals as the best way to ensure the safety and security of Jews and other minorities around the world. The AJC seeks to build human bridges of mutual respect and understanding between religious and ethnic groups, defend religious free-
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dom and church-state separation, safeguard democracy, pluralism and the rule of law, fight anti-Semitism and bigotry, strengthen U.S. and international support for Israel, and encourage the Jewish continuity while also monitoring human rights both at home and abroad.Last year’s event raised some $150K to benefit one of America’s oldest and most respected human rights organizations. Each honoree brought a unique and heartfelt perspective to the dais. After an impassioned introduction by veteran rep and PBAC Marketing partner Michael Posternak, Tedde and Jim Reid outlined their charitable work in Africa and in Chicago, and Ritz-Carlton designer Marty Friedman described for the attendees his amazing journey in the industry. The event’s success would have been impossible without the indefatigable work of the AJC’s Lenny Myron.
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// NEWS
SHOWS
SIAL Canada 2012 On The Rise In Montreal The Salon International de l’Alimentation (“SIAL”) Canada, the only international and pan-Canadian food industry event in Canada and a leading trade show in North America, will return to Montreal for its 9th edition, at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal from May 9 to 11, 2012.
Having achieved record 35% growth for its debut in Toronto in 2011, SIAL Canada has new ambitions for its return to Canada’s second largest city: to be the one and only platform for innovation and international business in the Canadian food industry, and to hold that position every year, alternating between Montreal and Toronto. SIAL Canada Managing Director, Xavier Poncin who initiated the show’s alternating schedule, affirms “We are delighted to announce that SIAL Canada 2012 is also experiencing a significant increase of 15% to 20%. The number of represented countries also increases. We should reach 630 to 650 exhibitors from 40 countries this year (37 in 2010 and 2011). Our success validates the strategy.” Poncin anticipates welcoming 13,000 food industry professionals from over 60 countries. SIAL Canada 2012 will unveil a world-class panorama of tastes, trends and food and beverage products only the SIAL brand can deliver. The Trends & Innovations competition rewards the best in international food innovation for the year and
reveals the latest global consumer trends. Xavier explains, “Besides the 50 nominated products highlighted during SIAL Canada, show visitors can discover products from SIAL shows all over the world: SIAL China, SIAL Middle East and SIAL Brazil. SIAL Canada is the only show in North America that benefits from such an international pool and this is thanks to the SIAL group’s unique, truly global network.” Olive d’Or, the sole international extra-virgin olive oil competition in North America will present 150 producers from 15 countries. The signature coffee competition Coffee Cup by SIAL will root out the world’s best coffees: some 30 producers from 10 countries. La Cuisine by SIAL returns to Montreal with an all-new program featuring a three-day corporate chef contest where culinary masters from food processing companies, large food distribution companies and restaurants compete in a head-to-head competition. In order to facilitate the way for
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// Q&A Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard Foundation in New York City Recently, TFS sat down with Susan Ungaro from the James Beard Foundation, to talk about James Beard’s legacy and cultivating the next generation of great American chefs.
As you pass the five-year mark, what has been accomplished on your watch? I am very proud that the James Beard Foundation (JBF) is celebrating our 25th anniversary year and we’re more relevant, exciting and successful in accomplishing our mission than ever. I’m also grateful that during the past years (I’ll actually be with the Foundation six years on April 24th), the culinary community was our biggest source of help in taking JBF from a deficit of $1.3 million in 2006 to a surplus of almost $400,000 in 2012. I’m probably proudest of our decision five years ago to move our annual James Beard Awards to Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. The support and enthusiastic response we received from chefs, restaurants, media and our corporate sponsors was a turning point for JBF. We recently launched a Silver Anniversary Scholarship Drive and are also very proud of the fact that since 1991, we awarded over $4 million in financial aid to deserving students. (The call for applications will be on our website starting April 1st.) The passionate, energetic and talented staff at our Foundation have been instrumental in helping create several other relevant and important new initiatives these past six years. We’ve redesigned
our website twice to make our message and programmatic offerings easier and more exciting to navigate. We started a lively bi-monthly news-
letter and a blog. And, of course, we’re also on Facebook and Twitter. Five years ago, we started a free “Beard on Books” series where we invite authors
Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard Foundation in New York City
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to come speak at the Beard House about what’s happening in their culinary world. This is a gathering that we know James Beard himself would
call for award entries and our finalists were voted by a group of over 400 past award winners and food journalists.
Our Foundation was named after the late, great James Beard, who is considered the “Godfather” of American cuisine. He was the first celebrity chef appearing on television back in the 1950’s and he authored over 24 cookbooks. have loved, since he relished hosting friends in his home and talking about what matters most in food. And finally, we launched a new commitment to gathering thought leaders and change makers in the culinary world by holding an annual Food Conference. Our most recent conference was held for two days last October in New York City. The theme was “Money & Media: How It Influences the Way America Eats.” It was also the start of a new JBF Leadership Awards program honoring people who are making this world a better, healthier more sustainable place. Our 2011 honorees included well-known change makers like First Lady Michelle Obama and Alice Waters, but also shined a spotlight on important leaders who may not be household names, such as Will Allen of Growing Power and Deb Eschmeyer of Food Corps. What’s at the top of your agenda moving forward? Our main goal is to continue our great celebration of the most talented people in our food world by increasing America’s support of our awards programs. And, we continue to work towards growing our commitment to scholarships for students, since they
are the future of our culinary industry. What role does the Beard House and Foundation play in the metro New York food service community? When you look at the nominees, there is no shortage of New York City restaurateurs, chefs and locales..Why? There is no doubt that by being headquartered in New York’s Greenwich Village, our Foundation plays a vital role in the New York City community. Since we welcome chefs from all over the country and the world to create fundraising dinners over 220 days out of the year at the Beard House, we are certainly an important culinary destination. We also do whatever we can to support the local hunger-fighting organizations and culinary schools, as well. For instance, we offer local students from culinary schools the opportunity to stage with the great chefs cooking at the Beard House. For the students, it is a highlight of their culinary education. As for the abundance of talented chefs in New York who receive nominations every year, all I can say is that our James Beard Awards are voted on by a national jury of their peers. This year, we had over 57,000 votes in the initial
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What is the true legacy of James Beard? Our Foundation was named after the late, great James Beard, who is considered the “Godfather” of American cuisine. He was the first celebrity chef appearing on television back in the 1950’s and he authored over 24 cookbooks. He was also a mentor and friend to many of the food world’s most famous figures, including Julia Child, Peter Kump, Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck. In keeping with his legacy, our Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture and preserve America’s diverse culinary heritage and future. When people watch television shows, they often hear chefs speak proudly about being a James Beard Award winner. You brought a very strong publishing background to the position, how has that helped you at JBF? There’s no doubt that my experience as editor of Family Circle helped me navigate the many responsibilities of my job as president of JBF. I get asked this question a lot! For instance, an editor in chief is the main spokesperson for a magazine’s mission, as is the president of a foundation. Members of our Foundation are very much like readers; sponsors of programs and events are just like advertisers and creating interesting events is very similar to developing story ideas! My editorial background also helped me work strategically with the talented editors and art director at JBF to grow our presence both in print and online in a creative and exciting way. I’m incredibly proud of our media presence. It seems as if with all of the TV shows that everybody wants to be the next celebrity chef. What advice do you have for young people in the indus-
try? When a student or young person speaks about their dream of getting on TV and having their own show someday, I say, “Go for it. Pursue your passion.” Clearly, there’s a lot of competition out there, but today anyone who wants to, can create their own blog or video and who knows, perhaps be the next Bobby Flay or Lidia Bastianich. How do you “sell” the full portfolio of services that JBF offers? Does it seem at times as if all of the focus is on the “Oscars” of food service your annual awards program. We have a talented group of people in charge of sponsorship and special events. Our website is certainly a place for interested sponsors and funders to see all the various special events we create beyond our annual James Beard Awards. To name just two of many: in July we throw a great event in the Hamptons called “Chefs & Champagne.” Through the years, we’ve honored luminaries including Julia Child, Wolfgang Puck, Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse at the event. This year we’re honoring Ted Allen and the Judges of “Chopped” on July 21st. We also have our next annual Food Conference and Leadership Awards set for next October 17 and 18th. Where did the idea for the book The Best of the Best come from and what do you hope to accomplish with it? Kit Wohl, a talented author of several books, approached me a few years ago with the idea of creating a book featuring our Foundation’s many award winners. Together we decided that for our Foundation’s 25th anniversary, it would be special and historic to create a book featuring the best of the best chefs who won our Outstanding Chef Award through the years. It was a real labor of love, effort and fun. I got to be a bit of an editor again! We are so proud of the fact that
our country’s greatest chefs--from Wolfgang Puck to Tom Colicchio-agreed to give Kit and our photographer, Susie Cushner, special access to create this keepsake book. What special events and celebrations are planned for the JBF’s 25th anniversary this year? In addition to the aforementioned “The James Beard Foundation’s Best of the Best: A 25th Anniversary Celebration of America’s Outstanding Chefs,” historic book, our James Beard Foundation Awards in May, and our Silver Anniversary Scholarship Drive, we will celebrate the anniversary with a special cruise. The JBF is partnering with Silversea Cruises to create an exclusive 12-day trip throughout Japan, China and South Korea featuring JBF Award-winning celebrity chef and television personality Martin Yan. Talk about the James Beard Foundation’s Annual Food Conference that you created and is scheduled for NYC this year. What can the chef/food service professional learn from attending? We are definitely looking forward to making this year’s fall JBF Food Conference both relevant and inspiring to attendees. Although it is invitation only, we are open to hearing from thought leaders in the food industry and restaurant and chef community who would like to participate. Attendees have the opportunity to not only network with each other and share ideas, but a signature aspect of our conference is that we feature cafe-style seating so that all participants get involved in group discussions and share ideas/news during the conference with everyone through a moderator. We also stream the food conference live so that those who can’t attend can be part of it! What role do you look for from the JBF fighting hunger and obesity? There are so many wonderful organizations working to fight hunger and
obesity both locally and nationally. Our Foundation has taken a role in these important issues in a few ways. Most notably, we now have an “Enlightened Eaters” monthly program at the Beard House, which features experts on the subject of nutrition and better eating. We also participated in Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America national conference this past November by showcasing award-winning James Beard Chefs cooking a healthy dinner for over 800 attendees. Their chal-
goodness of cooking and eating inseason. Many people are not aware of the fact that he advised Joe Baum over 50 years ago when Baum was planning to open a new restaurant in New York. When Joe Baum asked James Beard to help consult on what his new dining establishment should be, it was Beard’s idea to make it thoroughly American (only French restaurants were considered the best in New York back then) and Beard advised featuring a menu that changed with the seasons! That was the idea
There’s still room for improvement and recognition of the talents and power of women in the food industry, just as there is in corporate America. But I will say, that even in my short six-year tenure at the James Beard Foundation, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of women who are being recognized as James Beard Awards nominees.
lenge was to create a three-course meal on a typical American family’s budget. And most especially, our new JBF Leadership Awards also recognize visionaries who are making a difference to fight hunger, improve school lunches and other important nutrition and government food policy initiatives. To see a video of who we honored this past year, just visit our website. Farm to table is a big buzz today. Seems like James Beard may have been way ahead of his time. What trends do you see in our industry? This is a favorite aspect of James Beard for me. There is no doubt that Beard was a man way ahead of his time when it came to promoting the
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behind The Four Seasons Restaurant, still considered one of the most famous and powerful restaurants in New York to this day! You’ve been on the forefront of women in food service. Is the glass ceiling gone in the industry? Are women getting equal opportunity? There’s still room for improvement and recognition of the talents and power of women in the food industry, just as there is in corporate America. But I will say, that even in my short six-year tenure at the James Beard Foundation, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of women who are being recognized as James Beard Awards nominees.
Many of our readers have heard of “the house,” but don’t know the story behind it. How did the Beard House come to be? Our Foundation headquarters are located in a Greenwich Village townhouse where James Beard lived and taught for many years. He was a single man and only child who had no heirs, but he clearly had lots of friends and admirers. Upon his passing, he left his estate to his alma mater, Reed College in Oregon, and to his book editor. When they made the decision to sell his house and all his belongings, two good friends of Beard, Peter Kump and Julia Child, decided they didn’t want Beard’s legacy to die along with him. It was their idea to raise money to buy Beard’s House and create a center for American cuisine. Wolfgang Puck came up with the idea to create a dinner there as a fundraiser. And that was the beginning of what has now been a 25-year tradition showcasing great chefs from all over the country at performance dinners over 200 days a year in Beard’s former home. Anyone can come to a dinner. You don’t have to be a member, but membership comes with privileges, which includes a discount to dinner. I encourage all of your readers to make plans to visit us next time they are in New York. Just check out who’s cooking on our website. Crystal ball..What will the role of the Beard House be on its 50th? I hope that when we celebrate our Golden Anniversary, our Foundation will be even more successful and helpful to our culinary community than ever! It would be a wonderful testament to the work of all the people--our board of trustees, our members, our chefs and our staff--if our little Foundation has made a big difference not only in how America eats and dines, but internationally, as well.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
French Culinary Sets Sites On Week Long Bastille Day Celebration Bastille Week, the second edition of French Restaurant Week in New York, has announced plans to return: July 8-15. Highlighting the tastes and flavors of France, French Restaurant Week gathers together French restaurants to draw the community into France’s celebration of culture and revolution through cuisine.
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arrying on the excitement of independence and liberty, Bastille Day is celebrated in the Big Apple by thousands of Francophiles and New Yorkers. “Bastille festivities in New York rival celebrations in France,” says Severine Picquet, Founder of MPB Agency and organizer of Bastille Week and French Restaurant Week. “Bastille Week unites those involved with creating French activities for the public’s pleasure. And what a perfect expression through food with French Restaurant Week presenting French cuisine, chefs, restaurateurs, and others responsible for making the French dining experience superior,” added Picquet. For the second year Paris Gourmet sponsors French Restaurant Week, true to their consistent investment in culinary art and education. Recently, Paris Gourmet hosted the annual U.S. Pastry Competition for the 24th year running at the International Restaurant and Food Service Show of New York. Established in 1983, Paris Gourmet leads the market as specialty food importer and distributor sourcing products worldwide, and based in New Jersey services the tri-state area and nationally with a network of distributors. Bringing flavors from the north and south of France, two French Craft Brewers beer brands, Pietra and Jen-
lain, acclaim official partnership with French Restaurant Week. Pietra, owned by the Sialelli couple and inspired by the Corsica region’s terrain produces two unique beers distributed in the U.S., Pietra made with chestnuts and Colomba with herbs. Jenlain from the Avesnois region of France has been brewing beer since 1922 under the guidance of the Duyck family for four generations, developing a variety of distinct quality beers. Bastille Week & French Restaurant Week 2012 also bring on board an official charity partner, Action Against Hunger, named the 2011 Philanthro-
than 50 restaurant and pastry locations to take part. Eager to jump-start their involvement, the following restaurants and their chefs have joined the ranks of participating restaurants for French Restaurant Week 2012: Antibes Bistro’ with David Shemesh; AYZA Wine & Chocolate Bar Midtown’s Brian Gruskin; AYZA Wine & Chocolate Bar West Village’s Brian Gruskin; Bistro Vendome’s Pascal Petiteau; Jeanne & Gaston’s Claude Godard; France’s La Bonne Soupe; La Mirabelle; Le Moulin a Café; Le Parigot’s Michel Pombet; Madison Bistro’s Claude Godard, Serge Bistro’s Serge Durka and Yatenga
Bastille Week unites those involved with creating French activities for the public’s pleasure. And what a perfect expression through food with French Restaurant Week presenting French cuisine, chefs, restaurateurs, and others responsible for making the French dining experience superior
pedia Top Non-Profit. Active in more than 40 countries, ACF is a global humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger and responding to crisis with sustainable programs in nutrition, food security, livelihood, water, sanitation, and hygiene. Saluting the French flag with flavor, participating restaurants all around New York as part of French Restaurant Week will offer a special promotion at $17.89 commemorating the year the French Revolution began. Last year’s French Restaurant Week had more
French Bistro & Bar. French Restaurant Week looks forward to the addition of more New York and Tri-State area restaurants and patisseries in the weeks to come. Bastille Week started in 2011 to bring together community, business, and celebration of French culture. French Restaurant Week created in 2011 highlights the cuisine creations delivered by the best of French restaurants in New York and the surrounding Tri-State area.
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// NEWS NJRA Mourns Loss Of Visionary Leader Dowdell Deborah Dowdell, president of the New Jersey Restaurant Association, died last month after a long battle with cancer.
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owdell, 46, of Highland Park, became the restaurant association’s director of membership in 1990, was promoted to executive vice president, and then became president in 2003. The organization’s board recognized her 20 years of service in 2010 with its “gold plate award.” Dowdell attended high school in Somerset, graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in political science and worked in marketing in the giftware industry before joining the restaurant association. The organization represents New Jersey’s more than 25,000 businesses that employ more than 300,000 food industry workers. “This is a tremendous loss for the association, its members, New Jersey’s small business community and most especially, Deborah’s family,” said association chairman Jack Koumbis. “She was strong and an influential leader and advocate for the restaurant community, a great friend and mentor to her colleagues and loving wife to her husband, Phillip. Our thoughts and prayers go to him, and her entire family during this most difficult time.” “The association suffered a great loss with her passing. It was an untimely death and she will be sorely missed,” said NJRA past chairman George Ebinger. Said Koumbis, “There’s no doubt she left a lasting impression on everyone she came in contact with. She was definitely a driving force in our industry and an inspiration to her colleagues and friends. Moving forward, we hope to keep her vision and her enthusiasm in mind.” 38 • April 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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// NEWS
CHEFS
CT Celeb Toque Anderson Set To Debut Simbsury Eatery Connecticut celebrity chef Tyler Anderson is leaving his job at Ivoryton’s The Copper Beech Inn to open his own restaurant in Simsbury.
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nderson, who has made his mark on the state’s culinary scene as a very respected executive chef who believes in “from the ground up” fresh ingredients, will open his new place called Millwright’s in the historic West Street grist mill that formerly housed the Hop Brook Tavern. The new dining
venue is part of a multi-tiered development project that includes the Grist Mill Commons housing development and Stone Building office space. “It’s been a lifelong dream to open my own restaurant,” said the 34-yearold whose partner in the dining venture is developer, Chris Nelson and Ron Janeczko partners in the Farming-
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ton-based Landworks Development LLC. “I loved my time at Copper Beech Inn but owning my own place will allow me to be creative in every aspect of the dining experience,” said the married father of two who joined The Copper Beech about four years ago, most recently overseeing its restaurant, Pip’s at The Copper Beech Inn.
“Buying local, styling the ambience, developing the menu, owning my own place allows me to create the concept from start to finish.” Anderson was a winner on the Food Network’s “Chopped,” and has paired with other well-known Connecticut chefs to cook at the famous James Beard House in New York. A regular participant at some of the state’s most popular dine arounds and cooking competitions, Anderson has worked at the Dining Room of The Ritz Carlton in Chicago and the Equinox in Manchester, Vermont. He has worked with notable chefs including Charlie Trotter, Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris and catapulted several restaurants into award-winning venues.
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// CHEFCETERA
UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK CHEFS
Shuna Lydon, Pastry Chef Peels Restaurant, NYC
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hat inspired you to become a pastry chef rather than a savory cook? Where did you study culinary arts? I started out ‘on the line’ as a savory cook and moved to pastry after about two years. I had an interest in the pastry department where I was cooking and pestered the pastry chef incessantly until she hired me on as a plater a few times a week. I would go in on my days off to learn production and after that restaurant I continued on in pastry departments. I was more excit-
I don’t believe in rushing into being a chef at a young age. I worked my way up and was an assistant for many years, to incredible pastry chefs, before becoming a pastry chef myself. For new pastry people just entering the field I say: Have enough money saved up to make minimum wage for the first five years. ed about baking than I was line cooking. All my training in the culinary arts has been on-the-job. All my learning has been trial-by-fire.
Shuna Lydon is a seasonal fruitinspired pastry chef with more than 15 years experience cooking and baking in New York City, Northern California and London. Today, Shuna brings her unique touch to Peels, creating new spins on time-honored favorites.
Have any mentors? What have you learned from them? There are chefs who have inspired and continue to inspire me in my career, yes. Inspirationalists are not the same as mentors though. As a mentor myself I take mentorship more seriously. Mentors give advice and watch and guide you through your trajectory. My first mentor was Eric Ziebold {CityZen, Washington DC}. He taught me how to manage. I learned that to manage effectively I had to find and create my own ‘management style.’ He said, “You have to make sure you can go to sleep with yourself at night. You can’t copy someone else’s style—it
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might not suit you.” I learned to channel all my best and favorite chefs’ methods and create my own. Is the Peels dessert menu constructed and developed by you? How often does it change? I run a small bakery, soda fountain and plated dessert program at Peels. I also work closely with our bar managers to create inventive cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. I am the sole author of the dessert program at Peels and we make four major seasonal menu changes a year, although I will often change it up in the bakery more often for holidays. Do you get any or all of your ingredients from local farmer markets? We buy as much as we can though local Tri-State farmers and go to the
Greenmarket regularly. We run a whole animal program at Peels and also buy fresh-kill chickens. We do not buy any seafood on the endangered list. All our eggs are free-range and there is no corn syrup in any of my desserts. What advice would you give to young pastry chefs just getting started? I don’t believe in rushing into being a chef at a young age. I worked my way up and was an assistant for many years, to incredible pastry chefs, before becoming a pastry chef myself. For new pastry people just entering the field I say: Have enough money saved up to make minimum wage for the first five years. Read. Read books, magazines, and blogs. Show up early and volunteer to stay late. Become the team player everyone wants to work alongside. Ask questions! Never think you know more than your chef, but if you truly think you do, move to find a chef who knows vastly more than you do. Stay connected with the best people you work with over the years. What are your tips for pastry success? Perseverance, humility, diplomacy, never losing a sense of ‘wonderment.’ On the equipment side, do you have pieces of equipment that you like to use that make your job easier? My baby-offset spatula is my best friend. It does everything and without complaint. What makes my job easy is my big tabletop dough sheeter and a Carpigiani LB100B ice cream maker. That machine is the best on the commercial market. Where will we find you in five years? In five years, I will have published two books, be working in NYC or Europe and own a dog. These are my goals but life is mysterious.
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// NEWS
PARTNERSHIPS
Connecticut’s Chaplin Farms Wins Top Honors At Annual Farm To Table Event An apple pie jam made by Chaplin Farms LLC of Chaplin took the highest award in the Connecticut Specialty Food Association’s eleventh Product Awards Competition, held last month at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville.
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f the 203 specialty food items Connecticut based manufacturers who entered in the event, 72, or 35 percent, were from Connecticut farms and farm wineries. Nearly half (49 percent) of those Connecticut farm products were awarded honors. The Connecticut farm made products were as diverse as the state’s agriculture itself. Among them were aged cheeses, pestos, pickles, jams, relishes, fruit mustards, syrups, pies, and wines. “Value-added products such as these are an important component of a diversified farm business,” noted Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky. “We have seen an increase in on-farm commercial kitchens and bakeries over the last several years as consumer demand for locally grown products has continued to grow. It stands to reason that the freshest ingredients result in the besttasting finished foods.” Entries were evaluated by a panel of 21 judges, consisting of chefs from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Farm-to-Chef Program, food writers, wine specialists, and local media personalities. They scored products on overall taste/flavor, consistency/texture, appeal, and color. Each judge was assigned to a subset
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Clyde Frazier’s Wine & Dine Restaurant Consultant: Gary Jacobs, Dealer: Jerry Hoffman, Jacobs Doland Beer Premium Supply Gary Jacobs’ Approach We knew from the outset that our client would be raising the culinary bar for sports-themed venues. The kitchen would have to support a block-long venue while respecting the culinary
standards of Ark Restaurants’ corporate executive chef, David Waltuck. We had a reasonable amount of square footage to work with, though none to spare. With hearth and rotisserie cooking being central elements of both the menu and
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Architect: Ung-Joo Scott Lee, Morphosis Architects
the guest’s visual experience, we set the Alto-Shaam rotisserie and Wood Stone Firedeck oven first. They’re great performers worthy of center stage. Working closely with David, James Feustel and I were able to
Contractor: Terry Higgins, T. Higgins Construction
sort flow and function, matching broad menu categories to specific functions and individual stations. We started with the service line then moved to hot and cold prep areas, dishwashing, and, finally cold and dry storage. Fortunately,
we had considerable height which allowed us to create bi-level storage by reinforcing the walk-in box and staging dry storage above. That made a critical difference, as lower level storage was very limited. In order to hold budget we kept the number of custom fabricated items to a minimum. For the most part we limited it to the chef’s counter and the dish pit. The dish pit was tight when we first drew it; we called for a compact unloader, which allowed us to employ a 44” conveyor dishwasher. Unfortunately, field conditions cost us a critical foot, which pushed the machine to the point where it’s conveyor motor was in direct conflict with the Aeroworks unit’s. Everything on the line, including the exhaust system, had to be spec’ed for volume and durability. Captive-Aire hoods provided us with a tremendous, cost-effective option which allowed us to address the substantial challenge of a heavy grill / fry / saute program. In addition to the Alto-Shaam rotisserie and Wood Stone ovens, we specified fryers with computerized controls and on-board filtration to maintain optimal conditions throughout the shift. We also put in a pasta cooker which 50 • April 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
allows us to remove starch and change water throughout the shift. Allowing David to hold his standard meant including several pieces of specialized equipment, including a batch freezer to
Doland Jacobs Beer’s Gary Jacobs created a unique design in which large Hoshizaki ice machines were built into recessed walls to maximize efficiency and support the restaurant’s high volume ice making needs
allow in-house frozen dessert production, a combi oven for carefully controlled roasting, baking and steaming, a multi-purpose smoker, and a steam kettle. These are not items typically associated with sports bar operations--they’re much more often found in higher-end restaurants. Our client was not looking to compromise.
Jerry Hoffman’s Approach Gary Jacobs brought us on in December of 2011. We walked in, and it was just a raw space. No walls, no nothing. It’s been one of the fastest-tracked jobs I’ve ever seen. The speed with which we’ve had to do everything has posed some challenges. For instance, we had to take all the measurements for the space before any of the walls were up. One of the first things we had to do was soundproof the ceilings. Unlike a lot of places we work in, the restaurant space is in the ground floor of an apartment building, so we needed to be sure that none of the noise from the restaurant leaked through into the apartments upstairs. The first thing we installed was the walk-in space. We designed it to leave room above for dry goods storage, which was an important space-saving measure. We also saved
Unlike a lot of places we work in, the restaurant space is in the ground floor of an apartment building, so we needed to be sure that none of the noise from the restaurant leaked through into the Clyde Frazier’s Wine and Dine kitchen features cooking products by Jade Range
Wood Stone’s Bistro Stone Hearth Oven gives Clyde Fraziers’ an endless way to prepare their entrees
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apartments upstairs.
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The basketball court was inspired by one of our initial meetings with Clyde. We were joking around, at first, “wouldn’t it be cool if you could shoot some hoops before drinks,” and it kind of went from An armory of Pitco fryers gives the kitchen staff reliability with efficiency
A challenging part of Clyde’s was the hanging compressor rack system installed by Americold NY
there.
space with a remote refrigeration system for the beer, which meant we didn’t have to waste valuable food preparation space on the beer boxes or lines. We worked with Americold NY for several reasons. Americold NY always enjoys working on Jacobs, Doland & Beer projects, side-by-side with us, because of their unique designs & professional approach. The most challenging part of this fairly routine install was the hanging of a very large and very heavy compressor rack system in a very tight
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spot but all went well and all systems are go. It was their first opportunity to install for Ark Restaurants, one of the most prestigious restaurant groups in New York, so it was a great opportunity for them as well. The custom fab, what little we needed, was done by Goldenshtein. The one issue we had was with the dish line--we needed it to bend at a 90 degree angle to fit the space.
Scott Lee’s Approach
We first saw the space about seven months ago. It was a completely blank space, except for the fact that it had three tiers--it had a lower elevation along the 38th street frontage. So we had to knit those three tiers together to form one cohesive space--and that was the point at which we started focusing on an innovative ceiling design. We had an amazing opportunity, at the
Everpure’s water treatment systems provides consistent quality for Clyde’s
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beginning of this process, to go spend time with Clyde and search through his closets. That was the inspiration for the aluminum panels on the ceiling of the restaurant--it was based off actual snapshots of his signature suits. We wanted to make it feel like you were dining in one of his outfits. Those were done by a company called Zahner, which is located in Kansas City. From the very beginning, Morphosis and Ark shared a vision of the place--that it would be a beautiful restaurant and a great experience, that would also be the place where fans could go watch a game on TV. We wanted it to be a comfortable environment. The basketball court was inspired by one of our initial meetings with Clyde. We were joking around, at first, “wouldn’t it be cool if you could shoot some hoops before drinks,” and it kind of went from there. We wanted to keep it separate from the dining area, so we put it up front, in the lounge space. We also wanted to create a visual experience that would be colorful without overwhelming the diner, so we put most of the color in the ceiling and in the
num ceiling panels--are not the sort that you would normally find in a restaurant, so dealing with that was something of a challenge.
Clyde Frazier’s Approach
Guests can shoot free-throws and may even challenge Clyde himself, if they’re bold enough
video monitors. Everything else is very subdued. We wanted to have an open kitchen from the start. So we turned it into a counter, with individual TVs at each seat. We’re going to be installing individual controls at each seat, so that you can sit down, plug in a pair of headphones, and watch whatever game you want, with sound, while also watching the chefs do their thing. We put murals of Clyde on the posts right near the two entrances, to the restaurant space and the lounge space. The idea was, that even though Clyde is going to be at the restaurant in person on a regular basis, we wanted something of him there to welcome patrons, even when he can’t be there himself. It’s been an incredibly fun project for us. It’s really pushed me to focus on the playfulness of my designs, and that’s something I think will serve me well in future projects.
Terry Higgins’ Approach
Blodgett ovens provided quality and dependability for Clyde Frazier’s Wine and Dine
Our job is to work with the architects and the suppliers to turn the architect’s vision into a space that diners will love to eat at. I’ve worked on over a hundred restaurants, and each one is a little bit different, but this was one of the most unique projects I’ve ever worked on. The materials--especially the alumi-
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When I was initially approached about opening a restaurant, I was unsure--I was worried that it would be a major lifestyle change for me. But then when I thought some more about it, if there was one venue I should be in – where I’m doing what I like to do, meeting, greeting, talking to people, dressing up, going somewhere, having somewhere to go – this is it, the restaurant. But I never thought along those lines until it was presented to me. I’m lucky to be working with Michael Weinstein and Ark Restaurants. I was reluctant to put my name out there with anybody if the place wasn’t going to represent me the way I wanted to be represented, but those guys have tremendous background and expertise. Michael [Weinstein], my partner, has restaurants here (in NYC) and in Vegas,
Jade Range truly gave Clyde’s a highend range without the high-end cost
there where you can shoot free throws, with Knick colors in the paint, the whole thing. When I go out I like ambience. I like to be able to see something. Service is important, so good servers, and good food. So this is what we’re trying to bring. Hopefully my name is going to get the people in the doors, but it has to be the food that keeps them coming back. So we’re not billing it as a sports bar, but you can watch sports there. And we think the food will make the difference. I’m going to be there as often as I can,
The whole thing is about the “Clyde” image and the persona. We even have an open basketball court in there where you can shoot free throws, with Knick colors in the paint, the whole thing.
and he saw this whole Clyde image. That’s what the restaurant is about – my style, my fashion. The ceiling is a reflection of my suits. The front is a scram of my playing career. We’re really having fun with the menus. The drink menu includes a “Stumblin’ and Bumblin.” And when you see the place, people are going to be amazed. It’s really state-ofthe-art. There are 40 different TV sets throughout the place. There is an open kitchen. The whole thing is about the “Clyde” image and the persona. We even have an open basketball court in
when the Knicks schedule allows me to be there. We’re going to be open for lunch, so I’m going to try to build that up by being there for lunch. I’m really looking forward to it because this is an extension of what I do with the Knicks. I like to go to the Delta Club before the game, talk to the fans, meet and greet. I go to the sushi bar there and eat before the game. You know, I really like that. This part of the thing is why I wanted to get into the restaurant business. Like I said this is a perfect venue for me to be in right now.
// WILDES ON IMMIGRATION
Understanding E-Verify for the Foodservice Operator from Michael Wildes
The food service industry is heavily dependent on immigrant labor, for everything from harvesting the crops that will end up on diners’ plates to the dishwashers who keep those plates clean. But recent years have seen a steady increase in anti-immigrant legislation on the federal, state, and local levels.
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ccording to Michael Wildes, a New Jersey-based immigration lawyer at Wildes and Weinberg, these laws have cost food-service employers time and money. “All these new laws, especially the ones relating to E-Verify, have added insult to injury
for food service employers, making their food more expensive and increasing the cost of doing business,” he says. “With the economy still struggling to recover, that’s a cost we just can’t afford.” E-Verify is a federal program created in 1996, which allows employers
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to check their employees against a government database to ensure that their name matches their Social Security number and other identifying information. When an employer finds a discrepancy for one of their employees, he or she must immediately notify the employee and refer them to
the Social Security Administration or the Department of Homeland Security for further review. “The problem with this process,” says Wildes, “is that it forces employers to take on responsibilities that they can’t, and shouldn’t have to, do. The government needs to understand that they cannot shift the
burden of immigration enforcement on to employers, who do not have the capability to enforce those laws. That’s government’s job.” As E-Verify use has become a requirement for more and more industries, employers have had to increase the amount of time they spend complying with immigration regulations. In addition, E-Verify’s review process costs employers significant amounts of money. While an employee goes through the review process, an employer cannot fire them, nor can they withhold any pay, benefits, or training. The review process confirms the initial findings roughly 80% of the time—meaning that employers are often paying for workers whose skills they will never put to use. Meanwhile, employees are forced to give up working time to contest government findings that are incorrect one out of every five times. Immigration issues hit the food service industry particularly hard. This is in part because immigration laws privilege academic success over skills of the type needed to succeed in culinary fields. “Many of the businesses I work with,” says Wildes, “come to me to help them retain a talented pastry chef or other kitchen professional. A lot of them have none of the hallmarks of success that the immigration authorities look for, but they’re crucial to the continued success of these businesses.” Even more damaging to food service employers has been state-level legislation. Wildes points to immigration crackdowns in states like Alabama and Arizona, saying, “In those states, a lot of chain restaurant operators have decided that it’s simply not worth it to them to operate in those states, and instead expand their operations in safer states and cities.” On top of that, he notes, the restrictions hit migrant farm workers hard, which has negative repercussions for business owners and customers at every step of the supply chain. “If the blueberries don’t get picked in Georgia because there’s no one around to pick them,”
Wildes says, “that means higher prices for distributors, for restaurants, and, eventually, for diners as well. That not only hurts the businesses, it hurts the economy as a whole.” The past few years have seen a dramatic uptick in the number of antiimmigrant laws proposed in Congress and in cities and states across the country. Wildes blames bad politicking for the recent spate of anti-immigration laws. “There’s certainly a legitimate need to prevent terrorism and to curtail illegal immigration. But a lot of our politicians go weak in the
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knees, and fail to adequately explain to their constituents what sorts of laws will solve the problems we currently face.” Increasing the use of E-Verify and other restrictive regulations has hurt business much more than it’s stopped criminals, says Wildes, “Quality legislation too often takes a backseat to politics.” He encourages food industry employers to get involved in the political process through their industry groups. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s strict immigration restrictions, allowing states to enforce immi-
gration laws within their own borders above and beyond federal regulations. This has led to a wave of states toughening their own laws. “The bottom line,” Wildes says, “is that this is a mistake.” “Government should exist to help businesses build themselves up, not to shut them down for failing to enforce the government’s regulatory requirements. Entrepreneurs should be free to worry about their own work, and shouldn’t have to worry about policing the work of others.”
// NEWS
CHAINS
Los Angeles Designer Burger Chain Set Sites On Manhattan Topped with truffle cheese or port- caramelized onions and not always involving beef, designer burgers aren’t exactly unheard of in New York City. That’s not stopping Los Angeles nightclub owner Sam Nazarian from bringing his vision of “fine dining fastfood” to the Big Apple.
Booth #3552
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ne of Nazarian’s Umami Burger restaurants will open this year in Manhattan, part of a national expansion of the Los Angeles chain. The chief executive officer of SBE Entertainment Group LLC, who bought a 50 percent stake in Umami in July, said he plans to reach more than 20 locations by the end of the year, including in some of the company’s luxury SLS hotels. Nazarian’s upscale burger push is the latest example of a restaurant industry betting that diners are coming back, ready for new experiences and more willing to open their wallets, as the economy emerges from its long slumber. Sales at the 500 largest U.S. dining chains advanced 3.4 percent to about $242 billion last year, compared with an increase of 1.8 percent in 2010, according to Chicago-based researcher Technomic Inc. “Consumer awareness, especially around burgers, is evolving,” Nazarian
said. “These gourmet burger chains hit a certain psychographic somebody who is very quality conscious, who is willing to explore and get out of their element.” Though cracking the New York mar-
cent in 2009. Still, with everyone from Five Guys Burgers and Fries to McDonald’s Corp. hawking a better burger, the upscaleburger craze risks reaching its limits. “There’s definitely this whole new
Nazarian’s upscale burger push is the latest example of a restaurant industry betting that diners are coming back, ready for new experiences and more willing to open their wallets, as the economy emerges from its long slumber.
ket is never easy, Americans’ decadeslong love affair with burgers makes premium burgers a good place to be, with 48 percent eating a burger at least once a week, compared with 38 per-
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niche that’s emerged,” said Bob Goldin, an executive vice president at Technomic. “In the next 12 to 24 months, we’re going to start seeing signs of saturation among the better burger
chains,” Goldin said. “You’re going to see a shakeout.” Nazarian sees his premium restaurants and burgers as apart from the pack. Umami serves up hand-chopped ahi tuna with wasabi flake, and offers wine and martinis in some locations. These are the latest evolutionary twist on the Southern Californian burger, in the land where McDonald’s and In-NOut Burger began. In Manhattan, Umami will face “really strong competitors” that charge under $10 for a burger,” said Conrad Lyon, a senior equity analyst in Los Angeles for B Riley & Co. There are scores of them, including New York Burger Co. and J.G. Melon. The mid-range fancy burger, costing about three times as much as a Big Mac, is big in Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city. Dave Gregg, a cameraman for movies and Web series, said that’s because “it hits a sweet spot.”
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// EYE Foodservice Industry’s Community Support Fundraiser Hosted by Jacobs Doland Beer at Abigael’s on Broadway
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he food industry came together for Ira Beer’s charity event at the Abigael’s in New York City on March 15th. The event featured a cocktail hour, and a dinner. The event has been an annual tradition in the New York City food service world for over a decade. “It’s always a great success,” said Beer. “I especially love that we’re able to create an environment of
camaraderie among a bunch of guys who are fierce competitors the other 364 days of the year.” The event drew 48 people. Proceeds from the event went to City Harvest, Island Harvest, and the Food Consultants Society International Education Foundation. “We’re not interested in publicity. We do this because it’s going to make a difference in our communities,” said Beer. Pecinka-Ferri’s Joe Ferri Jr. with Tom Clements of Clements-Stella Marketing visits with Jim Weiss of H.Weiss
BSE’s Jeff Hessel with Marlo’s Paul Tommasi and Larry Dubov
PBAC’s Steve Bauer with Tri-State’s Lynne Schultz and Bart Gobioff
Ken Kurzweil of Performance with Mr. and Mrs. Gary Jacobs of Jacobs Dolan Beer
Pecinka-Ferri’s Joe Ferri with consultant Arlene Spiegel, and Lori Grippo of Premium Supply
Guest of honor, Rabbi Benjamin Kamentzky and the evening’s host Ira Beer of Jacobs Dolan Beer
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PBAC’s Michael Posternak and Steve Bauer with Hobart’s Gary Simpson and Dick Hynes
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Burgers, from page 61 Umami, named after the Japanese word for the “pleasant savory taste” found in foods like mushrooms and truffles, has six outlets in and around Los Angeles and one in San Francisco. “The build-your-own chain The Counter, which started in Santa Monica in 2003, has 22 in California and franchises in nine other states and Ireland. Short Order, which opened in midtown Los Angeles four months ago, has recorded sales at 125 percent of expectations,” said managing partner Bill Chait. “There’s no question it’s driven by the economy,” said Chait, whose partners include chef Nancy Silverton of the Mozza Restaurant Group. The 116seat restaurant, which has a full bar, sells burgers for $12 and up that are made of ingredients including seared albacore, grass-fed lamb, range-fed pork, rapini and melted celery. “The days of eating $50 steaks are probably over for many,” Chait said. “Consumers are “stepping down,” he said, “without having to go to a Burger King.” Americans’ love for the burger hasn’t waned since the first McDonald’s fare was served in San Bernardino, east of Los Angeles, in 1948. Sales at fast-food burger restaurants rose about three percent to $67 billion last year. In the so-called better burger segment, including Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Fuddruckers and Smashburger, sales increased about 18 percent to almost $2 billion. Umami’s prices start at $10 for the most basic offerings, including the Hatch Burger, with four types of green chilies. The most expensive is the Ahi Tuna Burger, at $15. Founder Adam Fleischman said Umami offers, “fine-dining fast-food,” albeit with valet parking and full bars at some locations. In Manhattan, he said, it will succeed by catering to high expectations of diners with many choices. Fleischman said he also expects a shakeout. “I think it will affect
the franchise players specifically.” Interest in fancy burgers has been fueled in part by cooking shows; such as cable network Bravo’s “Top Chef,” Nazarian said. “The names and descriptions of ingredients in food are becoming part of our daily vocabulary,” he said. “This awareness is breaking that chain mentality.” Back in the 1990s, “you never had a chef with a credible resume doing anything like the burger,” said Sang Yoon, the former executive chef at Michael’s who bought a Santa Monica pub called Father’s Office in 2000 and made it into one of the region’s first burger-focused restaurants. He opened a second store in L.A. in 2008 and said demand has been so strong he’s considering expanding. Chef Wolfgang Puck has been serving a variation of his $23 grilled prime burger with smoked onion marmalade, garlic aioli and Vermont farmhouse white cheddar at Spago in Beverly Hills for at least 10 years. Yoon’s signature creation is a dryaged beef patty with caramelized onions, Gruyère and Maytag cheeses, applewood-smoked bacon and arugula on a soft roll. At $12.50, it’s about $9 more than the Double Double at In-NOut, the regional chain with a cult-like following. At the Counter, which has a restaurant in Times Square, the menu offers choices of meat, bun, cheese and sauce, claiming 312,000 possible combinations. “The average meal costs about $14,” said founder Jeff Weinstein. “The fact that it’s all freshly made with quality ingredients has definitely helped drive the demand in this town,” said Weinstein, who is opening stores in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. “I see this trend continuing, not just in Los Angeles, but everywhere.”
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// NEWS
PARTNERSHIPS
Acosta, Venture Partner Up, Provide Top-Notch Foodservice Marketing In a move sure to strengthen the opportunities available in the East Coast food-service world, Jacksonville, Florida based Acosta Sales & Marketing has entered into a partnership with Buffalo, New York based Venture Sales Group.
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nder the terms of the deal, Venture will become a stand-alone division of Acosta, allowing it to leverage Acosta’s long-standing client relationships and sales and marketing expertise. “We’re very excited about this deal,” says Venture’s President and CEO Robert Wopperer. “We’ll be able to take advantage of the incredible amount of resources that Acosta brings to the table, but we won’t be losing any of our people. We’ll be able to hold on to the many great relationships that we’ve developed with our clients over the years.” Venture looks forward to complementing Acosta’s geographic reach and channel exposure. “We are pleased to announce we are combining resources with VSG and effectively entering the food service channel,” says Acosta President & CEO Robert Hill. “VSG’s strong industry track record, talented associates, and positive culture make it the perfect addition to the Acosta family. We are confident that by working together, we can build the leading food service agency platform in the U.S., anchored by the best associates in the industry.” Acosta has been in business since 1927, and sells and markets many of America’s best-selling CPG brands to some of America’s largest retailers.
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Booth #5422
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Booth #3734
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Booth #2616
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// NEWS
FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES
CiCi’S Pizza Fuels Franchise Growth With Innovative Development & Financing Incentives Today CiCi’s Pizza, home of the custom pizza buffet, announced its new investment and financing programs to help existing and prospective franchisees with funding options to further address the challenges of today’s lending environment. The new programs are part of the CiCi’s “Build the Brand” initiative to add 500 new restaurants by 2020.
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hrough its Franchisee Investment Program, CiCi’s has allocated $5 million to provide select qualified multi-unit franchisees with the necessary funds to open a minimum of five restaurants. CiCi’s will invest $100,000 per restaurant towards development and in doing so the company will become a non-voting minority shareholder. After certain financial milestones are met, CiCi’s will roll over the initial
access to credit they need in order to develop new restaurants.” To further address the current economic climate, CiCi’s has created several financing and incentive programs for existing franchisees that are focused on accelerating new openings within the current year or increasing multi-unit operators’ annual development schedules. These benefits include reduced franchise and royalty fees, as well as potential
With our highly competitive incentive programs in place, our goal is to encourage development and continue to fuel CiCi’s ‘Build the Brand’ growth initiative. $100,000 into the development of a second restaurant. “As the restaurant industry begins to show signs of improvement, we recognize a growing optimism among operators and a desire to expand their portfolios,” said CiCi’s Pizza Chief Financial Officer Forbes Anderson. “We created the Franchisee Investment Program to provide experienced multi-unit operators with the direct
to receive a franchise fee refund for those that meet the specific program guidelines. Furthermore, the company announced the CiCi’s Patriot Program last month to increase business ownership and job opportunities for veterans. For qualified, honorably discharged veterans, CiCi’s will waive the franchise fee for the first restaurant and offer 50 percent off royalty
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fees for the first full year of operation, a savings of approximately $58,000. “With our highly competitive incentive programs in place, our goal is to encourage development and continue to fuel CiCi’s ‘Build the Brand’
growth initiative,” said CiCi’s Pizza Chief Development Officer Bill Spae. “We look forward to adding new franchisees to our family who are passionate about the brand and the communities they serve.” CiCi’s Pizza is actively seeking multi-unit and single-unit operators to grow in Southern California, the Mid-Atlantic, the Northeast and South Florida, as well as select cities in Texas and other regions across the U.S. Candidates interested in opening a CiCi’s Pizza restaurant should possess a passion for the brand and serving guests and families in a fastpaced environment. Franchisees are required to demonstrate a minimum of $250,000 in liquid capital, a net worth of $750,000 per unit, and a credit score of 720 or better.
Panera, from page 14 bakery-cafes in the Tri-State area and has long been a preferred destination of the New York commuter crowd. In 2010 Panera Bread was ranked highest in customer satisfaction among Quick Service Restaurants in New York by J.D. Power and Associates. “Residents of the Tri-State certainly know Panera well as we have, in a sense, surrounded Manhattan with cafes in the other boroughs,” commented Bill Moreton, Panera Bread’s Chief Executive Officer and President. “Many of our fans outside Manhattan, including Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut, have been asking us to come to Manhattan for quite some time and we’re happy to do that for them. For New Yorkers who have yet to visit a Panera, we welcome them to visit our new Seventh Avenue location.” “Panera Bread increasingly operates bakery-cafes in high-density metropolitan areas including Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Toronto. Having been successful in some of the country’s largest cities, we felt it was time for us to be in Manhattan,” Shaich said. “We are excited to step onto the world’s biggest and most varied culinary stage. We think New Yorkers are in for a treat.” The Seventh Avenue bakery-cafe features 102 seats including a mezzanine seating area. The location will include all of Panera’s signature amenities including a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere and free WiFi, as well as catering and freshly baked goods baked on-site each night by artisan bakers. Panera’s loyalty program MyPanera® will also be offered so that Manhattan customers can enjoy rewards including complimentary products, invitations to special events and access to special recipes and communication. All of the Manhattan bakery-cafes will support City Harvest through the company’s Day-End Dough-Nation program and the Community Breadbox program. Panera Bread Company owned and
franchised 1,504 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co.® and Paradise Bakery & Café® names. Our bakery-cafes are principally located in suburban, strip
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mall, and regional mall locations. The stores feature high quality, reasonably priced food. Panera identity is rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread with a menu highlighted by
antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all natural ingredients, and zero grams of artificial trans fat.
// NEWS
CHARITY
Garden State And Local Chefs Come Together To Benefit Hospital National and local chefs will come together for the fifth annual “Cooking for Kids: Gourmet Fare from Everywhere,” an evening of exquisite cuisine tastings on Monday, April 30th.
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his popular signature event, held at Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford, NJ, will raise funds for pediatric programs and services at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, NJ. Guest of Honor Lidia Bastianich, acclaimed public television personality, chef, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author, will welcome other celebrity chefs and guests. “We are so
excited to have Chef Lidia involved with St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital,” says Timothy P. Barr, Vice President for Development at St. Joseph’s Healthcare System. “She and all the other celebrity chefs in Cooking for Kids will make for an evening of great food and excitement, all for the kids at St. Joseph’s. Many of our pediatric programs benefit from this fundraiser, and every year we are
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able to bring great care to the children who need it the most thanks to the support of the culinary community.” Chef Jim Weaver, executive chef and owner of Princeton’s Tre-Piani, is attending the event, and will be signing his newly released book, Locavore Adventures. Among the expected guests will be Dina Manzo from Real Housewives of New Jersey; Giants lineman Rich Seubert; former Giants players Phil Simms
and Karl Nelson; current Giants player Victor Cruz; “Mr. NBA” Albert King; and media personalities Lori Stokes and Steve Adubato. Also in attendance will be staff from Carlo’s Bakery, featured in TLC’s Cake Boss. A member of St. Joseph’s Healthcare System, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is located on the campus of St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, NJ.
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// MIXOLOGY
WITH WARREN BOBROW
Vodka Trends In Metro New York A couple weeks ago I received several bottles of Alchemia Vodka from their NYC rep, Jourdan Lawlor. These perfume grade glass bottles seem to reach for the sky with their “pointed” appearance and vivid, yet crisp graphics.
As a cocktail writer- I seek companies that use talented artists as well as craftspeople in the preparation of new spirits in their addition to the drink market. Alchemia is a most unique infused Vodka. It is not syrupy or sweet- but a true representation of flavor, color and balance in the memorable aromatics. The taste is true to the ingredients and they lend themselves well
to mixing- or drinking in a snifter all by themselves. I received the infusions of Ginger, Chocolate and Wild Cherry. Normally my palate would shy away from flavored Vodka, but these products are unique in every way! The Ginger speaks clearly of crisp, freshly sliced ginger root. Opening the bottle you have a blast of freshly crushed ginger and the heat from the
The Tropical Typhoon Cocktail Sometimes it takes having an ice cold wave hit you in the face to appreciate the power of the sea.
Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Magazine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
Ingredients: • 2 Shots Alchemia Ginger Infused Vodka • 4 oz. Goya Ginger Beer (essential because of the hot chili peppers) • 1 Shot Snap (USDA Certified Organic Ginger Snap liqueur) • 2 drops of Bitter End Moroccan Bitters
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Polish Vodka. This liqueur if you will (80 proof ABV) would be fabulous on its own or in my case, woven into a Vodka based slurp based on Goya Ginger Beer (available almost everywhere) and a healthy amount of dark Rum. I love it! I combined the Ginger Vodka with Snap- USDA Certified Organic Ginger Snap liqueur (80 proof ABV) along with a couple drops of the Bitter End Moroccan Bitters. Powerful fun in a glass! The Chocolate infused Vodka reminds me of the chocolate liqueurs that I used to sneak sips of in my parents liquor cabinet as a boy. I smelled the deeply scented bittersweet chocolate that poured from the handsome bottle and suddenly it was 1976 again. This chocolate infused Vodka is not sweet, but perfectly combined with the heat (80 proof ABV) of the Vodka. There is excellent balance and flavor. The Wild Cherry infusion is the most fun for mixing I think. I was able to discover some new applications using dark Rum. In this case the At-
Preparation: • To a cocktail mixing glass fill ¼ with ice • Add liquors • Add 2 drops of Bitter End Bitters • Shake & Strain into a short rocks glass and top with Goya Ginger Beer and a couple coconut water ice cubes
The Spanish Steps Cocktail Ingredients: • 2 Shots Alchemia Chocolate Infused Vodka • 1 Shot Tuaca Vanilla and Citrus
lantica Rum made the mix even deeper with the toasty flavors of the cask. If cherries and rum doesn’t make your mouth water, the addition of Tenneyson Absinthe should create a veritable riot of flavor and power in your cocktail. Absinthe lends itself well to Rum cocktails. I find that Absinthe alone in a glass is impossibly powerful to drink, so the addition of my most recent discovery, almond water made into ice. I get this amazing liquid potion from Victoria’s Kitchen. It should temper the heat from the Absinthe. The final cocktail is a combination of Absinthe, Wild Cherry Alchemia Vodka and Almond water ice. As the Almond water ice melts, the drink takes on a deeper quality. Using ice made from almond or coconut water leaves no flavor of chlorine if you get your water from a city source. The ice will charm your friends and impress them to no end with your cocktail prowess! Each recipe makes one terribly powerful drink. BE CAREFUL!
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Liqueur Ice made from Almond Water Bitter End Mexican Mole’ Bitters (2 drops…no more!)
Preparation: • To a cocktail mixing glass fill ¼ with regular ice • Add Tuaca and the Chocolate Vodka from Alchemia • Shake and strain into a tall cocktail glass filled ½ with the Almond Water ice • Drop exactly two drops of Bitter End Mexican Mole’ Bitters over the top • Sip carefully
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Business Solutions, from page 2 How does your program help restaurateurs? Why should they participate in your program? I know this might sound a little cliché, but our trainings are industryapproved because they produce results that position restaurateurs for business growth and cost savings. We help restaurateurs understand how investing in their employees impact their bottom line. It’s proven that strong and sustainable businesses are the result of: 1) a good product and 2) a great staff. We ensure restaurateurs place just as much emphasis on people as they do on their product. What benefits does your program provide to the community? What impact does it have beyond the people who participate in it? The indirect impact is that it creates a better product for residents to invest their money, which becomes an incentive for community members to circulate their dollars locally. Patronizing an establishment with great food but bad service versus an establishment with good food and good service can make all the difference in the world when it comes to customer choice. The benefits of our trainings are certainly passed on to the consumer. Why start a program focused on the restaurant industry? Restaurants are the backbone of our City. The foodservice industry is one of the fastest growing in New York City. In the last year, restaurants in New York City created more than 12,000 new jobs. This is a 5% increase from the previous year. Restaurants offer thousands of New Yorkers a stimulating, challenging, rewarding place to work and learn. Dedication, customer service and high standards are all hallmarks of good restaurateurs. It’s these skills that they impart to their workers – and that every business looks for.
The restaurant industry in New York employs a very diverse group of people, and many of them are not native English speakers. How does your program reach people who aren’t fluent in English? New York is a wonderfully diverse city and we believe our training enrollees represent that diversity very well. However, we reach out to the restaurant owners and managers who are responsible for enrolling their staff, and most, if not all, speak fluent English. But, we’re looking into ways in which we can better communicate with employers who are not fluent in English. Has the program been successful so far? How do you measure that success? If numbers are any indication of what restaurants are saying about the program—than I’d say yes, it has been a success. Last year 40 restaurants enrolled 83 employees in 152 classes. Since then, employer interest has steadily increased and more than 10 percent of those restaurants have sent employees to multiple training sessions, suggesting they believe we’re providing something of value— which is what we set out to accomplish. Both large and small reputable restaurants have trusted NYC Business Solutions to train their employees and have benefitted from these courses. Do you plan to change or expand the program in the near future? If so, how? We hope to expand the program by adding more classes, such as menu planning and restaurant accounting. We also hope to branch out and offer classes at some of our other NYC Business Solutions locations across the five boroughs.
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Sial, from page 25 food industry attendees, SIAL Canada organizers will again designate high-profile product categories via Hot Products Expert Pathways. This year three new pathways will be introduced: Convenience/Small Independent Stores, Regional Products and Sold in USA. Other pathways include Gluten Free, Foodservice, Private Label, Kosher, Fair-trade, Halal and Organic. A conference program in parallel with the pathway themes and competitions will be announced this month. SIAL Canada 2012 will host an official USA Pavilion endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture featuring approximately 35 U.S. companies on 3,000 square feet of exhibit space. U.S. trade organizations participating in SIAL Canada 2012 include: the Association of Food Industries (AFI), the International Dairy–Deli–Bakery Association (IDDBA), Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA), the Vermont Specialty Foods Association/ Food Export-Northeast and the Vermont Grocers Association. Recognized as a North American capital of gastronomy, Montreal is the world’s second-largest French-speaking city after Paris with 3.8 million metro-area residents. Endowed with a rich heritage that spans 400 years, the city’s Old World charm offers SIAL Canada attendees a lively backdrop of diverse cultures from around the world and an impressive range of dining and nightlife. SIAL Canada is co-located with the SET Canada exhibition of equipment, technology and services for the food retail, food service and food processing industries. This year SET Canada presents a program of conferences on packaging in Quebec and Canada. Online visitor registration is open through May 8 at a rate of CN$50. After that date, on-site registration is CN$70. Registration includes access to both SIAL and SET Canada, special events, conferences and the show catalogue. In addition, organizers are
offering a VIP “Behind the Scenes” Culinary Tour Package, for those interested in discovering the backstage of area restaurants, food stores and food processing operations. Details including promotional codes for travel discounts on www.sialcanada.com. SIAL only admits food industry professionals and is exclusively devoted to food and beverage products, serving the needs of all market segments including large-scale distribution, import-export, wholesale distribution, specialty retail, foodservice as well as food manufacturing. SIAL Canada 2011 is supported by the governments of Canada, Ontario and Quebec through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) and MAPAQ (Ministère de l’Agriculture des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec). The show is also endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Produced by Paris-based Comexposium, the #1 trade show organizer in France, SIAL Canada is one of the five SIAL food and beverage exhibitions organized in the world, the largest being held in Paris since 1964.
Anderson, from page 40 Anderson, also well known for his tattooed arms, said the former tavern space is being gutted and will be renovated into a fine dining venue on one floor and a more casual tavern on another. He anticipates the new restaurant will open in mid to late June. Anderson said he plans to help find his replacement for the Ivoryton landmark, a place he said he will miss. “I have been very fortunate to work with an excellent restaurant team and Ian and Barbara Phillips, whom I respect dearly,” he said. “My intention is to leave this great property with a food and beverage operation that it deserves, which will continue to operate at the highest level.
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Acosta, from page 67
Farm to Table, from page 47
Their clients include companies like Heinz and Con-Agra, and their customers include Safeway, Walmart, and Whole Foods. Venture was founded in 1977, and sells to quick-serve establishments, restaurants, and institutional dining. They have a specialty in K-12 school food service, including their Schoolyard Scoop web bulletin. “We’re particularly proud of the work we’ve done with our web presence,” says Wopperer, “and we’re expanding our social media outreach to ensure that we reach the up-and-coming wired generation.” Both companies want to reassure their clients that the level of service they receive will only be going up. “There are a lot of synergies to be had here,” says Wopperer, “but we’ve had a proven process in place for a long time, and this deal certainly won’t force us to change that.” The companies’ combined 120 years of experience ensure that this partnership will be successful. Wopperer says, “There’s no reason to change our go-to-market strategy. We know what works in every sector of the food service industry, and we know what works in every geographic area. We know, for instance, that our strategy in the Baltimore-Washington market has to be a lot more chainrestaurant-centered than our Upstate New York strategy. It’s that level of expertise, and the new markets we open up to them, that makes this deal so appealing for Acosta.”
of the 36 different categories and was responsible for evaluating an average of 35 products. Categories included breads, cheeses, confections and desserts, glutenfree foods, certified organic items, pasta sauces, salad dressings, savory condiments, snack foods, and many others. The competition also featured a special Connecticut Grown category as well as seven categories specifically for Connecticut wines made with 100 percent Connecticut Grown fruit. Agriculture contributes $3.5 billion to Connecticut’s economy and accounts for about 20,000 jobs, according to a 2010 study by the University of Connecticut. “Purchasing local farm products helps to keep that money circulating in our local communities and supports those local jobs,” Commissioner Reviczky added. “Not to mention that it provides consumers with some of the best-tasting foods available.” The Connecticut Department of Agriculture maintains listings for producers of a variety of different types of farm products and specialty foods on its website to assist the food service professional. The Connecticut Specialty Food Association is a subdivision of the Connecticut Food Association and is a non-profit organization that represents small food businesses based in the state.
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SFM, from page 10 attendees will gather at a closing Networking Reception at JPMorgan’s Café 270. During the reception attendees will have the opportunity to network and discuss the topics of the day. The Society for Foodservice Management is the pre-eminent national association serving the needs and
interests of executives in the onsite foodservice industry. Our principal role is to enhance the ability of our members to achieve career and business objectives in an ethical, responsible and professional climate. With members from coast to coast and overseas, SFM members are the best and brightest in onsite foodservice. The Society represents major corporate liaison personnel and indepen-
Pastry & Baking Arts Classes Call For Upcoming Class Schedule
888-531-Chef
www.iceculinary.com
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Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220
dent operators as well as national and regional foodservice contract management companies. Consultants and companies providing products and services to the onsite market are also SFM members. Additionally, the association includes faculty and students at HRI programs. The Society for Foodservice Management (SFM) was founded
in 1979 via a merger of the National Industrial Cafeteria Managers Association (NICMA) and the Association of Food Service Management (AFSM). Richard Ysmael of Motorola, and Phillip Cooke of Foodservice Associates (now FSA Group) were key players in SFM’s formation, with Ysmael an influential NICMA member and Cooke the manager of NICMA’s affairs.
// MEET THE NEWSMAKER Joe Campanale, Beverage Director & Co- Owner dell’anima, L’Artusi & Anfora
Y
ou went to New York University, what did you study while attending that led you where you are today? When I attended New York University I studied European Studies as an undergrad and Food Studies for my masters degree. Although I loved my time at the school my biggest education came from living in NYC where I was able to go to farmers markets, shop at specialty food stores and visit some of the best restaurants in the world. Living in New York City is the greatest education someone in the food industry can hope for. Before becoming a restaurateur, where did your passion for wines and spirits derive from and what were your steps to becoming a master sommelier? I first became interested in wine when I attended a free wine tasting at a local store, my freshman year at NYU. I started going to tastings at that shop every week and was amazed by all of the different wines and loved chatting with the importers. Then when I studied abroad in Madrid and Florence, I was able to see how wine was an important cultural part of their everyday lives, which fascinated me and gave me much joy. When I got back to New York I took a class taught by Linda Lawry from the International Wine Center and got a job at The Italian Wine Merchants and was hooked from then on.
I first became interested in wine when I attended a free wine tasting at a local store, my freshman year at NYU. I started going to tastings at that shop every week and was amazed by all of the different wines and loved chatting with the importers. After becoming a sommelier at Babbo, you went on to become an owner and restaurant manager, which seems like a huge step, was it a smooth transition? I have learned so much along the way. A lot of it was by making mistakes and learning from them. There was a huge leap from sommelier to restaurant owner. I was 23 years old with an enormous amount of energy and was aided by incredibly talented people.
Born and raised in Queens, New York, Joe Campanale became most inspired by the culinary diversity of city life during his studies at New York University. Joe has written about wine for various media outlets and has appeared on television shows including NBC’s Today Show, Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart.
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Have any mentors or someone who really inspired you to become the success story you are today? The work ethic of my business partners August Cardona and Gabe and Katherine Thompson along with the fact that they are all great people who treat people well inspires me every day. With so many wonderful wines out
there, explain the process of developing a wine menu. How do you choose, stay within a budget, and is there something for everyone? Choosing wines for the list is one of the most fun parts of the job! I taste every wine that goes on our lists and work with our Assistant Beverage Directors to make sure that we are covering all of our wine styles and price points so that we can accommodate the palates of many different diners. Where do the ideas come from to creating signature cocktails? Are you using any micro-brews or local breweries? The cocktail programs are a team effort. Our many talented bartenders come up with the lion’s share of our cocktails and once in a while I’ll put one of my own drinks on. We also have a resident beer expert in house, our Director of Operations Kevin Garry. Putting a good beverage program together simply must be a team effort. Are your restaurants using any local farmers and what steps were taken towards sustainability, particularly in this economic environment? All of our restaurants are 3 star Green Restaurant Associate certified and working towards sustainability is an ongoing effort. We even have hired someone in house, Amelia Ekus, our Director of Community Development, to help us with sustainability. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope to be working on our current restaurants and working on a few more with our great team!
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