April 2013

2 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

// NEWS

EVENTS

New Jersey Restaurant Association Hosts Restaurant Operators Conference On April 22, the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) will host the 2013 Restaurant Operators Conference, better known as “ROC,” at Pines Manor in Edison, New Jersey.

A

ttendance is free to NJRA members and non-members as well.

“This is by far the most informative and fun event we host all year,” said NJRA President Marilou Halvorsen. “Because our industry is so widespread and affects a plethora of people and businesses throughout the Garden State, the participants speaking and displaying at the conference cover many genres and interests for attendees,” she added.

ROC is the leading restaurant conference of the year for New Jersey. The all-day event will include the following details: • Cooking demonstrations from Celebrity Chef, David Burke, Mauro Castano of TLC’s “The Cake Boss” & Carlo’s Bakery and renowned Chef, James Laird • The “Mixologist of the Year” Contest

advocacy, networking, and support, NJRA has become an essential ingredient for successful and professional eating and drinking establishments, vendors, non-profits, schools and students.

•

Field inspection process updates • Discussion on the Department of Labor’s new grants This is the first year the NJRA will open attendance for the conference free-of-charge to non-members. Mobilizing the restaurant industry is a top priority of President Halvorsen as she aspires to create a new and relevant image for the 70-year old organization while simultaneously rebuilding the industry, which was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. For more information on ROC, please contact Alyson O’Brien at 609-599-3316 or aobrien@njra.org.

Established in 1942, the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) represents the Garden State's 25,000 eating and drinking establishments - the State's largest private sector employers, generating $14 billion in annual sales and employing over 311,000 people. Through member education, April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 3

// NEWS

CHEFS

"Chef Of The Century" Bocuse Gets Rock Star Treatment As He Debuts CIA Eatery French chef Paul Bocuse got a rapturous welcome from students at the Culinary Institute of America recently in Hyde Park, New York. Bocuse was in the United States for the inauguration of a new restaurant bringing his culinary prowess to the American palate.

D

espite a bout of ill health last month, the 87-yearold chef, among the most accomplished in history, did not hesitate to cross the Atlantic for the launch of The Bocuse Restaurant.

The Culinary Institute of America last year closed its Escoffier Restaurant, named after "the king of chefs and the chef of kings" Auguste Escoffier. After renovations, the menu was revamped to feature contemporary French fare after some of Bocuse's best recipes at CIA's first new restaurant in 40 years.

Escoffier had helped make haute cuisine available to family kitchens thanks to cookbooks and restaurants at the Ritz in Paris, London's Savoy and other distinguished institutions.

At the CIA's campus on the banks of the frozen Hudson River, hundreds of students attended Bocuse's lecture to hear him speak about his life and dole out both advice and encouragement. "Cook the way you like, with local, quality products," Bocuse told the students. "This is very important."

Donning as always his chef's hat and apron, he was surrounded by several of the biggest names in French cuisine in New York - JeanGeorges Vongerichten, Daniel Bou-

lud and Thomas Keller and his son Jerome. They paid tribute before a packed audience to the storied chef during a talk on the future of French cuisine.

"All cuisines are created equal be they French, Italian, Chinese or American," said Bocuse, while also highlighting France's unique assets: "A huge aquarium, a huge orchard

and a huge vineyard."

In honor of his birthday, which coincided with his visit to the CIA, students had prepared a gigantic cake of five layers with a big "B" on top as a surprise. Nearly a thousand people then launched into a happy birthday song, in both French and English.

Bocuse, a three-star Michelin chef since 1965 who the CIA named Chef

of the Century in 2011, then autographed cookbooks and posters celebrating his restaurant's opening.

In the evening, he officially inaugurated the restaurant by breaking a replica of a very large soup tureen like that used for his famous black truffle soup VGE created in 1975 in honor of former president Valery Giscard d'Estaing. "Paul Bocuse is simply stated, the most important chef in history," said CIA president Tim Ryan.

continued on page 94

Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Wyman Philbrook Noelle Ifshin Ryan Condren Andrew Catalano Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Legendary toque Paul Bocuse recently debuted his newest eatery at the CIA

4 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • 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 2013 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

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

6 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

8 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

// HERMANNS ON LINEN

The Perception of Value Does what I do have value? Does the person I do it for believe it has value? I suppose we’ve all wondered that from time to time, but how much thought do we give to the simple fact that in addition to providing something of value, we must also create the perception of that value?

F

rom this point of view, the relationship between the restaurant and its linen and uniform supplier is broken, and neither party will truly be satisfied until it is repaired.

In these pages some time ago, I made the claim that a restaurateur who bemoans linens as nothing more than a drag on the bottom line underestimates the role the dining experience, and the effect of linens on that experience, plays in check average.

But it’s more than that. I actually had the Director of Operations of a New York City restaurant group tell me straight out that he didn’t want his managers worrying about whether their people were throwing napkins and towels in the garbage. Presumably they had more important things on their minds? Or had they simply come to believe that these things were disposable commodities?

I become more convinced all the time that if this view is common, and I think it is, it is the fault of the very people who stand to lose the most: the linen suppliers. Ironic, no? There are too many suppliers who devalue their own product, either with bad packaging and presentation, poor wash and press quality, or just plain

Christopher Hermanns, President of WH Linen chermanns@whlinen.com

Use the linens that fit your business plan, but recognize them as part of that plan, and the success or failure of that plan. To that extent, linens are just as valuable to you as they are to me. bad or uninformed buying. If I don’t value my napkin enough to know where and how it is made, to make sure quality control in my factory is up to standard, and that my presentation is as good as it can be, why should the restaurant who receives it see its value? And once again the par-

10 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

allel between buying food and renting linens becomes clear. But then why is the first nurtured and the second derided?

When I see fine Italian linens that have been used to clean a hood or placed under a kitchen mat, when I see chef coats come back with pic-

tures drawn on them, I’m always amazed. But I have to acknowledge that in the linen industry there are those who buy whatever is “on sale”, who send out mismatched napkins, whose quality control doesn’t match that of the restaurants they serve, who are, in short, creating the perception that these things have no value. But then there are restaurants who accept that, too. So where does it stop?

We all know that some chefs know the name of the farmer who raised the cows on his menu, and some buy huge frozen boxes of meat from a huge concrete building. But both of those chefs know that their income is tied to what they put on the plate, and so they do the math, price the dish, and make a living. Linens are a part of that math. It’s just that very few have figured that out. Use the linens that fit your business plan, but recognize them as part of that plan, and the success or failure of that plan. To that extent, linens are just as valuable to you as they are to me.

I like a kitchen that takes care sourcing its meat and fish and produce, that stages a dish with some thought, that wipes the plate before it goes out to my table. And I know that there is a cost associated with that experience. Restaurants should demand the same level of attention, care, knowledge, and quality of their linen vendors, and they should be willing to pay a fair price for that. If your diners expect more than a bargain-basement experience, don’t ask your vendors for bargain-basement service. A good vendor will rise to the occasion if allowed to.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11

12 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13

14 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15

16 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17

// CHEFCETERA

UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK'S CHEFS

Tim LaBant, Chef & Owner The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton, CT After graduating from the Wilton School system and Wittenberg University, Tim began his culinary career in Boulder, Colorado where he developed his skills as a chef before leaving his passion behind for corporate America.

H

e moved on to accept a position with IBM, but after 3 years, yearned to return to the culinary field. He enrolled at Johnson & Wales University where he completed his formal culinary education, graduating with high honors and numerous awards.

He went on to work with the Emmy Award winning Chef, Ming Tsai, best known for his popular television

show “Simply Ming.” Tim also developed strong skills in French cuisine during his years as a chef at the Four Star and Five Diamond L'Espalier Restaurant in Boston. There, he worked under Chef/Owner Frank McClelland, which helped him develop big flavors using unique ingredients and a combination of new and classic techniques. Tim also spent time as a stagiare in the kitchens of Le Bernardin, and Aureole in New York City. In

to go to culinary school.

What’s your proudest accomplishment in your career to date?

I would say my proudest accomplishment has been turning this tiny space of a restaurant into an award winning dining experience and crossing the 5-year mark. Most restaurants won’t make it a year and trust me I heard that more times than I care to re-

From a business stand point my father and father in law have been amazing mentors. They have helped to coach me through many decisions that I believe, have been instrumental and pivotal in the growth and success of the restaurant.

2007, Tim with his wife Julie opened The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. He has masterfully turned The Schoolhouse at Cannondale, as one of the town's most treasured historic buildings, into an elegant restaurant. He is taking his experience, technique, and artistry to a whole new level.

In 2007, Tim with his wife Julie opened The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. He has masterfully turned The Schoolhouse at Cannondale, as one of the town's most treasured historic buildings, into an elegant restaurant.

18 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

What inspired you to become a chef?

I had taken a corporate sales job with IBM right out of college and knew almost immediately that this was not the right path or a long-term career. I always loved to cook and experiment with ingredients as a kid, so when it was clear my corporate career was not going to work out I took the leap

member when I embarked on opening The Schoolhouse at Cannondale.

Have any mentors? What have you learned from them?

From a business stand point my father and father in law have been amazing mentors. They have helped to coach me through many decisions that I believe, have been instrumental and pivotal in the growth and success of the restaurant. My wife Julia is my spiritual mentor and keeps me grounded when things might be completely chaotic around me.

continued on page 94

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19

20 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

22 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

// NEWS

SUSTAINABILITY

Huhtamaki Offers Green & Cost Efficient Solution To Proposed NYC Styrofoam Ban Mayor Michael Bloomberg last month proposed a ban of all Styrofoam food containers in the city, saying the material is destructive to the environment and a burden on taxpayers.

"S

omething that we know is environmentally destructive, that is costing taxpayers money, and that is easily replaceable, is something we can do without," Bloomberg said during his 12th and final State of the City address.

"So with Speaker Christine Quinn and the City Council, we will work to adopt a law banning Styrofoam food packaging from our stores and restaurants," he said. Bloomberg added that Styrofoam increases the cost of recycling by up to $20 per ton, and that it is "virtually impossible to recycle and never biodegrades."

The ban -- which needs to be passed by the City Council -- is one part of Bloomberg's sweeping green initiatives for the remainder of his final term. The initiatives also include doubling the city's recycling rate to 30% by 2017, a push for more electric cars and accommodations for them, and reducing the city's carbon footprint by 30% over the next 10 years.

Some storeowners said a Styrofoam ban could hurt business. "For the customers, putting their hot food in plastic containers would be bad -- those can melt," said Hong Yoo, a manager at Bryant Market deli on Sixth Avenue. "We supply Styrofoam because there's a demand for it," he

said, adding that it "costs less than plastic."

To answer the needs of Metro NYC‘s foodservice operators and the possible Styrofoam ban, Huhtamaki US offers a solution with their Chinet® and SAVADAY® molded fiber products consisting of bowls, plates, clamshells, trays and other ecofriendly alternatives to Styrofoam.

Both the Chinet® and SAVADAY® lines are made from 100% recycled material and are 100% compostable.

Perfect for food prep and preserva-

tion, Huhtamaki offers sustainability, strength and style. Total Food Service sat down with Alexis Guetzlaff, a product manager for Huhtamaki’s foodservice division, to discuss how Huhtamaki has met the growing demand for compostable products.

How does Huhtamaki help the food service operator with their commitment towards a “green and sustainable” agenda?

Huhtamaki makes a full line of sustainable products that are great alternatives to foam packaging. From

Huhtamaki makes a full line of sustainable products that are great alternatives to foam packaging. From products made with 100% recycled materials that are 100% compostable.

24 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

products made with 100% recycled materials that are 100% compostable, like Chinet® tableware and clamshells and Savaday® tableware and trays, to RC Cup by Chinet®, which insulates hot cups without the use of foam.

What makes Huhtamaki different from other products in the marketplace? Our wide variety of products really set us apart, especially our large number of products that are made from recycled materials and are compostable. Also, we are one of the few manufacturers that can offer customers products from 3 different substrates: molded fiber, paper and plastics.

When you look under the hood so to speak, what makes the production of Huhtamaki’s Chinet and Savaday® lines unique?

We help preserve precious natural resources by using the 100% preconsumer recycled material. This means we collect safe, clean, neverused scrap materials – milk carton stock, paper from other associated business units and unprinted newspaper – to create these disposable tableware products.

By using these recycled materials we currently conserve 2.5 million trees annually and reduce our landfill usage by 450,000 cubic yards. We are also able to save 1 billion gallons of water through our water-efficiency programs.

The Huhtamaki Chinet line is so much more than plates; walk us through what else the line offers.

While the foundation of the Chinet® Brand is the molded fiber plate, we really do offer so much more:

continued on page 83

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

// Q&A

Robert Kasara,

President of Metropolitan Club Managers Assocation & General Manager of Wykagyl Country Club

H

ow did you get into the industry?

By chance, I literally started working as a receptionist in 1977 at the Larchmont Yacht Club and worked there through college right through my time at Arizona State.

I progressed and ended up being the Maitre d' and Captain. To tell you the truth I grew up in very modest means and I though that if I worked at a club I would learn how people of wealth and successful means were made and that it would rub off on me and with that would come the key to wealth.

So what led to Club Management?

I tried to assess my abilities when I got out of school. I knew I could sell, so I thought that Wall Street was the place to be. It was a bull market, so I worked until I became a broker at Smith Bar-

ney. What I didn't realize is that most folks who succeed on Wall Street bring a book of business with them that in many cases comes from family and friends to cover the cost of maintaining a desk. For me it was 120 cold calls a day. But I built a great set of selling and

So what did you find out?

I realized that there are a very wide range of people. I found out quickly that the most successful people from all walks of life are just very down to earth.

How did you gain the experience you needed in food and beverage to succeed?

While at Arizona State, I worked at everything from delis to high-end restaurants. Then when I transferred to Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton I had the opportunity to work at a number of high-end restaurants at Boca West.

I picked up something at each of these that showed me what you need to do to be successful. Everybody's a food critic; everybody knows what you should be doing.

Rob Kasara bring some three decades of club experience to his new post as the President of the Metropolitan Club Managers Association.

26 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

interpersonal skills to sell intangibles to very high wealthy individuals like a stock certificate that you never saw and to develop very thick skin. At the same time, I had to pay the bills because I was working on straight commission. So on the weekends I worked as the maitre d' at Larchmont Yacht Club. I ran their dining room and handled tableside service and cooking and presented the specials and managed the wait staff. It was interesting living two very different lives going from a suit to a tuxedo.

What led to a full time switch?

I began to transition out of the financial field and was hired by Bill Jessup. I knew that I had a passion for the food and beverage and the club business. I began full time as the assistant food and beverage manager at Larchmont. I learned very quickly how different preparing for lunch is every day versus the operating of a la carte and catering and banquets. I learned very quickly and continued to learn that the toughest part is trying to combine an a la carte restaurant and banquet facility.

What did you learn at Siwanoy?

It was a great time to start in club management. The club had great resources. It was a little stodgy, different clientele, more pink and green pants. Professional managers of country clubs were coming into their own. Before that it had been mostly maitre d's and Europeans who were making the transition without any formal training.

They knew food and beverage and service but didn't understand the administration. I had to go from smart food and beverage guy to a Chief Operating Officer. So I had the finance, interpersonal skills and the background for working in 30 different restaurants. At a club like Siwanoy you needed to have

your hand on the pulse of the financial end of the operation.

Define what a club COO focuses on?

We run a very diversified small business with revenues in excess of $10mill that today's club manager is responsible for. That's why there is a full portfolio of certification to become a club manager today.

It encompasses a $2million plus food and bev business as well as golf management, tennis and swimming with an Olympic sized pool. Then you have insurance and HR responsibilities.

Keep in mind that in the height of our season, we have 100 plus employees.

So what becomes the key to success in running a club?

It’s all about participation from both your members and team. I need our members to be using the facilities. The key is to create participating members that are spending money by coming and playing golf and spending the $150 in the grillroom and pro shop.

We use all the social media to sell the facilities and events to our membership. To me it starts with a pristine look by spending money on the facility. This then leads to our members bringing in their guests who then look to us as a venue for their special events. For us the focus is on keeping clean and fresh with the golf course in the best shape of any local club. We'll spend $2 million a year on the course alone. For many years we actually hosted an LPGA event.

What are the pros and cons of a club hosting a pro golf event?

The LPGA was here before me. It was a financial decision. It was a money loser. In addition, the wear and tear on your club can be very difficult. The logistics of parking and taking away your golf course from your members makes this a very easy decision.

What are the elements of a successful foodservice operation at a club?

The key component is consistency on

This business is all about consistency, so whether you are the first served or the 300th served, we want you to have the very same quality. That's why it all starts with helping our catering customer understand the importance of creating menus with a minimum of choice that will lead to a high quality meal.

how you approach your menu production.

People are creatures of habit. Even with a minimum and the greatest food, your member is only going to come once a week. You have to understand that we are a 501c7 not for profit. which enables us to generate 15% of our business outside the club with special events.

At the same time, because we are a non-profit, we can't advertise, so it’s all about getting your membership to promote. If a club is just in the a la carte business, it will lose $300k to $400k as a result of 50% to 60% in labor costs and then 40% food cost. So we need outside weddings and events to make the club a success. At the same time, we need to make every member visit special. So we know what our members like. We're using technology to understand how they like their favorite cocktails, how many olives and how they like their food cooked.

How are the needs of a city club different from those of a suburban club like yours?

A city club provides its members with the weekday services they need from lunch to business meeting venues. Our job is to provide their weekend sporting activity like golf and tennis. Think of us as a weekend oasis.

What trends are you seeing on menus?

After doing this for so many years believe me just put a heart healthy next to something and it simply won't sell.

Somehow healthy has always led people to think: "no taste." Certainly there are less cream sauces and more broiling replacing frying.

What kind of culinary talent do clubs attract today?

A very interesting type of chef from a restaurant chef. We have a more finite menu with much more diversity at the same time. Our chefs need to go from chicken fingers and eggs benedict to a seafood entree plate finished with couscous.

They need to work hard and enjoy the opportunity to succeed in both an a la carte and then a party for 300 simultaneously. It’s very important to understand that we are not in competition with the Manhattan restaurant scene.

We want a “Wow” factor from a taste standpoint with the comfort of making them feel like they are at home. They also get to flex their creativity through events like small wine tasting type parties including a blind folded "Dark Dining" event we just ran.

So with the challenge of operating

both an a la carte and catering facility what is your approach to the upgrade of a kitchen?

That's the million-dollar question. Remember a lot of these clubs were built as private residences with no thought towards the volume that a club would have to produce. I was fortunate at Siwanoy with the kitchen being centrally located.

So the first challenge becomes how to handle pre-prep. I just don’t like what holding cabinets do to food. My approach is to build steam tables in pull out drawers and then insert the hotel pan into the draw and create an organized system to handle the plating.

This business is all about consistency, so whether you are the first served or the 300th served, we want you to have the very same quality. That's why it all starts with helping our catering customer understand the importance of creating menus with a minimum of choice that will lead to a high quality meal. We avoid the customer that comes in here looking to dictate a menu.

At Wykagyl, we have two kitchens and it’s a constant balance to coordinate the a la carte line and the special event.

The event needs to start on time and we need to coordinate that with our member reservations.

What goals does the association have for this year?

I want to help some of our older managers find new employment opportunities. With new board members and president at clubs, the club manager has a new boss and that creates lots of turnover.

So we want to help our members get up to date with technology that they can then bring to a new opportunity.

We want to continue to be an influence in our local communities through our charity: AABR, the Association for the Blind and the Retarded and a number of other initiatives. As part of being good neighbors, we continue to be concerned with being green and sustainable.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

28 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

// EVENTS 5th Annual Big Apple Healthcare Culinary Challenge Three elite New York hospitals flexed their nutrition and culinary might in the 5th Annual HFAA “Big Apple Healthcare Culinary Challenge” held at the ICE (Institute of Culinary Education, New York) on March 14, 2013.

6

0 minutes to prep and plate; application of state of the art culinary artistry; utilization of the event’s “Iron Chef style” mystery ingredient “PORK LOIN” in all 3 dishes of a salad, an appetizer and an entrée; innovating “sure win recipes” fit for the discriminating palates of the healthcare clientele; and staying charged, tracked and grounded in the healthcare mission of Health and

The trophy went to the defending champion NY Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell Medical Center team.

Healing, were just among the major challenges raised to the defending champion NY Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell Medical Center and contenders NY Methodist Hospital and the St. Charles Hospital.

The audience of peppered all competing teams with cheers and awes over a hundred healthcare food service, business partners, and culinary enthusiasts. Barry Kriesberg, VP of Administration at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center enthusiastically emceed the event keeping the audience entertained and engaged. The bar of healthcare foodservice has been raised through its breed of aggressively outcome- oriented and talented chefs, equipped to perform and stay alive in the competitive edge. From the mix and usage of healthy colorful fresh produce, the display of healthy cooking techniques, the blending of flavors, seasonings and spices, the matching of garnishing in plating/ presentation, to permeating an array of aroma in the air and infusion of excitement and anticipation galore, tempered with humor and stress

continued on next page April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

management, the teams all in unison sent one solid message, “Healthcare is in it to win it !"

The competing Healthcare Foodservice Chef teams garnered neck to neck scores from a panel of 3 reputable culinary judges including Chef Michael Laiskonis, Creative Director and Richard Simpson, School Director at the Institute of Culinary Education and Chef Michael Salvatore, Director of Culinary Resources at SYSCO Foods.

Apart from the nutrition and culinary artistry standpoint, the teams were also rated on the aspects of sanitation, teamwork plus workflow, which were deemed equally essential criteria in the overall evaluation of performance in the real healthcare setting. Food safety and cultural diversity amidst resource maximization are factors that cannot take a backseat in today’s healthcare arena.

And the trophy went to the team that reigned supreme. The defending champion NY Presbyterian Hospital/

All the participants were winners in the healthcare foodservice industry and each member received a medal of honor.

tor Maura Doran, RD (which included team members Jack Wolfe, Executive Chef; Michael Vigo, Cook; and Tiffini Ellis, Cook. The 2nd runner up honors went to St. Charles Hospital team led

by Food and Nutrition Services Director Stephanie Giraulo, MBA, RD, CDN, (including team members Bill Dougherty, Chef; Kim Marie Vargas, Chef; and Mahindranath Maraj, Chef.)

The winning dishes showcased by NY Presbyterian /Weill Cornell Medical included:

Appetizer Weill Cornell Medical Center team led

by Food and Nutrition Services Director Michael C. Williams, MBA, RD, CDN (which included team members Ross Posmentier, Senior Executive Chef; Hasan Culver, Amenity Chef; and Miriam Zamparelli, Executive Chef. 1st runner up honors went to the New York Methodist Hospital team led

by Food and Nutrition Services Direc-

30 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Grilled String Beans

Salad Grilled BBQ Vietnamese Pork Loin over Mixed Greens with Aromatic Herbs, Mango and Snow Peas

Entrée Middle Eastern Spiced Pork Loin over Spring Vegetable Risotto and Cumin

Roasted Vegetables.

All the participants were winners in the healthcare foodservice industry and each member received a medal of honor. The winning team received a trophy, Victorinox knife set courtesy of PBAC & Associates, and a scholarship grant team’s Nutrition-Food Service Director, to attend the prestigious AHF National Conference June 5-8, 2013 in New Orleans, LA. “This year’s Big Apple Healthcare Culinary Challenge would not be possible without the support of sponsors US Foods, SYSCO Foods, Greater New York Hospital Association, and Institute of Culinary Education; and the tireless dedication of the HFAA board that worked way above and beyond 60 minutes to make this event a huge success,” stated Cecille P. Agustin MS, RD, CDN, HFAA, GNY Board Member & Education Committee Chairperson.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

32 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33

// INSURANCE

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

Health Care Reform: What does the Supreme Court’s PPACA Ruling mean for Plan Sponsors?

As many of you are likely aware, in June 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on the basis that Congress has the power to tax citizens in order to influence behavior.

Bob Fiorito, Vice President of Business Development at Hub International Robert.Fiorito@ hubinternational.com

T

he ruling means that it is full speed ahead with compliance and strategic planning for employers and plan sponsors. You must comply with the law and take steps now to minimize its impact on your company's bottom line.

Your advisor can assess the financial impact of Health Care Reform on your group health plans using tools that project an employer's total health plan costs through 2018 and can help you estimate the financial impact on your plan of the individual mandate, auto enrollment, and movement to the state health Exchanges beginning in 2014. There are constant amendments to this legislation, and it is imperative to stay ahead of the curve and up to date on the latest developments and understand what this means to your business, and its bottom line.

Employer Mandate: PPACA includes a “shared responsibility” requirement that, for the first time, mandates that employers provide health coverage to

continued on page 102 34 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

36 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

38 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

// FOOD SAFETY

WITH WYMAN PHILBROOK

The First 10 Minutes of a Visit What it tells a Food Safety Professional about you and your kitchen.

F

irst let me clarify my background. I was in Food & Beverage operations as the PIC (person-in-charge) for nearly thirty years and made the change to focus entirely on food safety for the last six years. Understanding what happens on a daily basis on both sides of an inspection/audit gives me a unique perspective to convey my experience and knowledge.

We are moving more toward risk-based assessments of food operations across

Wyman Philbrook

Owner of Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting And Training philbrook_fandb@comcast.net

You as a manager will constantly be walking through your kitchen and are either observant of what is happening in your operation or are missing key signs of unsafe conditions. A Food Safety Professional (FSP) is trained to be observant during the limited time they are in your facility and that visit represents a snapshot of how you run your business on a daily basis.

So initially let’s focus on some of the leading indicators and what they tell a FSP.

Reaction An individual with a clipboard makes many people nervous but whether the the USA, so what your operation indicates in the first minutes of a visit indicates the potential risk to the dining

public. Preventing and reducing food safety hazards/risks is a key part of management’s responsibility.

continued on page 67

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39

// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Tri-State Club Managers Convene In New Rochelle For Annual Vendor Show

T

he Metropolitan Club Foundation’s Regional Vendor Show was held last month at the Glen Island Harbour Club. This event provided an excellent opportunity for equipment and supply vendors to present products and services in an intimate atmosphere that allows the time and opportunity for one-on-one contacts.

"Our goal is to bring a group of select purveyors who provide what clubs need and purchase on a consistent basis," noted the Club Managers' president Robert Kasara.

General Managers and their management teams (chefs, controllers, purchasing agents, food & beverage

Shenorock's Anibal Romero

John Dorf (2nd-L) of Quaker Ridge and Michael Dutero (R) of Milbrook were among those who caught up with old friends

(L to R) Beach Point's Maxwell Shteyman and Robert Bickmeyer

40 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Glen Arbor's General Manager Christian Potthoff

directors, etc.) from Westchester, Long Island, upstate New York, lower Connecticut and New York City were in attendance. Kudos to Randy Rude and the show team that brought large contingents of show management to the show via bus from both the Albany and Long Island regions.

The daylong event was highlighted by a vendor show that featured the very latest in food, beverage equipment and supply solutions. "From a menu standpoint, many of our members are looking for healthier selections," noted Don Molitor of Woodmere Country Club on Long Island. "So we will be shopping the show looking for everything from vegetarian items to that great hot dog that we will always count on pool side."

The night was capped by one of the Tri-State's culinary events. Top chefs from clubs throughout the Metro New York City area displayed their extraordinary expertise.

The Club Chefs of Westchester once again teamed to present a dazzling display of their culinary tal-

(L to R) Jeff Dellon of H. Weiss and Steelite's Paul LeBarron

ents. Beach Point Club led by Chef Maxwell Shteyman offered Porchetta sliders with chicory and a puntarelle salad. Piping Rocks' Chef Blake Verity and Shenorock Shore Club's Chef Leonard Phillips collaborated on a Cacio Pepe. Manursing Island Clubs' Chef John Krall featured Pan Seared cod roman style. There was spectacular Coco Spiced venison from the Broxville Field Club's Chef Dan Neuroth, Braciole of Lamb from Hudson Nationals prepared by Chef Jerry Bourkney. Sea Scallop Ceviche from Chef Joe Albertelli of Westchester Country Club and Suppli a la Romana from Chef Tony Nunes of Waccubuc.

Many of the chefs brought their full culinary teams with them including Chef Victor Zarate of Scarsdale who prepared Fresh Mozza-

rella, Timballo de Cappellini from Chef Victor Honrath of Wykagyl, Braised Beef Braciole from Chef Andrew Ladd of the NYAC and Deserts from Chef Andrew Howgego of Morefar. Metropolis' Lorcan O'Connell and Peter Haering of the North Shore Country Club teamed on Polpette Tradizionale Romana.

Eye visited with many of the industry's top food distributors including: Ace Endico, Baldor Specialty Foods, Blue Ribbon Fish, DiCarlo Distributors, Main Street Wholesale Meats and Tufo's Wholesale Foods.

Eye talked equipment and supply trends for clubs with Culinary Depot, H. Weiss, HAFSCO and M. Tucker/ Singer N.Y. The Club Expo hosted a full slate of educational seminars. Highlighting the agenda was Club Insights'

Blake Ashdown's session on The “Next Big Thing” In The Club Industry. The seminar focused on helping club managers acquire the skills to make data driven decisions. Eye also found the "Storm Preparedness

And Emergency Generators" session fascinating as many clubs continue to make their comeback from Hurricane Sandy and prepare for the future wrath of Mother Nature.

The Field Point Club of Greenwich came to New Rochelle to prepare for the upcoming season

Innis Arden brought key management to Glen Island

Hussein Ali (C) led his Mt. Kisco Country Club management team to the '13 event

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

42 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

44 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45

// Scoop Rude Awakening At Carnegie Deli Scoop says now they want to kill you with kindness, not just with heaping piles of artery-choking pastrami and corned beef. The brass at Manhattan’s iconic Carnegie Deli, which has been dishing out house-cured meat, sour pickles and steaming matzo-ball soup since 1937, want their famously rude

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE rude may have been cute with the old Jewish waiters and waitresses in the ‘50s and ‘60s, but not anymore. Today, it’s all about hospitality and being hospitable,” said Eby.

Long Island’s Adcraft Tabs Duo Scoop says Adcraft is pleased to announce the following promotions: Ron

Manufacturing; Refrigeration, Gas & Electric. Ron heads our Shanghai Office and is also in charge of Adcraft’s Technical Service Team. Jeff Taylor – has been promoted from National Sales Manager to Vice President of Sales. Jeff will oversee all company sales in North America.

Jeff will continue to expand our explosive product line and the development of our Container and Countertop Electric Drop Ship programs. These welldeserved promotions will allow us to continue the growth we are currently experiencing for years to come.

NYC Sommeliers Aging Like Fine Wines They Sell

Carnegie Deli, which has been dishing out house-cured meat & matzo-ball soup since 1937, want their famously rude waiters to turn those frowns upside-down.

waiters to turn those frowns upsidedown. “We’re trying to warm it up a little,” said new COO Robert Eby. “Being

Powers – has been promoted from VP of Operations to Executive Vice President.

Ron will be responsible for R & D and

46 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Scoop notes that an average professional athlete is considered old by his or her mid-30s. The same seems to hold true of sommeliers. Indeed, most soms leave the floor long before they turn 40. The reasons include the physical toil (climbing cellar stairs, unpacking cases of wine and traversing hundreds of miles of dining-room floors) not to mention long hours, low pay and less-than-charming guests.

Roger Dagorn of Tocqueville and 15 Et Restaurant is a shining exception to this incontrovertible rule; he’s running the

Mr. Dagorn is a legend in New York wine service – not only for his remarkable longevity but for his generous nature and “dedication to the craft” . wine lists of two restaurants, and, at 63 years of age, he is one of the oldest working sommeliers in New York. Mr. Dagorn is a legend in New York wine service – not only for his remarkable longevity but for his generous nature and “dedication to the craft” as Daniel Johnnes, wine director of the Dinex Group of restaurants noted in an admiring email.

Mr. Johnnes, a former sommelier, oversees a cade of young sommeliers at Daniel Boulud restaurants but stopped working the floor about 13 years ago.

Mr. Dagorn joined Tocqueville and 15 East some six months ago because he “wanted to do more.” In addition to overseeing the two restaurant wine lists,

he is planning the wine lists for the restaurants in a soon-to-be opened hotel.

“I wanted to be able to play with multiple wine lists and juggle multiple restaurants,” said the grandfather of four, who commutes to New York from his home in suburban Long Island five days a week. How did Mr. Dagorn think most people regarded the job of sommelier?

“It’s become much more fashionable,” noted Mr. Dagorn, who recalled that in the mid 1980s when he was called to jury duty an attorney told Mr. Dagorn that his job was something “you only see on crossword puzzles.” How has Mr. Dagorn lasted so long? “Maybe it’s just because I don’t know how to do anything else,” joked the ever-modest Mr. Dagorn, who said he plans to work “at least” until he’s 70. “Wine is a great preservative.”

restaurateurs like Meyer and his USHG partners, is ripe for the picking. Club cafes, often are really just juice bars with snacks, and function as both a profit center and desirable amenity in the health club industry. Estimates place a typical club’s capture rate (number of daily visitors who buy something from its café) of daily visitors who buy something from its café) of daily visitors who buy something from its café) between 15-20 percent. Industry statistics show that for 2011, there were 30,000 health cubs having 50 million members, who, on average, visit their club 102 days each year. In short it’s a captive audience whose onsite food and drink needs are served by- can you name the dominant player in this huge market? The health

Meyer Sets Sites On Tri-State Health Clubs Scoop has good news for full-service operators who didn’t take their cue from Danny Meyer back in 2004 and go into the burger game when the getting was good. Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) are fine dining kingpins in New York City, but their groundbreaking Shake Shack burger concept already numbers 16 units. Now Meyer and USHG have their sights set on another underdeveloped foodservice market: health club cafes. Let’s look at why the health club foodservice business, viewed through the eyes of savvy

club segment holds so much potential you have to wonder why no other operator has jumped into it so far. The new concept’s name: Creative Juice. Scoop met Meyer’s health club team in Orlando at NAFEM.

Pecinka Ferri Continues Growth With New Addition Scoop says kudos to Pecinka Ferri Associates as they are pleased to announce that Stacy Digiacomo has joined Pecinka Ferri Associates as Bookkeeper/ Office Administrator. Stacy comes to us with a background in Sales and Marketing, Customer Service, HR, and Bookkeeping. She will be responsible for daily accounting functions, including commission reconciliation, and utilizing our current systems to track orders through invoice. Her background gives us another well rounded inside associate who we look to assist us in our continued growth. Please join us in welcoming Stacy to our staff.

Saunders Bolsters Bronx Management Team

Having conquered the burger market with Shake Shack, Danny Meyer's team now have their sights set on the health club industry

CONNECTICUT NEW YORK

NEW JERSEY

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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

Scoop hears that Allied Metal Spinning is pleased to announce the appointment of Jill Appledorn as their National Sales Manager. Jill’s foodservice career began with the origin of Traex, where she spent 25 years in numerous sales and management positions. This was followed by a position with Tablecraft as National Accounts Manager. After several years with Tablecraft, Jill switched

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

her product interest to fine china manufacturer Dudson USA as their Central Regional Sales Manager before joining Allied Metal Spinning in 2013. Jill has a B.S. Degree in Secondary Education from UW-Eau Claire and lives in Lake Geneva, WI with her husband Duane.

Insinger Strengthens Its Representation with Three Significant Additions Scoop says kudos to Insinger Machine Company as they proudly announce the addition of Preferred Marketing Group, Heartland Group, LLC and The Redstone Group. Preferred Marketing Group will be covering the territories of California and Nevada. Heartland Reps, LLC has Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Southern Illinois and The Redstone Group’s territories are Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Texas (El Paso only), Utah, and Wyoming.“The western United States is very well represented with these three groups, Insinger will have a strong and significant presence west of the Mississippi,” says John Stern, President. “I look forward to working with them, 2013 will be an exciting year!”Insinger manufactures the broadest line of warewashing equipment in the industry and has been on the leading edge of commercial dishwasher innovation and technology for over 120 years. Insinger provides equipment to the hospitality, healthcare, education, corrections and military markets world-wide.

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 continued on next page April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47

// NEWS

NEW VENTURES

Fox Debuts New Brooklyn Petro Moore Furniture Source For Metro NYC Food Service Communty Total Food Service sat down with David Fox, President and CEO of Brooklyn based Petro Moore Inc. to discuss manufacturing and what got him to where he is today.

W

hat attracted you to the Petro Moore opportunity?

Several people had approached me with news that Petro Moore was for sale. Each one thought it would be a wonderful venture for me knowing my drive, my commitment to a project and my high work ethics. Petro Moore, being a table manufacturer, is a good fit, and would compliment my other company, Millennium Steel Rack Rental and Sales, as we have always stocked tables for

David Fox, President and CEO of Brooklyn based Petro Moore Inc.

I plan to run Brooklyn Petro Moore in the same fashion in which I have successfully managed Millennium Steel. With me, reputation, quality of service and merchandise, reliability and customer satisfaction are the key ingredients to running a successful business.

rental. The more I thought about it, the more I became intrigued.

On a personal note; however, there is a gentleman who I have become very fond of. He too told me about Petro Moore being for sale. This man reminds me of my dad, who is now retired in Florida, but looking for part time work. Because of his age, no one will hire him, even though his mind and body are more than capable. He tells me that not working makes him feel less alive and less useful. I wish I could help him, but distance makes that impossible. So, I did the next best thing. I purchased a company

48 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

that will allow me the opportunity to provide work to a gentleman who has suffered a stroke, but still very much has the ability to work. He will serve as my primary salesman and “Go To” guy. His expertise, (he ran his own company for years), the pride he takes in his products and his reputation for reliability will truly be an asset to Brooklyn Petro Moore. I guess you could say that I was attracted to Petro Moore not only because of the opportunity it would afford me but the opportunity it would enable me to afford others.

You mentioned that you’ve built a success in the garment industry, what similarities do you see with this new venture?

I plan to run Brooklyn Petro Moore in the same fashion in which I have successfully managed Millennium Steel. With me, reputation, quality of service and merchandise, reliability and customer satisfaction are the key ingredients to running a successful business. I pride myself on my reputation and my word. As with Millennium Steel, I intend to create the largest inventory of tables in the Tri-State area. This will allow me to expedite orders in a very timely manner enabling customers to receive their tables quicker than if they ordered from another company. We will have our own local and long distance truckers, as well as, the ability to ship via FedEx. As with Millennium Steel, we will guarantee our merchandise’s craftsmanship and durability. We will also guarantee competitive prices and provide discount rates for clients who order large quantities. And of course, we will always match prices of reputable competitors. When I started Millennium Steel, we were a small company in a big competitive field. Proudly, now we are the major renter of garment racks and one of the largest distributors of chrome tubing in the Tri-state area. I intend to do the same with Brooklyn Petro Moore. Like Millennium Steel, BPM will become synonymous with high quality, competitive prices, reliability and excellence in craftsmanship and service.

What will you bring to the party rental distributor?

continued on page 93

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49

50 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

// RESTAURANT MARKETING

WITH OLA AYENI

You’re Already Doing Email Marketing – But Are You Doing Mobile Email Marketing?

With the rising popularity of smartphones, the number of people checking emails on their phones is growing quickly – 36% (more than one-third) of emails across 12 industries this year were opened on phones.

T

his is up 20% from one year earlier! And for Consumer Services (this is where you fit in) the number is even higher – 42% of the emails sent were opened on phones. The study reporting these figures estimates that in 2013 email marketing will reach the tipping point – more than 50% of emails will be read on phones. This means that it is no longer enough for you to do email marketing – you need to be doing mobile email marketing. Here are some tips to get you started with mobile email marketing: Schedule your emails to be sent when mobile users are checking their messages. Open activity for mobile users is highest at three points during the day – before work, right after lunch, and after dinner/during the evening. Now that you know this, take the opportunity to promote your breakfast specials by sending an email first thing in the morning, or your dinner specials by sending an email in the afternoon. Most action taken on an email happens within 90 minutes of the message being sent – therefore you should send your emails when users are more likely to open and click.

Limit the images in your email.

Most mobile operating systems (except for iPhone/iPad) block images by default. While these operat-

Ola Ayeni,

Founder of Dining Dialog & myeateria.com ola@myeateria.com

Open activity for mobile users is highest at three points during the day – before work, right after lunch, and after dinner/during the evening.

ing systems usually offer a button to turn the images back on, most users won’t bother. In addition, images sometimes just refuse to load, leaving empty space in your message.

If you do want to include images, put images to the right of your text.

Images at the top of your message means the text gets pushed down, and you may lose your reader before

he or she gets to the important part of your message.

Place the most important part of your message in the top left corner.

While iPhones fit an email to the width of the screen, other mobile devices display the upper left corner of the message. While users will scroll left-right and up-down to see the complete message, you’ll want to grab

your reader with the first bit they’ll see.

Take location into consideration.

According to Google, 20% of searches on Google are related to location.

People use their mobile devices to interact with the world around them – where should they eat dinner? Is there a parking garage near that hot new restaurant? What’s the address of that club our friends are talking about? If you have multiple locations, consider adding a widget to your email that allows customers to find a location near them.

Keep it simple! Use large, simple fonts and the briefest amount of text possible to get your message across.

People don’t read novels on their phones, they reach for their phone when they need information in a fast, easy manner.

This information should get you started and help you change your frame of mind from email marketing to mobile email marketing. Sign up today for a free account and have access to the largest library of mobile friendly email templates for the restaurant and food service industry.

Ola Ayeni is the founder of Dining Dialog and myeateria.com. eateria™ is a digital loyalty marketing platform and a whole new way for restaurant, food and hospitality businesses to interact with their customers based on their on-the-go lifestyle. eateria™ utilizes the best combination of connected channels of email, social media and text message. Dining Dialog is a cutting edge, full service new media marketing company servicing the restaurant, bar and food service industry. For restaurant marketing tips, visit our eateria™ blog at eateria. org/blog/.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51

52 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

// EVENTS

IRFSNY 2013

20th Anniversary Of The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show Draws Record Number of Attendees The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York drew over 16,000 restaurant and foodservice industry professionals, one of the biggest audiences in recent years.

T

housands of buyers from high end restaurants, multi-unit operators and foodservice establishments from throughout New York State networked

and conducted business during the three-day trade show and conference which was held March 3-5, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The yearly event is sponsored and owned by the New York State Restaurant Asso-

54 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ciation. "We had several new and improved feature areas on the show floor including the Food Trends Experience, the Pride of New York Marketplace, the Student Pastry Competition, several reality television chef demonstrations

and the Farm to City Expo," said Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President for Reed Exhibitions' Foodservice Events.

"Bringing these events together with 500+ exhibiting companies brought in a record number of industry professionals who are interested in learning about new foods and new products which will help their restaurants."

Kudos to the Metro New York dealer community led by Culinary Depot and M.Tucker, Roger and Sons, and Sam Tell and Son, brought the most innovative equipment from the recently completed NAFEM show to the show floor. Roger and Sons celebrated its 16th year in the show with the event's largest booth. The flow of new equipment again seems to be split between the old world style of cooking with an open flame and a newer approach that is focused on the technology of convection and combi cooking.

Highlights of the event, included: The Winners of the People’s Choice Awards for the Innovative New Product Gallery were announced after thousands of attendees voted for their favorite products. The first place winner was GreenDustries Packaging for their Pleat Pack, Smart Sandwich Packaging. The 2nd place winner was Green Light Energy Conservation LLC for their LED Light Bulbs; and the 3rd place winner was Dr. Smoothie for their 100% Crushed Veggie Smoothies. Todd Basline, with Standard Burgers from Staten Island, NY, won a $250 shopping spree.

Noteworthy chefs from television programs including Hell's Kitchen, Chopped and MasterChef provided interactive, educational and entertaining presentations in the Culinary Demonstration Theater. Star chefs included Kevin Cottle and Van Hurd from Hell's Kitchen Season 6; Barbie Marshall and Danielle Rimmer from Hell’s Kitchen Season 10 and AJ and

Two generations of Halpers; Matt, Irwin, and Andrew Halper of I. Halper

Smart Bucket's Paul Wagner & Chris Farrell

(L to R) M. Tucker’s, Jeff Edna and BSE's Steve Doyle

Crescent Duck Farm's Maura Daly and Douglas Corwin

(L to R) Marsal Corporate chef Santo Bruno with Joe Cirone Jr.

American Roland’s Lisa Kartsman and Steve Shipley of Johnson and Wales

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 55

Rockland Bakery's regional sales team Grace Weichel, Greg Garville and Giacomo Fasano

Sam Tell & Son’s Arthur Fisher celebrated his engagement with fiancé Susan Kean Contract Furniture's George Agcaoili and Gene Trivell

icesurance's Jeff Hendler and Danielle Mattes

Ace Endico's VP Michael Endico with Marketing Manager Laura EndicoVerzello

Modern Line's managing partner Vlad Spivak with Director of Business Development Jason Nguyen

The Culinary Depot team brought aggressive pricing to their booth

CLV's Tom Halloran (C) welcomed guests

56 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Ruggiero Seafood's James Magee and Jeanette Lopez brought innovative Calamari ideas to IRFSNY

Imperial Bag & Paper's father and son team of Jason (L) and Robert Tillis (R)

Summit Foods’ Bob Lobianco was in the center of the action at the Pride Of New York Pavilion

American Trading Company's Peter Kalin, Amanda Blattner, and Paul Weintraub

Soft Touch Furniture's Jessie Abeid and Brian Fessler displayed new booth and table top offerings to IRFSNY

Anna Rossi from MasterChef as well as Certified Master Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt all had standing room only audience to taste their innovative dishes.

The 2013 Japan Pavilion featured dozens of companies offering the unique flavors and exciting new innovations of Japan. The Pavilion also showcased culinary demonstrations from the versatility of basic Japanese foods including recipes with Wagyu, Nigiri Sushi, Umami, Soba, Maki Sushi as well as Sake Pairings.

The 2013 Japan Pavilion also featured the ingredients ramen and koji, which have currently exploded in popularity in Japan. The Japan Pavilion introduced shio koji for the first time and taught industry processionals all about this special type of koji and how to use it to enhance the flavor of any dish. Executive Chef Taku Sato from Nobu Restaurant made his debut in the Japan Pavilion. He demonstrated how to use Japanese knives as well as cooking techniques. Additionally, the executive chef of the Michelin Starrated kaiseki restaurant Kyo Ya, Chikara Sono, demonstrated advanced techniques on using umami.

The show is always an interesting barometer of where technology is headed. Once again the 2013 show featured innovative companies including Breadcrumb and Harri.com both of whom are based in Manhattan. Breadcrumb has created the first real IPad/ April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 57

Sea Breeze's Joe Biondello, Bill Schiffman, & Patrick Godfrey had a number of new beverage offerings at the show

Mark Kaufmann (R) of Kaufmann and Associates welcomes show visitors

tablety based POS suite which has to be scarty to traditional suppliers including Micros. Harri.com is the next generation of Monster/Career builder. com with a feature that enables candidates to tell their story with video.

Special mention for a job above and beyond needs to go to Imperial Bag and Paper's Christopher Freeman. He has turned the New Jersey based distributor's booth into a combination of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and the Lord and Taylor holiday windows with what can only be called "creative genius."

The theme of their booth was “Imperial Bag & Paper AND Our Customers….A Perfect Marriage.” Freeman invited show guests to celebrate the marriage in the firm's enormous booth with a wedding area, a reception area with some great food packaging ideas and a live webcast studio area. Mr. & Mrs. Imperial Paper, were both dressed in wedding appropriate attire.

Mr. & Mrs. Imperial Paper were regularly bringing prospective customers and current Imperial customers into their booth to be “married to their Imperial salesperson.” The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum attracted over 2,000 attendees to the various conference sessions. The most popular sessions were the Multi-Unit Operator’s Keynote Session “Execution 2013: 5 Ways to Get More Things Done Right” by Jim Sullivan; Boosting Prof58 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Hub International’s Bob Fiorito

Automatic Ice's Jordan Singer (C) held court at the show

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 59

60 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

TFS’ Warren Bobrow visits with Glissen Chemical’s Joe Lehr

M Tucker’s Ron Mays and Peter del Bourgo of Nordon

Joe Cirone (C) and the Roger and Sons' team had a busy three-day show with the event's largest booth

Elliott Horowitz hosted a number of guests to the EmberGlow and Sub Zero case booths

The CIA's Warren Gross

Tri-State Marketing's Lynne Schultz (L), Ed Yuter (2nd L) and Bart Giobioff (2nd R) with Vollrath's Liz Hannon (3rd L) and David Bergen (R)

its with Vegan Offerings; Social Media Panel with speakers from Yelp, Open Table, and Living Social moderated by FishBowl and others.

The 2013 Pride of New York Farm to City Expo, Growing the Local Economy: Trends, Infrastructure and Purchasing attracted over 200 attendees to hear from speakers who announced that Governor Cuomo has approved $6.4 million in funding to help farmers reduce energy costs, protect the environment and remain economically viable. On the show floor, over 30+ local,

New York food and beverage companies showcased locally grown products from farmers and food processors in the Pride of New York Market Place.

Loved Great Performance’s Liz Neumark's assessment of the Empire State's pavilion. "From a paltry lineup of jam and pickles several years ago to now a robust gathering of producers featuring a sophisticated assortment of New York State products, this is where you want to be to nibble on amazing spelt rolls (Orwasher's using local grain), sip sour cherry juice

Mark Celli, (3rd R) led a large contingent of JC Furniture Sales to the 2013 event

(Red Jacket Orchards), indulge in hard cider (Breezy Hill Orchard), sample outstanding pickled veggies (Rick's Picks), smear some sensational jam on toast (Beth's Farm Kitchen, Katchkie Farm Tomato Jam), dip into artisanal ketchup (Sir Kensington's Gourmet Scooping Ketchup, Katchkie Ketchup) or try a tidbit of local meat. It is a true celebration of the breadth, depth and bounty of our state."

Neumark has of course set the bar with her ownership of Katchkie Farm. The explosion of interest in lo-

cally grown products is a boom for farmers and small businesses and is ushering in a new breed of entrepreneur as well as aggregators creating hubs for collection, production and distribution in diverse geographic regions of the state. "Show-Monday" brought a much-anticipated panel chaired by President, CEO, and Commissioner of ESD Kenneth Adams' presentation of successful state initiatives around food. The four highlights of the seminar were the growth of Fresh Connect. This has increased the sale

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61

TD Marketing's Frank Doyle with Sam Tell & Son's Julie Whitcomb, Anthony Nicoletti, and Cres Cor's Rick Burr

Michael Leffler (2nd R) and his Admiration Food’s team enjoyed a successful debut at the show

The CIA's Warren Gross

Sam Tell & Sons’ Arthur Fisher celebrated his engagement to Susan Blank

of locally grown food across the state.

Adams also noted that by providing $3.6 million to 10 regional councils across the state "Food Hubs" have grown to handle the collection, processing and distribution of locally grown products. The group also outlined the explosive growth of New York State Yogurt, which has gone from

The CIA's Warren Gross

producing $150 million to $1.8 billion in yogurt.

The legendary catering icon Neumark also moderated a panel of three Brooklyn restaurateurs and one from Manhattan who broke down the supply chain for an overflowed crowd. The show continues to feed off the energy of the Annual U.S. Pastry Competition

62 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

at the show. The 24th edition brought top pastry chefs from around the world who had gathered to show their skills, and behind the group of men and women speaking in French, there seemed to be statues of all sorts - some with brightly colored frills and glossy plates of delicacies. Yet, these were more than just statues. “The cakes you

see are all edible, there is no plastic or anything,” said Dominique Noel, vice president of Paris Gourmet, whose company presented the competition.

Paris Gourmet named Ben Shelton from PreGel America in Concord, NC as the US Pastry Chef of the Year and presented him with a $4,000 grand prize for his chocolate portrayal of

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

Americold's Bob Levine (c) and team responded to a number a customer queries

64 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Air Comforts' (L to R) Mitch Ott, Lauren Gepes, Pat Fava, and Kenny Smith with Stoelting's Greg Pryal

Matt Sher and The Day & Nite team displayed new services at this year's show

DMM's Ro Doyle (L) and Brian Mahoney (FR) with Turbo Air's Mike Kim & Kevin Kim

Hub International's Stephen Gulino and Anya Khanutina

Waring's Christopher Cooper showed attendees Waring's power and performance capabilities

Epic Industries' President, Sam Levine with Antonio Massol

“Women” which was the theme of this year’s competition. Sandro Micheli from Restaurant Daniel in New York City placed 2nd; Maura Metheny from Norman Love Confections in Fort Myers, FL came in 3rd place and Salvatore Settepani from Pasticceria Bruno Bakery & Restaurant in Staten Island, NY won an honorable mention during the 24th Annual U.S. Pastry Competition. Kristen Bataglia from New York City Tech in Brooklyn, NY won the first annual Junior Pastry Competition.

According to Noel, one of the main points of the contest is to drive the industry forward, and top chefs come

from around the world to see what new innovations have been cooked up.

“It is certainly a place where the community of top chefs get together to study new techniques that have been brought by the competitors,” Noel said.” This competition is really a big gathering of a community of chefs,” he said. “We try to bring together the elite of the pastry industry, from the judges, to the competitors, to the mentors, to the sponsors. What we are trying to do here is create a community.”

One of the hottest NEW areas on the show floor was the Food Trends

Delivery Concept's brought new catering & food truck applications to this year's show

Kontos Foods' Warren Stoll, Steve Kontos, George Kriaras, Donna Apidopoulos James, and James Savas

Experience where 115 new companies provided samples of the fabulous new foods that will inspire new fresh menu ideas for thousands of New York City Restaurants. Some of the more noteworthy products were The Original Jersey Italian Gravy; Jake's Grillin Old Fashion Coffee Rubs; Blackout Sauces; Dunns Famous Smoked Meat Pouches and Spindrift Beverages to name a few. As a charitable donation at closing, the exhibitors of the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York contributed thousands of pounds of food to City Harvest, the world's first food rescue organization,

dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women, and children for more than 25 years.

"This marked the official launch of our Company, we could not think of a better place to meet with qualified New York restaurant owners than the International Restaurant Show. We were able to take the time to talk to people about the services that we provide and were thrilled with the interest. In fact on the show floor we were hired on the spot to help local restaurants achieve an A rating," said Rada Tarnovsky, Co-founder and Partner of Letter Grade Consulting. Kathleen

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

NYSRA's Anthony Terrell, Caitlin Sullivan, and James W. Versocki

Canplas' Gloria Powell and Pauline Siu

(L to R) Chip Little (CLV), Greg Schurch (Cambro), Jim Voorhees (CLV), Tom O'Halloran (CLV), Dave Allard (Cambro), John Merkel (CLV), & Donnie Hudson (Cambro)

Wood is the founder of Kathleen Wood Partners, an innovative growth strategy and business development firm, specializing in shifting leaders and businesses to new levels of success.

She is also the co-founder of the Foodservice Council for Women.

Kathleen is a past President and Board Member of Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers. Jim Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Sullivision.com, is a veteran of over 20 years in the hospitality industry as an award-winning operator and best-selling author.

He's worked for and with companies as distinct as the Walt Disney Company, McDonald's, Brinker International, American Express and Coca-Cola.

Not a "theorist," Jim is well known as a brand-builder, motivator, trendspotter and problem-solver.

He has built his reputation designing successful sales, marketing, and

customer service programs for the "Top 200" restaurant, hotel, and retail chains, and over 1,000 independent business owners and operators in the industry. This presentation was sponsored by Letter Grade Consulting. To provide the highest level of food safety, increase the bottom line, and survive in a competitive market, a business owner must make a commitment to go above and beyond the requirements set out by the DOHMH. The commitment involves being proactive, a process which begins before and continues long after an official DOHMH inspection.

Letter Grade Consulting provides food service professionals with the tools they need to accomplish these goals. During The Ultimate Barista Challenge™ Ultimate Barista James Duncan from Pittsburgh, PA was named Best of Brew Champion; Shan-

66 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Culinary Software Services' Bev Daniels discussed software solutions with showgoers

Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sorensen of Java Jackets

Equipex's Tom Michale, Irina Mirsky-Zayas, Vincent Palumbo, and Gary Licht with Total Food's own Mike Scinto

non Dan from Fonte Roasters in New York City was named Latte Art Champion and Ultimate Barista Mike Richardson from Newport Beach, CA was named Espresso Frappe Champion.

Gluten-free foods were the trendiest food trend at this year's International Restaurant and Foodservice Show.

"All the cool people are going gluten free these days," said Jonathan Cohen, director of sales at the threemonth-old Queens company, No Way! It's Gluten Free. At his booth, Cohen pulled apart the crisp crusts and puffy white insides of a No Way! Baguette. And, yes way, it was made without gluten, a protein found in wheat. "It's a trend, but it's something that's here to stay," said Rick Sampson, president of the New York State Restaurant Association, which sponsors the show.

"I noticed a couple (of gluten-free

exhibitors) out there that I didn't see last year." IRFSNY offered valuable training and Certification from Kitchen's With Confidence's Betsy Craig.

The noted TV contributor offered training, tips, ideas, and practical advice for the management of food allergens and gluten-free needs. Her recently launched in 2012, AllerTrainUTM and AllerTrainK12TM are already much sought after programs.

Craig works with clients as diverse as Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health Food Services in Baltimore and the Pima County Health Department Services in Tucson, Ariz. Be sure to pencil the dates for the 2014 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York - March 2-4, 2014 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, New York.

Philbrook from page 39 FSP is from a regulatory agency or is a consultant their goal is the same, to insure the public is safe. If your goal is the same, there is no reason for you or your staff to panic. Lead by example consistently and your staff will feel confident.

The pace will noticeably quicken when an “outsider” is walking through with a manager/supervisor and making notes, but panic will not go undetected. How does your staff react when you walkthrough your kitchen? It is not a question of intimidation but of respect that you will not walk by a potential risk.

Even though you are in your operation daily, your staff should view you as an “outsider” with consistent uncompro-

mising food safety standards. When you walk by everyday and say nothing you instill the reasoning that food safety is only important when the outside professional walks in. When you do have a visitor it is very obvious if your operation is prepared or “caught in the act.”

be favorable however attention to detail i.e. dirt/filth in corners and between equipment, non-use of gloves, or not scheduling deep cleaning, can indicate the depth of management’s focus on food safety.

Knowledge Appearance Cleanliness and organization are obvious signs about how an operation is run, if it is not clean there is no way it can be conducive to sanitary conditions. When a walk-in or reach-in refrigerator is disorganized, cross-contamination, cleanliness and shelf-life cannot be controlled. Initial appearances can

The demonstrated knowledge of the Food Code & local regulations by management and staff is apparent immediately in their behaviors. How are the employees handling time-temperature control for safety/ potentially hazardous foods (TCS/PHF) during preparation, storage and service?

Are foods kept separate, handled and cooked correctly? Can the manager ex-

plain the systems they have in place to control risks? Food safety knowledge is not proven by a training certificate; it is demonstrated by action and implementation. Most FSPs will ask the manager and staff questions about what they are observing to test the knowledge level and its application to the task.

Awareness Is the manager and staff aware of a potential issue in the food establishment or does the FSP have to bring it to their attention. Weak sanitizer strength, improper temperatures, a blocked hand sink or unrefrigerated deliveries indi-

continued on page 79

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67

68 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

// NEWS

EVENTS

Samuelsson Set To Host Awards As Summer Fancy Food Show Returns To Javits The Summer Fancy Food Show is returning to New York City, its longtime East Coast home. It will be held June 30 – July 2, 2013, at the newly renovated Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

I

n 2011 and 2012, the Specialty Food Association the show’s owner and operator, relocated the event to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., during the renovations.

“New York City is the birthplace of the Fancy Food Show,” said Specialty Food Association President Ann Daw. “The city is an unmatched destination for our exhibitors and attendees and we are delighted to be back. With the upgraded facility and record sales in the specialty food industry, we are anticipating a very strong event.”

The show, now in its 59th year, is the largest marketplace devoted exclusively to specialty foods and beverages in North America. It is a must-attend event for top names in retailing and restaurants from across the U.S. and around the world. The exhibit halls will be filled with an estimated 180,000 specialty foods and beverages from 80+ countries and regions featuring the latest trends in chocolate, cheese, olive oil, snacks, natural and organic foods and more.

A highlight of the show's return to Manhattan will be the annual 41st Annual sofi™ Awards, which will be hosted

by New York City, based chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Since the Javits Center opened in 1986, the NASFT has held the Summer Show outside New York City only four times, in Washington in 1992, 2011 and 2012, and Philadelphia in 1996.

“We are pleased to welcome back the Fancy Food Show to NYC,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Com-

pany. “We look forward to providing both exhibitors and attendees the best that NYC has to offer, from hotels and restaurants to our theaters and cultural institutions.”

A highlight of the show's return to Manhattan will be the annual 41st Annual sofi™ Awards, which will be hosted by New York City, based chef Marcus Samuelsson.

The internationally acclaimed chef, empire includes New York’s Red Rooster Harlem, Ginny’s Supper Club and American Table Cafe and Bar by Marcus Samuelsson. He is also The New York Times-bestselling author of Yes, Chef and a well-known TV food personality and committed philanthropist.

The sofi Awards are considered the top honor in the $75 billion specialty food industry. They recognize excellence in 32 categories including Chocolate, Cheese, Vinegar and Outstanding New Product 2013.

Samuelsson will serve as the keynote speaker and present the awards at a red-carpet ceremony on July 1, 2013.

“The sofi Awards represent the best

of the best in specialty food,” says Daw. “Marcus Samuelsson is sure to inspire the award-winning food artisans and entrepreneurs who have devoted themselves to creating wonderful products.”

In honor of Samuelsson’s participation in the sofi Awards, he will be donating his speaking fee from the Specialty Food Association to City Harvest, the Fancy Food Show’s anti-hunger charity for more than 20 years. Samuelsson is a member of City Harvest’s Food Council.

“I am so pleased to be part of the sofi Awards and to honor the best in specialty foods from passionate food artisans and entrepreneurs,” Samuelsson says. “City Harvest plays a crucial role in helping New Yorkers in need, and the Specialty Food Association’s contribution will help us address the serious problem of food insecurity in the city.”

At the end of each Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, exhibitors donate in excess of 100,000 pounds of high-quality food to City Harvest.

The show donation has long been the largest single donation of perishable food to City Harvest each year.

The Specialty Food Association celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012.

It is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 in New York City to foster commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. Today there are more than 3,075 members in the U.S. and abroad.

The Fancy Food Show is open to members of the specialty food trade and qualified journalists. It is not open to the general public.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69

70 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

// MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

For Everything Sweet In Life There Must Be A Balance In Italy, bitter flavors seek to do more than give astringency to a before dinner quaff, they serve as a metaphor for life itself.

H

ence the popularity of bitter liquors and digestives made from ingredients that alone are nearly unpalatable.

But combined with citrus and sweeteners, the bitter herbs and spices are inarguably part of the thread of being Italian. Sure bitter liqueurs are made in places other than Italy, but the social significance of bitter to sweet goes further than just something to drink to quench the thirst. They are meaningful in the discovery of the self.

Aperol, Cynar, Campari, Averna, Fernet Branca are all brands that grace nearly every bar in America. Did you know that bitter herbs are powerful elixirs towards digestion and digestion, leading to the greater appreciation of food? Certainly this is so, but on a broader level, bitter liqueurs give a certain balance to life. How often have you yearned for a glass of sweet vermouth prior to a meal?

A short glass of Carpano Antica, made in the same style that history dictates does more than taste good, it stimulates the digestive system! A glass of Campari swirled with a bit of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a couple cubes of ice become a bitter/sweet

72 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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

reminder that eating (and drinking) is part of the social thread. It goes to show that the flavor driven Cynar- derived from artichokes actually helps digest a heavy meal.

And who could forget the seemingly magical properties of Fernet Branca when you’ve had a bit too much to drink (and eat) the night prior. Fernet Branca is powerful medicine. No, Fernet is not prescribed by your doctor, but you might find that this effec-

Sure bitter liqueurs are made in places other than Italy, but the social significance of bitter to sweet goes further than just something to drink to quench the thirst. They are meaningful in the discovery of the self. tive concentrate has the stuff for what ails you in a very concentrated format, served one small shot at a time. For anyone who has imbibed a bit too much, Fernet is very pleasurable.

Aperol is especially beguiling before a meal. It has about ½ the alcohol of Campari this is important if you are going to be drinking wine with your food because it doesn’t dull your sense of taste. Aperol, one of my favorite liquors has about 11% alcohol by volume, whereas the Campari is about 22% by volume making Aperol the perfect way to start your meal. Campari is perfectly lovely outside on a hot day in the summer (since it’s winter we can dream, right?) woven with Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral water (I prefer the Pink Grapefruit version) and a hunk of orange. This is Italy-in the summer, in your glass.

Averna, also from Italy has herbs, roots and citrus rinds that combine to make a sweet/sour/bitter flavored aperitif. I am rather fond of Averna because of the way it smoothes the way to the enjoyment of a meal. It’s easy to take a portion of Averna. Just add 2 oz. to a glass, top with seltzer water and squeeze a bit of lemon over the top. It’s Italy in every sip.

Cynar is a unique product in the litany of aperitif liquors from Italy.

Derived from the artichoke, Cynar is built on a combination of thirteen bitter herbs, roots and spices. It

stimulates the digestive glands in your body and somehow seems to make food taste better. I like Cynar with bitter lemon soda (always CANE sugar) and a squeeze of grilled blood orange.

However you desire your Cynar, you can be sure that it will start a conversation between you and your friends. It’s very sophisticated stuff!

Whichever aperitif you choose from Italy, know in your heart (and stomach) that there is a rich history of healing digestives and aperitifs from this country where bitter and sweet are much more than just a drink. Each sip of these liqueurs are a visit to the very soul of Italy in your glass.

Experiment and let me know what you think!

Here is a simple way to mix any of the above mentioned liquors.

Ingredients: • 3 oz. Aperitif • 6 oz. Seltzer Water • Hand cut ice Preparation: • Pour the Aperitif into a Collins glass with one large cube of hand cut ice • Top with the Perrier Sparkling Water of your choice • Sip slowly and thoughtfully to the halcyon days by Lake Cuomo in Italy

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73

74 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 75

76 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 77

78 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Philbrook from page 67 cate that no one is checking and verifying. Does a refrigerator temperature log have the exact same temperature each day for the past month?

A FSP would feel a level of comfort if the PIC stated at the beginning of the visit that the dishwasher rinse cycle was not working correctly and that alternative methods were being used and a repairman had been called. In conjunction with the manager’s knowledge, do they correct issues on the spot during the visit? Inaction could be viewed as indifference or lack of knowledge that there is an issue.

Communication Verbal interaction with the FSP demonstrates your level of knowledge, commitment and understanding about the responsibilities that come with your business license. Treat the FSP with respect and use them as a resource if you

want clarification or have questions. A two-way conversation with the common goal of having a safe operation should be the primary result of each visit.

Answer the following truthfully “How would you and your food facility be viewed if I or another Food Safety Professional walked in right now?” Would you feel confidence and pride or would you feel embarrassment and dread?

“What kind of a grade would you give your operation if you get up from this article and walk through your kitchen right now?” Does it really deserve a high grade?

When you do your daily walk-through of your facility, always asking yourself these questions and you will have a better operation that will serve safe food and also market your high standards to your customers.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 79

// NEWS

SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

Americold – They’ve Got it Down Cold Bob Levine, President and founder of Americold, one of the tri-state area’s leading commercial refrigeration specialist is one of those people that “get it” and he understands the tremendous value of focus.

W

hen asked about the key to Americold’s success and how his company, in an economy that has been challenging to say the least, has continued to grow and flourish, he comments “this was never about anything but staying true to our mission, to stay on target, and do what we are experts at – we fix refrigeration equipment – this is our specialty.”

Indeed it is. For over 25 years and under Bob’s direction, the company is dedicated to providing truly comprehensive refrigeration services. Period.

“In solely targeting this arena, the company’s experience and knowledge far exceeds any competitor’s and blows away companies that are trying to position themselves as a one stop shop for heating, ventilating, air conditioning, cooling and refrigeration,” Levine says. “So many companies are trying to do it all – but when they do that they can’t get as in-depth, or build as much experience as we have been able to do.

It’s very rewarding to know that when it comes to refrigeration and food preservation, there isn’t anybody out there that knows more than we do.”

With a commanding understanding and laser focus, Bob’s team targets every aspect of refrigeration and his clients have come to rely on this expertise. He comments, “Our team of service technicians are factory-trained

For over 25 years and under President Bob Levine's direction, the company is dedicated to providing truly comprehensive refrigeration services.

on all brands and receive ongoing support and training on the latest equipment advances and repair techniques.

This broad knowledge base enables the team to have a firm grasp on code requirements and selecting, installing and servicing new equipment as well as effectively restoring and refurbishing older equipment.”

But Bob doesn’t stop at excellent service. His maintenance programs and in particular his renowned “white glove service” ensures that restaurants keep their food preservation equipment in peak operating condition through a preventative plan that assigns a senior

80 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

consultant to oversee all aspects of the account. When asked about this service he said, “This on-going program keeps clients’ equipment running efficiently through routine maintenance and care and provides near immediate response times which means we can provide faster solutions with minimal disruption to business.”

Most recently Americold has stood shoulder to shoulder with its all-star line up of food service clients to help them meet the challenges of the Health Department’s letter grading system head on. Grades given by the DOH reflect how well a restaurant complies with the food safety requirements of the NY City Health Code and the State Sanitary Code. Violations carry different numbers of points and depending upon their nature and severity can land the restaurant in hot water. What’s more it is mandated that the restaurant’s rating be visibly posted for consumers to view, so the restaurants have a vested interest in making sure they “make the grade” and Levine is helping them do just that.

Americold now offers its contract clients a rapid response program that puts a complete support team at the ready for restaurants that are faced with a DOH visit. Levine explains, “When we get a call from one of our clients that a health inspector is on site, we dispatch our closest technician to field super-

vise the inspection. Many times we are able to help clients avoid citations because we are on site and can quickly address any refrigeration issues, immediately service equipment and restore performance – sometimes even before the inspector leaves the premises.”

Yes, Levine and his team at Americold are that good. For more information on Bob Levine and Americold’s commitment to food preservation and refrigeration, or to find out about his services and maintenance programs contact Americold at info@americoldinc.com or by phone at 631.262.7964.

Leading New York restaurateurs, hospitals, catering facilities, universities and dealers count on Americold Refrigeration Consultants to select, install and maintain reliable refrigeration equipment that will perform at its highest level and prevent costly downtime and revenue loss. In operation for over 25 years, Americold has developed a reputation for consistently delivering exceptional customer service, earning the trust and loyalty of some of the region's most demanding restaurateurs.

Utilizing a dedicated team approach to fulfilling the customer's needs, Americold emphasizes strong communications, strategic planning and internal controls to help clients build a dependable refrigeration system they can count on. Visit them on the web at www.americoldinc.com.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81

// HEALTHCARE PERSPECTIVE

WITH ANDREW CATALANO

On-Boarding The Right People – Are You The Right Fit! We all are challenged with hiring the right people but recruitment and retention are those costs we would prefer not to encounter. The bottom line with recruitment is marketing to the right audience especially when it comes to hiring frontline staff.

W

hat I am referring to are the supervisors, cooks, food service workers, servers, hostess, front desk clerk, etc., which are the nuts and bolts of any hospitality operation. There is usually a concentrated focus on hiring the general manger, chief, operation manager and alike but is there enough time and energy in networking for the majority of the staff.

The reality is there are many certified training programs that teach people about the hospitality business. Many of these individuals that attend these training programs do not understand all the different jobs within the hospitality industry.

When hiring a person that has an aspiring long-range goal the outcome is better than hiring someone that is just looking for a job. Many of these training programs offer internship/ externship. In my opinion, when a person takes the time to explore and tries to get an understanding of the requirements of the job, it shows that this person has the desire to succeed.

However many of our organizations do not capitalize on this resource.

Andrew Catalano, Director of Hospitality & Service Excellence SUNY Downstate at LICH New York, NY

andrew.catalano@downstate.edu

The reality is with high unemployment and people shifting careers these programs are in demand, and creates an opportunity for our industry to hire good people.

As a recent Adjunct Lecturer working in the CUNY/SUNY system, training management classes, I have the opportunity to witness firsthand

82 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

the challenges people have with knowing the requirements of a frontline position and the basic required skills necessary for success.

In the hospitality business the key requirements is having the right attitude and behavior, along with good communication skills. The basics are good verbal and non-verbal skills, appearance, listening skills, problem solving, decision-making, confidence, and stress control. Many businesses try training these skills but unless conducted in a formalized setting the results are poor.

Changing or having a person understand the required behaviors of the job requires more than a spray and pray training program, for example, those 10 minute pre-meal talks.

The reality is with high unemployment and people shifting careers these programs are in demand, and creates an opportunity for our industry to hire good people. Many of these students have basic raw skills but by completing a formalized training program he or she has a better understanding and focus of the job requirements and the results can only promote retention.

As any good business manager knows without continued in-services and formalized on the job training, any individual will lose focus. Training never ends but with that in mind hiring people who have a desire to grow, you, the employer has a leg up along with the obligation to create a culturing, trusting environment.

Now that you have hired a good fit the next step is keeping him or her engaged. A rule of thumb in hiring is, if we use our creative energy in finding customers as we would frontline staff, we would not need to try so hard in finding customers.

Sustainability, from page 24 Chinet® Molded Fiber Plates, Bowls and Platters – A full line of tableware in white and stock prints.

Custom printing is also available on our Chinet® tableware, so foodservice operators can use their tableware to enhance their branding.

PaperPro® Naturals™ by Chinet – Prices similarly to mid-weight paper plates, PaperPro® Naturals™ plates and bowls allow even the cost-sensitive operations to enjoy the benefits of molder fiber tableware.

Chinet® Molded Fiber Clamshells – Our new domestically produced molded fiber clamshells have a unique locking mechanism that keeps customers’ food safe during transport. With all the sustainable benefits of molded fiber and better performance than foam, these are a wonderful alternative for takeout packaging.

What makes Huhtamaki different from other products in the marketplace? Our wide variety of products really set us apart, especially our large number of products that are made from recycled materials and are compostable.

Savaday® by Chinet® - A full line of molded fiber plates, bowls and circles are perfect for back of house food contact applications. With superior oil absorbing capabilities, these products will help extend the life of your product, from prep to

serving.

RC Cup® by Chinet® - The sustainable hot cup alternative to polystyrene foam. With cups made with a built-in recycled liner to avoid double cupping, and containers that keep food at an optimal tempera-

ture, your customers will thank you, and so will the planet.

Huhtamaki® Paper Food Containers – With sizes from 6 oz. to 64 oz., Huhtamaki Paper Food Containers are perfect for any portion. With a variety of stock print designs and lid options, there is a solution for every operator. Is the proposed Bloomberg/ NY Styrofoam ban essential to the growth of the Chinet line? The Chinet® Brand is constantly growing, either through expansion of current products or through innovation. We are seeing operators and consumers move away from foam to more sustainable products across the country, regardless of the local legislation.

To learn more about Huhtamaki’s full line of sustainable products, contact your Huhtamaki sales representative by calling 913-583-3025 or visit www.us.huhtamaki.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 83

// EMERGING CHAINS

BURGER BISTRO

John Agnello & Vincent Dardanello Co-Owners of Burger Bistro The Burger Bistro is the brainchild of longtime friends and co-owners John Agnello and Vincent Dardanello and features an upscale customizable burger boutique concept at three The infamous Donut Burger features a beef patty nestled between two halves of a sugar donut with bacon, egg and cheese.

different locations.

T

he duo began opening the concept in Brooklyn and the first location opened in Bay Ridge in June 2009 followed by a second location in Park Slope in March 2012. The newest restaurant graced the Upper East Side dining

scene in October 2012. The burger menu boasts two million different combinations of burgers and has garnered the title of second best burger in New York City from Zagat.

Vincent, a classically trained chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and John, with 25

years experience of providing a high level of service, have combined their passions and created The Burger Bistro, a new and innovative restaurant concept.

How did you two meet?

We met back in 2002 when we were both working at Morton’s steakhouse. Vincent was the chef and John was the general manager.

What was the idea and over all concept behind The Burger Bistro to make it stand out from the competition?

Our philosophy is simple we wanted to create a place where people were treated with warmth and kindness, buy only the best and freshest ingredients and then allow our greats to create the best burger. Period. Everything is completely customizable – we’ve done the math and there are over 2 million different burger combinations on our menu.

John Agnello (L) & Vincent Dardanello (R) debuted the concept in Brooklyn and the first location opened in Bay Ridge in June 2009 followed by a 2nd location in Park Slope in March 2012.

84 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Tell us about your burger meat blend?

The beef burger is 80-20 certified Black Angus beef. We also offer organic lamb, turkey, chicken, shrimp, and veggie burgers!

You offer an array of Artisan burgers? Explain and what is a crowd favorite?

It’s really all about giving our guests choices. The most popular burger is by far the beef burger and our most popular topping is crumbled apple wood bacon. (We could have told you people love bacon long before we opened our first Burger Bistro.)

We do offer specials throughout the year though and if you thought the McRib had a cult following you see what happens when we bring back the Donut Burger. The infamous Donut Burger features a beef patty nestled between two halves of a sugar donut with bacon, egg and cheese – we have a large crowd that will tell you it’s worth every calorie. Our Kobe Rodeo Burger and Veal Osso Buco Burgers are also best sellers.

Any other burgers offered besides beef?

The organic lamb, turkey, chicken, shrimp, and veggie burgers are always on the menu. We also run weekly special meats such as Elk,

continued on page 100

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 85

// FOOD SAFETY

WITH NOELLE IFSHIN

Chillin’ Out Food safety is a top concern for every commercial kitchen. As we head into the warmer months, ensuring all foods are properly refrigerated and stored below 40°F becomes more of a challenge. Operators must learn about safe and unsafe temperature ranges, especially

Food Storage

in how food is stored and handled.

Time and temperature play a vital role in whether food is safe to eat or needs to be thrown out. We have all heard the adage “keep cold food cold and hot food hot”, which refers to keeping food out of the Danger Zone. The Danger Zone is the temperature range between 40°F and 140°F in which harmful bac-

86 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

teria multiply the fastest. If perishable foods stay in the Danger Zone too long, the food will spoil, meaning there will be no way to kill off the bacteria present.

Here are some of our key recommendations on food safety and keeping food out of the Danger Zone.

Noelle Ifshin, President & CEO, 4Q Consulting New York, NY n o e l l e @ 4 Q C o n s u l t .c o m

Monitor Refrigerator and Product Temperatures Most, if not all, commercial refrigerators come with a built in thermometer.

We recommend having a second thermometer in all refrigerators in case one is out of calibration. Large walk-ins should have several thermometers in different areas to identify temperature

continued on page 98

// CONSULTANTS CORNER

WITH FOSTER FRABLE

2013 Crystal Ball for the Foodservice and Equipment Supply Industry Soft serve and frozen has made a dramatic comeback. - National operators we work with are tired of cleaning and maintenance issues with these machines, and tell us that their customers seem to have lost interest in their products.

W

hat are the hot trends that you are seeing in Metro New York?

New restaurants are getting much bolder in their menu, décor, and presentation. Brooklyn is becoming the hot restaurant area of NY. If you

Foster Frable Principal of Clevenger Frable LaVallee, Inc.

haven’t walked around Williamsburg recently you are missing a treat. Big name restaurants continue to open outposts in the suburbs. Far more restaurants are being designed by professional foodservice designers and consultants (often with culinary degrees or experience) than five years ago. There are at least five qualified independent consultants doing multiple projects in NYC vs. none 10 years ago. Some of the larger architectural and interior design firms are also providing this service. Owners and chefs better understand the value of keeping the specification independent of

continued on next page

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 87

Foster Frable, from page 87 the dealers and distributors selling the equipment.

What are the issues as with Pizza still growing in both B+I and commercial feeding?

Pizza isn’t always considered a healthy food product, but it can be formulated to be much more healthy than before- particularly if it is not a branded product. New ventless conveyor pizza ovens offer an opportunity to add pizza to a servery without an expensive grease exhaust system. The days of sitting a two deck electric Lincoln or CTX oven on a counter in a servery without a hood are gone.

What trends are you seeing on the "hot side of kitchens?"

I think you will see a major move-

New ventless conveyor pizza ovens offer an opportunity to add pizza to a servery without an expensive grease exhaust system. The days of sitting a two deck electric Lincoln or CTX oven on a counter in a servery without a hood are gone. ment from France and Europe to the US of “Cold Kitchens”- kitchens that use induction and electric planchas and combi ovens instead of gas flame and grills. In the higher end restaurants in France, over 80% have “cold” cooking suites now. Us-

88 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ing a cooking suite (vs. a straight line) in a restaurant, hotel, college dining or even in B&I is increasing as the concept and benefits are understood by more operators. Ovens under cooking equipment are quickly being replaced by refrigera-

tion. Ovens are now wall mounted or on the end of the cooking lineusually combi ovens. The new mini combi ovens from Cleveland, Alto Shaam, etc. have the opportunity to completely change the hot side as they are affordable, can be installed on countertops, stacked, even wall mounted. They will replace the convection steamer in the future. Another “dying” piece of equipment is the pressure steamer. Braising pans continue to be more and more popular in a wide range of operations.

Any chef who has used one wants one in their new kitchen. Sous vide is growing in the upper end casual, fine dining, and hotel sectors and in some on-site facilities.

Has a move towards healthier food impacted the fryer business?

We see more and more new kitchens without fryers. It started with schools and healthcare and is now moving into all segments. It’s not just about the health issues, except for the latest high tech models, most fryers waste a lot of energy, cooking fat is getting more expensive to buy and dispose of, they create a lot grease in a kitchen that needs to be cleaned from the ducts, and they add to the cost of fire insurance and workman’s comp.

As kitchens get smaller, how does that impact the way to spec a kitchen?

Kitchens need to have every inch of space utilized. Too many kitchens were one dimensional. We need to think about good use of the space under the cooking equipment and

above. Dry storage needs to occur on high shelves above the work spaces.

Cantilevered shelving in walk-ins can add at least 20% more space in walk-in coolers and freezers. Operators are willing to go with custom fitted walk-in coolers to gain more space around columns and irregular walls rather than just sit in a square box and waste the space.

Montague was among top industry manufacturers that expanded their limited footprint offerings at the recent NAFEM show in Orlando.

With an aging population and healthcare feeding growing dramtically, what are you seeing?

New nursing and retirement communities are being built all over the area, and the existing ones are updating and repositioning. It’s one of the few segments that was able to get funding when the economy was down and out in the late 2000’s.

What's the biggest change that you are seeing in kitchens?

Kitchens are getting smaller as the cost of real estate keeps getting more expensive. The article in the NYT Dining Section on Battersby’s 400 SF open kitchen in Brooklyn certainly got a lot of attention. In some segments like hotels, the prototype kitchens from the major chains are 30-40% smaller than what was standard 20 years ago. Some operators are taking out the kitchen almost altogether by using one larger facility as a commissary and then just finishing product in mini kitchens on site. Often these finishing kitchens are ventless using ventless combi ovens, speed ovens (Turbochef, Merrychef ) and sous vide.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 89

// REAL ESTATE INSIDER 5 Years from Smith Street Local Business Owners Maintain Sense of Community Along Cortelyou Road In November, Brooklyn Industries announced the planned opening of its sixteenth location nationwide – eighth in the borough – on Cortelyou Road in Ditmas Park.

Ryan Condren Managing Director CPEX Real Estate Brooklyn, NY rc o n d re n @ c p ex re.c o m

F

or local residents and business owners, the arrival of the trendy design company signals the start of a new era.

Along the stretch of Cortelyou Road between Coney Island Avenue and East 17th Street, the retail reformation is underway.

The arrival of Ditmas Park on the retail map, and Cortelyou Road in particular, diverges from the typical path of an emerging area like Prospect Heights and Vanderbilt Avenue: adjacent to an established neighborhood, widely accessible transportation, and a high concentration of attractions to draw visitors.

While Ditmas Park certainly benefits from the B and Q subway lines that run the length of the neighborhood – including a stop at Cortelyou Road – its residents have truly upheld the very definition of the word “neighborhood.”

A suburban haven in an urban setting, the neighborhood’s idyllic, freestanding homes (driveways, garages, and

90 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

pools, oh my!) provide the perfect locale for New Yorkers and Brooklynites alike to settle down.

So perfect, in fact, Ditmas Park locals found every excuse not to leave. With every amenity already at hand, including the wide green expanse of Prospect Park, a number of locals needed one last luxury to complete their self-contained paradise: locally owned and operated businesses just a few steps away.

Benjamin Heemskerk is one such owner. He lives within walking distance of his wine and tapas bar, The Castello Plan, and his new home furnishings and gift shop, Collyer’s Mansion, which held its grand opening in early December.

“Like many other Cortelyou Road merchants, Ditmas Park is firstly my home, where I met my wife, plan to have a family, and look to invest in as a resident,” said Mr. Heemskerk. “The business choices I have made on Cortelyou reflect how I envision my community’s development.”

However, the influx of restaurants and other retail hasn’t altered the decidedly neighborhood feel, thanks to local owners like Heemskerk looking to maintain that sense of community.

In addition to The Castello Plan, Cortelyou Road features The Farm on Adderley (run by local resident Gary Jonas, who also owns the nearby hybrid bar and flower shop, Sycamore) and The Purple Yam (founded by Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa, who relocated their SoHo restaurant Cendrillon to their backyard), as well as Qathra Café, Mimi’s Hummus, and Café Madeline.

Concentrated in an eight block stretch, these storefronts form Brooklyn’s latest “Restaurant Row.” However, the influx of restaurants and other retail hasn’t altered the decidedly neighborhood feel, thanks to local owners like Heemskerk looking to maintain that sense of community.

“There have been many changes to Cortelyou Road, but what I find more interesting are the things that haven’t changed with the development,” Heemskerk added. “It is still small-town USA: people say ‘hello’ on the street, competing merchants are close friends, your regulars are literally your neighbors, and a nice day is a walk around the neighborhood picking your dream house.”

Nonetheless, it isn’t purely the Ditmas Park populace frequenting the establishments on Cortelyou.

“Those first-timers to Ditmas Park are always blown away that this little hamlet of Victorian homes and Mom and Pop shops even exists!” Heemskerk asserted. “Sometimes there are crowds looking at the postings in the window of the real estate office, and then you

know that Ditmas Park is no longer our little secret.”

Indeed, the secret seems to be out (no thanks to me, admittedly). Ironically, the flourishing success of Cortelyou Road’s local business owners – in what Heemskerk refers to as the “neighborhood quality and feel” – has heralded its arrival as a viable retail corridor.

With Brooklyn Industries coming to Cortelyou, the five-year countdown to more major retailers arriving in Ditmas Park has begun.

I’ve spent six years working in commercial real estate, five at CPEX Real Estate as part of the New York Retail Leasing team. I’ve negotiated over fifty retail leases, bringing in national, regional and local tenants such as Retro Fitness, Key Food, Premier Care, and M.O.B. I work exclusively with landlords to lease their space, ideally to fit their vision of what tenant would best benefit the community. With conscientious landlords and a little luck, Cortelyou Road should be able to stay true to its character moving forward.

For the final part of “The Next Smith Street” series, I plan to use my real estate crystal ball to look a little farther into the future. Which Brooklyn corridor is primed for a retail reformation ten years down the road – and what honorable mentions are close behind?

Check back next month to see if your street makes the cut.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 91

92 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Petro Moore, from page 48 I will bring my personal commitment to serve the party rental distributor with high quality merchandise, fast service, expert product detailing, longer hours of operations and several option methods of payments. What will be unique about our company, and make us so different from other table manufacturers, will be that we will not only sell the party rental distributor our tables, (which by the way will be available in an unprecedented number of styles, finishes and sizes), but we will also RENT several styles of tables to them as well. This will truly separate us from our competitors and open up a new fraction for the party rental distributor.

Also, as you will see below, our product line will be changing. Not only will the party rental distributor have the opportunity to purchase or rent tables, he/she will be able to rent

and/or purchase several other items which strongly relate to the party business, such as coat racks, mannequins, stanchions and rope systems, hangers, coat check tickets, etc. We will be their “one-stop” wholesaler.

We will also provide a rental expertise, as well as that “one on one” relationship which is missing from so many large companies.

Will the company continue to serve the New York dealer base under the Petro Moore name?

Although not exactly the same, we will continue to serve the New York dealer under the name Brooklyn Petro Moore, as well as, The New Petro Moore Table Sales and Rental.

Will the pick-up center in Long Island City remain open or will there be a new pick-up center?

No, we no longer will be located in Long Island City. We have moved our base of operation to the Brooklyn Army Terminal, located at 140 58th Street in Brooklyn, between 1st and 2nd Avenues. We have an exciting new shop with an oversized workspace in which we can manufacture and store a large inventory. Clients will have the ability to come to our shop, visit us on our website or phone in orders. We have two loading docks for easy access for clients to pick up from our new location or we can arrange delivery. We will deliver daily throughout the five boroughs, New Jersey and parts of Connecticut. We will schedule nationwide deliveries through our common carriers, truckers and FedEx ground.

Will the product line change or remain the same?

Our product line will remain the same high quality merchandise that distributors were accustom to receiving from Petro Moore; however, Brooklyn Petro Moore Tables will be providing and offering many additional new items to the party rental distributor, both for sale and rental, which Petro Moore did not. By choosing Brooklyn Petro Moore, clients will be able to not only purchase and rent tables, they will be able to purchase and/or rent garment racks, hangers, coat check tickets, steamers, mannequins, grids, steamers, travel trunks, sign holders, stanchions and rope systems, and even mirrors.

This opportunity to rent and sell these new items will be an asset to the party rental distributor because it will expand the services and merchandise which they will now be able to offer their clients.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93

LaBant, from page 18 What are a few of your favorite ingredients to cook with and do you have a favorite dish you like to serve?

I really like to use pork because you have a lot of cuts of meat that can deliver with the right handling and preparation vastly different tastes and textures. I also like to work with any kind of greens, again there is so much that you can do to transform them into something completely unexpected and delicious.

Are you using sustainable sources for your dishes?

Yes we try to only cook with what is in season and from the local farms. Obviously I do have to source from small purveyors for some of the more unusual ingredients from time to time but I do try to stay true to my cooking philosophy and work with what is around and abundant at the time.

How did you choose Wilton, especially the Schoolhouse for your restaurant location?

After culinary school and a variety of internships around the country Julia and I decided to settle down close to our families in Fairfield County. When we returned to Wilton, CT the Schoolhouse Grill was closed down and run down and that is when I knew I wanted to open a restaurant and I wanted it to be there.

Being the owner and chef of your own restaurant can be a challenging task. Did you handle every aspect of your business?

My wife Julia is my business partner and our families have been instrumental in helping us to navigate the areas of business that are at times tricky. We as a team have handled every aspect of the business.

The Schoolhouse, besides being known for its wonderful cuisine, also prides itself for its excellent wait staff, which is so crucial for the din-

Bocuse, from page 4

The only way to know whether or not you have the right people in place is to have them work a couple of shifts to see how they interact with the core team. It’s easy to say all the right things in an interview but seeing the person in action is the real test.

ing experience. How did you choose the right people?

The only way to know whether or not you have the right people in place is to have them work a couple of shifts to see how they interact with the core team. It’s easy to say all the right things in an interview but seeing the person in action is the real test. I have been fortunate in that I have excellent staff and the turnover has been very low.

What advice would you give to young chefs just getting started?

Get as much experience as you can through internships and find a good mentor. Don’t show up in a kitchen thinking that you will be running the show, just keep your eyes and ears open and learn everything you can.

Do you change your menu seasonally? What’s the process in developing new menu entrées?

We do change the menu seasonally and sometimes daily. It depends on the season and when there is an abundance of great local produce I like to experiment and try new things when fruits and vegetables are at their peak.

94 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

On the equipment side, do you have a piece of equipment that you like to use that makes your job easier when preparing dishes?

The sous vide is an amazing piece of equipment that will produce perfectly cooked food every time.

The restaurant industry has a very broad range of foods…what’s your buying approach? Do you go out to bid on a regular basis or do you look for loyalty from vendors?

I try to source local for almost everything but then I have my vendors that understand the size of my restaurant and if I need one lobster they will make sure I get the best one they have.

Looking into your crystal ball…

Where will we find you in five years?

That is a tough question. I am the dad of 3 beautiful children with a fourth due in April, so I will definitely be working and maybe a second and completely different restaurant is in the future. Each day is a gift and I am so thankful for all the success I have this far.

About a hundred guests many of whom had earlier posed to snap up photographs with Bocuse savored a dinner that mobilized the efforts of about 50 students in the kitchen and two dozen in the dining room.

L'Assiette aux Trois Chocolats Gaston Lenôtre was one of the dishes served at the dedication dinner of the Bocuse Restaurant at the CIA. French chef Paul Bocuse was on hand as the institute opened the restaurant in his honor. The menu included a peach of foie gras, lobster with champagne and caviar and filet mignon of beef with marrow custard. And for dessert, the guests were treated to grapefruit sorbet with vodka, a plate of three chocolates by pastry chef Gaston Lenotre and mini-pastries.

"Mr. Paul," continued the celebration with a trip to travel to Florida with his son, who now heads up the Chefs de France restaurant at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park.

But the French chef said he was delighted by his new restaurant and the honors he had received. "It's wonderful," he said. "These 3,000 students who will introduce Bocuse cuisine to guests each year and work on a menu adapted from Bocuse and other French dishes."

The aging chef now walks with difficulty, and revealed that he can't hear very well, but those are small matters to him.

Asked about his legacy, he preferred to speak about the future.

"For me, it's not a problem," Bocuse said. "Because after me, there are still many very good chefs, so we still have some great moments ahead.

Yesterday, we were with a group of friends in France and today, we're with a group of friends around the world."

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 95

// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Partridge Club Celebrates St. Patricks’ Day With Annual Union League Event

T

he Partridge Club hosted the wearing of the green with its annual St. Patricks Day's bash at the Union Club in Manhattan last

League month.

Cornell's very own Dennis Sweeney once again had the room doubled over with his very special take on a day when everybody is an honorary citizen of the Emerald Isle.

The Club under the guidance of Michael Posternak of PBAC from 2010 to 2012 and now with Fred Klashman of TFS at the helm is committed to raising scholarship funds for young people looking to build a career in hospitality.

The Partridge Invitation welcomed

(L to R) Marty Kohn and Diane SalvataRossi of Pro-Tek

several of its newest members including Barbara Kane of Ecolab, Edgewater Associates’ Charlene Goff and Debbie Barnes of Party Rental at the Midtown gathering.

The club offers its members the opportunity to attend functions and host customers at some of NYC's most prestigious clubs including: The Princeton Club, The Knickerbocker Club, The Union League Club and the NYAC. Eye enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow Partridge members including Rodney Seelig, Rozzo Seafood's Lou Rozzo, Pro-Tek's Ed Daniels, Maureen Cole of Minners, Pepsico's Jason Bigman, Larry Cantamessa of PBAC, OPICI Wine's Dennis Murphy and

(L to R) Hobart regional chief Gary Simpson welcomed Peter Terwilliger who has been training with the Ohio based manufacturer and will soon join a rep firm in Milwaukee

96 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Phil Robinson of the IHMRS show.

The Partridge's scholarships are bestowed on the industry’s top schools including: The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Johnson and Wales, New York City Tech, Cornell University and Paul Smith College.

Eye shared a St. Patrick Day toast with industry operator notables including Robert Wood, Johnson Medical Center's Tony Almeida, Kent Bain of the Federal Reserve Bank, Davella and Associates’ James Davella and Mimi Wang of the VA Hospital.

In addition to the Foundation's mission of raising scholarship funds for institutions of higher learning it promotes mutual business interests among its members and to

(L to R) Barbara Boden of JP Morgan Chase, Ecolab's Barbara Kane, and Victoria Vega of Unidine.

stimulate friendship and fellowship.

Eye notes that the key to the ongoing success of the Club's special events lie with Minner Designs’ Jill Ostaszewski.

The Partridge Club was formed in 1935 at the Victoria Hotel in New York City. The membership was made up of leading purveyors to the hotel, club and restaurant trade. Charter President was Henry G. Duvernoy and Charter Secretary-Treasurer was Arthur Simmons. In the early Forties, a few dissatisfied members left and formed the Invitation Club.

Things went well for both Clubs until the crackdown on business expenses during the Presidency of Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969). Membership declined in both clubs and committees were formed to explore the possibilities of a merger. After much dickering and negotiating, the merger was implemented in 1967.

The scholarship program was established and it grew so fast that in 1988 the Club’s name was changed to the Partridge-Invitation Scholarship Foundation, Inc to better describe its mission.

(L to R) NYU food service chief Owen Moore and Sweet Sam's Sally Minier

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 97

Chilling Out, from page 86 differences and possible hot spots. If your fridge, or areas of it, is warmer than 40°F, your food will never be below 40°F. Raw and cooked food items should also be randomly sampled for proper temperature with instant read thermometers.

Do Not Overload Fridges If there are too many items stacked in a refrigerator the unit will have to work too hard to maintain the proper temperature. This could create hot spots where areas of the cabinet are not cold enough and refrigerated food will spoil.

Blocking the internal and external air vents of the unit will disrupt proper cooling operation of the fridge, causing temperatures to rise. The refrigeration unit may even stop working altogether.

Cooked food must to be cooled as fast as possible, so as not to spend too much time in the Danger Zone. All food that has been cooked to the proper temperature must be cooled to 70°F within two hours and then down to 40°F within another 4 hours. Train your staff in all the proper cooling techniques. An example of improper cooling that is all too common: a 5 gallon bucket of hot rice stored in the walk-in straight from the stove; it would still be hot in the center the next morning and have the potential for making your customers very sick.

Use Proper Thawing Techniques

Proper Refrigeration Maintenance Make sure that you have a certified refrigerator repair service. All commercial units need to have their compressors professionally cleaned and serviced at least twice per year to keep them in working order. The cost outlay of this service often outweighs the cost of lost food due to spoilage, damage to your units from not servicing them, and possible health department fines. If you are not sure where to find a reputable company, check with your state’s Restaurant Association for a list of suppliers.

Food Handling Work in Batches On hot days, when the ambient kitchen temperatures can be over 100°F, it is a good idea to handle perishable items in batches. For example, when butchering steaks, it is best to take only one or two whole sides of beef out of the walk-in at a time; once the batch is done, place the fabricated batch back into the walk-in before starting on the next. Remember, according to the 2009 FDA Food Code, food cannot be left out in the Danger Zone for more than two hours and it is easy to forget about prep time.

Use Proper Cooling Techniques 98 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Never defrost food at room temperature. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. There are only three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because of the time already spent in the Danger Zone.

Having to constantly check temperatures and observe safe food handling practices may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but as with all things, after repeating the correct procedures over

and over, it will become second nature.

Making food safety concerns part of the daily routine can only help your business by providing tasty, bacteria-free meals to customers.

Don’t know where to begin? Ask yourself, do you have the proper written procedures and operational guidelines in place to help you be as profitable as possible? 4Q Consulting can develop customized operational guidelines and training programs to meet your needs.

Email us today for a free business consultation at www.4qconsult.com.

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 99

Burger Bistro from page 84

antelope, kangaroo, ostrich, camal, shark, Yak, turduckon.

Usually your customer is your best salesman. Is most of your business by word of mouth or do rely heavily on social media marketing?

Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing and advertising. However we do rely on getting our message out there with Facebook and other social media venues like Foursquare.

Two million possible burger combinations earned The Burger Bistro title of 2nd Best Burger by Zagat in NYC. Tell us more about the combinations? Any unusual toppings you wouldn’t find elsewhere that helped achieve Zagat status?

The 2 million combinations had nothing to do with getting us #2, we feel it is the quality of our products and how we present them that scored that accolade. We do offer toppings like Buffalo shrimp, hot Italian sausage and pickled jalapenos that you won’t find elsewhere and our array of sauces are the cream of the crop.

How do you manage the quality control of your food and the service?

We are owner operated and are in our restaurants daily. We are constantly coaching staff to ensure our high standards are met and creating a culture of passion for being the best.

Food prices fluctuate, do you base price on margins?

No we don’t base our prices on margins. We purchase the best product we can buy at the best prices we can find.

When certain menu items become over priced or in high demand we change the items to a more affordable option.

Your brand of burgers offers the ability to customize burgers in a quick-serve setting. How do you make that work?

100 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Thru technology, continual training, trial and error, hard work, dedication and focus.

Your baking bread, prepping toppings, etc. What is the prep work process each day?

We pride ourselves on making and forming all of our burgers by hand daily. We do not buy any pre-made patties.

All of our sides, toppings and sauces are prepped daily using predetermined prep levels to ensure freshness.

Which is more important to making your business model work – the people or the system?

Both are equally important, without the system people wouldn’t be able to execute the plan and without the right people the best systems in the world will fail.

Ever consider franchising out the business model in or outside of NY? We have given it thought but at this early stage we feel we should stay company owned in order to ensure our high standards.

Looking into your crystal ball, where do you see The Burger Bistro in 5 years?

In 5 years we can see ourselves with 10-15 restaurants, with some of those outside of the New York area.

Pastry & Baking Arts Classes Call For Upcoming Class Schedule

888-531-Chef

www.iceculinary.com

Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 101

Fiorito from page 34 workers starting on January 1, 2014.

The mandate applies starting the first day of 2014 (not the employer’s plan year date in 2014), so organizational planning must begin well ahead of the compliance date. Employers with over 50 employees must offer coverage to full-time workers and their family members. The coverage must be “affordable” for the employee based on an oddly worded standard of affordability. Penalties will apply, which are generally lower than the cost of coverage.

Right now all employers must determine if they have over 50 full-time employees or full-time equivalents, based on a new federal definition that sets that standard at 30 or more hours of actual work on average per week in a month. For some employers that will be obvious, but for others teetering on the bubble of 50 workers.

Comply, or pay the penalty? If the 50 employee requirement is met, the first question is, “Comply, or pay the penalty?” To comply, an employer must offer a minimum level of health plan coverage to those full-time employees and their dependents and spouses.

The key word is “offer”, employees can still waive coverage. What will that cost be? Determining that figure is possible and should be done as soon as possible. Penalties, on the other hand, start at $2,000 per year per full-time employee, and are expected to increase as the penalty is so much less than the cost of insurance. Employers must carefully compare that to the cost of compliance and weigh the decision.

Most employers appear interested in maintaining their group health plans.

Several studies suggest that less than ten percent of employers plan to discontinue benefits and pay the penalty.

For employers who already offer coverage and will continue to do so, many other aspects of the law can still be cumbersome. The coverage has to be affordable for the employee, but not for family members. So, most em-

ployers will shift all of family coverage cost to employees. Failure to offer affordable coverage can trigger a $3,000 annual penalty for each person who instead gets federal assistance with coverage through tax credits.

Assessing the costs: What else is required right away? An employer subject to the law needs to assess the cost of complying and its impact on plan participation and premium or coverage expenses. Higher enrollment is anticipated, resulting in higher employer costs, especially to achieve the nebulous affordability standard. Your advisor can provide that assessment for you, from small employers with over 50 workers, up to the very largest group. Knowing the worst case, best case and expected scenarios not only enables you to gauge plan budgets, but also to react to the law to minimize its impact while we continuously measure costs and adjust the plan.

Your advisor should also measure plan value and suggest re-design options as we near and attempt to avoid the Cadillac tax effective date in 2018.

Meanwhile, effective strategic planning is imperative. Specific actions must be taken, and many more should be taken, to minimize the impact on business and bottom line profits. An experienced and knowledgeable advisor will keep you apprised of not just the law and its requirements, but most importantly informed about strategy that will enable your organization to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, a negative impact of this law on your business.

Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, Hub International Northeast., where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito.com

102 • April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

April 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 103