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// NEWS
MANDATES
New York Restaurants and Commercial Properties Face New Government Mandate Restaurants and other commercial buildings built in upstate New York and Long Island after Jan. 1, 2016 must have carbon monoxide detectors or alarms hard-wired to their electrical system under a new regulation intended to improve public safety.
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xisting restaurants and other commercial buildings are allowed to use detectors powered solely by a battery with a 10-year life span. The Department of State enacted an emergency regulation last month giving existing restaurants until June 27, 2016 to meet the new mandate. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed
into law new legislation that requires every restaurant and commercial building in the state to install carbon monoxide detectors by June 2016. The law is named after Steven Nelson, a manager at a Legal Sea Foods restaurant on Long Island who died last year following a carbon monoxide leak caused by a faulty water heater flue pipe. Nearly
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30 others were also sickened as a result of the leak, which occurred inside the basement of a restaurant complex attached to the Walt Whitman Shops mall. “Unfortunately, too often it takes a tragedy to spur the passage of common sense laws. Such a tragedy occurred back in February, when Steven Nelson was overcome by carbon monoxide
while working at a Huntington Station restaurant. A carbon monoxide detector could have saved his life,” stated state Sen. Carl Marcellino. Under current state law, every one- or two-family home, condominium, cooperative and each unit of a multiple dwelling must have a working carbon monoxide detector, restaurants and other commercial buildings where excluded. “This legislation will help prevent another senseless and avoidable death. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. These simple detecting devices warn us against this deadly colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. My thoughts remain with the Nelson family and hope their story serves as a wakeup call for everyone to get a carbon monoxide detector today,” added Marcellino.
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// NEWS
LEGISLATION
Restaurant Owners Tell Governor Cuomo To Keep New York Open For Business More than 100 restaurant owners and operators representing hundreds of restaurants across the state of New York sent a letter to Governor Cuomo imploring him to keep New York open for business.
that nearly 50 percent said they'd be forced to "reduce employees' hours or staffing levels" due to drastic wage increases, while another 22 percent said they would be forced to close their doors altogether. Seventy percent said they likely would have to raise their prices to meet the proposed wage requirements, which would hurt their businesses.
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he letter was written in response to the Governor's decision to unilaterally instate a self-appointed wage board targeting fast food restaurants without any representation from the restaurant industry. In the letter, the group discussed the unfair and arbitrary process of targeting a sole segment of a single industry. "As the owners and operators of New York's restaurants, we write to express critical concern with your decision to unfairly and arbitrarily target our businesses. New York's 20,000 limited-service restaurants are economic drivers; creating jobs and state revenue in every community from Staten Island to Schenectady. Our restaurants provide opportunity to more than 280,000 New Yorkers of all backgrounds and skill levels, a large majority of which are those just entering the workforce. "While the decision to raise the minimum wage for restaurant workers may be well intentioned, circumventing our duly elected representatives and unilaterally appointing a wage board without representation from anyone in our industry is misguided at best and suspicious at worst. We remain voiceless in this process as you have chosen to ex-
The group called on Governor Cuomo to meet with members of the restaurant industry to find other solutions.
clude the very industry you are targeting in your decision-making." "We are not the corporations whose names we bear but rather New Yorkers who work hard each and every day. We – the owners and operators of New York's restaurants – are law-abiding, tax-paying residents who run our own businesses.” Restaurants operate on razor-thin margins. Labor is among the highest cost, and a dramatic wage increase such as the one you are proposing, cannot simply be passed off in menu price-hikes to the detriment of patrons – and ultimately our industry. "By singling out fast food restau-
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rants while ignoring other industries that hire entry-level workers, you will put our businesses at a competitive disadvantage. In doing so, you will leave behind more than two million New Yorkers making the minimum wage in other industries." The group called on Governor Cuomo to meet with members of the restaurant industry to find other solutions, like increased access to education, skills training and development to help solve New York's wage gap. New research by the Employment Policies Institute of nearly 1,000 New York fast food operators found
Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Laurie Forster Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Cindi Avila Staff Writers Deborah Hirsch Intern Alexis Robinson Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2015 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
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// EVENTS
HX-HOTEL EXPERIENCE ROOM TO RESTAURANT
Food And Beverage Remains Core Focus As November’s Javits Show Unveils New HX-Hotel Experience Room to Restaurant’s Moniker To mark its centennial anniversary, the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) is unveiling a new brand and mission. HX: The Hotel Experience — Rooms to Restaurants (HX), debuts Nov. 8 to 10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here.
The multimillion-dollar investment is aimed at revitalizing the largest hospitality trade event in North America. The transformation from
"M
aking this enormous change at our 100-year juncture is exciting,” said Anthony G. Mangano, president, Syramada Hotel Corporation (Syracuse, NY), and chairman of the board for HX 2015. “These are not tweaks or modest improvements. HX 2015 is an entirely new show.” The multimillion-dollar investment is aimed at revitalizing the largest hospitality trade event in North America. The transformation from IHMRS to HX called on industry experts, researchbased data and prior-year show assessments to identify what the show could and should bring to the industry. Said Mangano, “It all came down to delivering true hospitality—that is, anticipating guests' needs before they even know they need it. We all agreed we wanted a show that performed at this level.” Every component of the hospital-
a concierge service with a purpose of putting the right exhibitors in touch with the right buyers. “We’ve created more reasons for attendees to be on the show floor longer by reimagining, renovating and rebranding the entire experience,” said Mangano.
IHMRS to HX called on industry experts, researchbased data and prioryear show assessments to identify what the show could and should bring to the industry.
ity experience for hotels, motels and restaurants will be represented in five new show divisions: Food & Beverage, Guest Services, Technology, Kitchen Design and Rooms Division. The HX show floor will feature new product theaters—HX: ONSTAGE RESTAURANT and HX: ONSTAGE HOTEL. In-
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dustry experts appearing live in HX: STUDIO will cover everything from cooking trends and marketing strategies, to social media and handheld devices. Information-rich lounge areas will provide guest comfort, while HX: TECH showcases the latest products, solutions and ideas. HX will also have
HX is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. (HANYC), and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSH&TA). It is managed by Hospitality Media Group (HMG).
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// NEWS
MENU OFFERINGS
Legendary Hot Dog Maker Sabrett Unveils Much Anticipated New Nutritious Conscious Frank New York’s iconic frank has once again been reinvented with a new nutritious conscious offering that has captured the imagination of the Tri-State foodservice operator.
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hrow that guilt away! Sabrett Marathon Enterprises has introduced the iconic brand’s new all-natural hot dog and Vice President, Mark Rosen in a ceremony on National Hot Dog Day at Peter’s Clam Bar in Island Park, NY, presided over by Nassau County Legislator Francis Becker Jr., Vice Chairman of the City’s Health Committee. For nutrition-conscious customers who still want to be able to eat hot dogs, these skinless frankfurters contain no added nitrites and nitrates, are gluten and preservative-free, and have a low sodium content. Free Sabrett all-natural hot dogs were given out all day long at the event. Peter's Clam Bar has had a famed stainless hot dog cart and umbrella for over 75 years, according to Rosen. National Hot Dog Day celebrates the country’s love affair with what has become a culinary symbol of America every year in July, with more than 30 billion dogs consumed annually in the U.S., or an average of about 70 per person, according to Rosen. Sabrett, founded in 1926, claims ownership of more than 35 million pounds of that consumption. Its hot dogs have been sold for decades all over New York City from its stainless steel push carts and distinctive blue and yellow umbrellas. Experts note that children tend to eat more fattening foods in the summer, consuming more sugar and eating
"If your restaurant wants to offer a treat that’s also good for you, Sabrett’s all-natural hot dogs fit the bill." fewer vegetables. While hot dogs have long been considered a less-thanhealthy treat, Sabrett feels it’s turning that around, helping children (and adults) to eat healthy and still enjoy what they eat.
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Hot dogs, eaten without the bun, can actually be good for you, as they contain lots of protein. Sabrett’s all-natural hot dogs allow children and adults to eat something they crave, and still feel good about it.
Hot dogs originated on Coney Island in 1871, when German immigrant Charles Feltman began serving them in milk buns from a stand on what was then known as America’s Boardwalk. His business thrived, based on the hearty appetites of customers for a tasty, inexpensive and easy-to-eat food in a resort environment. By the turn of the century, push carts selling frankfurters in buns were popping up everywhere in Manhattan, and customers still greet the cart with joy to this day. “If your restaurant wants to offer a treat that’s also good for you, Sabrett’s all-natural hot dogs fit the bill,” says Rosen.
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// NEWS
PROMOTIONS
CT Based Subway Restaurants Announces New President
“My primary focus is to make our family business even better by making improvements wherever
Suzanne Greco, who began her tenure with the SUBWAY® restaurant chain as a Sandwich Artist™ in 1973 has been named President of the company.
we can, especially at the store level where the food and in-store experience
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ven before she became a Sandwich Artist™, Suzanne had been part of Team Subway since the first store opened as a family business nearly 50 years ago, and brings a lifetime of SUBWAY® experience to this role. For 24 years, she led the research and development team, spearheading many important initiatives designed to continuously improve the menu and customer experience. In 2012 Suzanne’s responsibilities expanded significantly when she began overseeing the Operations Department and her responsibilities expanded again earlier this year when she began overseeing the Marketing Department. In 1996, Suzanne facilitated the creation of the Independent Purchasing Cooperative (IPC) to handle the SUBWAY® brand’s product purchasing. Today there are five IPC co-ops around the world providing the brand’s global supply of food and packaging at quality standards. Suzanne and her teams have earned ongoing industry recognition for their work, including the Menu Masters Award for “Best Menu/ Line Extensions” in 2001, the “Menu Strategist Award” from Restaurant Business magazine in 2004, and the “Menu Masters Award” for Healthful
is critical to keeping our customers happy and coming back,” Suzanne said.
In 2012 Suzanne’s responsibilities expanded significantly when she began overseeing the Operations Department and her responsibilities expanded again earlier this year when she began overseeing the Marketing Department.
Innovations in 2011. In her new role, Suzanne will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company and will continue to report directly to SUBWAY® Founder and CEO Fred DeLuca. “Suzanne has accomplished a great deal with Subway and I know there are many more terrific things to come,” said Fred. “I have always been impressed with Suzanne’s relentless desire to make continuous improvements to our products and customer experience. She is always looking for ways to make our business even better. Together with our development
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agents and franchisees, I’m looking forward to working closely with Suzanne in her new role.” “My primary focus is to make our family business even better by making improvements wherever we can, especially at the store level where the food and in-store experience is critical to keeping our customers happy and coming back,” Suzanne said. “With the dedicated and seasoned management team in place, along with our active franchisee and development agent groups, I know we will be able to accomplish a lot together.” Suzanne has been actively involved
in the Global Strategic Planning Committees and serves on the Board of Directors. She holds a BA degree in Business Administration from Sacred Heart University. Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, and with regional offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane, Miami and Singapore, the SUBWAY® brand was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. Their partnership, which continues today, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey – one that has made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business. In 2012, SUBWAY® restaurants became the first restaurant to meet the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Meal Certification Program nutritional criteria. This year, for the fourth straight year, the SUBWAY® brand was ranked “number one” by consumers in the Zagat® Fast Food Survey in the “Healthy Options,” “Most Popular” and “Top Service” categories for food brands with 5,000 or more locations.
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// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management Honors Legendary Flik One of the industry's true legends Rudi Flik was feted last month by the SHFMSociety for Hospitality and Foodservice Management. "Rudi's career is something that touched so many lives," noted the event's chairperson Dan McCaffery.
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lik was the founder of corporate contract dining firm Flik International. Throughout his career in building Flik, he was active with SHFM. Founded in 1971 by Flik, the firm now employs over 6,000 associates serving over 300 premier clients including Merck. FLIK Dining Services provides dining services to local, regional and national companies within the Business & Industry markets,
including employee dining centers, on-site catering, executive dining rooms, and conference services. Flik went on to sell the firm to Compass Group. McCaffrey and his team worked with Elmwood Country Club’s General Manager Iwona Sterk to create a truly memorable event. Among the honored guests were a pair of New York Mets legends Ed Kranepoll and Art Shamsky who each played a pair
has also championed the evolving responsibilities of the association's key member segment, "client liaisons and self-operators in corporate foodservice." While foodservice responsibilities remain central to those positions, they have expanded to encompass a number of hospitality-related functions such as vending, conference and event support, fitness centers, health and wellness and childcare -- areas more broadly covered under the "workplace hospitality" segment. SHFM is positioned to be the preeminent resource for career development and industry insight in this growing segment.
of holes with each of the SHFM foursomes. Designed by famed golf architect A.W. Tillinghast, Elmwood is a beautifully manicured course on over 100 rolling acres located on the outskirts of White Plains, NY. The affable McCaffrey who has become an integral member of the Air Comfort sales team did a masterful job of re-reenergizing the association's annual golf event. SHFM's leaders, (L to R) Day & Nite’s Rick Sher, Arthur Fisher of Sam Tell and Son and Day & Nite’s Sandy Smith
(L to R) E+A’s Bob Alban and John Alfano of Pro-Tek
Air Comfort’s Dan McCaffrey who was the driving force behind the event handed golf prizes to notables including Edgewater Marketing’s Charlene Goff
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Honoree Rudi Flik addressed a large contingent of industry friends
(L to R) RJ Bianculli of Paradigm, Lazards’ Evan Brown and Fred Klashman of TFS
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// MEET THE NEWSMAKER
Jamie Schweid,
other products, but for now, burger chains are growing and the demand for our Schweid and Sons retail burgers has been incredible.
EVP of Schweid & Sons
In the late 1800s, Harry Schweid started selling high quality meats to butchers and restaurants in New York City’s Lower East Side. By the 1930s, his son Sam had his own business in Harlem, selling the best meat around.
A large part of being successful is being at the right place at the right time. Schweid & Sons is not an overnight
I
n 1978, Schweid & Sons focused their expertise on one thing – ground beef. Still familyowned and four generations later, that passion still carries on with a single-minded dedication to producing the best tasting, highest quality burger. We sat down with Jamie Schweid, EVP of Schweid & Sons to discuss the longevity of the burger and the company’s unique approach to customer service and providing a high quality product. Once a fast food item, the hamburger is served in almost every restaurant and many use a proprietary burger blend. In your opinion, what caused the hamburger business to increase on a white-table cloth level? The burger has always been a staple of the American diet. Over the years the price of steak has risen to the point where it has become a luxury item. During the recession, restaurants were promoting burgers on their menu as the affordable beef because of the lower price point and increased margin. While conventional thinking was that customers would only pay 5-6 bucks for a good burger, the market has proven other-
Talk to us about plant operations. How big is the plant in New Jersey and how much ground beef is produced each week? And as the company has grown through the years, do you need to work with a co-packer to keep up with client growth?
When my father started the business, he had a very simple philosophy: make one thing but make it great.
(L to R) Jamie, David and Brad Schweid
wise. $15 has become commonplace in the Metro NY area. Unlike other meat purveyors, Schweid & Sons only sells burgers. Why? When my father started the business, he had a very simple philosophy: make one thing but make it great. My father had worked for my grand-
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father for years and they would fabricate meat. There is so much complexity in that business. His business philosophy was to hyper focus on making the very best burger allowing his business to excel at one thing rather than stretching too much to end up average at multiple things. At some point we plan to diversify into
success - we have been around for almost 40 years. We were at the right place at the right time and were able to capitalize on the burger trend. Our company has grown every year since its inception because of our commitment to quality and service to our customers. We currently work
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// NEWS
CASINOS
Southern Tier Racino Submits Proposal For NY Casino License A racino on New York's Southern Tier submitted a proposal last month for a $145 million expansion to a full Las Vegas-style gambling facility, the first of what is expected to be at least two applications for a casino license in the economically struggling area.
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he application from Tioga Downs, which is located west of Binghamton, filled 55 boxes of paper. The deadline to submit proposals to state gambling regulators was late last month. Tioga's bid includes $145 million in new investments, including a hotel, table games, 200 additional electronic gambling machines, two restaurants, and expansions and upgrades to the gambling hall and a nearby golf course. "This would be more jobs, more rev-
enue, more tourism for the Southern Tier," said Tom Osiecki, president of American Racing and Entertainment, the racino's parent company. An earlier application from Tioga Downs was rejected last year by a state board tasked with picking operators and locations for up to four available casino licenses. The board instead picked proposals for Schenectady, the Finger Lakes and the Catskills, opting not to award the fourth license. Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the bidding to be reopened for the fourth
Tioga's bid includes $145 million in new investments, including a hotel, table games, 200 additional electronic gambling machines, two restaurants, and expansions and upgrades to the gambling hall and a nearby golf course.
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license after local leaders complained that the Southern Tier had been left out. Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural stated
that he took the board's critique of his proposal to heart in preparing the new bid. Revisions include the addition of a second restaurant, a larger casino and changes to the project's financing. “Since Tioga already has an existing facility and parking, the casino could be up and running by mid-2016 if a license is granted,” Gural said. "We would be hiring people almost immediately," he said, saying the expansion would require several hundred additional employees. A second development team looking to build a casino in the Binghamton area also is expected to submit a bid. A decision on the license is expected this fall.
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// Q&A
EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEWS
Paul Wahlberg
•
Co-COO of Wahlburgers •
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• •
ow did you get into the Foodservice industry? I was born in Dorchester, MA one of nine siblings; I spent lots of time in the family kitchen with my mother Alma. At the age of 11 or 12, I fell in love with food over a simple Eggplant Parmesan sandwich at a friends’ house. My cooking was influenced by the Sunday suppers at home with family and friends. I always loved cooking and began working as a caterer while I was in school. From there, I worked my way up at various restaurants, cooking in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. I had the opportunity to serve as a chef at such establishments as The Charles Hotel, The Four Seasons, and Bridgeman’s. After nine years as the Executive Chef at Bridgeman’s, I opened my own restaurant, Alma Nove, in Hingham, Massachusetts named after my Mother. From this point, Wahlburgers was born and opened just across the street. Then came the TV show and the rest is history. What makes Wahlburgers different from your competition? Wahlburgers differentiators are: • Founded by only family I know that includes celebrity draw (Mark and Donnie) coupled with a very serious chef and concept person (Paul)
• •
•
•
Incorporates family-specific cues to share their story and celebrate good times -- die-cuts with movie and TV show names, story wall with family background, menu items based on family stories, etc. Split service concept -- offers full and quick serve Full bar Proprietary artisan potato bun and high-end Angus beef blend from Pat La Frieda butcher, always fresh Proprietary recipes and sauces, particularly Paul's wahl sauce Extensive offering beyond basic burgers and sides -- chicken, vegetarian, salad, etc. Unique, upscale, contemporary yet casual and approachable feel -- see wahlburgersrestaurant. com for pictures of the concept Very high involvement of both Mark and Donnie -- they don't just contribute name, but considerable time, money and insight as well
Can you give us a quick overview of the history of Wahlburgers? In short first Wahlberg restaurant was Alma Nove, Mediterranean fine dining concept named after mother and nine children, opened June 2010 (Many awards for restaurant and illustrates my competence as concept person, chef and operator), Wahlburgers first location opens 10/11 (same time I joined). Reality show debuts 1/14. Toronto opens in Fall of 2014. Lynnfield opens mid 2015.
Paul Wahlberg is the Co-COO of Wahlburgers
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How is doing business in New York different from the rest of the country? New York is a very competitive market with great food and savvy, de-
We never want someone going to a Wahlburgers and saying, "that wasn't as good as Wahlburgers X." In short, we want to put a smile on everyone's face and serve not just food, but memories. demonstrate their own growth. manding customers. Anyone trying to compete just on a name will die very quickly. Puts a high premium on putting out a very high quality product and giving customers a distinct reason to come back. Also, it is where Donnie spends much of his time both living and shooting Blue Bloods and Mark is a frequent visitor, so very important they are both represented well in the city. Finally, New York is made up of many distinctive places with distinctive personalities, and the brand needs to be very respectful of that. Coney Island is not midtown Manhattan. What is the company's approach to building and nurturing successful managers? Our brand is based on a strong culture of humility, service, respect, commitment to quality and fun. We have long and extensive training programs intended to not only provide technical skills but give staff an appreciation of the brand's culture and values. People need to appreciate and live my adage that "happy people make and serve happy food, and happy food tastes better." After the training, it is really a matter of reinforcing the culture and attention to detail on a daily basis as well as making people aware of the many opportunities to grow with us if they
What attracted the Wahlberg family to the foodservice industry? I have been working in restaurants since I was a teenager. It was an instant and now lifelong attraction as it appealed to my desire to create things and make people happy. What are your goals for the customer experience at Wahlburgers? People often travel many hours to come to the original restaurant in Hingham and wait hours in line. We have a very high bar to make people with that large an investment happy. So, our goal is to make all customers happy in Hingham given that bar, and to have the hiring practices, processes, systems and culture that allow us to extend that experience everywhere. We never want someone going to a Wahlburgers and saying, "that wasn't as good as Wahlburgers X." In short, we want to put a smile on everyone's face and serve not just food, but memories. How will the Wahlburgers experience differ from a visit to Five Guys or Shake Shack? While we respect Shake Shack and Five Guys tremendously, we are significantly different than either, starting with brand identity, full service option, more extensive menu, higher level interior finishes and full bar.
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They are both great at what they do and serve a particular niche. What is the profile of the Wahlburgers target franchisee? Minimum requirement is $5 million net worth with demonstrated success operating a multi-unit restaurant concept. We also make sure they share our values around quality and commitment to an exceptional customer experience as well as affinity for the brand that is not just driven by celebrity. What's your approach to the menu? Most companies have turned to Pat LaFrieda to create a signature pattie? What did you guys do? La Frieda is the source of our beef, but as stated above, other proprietary components are key differentiators. What went into the design of the stores? What were the marching orders you gave your architect and design team? The architect, Stephen Sousa, has done a great job reflecting the intention to deliver a colorful, upscale, distinctive, contemporary, approachable, open look and feel that showcases the food through open kitchen and the signature Wahlberg brand elements in a way that doesn't turn the restaurant into a theme restaurant leading to customer fatigue.
What was the plan for the design of the kitchens? To be open and capable of handling high volume in a made-toorder fashion using equipment that I believe is capable of delivering the right quality. The Wahlberg family has produced highly successful movie and TV properties. How does building a team at the restaurants mirror the approach to making a successful movie? As opposed to comparing to a successful movie, I'd compare to Mark's and Donnie's ability to build enduring brands that have stood the test of time. It is about selecting good material you believe in and partners that share your vision who can make the material come to life. It is also about not just chasing the latest fad but sticking to the core of what makes you successful. What attracted you to expand into Metro New York City? As Frank Sinatra said, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Metro NY offers great population density, great economic opportunity, great influence and great demands. If you succeed in NY, that can pay great dividends everywhere you go. If you can't succeed in NY, it’s a cue you need to fix your concept before pushing farther. What was the attraction to Coney Island? The location speaks for itself. Crystal ball ... IPO like Shake Shack? We are primarily a franchise model so we have no need for an IPO to raise funds. Having said that, hard not to notice the Shake Shack IPO. Of course, it is a double-edged sword. A high valuation brings high scrutiny and high expectations, plus being a public company has its own set of demands and costs. Lots of tradeoffs.
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// NEWS
PROMOTIONS
New Jersey's Top Seafood Chef Announced at 2015 Jersey Seafood Challenge New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Alfred Murray last month declared Chef Bryan Gregg of Escape Montclair in Montclair the winner of the 2015 Jersey Seafood Challenge for his signature dish, Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles.
C
hef Gregg was New Jersey’s official representative at the Great American Seafood Cookoff in New Orleans this month. The
competition was held at Viking Village in Barnegat Light. “Congratulations to Chef Gregg who proudly represents our state at the na-
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tional competition and demonstrates to the country that New Jersey’s seafood and the chefs that prepare it are top notch,” said Assistant Secretary
Murray. “Our state’s commercial fishermen and aquatic farmers catch and grow superior quality, sustainable seafood. Thank you to all the competitors who prepared an outstanding lineup of dishes that showed off the variety and versatility of the catch and Jersey Fresh produce.” Chef Gregg is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts. He worked at some of the most highly regarded restaurants in New York and New Jersey, such as Ho-HoKus Inn and Michael Anthony’s, before bringing the farm-to-table experience to Essex County, NJ, with Escape in Montclair. He recently was the featured chef at the James Beard House
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// SCOOP
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
Chefs Deliver For CitymealsOn-Wheels Scoop says one of New York City’s finest new chefs, Tai Muhammed of The Cecil, last month prepared and delivered meals for her frail aged neighbors as part of the Chefs Deliver for Citymeals program. A Citymeals initiative, Chefs Deliver brings together a rotating cast of culinary stars who, once a month, lend their talents to Citymeals – cooking and often personally delivering the meals to the doors of New Yorkers who are too frail to shop and cook for themselves. Chefs Deliver was launched in January 2014 by Citymeals Board of Directors Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud and Citymeals Board Member Chef Charlie Palmer. The menu included Chef Muhammed’s boneless smoked chicken thighs with green apple curry sauce accompanied by a collard greens salad and black pineapple fried rice. Chef Muhammed hand-delivered meals to homebound elderly in Harlem with Vivienne O’Neill, Director of Volunteer Programs at Citymeals. The remainder of the 40 meals she cooked was
noted Shapiro.
New App Shows Oyster Lovers Which Restaurants Nearby Serve Their Favorite Bivalves
A Citymeals initiative, Chefs Deliver brings together a rotating cast of culinary stars who, once a month, lend their talents to Citymeals – cooking and often personally delivering the meals to the doors of New Yorkers who are too frail to shop and cook for themselves.
delivered to meal recipients living in Harlem. “Chefs Deliver gives our meal recipients a rare treat: a restaurantquality meal lovingly prepared by a top chef delivered right to their door. It is a special reminder someone is thinking of them,” said Beth Shapiro, Executive Director of Citymeals-onWheels. “Citymeals is proud to work with such generous and talented chefs. Thank you Chef Muhammed and The Cecil for participating today,”
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Scoop says there's a new app on the market to help tri-state oyster lovers achieve bivalve nirvana. Pearl, which launched last month for iOS devices enables users to find which varieties of raw oysters are available near them by compiling real-time restaurant menu data. In addition to showing users where oysters can be found, Pearl lets bivalve fanatics view flavor profiles, save oysters they like, and rate oysters, all within the app. Pearl also allows users to hunt down oyster happy hour deals and even make reservations from within the app. The app currently works with 150 oyster farmers and restaurants in cities including New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago. Founder Sam Asher says the company also hopes to expand into China soon. In the future, Pearl may expand to also include other types of seafood.
World Of Beer Set To Add Connecticut Locations Harrison, Vickers & Waterman, Inc. recently announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Attitude Beer Holding Co. (Attitude Beer), signed a commitment to build a new World of Beer tavern in the Greater Metropolitan Boston area with its joint venture partner New England World of Beer, LLC and expects renovations for this new tavern will begin in January 2016, with operations to commence in the second calendar quarter of 2016. The company previously announced that Attitude Beer had agreed to participate in the development of a new World of Beer tavern in Milford, CT at the Westfield Ct Post Mall. The Milford location is scheduled to begin construction in early January and operations are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2016. Roy Warren, CEO of HVCW and Attitude Beer commented, "These new locations for World of Beer taverns in Boston and Milford demonstrate our ongoing progress and the actions being taken to implement our joint venture with New England World of Beer. Our first location in West Hart-
ford, CT began operation on January 26, 2015 and to date has outperformed all of our forecasts and budgets since the day it opened." He added, "We
and other beverages, has a dominant place in this industry and is delivering sales and earnings beyond our expectations."
event, Gault also thanked his 100 employees, who contributed more than $5,000 to help the company reach its first “Dollars for Dreams” milestone to send Connor and his family, who live
Flay Helps Boy’s ‘Make-AWish’ Come True
"These new locations for World of Beer taverns in Boston and Milford demonstrate our ongoing progress and the actions being taken to implement our joint venture with New England World of Beer.
are very proud to be involved in this great new concept which World of Beer brings to the rapidly expanding and increasingly popular craft beer industry. Our West Hartford location has proven to us that the enlarged tavern fare along with the unique experience and wide variety of craft beer
Scoop notes that seven-year-old Connor Armstrong loves the Food Network where he can watch his favorite celebrity chef, Bobby Flay. So when the Make-A-Wish Connecticut organization granted his wish for a family vacation, Connor, who is battling a life-threatening illness, knew where he wanted to go: the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. That’s where Flay has a restaurant called Mesa Grill. Connor’s mother Melanie Armstrong said their recent vacation at the resort also gave Connor the chance to swim with the dolphins, relax in the tropical sun and, most important, have the chance to be a kid again.” It was a welcome break,” she said. “You don’t think about vacations when you have a sick kid in the house.” Connor’s wish came true, thanks to funds raised by Westport-based Gault Energy for Make-A-Wish Connecticut. The company launched its “Dollars for Dreams” fundraising campaign a little more than a year ago to support the wish-granting organization.” As a parent, I believe that every child deserves a childhood that is filled with love and
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Connor’s mother Melanie Armstrong said their recent vacation at the resort also gave Connor When the Make-A-Wish Connecticut organization granted his wish for a family vacation, Connor, who is battling a life-threatening illness, knew where he wanted to go: the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas to cook with Bobby Flay
laughter,” said Sam Gault, company president. “And when a child is battling a life-threatening illness, it’s up to all of us to do what we can to give that child a much-needed boost and a reason to smile.” Gault and his employees hosted a family-style barbecue last month for Connor, who has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and his family, to celebrate the granting of Connor’s wish. At the
the chance to swim with the dolphins, relax in the tropical sun and, most important, have the chance to be a kid again.
in Stamford, on the Bahamas vacation.” We’re so happy to welcome Connor and his family to our company home today and to introduce them to our family of employees, whose contributions made it possible for Connor and his family to enjoy a fun-filled vacation as he continues his medical treatment,” Gault said.
Kirsch And Starr Honored In NYC At Chosen Few Scoop says kudos to Abigail Kirsch and STARR Restaurants for being honored by The Chosen Few. Jim Kirsch and Alison Awerbuch of Abigail Kirsch and Simon Powles of STARR Restaurants were recently honored for The Chosen Few by Harriette Rose Katz recently gathered at Le Cirque for the group’s first anniversary. Bringing The Chosen Few to life is a dream come true for event planner, Harriette Rose Katz. Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “The Queen of
Top-of-the-line Social,” Harriette’s 35 years in the event industry means she knows who the best of the best New York event professionals are, whether they are household names or not. Known among her discerning clients, as well as the event industry, for her high standards and professionalism, Harriette created The Chosen Few to recognize other event professionals committed to upholding the highest level of performance. “I have personally worked with each and every one of the companies and individuals selected to join The Chosen Few and believe they are a true asset to the events
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Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “The Queen of Top-of-the-line Social,” Harriette’s 35 years in the event industry means she knows who the best of the best New York event professionals are, whether they are household names or not.
industry in New York City,” says Harriette Rose Katz. “With the stellar reputation of Gourmet Advisory Services and the hundreds of events we have created over the past 35 years, we are in a unique position to highlight the finest vendors in the field. The Chosen Few is my Michelin Guide for the New York City area event industry and I hope it will become a coveted and recognizable honor within the industry for years to come.” The Chosen Few inductees are selected following an extensive vetting process taking into consideration creativity, integrity, consistent pursuit
Rapper Partners Up With New York Soul Food Restaurant ‘Sweet Chick’
Simon Powles of STARR Restaurants was recently honored for The Chosen Few by Harriette Rose Katz
Jim Kirsch (R) and Alison Awerbuch (L) of Abigail Kirsch were recently honored
of excellence, and financial stability. Going forward, Harriette and her team at Gourmet Advisory Services will consider factors such as the company or artist’s influence on others, the innovation of their craft, as well as the superiority in style and technique. However, professional excellence shall be the essential qualification of induction into this prestigious society.
NYC Whets Kids’ Appetite For Free Food Scoop notes that the City Education
Department officials are going all out to promote free summer meals with a new smart phone app to help families locate programs, and a $1 million subway ad campaign that kicked off last month. The new SchoolFood app for iPhone and Android is free to users and provides a searchable map and database of summer meals locations with hours of operation and other information. The city served a record 8 million free summer meals in 2014 at 1,000 sites in the federally funded program. Education officials hope for another record year in 2015. “We’re taking it up a gear,” said Eric Goldstein, chief executive of the Office of School Support Services for the City Education Department. “We’ve always struggled with getting the word out.” Advocates lauded the city’s efforts to raise awareness of the program. “It’s giving New Yorkers needed information,” said Megan Cryan, New York campaign director for the advocacy group Share Our Strength. “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
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Scoop notes that Sweet Chick has locations in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan and in Brooklyn but with the help of the Queensbridge emcee, the restaurant’s owner John Seymour hopes to open a third NYC location and possibly one on the west coast. “As we continue to grow and develop the Sweet Chick brand, we want to align with partners and artists that understand what we represent,” said Seymour. “When conceptualizing Sweet Chick, we understood the history of chicken & waffles and wanted to have an amazing product while paying homage to its roots within the music community of NYC. Music has played a huge part in defining who we are and with Nas (my favorite rapper)
Music has played a huge part in defining who we are and with Nas (my favorite rapper) on board, it’s a dream come true and we can truly move forward with a ‘NY state of Mind’ and introduce SWEET CHICK to a bigger audience.
on board, it’s a dream come true and we can truly move forward with a ‘NY state of Mind’ and introduce SWEET CHICK to a bigger audience.
NoMad Adds Rocco’s To Its Lineup Of Meat And Greets Scoop says maybe NoMad should be called NYC’s Meat-eating District. Rocco Steakhouse will be the latest meat mecca to land in the neighborhood when it opens at 72 Madison Av-
The décor, though, from designer Davide De Angelis, is best described as steakhouse classic, that is, traditional mahogany wood with gold and silver accents. The 3,700 square-foot-eatery will have 150 seats, with 30 to 35 people at the bar as well as a private room that can accommodate 50 additional people.
enue this month. The area is also home to Ben & Jack’s and the soon-to-open Prime and Wine. Owner Rocco Trotta, who is also co-founder of the LiRo Group, a construction management engineering firm, has partnered with Pete Pjetrovic, a former general manager at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse who will take the same role at Rocco’s. Executive chef Johnny Jevric also worked at Wolfgang’s on Park Avenue. To stand out from the rest of the carnivore pack, Rocco’s will focus on locally sourced food, along with more than 100 wines on offer from California, France and Italy. The décor, though, from designer Davide De Angelis, is best described as steakhouse classic, that is, traditional mahogany wood with gold and silver accents. The 3,700 square-foot-eatery will have 150 seats, with 30 to 35 people at the bar as well as a private room that can accommodate 50 additional people.
// NEWS
REGULATIONS
Raw Fish Must Be Frozen First at New York City Restaurants, Says Health Department New York City restaurants are now required to freeze their raw fish before serving it to customers.
T
hough raw fish tastes good in sushi and ceviche, there is always a risk of foodborne illness because the fish might contain parasites. One way to ensure the safety of raw fish is to freeze the product before serving it to customers. Now, all New York City restaurants are legally required to do so. Back in February, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene considered ruling that all raw fish needed to be kept frozen until it was served. The regulation states that in August, raw fish must be stored in a freezer for at least 15 hours to one week, depending on the restaurant’s freezer and storage. Not all seafood will need to be frozen: Shellfish, farmraised fish, and some varieties of tuna are exempt from the ruling. To many food lovers, sushi has become a near religion, and a cornerstone of the faith is that the fish is extraordinarily fresh. Its priests are chefs with seemingly mystical abilities to summon fresh fish from all corners of the globe. But because of health concerns and growing demand, 50 to 60 percent of sushi in the United States is frozen
New York City is set to adopt Federal Food and Drug Administration regulations stipulate that fish to be eaten raw - whether as sushi, sashimi, seviche, or tartare must be frozen first, to kill parasites.
at some point in its journey from the ocean, according to wholesalers. And rare is the sushi restaurant that tells customers upfront that they may be eating fish that has been in deep freeze for up to two years. Most would be even more surprised to learn that if the sushi has not been frozen, it is illegal to serve it in the
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United States. Food and Drug Administration regulations stipulate that fish to be eaten raw - whether as sushi, sashimi, seviche, or tartare must be frozen first, to kill parasites. ''I would desperately hope that all the sushi we eat is frozen,'' said George Hoskin, a director of the agency's Office of Seafood. Tuna, a
''American customers don't want to hear that something is out of season,'' he said with a shrug. ''People want toro every day.''
deep-sea fish with exceptionally clean flesh, is the only exception to the rule. But tuna is often frozen, too, not necessarily to make it safe, but because global consumption of sushi continues to rise. Frozen fish usually costs about half as much wholesale as fresh. And some cuts, like the prized fatty toro, are not always available fresh. Naomichi Yasuda, the owner of Sushi Yasuda, the acclaimed sushi restaurant in New York City, said he imported fresh tuna but froze it himself, selling it for $10 a piece. ''American customers don't want to hear that something is out of season,'' he said with a shrug. ''People want toro every day.'' At the Elizabeth, N.J., warehouse of True World Foods, a manager, Ken Kawauchi, recently readied a roomsize freezer to receive eight more tons of premium tuna frozen with sophisticated technology that chefs say preserves the texture and flavor of the fish. ''This product is better than fresh,'' he said. ''We start freezing it almost before it's dead.'' At 76 degrees below
zero, you can feel your hair follicles freeze. A 20-pound chunk of premium bluefin tuna is rock hard and cold enough to burn a blister on your finger. But all it takes is a band saw, 10 minutes and a bowl of warm water to produce deep red, dewy slices of the finest sushi money can buy, the same toro served at Manhattan sushi shrines. Sabine Marangosian, who works in Midtown Manhattan, said she ate sushi ''at least once a week.'' I guess I would understand that some sushi is frozen,'' she said. ''But I would hope that's not the case at Nobu.'' But Shin Tsujimura, the sushi chef at Nobu, closer to Wall Street, said he froze his own tuna. ''Even I cannot tell the difference between fresh and frozen in a blind test,'' he said. Even Masa Takayama, whose sushi temple Masa, in the Time Warner Center, charges a minimum of $300 to worship, said he used frozen tuna when fresh is unavailable. Many sushi bars, in Japan and elsewhere, routinely use frozen fish when fresh is unavailable or more expensive than the market will bear. ''In Japan,'' Mr. Kawauchi said, ''50 percent of the sushi and sashimi is frozen. Only my American customers are so concerned with fresh fish.'' Americans have clearly overcome the initial resistance that greeted sushi when it was widely introduced nationally in the 1980's. The number of Japanese restaurants across the country has steadily increased in the past five years, according to the National Restaurant Association. And that number does not include the supermarkets, delis, cafeterias, and Costco stores where sushi can now be purchased. A.F.C. Sushi, a Los Angeles-based sushi franchiser, has more than 1,800 outlets nationwide. It already supplies the Staples Center, in Los Angeles; Florida State University, in Tallahas-
see, Fla.; and the United States military, which buys sushi for its commissaries. Although the company's Web site refers to ''fresh sushi,'' A.F.C. uses only frozen fish in its products. The Food and Drug Administration does not enforce the frozen-fish rule, leaving that to local health officials. The agency says sushi fish can be frozen either by the wholesaler or in the restaurant, and each party likes to believe that the other is taking care of it. ''I always assumed that the fish is frozen at some point before I get it,'' said Jack Lamb, owner of Jewel Bako in the East Village in Manhattan, ''but just for a minute, like an X-ray.'' Ian MacGregor, whose wholesale business, Lobster Place, supplies the sushi hot spot Geisha, in Midtown Manhattan, said he had heard countless euphemisms for frozen fish in restaurants. ''Fresh-frozen, re-freshed, flash-chilled, take your pick,'' he said. ''It's all frozen.'' But ''superfrozen'' fish seems to be in a category by itself. Many top sushi chefs are finding that fish frozen to about 70 degrees below zero, instead of the commercial standard, usually 10 below, can stand up to their rigorous standards. Tuna, one of the most expensive sushi fish in the world, has been the test market for superfreezing. Freezing technology that truly preserves the quality of fresh fish is relatively new, said Eric Graham, managing director of ColdWave Systems, a global seafood shipper. But this is not a new concept for some New York City restaurants especially those that offer high-quality sushi. Masa and Sushi Yasuda have been freezing their fish for a while. In 2016, restaurants will need to state on menus that consuming raw and undercooked foods can be dangerous to one’s health.
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// NEWS
PEST CONTROL
How To: Get Employees Involved With Your Pest Control Program By Jennifer Brumfield, Training and Technical Specialist, Western Pest Services
P
est issues can arise in foodservice establishments for a variety of reasons, from incoming shipments and landscaping to sanitation and facility maintenance. That’s a lot of ground to cover for one person, so the most successful pest control programs involve a team approach. Your employees are the eyes and ears of your establishment and can play an important role in detecting early signs of pest activity. Everyone from your servers and chefs to your hostesses can play a role in keeping an eye out for signs of pests. But they won’t know how to help without a basic understanding of your pest control program and the role they play in it. Here are several steps to help get your entire team involved in your pest control program. Host a training session Work with your pest management provider to conduct an on-site training session. Many pest control providers offer complimentary training sessions and may even have tip sheets
Work with your pest management provider to conduct an on-site training session
and checklists to share with your team. Teach your employees about pest identification and behavior, conditions that attract pests and best practices for prevention and ongoing maintenance. Develop a pest sighting protocol Establish a pest sighting protocol that outlines what steps to take if they detect a pest problem and the key personnel they should notify. Consider including the following steps in your pest sighting protocol:
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Consider offering an incentive to employees who find and/or report pests. It may inspire them to be play a more active role.
•
Catch any pest seen around the facility so your pest management professional can identify the type of pest. • Document when and where the pest was seen. • Help the pest management professional determine how the pest gained access. Consider offering an incentive to
employees who find and/or report pests. It may inspire them to play a more active role. Assign roles Make sure your employees have a clear understanding of the role they play in your pest control program. Consider assigning each employee a specific pest management role based on their existing daily responsibilities. Assigning roles will not only help avoid confusion, but encourage involvement as well. In addition to assigning roles, remind employees that they are responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Poorly maintained employee lockers or break rooms can also cause pest issues. Communicate When you keep an open line of communication, it’s easier for everyone to be on the same page. Keep employees in the loop about proactive pest management initiatives and upcoming pesticide applications. Effective communication builds trust; understanding and can help keep your pest management decisions proactive, rather than reactive. Employee participation is an important component of any successful pest control program. Equip your team with the knowledge they need, empower them to make an impact and continue to reinforce that pest control is a priority. Jennifer Brumfield is an entomologist and Training and Technical Specialist for Western Pest Services, a New-Jersey based pest management company serving residential and commercial customers throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Learn more about Western by visiting www. westernpest.com.
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// LITTLE M. TUCKER
WITH MORGAN TUCKER
New York in a Dozen Plates Robert Sietsema recounts his culinary journey through New York City over three decades in his latest book, New York in a Dozen Dishes. Inspired by his gastronomic roadmap, this column features twelve dinnerware collections that have framed my gratitude of the Big Apple thus far.
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et’s start with Pizza, just like Mr. Sietsema. “Throw a rock in any direction in the five boroughs and you’re likely to hit a pizza of some sort.” I’m gently tossing a pebble from my office window in 230 Fifth Ave towards 29th Street to the Martha Washington Hotel, where you will find Marta, and hand painted blue plates from Anfora’s Puebla collection that have become ubiquitous in their Instagram fame. One plate… and light and crispy pizza, can start a social media revolution. From pizza to Chinese food, Asia de Cuba’s crispy calamari salad set me up for some serious drinking nights when I first arrived to town. The reincarnation is elevated, just like my palette, and presented on Mesh dinnerware from Rosenthal, a beautifully subtle cross stich pattern, now also available in three unique colors: demure cream, cool blue, and rich walnut. The Clam Chowder at Aquagrill makes the top six list in the book when highlighting dish #3. Presented in Monique from Steelite International for as long as I can remember, the 19 year old recipe is complimented with dinnerware that is a perfect blend of classic and modern design. This pattern and this dish certainly make my list, too. Global flavors through an African lens collide at The Cecil in Harlem, now plating on Rene Ozorio’s Wabi Sabi. The restaurant and the dinnerware collection both have an ethnic aesthetic and a world view of finding
Morgan Tucker, M. Tucker m p t u c ke r @ m t u c ke r.c o m
beauty in imperfection. Every detail at Harlow was calculated, which is why Rosenthal’s Nendoo was selected here. A geometrically embossed rim is an elegant platform for “elevated” presentations. Beautiful custom Richard Genori can be found throughout the city, specifically monopolizing the tables at most Major Food Group restaurants. At Santina, the plateware aids the food in transporting you to the Italian coast. Last year we welcomed Enrique Olivero’s nurtured cuisine and custom Mexican dinnerware with open arms. With a proprietary satin matte finish, Anfora and Mr. Olivero couldn’t represent Mexican cuisine more authentically or authoritatively. Just as BBQ is an American staple, so is Homer Laughlin dinnerware. The
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most appreciated vintage collections can be found at Butter, under the watchful eye of Alex Guarnaschelli. You can have great ‘cue all over this town, but my comfort food is Charred White Cloud Cauliflower on American
Beautiful custom Richard Genori can be found throughout the city, specifically monopolizing the tables at most Major Food Group restaurants.
Rose. Bring your cuisine, use our handmade ceramic plates where no two are identical. At Chef’s Club by Food and Wine, the custom Jono Pandolfi collection doesn’t rotate when best new chefs from all over the globe visit and curate staple dishes for the permanent menu as well as intimate dinner parties. The intoxicating aroma of the tandoori oven at Tabla welcomed me to my Union Square Hospitality Group manager’s training in 2007. While the exquisite tiling and representative artwork is long gone, the rustic Terramesa and Craft dinnerware patterns can still be appreciated at other diversely exquisite restaurants like Harold Dieterle’s Kin Shop. The days of complete collections of one pattern may have taken a hiatus, but not at The Standard Highline. Thankfully, the design team here appreciates classic dinnerware with a prestigious backstamp: Villeroy and Boch’s La Scala. Gem, reactive glazes on organic porcelain shapes create the Kiln collection from Front of the House. A commitment to local ingredient pairs perfectly with the natural warmth of this fresh palette at Justin Smilie’s Upland. And since my dessert plateware collection doesn’t exist YET… my baker’s dozen won’t be pastry. Scattered throughout many of Jean-Georges properties you will discover Dudson’s Evolution dinnerware. With the lowest carbon emissions of any ceramic hospitality tableware manufactured anywhere, Evolution is a game-changer just like the restaurants where it is used. Ready to make your mark with dinnerware? Visit www.littlemtucker.com for all our favorite collections, and a more in depth look at many of these featured restaurants.
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// NEWS
CELEBRATION
Eurodib Hosts Food Service Celebration Of Cross Atlantic Frigate Voyage A replica of the Hermione, the three-masted, 32-gun frigate docked at the South Street Seaport.
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arly last month, a replica of the Hermione, the three-masted, 32gun frigate that carried Lafayette to America in 1780 with news of his king’s military support for the Americans, docked at the South Street Seaport. More than two centuries later, the crowds were smaller but the scene was still clangorous. After passing Governors Island, the Hermione sent a round of cannon blasts echoing off the buildings of Lower Manhattan before gliding into port. Lafayette's Hermione Voyage 2015, a two-month 'Re-Living History' sailed to commemorate the Hermione, the Frigate of Freedom that delivered the young Marquis de Lafayette in 1780 to General Washington with full French aid. The authentically reconstructed Hermione was 17 years in the re-making, and sailed 3,819 miles across the Atlantic to land in Yorktown before sailing up the coast to 11 additional iconic ports including the South Street Seaport in Manhattan for an unprecedented two months of
Eurodib’s Jean Yves Dumaine was on hand to celebrate the New York City visit of the Hermione. The three masted replica of the 32 gun frigate carried the Lafayette to America in 1780 docked at the South Street Seaport to celebrate its cross-Atlantic voyage.
events. The Hermione left Rochefort, France in mid-April. Rochefort is located in the Poitou-Charentes region of western France, and was formed in 1956 from the major part of the old Poitou area, plus three smaller areas in the south. The climate of the Charentes is one of the mildest in France, and the coastal area of this region is the sunniest part of France outside the Mediterranean coastal
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areas. Poitou-Charentes boasts a vibrant economy with a wide range of industry from Maritime to manufacturing. Quebec based Eurodib a well-known importer of high quality food service equipment to North America utilizes the region to find the latest innovative solutions. "It’s interesting that in this case, a stainless steel manufacturer who is supplying the mari-
'The authentically reconstructed Hermione was 17 years in the remaking,and sailed 3,819 miles across the Atlantic to land in York-town before sailing up the coast to 11 additional iconic ports.
time industry for the rebuild of the Hermione is also creating high quality planchas for foodservice," noted Eurodib's president Jean Yves Dumaine. So as part of the celebration in New York City, Eurodib hosted local members of the foodservice industry in July for a Manhattan reception at the French Consulate and a tour of the ship at South Street Seaport. Captain Yann Cariou, a 30-year veteran of the French Navy, his second, Charlene Giquel, 29, a former Navy Lieutenant, commanded the ship. They have been training the crew for a year in old world sailing
continued on page 93
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// C-CAP TRADE TALK
WITH JOYCE APPELMAN
C-CAP NYC Grad Edwards Puts Her Stamp on Legendary Bakery Jennifer Edwards is the Assistant Retail Manager of Dominique Ansel Bakery, leading a front-of-house team at Chef Dominique Ansel’s celebrated flagship bakery in the Soho section of Manhattan.
A
s a child, Jennifer was always interested in both pastry and hospitality. A native New Yorker, Jennifer grew up in the Bronx and, at the age of 12, made a cake from a boxed mix for her mother. Her mother’s reaction to the surprise instantly got Jennifer excited to pursue a career out of making people happy with sweets. While she was enrolled in culinary classes at Christopher Columbus High School, Jennifer participated in the Careers through Culinary Arts Program’s (C-CAP) Summer Job Training. C-CAP placed her in internships at Union Square Cafe and Fleur de Sel. According to Jennifer, during these internships she learned basic kitchen and front-of-house skills, gained confidence, and realized that she wanted to continue her training in fine dining operations leading to a career as a dessert professional. She competed in C-CAP’s Cooking Competition earning a C-CAP/AMEX Education Scholarship and attended The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she graduated with a degree in Baking & Pastry Arts in 2011. As a student, Jennifer also trained as an extern in pastry at Bouley, and upon graduating, worked in the pastry kitchens of the EMM Group and Café Talullah. In 2012, Jennifer and a friend and fellow CIA graduate launched Sweet Euphoria,
Joyce Appelman, New York, NY j oyc e a p p e l m a n @ g m a i l .c o m
an at-home business of specialty cakes and pastries. From 2013 to 2015, Jennifer held front-of-house duties at Daniel Boulud’s Epicerie Boulud, with roles ranging from retail specialist to bartender to even shucking oysters at the oyster bar. Jennifer became Assistant Retail Manager of Dominique Ansel Bakery in February 2015, bringing her experience with pastry and her understanding of both front- and back-of-house roles to help lead the team each day. Rain or shine, you can always find Jennifer greeting guests in the Bakery as well as those outside waiting in line each morning with a smile on her face. I sat down with her recently to find out more about her coveted position. A native New Yorker, Jennifer grew up in the Bronx and, at the age of 12, made a cake from a boxed mix for her mother.
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How is your front-of-house team structured and what are the most important customer service tips and practices that you use to ensure that your guests are
having a great experience each day? I rotate the team on specific stations daily so they get to understand each role and always feel like they are learning something. I encourage them to ask questions and am always happy to show them how to do something if they are unsure. When new employees come on board, we have them shadow senior staff so they can listen and observe, get a feel for the pace and adjust to our constant flow of traffic. It’s also important for our employees to really understand the menu and we make sure that they get to try products so they can feel confident when explaining to guests and answering questions. I really enjoy making people happy and I try to encourage my staff to remember every day that we are making first impressions. How we communicate, act and how we always keep our “house" clean and organized makes for an experience that guests will leave with and remember. It might be early in the morning, but I will always have a smile on my face and am always willing to help a guest. I get a lot of enjoyment from making our guests smile, even with the smallest gesture. What ‘s your favorite part of the day? My favorite part of the day is the first few hours each morning – seeing that line of guests waiting for the Cronut each day and then opening the doors to welcome our customers gets me excited. I am always happy to offer our guests samples while informing them about the bakery, our pastries and our new baby brother bakery, Dominique Ansel Kitchen. We’ll serve them warm madeleines fresh out of the oven, lemonade during warmer months and hot chocolate during chillier months. I love the feeling of their excitement and energy just to get in the bakery. It makes working there that much more amazing, and I’m proud of that.
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// NEWS
CHEFS
D.C. Celebrity Chef José Andrés Heads To New York Washington, D.C. favorite celebrity chef José Andrés may have dropped his planned restaurant in the Trump International Hotel but he added his first New York City restaurant to his "coming soon" list the same week.
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ndrés will open The Bazaar by José Andrés at the new SLS New York at 444 Park Ave. South, a 190-room luxury hotel that will open next summer. SLS is a hotel brand he’s had a relationship with for several years, with The Bazaar in the SLS Beverly Hills and SLS South Beach, and another planned for SLS Hotel & Casino in Las
Vegas. The Bazaar will be Andrés’ first New York restaurant. Chef José Andrés is owner and executive chef at some of Washington D.C.’s most acclaimed restaurants (minibar, Jaleo) and wellknown humanitarian. It will be his first-ever restaurant in New York City. This is Andrés' first professional foray into the New York City area since he began his career.
It will be José Andrés' first-ever restaurant in New York City. This is Andrés' first professional foray into the New York City area since he began his career.
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"I'm incredibly excited to bring our Bazaar concept to New York, where I started the U.S. chapter of my career 24 years ago and a city I've long wanted to return to,” Andrés said. “The power and energy of New York are unlike anywhere else."
(Andrés also owns a Bazaar in Miami and a Bazaar Meat in Vegas.) "I'm incredibly excited to bring our Bazaar concept to New York, where I started the U.S. chapter of my career 24 years ago and a city I've long wanted to return to,” Andrés said. “The power and energy of New York are unlike anywhere else."
The announcement comes after chef Andrés pulled out of his contract with the upcoming Trump Hotel in Washington D.C. Chef Andres, who just became a U.S. citizen two years ago, cited Trump’s statements disparaging immigrants as his reason for dropping out. José Ramón Andrés Puerta (born 13 July 1969), known as José Andrés, is a Spanish American chef often credited for bringing the small plates dining concept to America. He owns restaurants in Washington DC, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, South Beach and Dorado. José Andrés is chair of the advisory board for LA Kitchen, a social enterprise in Los Angeles, California. José Andrés was born in Mieres, Spain. He is married and has three daughters. Early in his career, he trained under Ferran Adrià at the restaurant El Bulli. Beginning in the fall of 2010, Andrés taught a culinary physics course at Harvard University with Ferran Adrià. In May 2012, Andrés was named dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center, where he and Colman Andrews developed a curriculum in traditional and modern Spanish cuisine, which debuted in February 2013. On 29 October 2012, he announced he was heading back to the classroom, and would teach his first course on how food shapes civilization at George Washington University, which awarded him an honorary doctorate degree in public service on 18 May 2014, when he served as university's commencement speaker at the National Mall.
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// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Summer Fancy Food Show – The Take Away Now that the carpet’s been rolled up on the 61st Annual Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center, exhibitors served up their feedback on the show and the food. by Marjorie Borell
T
he semi-annual event is designed to showcase artisan food start-ups, so that grocery buyers and food trend spotters can gauge what customers might be eating next. Topping off the show are the SOFI Awards, 30 categories of food and drink vying for what has become known as the Oscars of artisan food. This year’s event attracted over 2,400 exhibitors and 24,000 attendees and uncovered emerging trends and innovations ranging from the familiar to the downright bizarre. Marked among them were the ubiquity of the Non-GMO label, continued growth in the gluten-free sector and healthier alternatives to the traditional tried and true. A recent Specialty Food
Association survey showed GMO-free as the No. 2 natural/ethical claim and 55% of manufacturers expecting to add gluten-free options along with products that are allergen-free. Target, Kroger and Costco, in a desire to attract more health and fitness-conscious customers, are paying special attention to these specialties as consumer interest in natural ingredients continues to grow. Although the show is not necessarily intended as a place to write orders, many exhibitors do. According to Tim Shanley, CEO, Victoria Fine Foods, “This show was the best of the shows we’ve participated in so far. It had a positive, upbeat feel, was well attended and introduced some of the most interesting
Maple Leaf Farms’ Cindy Turk (L) worked closely with show visitors
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and creative concepts in the industry.” According to the 2015 State of the Specialty Food Industry report, total U.S. sales of specialty food topped $109 billion in 2014, an increase of nearly 22% over 2012. Foodservice sales now account for 22% of all specialty food dollars with chips, pretzels and other snacks becoming the fourth-largest category of specialty food sales. And despite the controversy surrounding “allnatural” label claims, 94% of specialty food manufacturers offer all-natural products, accounting for more than two-thirds of sales. “Globe-trotting millennials are adventurous eaters, open to international flavors and ingredients especially if they are natural and authentic,” adds
Empire Baking’s Steve Egert toured the show
Shanley. “They are increasingly rejecting processed foods and irresponsible manufacturing practices in favor of small batch, sustainable and healthier choices.” The show featured snacks made with quinoa, crackers and chips made from lentils, chickpeas and black rice (two of the SOFI Award winners) and add-ins including hemp seeds, powdered peanut butter and seasoning blends like sesame-based gomasio. Some of the more unique offerings I sampled were ice cream cones made from extruded corn and my personal favorite – camel milk. Other brave-new-world ingredients I encountered were baobab, powdered seeds of the African “upside down tree”
Kontos Foods’ Warren Stoll (L) and Demetrios Haralambatos with HR Industry’s Howard Rothstein
White Coffee’s Jonathan White found a warm reception for his firm’s new organic coffee line
used as a flavor enhancer in drinks and sauces; kombucha, a fermented, effervescent tea with purported health benefits; and calamansi, a Southeast Asian fruit believed to aid in the elimination of toxins. Also represented were mainstream favorites like salsa, hummus and snack bars, now sweetened with beets and agave, and alcohol-inspired products like wine ice cream and pickles brined
Waffle Wafle's booth was anchored by Brian Samuels and Jamie Pacillo
with hops. There were ethnic-inspired, convenient foods like frozen vegetable moussaka and chicken samosa, and in the beverage category, enhanced waters - naturally-sourced, antioxidant,
Sid Wainer’s Henry Wainer was among a large contingent of food distributors at the annual event
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even maple-infused. Portugal’s Pedras gourmet sparkling water had its own “water sommelier.” “The show was almost overwhelming in its size and breadth and provided
an invaluable opportunity to solidify business relationships and make new connections,” noted Geoffrey Schaber, National Sales Manager, Sylvia’s Foods represented by World Finer Foods. “The biggest takeaway for me was seeing health food retailers and buyers from independent health stores there, perhaps signaling a merger between wellness and specialty.” Marjorie Borell is a marketing communications copywriter for the hospitality industry and a restaurant real estate broker. She has spoken at the Institute of Culinary Education, been a judge at the 2015 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show and is an owner of Beer Culture in New York’s theater district. www.strategiccopyandcontent.com, strategiccopyandcontent@ gmail.com
Macy’s Cheesestick’s John Macy
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// NEWS
MILESTONES
New York’s Le Perigord Celebrates 50 Years of Bouillabaisse, Elizabeth Taylor, and Roast Duck In New York, where hundreds of restaurants open and close their doors within a year’s time, Le Perigord has withstood the test of time for 50 of them.
H
ow did they do it? “By avoiding “fusion confusion,” reserving a special booth for their most high-profile clientele, making friends with the U.N., and removing a fish soup from the menu that made one patron so angry that he had to be restrained from attacking the chef (actually, after forty
years, that soup has officially made a comeback as of last month),” says owner Georges Briguet. “We’ve been lucky to welcome so many very, very famous and sometimes infamous people. In fact, it was a picture of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton leaving Le Perigord the year we opened that first put the restaurant on the map.
Le Perigord celebrates 50 Years in NYC
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At the time, they were the most scandalous couple in the world. We
still call the curved banquette in the back of the dining room ‘the Liz Booth’ because that is where they always sat. Much more recently, it has been the favorite of Angelina and Brad Pitt. Our one goal, from which we have never deviated, is to serve the food eaten in France.” “Of all those people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, I always thought Ronald Regan was the most special, the most charismatic. Until he came in one night with Charlton Heston, who had the best personality of anyone I’ve ever met.” The buffet froid as an appetizer, the clams and oysters with sauce mignonette, the cold foie gras with sauterne aspic, escargots in hazelnut butter, and the vegetable tart
with tangy butter sauce has always remained on the menu. For entrées, the sea bass with creamy country mustard sauce; the Dover sole; rack of lamb; veal kidneys; and the roasted duck, carved tableside and served with seasonal fruits, although it did come off the menu for a few months about 15 years ago. So many customers were upset; we had to put it back on. “Bob Bradford, the husband of the famous author Barbara Taylor Bradford, told me he would not set foot in Le Perigord until he could order the roast duck again.” What makes all of those dishes special at Le Perigord is that they have been on the menu all these years none of them can come off.
When people make their reservations, they know what they’re going to have. They count on those dishes, which are Le Perigord’s most popular. The restaurant has a new young talent in the kitchen, who is doing exciting daily specials that are more modern, but they still select the more traditional food served in France that has evolved to incorporate a wider palate of spices and ingredients. In fact, soon, they’re going to present a daily tasting menu, probably five courses, of these more contemporary dishes. Calves brains, which is something people either love or just hate the idea of. Word spread they were serving them and had people
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calling to reserve them in advance! Bouillabaisse has also been a monster hit. They haven’t served the classic fish soup of the south of France at Le Perigord in well over 40 years; they used to have it on the menu, but one night a gentlemen found an unopened mussel in his, which meant the mussel was bad. He was furious and stalked into the kitchen and had to be restrained from assaulting the chef, Willy Krause. Willy banned bouillabaisse that night and they haven’t served it again – until now, as a special. The secret on Le Perigord lasting so long is they never ventured into fusion confusion or tutti-frutti food. Their one goal, from which they have never deviated, is to serve
the food eaten in France. That food is always from the best quality ingredients and very, very fresh. They now have a second generation of regulars, the sons and daughters of their original customers, and some of their grandchildren, too. The proximity to the United Nations has been very good for Le Perigord; they are known as the home of the ambassadors and through them the restaurant has become known all over the world, attracting Heads of State, too. “I still laugh when I remember Imelda Marcus changing her shoes in the coat room in the middle of her dinner!”
// INSURANCE
FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Minimizing The Risk Of Two Common Workplace Injuries There are a wide variety of jobs within the food services industry. Maintaining a safe environment for all types of employees, contractors, and other visitors to your facility is an essential element of risk management. According to studies from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), for every $1 spent in safety programs, businesses can save between $4 to $6 from costs associated with injuries and fatalities.
Bob Fiorito, Vice President of Business Development at Hub International Robert.Fiorito@ hubinternational.com
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verexertion and falls on the same level account for more than 40% of the top 10 workplace injuries and cost companies as much as $25 billion that year, according to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index 2014. And yet, with a little extra effort and consideration, employers can take steps to minimize their risk. Overexertion: An overexertion injury is cumulative in nature and results from long term wear and tear on the musculoskeletal system. Work conditions often only contribute to the injury and are not typically 100% responsible for it, making it difficult for everyone – from business owners, supervisors, claims representa-
There may have been a specific point in time when the employee felt the injury, but it can be difficult to quantify where the responsibility lies. tives and insurance carriers as well as the employee themselves- to determine the injury’s root cause. Not being able to see the injury and not being able to identify a specific point in time when the injury occurred makes it very difficult for the employee and employer to determine where the incident really happened and to understand if the injury was sustained in the course of the work day. There may have been a specific point in time when the employee felt the injury, but it can be difficult
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to quantify where the responsibility lies. In order to prevent these overexertion injuries from having a negative effect on your workforce, it’s important to take the following multi-faceted approach: 1. Focus on pre-hire qualifications. Hire a third party to perform physical and functional capacity evaluations and assess the physical abilities and requirements of each job. Once these are solidified, qualify potential employees to make sure they
can meet the demands of the job. 2. Make work conditions as safe as possible. Provide tools to make the job as easy as possible, including designing the workplace so employees of all sizes can work with good posture to avoid excess stress to their musculoskeletal system. Try to provide as much flexibility as possible in a fixed workstation so your employee population can work in a neutral and comfortable posture. 3. Maintain a healthy workforce. A fit and healthy employee is less likely to have an overexertion injury and will recover faster should they sustain an injury than an employee that is unfit and unhealthy. An unhealthy workforce will drive up the costs of employee care. Falls on the same level: Often times an employer doesn’t have complete control over the work environment. Ice, water or other liquid spills can increase the risk of falls. Or, a fall could happen outside in the parking lot while a customer is getting out of their vehicle. There are a few ways businesses can protect their employees and business associates from this workplace injury: 1. Maintain physical worksite. Make sure your worksites are maintained in a clean and orderly fashion, including preventive maintenance of flooring materials. Have a plan in place so there is a method
to inspect and monitor slip and trip hazards. Designate a team or individual responsible for doing a periodic inspection. 2. Establish a footwear program. Depending on what workers are doing and what types of surfaces they are working on, you can designate safety footwear for employees. Establishing an official program where employers share in the cost of the footwear or purchase them for employees will ensure compliance. 3. Specify flooring with a higher level of slip resistance or friction coefficient. Business owners should consider slip and fall prevention when building a new facility or making modifications to existing venues. Some flooring types provide more slip resistance than others. Visit the National Floor Safety Institute for more information. Final Step: Establish a return to work program. Regardless of the workplace injury, establish a well-
thought-out return to work program to minimize employer costs and keep employees mentally and physically acclimated to the work environment, even in a modified capacity. When the insurance carrier pays the employees wages for a prolonged period of time, it negatively affects the cost of insurance for employers. Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, HUB International Northeast., where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20-year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth" dining establishments. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito.com
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// NEWS
PROMOTIONS
Connecticut's Barteca Holdings Names Jeff Carcara President Barteca Holdings LLC, parent to the Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar and bartaco restaurant concepts, has named Jeff Carcara to the newly created position of president, the company announced.
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B
arteca Holdings, which has 20 restaurants across six Eastern states, said Carcara’s hiring comes as the company plans to expand both brands. “We have been aggressively growing our two restaurant businesses, and Jeff's track record and experience will be a great compliment to our team as we continue to rapidly expand both Barcelona and bartaco,” Andy Pforzheimer, Barteca Holdings co-founder and CEO, said. Pforzheimer said Carcara had experience with growth at Southlake, Texas-based Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group Inc., where he served as chief
operating officer. (continued on page 93) Pforzheimer said the company plans to add seven new restaurants this year, and Sasa Mahr-Batuz, cofounder and Barteca’s creative director, added that at least six new restaurants are planned for 2016. “We’re opening in Nashville this year, and we’re looking in Chicago,” Pforzheimer said. Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar, which specializes in tapas, has nine units along the East Coast. Barcelona and bartaco units are generally about 4,000 square feet and seat between 120 and 150 customers. Bartaco generally appeals to
Barteca Holdings Names Jeff Carcara, pictured above as President
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families and lunch customers, while Barcelona has heavier traffic at dinner and later in the evening. Previously, Carcara worked with Hillstone Restaurant Group, parent to the Houston’s chain, and Darden Restaurants Inc., where he worked with the Seasons 52 brand, as well as with Bahama Breeze. Earlier, Carcara served as corporate director of food and beverage for the Kessler Collection Hotels and worked at Houston's, part of the Hillstone Restaurant Group. "I have been fortunate over the last 10 years to work with and help grow several great brands," Carcara said. "Andy and Sasa have built a
great business, and I look forward to contributing to the company's ongoing success and growth." “Jeff will be a great addition to our team as we continue to focus on operations and keeping the customer front and center,” Mahr-Batuz said. Mahr-Batuz and Pforzheimer founded Barcelona Wine Bar in 1995. The concept now has 12 restaurants in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington D.C The company also operates eight bartaco restaurants in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New York and Virginia. Barteca Holdings drew an investment in 2012 from private-equity firm Rosser Capital Partners.
// NEWS
REBUILDING
HAFSCO Teams With Ardsley Country Club To Save Summer Season What do you do when your restaurant, is completely gutted by fire two weeks before Christmas?
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ou think quickly, like Andrew Balint, general manager of the Ardsley Country Club, and assemble a team of the finest architects, engineers, designers and equipment suppliers you can find. “The kitchen was the first order of business so we could have some type of food and beverage service for our members,” he recalls. What made the catastrophe a little easier to bare was that the club at that time was already rebuilding its locker room inside the main clubhouse. “So when this happened, we were working with contractors, architects and engineers. At the time there was no food segment to the remodel, just the locker room. We started thinking differently once the majority of the fire took out the entire kitchen,” Balint says. It wasn’t until country club officials started exploring what could be done to get a kitchen back up and running when the idea of taking over the pro shop came to mind, along with the realization that this wasn’t going to be a quick fix. “We needed a professional company to pull this off,” he says. That’s where HAFSCO, commercial kitchen design, comes in. “Tom Capobianco came in February to have a look at the area and what we would do. At that stage we put him together with the architects and engineers who had the CAD files, so they were all
A December fire at the club put the summer season at risk. Ardsley’s manager Andrew Balint worked with the HAFSCO team to create a plan that enabled the club to re-open
ready to go,” the general manager says. "We got involved this past April and spent the month drawing the project, " commented Capobianco. "By May 1st, we were ready to place the equipment orders to execute the plan, which meant that Andrew could have the club ready for his members by no later than the 4th of July. We were able to accomplish that goal." "The design fell into place once we made the decision to do Garde manger inside and the heat (cooking line) outside," Capobianco added. The key became our ability to develop a solution to hang a 22foot hood over the outside cooking line. So our team created and implemented a plan that included utilizing a composite material to build a super structure that handles the weight of the hood. " "Its amazing what a hit the new out-
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Capobianco’s vision led to the creation of a Garde manger/prep area including housing for walk-in capacity, dishwashing and prep in a former utility room
door line has become. We wouldn't be surprised to see it become a permanent amenity for the members after the new clubhouse is rebuilt, " Capobianco continued. "Members love sitting outside and watching what's going on in the open kitchen." "With the inside Garde manger, we imagined a merry go round. We wanted both the culinary team and waitstaff to move in the same direction through each checkpoint. So when you open the
The success of the project was forged by the Ardsley team and HAFSCO working in concert to set and accomplish realistic benchmarks. “The lead time on the equipment was six to eight weeks, so we hoped we’d be open by Memorial Day," said Balint. We were pretty much open during golf events all throughout May and June. Early in May we were using the kitchen at the snack bar because the pool was not open yet. But once Memorial Day came, we had to rent walk-in refrigerators. We had only a couple of Pepsi fridges to store food, and once we
The HAFSCO design team created a spectacular temporary outdoor cooking line that has proven to be a big hit with Ardsley’s members
door you can easily see that the prep area flows in the middle with walk-in, dry storage and soda lines in the back and dishwashing and ice making on the side walls. We were even able to fit a coffee station just inside the entrance to make it simple for the waitstaff.
started doing the larger events, there was no place to store the food. We had to start renting, creating a temporary kitchen with-in freezers and refrigerators, just to keep the food here.” Complete success came on the Fourth of July weekend. “That’s when we were
able to open.” Balint says. “Once all the orders were placed, by the second week of June we had all the permits lined up. The engineer who worked with us eased the transition with the building inspector.” While the set-up is still a temporary one, in place only until the main restaurant is rebuilt in the clubhouse, the location the team is currently working on was once the pro shop. “It’s called ‘the little house,’ a smaller version of the club house,” Balint says. “It was the carriage house back in the day. The team figured out how to run the gas and electric lines and whatever else we needed to turn it into a workable kitchen. From day to day, it doesn’t seem like a lot is getting done. But you blink your eyes and six months go by and wow, there it is.” If he had to give advice to anyone else facing a situation like this, Balint says it’s easy. “You have to have flexible thinking. Most things are going to change from what you anticipated. If you’re a fixed thinker, you’re just going to be dealing with frustration. Nothing is going to go the way you planned, and you have to be ready to deal with those small things that constantly come up.” Whether it’s the architect, contractor, or engineer, everyone has different trains of thought. “So you have to be willing to change things at a moment’s notice,” he says, pointing out that his role was only to serve as the person who oversees how the decisions being made would affect
the restaurant. An owner’s rep was hired to manage the project itself because of the size. “HAFSCO has been great. Their knowledge of what we needed has been priceless. I know what a piece of equipment does but what do we need?” Balint says. “Do we need this piece? Do you need one that offers less? Once a chef was hired, some pieces were swapped out a little.” When the decision was made
HAFSCO utilized the club’s former bag room to design and build a temporary kitchen to meet the needs of the club’s members
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to turn the golf bag room into the interior kitchen, HAFSCO wasn’t fazed in the least that three of the walls were underground. “They had the knowledge to do it,” he says. As for the future, Balint says the new permanent kitchen should be ready in a year and a half. “With six months left to go, we plan to be at 75% near done. Here’s hoping!” "We love what we do and the chal-
lenge of a project like this, "Capobianco concluded. That passion has led to the firm becoming the "go-to" for many of the Tri-State's most prestigious country clubs. HAFSCO is currently working on a number of projects including the legendary Winged Foot in Westchester and New Jersey's Baltusrol Club.
// MIXOLOGY
WITH WARREN BOBROW
Three Shades Of Whiskey I’m excited by seasonality in cocktails… Whiskey seems to continue to haunt my taste buds and it is about time to shatter the preconceived notions that whiskey is only for cold weather.
Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is the creator of the popular blog The Cocktail Whisperer and the author of nearly half a dozen books, including Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktail and Bitters and Shrub Syrup
J
ust as Henry Clay, he brought the mint julep to Washington, DC. So I thought it wise to give you three shades of whiskey in three easy to reproduce cocktails using three easily found whiskies and three ingredients in total. Think you want to continue with me? I hope so, because here are three shades of whiskey. Barrell Bourbon is a perennial fa-
Barrell Bourbon is a perennial favorite of mine. Each batch is different and un-touched if you will. Only a fine mesh separates the char from the whiskey and it is never caramel colored, nor artificially flavored.
vorite of mine. Each batch is different and un-touched if you will. Only a fine mesh separates the char from the whiskey and it is never caramel colored, nor artificially flavored. This is the good stuff! I used batch #004 but good luck finding it. Once they sell out, well it’s gone, gone, gone!
Out On The Perimeter There Is No Sun… Ingredients • 2 oz. Barrell Bourbon #004 • 1 oz. Freshly Squeezed Charred Grapefruit Juice (cut grapefruits in half and roast in a 400 degree oven with a sprinkle of Demerara sugar and Angostura bitters on top • 1 oz. Freshly Squeezed Charred Orange Juice (same as the Grapefruit in execution) • Ice • Aromatic Bitter- ok, so that makes four ingredients… • Mint (ok, five.. with the garnish) Preparation 1. Into a Boston Shaker filled ¾ with Bar Ice, add the Barrell Bourbon and the freshly squeezed juices
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Cocktails- his most recent book.
2. Shake hard for 15 seconds 3. Strain into a coupe glass or a rocks glass with 1 large cube of ice 4. Dot with Aromatic Bitters 5. Garnish with mint The next drink draws its influence from the bar by the name of the Erin Rose located on Conti Street, just above Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I visited this boite of intoxication just before I left New Orleans after Tales of the Cocktail this year and ordered their house specialty, the Frozen Irish Coffee. I made mine with Teeling Irish Whiskey because of the assertive flavor that just says Ireland in every sip.. 1. Take 16 ounces of freshly brewed coffee and combine it with 16 ounces of freshly whipped (to the soft stage) whipped cream, whisk together and add 1 oz. vanilla extract 2. Add 16 ounces of Irish Whiskey (Teeling in this case) and combine
3. Add 1 cup Simple Syrup 4. Combine again 5. Add to an ice cream mixer or frozen drink maker 6. Churn until slushy 7. If necessary, you can add more Teeling Whiskey The consistency should be that of soft ice cream with a granular edge from the semi-frozen liquid The final drink is a tip of the hat to Henry Clay, the father of the mint julep and Kentucky Senator. This deceptively simple drink uses white dry Vermouth from Carpano Antica and Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey along with a touch of Pickett’s Ginger Syrup and a splash of seltzer water There really are only three ingredients in this one, if you don’t count the seltzer water of course. Nor the mint.
The Henry Clay Duel Ingredients • 1 oz. Carpano Antica Dry White Vermouth • ½ oz. Pickett’s Hot and Spicy Ginger Syrup • 2 oz. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey • 1 oz. Seltzer Water • fresh mint Preparation 1. In a Collins glass, add three cubes of ice 2. Add the Pickett’s syrup 3. Add the Vermouth 4. Add the Four Roses Bourbon 5. Mix 6. Top with Seltzer and serve with some slapped fresh mint 7. (what does it mean to slap mint? Put it in your hand and clap your hand. This action reveals the oils in the mint.) 8. Delicious!
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// RESTAURANT RENAISSANCE
WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO
New York City's Newest Eateries Entice What I love about dining in New York City is the wonderful variety of foods, from American to ethnic and every cuisine in between. And, with today’s restaurateurs stirring things up with expanded offerings on the menu, larger dining and bar areas, and moves into new quarters, the city’s impressive culinary scene is fresher than ever.
O
f course, nothing goes stale in the city that never sleeps, especially when it comes to dining. Better yet, with the exceptional activity now going on, I’ve found the City’s restaurant selections to be as exciting as ever. Why not take advantage of all that’s new this fall, prepared by the best of the best. Enjoy! Midtown is going to be all the sweeter with cupcake fancier Magnolia moving into the former Cinnabon location at Penn Station this autumn. It’s out with the old and in with the new at the Seagram Building, 375 Park Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Streets, where the Four Seasons’ departure next summer will be filled by a new dining spot, courtesy of restaurant and hospitality business Major Food Group, led by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick, whose New York and Hong Kong restaurants include Dirty French bistro, Santina Italian restaurant, Parm sandwich shop, Carbone Italian-American restaurant, and ZZ’s Clam Bar raw seafood and craft cocktail bar.
Midtown is going to be all the sweeter with cupcake fancier Magnolia moving into the former Cinnabon location
Faith Hope Consolo,
at Penn Station
Chairman, The Retail Group Douglas Elliman
this autumn.
fc o n s o l o @ e l l i m a n .c o m
In Chelsea, business partners David Chang and Andrew Salmon are opening Momofuku at 232 8th Avenue at 21st Street. A liquor license is in the works for the eatery, which encompasses a noodle bar, ssäm bar, highend ko and the Milk Bar bakeries. Plans include seating for 68 diners plus another seven guests at the bar, along with a possible sidewalk café in the future. The famed Union Square Café is moving from 21 East 16th Street to 235 Park Avenue South at 19th Street (the former site of City Crab), where owner Danny Meyer is planning extensive renovations of the much larger, more cohesive space. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean the eatery’s former East 16th Street location will leave neighborhood and visiting diners
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in the wanting. Tsurutontan, a Japanese udon noodle chain, will make its New York City debut at the site in the spring. Likewise, other Japanese restaurants are opening in Manhattan, including Tempura Matsui, Ginza Onodera sushi and Ichiran ramen noodles. Brooklyn-based bakery favorite Ovenly is expanding into Manhattan where it’s set to open a shop at 203 Park Avenue at the UrbanSpace Vanderbilt, a new food hall/market on the corner of Vanderbilt and 45th Street that will feature a central eating area with more than 20 dining vendors, including Red Hook Lobster Pound, Amali, A.B. Biagi, Mimi's Hummus and Delaney Chicken. Italian eatery Serafina, which opened in the spring at 1260 Amsterdam Av-
enue in Harlem, now is heading south to Tribeca with yet another restaurant at 113 Reade Street. The three-story eatery will be outfitted with seating for 170 and will include a wine cellar. Further downtown, eatery chain Dos Toros is opening on the ground floor of 101 Maiden Lane, a residential rental apartment building in the Financial District. The burrito, quesadilla and taco restaurant also is taking a space in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill neighborhood at 64 Court Street. Italian, Japanese, American, Mexican and more – whatever your craving, New York City has the restaurants to satisfy it. From Harlem to Fidi, enjoy!
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// NEWS
REAL ESTATE
Pair Of Iconic New York City Eateries Set For New Chapters
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he highly anticipated next move of a pair of the city's most noted eateries were announced late last month. The Major Restaurant Group has signed a pact to take over the space that houses the Four Seasons on East 52nd Street. In addition, Union Square Cafe will take over the large corner space currently occupied by City Crab & Seafood Company at Park Avenue South and 19th Street. Both moves are real estate related as older leases expire and 'City landlords seek to renew leases to current market rates. In both cases, it would seem as if the restaurant's success for decades have made the properties more valuable to the building's owners. The move at the Four Seasons represents a changing of the guard in the
New York city restaurant scene. Julian Niccolini and Alex von Bidder opened the eatery in 1959. Union Square Cafe
The idea is to restore and reinvigorate the greatest restaurant space that’s ever existed. led by Danny Meyer is known as the the restaurant that brought the farmto-table movement to New York City in 1985.
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The Major Group is led by chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi and their business partner, Jeff Zalaznick “The idea is to restore and reinvigorate the greatest restaurant space that’s ever existed,” Zalaznick said. The trio with the landlord Rosen said that their intention was to return the space to the glory of its 1959 debut, not to dismantle or alter rooms that are already protected by landmark status. “We are not desecrating,” Rosen said, alluding to critics who have cast him as a threat to the integrity of the chambers, designed by the architect Philip Johnson. “I think we are respecting and celebrating.” Rosen spoke of upgrading features like the lighting and the leather upholstery, all as a way of bringing “a fresh look to it.” In Union Square Cafe’s original space
at 21 East 16th Street, which will close its doors in December, the new tenant will be Tsurutontan, the first American outpost of a high-end Japanese noodle chain. And in an unusual move, Mr. Meyer is even taking on responsibility for City Crab’s employees. Under the agreement, Mr. Meyer’s group will try to place City Crab’s approximately 75 employees within its own holdings, which include Gramercy Tavern and the new Untitled at the Whitney Museum. The final piece of the puzzle will be whether the founders Julian Niccolini and Alex von Bidder will retire or relocate with their iconic Four Seasons moniker. Niccolini and von Bidder have said they are scouting out a new location downtown.
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// NEWS
ENVIRONMENT
Connecticut Firm Creates Local To Table Foam Ban Compliance Ban Path For NYC Restaurants When New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a ban on the sale of offering use single service Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam articles earlier this year, the scramble began.
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hese products cause real environmental harm and have no place in New York City. We have better options, better alternatives, and if more cities across the country follow our lead and institute similar bans, those alternatives will soon become more plentiful and will cost less,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “By removing nearly 30,000 tons of expanded polystyrene waste from our landfills, streets and waterways, today’s announcement is a major step towards our goal of a greener, greater New York City.” The legislation requires that as of July 1, 2015 that food service establishments may not possess, sell or offer for use single service (EPS) foam in New York City. The law does allow the food service operator until January 1, 2016 to comply before it will begin issuing fines. With the new law, New York City's restaurants and food service establishments and the distributors that serve them have begun the search to source cost effective solution/
"Along with the recyclability of the containers, the clear containers allow the consumer to see the quality of the food contents," Knutson continued.
replacements for key food service packing items. These include the traditional foam "clamshell" that has been a staple of sandwich packaging for several generations. As the New York City foodservice community searched for replacements, they were also surprised to find that a Connecticut based firm offered a comprehensive line of so-
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lutions with the added benefit of fulfilling their commitment to minimizing their carbon footprint. Shelton's Inline Plastics enables both end-users and distributors to receive shipments from the firm's distribution center that is a mere 60 miles from Midtown Manhattan. For more than 45 years, Inline has provided the best crystal clear 100%
recyclable PET clamshell and twopiece packaging for cold solutions including produce, deli, bakery, grocery, and foodservice markets. "We offer a wide line of foodservice containers for cold foods," noted the firm’s Director of Marketing Herb Knutson. Inline was the originator of the industry-leading Safe-T-Fresh® line of tamper-resistant containers. “All our Safe-T-Fresh® containers incorporate a tamper-resistant locking mechanism and an exclusive patented tear-strip hinge that the consumer removes to gain access to the contents of the container," Knutson continued. Inline's environmentally friendly clear plastic containers produced from PET material come in the same dimensions as most sizes of the newly banned foam containers. "Along with the recyclability of the containers, the clear containers allow the consumer to see the quality of the food contents," Knutson continued. "Along with our tamper-evident Safe-T-Fresh® line, good options include our Crystal Fresh® and Visible Fresh® line of containers, which due to their perimeter seal design, increases shelf life and preserves freshness of their food contents." Along with its Connecticut operations, Inline also has manufacturing locations in Georgia and Utah. The capacity provided by the three locations ensures Inline’s customers reliable and consistent supplies of their containers regardless of demand spikes that may occur from any packaging legislation.
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// RESTAURANT EXPERT
WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS
Keys to Writing a Manager Bonus Program If I had a nickel for every time I am asked about how to properly structure a management bonus program, I could start thinking about retirement. No really, this has got to be one of the most-asked questions.
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he truth is that structuring a bonus program is actually not that difficult. Often the bigger challenge is having the right systems in place to build it properly. Without the right systems, many management bonus programs are what I call management “entitlement” programs, where managers expect a bonus just for showing up. To help you avoid this profit-sucking mistake, I am going to share with you the six systems you need to have in place to write a useful management bonus program that will encourage your managers to earn their bonus: Job Description This is a no brainer, yet often overlooked when we talk about management. Without a detailed job description for each level of management in place, you have managers on the floor who have no real clue of what their job is or how well you expect them to do it. This becomes your paint-by-numbers outline when you start to write your bonus program because your minimum expectations are already outlined in black and white. Budgets Budgets give you, the operator, the ability to set targets, measure progress, evaluate performance and ensure you run
David Scott Peters, Restaurant Coach d av i d @ t h e re s t a u ra n t ex p e r t .c o m
Without a detailed job description for each level of management in place, you have managers on
your restaurant, you have cost of goods sold and labor targets (together they make up what is called your prime cost), but do you have systems in place to help management achieve those targets? You must give them a road map of how to control those numbers and achieve their goal, or you might as well not even bother implementing a bonus program. They will never hit their goals, which ultimately translates to lost profits for you.
the floor who have no real clue of what their job is or how well you expect them to do it.
profitably. Honestly, without a budget and targets in place there is no structure for any reasonable bonus program. Prime Cost Control Systems When you have budgets in place for
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Scoring Systems When I refer to scoring systems, I am referring to both those that you impose and those that are imposed on you, such as the health department for the former and customer comment cards for the latter. Profitability alone should never be your sole focus. Implement, utilize and evaluate your scores. They will tell you a lot about how well you are doing and should be included when evaluating managers’ performances.
MBOs The concept of MBOs was originated by Peter Drucker at The Harvard Business Review. He is called the Father of Modern Management, and he outlines MBOs in his 1954 book, The Practice of Management. There are five basic steps to the MBO Process, which are: 1) Review the objectives the company would like to accomplish, 2) Set objectives for your management team, 3) Continually monitor progress, 4) Continually evaluate progress, and 5) Reward the achievers. When you’ve done all that, you then start the process over again. Timely Reporting Last but not least, you have to have timely reporting. It’s not good enough to have all of these systems in place if you can’t gather, analyze and distribute your results to your team on a timely basis. Taking too long can de-motivate your management team and even worse yet, cause you to lose money. With the right program, your managers will work harder than ever to earn that bonus and won’t blame you if they miss their targets. My goal with this article is to get you thinking about how important systems are in your restaurant and how they relate to rewarding your management team. Go down the list and take an inventory of what you have in place and if something is missing, add it to your I MUST IMMPLEMENT LIST. David Scott Peters is a restaurant expert, speaker, coach and trainer for independent restaurant owners. He is the developer of SMART Systems Pro, an online restaurant management software program helping the independent restaurant owner remain competitive and profitable in an industry boxed in by the big chain restaurants. To learn some essentials, request a free recipe costing cards report from TheRestaurantExpert. com.
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// LIZ ON TABLETOP
TABLETOP SOLUTIONS
China vs. Plates. Why Cheap Makes No Sense Why spend money on china when you can purchase cheap plates?
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here are many answers and even more reasons. The obvious reason to take the cheap approach by purchasing plate ware is that you need something to serve food on. Once you get past the need, you consider what you are trying to accomplish in
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Liz Weiss, President, H. Weiss LLC ewe i s s @ h we i s s . n e t
the big picture. How do you begin? The first thing one needs to do is to think through what are your priorities: price, enhancing your decor, availability, and durability? They are all important, but let’s take a moment to think through pricing. Yes, I know pricing is important. We are all business people and know that money cannot be ignored. You can always find something less expensive, or should I say cheaper,
which sometimes makes sense. However less expensive is sometimes cheaper. Here's why sometimes the less expensive version is too heavy- but no more durable. You need to think about your wait staff handling clumsy plates. Sometimes, the less expensive option is just not as pretty or refined; you just need to think through if the added expense is worth it. In many cases, we find that the cheaper items are just not as durable. It's important to understand the reasons that the more expensive chinas cost more. Freight can add ten to twenty percent onto the cost of china. The real question becomes are you paying for weight that you can get sometimes with cheaper plate ware or are you paying for the durability of a higher quality more expensive china? Someone on your team then suggests "picking it up." Think gas, tolls, and time! Sure it may make sense on your initial purchase, but on reorders? We also find that less expensive ware can be more fragile than some of the "better " china. Breakage may be more. In that case, you will actually spend more on your initial order as you will need more on hand to accommodate for future loss. Then there will be the cost of replacement, not to mention the time taken to reorder and receive replacements. Please do not forget the aggravation of staff breaking things and the kitchen being short of supplies. So what to do? From where I sit, the answer is to call me at H. Weiss, for some help and advice. We can walk you through the process. And we would love to hear from you, bur there are things I can tell you that will help you on your own. There are factories that include freight in the costs. Ask who they are, but realize that you still will want to purchase them through your dealer. Freight may be paid to the destination, but not inside your facility. H Weiss will normally deliver on our trucks and bring the order inside where you need
it. Does not sound like much until you have a 55-foot long trailer in front of your restaurant, china inside, and you need to off-load it and bring it in. Another key element in figuring the true cost is that there is china ware that comes with warranties, chippage and glaze. You should ask which are available and for how long. You need to know what these warranties really mean; what is a chip? Some factories will only cover chips on the bottom of the rim, some smaller than a nickel, some on flat pieces only. Some factories want you to send back the broken pieces, which means that you will incur those freight costs. We suggest you find factories that use chip warranties to make friends. They know they have a good product and they stand behind it or at least that has been my experience with factories that we support. A chip is a chip wherever it is on the plate. We remove it and replace it, happily, because we know that customers value this service. We're convinced that the process of determining value should begin long before we take care of your chipped and cracked plates. Our first step is to sit with you and understand your business and needs. We have asked about your budget, your storage, your menu, your decor, your vision, and even your dishwasher. Oh yes, your dishwasher comes into play. Hot water dishwashing has less of an effect on tabletop than chemical rinse dishwashing. The chemicals used with cold water to sanitize will crack, scratch, and weaken china and glass. If you have a glaze warranty, it lessens the sting of replacing ware due to your dishwasher. So, if you ask me what you should do, I will tell you to ask lots of questions to someone who knows the advantages and disadvantages of most ware. Someone who can give you enough information for you to make the right choice for your business.
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// NEWS
ENVIRONMENT TRENDS
New Equipment Subscription Based Model Takes Hold With Metro New York Restaurant And Food Service Operators Restaurants and foodservice operations are turning to subscription-based services for everything from linens to ice machines.
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et’s face it. Having your newspaper delivered to your door sure beats having to go out in a blizzard to buy one. Now restaurants and foodservice operations are turning to subscriptionbased services for everything from linens to ice machines. “Subscription-based services have been around for quite some time, but it is fair to say they have achieved a higher profile and become more prevalent over the last few years,” says John Mahlmeister, Easy Ice cofounder/chief commercial officer. “The primary market force behind the adoption of subscription services for foodservice is the same as it is for any industry – the complexity of delivering on customer expectations.” Mahlmeister notes that the precursors to subscription servicers were the aerospace and automotive industries, which pioneered outsourcing on a massive scale in the ‘80’s. Now foodservice is adding on to that. “In his book ‘Outliers,’ Malcolm Gladwell argues that companies like Microsoft and Sun Microsystems were possible because Bill Gates and Bill Joy had access to time-sharing computers – a perfect example of a subscription
service. Salesforce.com has almost single-handedly dismantled the enterprise software business through its Software-as-a-Service model,” he says. But while the aerospace and software industries differ greatly, there’s a common theme in these examples and it’s the level of complexity and
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the specialization required to be successful, according to Mahlmeister. “Let’s look at the marketing side of the restaurant business. Twenty years ago - no Internet. Ten years ago, Facebook was just a year old. Groupon, Twitter…all creations of the last decade. Now they are staples of managing a thriving restaurant,” he says.
Behind it all is The Food Network and its elevation of the art and profile of food preparation. “Recipe evolution is happening faster than ever,” points out Mahlmeister. “Ingredient proliferation has exploded. Keeping the pantry stocked is more complex than managing Apollo 13’s return flight!” Staffing, technology, and regulations have all become more complex, leaving operators faced with myriad choices on a regular basis. “In a 2014 ‘Crain’s’ interview, Danny Meyer is quoted as saying to his staff, ‘I want you to understand what makes each restaurant unique and who brings it to life every day—just absorb it.’” He says that statement is an acknowledgment of how complex the business has become. So, while it’s possible to make a complicated and intricate argument as to why foodservice is ripe for this business model at this time, it’s simple. It’s our turn. Why did it take so long for the subscription model to reach business-tobusiness (b2b)? “For one, complex issues such as the way providers of equity (PE firms) evaluate businesses,” Mahlmeister says. “For example, subscriptions negatively affect earnings before interest, taxes and amortization, where capital purchases don’t – and since CEOs like bonuses too, they steer away from subscriptions. Human nature tends to focus on solving immediate problems rather than problem prevention – when was the last time you saw your doctor or dentist? Operators want predictability, but they also want the flexibility to skip a preventive maintenance (PM) this quarter to make up for a shortfall. These are all demand-side issues that affect whether or not businesses really want subscription services.”
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// NEWS
FUNDRAISING
Pair Of Fund Raisers Benefit Chef Kulp Paralyzed In Amtrak Crash
members and how they grow." John Patterson, himself a chef at Fork, noted: "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. So, it's really an opportunity for us to show what he's built and what he's given to us, and a way we can give back." Spraga chef Dan
A pair of mid-July fundraisers at Del Posto in NYC and Philadelphia's Fork restaurant helped raise funds for Chef Kulp's rehab. Kulp is known as a rising culinary star who partnered with Yin back in 2012 to help give Fork a facelift.
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he culinary communities in Philadelphia and New York City have teamed to raise funds to take care of one of their own. Chef Eli Kulp's rehabilitation an acclaimed chef, suffered a serious spinal-cord injury during an Amtrak derailment and last month filed a lawsuit against the company; the train was traveling 100 mph through a curve in a 50 mph zone. A mid-July fund-raiser at Philadelphia's Fork restaurant helped raise $130,000, including $25,000 in silent auction donations, to go toward Organized by Ellen Yin, who owns Fork and High Street on Market with Kulp, 25 chefs came together to cook for the event, and guests shelled out $200 to attend (or $350 for VIP tickets), with beverages donated by local breweries, distilleries, and wine merchants. That was followed just days later as Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's Del Posto hosted another fund-raiser featuring a silent auction and food from 15 restaurants from Philadelphia and New York including DBGB, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and Ai Fiori. The fund-raiser is just the latest example of chefs rallying to Kulp's cause. Previously, Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone's Major Food Group, whom Kulp worked for when he was a chef
Chef Eli Kulp's rehabilitation an acclaimed chef, suffered a serious spinal-cord injury during an Amtrak derailment and last month filed a lawsuit against the company; the train was traveling 100 mph through a curve in a 50 mph zone.
at Torrisi, donated all their openingday sales at the latest Parm to a GoFundMe campaign started by Kulp's friends. An additional $2,000 was donated by a person identifying him or herself as Pub & Kitchen, a restaurant in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. If you're looking to join these chefs in supporting Kulp, you haven't missed your opportunity. "So the money raised for this event will be to provide funds for expenses that generally aren't covered like changing your
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house to ADA in case he can't walk when he comes home," said Ellen Yin, co-owner of Fork. Kulp is known as a rising culinary star who partnered with Yin back in 2012 to help give Fork a facelift. He was traveling to New York City where he and Yin are opening a new restaurant when the derailment occurred. Kulp is working hard in rehab, but has a long road ahead of him. Yin says, "He's a really kind, thoughtful individual. He cares about people. He cares about all his team
Kennedy says, "When there's a good cause for a chef of this caliber everyone in the city obviously pulls out all the stops and does something big and special for him." The Philadelphia fundraiser fell on a day Mayor Michael Nutter declared Eli Kulp Day last year when he was awarded Food and Wine's best new chef. "I just thought, what a great occasion to be celebrating how much Eli's contributed and to get him back in the kitchen. The Philadelphia culinary community notes that this event would help him out," Yin said. A GoFundMe page has also raised more than $48,000. All funds that will help with mountains of medical bills not all covered by insurance. Guillermo Pernot, chef at Cuba Libre, says, "The government has put a cap on insurance people can get. So they need all the help we can give him."
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// THE WINE COACH
WITH LAURIE FORSTER
The Return of the Green Fairy: Absinthe It’s said to have inspired the work of some of the greatest artists in the world — Degas, Manet, Wilde, and Hemingway, to name a few.
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ome think it caused homicidal rages, vivid hallucinations, and even drove Vincent Van Gogh to cut off his ear. You might think I am talking about love, passion, or even religion, but the alleged culprit is Absinthe. Absinthe is a distilled spirit with a distinct taste of licorice, made from a variety of herbs including anise, fennel, and grande wormwood. Originating in Switzerland, this aweinspiring drink is often green and always strong — measuring between 50 and 75 percent alcohol. Sometimes called “the Green Fairy” for its alleged psychedelic effects, Absinthe was even more popular than wine in the trendy cafés of Paris during the late 19th century. Never heard of Absinthe? That’s because a series of events caused it to be outlawed around the world in the early part of the 20th century. Recently scientists and officials have been able to sort out fact from fiction, so in 2008 Absinthe was once again made available in the U.S. The ban on Absinthe was the result of a number of factors: the temperance movement, strong opposition
Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, is a
from the struggling wine industry, and a horrific murder in 1905. Its popularity and strength made Ab-
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sinthe a huge target for those looking to eradicate the use of alcohol. Jumping on the bandwagon were the winemakers of Europe whose vineyards were being destroyed by phylloxera, a tiny insect that destroys grape vines. The blight of phlloxera caused an increase in wine prices which, along with the growing popularity of Absinthe, meant a steady loss of market share for winemakers. The third strike came from Switzerland in 1905 with the news of a horrific murder; Absinthe was said to have driven a man to kill his entire family. What was left out of the story was the fact that the man was a habitual alcoholic who had consumed two glasses of Absinthe along with mass quantities of wine and cognac. Bans on Absinthe began almost immediately. The belief that Absinthe, or more specifically the grande wormwood used to flavor it, caused hallucinogenic effects is a myth that has continued at least until very recently. Grande wormwood, one of the herbs Absinthe is derived from, contains a chemical called thujone, which was once thought to create these erratic
certified sommelier, award-winning author and media personality. Forster is the host of her radio show The Sipping Point and her mobile application “The Wine Coach” was listed as one of the Top 8 Wine Apps in Wine Enthusiast. To find out more visit: www.TheWineCoachSpeaks.com | @thewinecoach | facebook.com/winecoach
behaviors. Tests now show that both vintage and modern versions of Absinthe contain very little thujone. A better explanation for the trouble caused by consumption of Absinthe is its high alcohol content paired with plain old-fashioned overindulgence. In 2007 the U.S. government began allowing the sale of Absinthe as long as producers adhere to a few stipulations. Even though thujone has never been proven to cause psychotropic effects, it must measure less than 10 ppm. In addition, the label cannot market the alleged mind effects of the drink and the word Absinthe must be used with other
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// RESTAURANT OPERATIONS
WITH AMBER BROWN
Menu Engineering for the Seasons Summer is halfway over which means it is time to start taking a look at your menus. It is always best to do a full menu analysis when the seasons begin to change.
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he reasons for this? Well for one thing customer’s appetites change and what they want in the summer months will not be what they want in the colder fall and winter months. Seasonal produce will also shift with the shift in Seasons, and lastly if you haven’t done a menu analysis in the recent past, you may be surprised at what you find. There are
four basic steps to a menu implementation. Menus should be reviewed at least twice a year to make sure that your prices still align with your costs. The four steps and a brief explanation of each follow: 1. Cost out your entire menu! - (This is crucial). If you have done so in the past, do it again. Recipe costing starts with purchases. For most
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accurate results use the last price paid for each ingredient. Break cost down to weight used within the recipe. Ex. I use 6 fl oz. of egg whites in my spinach frittata. Add the cost of all ingredients together this is the cost of the total recipe yield. Divide this batch recipe cost by the number of portions the recipe yields. This will give a cost per portion.
Amber Brown is currently a Senior Software Trainer with ChefTec and tours the country, and internationally conducting on site operational trainings, and food cost and food safety presentations.
2. Categorize your menu into sections and according to profitability- Most menus can be broken into quadrants (Dogs, Stars, Horses and Puzzles). You will want to know where each of your menu items lie within the quadrant so that you can make informed choices about what to move off of your menu, what to re-engineer, and what is working well. 3. Design your menu-Design your
menu to draw the customer in. Make sure that the menu is not too long and that specials are contained in a separate insert or page. If you use pictures only highlight those items, which have a high profit margin and use quality photographs. De-emphasize pricing by placing prices next to menu items instead of aligning right. 4. Test your Menu- Set a timeline for the new menu test. Run the old
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menu first to establish a base line, and then run the new menu. Do not run both menus simultaneously. Run weekly product sales reports to build a comparison. A well-designed menu will ensure that you are achieving maximum profitability and will also keep your menu fresh and your customers returning!
// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WITH FRED SAMPSON
Which Headache Should I Take Them For? When and how did all of this regulating and legislating of the food service industry begin? About the time that various consumer origin groups became active — the early sixties, to be exact.
Fred G. Sampson,
President of Sampson Consulting, Inc. fredgsampson@juno.com
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any years ago a mayor of New York City was faced with a transit strike, a Department of Sanitation strike, a possible schoolteachers’ walkout, and a shortfall in the budget. When he arrived home that night, his wife asked him how he felt in light of all of these problems. He said he had a headache, so she immediately brought him two aspirins. He held them in his hand for about five minutes. She asked, “Why don’t you take them?” He responded, “I will, as soon as I can decide which headache to take them for.” In light of some of the issues facing the industry, do you find yourself feeling like that mayor? Here is a sample: Commodity prices increasing daily; potential minimum wage increases that will change the payroll structure of the industry, with different rates for various regions; urban area rent increases that are chasing operators to new locations, and operators hoping their clientele will follow; more jurisdictions requiring sick leave for small operators; social media websites publishing anonymous negative comments that are not true; if you have more than 20 units you are probably working feverishly to
meet the FDA calorie content requirements, including alcoholic beverages, which will take effect December 1, 2015; and finally, New York City wants to require a high-sodium warning label on menus. When and how did all of this regulating and legislating of the food service industry begin? About the time that various consumer origin groups became active — the early sixties, to be exact. Not only did they give birth to the movement, but many jurisdictions at the state and local levels created consumer agencies. Once you have an agency, you then start to see legislators introducing bills affecting the consumer. After all, the larger the industry, the greater the media coverage, and what is any larger than the food service industry? Not only are legislators willing to sponsor what they perceive to be a bill in the public interest; since health departments are invariably involved, they, too, share some of the public relations spotlight by joining and in fact introducing proposals such as letter grading and the size of soft drinks. About two years ago I wrote a column titled “Menus by Mandate,” and referred to an incident in 1969 whereby the late Bess Myerson, who was appointed Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, cited the commissary of Chock Full o’ Nuts (the Starbucks of the times), which sold food (their hamburgers were best sellers). After a careful examination, the inspectors
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declared that because the product contained soybean extender, it was not pure hamburger and must be called “beef patties.” The company appealed the ruling and lost, and that was the opening salvo in the war in the never-ending battle of accuracy in menus, which continues to this day—only now it focuses on calories and nutrition. There is also a new push to establish regional minimum wages. Here again, it was tried in New York City in 1965. The state rate at that time was $1.00 an hour. The city rate would be $1.50. It was challenged in the courts and declared unconstitutional, 5 to 4. The obvious problem with regional state laws is the impact on those businesses, which border on city or county lines. That was the major complaint with the smoking law, until the state leveled the playing field with a statewide law. In my recent column, “Are You Aware of These Aspects of the Minimum Wage?” I pointed out that maintaining the differentials will be one of the major problems for many operators. I also quoted former President Clinton who, in 2014, said, “A minimum wage will eventually increase the wages of 35 million people.” Well, in a new report by Moody’s Investors Service, the study notes that the biggest cost incurred by restaurants due to the minimum wage increase will involve employees who already make more than the minimum wage. These employees want to widen the gap between them-
selves and those at entry level. They expect management to maintain the differentials. Moody’s notes that increasing veteran employees’ pay “could prove to be as or more costly than simply raising all hourly workers to the mandated minimums.” One of the groups that “patrols” the food service industry’s menus, calorie counts, and portion sizes, and solicits public participation via direct mail is the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It is also the most visible. This organized nutrition group has an active and well-oiled public relations program. The members are active legislatively, not only in Washington but they normally appear at hearings dealing with health and food in most major cities, New York being one of their favorites. They also name names when it comes to listing that menu item with the most calories and saturated fats. They were relentless in their quest to eliminate trans fats usage, which, for the most part, they did. Their executive director, Mr. Michael Jacobson, was recently quoted on the salt reduction issue as follows: “It seems pretty generous to the restaurant industry: Up to a whole day’s worth of sodium, and you don’t have to put an icon on your menu.” Time and space allow for only a skimming of the many reasons the industry finds itself in this present pressure cooker. We are a daily driven consumer industry; as a result we are an attention-getting political target. If you’re a legislator at a city, county, state, or federal level, the quickest route to having your name appear in the media is to introduce legislation dealing with food service. Unfortunately, this condition is not going away. Unhappily, the only thing left is to make sure you have a good supply of aspirins. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com
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// NEWS
CHEFS
Manhattan Based Gelinazi Hosts International Chef Shuffle
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An innovative new concept came to Manhattan last month: The Shuffle. The event was the most recent culinary project from Gelinaz!, a collective of international chefs led by the influential food writer Andrea Petrini. Petrini's idea was to have chefs swap kitchens, and for guests to buy tickets without knowing who would be cooking where. Petrini, who says that he determined who went where by picking names out of a hat, also insisted that each chef arrive at his designated restaurant a few days before the dinner, to taste the food of his host and get to know the cooks who would be working for him. “It couldn’t just be another one of those guest-chef dinners, where people bring all the ingredients and try their
best to replicate the flavors from home,” Petrini said “That’s no fun.” On a recent summer evening, a woman seated at the bar of Mission Chinese Food, Danny Bowien’s freewheeling Chinese-American restaurant on the Lower East Side, could be heard speculating about who was cooking her dinner. She had just been handed a mojito that substituted basil for mint; a few pine nuts lay at the bottom of the glass. “I’ve looked at the list of possibilities, and it’s either going to be a high-profile chef that everyone knows or a high-profile chef that only some people know,” she said to her companion. The reason for the diner’s state of suspense was an event called “The Shuffle,” in which thirty-seven of the world’s most well-regarded chefs swapped kitchens
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for a night and prepared meals that integrated their own styles with those of host restaurants all over the globe. By the time dinner at Mission Chinese began, Iñaki Aizpitarte, of Paris’s Le Chateaubriand, had already finished service at Fäviken, the chef Magnus Nilsson’s isolated barn of a restaurant in Sweden. Alex Atala, the tattooed Brazilian chef whose work at D.O.M., in São Paolo, has made him a star on the international culinary scene, was cooking at Blanca, the intimate tasting counter behind Roberta’s, the pizzeria in Bushwick. In recent years, Petrini has orchestrated, a takeover of Wylie Dufresne’s wd~50, in Manhattan involving many of the same chefs, to surprise Dufresne and pay tribute to the legacy of his restaurant before it closed down last November. Pe-
trini, a beloved figure in the avant-garde restaurant world, is also a co-founder of Cook It Raw, a series of retreats in which chefs travel to such far-flung places as Lapland and the Ishikawa Prefecture to study local culinary traditions and then present dinners inspired by their findings. In the end, Gelinaz!’s spirit of performative exploration may be most enriching for the chefs themselves. Even in an age of culinary obsession, when chefs are revered as artists and stars, the cooking trade maintains its blue-collar ties. Increasingly, though, the restaurant world is carving out opportunities for chefs to collaborate with one another and with other creative disciplines, and to see the world along the way.
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// NEWS
FOOD SHOW
Acosta Sales & Marketing to Sponsor Latino Food Show Acosta Sales & Marketing, one of the largest Sales Agents in North America, has joined as a corporate sponsor of the "World of the Latino Cuisine", a food product and beverage trade show, which will showcase domestic and international food and beverage products on August 26-27, 2015, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in the New York/New Jersey market.
T
he trade show provides a dynamic venue where food and
beverage producers exhibit their offerings for the ever-growing His-
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panic marketplace. The show will feature an exhibit floor, educational
sessions, culinary demonstrations and business exchanges. Acosta, founded in 1927, represents the most No.1 and No.2 CPG brands in North America and is a proven resource for top retailers from coast to coast. Household name brands such as Bush, Campbell's, Clorox, Colgate-Palmolive, Heinz, Domino Sugar, and Hormel Foods are represented by Acosta. "We are pleased to support this trade show," said Stan Barrasso, Senior Vice President, "We believe it is a great opportunity to showcase America's diversity and recognize the continued growth of our indus-
"We are extremely proud Acosta is supporting us," said Bill Colón, president and CEO of The Latino Institute, Inc, the event's organizer.
try in the Hispanic community," added Mr. Barrasso. "We are extremely proud Acosta is supporting us," said Bill Colón, president and CEO of The Latino Institute, Inc, the event's organizer. "It is a venerable company with tremendous presence, efficient and proficient distribution channels. They are a smart "mainstream' company who recognizes the opportunity for growth in the Hispanic segment," added Mr. Colón. In addition to domestic exhibitors, the show will feature the participation of producers from Méxi-
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co, Perú, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Brazil, Chile and Spain. For further information on exhib-
iting, sponsorships/speaking opportunities, and registration, please contact: latinofoodshow1@gmail. com , call 973-273-0273 or visit: www.latinofoodshow.com. This trade show features the dynamic participation of the largest food and beverage distributors serving the Latino market. In 2014, one hundred percent (100%) of the visiting companies connected with a prospective distributor.
// NEWS
COMPOSTING
New York City Restaurants Might Have To Start Composting In an effort to minimize food waste, the New York City Sanitation Department is currently considering a composting requirement for the city’s restaurants, catering companies, hotels, and grocery stores.
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he city already collects residential food waste from a number of outer-borough neighborhoods, but now the department is considering expanding the program.
“I get to determine if there's composting capacity in the region and which industries would have to source-separate their organics,” sanitation commissioner Kathryn Gar-
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cia said. “We're still running through the data, but it's based on how much food waste the different industries generate, how close they are to one another so we try to eliminate any
increase in truck traffic and then, again, it's also about capacity.” A number of small organizations do provide composting services for those interested, but the city has yet to commit to a bulk composting system, which could be “complaint magnets” because of the inevitable odors, contamination dangers, and site locations in general. The goal is to divert 75% of all solid waste from landfills by 2030 - organic waste accounts for about a third of that and over 70% of restaurant waste. As food waste degrades in landfills, methane is released, a very potent greenhouse gas. NYC recycles only about 15%. The sanitation department wants to double that by 2017.
Eurodib, from page 44 practices that include climbing the rigging to maneuver the yards and sails by hand..., among other techniques. Marc Jensen, one of the crew that hails from the U.S., says the work is exhilarating even if physically exacting: They, together, turned the tide of the American Revolution. Visitors can join the festivities at any point along the route and enjoy tours on board or pier-side where activities are scheduled, including, historic shipbuilding crafts demonstrations, interactive conversations with the young volunteer sailors, and a lineup of cultural activities like costumed performances by seasoned re-enactors, concerts of period and contemporary music and food and craft exhibitions. At traveling photography exhibit covering the 17 years of the Hermione's reconstruction will be free to the public in each port with companion exhibits at The New York Historical Society, the Museum of the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C., and The Athenaeum in Boston. Philadelphia will host a recreation of the meal aboard the Hermione that the Continental Congress enjoyed with Washington and Lafayette at City Tavern, the oldest tavern in America. “This summer's event has been a long time in the making but seems a most relevant time with the develop-
ments in the world today,” says Miles Young, President of Friends of Hermione-Lafayette in America, Inc., and Worldwide Chairman & CEO of Ogilvy and Mather. "Not only is the Hermione a remarkable feat of precision and passion, she is a new symbol of the Anything is Possible motto held dear by the Marquis de Lafayette. The Hermione is constructed almost entirely using 18th Century ship-building techniques: 2,000 oak trees had to be found for 400,000 hand-sculpted pieces for the hull, techniques had to be reinvented, forges re-kindled and artisans from all over the world enlisted. When the ship re-enacts Lafayette's Atlantic crossing, the spirit of then becomes the new spirit of now. We are inspired by the voluntary 72-member crew, one-third women, whose average age is 27, and most of whom gave up their 'real life' to become steeped in the history of the vessel that changed the course of America's war of independence. They will tell the story to visitors as 18th and 21st century participants of these historic and monumental undertakings." The idea of reconstructing an authentic, historical replica of the Hermione, made by hand in the techniques of the 18th century, was conceived in 1993 by French author and savant Erik Orsenna and Bene-
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dict Donnelly, a co-founder of the Association Hermione-Lafayette in France. For them, Lafayette's role of securing French money, men and arms and sailing to meet General Washington to aid America's cause was an often forgotten piece of our collective memory and an invaluable part of history too important to be lost. The project defied all odds, but was completed thanks to the growing support of admirers and with help from the French government. The Hermione's historic precision was guarded by the watchful eye of a committee of historians. They had to accept several concesions to meet International maritime safety regulations, including two motors, modern navigational equipment and sanitary living conditions for the crew. Training for the cross-Atlantic re-enactment began in 2012.
Edwards, from page 46 It’s been more than two years since the Cronut first debuted, and there are still long lines outside of the bakery each morning. Why do you think customers keep coming back? Do you see the same faces time and again? Our guests are by far some of the most loyal I've seen in my career in hospitality. Guests will wait hours for our pastries and then happily rejoin the line to do the process again. I can’t help but smile and even high-five them! We’ll often see customers who visit the Soho bakery in the morning and then head over to our new shop, Dominique Ansel Kitchen, right afterward. We have several people who come every day, some I know by name that are so wonderful and so excited about our pastries that I feel like asking them to join our team. We make the experience really fun – there are guests who return for their favorites time and again, but there’s always something new to try, too, whether we’re adding new seasonal creations to the menu or spotlighting a new Cronut flavor each month. I believe they continue to come to see what Chef Dominique has up his sleeve.
questions and has a constant flow in mind. We take every moment to ensure their experience is unlike any other bakery, whether it’s at the Soho shop or the Kitchen. What advice do you have for students who want to pursue a front-of-house management position? Having a culinary background, I have a great respect for this industry, because so much passion and skill gets put into making our bakery run each day. My ad-
The menu at Dominique Ansel Kitchen features made-to-order items, and there’s self-serve seating as well. How does the front-of-house staff operate differently there compared to the Bakery? While I am mainly based at the bakery, the teams have the same standards for service and hospitality at the new Kitchen in that we want to ensure that each guest has a great and memorable experience with us. The Kitchen staff is a bit more hands-on with guests, as the shop offers seating and serves made-to-order items that are brought out to guests as soon as they’re ready, so they get to taste the items at just the right moment. It’s a different experience for the front-ofhouse staff – from greeting guests at the door, walking them through the menu, to helping them find a seat. At the Bakery, it’s more of a faster pace in that guests in line already have what they want in mind so our staff is at the ready to answer any 94 • August 2015 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
vice to students is to ask questions, speak up and remember no matter what happens, try your best and always smile. “Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted a career in culinary and hospitality, and I am so grateful to C-CAP for helping to provide me with the guidance and opportunity to get to where I am today. They truly care about their students every step of the way, from helping with scholarships, educational guidance, career development and beyond.” – Jennifer Edwards
“I first met Jenn 10 years ago at a CCAP event. I didn't remember it until she reminded me. We spoke for less than a minute back then, but the fact that I could recall her smile and personality immediately is proof of what an amazing spirit she is. Very few people can make that kind of impression, and Jenn does it everyday here at the bakery for our guests. I know they will remember her as well.” – Dominique Ansel
Forster, from page 82 terms in a very discreet manner. The most traditional way to serve Absinthe is to add cold water, ideally in drips, which turns the spirit from green to milky white. This is called the louche effect. The color change is a result of the herbal oils’ insolubility in water. The water is sometimes poured over a sugar cube on a slotted spoon to sweeten the drink and take the edge off its distinctively bitter finish. Use about 1-1.5 ounces of Absinthe and dilute with anywhere from 3-5 ounces of water. Specially made Absinthe fountains, like those found at Central Michel Richard,
both an aperitif and digestive. When taken as an aperitif, it goes well with herbal scented appetizers. It can be taken between dishes as a palatecleansing cordial or even served as a sorbet (absinthe sorbet)” suggests T. A. Breaux, master distiller of Lucid Absinthe in France. He also adds, “With dessert, it goes especially well with anything flavored with coconut. And of course, in its historically purest sense, it reigns sovereign as a digestive.” With the history and mythology surrounding Absinthe it’s no wonder it seems so mysterious and alluring. These days it’s easy to find Absinthe and discover firsthand what all the fuss is about. While you may not see any green fairies or pink elephants, it will be a truly unique experience.
Ideally Absinthe is served in Pontarlier glasses, which are named after the town in the Loire Valley where the Pernod Fils, one of the most famous producers of Absinthe in the 1800s, built their factory in France.
Lucid Absinthe Superieure, France Lucid’s bottle is marked with piercing cat eyes alluding to the intensity inside. Made with all-natural herbs and free of dyes or chemicals, Lucid is a true Absinthe. With a traditional green hue, it has amazing complexity with intense herbal flavors and a backbone of black licorice. Softened a bit with a sugar cube and cool water, Lucid still packs a punch. It’s great as an after-dinner drink to sip and contemplate life.
create the perfect drip for Absinthe and make the creation of this cocktail fun to watch. Ideally Absinthe is served in Pontarlier glasses, which are named after the town in the Loire Valley where the Pernod Fils, one of the most famous producers of Absinthe in the 1800s, built their factory in France. They are shaped much like a water glass with a bulge or indentation on the bottom to measure the amount of Absinthe needed. “Absinthe has historically served as
Kübler Absinthe Superieure, Switzerland Crystal clear in color, Kübler, while still intense, tastes a bit more delicate than Lucid. The licorice flavors are more prevalent here with less of an herbal taste. Hailing from the birthplace of Absinthe, Switzerland, this clear version is considered a blanche style as opposed to its green counterparts. Kübler creates an intense milky white louche with the addition of the sugar cube and cool water. This just might give new meaning to milk and cookies!
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// NEWS
LETTER GRADING
NYC Marks 5th Anniversary Of Restaurant Letter Grading NYC restaurant grading system is marking five years and the Health Department is taking its measure.
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ut of New York City’s 24,000 restaurants, 95 percent of them now get a grade. "What we’ve seen is a much more rapid improvement than we’ve ever expected to see,” said Deputy Health Commissioner Dan Kass. “Restaurants have really stepped up their game and improved their internal training, attended our training.” Kass notes there has been a 24 percent decline in salmonella cases since letter grading began and that 88 percent of New Yorkers used letter grades in their restaurant selections. “NYC Restaurant Letter Grades and decline in salmonella food poisoning linked,” says Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Giving letter grades to the thousands of restaurants in New York City – from humble delis to celebrity chefpowered eateries – has been a boon to business and has led to a decline in the number of cases of salmonella food poisoning, the mayor and health officials say. Some city council members, however, say the grading system is far from perfect and needs to be reviewed. Restaurant industry representatives complain of excessive inspections and burdensome fines on small businesses.
Some city council members, however, say the grading system is far from perfect and needs to be reviewed. Restaurant industry representatives complain of excessive inspections and burdensome fines on small businesses.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas A. Farley and other health officials announced initial data last month showing salmonella infections decreased by 13.5 percent over the first full year the city has used letter grades. The Health Department said 1,296 cases of salmonella were reported in 2010 and preliminary data show 1,121 cases in 2011. Further emphasizing that sanitary conditions are improving, the officials said more than 72 percent of the city's 24,000 restaurants earned "A" grades compared to 65 percent a year ago. They also highlighted the most recent
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tax data available showing restaurant sales were up 9.3 percent from June 2010 to February 2011. The city started handing out letter grades in July 2010. Restaurants can get an A, B, or C, based on points for sanitary conditions. Restaurants have to post the grades in a visible area such as a street-facing window or door. Common sanitary violations include food stored at improper temperatures and evidence of vermin. The largely positive announcement, which included the release of survey results showing New Yorkers largely approve of the grading system, came
a day before the City Council was expected to hold a hearing on restaurant letter grades. Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, who supports the system, was nonetheless critical of it, saying in a recent statement that the city's data show "a wide variability" in grades from "inspector to inspector in the same restaurant and an enormous increase in fines." The Health Department officials said fines have been declining as restaurants improve their food safety practices. Inspectors go through rigorous training and must use computerized inspection worksheets for each restaurant, they said. Andrew Rigie, a spokesman for the New York State Restaurant Association, said the grading system was punitive and a financial burden on small business owners. "If you define success as taxing small business owners and making their lives miserable, then letter grades have been a complete success," Rigie said, adding that the association that represents 4,000 restaurants in the city hopes the City Council "will take a more enlightened approach toward public health." Restaurants can contest inspection findings at an administrative tribunal and have their grades changed, during which time a "grade pending" sign appears in place of the letter grade. Repeatedly receiving a "C" grade on inspections leads to an increased frequency of inspections. Problems so severe that they cannot be corrected while an inspector is there – such as insufficient refrigeration could put a restaurant at risk of being shut down. City officials also announced that the restaurant grades are now available on an app for iPhones and iPads called ABCEats NYC.
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Schweid, from page 24 with a company on the west coast to service our customers there. At our current location in Carlstadt, NJ we have just put in new equipment to meet increasing capacity needs. How important is pricing and sourcing raw materials and do customers specify a whole-muscle product or do they tend to lean toward a trimmed product? Sourcing raw materials is the single most important part of our business. My father has preached quality over price from the beginning and emphasized that our point of difference as a company is consistent beef every week. We do not least cost formulate any burgers in the Schweid & Sons brand.
The trend has been more towards whole muscle cuts for the proprietary blends but ultimately there is a big cost difference between whole muscle and trim. The customer is typically unwilling to pay that premium. Besides white table cloth fine dining restaurants, there is so much competition that restaurants rely on price points to be competitive. We hear you and your brother Brad are a constant source of inspiration and creativity. What are some of the key factors you hold to the highest standard at Schweid & Sons? Our focus at Schweid & Sons is to always hire the right people to work for the company. When you have passionate people who care about
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what they are making, the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity and inspiration. When Brad and I come in to work every day, we fully appreciate our business, the people who support it and our family, who inspire us to do great things every day. I’m sure your father David has been a huge mentor for you. What are some of the lessons you have learned from him to be so successful? When I first started working for the company, my father had all these sayings. At first I wasn’t sure what they meant or why he was telling me them. But then I realized, while they may have been simple, they were extremely poignant. “You can’t dance at every wedding”
is something he still says today that shapes our business. We can’t be everything to everyone - when you meet with a customer, don’t try to be something you’re not. You’ve been doing this for well over 10 years, for those that may not be aware, when a customer requests short rib in their blend, are they aware it's really chuck flap? I can’t speak for any other companies but we are very clear that the short rib we are putting into the blend is chuck flap. The cost of putting actual short rib in their blend would make the burger difficult to sell. Additionally, I personally think the burger would have way too much juice in it.
Do you receive customer requests like “I want the Five Guys or Bobby Flay burger?” With all the uniqueness in New York, do you collaborate with customers to create their own burger identity rather than copy someone else? That is a very common question. My typical answer is to focus on what is going to make you great and not what others are doing. In the restaurant business, you have to execute at a very high level. Five Guys does this in a way that I have never seen before; they are able to motivate thousands of people to prepare the burgers the same way. On the flip side, Bobby’s Burger Palace is able to execute on very complicated burger toppings at a very high level and very
high volumes. Did you think the Five Guys brand would be as successful as it is now back in 1986 if it wasn’t for the partnership with Schweid & Sons? What has the partnership done for each other? Five Guys is an amazing partner who makes it fun to go to work every day. I like to think we have a small chapter in the Five Guys story and are a part of the success. The partnership for us has provided with some amazing experiences and some great learning opportunities. To watch a company start with 5 stores and now have over 1,200 stores in multiple countries is the true American dream. Watching this
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company continue to grow and create a culture that is as great as any in the restaurant world has been fascinating. It could not have happened to better people either. The Murrell family along with the rest of the Five Guys team have been truly a pleasure to work with and quite inspirational. On the food safety side of things, what enhancements and some of the technology Schweid is using to monitor quality assurance? Our mindset for quality assurance continues to be about using actionable data to make decisions proactively not reactively. The company has invested heavily in QA software. Over the past couple of years we have almost gone paperless in the
data collected for QA, allowing us to better understand our business and make smarter decisions. What advice would you give a new restaurant operator looking to add a signature burger to their menu? Be Transparent. The customer is smart and aware of what is going into their food. Using the best quality ingredients and educating the customer on what makes your burger great is the formula for success. And as I said before, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Worry about doing the best job you can.
Seafood, from page 32 in Manhattan. “It meant a lot to me to represent New Jersey at the national competition,” said Gregg. “We showed people outside of New Jersey what we can do. There are very few places like New Jersey where you can get the quality and variety of seafood and produce we have available.” The second place winner was James Costello of The Ohana Grill in Lavallette. Third place was awarded to Jennifer Monaco of Sustainable Fare LLC of Lawrenceville.
televised by the Food Network and is part of the Louisiana Foodservice Expo. Judging the competition were: Alfred Murray, NJ Assistant Secretary of Agriculture; Jeffry Wierzbicki, Chef, Winberies, Summit, 2014 Jersey Seafood Challenge winner; Peter Fischbach, Chef, Gourmet Dining Services, NJIT Newark, 2008 Jersey Seafood
Chef Gregg was New Jersey’s official representative at the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans this month
Other chefs who participated in the cook-off, coordinated by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Chapters of the American Culinary Federation, included: Frank Benowitz of Mercer County Community College in West Winsor; Joe Kratochwill of Zallie’s Fresh Kitchen at Shop-Rite in Medford; Marita Lynn of Runa Peruvian Cuisine in Red Bank; and Charles Ostergren of Viking Fresh Off the Hook in Barnegat Light. The Jersey Seafood Challenge was sponsored by: Viking Village, New Jersey Restaurant Association, Garden State Seafood Association, New Jersey Chapters of the American Culinary Federation, and Lund’s Fisheries. The Great American Seafood Cookoff is limited to 20 chefs with the champion being named King or Queen of American Seafood. The cook-off is 100 • August 2015 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Challenge winner; Nancy Painter, Edible Jersey Editor and Publisher; Jim Weaver, Slow Food NJ; Gary Giberson, Lawrenceville School Food Service Director; and Jeff Kaelin, Lund’s Fisheries, Cape May. New Jersey fishermen land more than 100 varieties of finfish and shellfish. New Jersey’s commercial fisherman caught 120 million pounds of
seafood in 2013 valued at $133 million. The most valuable fisheries in 2013 were sea scallops ($65.3 million), ocean quahog ($12 million), surf clams ($10.9 million), and blue crabs ($8.1 million), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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Easy Ice, from page 76 On the supply side, it’s difficult, he says. “Subscription models work best when the provider can control 100% of the service delivery chain. On the residential side -- cable, utilities, magazines, trade journals, Netflix, XM Radio, HBO -- control almost every aspect of their service delivery. An individual user isn’t going to damage the Netflix service. One subscriber can’t change the fundamental economics for XM. A difficult HBO customer can be terminated with no incremental cost. This makes the service provider’s costs predictable, which means they can set their prices and be confident of the margin.” It’s hard for b2b providers, however, to find services where they can control such a high percentage of the variables. “Take ice machines, for example. The quality of the equipment. The quality of the water. The
temperature of the room. The air flow around the ice machine. The airborne particles – grease, yeast, etc. All of these items affect the performance of the equipment,” Mahlmeister says. “All must be assessed and mitigated in order for an ice machine subscription service to work. That takes a lot of research, planning, and diligent execution. Right now, it is easier for a service provider to charge time and materials based on the amount of work the equipment needs rather than trying to figure out how to control the amount of work the equipment needs through preventive techniques.” Why would a business opt for a subscription service over a lease? “The difference is rooted in which party bears the financial penalty for the asset’s failure to produce an outcome,” he explains. “A well-designed subscription focuses on the perfor-
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mance/output of the asset, where a lease – at its core – is focused on the asset itself. At one end of the leasing continuum, a financial lease is a payment plan. At the other end, operational leases include features such as preventive maintenance and warranty maintenance services. While there is no doubt these features are valuable to an operator, the lease is still focused on the asset and specific activities, not the result or the outcome.” Mahlmeister gives the example of an ice machine, which uses a float switch to sense the water level. “Over time, every float switch will get coated with minerals or sediment from the water, begin sticking, and shut down the machine. There is nothing wrong with the ice machine. The asset is fine. Preventive maintenance was performed as scheduled. It isn’t a warranty problem. That means the lessor
will not bear the financial penalty for the asset’s failure – the operator will.” With a subscription, the provider is responsible for that failure to perform. The provider will make the repair at no additional cost to the operator. The provider will pay for the ice until the machine produces the output that is covered by the subscription agreement, he explains. Subscriptions can also help avoid a big cash outflow for a piece of equipment that creates zero differentiation, he continues. “Large cash outflows with delayed tax benefits should be considered investments. They should yield a return in the form of higher prices, higher per check revenue, lower cost to service, higher traffic. If your capital spend doesn’t generate any of these benefits, it is a poor investment.
continued on page 103
Easy Ice, from page 102 Ice machine purchases fall into this category. “For 99% of restaurants, it does not matter how much time and money you spend on the ice machine. Your customers will not pay more for a drink, order more drinks, or tell their friends to come buy drinks, because you chose to purchase your ice machine. They couldn’t care less. Improving the quality of service, enhancing the menu, redecorating the front of the house – even higher-quality toilet paper – will improve a customer’s perception of your restaurant, delivering a positive return on investment. This is where operators should invest, not in an ice machine.” Another plus: subscription expenses are predictable. “Purchases are not,” says Mahlmeister. “Repairing an owned ice machine hits your income statement in the month it happens –
regardless of the revenue line. That means a $1,000 repair can wipe out two-to-three days of profitability in any particular month. Erratic profitability makes investors and bankers, nervous which means they get sidetracked on the aberrations instead of your business. Subscriptions help you avoid those unpredictable swings and keep everyone focused on the bigger picture.” In NYC, the company serves customers in every borough. Food Network’s Chopped judges Marcus Samuelsson and Amanda Freitag have chosen Easy Ice subscriptions instead of purchasing ice machines for their NYC restaurants, according to Mahlmeister. “One of Brooklyn’s hottest pizza joints (highly reviewed by Yelpers and restaurant reviewers) Pizza Loves Emily is thrilled with our service,” he says.
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Easy Ice’s subscribers in NYC and across the country include multiunit chains like Buca di Beppo, the new Babbo in Boston (Mario Batali/ Joe Bastianich), the new Morimoto restaurant in Miami, and chefs and restaurateurs like Richard Sandoval, Top Chef judge Richard Blaise and Top Chef competitors Nina Compton and Justin Devillier, a two-time James Beard Award nominee. “By significantly reducing the time, effort, and distractions associated with managing the ice machine, a subscription enables the operator to spend more of its precious time focused on delivering better outcomes and results to its customers,” Mahlmeister says. Ultimately, the chief commercial officer says, it comes down to a partnership between the operator and service provider. “The key is to structure a
business model where both the provider and operator benefit from the same outcome. If providers can figure out a way to do that, the future for b2b subscription services will be very bright.” Easy Ice offers commercial ice machine subscriptions to restaurants for just dollars a day. Subscriptions include Hoshizaki ice machine, preventive maintenance, sanitation, repairs, water filters and free Breakdown Ice.