August 2019 - Total Food Service by Total Food Service

NEWS

EXPANSION

PRO-TEK & PRO-PLUS Expands Footprint To Nationwide

he Daniels family, represented by Chad Daniels, President of the NY TEK Group, announced last month that two of its kitchen equipment service companies, PRO-TEK and PRO-PLUS, have secured a capital infusion by Degree One, a national holding company that invests in quality service businesses to fuel growth. As part of the deal, coordinated by Ed Daniels, the Daniels family has invested in Degree One, the company that acquired PRO-TEK & PROPLUS, and has shared ownership of the national service platform. Ed

Ed Daniels

and Chad will become active members of the Degree One leadership team helping shape the quality of services and growth on a national basis. Management indicated that PRO-TEK and PRO-PLUS will continue to operate under their current names. “I’m excited about joining with Degree One, as this offers us an exciting opportunity and deeper resources to grow our business in the New York market, and push deeper into New Jersey, Connecticut, northern NY State, and down the East Coast, as well as be part of a national platform,” explained Ed Daniels, founder and CEO of PRO-TEK and PRO-PLUS. “This helps ensure that we will continue to provide our employees with a secure future and our loyal customers with an unsurpassed level of service for decades to come.” The Daniels family has invested an undisclosed amount of money in this venture, demonstrating their commitment to the service industry, and with more skin in the game now than ever, expect to reach new plateaus of growth and the delivery of more diversified services, encircling the end user in a more complete way. Ed Daniels will continue to be responsible for working with local as well as national end users of services

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This helps ensure that we will continue to provide our employees with a secure future and our loyal customers with an unsurpassed level of service for decades to come,” said Ed Daniels. provided from HVAC to refrigeration to cooking equipment; along with equipment manufacturers to offer discounted pricing on all services. “We’re proud that PRO-TEK and PRO-PLUS have joined our national network of service companies,” noted a spokesperson for Degree One. “We respect what Ed Daniels (founder of the companies started in 1979) and his team have done to grow these companies into leading providers of kitchen equipment service in the Tri-State region for the past 40 years, and we look forward to his continued stewardship in strengthening these brands and the platform.” PRO-TEK, started in 1979 in Queens, New York, is a service company providing installation, repair, warranty, maintenance and inspection services for food service operations in the tri-state region. PRO-PLUS, is an equipment service

company with a special focus on refrigeration and cooking equipment based in Long Island, New York. Degree One, is a national network of premier HVAC, refrigeration and food service equipment maintenance companies which include Metrotech, KORE, Custom Cooling and CORE Mechanical. Daniels and his team are well respected throughout the Metro New York foodservice community for their on-going commitment to giving back the industry segments they serve. That has included their ongoing support of the Partridge Invitational Scholarship Foundation that enables students to complete their culinary education. Most recently Pro-Tek has taken the lead in assisting the marketing initiative of AHF, the Metro New York’s healthcare foodservice professionals association.

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NEWS

B&I DINING

Ithaca College Partners with Cornell University for Dining Services Transition

thaca College (IC) has entered into a partnership with Cornell University to acquire services and tools that will support the college’s transition to a self-operated campus dining program. Cornell Dining — a proven leader in the field — will license recipes, operation manuals and training materials for IC management and frontline employees. Earlier this year, Ithaca College announced that it was ending its relationship with long-time dining services provider Sodexo and instead bringing those operations “in house.” Cornell, which also operates its own

It developed quickly as an outstanding community partnership and is reflective of the strength and quality of our program and team at Cornell Dining,” said Ryan Lombardi, Cornell vice president for student and campus life. dining program, reached out to the college to offer its assistance and expertise. IC has arranged to license materi-

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als that will provide a foundation for the college to open its dining operations with thousands of established recipes, along with standard operating

procedures designed to achieve high food quality, consistency and safety. Training on protocols for food management will also be provided before the beginning of the fall semester, and will extend into the academic year as needed. The agreement, which is distinctive in higher education and the food industry, is in line with the kinds of cross-sector, community partnership opportunities envisioned in the college’s recently adopted five-year strategic plan.

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

NEWS

EDUCATION

ICE Commencements In NYC & LA Showcases Chef’s Role As Model for Success

he Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) hosted Chef Wolfgang Puck as the keynote speaker at the school’s inaugural Los Angeles campus ceremony in early June and Chef Dan Barber at the New York campus ceremony in mid-May. ICE’s west coast campus opened this past year, with the first Culinary Arts and Pastry & Baking Arts classes starting in March 2018. Wolfgang Puck is the chairman of Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, which has hired ICE alumni at restaurants, including Spago and WP24. The iconic chef addressed a crowd inside the Pasadena Playhouse, sharing the story of his remarkable journey, from apprenticing in Austria as a young boy to cooking for Hollywood’s elite, reminding graduates that many opportunities will present themselves, but success does not happen overnight. “You all have to be patient, you have to learn,” Chef Puck emphasized. “I learned how to cook mostly in France. When I came to America, that work experience enabled me to work at the great French restaurant, Ma Maison, and then to open Spago. At Spago, I added an Italian twist to my dishes and called it California Cuisine. We changed how people thought about pizza. Everyone came to Spago to eat pizza with smoked salmon and caviar, it was so unique at the time ... but you are the future. You are going to make this country the number one country in restaurants and the number one country for chefs all over the world.”

Wolfgang Puck

Dan Barber, chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, which has been named “Best Restaurant in America” by Eater, spoke at NYU Skirball Center. He discussed our culture’s craving for connectivity. “We don’t need to create a solution, restaurants are the solution,” Chef Barber said. “Who else does this, really? What other institution encourages this kind of engagement? In a context of pleasure and delight and hedonism, every single service to satisfy what we’re all hard-wired to create: real community and real connection, and by the way, not just with each other. Restaurants can also help satisfy our hard-wired craving for real connection with where our food is grown and who’s growing it for us.” Matthew Leung, ICE LA’s alumnus speaker, shared how he tried a number of careers before being hospital-

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ized with an autoimmune disease in 2017. Once he regained his health, Matt realized that life was too short to not realize his dreams of becoming a chef, which led him from Chicago to ICE’s Los Angeles campus. Upon finishing the Culinary Arts program, Matt found his first position at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Napa, a regular on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, with Chef Keller winning a James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding America.” In New York, ICE alumna Adrienne Cheatham shared her experiences with chefs Eric Ripert and Marcus Samuelsson, from an executive sous chef position at Le Bernardin to recipe testing for cookbooks, finishing second on “Top Chef,” and most recently launching a pop-up dinner series called SundayBest. “You’ve chosen one of the most diverse, welcoming, dynamic and varied industries to be a part of and there is no direction that you cannot take,” Chef Cheatham said. In both cities, ICE president and CEO of 24 years, Rick Smilow, kicked off the event with an address highlighting the diversity of ICE’s student body, which included a former hiphop dancer, Apple product designer, military veteran and 2018 high school grads in LA, and married military vets, a TEDx talk speaker and a minister who lost his home in Hurricane Irma, among many others, in New York. During his remarks, Rick stressed the importance of teamwork, noting

Main Office 282 Railroad Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director Michael Scinto Art Director Mark Sahm Director of Public Relations and Special Events Joyce Appelman Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Joyce Appelman Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Andy Lansing photo by Maria Ponce Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2019 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 Pittsburgh, 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

that he had recently been at the James Beard Awards ceremony in Chicago and noticed that as he watched and listened to almost 30 chefs accept awards, “the most common word used was teamwork, in every acceptance speech, the chefs stressed the importance of, and thanked their teams.” “Enjoy the journey you have begun,” Smilow concluded, wishing graduates good fortune and good cooking.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

NEWS

DISTRIBUTION

Imperial Dade Expands National Footprint With California Acquisition

ersey City based Imperial Dade, a leading distributor of food serving packaging and janitorial supplies has continued its growth with the acquisition of The Paper Company, Inc. This expansion will bring Imperial Dade to the Southern California market for the first time and marks the 23rd acquisition for CEO Robert Tillis and President Jason Tillis since their inauguration in 2007. While the acquisition became of-

ficial on July 1, Imperial Dade and The Paper Company, Inc. have had a close relationship for years. “We have recommended customers to them in the past and we knew how committed they are to their customers as well,” Jason Tillis explained. At its core, this deal represents two like-minded companies working together to help their clients. As Jason Tillis noted, “Really the driving force here is that we want to serve our customers and we felt like there

The Paper Company’s California headquarters

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was an opportunity to serve the national market in a bigger way.” Through the acquisition, Imperial Dade has included a distribution service with a reputation that precedes it. The Paper Company, founded in 1982 by Mike and Jody Madden, has been known for years in the Southern California area for its exceptional service and customer care. In teaming up, The Paper Company now has access to Imperial Dade’s resources and expertise, while Imperial Dade is one step closer to achieving its goal of full national service. Jason explained, “In addition to the financial benefits, the partnership also signifies both companies’ combined emphasis on sustainability. The Paper Company has a great, environmentally friendly offering, and we think we’ll be able to take some of what they do really well and bring it to our other locations. And I do think there are some things that we do as a company that we’ll be able to use to help them expand their offering to their customers. So we’re very excited to see what will happen with that dynamic.” Founded in 1935, Imperial Dade is a leading distributor of food serving packaging and janitorial supplies in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company boasts a portfolio of

This acquisition is the next step in our ability to serve customers coast to coast as a national distributor,” said Imperial Dade’s Jason Tillis 20,000 products and 31 different locations all across the United States, but the vision has always been about more than the products. For over 80 years, Imperial Dade has been dedicated to being an ethically sound company that intends to build trust with its customers through honesty, openness, and communication. “We look forward to partnering with The Paper Company team and continuing to provide customers with a world-class combination of value and service,” Jason Tillis concluded.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

THOUGHTFULLY CURATED

WITH LMT PROVISIONS

The Highest Proof

t’s pretty basic to add the term ‘community impact’ to a mission statement, but in our industry, the proof is in the cock-

tail. Every year, the city of New Orleans transforms into the mecca of mixology when the world’s elite beverage professionals arrive for ‘Tales of the Cocktail’. Since 2002, this conflu-

ence has gathered the international spirits community together for the world’s premier cocktail festival. ‘Tales’ is not just about cocktails. This conference proves that the whole of the industry is greater than the sum of its parts. ‘Tales’ is powered by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to edu-

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cate, advance, and support the global hospitality industry while also creating lasting community impact. The brightest in beverage never hesitate to head to New Orleans in the height of summer, so it should be no surprise that even Tropical Storm Barry couldn’t stop this party. ‘Tales’ isn’t just six days of drinking in July. After Puerto Rico experienced a hurricane that devasted the island, ‘Tales’ and the hospitality industry acted, resoundingly. In March, Tales on Tour 2019 Puerto Rico Special Edition launched as an effort to rebuild the Commonwealth through support, attention, and empathy for the local spirits community. TOTCF continues to stand for and alongside hospitality establishments still recovering. Just last week, the organization announced they will be returning next spring to continue to support a community of kindred hurricane victims. These efforts are reinforced by the camaraderie felt in New Orleans. This year’s event was honored with the theme ‘Cultivate’; “a reflection of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to actively engage partners and participants through meaningful thought leadership.” This felt like a natural evolution after last year’s conference, which took place during a pivotal and transformative year for the spirits community. William Grant & Sons (WGS) captured that zeitgeist with a bold marketing endeavor. Choosing to focus on responsible consumption, their headlining reception was spirit-free. Beverage professionals were exposed to the creativity that

Morgan Tucker is the Director of Business Development at Singer M. Tucker and founder of LMT. Ms. Tucker advises a wide diversity of acclaimed restaurateurs, celebrated chefs, and industry leaders across the U.S. LMT is a thoughtfully curated brand of hospitality provisions that can be sourced through the Singer family of companies. To consult with our team, please email lmt@singerequipment.com.

temperance can add to a beverage program with twenty unique concoctions, each featuring signature flavors from WGS portfolio brands. This soiree has become my unofficial kickoff of ‘Tales’ each year, setting the tone for the week, and effectively, the entire industry. A year later, the paradigm has shifted. Spirit-free and low-proof cocktails are undoubtedly present on bar menus around the world, and we’re still talking about this bold act of genius and marketing. Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy for William Grant & Sons, had quite a bar to reach, then, when planning this year’s event. It should be no surprise that she enlisted The Chef’s Garden to prepare

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11

FIORITO ON INSURANCE ADA Accessible Websites Continue To Be Costly Liability Exposure For Food Service & Hospitality Businesses

Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President with HUB International Northeast, a leading global insurance brokerage, where he specializes in providing insurance services to the restaurant industry. As a 25+ year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, rang-

mericans with Disabilities Act (ADA) based discrimination claims alleging inaccessibility of business websites have increased dramatically over the last several years, potentially costing businesses millions of dollars in settlements as of the latest targeted litigation trends. Enacted in 1990, the ADA prohibits employment discrimination, discrimination by government and other public services organizations and applies to all public accommodations and services provided by private companies. ADA’s Title III deals with accommodation services provided by companies and this is where the main exposure for litigation lands. ADA inaccessible websites emerged as one of the biggest commercial liabilities in 2017 and it doesn’t look like this costly trend will slow down any time soon. In fact, ADA website related lawsuits increased 181% last year from the year prior1, according to UsableNet’s 2018 report, citing over 2,200 cases filed nationwide, with the heaviest concentration throughout New York, Florida and Pennsylvania. As food service and hospitality are among the top five industries most often tar-

ing from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establish-

ADA website related lawsuits increased 181% last year from the year prior, according to UsableNet’s 2018 report geted for ADA lawsuits (along with retail, entertainment and financial services), it’s especially important for businesses in these industries to evaluate their websites and mobile apps for accessibility and ensure that they have the proper insurance coverage in place. How To Know If Your Site Is ADA Compliant If your website’s type font is too small for the visually impaired or contains imbedded videos without captions or audio descriptions for the hearing impaired, or if a physicallyimpaired consumer has to scroll up or down to find your main navigating tools, it may not be ADA accessible. While ADA regulations don’t mention websites specifically, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) frequently cites recommendations such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)2, provided by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which can be

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referenced as the standard for compliance. To get you started, the following are three key tips for migrating your website to ADA compliance: 1. Don’t use your own judgment. Comb through your website with a third-party vendor that’s familiar with ADA accessibility – find out how much they know the issues, standards and what’s considered ADA accessible. 2. Describe the imagery. Complex graphics should be accompanied by detailed text descriptions. If an image is also used as a link, make sure the alt tag describes the graphic and the link destination. Add captions and audio descriptions to all videos. 3. Provide alternatives. All java applets, scripts and plug ins and their contents must be accessible to assistive technologies, or an alternative must be made available. Provide a skip navigation option to assist text readers. Create a link to videos

ments. Robert can be reached at 212338-2324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.

rather than imbedding them in the web page. In addition to assessing your website’s compliance, now is the time to also ensure you have the right insurance coverage in place in the event your business is hit with an ADA discrimination lawsuit. Various Media Liability or Employment Practices Liability (EPL) insurance policies can provide coverage for ADA website accessibility related losses, as well as third-party EPL policies, which includes coverage for third-party discrimination. Avoid this liability exposure by taking the appropriate steps today to confirm your website is ADA accessible and speak to your insurance broker regarding the insurance protection you need to shield your bottom line from the costly implications of potential claims. 1. UsableNet 2018 ADA Accessibility Lawsuit Recap Report 2.http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/ quickref/

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13

NEWS

LEGISLATION

CT Governor Lamont Turns Back On Restaurants With Refusal To Ink Minimum Wage Veto

xercising his veto power for restaurant industry.” the first time, Connecticut Restaurants will already struggle Governor Ned Lamont late under a minimum wage rising to $15 last month rejected three over the next four years, a new 1 perlaws passed by the Democrat-led Gencent surcharge on restaurant meals eral Assembly in 2019. and prepared food and a half percent Lamont vetoed a bill that would payroll deduction for paid by all workhave resulted in lower wages for some ers for family and medical leave benrestaurant workers who receive tips efits, Klarides and Candelora said. for only part of their work. The bill also Klarides called the legislative seswould have had serious implications sion “the most anti-business of our for several pending lawsuits regarding lifetime,” and said this “very insidicompensation for restaurant workers. ous” veto proves Lamont is an “antiIt also contained provisions that made business governor,. changes to the state’s Workforce Train“This bill(H. B. 5001) protects not ing Authority board, within the Deonly small businesses, but employees partment of Labor. as well, noted the Connecticut RestauHouse Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, Drant Associations’s Scott Dolch, Class Berlin, disapproved of this last veto in action lawsuits such as these threaten particular. “I am disappointed the governor choose to veto a bill that I believe helps Connecticut businesses grow,” he said. “Over the next few days I will be talking with members about what action we will take.” House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, and her deputy, Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, strongly condemned Lamont’s veto of this restaurant wage legislation. “The bill that was an attempt to bring certainty to the restaurant labor force,” said Candelora. “This veto is yet anConnecticut Governor Ned Lamont other nail in the coffin for our

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The bill that was an attempt to bring certainty to the restaurant labor force. This veto is yet another nail in the coffin for our restaurant industry,” said House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby to put restaurants owners out-ofbusiness, placing hundreds of jobs in jeopardy.” A two-third vote of the both the House and Senate is required to override a governor’s veto. Klarides predicted a “very good chance” of an override for the restaurant wages bill, adding that legislative leaders are already discussing it. “Sometimes a governor can forestall a veto override by promising to work with the legislature to fix a flaw in the bill,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven. Rather than hold a press conference, Lamont issued a press release to address his position on wages for restaurant workers. Lamont wrote that he did not wholly oppose part of the bill which would align state law with federal law in outlining when

restaurant workers receive a lower, “tip wage” versus a standard minimum wage. But he did such a change should be made “after study, debate and input from affected stakeholders,” which he said did not happen. State law allows restaurants to pay workers a tip wage only for hours when they are engaged with patrons in “service duties,” and the higher minimum wage for other duties. But if restaurants forget to keep track of when workers are engaged in each kind of duty, they owe the higher minimum wage for the whole shift. Federal law allows restaurants to pay workers the lower tip wage more of the time. The tip wage for most restaurant service workers is $6.38 per hour, or $8.23 for bartenders, whereas the minimum wage is now $10.10. Lamont did strongly object to a part of the legislation that said new Con-

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15

NEWS

FOOD WASTE SOLUTIONS

Community Compost Company Processes Hudson County Leftover Food Scraps

or would-be composters in Hoboken and Jersey City, there’s Community Compost Company, a service that recycles subscribers’ cucumber skins, eggshells, apple cores and other food scraps for them. It works like this: Similar to trash and recycling pick-up services, Community Compost Co. collects bins residents and restaurants place outside weekly or bi-weekly with their truck. They then pile up this discarded food at their one-andhalf acre facility in the Hudson Valley, shepherding the natural process

of creating compost out of brokendown food scraps. That’s 1.6 million pounds—and counting—of scraps diverted from landfills, says Andrea Rodriguez, Community Compost’s sales and marketing manager. Now a team of six women, all of whom Rodriguez describes as “passionate environmentalists,” the business started as the brainchild of New Jersey native Eileen Banyra. A city planner with three decades of experience (and a New Jersey native), Banyra switched gears in 2013, getting Community Compost off the ground through

Chefs really see the importance of good, healthy ingredients,” says Andrea Rodriguez, Community Compost’s sales and marketing manager. “With composting, you’re only helping to create more awesome ingredients to cook with later on.” 16 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

an incubator program in New Paltz, New York. Two years later, Banyra wanted to expand beyond the Hudson Valley. She landed on Hoboken and Jersey City—both diverse, green-minded, urban communities with lots of New York transplants familiar with composting—as starting points in her home state. Drumming up interest by creating compost dropoffs at farmers markets, they then launched the pick-up service, handing out their signature five-gallon green buckets to home cooks (there

are currently close to 300 household subscribers; it costs $29 or $19 per month for weekly or bi-weekly pickup respectively.) Picking up scraps from eateries such as Choc-O-Pain, cooking school Hudson Table, Black Rail Coffee, Grand Vin and Simply Juiced has been a natural match. “Chefs really see the importance of good, healthy ingredients,” Rodriguez says. “With composting, you’re only helping to create more awesome in-

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17

NEWSMAKER

Richard Knoop, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Glissen Chemical, Brooklyn, NY

an you share your background: How did you get into the restaurant/foodservice cleaning industry? Being fourth generation at Glissen Chemical, I was born into the foodservice industry. Growing up in Joe and Bobbi Lehr’s home I was raised with stories of my grandfather and great grandfather building Glissen from our very humble beginning close to ninety years ago. Besides screwing caps on gallons of Nu-Foam when I was 5 years old I spent 10+ years working at an amazing Irish bar/ restaurant in my home town of Long Beach, NY. I started as a busboy at 13 years old and proceeded to become a barback and bartender. We of course used NuFoam products and every pint of beer that was served was a Proper Pint! What brought you to Glissen? Glissen helped shape me into the man I am today long before I was officially “brought on” 5 years ago. Glissen’s culture of Honesty, Integrity, and your Word is your bond was frequently discussed at the dinner table. I always loved what my family has built with Glissen and knew I would one day want to perpetuate that legacy. The timing of what brought me on board was my wife and I finished a 9 month, 20,000 mile road trip in an old Chevy Blazer. When we got back we wanted to start a family and our family told us “it’s time to grow up”. We have two beautiful daughters now and couldn’t be happier I get to work with my grandfather every day. How have the needs of the Glissen

dealer evolved through the years? With all the mergers and acquisitions that have been taking place in the last 10 years the dealers are growing faster than ever before. Warehouses are growing in size but SKU consolidation is a big part of absorbing another company. Educating the dealer sales reps on what they are stocking and how to go to market with that product is very important. How does Glissen respond to the needs of that dealer? Glissen is family owned and operated which enables us to be very flexible. We can make changes to manufacturing, packaging, marketing much faster than a company that needs to go through 6 levels of approvals. Glissen works alongside the dealers to look at their current product offering and how we can build their line with the finest products. Our sales team coordinates sales meetings and ride alongs with the dealers sales team to educate and promote our products to the end users. At the end of the day old fashioned communication of picking up the phone, face to face meetings and a firm handshake is how we still like to conduct business. The importance of serving a great beer has been ramped up dramatically with the advent of the craft beer?

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in 2017. All over the country many once bustling manufacturing towns that have been lying dormant are now flourishing with the addition to Independent breweries. This industry is putting Americans back to work and all in the name of good beer, who wouldn’t want to be involved!

What are your thoughts? The food service industry has seen a tremendous boom in the Farm to Table movement. The brewery might not be a “farm” but it is certainly involved in this social movement. Independent brewers have tremendous pride and passion in crafting that delicious brew same as the small family farms take great care in the products they supply. I personally have been doing a lot of brewery research, visiting many tap houses and learning the culture. The brewery tap room is the new Starbucks. People are sitting on couches and cozy chairs reading a book or at a table on their laptop finishing up some work. I have seen a lot of people sharing “flights” and then leaving with Growlers of their favorite brew. The craft beer industry contributed over $76 billion to the U.S. economy

Let’s back up a step and define the difference between a clean glass and a dirty glass as we aim towards the “Proper Pint”. A Proper Pint is only served when the glass is “Beer Ready”. This means it is properly cleaned and sanitized. A beer ready glass will have the following characteristics: • Beer will hold its head • No lipstick stains or soils • Foam should cling to glass with each drink, called lacing • No bubbles should cling anywhere on the glass besides formed at the head of beer. What is the message being sent when you can see carbonation bubbles? The only place you should see carbonation bubbles is in the head of the beer. If there are bubbles anywhere else on the glass that glass was not “beer ready”. Bubbles should not cling to the side of the glass What role does foam play in the goal of “The Perfect Pint”?

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

WITH FRED SAMPSON

Don’t Let Small Talk Cause an Explosion

Fred G. Sampson is the retired President Emeritus of the New York State Restaurant Association. He began

’m not sure if most servers realize how important their salutation, greeting, approach, or comments can be when greeting guests. It is very important and sets the tone for further conversation. Over the years I have viewed many consumer surveys regarding servers, their appearance, attitude, and menu knowledge. I have never seen an article in the general press dealing with their salutation—until now. It was written by one of our most popular columnists, “Dear Abby.” I have taken the liberty of sharing it with you. Waiter’s effort at small talk fails DEAR ABBY: Last week I was out with my family of 13 for dinner. My sister-in-law was sitting relaxed in her chair, stretching her back and extending her stomach. The waiter came over and, trying to make small talk, asked her, “What’s the occasion? Are you pregnant?” My sister-in-law isn’t pregnant, but her posture may have suggested it. Well, my brother, her husband, went off on him, calling him names, swearing, and causing a loud, uncomfortable scene. We all agreed the waiter was stupid to ask the question, but wasn’t my brother wrong here? He embarrassed all of us, and I don’t think there was any malicious intent on the part of the waiter. My brother stands behind his outburst and insists he wasn’t wrong. This has happened before, and I’m sure it will happen in the future. What’s your suggestion for a better way to

working with NYSRA in 1961. Within the next four years the NYSRA more than tripled its membership and expanded from one regional chapter to eight. Sampson played roles in representing restaurants on issues including paid sick leave, minimum wage, liquor laws, a statewide alcohol training program and insurance plans. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com

handle a situation like this, so maybe I can get through to my brother? —LOST MY APPETITE IN GEORGIA [Abigail Van Buren’s response:] DEAR LOST: The waiter should have quit after he asked if your party of 13 was celebrating a special occasion. To have asked whether your sister-in-law was pregnant was a blunder, which I am betting was reflected in his tip. While I appreciate your brother’s desire to “protect” his wife, he accomplished nothing positive by creating a scene and embarrassing the family. Because you mentioned that this has happened before and may happen in the future, it’s time for “the family” to suggest he get professional help for his anger issues. If this is how he behaves in public, I shudder to imagine what he’s like in private.

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My conclusion: When I said at the top of this article that the server’s approach and comments will set the tone for the remaining course of the meal, I didn’t have anything like the above in mind. Abby’s comments were right on the money, though, including the harsh treatment the server suffered. While his inquiry was off the mark, his intention was understandable. Note that a number of server comments considered unacceptable appear in many server surveys, such as: Number one is whenever a guest is paying with cash, even before the server has any idea as to the amount of the tip, comes the refrain: “Do you need change?” This is not the way to end the dialogue between server and guest. “I’ll be back with your change,”

is certainly friendlier and allows the guest time to determine the amount of the tip. And return every penny of the change. The next most disliked server greeting when addressing a mixed group is, “How are you guys doing tonight?” Or, “My name is ‘Art’ and I’m going to be serving you guys tonight.” Not only do female guests resent it, many men in the group feel likewise. I’m aware that my readers are more than familiar with most aspects of this industry, and that my comments address issues that are well known. Despite this, such habits continue to prevail. When an esteemed columnist such as Abby gives coverage to this topic, it might be smart for management to look and listen as to how their guests are greeted. One last item: How about asking “Is everything all right?” after the guests have had a chance to taste their selections. How about, “Is everyone happy?” Don’t worry, today’s consumers will not take more than five seconds to say if they’re not.

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cheflerfoods.com • 800-506-1925 • 400 Lyster Ave. Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

NEWS

EXPANSION

Manhattan Toque Vongerichten Set To Make Philly Debut

ew York City based chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is set to open his first Philadelphia restaurant this month in new Four Seasons hotel. Vongerichten is headed to the top floors of the 60-story Comcast Technology Center for Jean-Georges Philadelphia and a lounge called JG SkyHigh. Down on street level, his former colleague, James Beard Award winner Greg Vernick, is just about ready to debut Vernick Fish. Both will officially open the same day as the hotel, August 12th. Designer Norman Foster did more than simply clad the 59th and 60th floors in 40-foot windows, allowing for views from three sides. He also cleverly created a sense of place by setting up mirrors along the length of the ceiling, angled to reflect people and cars on the street. Look up from your seat, and you can see taxis and pedestrians. The new Jean-Georges Philadelphia is Vongerichten’s 39th restaurant. Comcast chief Brian Roberts brought the legendary chef to see the location when it was a hole in the ground five years ago. He has 15 in New York alone, starting with JoJo (which opened in 1991) and including the flagship Jean-Georges, at Trump International Hotel. Through management deals and partnerships, he runs one in Westchester, N.Y., two in the Hamptons, two each in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and three in Miami Beach, plus 13 around the world, including two

It’s a great town, it’s a great food town. People are so nice and we’ve found some great talent for both front and back of the house. An exciting moment!” said Jean Georges Vongerichten

Jean Georges Vongerichten

in Shanghai and Mexico, one in Singapore, and one on St. Barth’s. Thirty percent of the Jean-Georges’ menu will be made up of dishes from the New York flagship, with the rest overseen by chef Nick Ugliarolo. Given Ugliarolo’s past at Vongerichten’s all-vegan abcV restaurant, the menu will include vegan and vegetarian options. Some items will be changed weekly, while others will be seasonal. Vongerichten, who describes himself as “a New Yorker with an accent,” arrived in New York in 1986. The son and grandson of coal merchants from Alsace said he got into the restaurant business at age 16 after flaming out in engineering school. His parents had taken him to L’Auberge de L’Ill, a Michelin threestar restaurant, for his birthday. During dinner, his father was still

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seething about his quitting school but the son was taking notice of the action. “We never went to a restaurant,” Vongerichten said. “Maybe a bistro, we’d go once a year. But as I saw everything, I said to myself, ‘Oh, my God. This is it. This is what I want to do.’” He said his father approached chef-owner Paul Haeberlin and said, “This is my son. He’s good for nothing. If you want him to wash dishes, he’ll do that.” Turns out that the restaurant needed an apprentice. At the outset, he was assigned to cook for dogs that rich customers brought in. After working for chef Paul Bocuse, he joined chef Louis Outhier, who sent him all over Asia, whose cuisines inform most of his menus today. While working in Bangkok at age 23, he was given profit-andloss statements to expose him to the business side. He learned more at the Drake Hotel in New York because the Swiss owners, he said, demanded that. At age 32, he took a restaurant-business course at Hunter College in New York before opening JoJo with Phil Suarez, who is still

his business partner. His empire boasts successful alumni. Besides Vernick, Vongerichten’s former staffers in Philadelphia include chef Nick Kennedy, a coowner of Suraya in Fishtown; My-Le Vuong, an owner of Kalaya in South Philadelphia; Hannah Taylor-Noren, director of operations of Method Hospitality (Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, Hiroki); Daniel Stern, chef-owner. of R2L; Sylva Senat, chef at the Pyramid Club; and chocolatier Aurora Wold of Aurora Grace. At the main kitchen at JeanGeorges in New York, Vongerichten said, he and his chefs try to develop two or three dishes a day for the restaurants. “This is the best job I’ve ever had in my life,” he said. “All I do is create new spaces and new food.” All in all, Vongerichten is taken with Philadelphia, pleased to be working in proximity to Vernick, and feeling quite warmly towards the city as a whole: “It’s a great town, it’s a great food town. People are so nice and we’ve found some great talent for both front and back of the house. An exciting moment!”

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

Four New Mint Juleps To Entice Your Imagination!

love the mint julep as a drink and also as a metaphor. Scarcely is there a drink that excites me more than a well-formed mint julep. But if you think that all mint juleps are sweet, think again. Sometimes they can be quite robust and even made with liquors other than bourbon! The making of a mint julep with something other than bourbon reminds me of a time when I attended the Kentucky Derby. Unforgettable were my lodgings, in what was probably a crack den at the end of the runway. Every time a thundering jet took off, I would have to duck, they were that low in altitude. I survived this scene of the planes roaring over

the building for only a few hours before I escaped from that hell-hole. It was also searing hot out, the kind of temperature that makes my usual smile melt off my face. What I really wanted was something hand-held that could blot out the uncomfortable experience of dripping salty sweat down my back and those dicey residents of this motel on either side of me. I wanted to get the hell out of there, but it was the Kentucky Derby and lousy rooms were a thousand dollars a night. I wanted a libation, but not the stuff I was served at the track. That drink served in a commemorative glass was an abomination of all things bourbon in my own knowledge. What I paid

fourteen dollars for may or may not have ever held bourbon, although the color was reminiscent of brownish. Frozen into a stalk of poor ice was a black slimy hunk of mint. Remember, I was at Churchill Downs and the mint julep was supposed to taste somewhat like a mint julep. What I got was utter disappointment. What not to do. 1. Do not freeze your mint into the ice 2. Do not use cheap bourbon 3. Do not use dried mint and hope for the best 4. Do not laugh at the drunks who can’t hold their liquor 5. Do not repeat What I consider to be a pretty good mint julep Ingredients: • 3 oz. Bonded Bourbon- you know- 100 proof. Essential • 1 tablespoon Demerara Sugar- Essential to use something other than white sugar • Crushed ice- your cold draft machine ice, crushed in a Lewis bag or like • The freshest Spearmint-always well washed! Serious! Preparation: 1. Crush that ice and set aside 2. Lightly muddle the mint to reveal the oils with some sugar 3. Add some bourbon, ice and more sugar

24 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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 Cocktails, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and his most recent book Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, & Tonics.

4. Muddle very lightly, add ice, stir, bourbon, stir, mint, stir, bourbon etc. 5. I used a copper core, sterling silver bourbon cup that dates back to the 1930’s. You should use a glass The first time that I enjoyed a roasted peach mint julep, it was with real Southern grown peaches. It’s hard to explain the joy that you feel when you bite into a juicy, tree ripened peach. I’m happy to say that bourbon, when mixed with mint and a fresh, juicy peach is one of those quintessential experiences of life. Now imagine that same peach,

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

CHEFCETERA

Chef Rafael Palomino of Sonora Restaurant, Port Chester, NY

n the spring of 1999, Manhattan-based Chef Rafael Palomino moved his family out of the steamy city and into the picturesque ‘burbs of Westchester County. The plan was a simple one; to relocate his family and replicate his Sonora concept (Eastgate Tower Hotel, NY) closer to home and create his elevated Latin cuisine for a new clientele. Palomino was introduced to the former Two Moons restaurant space in Port Chester, NY, straddling the border of Greenwich, CT. Spearheaded by restaurateur Denis Ossorio and Chef Billy Rosenberg, Two Moons, in its day, was somewhat of an enigma, a mash-up of Southwestern cuisine comprised of uncharacteristically Southwestern ingredients, a cocktail menu that was ahead of its time (“waiter, there’s an herb in my cocktail.”), and a design aesthetic that was dubbed a “Mesa Verde cave of the Anasazi” by the New York Times. “It was perfect,” recalls Palomino of the physical space and the juxtaposing communities, “It had just enough edge to it and the canvas I needed to create my Latin concept. The location was a bit quirky too, which only added to its appeal.” Port Chester had yet to attract any major culinary talent at the time Palomino swooped into town. Downtown was filled with taquerias and bodegas, a few neighborhood pubs, and an oldschool steakhouse. This fearless chef was taking a gamble. “Cilantro and chipotle weren’t flavors people were craving. Ceviche was for the adventurous and Latin inspired tequila and rum-based cocktails were

not hot like they are now. I knew I had to stay true to my concept though and educate the consumer,” Palomino says of his long-term plan and his mission to have people fall in love with his food. Fortunately, his long-term plan was accomplished in the short term as it wasn’t long before his Miami Beachmeets-Port Chester restaurant and bar was the talk of the neighborhood. While the clientele may not have been familiar with the dishes, they knew quality and could appreciate the creativity. Palomino’s classically trained culinary background shined through. Colombian-born, Palomino drew from his childhood in Bogotá, his earlier years in New York City alongside such culinary legends as Larry Forgione and Charlie Palmer, and his time in France honing his craft with renowned Chef Michel Guèrard in Eugènie-les-Bains. One could say “and the rest is history” as Palomino continued to open more restaurants and pen 5 cookbooks; Bistro Latino, Viva la Vida, Nueva Salsa, Fiesta Latina, and Latin Grill!. But history is just that, a look back. A chef’s career met with great successes and unique challenges. Upon the success of Sonora, Palomino and his partner Moe Gad introduced their Pacifico concept a mere 2 miles up the road in Rye, NY and another up the line in New Haven, CT. “We soon realized that we were competing with ourselves with the Rye location. Whereas, the New Haven spot was a home run from the beginning. We were quickly accepted by a

continued on page 108

26 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

After two decades of modern Latin cuisine in Port Chester, NY, Chef Rafael Palomino celebrates Sonora Restaurant, lessons learned, and an evolving dining culture

Chef Rafael Palomino’s Paella

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

NEWS

LEGISLATION

Senate Bill Met With CT Brewers Expansion of Kitchens

hree of Connecticut’s 20 largest craft brewers are expanding their operations in response to recently passed legislation that some industry experts call the most significant liquor reforms since the Prohibition era. Bloomfield-based Thomas Hooker Brewing Co., Hartford’s Hog River Brewing Co. and Manchester’s Labyrinth Brewing Co. are among the first brewers adding square footage, new equipment and selections, in part, because of last month’s passage of Senate Bill 647, which more than triples the amount of beer a customer can purchase at breweries for off-site consumption, allows the cross-selling of in-state alcohol products like wine, liquor, meads and hard ciders, and consolidates the liquor permitting process. Gov. Ned Lamont, legislators and brewery advocates celebrated the bill’s final passage over beers last month in Milford, claiming it will spur new opportunities for Connecticut’s 92 operating breweries, which contribute an estimated $3.1 billion annually to the state’s economy. “This sets a large precedent on our beer industry to provide a larger economic impact for the state that facilitates business growth, job growth, long-term sustainability and both in- and out-of-state tourism,” said Sean O’Neil, co-founder of Tribus Beer Co., which hosted last month’s bill signing ceremony. “We are more than pleased to see this step in the right direction.” The reform talks took place earlier this year with an unprecedented, even

This sets a large precedent on our beer industry to provide a larger economic impact for the state that facilitates business growth, job growth, long-term sustainability and both in- and out-ofstate tourism,” said Sean O’Neil

awkward meeting at Thomas Hooker Brewery’s Hartford taproom at the Colt Building between brewers and special interest groups representing distributors, wholesalers and restaurateurs. The parties, like in other states, have been at odds for years, unwilling to compromise on legislation that would revamp Connecticut’s outdated, and often restrictive, liquor laws. But the brewery industry had more leverage this year due to its recent growth, among other factors, according to Phil Pappas, executive director of the Connecticut Brewers Guild. Connecticut breweries currently

28 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

support more than 21,000 jobs in the state and generate a large source of revenue for wholesalers and distributors, industry experts say. Beer production has also soared from 23,372 barrels in 2011 to 213,606 in 2018, according to the Brewers Association, which represents 62 breweries in Connecticut. And those tallies are expected to get bigger. There are more than 100 Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau permits pending in Connecticut, which experts say indicates how many entrepreneurs are planning new brewery sites.

“The ability to sell more beer and have more licenses were such a huge win,” said Thomas Hooker Brewery owner Curt Cameron. Although Connecticut’s brewery industry is peaking, some brewers fear the market is becoming oversaturated as the state quickly approaches 100 operating brewers. Meantime, some brewers are concerned about the added costs they will incur as a result of the new law. Mark Szamatulski, who owns Veracious Brewing Co. in Monroe with his wife, Tess, said he may close his taproom within the next year because the new liquor law will force his brewery to shoulder an additional $3,800 in annual costs. That’s because the law gradually increases fees under a new permitting structure, which consolidates four manufacturer beer permits into one and establishes a “Connecticut cafe permit” allowing the crossselling of alcoholic products. The law also adds a new alcohol excise tax of $7.20 per barrel (typically 28 gallons) for taproom sales on amounts over 15 barrels. Breweries were previously exempt from paying that tax. The changes were part of several compromises the Connecticut Brewers Guild agreed to in exchange for allowing brewers to increase from nine liters to nine gallons the amount of beer they can sell individual customers daily for off-site consumption. Scaled permit costs were also meant to create a more level playing field with the restaurant industry. “We

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

TREND TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

Electrolux Solutions Power Olmsted’s Kitchen in Small, Sustainable Footprint Q & A with Roger Kenney, Territory Sales Manager for Electrolux Professional

ave you been taking steps toward sustainability in your restaurant? Taking a look at the kitchen is a great way to ensure you’re incorporating best practices to keep your restaurant as eco-friendly as possible while reducing the carbon footprint. Whether you’re starting a kitchen remodel or just looking to make a few changes in habits, it’s easy to go green in the kitchen. I sat down with Roger Kenney, Territory Sales Manager for Electrolux Professional to talk about creating an eco-friendly kitchen for

Roger Kenney, Territory Sales Manager for Electrolux Professional

Chef Greg Baxtrom at Olmsted, the award-winning global neighborhood restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. He also offers a few ideas that you can do to make your commercial kitchen environmentally friendly. Who did you partner with to help design the kitchen? We called on Joe Steckmeister of

Chef Greg Baxtrom at Olmsted

30 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

M Tucker/Singer and our local NYC rep Adam Kaufmann of Kaufmann Associates. What were the marching orders you gave them for the design? Chef Baxtrom emphasizes the importance of consistency to his guests visiting the restaurant in Brooklyn. His team weighs every little thing to the gram as they work to be an ambitious, finedining restaurant. They make everything inhouse from the pickles to the ricotta cheese to the ice cream. We were asked to integrate new technology that would enable their operation to expand its efficiencies in a small footprint and with limited resources, like many NYC restaurants. When and why did “green and sustainable” become part of your agenda?

Joyce Appelman, is the Director of Public Relations and Special Events for Total Food Service and previously the National Communications Director for C-CAP, Careers through Culinary Arts Program. An industry leader supporting education and scholarships, she has been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com

Chef Baxtrom’s philosophy is local centric and it offers a simple but compelling seasonal menu that has drawn attention from a global and local audience. The restaurant was named for famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who helped design Central Park in New York City and other green spaces in the urban landscape. The backyard of the 50-seat restaurant is an urban garden, driving ingredients for the menu and into the kitchen. How large is the Olmsted kitchen? The main kitchen upstairs is just 100 square feet and the downstairs kitchen is 300 square feet. What was the flow that you were trying to accomplish? They were at capacity of their production and service. Chef Baxtrom wanted to expand hours of operations and preparation for the existing operation and a future restaurant. Electrolux Professional helps Chef Baxtrom achieve consistency with his menu. What went into the selection of equip-

ment and the decision to “spec” Electrolux? We gave Greg kitchen drawings prior to our meetings that helped create a relationship based on working together for the solutions to meet his needs.

bracketed by the EMPower Restaurant Series ranges and a Pressure Braising Pan that help to power the small footprint of the Olmsted kitchen.

What were the features and benefits of Electrolux vs. other products in the marketplace? The solution based Cook & Chill enables operators to be more efficient and productive with less space, energy and labor resulting in an efficient business.

What did Chef Baxtrom from Olmsted bring to the table that made him a good partner on this project? The chef’s philosophy of The interior at Olmsted New York business, community and people first to enjoy his small footprint of the kitchen, Chef talents and the professional and hosBaxtrom relies on the Combi Ovens, pitable personality of their team and because it is like having another emthe respect for his environment stood ployee. He’s also getting much use out out from day one of our initial meetof his Pressure Braising Pan – a piece ing. We are extremely proud to be part of equipment that is new to him, but of the success. they are finding multiple applications for it. According to the chef, “It’s huge -------for consistency, especially making the Roger explained that of the Electrosweet and sour sauce. It’s not just a lux Professional solutions filling the

How did Electrolux help Chef Baxtrom execute a” green and sustainable” agenda? The team chose Electrolux Professional products because they always liked them. The small kitchen housed next door to the restaurant in the Williamsburg neighborhood has stacked air-o-steam Touchline Combi Ovens

time-saver; it’s a quality check thing … that is why we built a better kitchen, to achieve that.” The crab rangoon they serve six months out of the year illustrates how everything works in the kitchen. “I’m using the crab I want to use. The sweet and sour sauce takes two hours to make,” Chef Baxtrom said. “The Olmsted is truly a partnership with Electrolux Professional as their values align with our values for life and for business,” Kenney said. Electrolux Professional is a leading provider and trusted partner for unit and full solutions, with a comprehensive and integrated offer for food, beverage and laundry. For more information, visit www. professional.electroluxusa.com

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

QUEL’S CORNER

AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE TRENDS REDEFINING THE INDUSTRY

Let’s Meet Over Golf, Drinks Or At A Conference

Raquel Weiss Fusco is among a generation that’s redefining foodservice. Inspired by her Instagram account,

The Importance of Face-to-Face Conversation in the Digital Age

Quel’s Corner will focus on the latest trends, designs and happenings in the industry. The third generation of her family to work in managed foodservice, Raquel is the Director

magine this… It’s 7 a.m., the sun is shining and you’re at the range warming up for a charity golf outing. Despite having a terrible slice, it’ll be a good day because you’re playing alongside a client that you’ve been trying to connect with for a meeting. You’ve not only brought your A-game, but you know face-to-face meetings work. And the summer is a perfect time to make those happen.

Raquel Weiss Fusco and Seth Prager behind the elite|studio e booth at the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management Critical Issues Conference this past spring

of Client Relations at elite|studio e,

In today’s busy world, it’s amazing to me what businesses and employees can do virtually. In recent years, we have seen unparalleled advances in video calls, conferencing and messaging leading to an increase in employees working remote. In fact, companies have closed headquarters for virtual offices around the world. And, in the case of elite|studio e (where I work), we have the technology to tour a conceptual design using virtual reality while being in two different locations!

a foodservice project solutions firm. She is also an established leader for the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management. Follow Raquel on Instagram @quelscorner or www.quelscorner.com.

Naturally, there are pros and cons to living in this digital age. But even with all these advances, there’s no replacement for face-to-face meet-

Nearly half of the elite|studio e team participated in the 2019 AJC Food Service and Hospitality Division dinner. Multiple generations from several companies, including elite|studio e, were present at the event.

32 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ings. They give all parties involved a chance to develop trust and transparency easily; the opportunity to understand body language; and make focusing easier. According to an article in The Washington Post, “More than eight in ten executives prefer in-person meetings to virtual contact, noting they create space for tough, timely business decisions and foster more complex strategic thinking.” In my opinion, the key to building relationships and having a successful meeting is more than just a video conference. It’s about taking that extra plane, train, or automobile to deepen a relationship or close a deal. And like I said before, summer is the perfect time for this. These past few months, people in my office have been catching up with colleagues and friends at char-

continued on page 104

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33

EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

HUB Hosts Manhattan Panel To Create Cybersecurity Strategies

ith a backdrop of headlines including the credit card at a national restaurant chain with multiple Tri-State locations to POS terminals being infected with malware, HUB International teamed with Ellenoff Grossman and Schole, NYSRA and TFS last month to find solutions to the latest threat to the local restaurant community. A panel of experts led by Kathleen Riley of NYSRA’s New York City office, the HUB International’s duo of Bob Fiorito and Maribeth Anderson, Jennifer Silverman and Amanda Fugazy of Ellenoff Grossman and Schole, and moderated by Fred Klashman of TFS hosted a fast moving informative hospitality industry breakfast seminar: “WHY YOUR HOSPITALITY BUSINESS IS A POTENTIAL TARGET FOR CYBER CRIME” at HUB International’s New York City office. The panel of experts and representatives from many of the City’s leading restaurant groups met to discuss and share solutions for every flavor of Data hacking including the very latest: Social Engineering Fraud. Many of the actual examples were nothing short of eye opening. They included a recent insurance payout as a result of a well orchestrated $80K plus wiring of funds from a phony request of a restaurant chain’s CFO. Ellenoff’s Silverman who has emerged as a key industry voice on “privacy” spoke of the need for immediate transparency as the result of a breach. Anderson of HUB who is based in the firm’s Chicago office spoke of the importance of creating

(L to R) HUB International’s cybersecurity expert Maribeth Anderson and Jennifer Silverman of Ellenoff Grossman and Schole

BarLinq’s Adam Christopher Troeder

and protecting strong passwords. “A smart operator needs to embrace on an on-going strategy to change passwords. In many cases the first step is avoid the use of obvious passwords including birthdays.” The group spoke at length over the pros and cons of adopting “pay at the table” with credit cards with chips. “Sure, it’s popular in Europe, but frankly it doesn’t reflect the culture of high end hospitality in a major city like New York,” noted HUB’s long time restaurant guru Fiorito. The session also brought focus on the challenge of meeting PCI Data

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HUB International Bob Fiorito welcomed guests

Havana Central’s Geoff Gordon shared his company’s simple approach to expanding IT and cyber security

(L to R) Chef Driven’s Bianca Perez and NYC restauratuer Lou Fugazy

(L to R) Borenstein Caterers’ Alyssa Illery and Scott Langstein visited with panelist Amanda Fugazy of Ellenoff Grossman and Schole

Security standards. “With a 100 plus pages of rules and regulations, our suggestion is on-going training that takes the key operating points in PCI and gets everybody on your team comfortable with the priorities,” Anderson added. Among restaurant management in attendance was Geoff Gordon of Havana Central. He brought key input into implementation of a plan with his discussion of growing from a single unit to multiple units. “Our approach has been to think big and execute small. As we have grown, we have built firewalls that severely limit

access by our personnel to work on anything other than data that directly impacts their end of the operation.” One of the key takeaways is that even with the enormous threat that cybersecurity has created, solid planning creates any need for extensive additional expense. “Most of the policies we write include cyber security ideas to protect our restaurant clients,” HUB’s Fiorito concluded. The session was the latest in a quarterly series at HUB’s Midtown headquarters that has become a mustattend for restaurant and foodservice professionals.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

NEWS

RESTAURANT TRENDS

The “Pop”-ularity Of Pop-Up Restaurants By Lucy Wyndham

op-up restaurants are one of the top five restaurant trends of 2019, reports Forbes magazine. What years ago was a non-existent or little known trend, now is a sought out dining experience. Pop-up restaurants not only are profitable and convenient for stakeholders and chefs, but the limited availability elevates that urgency to dive into delightful “limited time” cuisine, leaving customers wanting more. Even better? Caterers can create themed menus, like offering lazy keto options for example, that match market trends to please their consumers. Restaurant Dream Realism: The Logistics A pop-up restaurant is more than just an on-wheels catering business. It’s feeding to the masses. Whether renting a brick and mortar space or taking your restaurant mobile, creating a pop-up restaurant requires many logistics. “Many popups begin as ways to offer food and flavors unavailable in a locality. As they attract devoted fans, they create ‘underground dining communities,” writes the National Restaurant Association. Create loyal underground nutritional communities by targeting specific food preferences like vegetarianism, keto or paleo diets. The Balance Small Business,

however, advises pop-up restaurants to consider basics from how will you keep food warm to more detailed matters like liquor license, sales permits, location, and supplier of goods. While seeming like a trendy pipe dream on social media, opening a pop-up involves careful planning and a creative mastermind in the kitchen. Cater to Your Customers After getting nailing down the logistics, it’s undeniable the popularity that pop-ups have with consumers. People love pop-ups; they love the edgy cuisine, the limited time specialty diet menus, the exclusivity and “underground” feel, reports Huffington Post. Filled with iconic and insta-worthy food, pop-ups offer consumers not just delicious food, but an experience. “Popups act as a hedge against the vast and relentless waves of uncertainty” reports GQ magazine. Their trendy “newness” and cuisine appeals to consumers by the masses. Fabulous Food Trends of 2019 The most successful pop-ups will tap into food trends to cater to their

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options like lettuce wraps or high-fat supplements like avocado, pop-ups can generate enthusiasm with a major population of consumers.

variety of customers. One such food trend is lazy keto, that has taken the nutrition world by storm. The keto diet, raves in popularity because of its high-energy benefits to its dedicated followers. Consumers love eating in restaurants that cater to their needs. Make what would be a “cheat day” a “lazy day” for a dieter by catering to that dieter’s needs. By creating a keto-friendly menu with

Other major food trends? Kelp, plant-based foods, and phoneless dining experiences. Additionally, consumers are craving in-season foods. Pre-fixed menus that utilize in-season, market fresh produce pleases consumers wishing for an eco-friendly dining experience. What do people love more than insta-worthy foods? Collaborations. Pop-ups that collaborate with other local small-business makes consumers happy and wanting more. When their favorite local bakery collaborates with their favorite burger pop-up: instant happiness. Generate interest in your pop-up by reaching out to other local businesses to give your consumers an unforgettable experience. Create an pop-up experience that will wrap a line around your block for consumers by fueling your menu with food trends like keto catering options. Pop-ups aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so capitalize on this trend while it’s hot.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

NEWS

ENERGY SOLUTIONS

East Rock Brewing Taps UI And SCG Expertise To Support Efficient Build-Out Of Unique New Space

efore a lease was even signed for the space that would become East Rock Brewing Company, UI energy engineers were coming up with ideas to help owners Tim and Shaun Wilson secure incentives for energy efficient systems. Already familiar with the Nicoll Street former factory building, Energy Engineer Glen Eigo had assisted many of the building’s other tenants to outfit their new spaces

East Rock Brewing Owner Tim Wilson toasts a mug of one of their beers.

to be more energy efficient. Eigo provided guidance on energy incentives delivered by United Illuminating (UI) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), both subsidiaries of AVANGRID, to make the energy infrastructure financially feasible. Eigo approached the Wilson brothers with plans on the installation of high performance interior lighting and a new steam boiler. Securing incentives of $13,338 for them to invest in higher quality ef-

ficient fixtures, Eigo also suggested ways they could potentially save $14,800 in annual energy costs. “Generally with new construction we provide guidelines based on the code for that specific space and how much wattage they can use, then show them ways they can reduce that use,” said Eigo. “We aim for at least 30 percent less energy use than building code to allow for those savings.” According to Eigo, the property

The East Rock Delivery truck in front of their New Haven location.

38 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

owner had taken advantage of energy incentives with many of the common areas of the old factory building, including the large underground public parking garage and nearby gym. By establishing a relationship with the property owner, Eigo has helped determine energyefficient systems for many of the empty spaces that are now home to thriving small businesses. His experience with building out similar spaces provided a unique opportunity to assist East Rock Brewing Company throughout the entire process of turning a blank space into their brew house and beer hall. “The financial assistance and overall support from UI and SCG was paramount to achieving our energy goals. Without the energy rebate, we might have had to install subpar lighting packages that weren’t as well suited to our needs,” said Tim Wilson. “It was important to install energy-efficient lighting, not only to realize savings that can be used toward future growth, but also to conserve energy resources.” Specialty lighting included waterproof fixtures in the production

continued on page 98

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NEWS

DELIVERY

NYC City Council’s Gjonaj Intensifies Attack on Grubhub

New York City council member has asked the state attorney general to open an antitrust investigation into online food ordering and delivery service Grubhub. In a letter, dated July 2 and addressed to AG Letitia James, Mark Gjonaj, the head of the City Council’s Committee on Small Business, writes that the “time may have come” to revisit the terms of a 2013 settlement agreement that permitted Grubhub to acquire Seamless. Gjonaj writes: “I do believe that Grubhub’s outsized market share and heavy-handed tactics could lead to artificially reduced competition which in turn may drive up the commissions paid by struggling locally owned restaurants.” The news comes just two weeks after a New Food Economy report alleged that Grubhub has been quietly buying up thousands of web domains in restaurants’ names without their knowledge or permission. While Grubhub denied those allegations, saying that provisions in their contracts make clear that Grubhub provides such a service, that hasn’t stopped the recent wave of public scrutiny as more and more restaurant owners accuse services like Grubhub of charging businesses excessively high fees. At a June City Council hearing, an antitrust lawyer testified that Grubhub currently has “substantial monopoly power” in New York City and controls up to 69 percent of the market. The lawyer, Gregory Frank, noted that, “Grubhub’s use of its monopoly power on the food ordering

I do believe that Grubhub’s outsized market share and heavyhanded tactics could lead to artificially reduced competition which in turn may drive up the commissions paid by struggling locally owned restaurants,” said Mark Gjonaj side of business to increase market power on the food delivery side, that could potentially be illegal.Grubhub, meanwhile, called the accusations incorrect. “We operate in a dynamic, hyper-competitive sector that has changed dramatically in the past few years and will continue to do so. We face intense competition in New York City and throughout the country,” noted a Grubhub spokesperson. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also singled out Grubhub, calling for greater oversight after allegations of unfair trade practices. The senior New York senator was reacting to recent reports that the delivery app company had improperly charged restaurants fees even when an order had not taken place. Councilman Mark Gjonaj, the New York City lawmaker spearheading the push to regulate Grubhub, said it goes beyond just bogus fees. “These mom-and-pop shops have an unfair disadvantage,” Gjonaj add-

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ed. “They’re competing against billion-dollar venture capital-invested companies. The fee structure is up to 33% of the total charges, and we know [their] profits are 6% to 12%. On every order, there is a net loss to these small businesses.” In one of Grubhub’s example pricing breakdowns, the company says it charges a 20% marketing commission, 10% delivery commission and roughly 3% processing fee to the restaurant on every order. That amounts to upwards of a third of the total revenue to the restaurants. Grubhub notes that commission rates are negotiable. Gjonaj recently escalated the fight against Grub by petitioning New York Attorney General Letitia James to open up an antitrust investigation into the company. Grub holds nearly 70% market share in New York City, according to research firm Second Measure, its largest footprint in the U.S. “We’re still dealing with all the stakeholders and we’re trying to determine the best

course of action, if any,” said Gjonaj. “We hope that [Grub] first steps up to the plate and [does] the right thing by refunding any fees that shouldn’t have been charged to small businesses to begin with. And then from there, we’re looking at the fee structure, we’re looking at the potential of an antitrust violation, if one exists.” New York City is leading the charge in what Gjonaj hopes will expand into a nationwide effort to level the playing field between delivery app companies and their restaurant partners. The New York City Council held a late-June hearing with local restaurateurs to address accusations of phantom fees and allegations it had created fake websites for restaurants to drive sales through the platform. Gruhbhub has disputed both these claims. “It should be to no one’s surprise that New York is taking this lead. This is the first hearing in the country. This is going to involve city, state, and federal branches that come together to address this issue, but we hear it on the streets from our local stores,” said Gjonaj. A Grubhub spokesperson noted that the company welcomes “the opportunity to work with Senator Schumer, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and others to show our proven commitment to the restaurant community” and to disprove the “flagrantly inaccurate narrative that our business practices are misleading or lack transparency.”

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

ASK ANDREW

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

PRESENTED BY

Can Progressivism And Small Businesses Coexist? This contributor blog was originally published on Forbes.com

here have been countless analyses and opinions written about New York’s deal to bring Amazon’s second headquarters to Queens, and its dramatic collapse. Some lamented the loss of good paying jobs and tax revenue the company would have generated for New York. Others celebrated the deal’s demise with a party. Regardless of your opinion on the Amazon deal and collapse, now is an opportunity for New York to discuss how we conduct economic development, and not only for big businesses. New York City needs a long-term, master plan to support small businesses and address our vacant storefront crisis. If we continue to use the tax code to influence economic activity, we should recalibrate how it’s used, and also direct support to small and medium-sized businesses and the jobs they create. If there’s enough political will to kill tax incentives for large corporations like Amazon, perhaps there will be more support to extend economic benefits to local businesses like restaurants, bars, and retail shops. It’s those businesses that New Yorkers bemoan the loss

If we want to support the storefront businesses that make our city appealing, vibrant, and unique, New York should expand existing incentive programs to restaurants and nightlife establishments.

Andrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a trade association formed in 2012 to foster the growth and

of when they shutter. When we lose office jobs it’s a blow to our city, but the public doesn’t have the same emotional attachment to companies perched in office buildings as they do for the street level restaurants where they’ve created memories. And, it is these street level businesses that are under siege from bureaucratic red tape, fines, and a constant barrage of new, complicated and expensive government mandates. So, if we want to support the storefront businesses that make our city appealing, vibrant, and unique, New York should expand existing incentive programs to restaurants and nightlife establishments. For example, the state’s jobs program, from which Amazon would have received much of their tax incentives should

42 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

be extended to jobs created in the hospitality sector. These jobs are vital to our city. They offer entry into the workforce for people from all walks of life. They provide careers, or work schedule flexibility, and create tons of opportunity for workers and job seekers. The jobs available in the hospitality industry are diverse and range from prep cook to director of human resources. As labor costs have soared in New York City, the program’s direct wage subsidy would provide a needed financial boost to restaurants, where labor and other costs have become unsustainable for too many. And, because hospitality industry jobs are available to New Yorkers who may not have the experience and skills to find work elsewhere in the marketplace, and because many of

vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World.

these jobs are highly susceptible to automation and elimination, there’s a compelling argument to support and preserve these jobs by using the tax code. Elected officials often decry the vacant storefronts lining neighborhoods throughout New York City and blame landlord greed and high commercial rents. But they too often fail to cite the financial burden that skyrocketing property taxes have on these storefront businesses, which, as commercial tenants, typically bear the burden of real estate tax passthroughs in addition to

continued on page 110

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

SCOOP PBAC’S Posternak Set To Bid Adieu SCOOP hears that Eastchester, NY based rep Michael Posternak has announced his retirement. “It is with overwhelming gratitude and complete satisfaction that I announce my retirement, effective January 1, 2020,” Posternak noted. “I am grateful for the many opportunities that have been afforded to me and the deep relationships that I am fortunate to have formed over the past 40 plus years.” Posternak’s industry career started with his hiring by Traulsen and Company, Inc. in March of 1976 as Eastern Regional Sales Manager. He then became VP of Sales and Marketing for the next 12 years at the College Point, NY concern. From that Michael Posternak foundation with fellow

INSIDER NEWS

FROM METRO NYC’S FOODSERVICE SCENE Partridge Invitational Scholarship Foundation and the AJC-American Jewish Committee, he has given his time tirelessly.

Traulsenite Steve Bauer, they launched the rep firm PBA in April of 1988. “Together, we built our rep firm into one of the country’s leading firms and attracted and developed a superb team of associates and partners who have been with us for many years,” the Lawrence, MA native noted. Over the last several years, Posternak has transitioned the leadership and ownership of PBAC to President Larry Cantamessa. “He is a proven leader in our company and I am pleased to see PBAC under Larry’s direction and feel confident that the company will continue to grow and prosper in our dynamic marketplace.” Following Posternak’s retirement, he will function in a consulting capacity to PBAC, working on special projects. Posternak built his stellar reputation on his commitment to giving back to the industry. From his 31 years supporting and serving the national rep organization MAFSI to his work on behalf of the

ULTIMATE

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Bonchon Appoints Flynn Dekker as Chief Executive Officer SCOOP learned that Bonchon, the world-famous restaurant chain known for its signature Korean double-fried chicken, has appointed Flynn Dekker as Chief Executive Officer giving him the day-to-day leadership of the company. Dekker’s appointment was announced by Bonchon’s board of directors and VIG Partners, who acquired a majority ownership of Bonchon in December of 2018, overseen by BM Park, a Managing Partner at the firm and Chairman of Bonchon’s board of directors. VIG Partners, founded in 2005, has expertise in the Korean mid-market buyout space and has deployed around US$2.5 billion of capital across 19 dif-

continued on page 46

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Scoop, from page 44 ferent portfolios across a diverse range of industries including consumer, retail, financial services, online commerce, lifestyle, and food and beverage. Dekker, a multi-unit restaurant and retail veteran, will succeed Bonchon founder Jinduk Seo, who remains a shareholder in the company and will continue as a member of the company’s board. “The board and I are confident that Flynn is the right person to build on the growth and momentum Bonchon has built in the United States and worldwide,” said BM Park. “He is a seasoned leader with significant experience working with multiunit restaurant concepts on operational efficiencies, revenue generation and delivering value to franchisees and equity holders. We are thrilled to have him as our new Flynn Dekker CEO.”

JJ Johnson’s New Harlem Restaurant Makes Rice The Star SCOOP hears that at the famed chef JJ Johnson’s new Harlem restaurant, the local chef aims to elevate the versatile grain and Menu items from JJ Johnson’s FIELDTRIP “take guests on an enlightening culinary journey around the globe through rice.” such as beef, shrimp, chicken or salmon to pair with Johnson, the former executive chef of Harlem’s their choice of rice to create a hearty meal. The menu The Cecil and Minton’s, recently opened his new also features a number of side dishes including crab fast-casual restaurant FIELDTRIP. The 1,100 squarepockets, yucca puffs and quinoa bao buns. foot eatery is located on Lenox Avenue between West “I’m excited to bring my latest project to my home115th and 116th streets and features a menu of rice town of Harlem. FIELDTRIP is a celebration of rice bowls using a variety of different types of rice includand its power to connect us as a global community,” ing Texas brown rice, China black rice, Carolina gold Johnson said. “We pride ourselves on offering ethirice, Jollof Basmati rice and sticky rice. cally and sustainably sourced produce thoughtfully Diners can choose vegetables and protein options continued on page 48

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Scoop, from page 46 composed in a bowl jam-packed full of flavor and at an affordable price. I welcome all New Yorkers to take a FIELDTRIP uptown and join us for globally inspired dishes served to a Hip-Hop beat!” None of the restaurant’s rice bowls are priced higher than $12, which will make FIELDTRIP a good spot for casual dining. Half-priced options with smaller portions and a juice box are available for kids. Johnson also partnered with the high-end audio company Klipsch to outfit his new restaurant with a state-of-the-art sound system at FIELDTRIP to enhance the dining experience. The restaurant plans to curate a playlist featuring Harlem artists such as Tito Puente, Cam’ron, Kool Moe Dee, Joe Cuba and Billie Holiday.

&Pizza Taps Erik Bruner-Yang As Executive Chef SCOOP learned that the fast-growing &pizza just brought on one of the Washington area’s rising star chefs, Erik Bruner-Yang, to serve as its executive chef. Bruner-Yang, a James Beard Award finalist, is the

48 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

chef behind D.C. restaurants Maketto, Brothers and Sisters and Spoken English, which this month was named New Restaurant of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan One of the signature pizzas from &pizza Washington. At &pizza, Bruner70 locations, with new locations in D.C., Maryland, Yang will be in charge of revamping the menu for the Virginia and New Jersey. first time since the pizza chain was founded. “Brun“We are thrilled about the opportunity to push this er-Yang will put his own spin on the menu, further ever-evolving brand into the future,” Lastoria said. enhancing &pizza’s offerings,” the company said. “Developing internal talent and pairing it with top&pizza recently announced it has also promoted notch additions will propel our company forward in its “chief people officer” Andy Hooper to the newly a way that’s consistent with its personality.” created job of president and COO. Hooper came to &pizza opened its 36th location in July at 63 Wall &pizza 18 months ago from Cafe Rio Mexican Grill. St., in lower Manhattan. The chain’s first restaurant John Reepmeyer, previously CFO at Roti Mediteropened in 2012 on H Street in Northeast, and its ranean Grill and vice president of finance at Potbelly presence has grown throughout the Washington reSandwich Works, has also joined &pizza as chief figion, as well as in Philadelphia, Boston, New York, nancial officer. Naming Hooper as COO will free up and Miami. co-founder and CEO Michael Lastoria to oversee the brand’s aggressive growth plans. &pizza plans to continued on page 50 double in size over the next two years, to more than

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49

Scoop, from page 48

NJ Based Convenience Chain QuickChek has New Culinary Leaders SCOOP reports that the cuisine of “on-the-go” or, as some call it, “grab-n-go” is really getting kicked up a notch by our friends at QuickChek. The convenience store chain recently announced the appointment of Chris Smyly as director of foodservice and the hiring of Chef Ted Kwiecien as culinary specialist. These new staffing announcements go hand in hand with the company’s ongoing commitment to meeting customers’ growing food-service needs. QuickChek, based in Whitehouse Station, has been opening newly designed stores, with more than half of each new store’s space dedicated to fresh food service. Smyly has been a senior category manager with the fresh convenience market chain, where he has managed four product and service categories the past three years, including QuickChek’s rollout of the innovative new store design. He possesses more than 25 years of extensive experience in marketing, category management and merchandising within the

50 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

convenience industry. He has held key positions with increased responsibility for 1,000 stores with ExxonMobil, the largest oil company in the United States; as director of marketing for 57 locations with Pester Marketing/Alta Convenience; and with Circle K. Kwiecien also has more than 25 years of experience in restaurant management, including two retail brands known for their customer focus: Nordstrom, where he held management positions at the Mall at Short Hills and the Westfield Garden State Plaza; and Nieman Marcus, where he was a manager and chef in Short Hills. He holds degrees in culinary arts and foodservice management from Johnson & Wales University. “Today’s consumer and tomorrow’s food trends continue to tell us our customers want fresh food to go,” said QuickChek CEO Dean Durling, who was recently ranked in the Top 10 of ROI-NJ’s inaugural Food & Beverage influencers list for 2019. “In meeting their needs, we have become a food-service destination. Chris has done a great job managing several of our key categories, and we’re pleased to have him lead our food-service team. Ted possesses a proven background as a chef and as a restaurateur with consumer-focused brands that fit our mission of provid-

ing restaurant-quality food and beverages for busy people on-the-go.” Smyly’s team will continue to redefine “fresh convenience” with the introduction of some exciting new products and services designed for immediate consumption, starting with a hot trend in beverages: QuickChek’s new fresh-brewed iced coffee. The team also will be charged with bringing more seasonality and more trendy, healthier options for consumers. QuickChek is already home to many quality food choices using fresh ingredients for its breakfast, lunch, dinner, fresh snacks and coffee offerings. Other menu offerings include all-natural grilled chicken and no-antibiotics turkey subs, sandwiches, wraps and salads. Privately held QuickChek currently operates 158 fresh convenience market locations, including 78 stores with fuel throughout New Jersey, New York’s Hudson Valley and Long Island. The family-owned company has won multiple industry awards for foodservice innovation, and we would like to wish the whole team at QuickChek much success as it gains

continued on page 52

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51

Scoop, from page 50 momentum in bringing fresh healthy options to the “grab-n-go” category for our state and beyond.

Stratford’s Ninety Nine Restaurant Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Fundraiser for Local Hospital SCOOP hears that during the anniversary event, guests enjoyed a spirited game of trivia and participated in a commemorative ceremony that honored the restaurant’s team members. A percentage of the restaurant’s total net sales that entire day was donated to the Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital. Holly Cimino, general managing partner of the Stratford Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub, proudly presented the check for $1,500 to the Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital. “We are proud to celebrate 15 years of serving great food and drinks to our guests and are passionate about giving back to the community in whatever way we can,” said Holly Cimino, General Managing

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Partner of the Stratford Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub. “We fully support the Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital and look forward to continuing the relationship for years to come.”

Healthy Restaurant Chain True Food Kitchen to Open Its First N.J. Location SCOOP hears that True Food Kitchen, a restaurant chain that puts an emphasis on healthy eating, is opening its first New Jersey location in Bergen County next year. The Arizona-based chain, which boasts Oprah Winfrey among its investors, will make its debut at The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack in the spring of 2020. Simon Property Group, the owner of The Shops, says the addition of the chain is part of the Route 4 mall’s “luxury renovation,” which includes a concierge lounge, “enhanced valet parking” and more stores and restaurants, including LT Bar & Grill, from chef Laurent Tourondel. “We’re a brand that is as passionate about our food as we are the local community, so we look

forward to sharing our mission to ‘eat better, feel better and celebrate a passion for better living’ with residents and visitors of Hackensack,” said Shannon Keller, the restaurant chain’s chief marketing officer. The restaurant chain was co-founded by health guru Dr. Andrew Weil, a proponent of integrative medicine, who holds the “simple belief that food should make you feel better, not worse.” Menu items, which focus on “nutrient-dense” foods and the anti-inflammatory benefits of some ingredients, include edamame dumplings and Dr. Weil’s organic Tuscan kale salad, as well as bowls with cauliflower polenta, ancient grains, sweet potato glass noodles or teriyaki quinoa. There are also grass-fed burgers, pizza with ingredients like smoked gouda and lemon almond ricotta, grilled fish tacos and spaghetti squash casserole. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are included. The chain does not use fryers and freezers. Menus are built around what the restaurant calls the anti-inflammatory pyramid, a way of eating that is intended to guard against chronic inflammation. However, al-

continued on page 96

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

RESTAURANT EXPERT

WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS

How Mining For Diamonds Is Similar To Finding Good Managers

David Scott Peters is a restaurant coach and speaker who teaches

Promoting from within the right way

restaurant operators how to cut costs and increase profits with his trademark Restaurant Prosperity Formula. Known as THE expert in the restau-

id you know the only public diamond mine in the world is in Murfreeboro, Arkansas? The Crater of Diamonds State Park offers a oneof-a-kind adventure — the opportunity to hunt for real diamonds and to keep any you find. The park gives you a brief training, provides you with equipment and lets you loose to hunt for diamonds. What the experience teaches you is finding a diamond requires effort, training and a little luck. This is exactly what it is like to mine for managers in your restaurant. Making a point

rant industry, he uses a no-BS style

Finding your next manager-intraining (MIT) or assistant manager (AM) is like searching for diamonds. 1) It requires a diamond mine. In this analogy, your restaurant is your diamond mine. If you have done a great job in selecting line employees and an even better job training them, you’ll have a few diamonds ready to shine. 2) It requires cultivating the soil. One of the ways the Crater of Diamonds State Park helps its visitors find diamonds on their visit is to bulldoze the earth routinely to bring the

stones to the top of the soil. In your restaurant, bringing the diamonds to the surface where they can be easily recognized requires that the current management team creates a positive work environment for employees to flourish and grow. It requires that management is constantly training employees to do more.

owners to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. Thousands of restaurants have used his formula to transform their businesses. Peters is also a coach and principal in The Largo Group, an accounting firm concentrating on the specific needs of restaurants. To learn more about David Scott Peters, his for-

3) It requires you to always be looking. Some of the diamonds found at the park are found right on the pathway to where people hunt for diamonds. That means that hundreds, if not thousands, of people walk over a diamond every day because they don’t think to start looking until they get to the mine itself. What does this mean for you? With a little luck and your eyes open every step, you can find the proverbial diamond in the rough. You need

54 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

to teach and motivate restaurant

mula, his online courses or The Largo Group, visit davidscottpeters.com.

to always be looking for your next MIT or AM, even if your management team is complete. You never know when one of them will move on or when you can open a new location and need to double your management team overnight. Mining the wrong way A mistake I routinely see when owners and general managers hire from within is to not offer any management training. This happened a lot. I know from my own experience as the manager for a brew pub, as soon as our insider accepted the new position, we handed them the keys, asked them to follow another manager for a few shifts and then let them go to sur-

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Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

Andy Lansing President & CEO, Levy

he most successful companies have great leaders at the helm. At Levy, Andy Lansing is guiding the Chicago, IL based firm’s fortunes. As President and Chief Executive Officer, Lansing has been with Levy for the past 30 years, learning the ins and outs of every department. With a background in law, Lansing stumbled upon his initial position as General Counsel with Levy and has been able to evolve into the strategic and successful leader he is now. Under Lansing’s leadership, Levy has grown to more than 50,000 team members delivering hospitality to guests at more than 200 various locations in both North America and across the globe. With Levy preparing to take centerstage preparing and serving all food and beverage at this month’s annual US Open tennis fortnite in Queens. Total Food Service was able to catch up with Lansing to get some insight on his background and success! Can you please share your background with our readers? I grew up in Highland Park, IL outside of Chicago and then attended the University of Michigan. Then I went to law school at Loyola University in Chicago and really wanted to be a lawyer. People often wonder how I got into the hospitality industry. In my case, it was truly by accident. You know, I’m a big believer in that line from the John Lennon song –“life is what happens

when you’re busy making plans.” I was in private law practice and a young lawyer practicing commercial real estate and corporate law. I had also developed a specialty where I was representing a bunch of NFL football players as their agent, which was really exciting. I got a call one day from a friend of mine who was head of marketing at Levy at the time and she asked if I wanted to be considered for their general counsel position since theirs was leaving, or if I knew someone who would be a good fit. I asked what the job entailed and she wasn’t sure so she asked me to have lunch with Larry Levy so he could explain the job to me. I knew he was an interesting guy, so I went to lunch with him and listened to what he had to say. By the end of lunch, he asked me if I wanted the job. At first I said no because I loved what I was doing, but he asked me to have lunch with him again. At the lunch, he put a hard sell on me and how it was a big opportunity. I asked him to give me the weekend to consider it. So as I’m leaving the restaurant – I’ll never forget this – I went through a revolving door that got stuck. I remember it made me stop and think if I should consider it. After the weekend, I called him on Monday and told him I’d do it. I joined the company at 27 years old as Vice President and General Counsel in a job I honestly had no business doing and really was feeling a sense of imposter syndrome. I

56 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Andy Lansing, President & CEO, Levy (Photo by Maria Ponce)

thought people would realize I was a fraud. This was before the Internet, so I really had to work hard to understand everything. Over time, I just really started to learn all aspects of the business. Because of my curiosity to learn about everything, they took me aside and asked if I wanted to work more on the business side of things. Can you talk about how you evolved in your roles with the company? Coming from a legal background, I didn’t grow up in this industry, so I approach things very differently. I had the ability to just look at things and ask to have them explained to me why we do it that way. It turns out that 50% of the time the answer was just because we always did it that way. So being naïve about the industry turned out to be a real strength for me because

I didn’t have any preconceived notions about anything or how we did things. I oversaw every department from HR, purchasing, marketing, finance and all the different departments that really provided a wealth of resources for our operations. It was really fun for me to instill the concept that it’s not about the home office, but about the field, which is what’s paying the salaries. They’re the ones interacting with our guests. The people in the office are the least important in the company and we’re here for support and resource. Over time, that mentality helped us succeed since we got out of the ivory tower mentality that sometimes exists between the corporate office and the field. Over time, Larry said he liked what I was doing and promoted me to President and Chief Operating Officer in 1995. In 2006, he promoted me to CEO.

What led to Levy’s expansion into the concession business? When I joined, we were primarily a restaurant company. We had several Chicago based restaurants, and we had just been selected by Disney to be the first restaurant company to operate restaurants at Walt Disney World. It was a very proud moment for us. We actually got into the stadium and arena business totally by accident. The White Sox were building the first skyboxes in the old ballpark, and they approached us to be their hospitality partners, and we actually said no a few times. We finally said yes for all the wrong reasons. We thought we’d get good tickets to the game since we love baseball. It didn’t take long for us to realize that we could be really good at this, and that’s when things started to take off.

So as you inherited all these things, what was your vision for it all? Did you create a vision or did things just come to you? I think a lot of the success of Levy is repeated accidents followed by great strategy. So in other words, it was an accident we got involved in a few things. You know, the restaurant is the hardest business in the world. People come in with expectations way up there and you try like heck to hit or exceed them every time and it’s really hard. There’s a thousand moving parts. You’re relying on so many different people, so it’s really hard. When we got to the stadium and arena business, it’s really simple. We just noticed that people came into the stadiums with low expectations, so it wasn’t hard. All they

continued on page 58

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Q&A Andy Lansing, from page 57 wanted was cold beer and a warm hot dog. So how did you get other people to finally take notice of how you were changing people’s expectations for stadium food? Well, we started that with the White Sox and then the Cubs called us, telling us they liked what we were doing across town. Then the first out-of-town property was the Kansas City Chiefs, which was big for us since it allowed us to go national. The thing with skyboxes and stadium clubs is that they are often pre-sold, which means guaranteed income to the team. A part of that is selling the food and hospitality, too. That has to be a big amenity to be able to successfully sell skyboxes and stadium clubs. It just caught on like wildfire from there. As that business started to take off, did you have to compartmentalize and keep the stadium and regular restaurants separate from each other? We never viewed the businesses as separate. And I think, in all honesty, that’s what made us good at what we did. I didn’t want to have a restaurant group and a separate sports and entertainment group. And so we would have chefs from the restaurants go work in the stadiums and vice versa. We knew our future was in both restaurants and sports and entertainment. You basically charge whatever you want to charge like the old movie theatre model and people will still buy it. It’s a silly question but why do you insist on value? No, it’s not a silly question because our DNA is not to treat people like captives. The first thing I want to do when walking into one of our locations – whether it’s a restaurant or a stadium – is to taste the food and see it. I want to smell it, see

the portions and see the value and creativity. The default for most folks is to go right to pricing value and we’re not all about pricing. Value means so much. It’s also presentation, taste, portion sizes, the way it is served to you by gracious people, every single aspect of the hospitality experience. You’ve got some fairly over leveraged partners in some of these stadiums and ballparks around the country. I’m assuming that you sign these contracts with these teams and there has to be a sort of shared vision toward an opportunity for both of you to win. How have these relationships evolved to get your customer to the ballpark? At the end of the day, the teams that we’re working with get 51% of the vote on pricing. I mean, they’re the ones who are determining the pricing strategy. Our analytics subsidiary, E15, will give them the most sophisticated pricing elasticity model showing them what they’re selling and what the sales will look like at various prices. In recent years, there’s been a real trend to what’s called “Street Pricing,” and it was started in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. Arthur Blank had this vision that the industry’s model is broken and it’s crazy that people pay insane prices for water and things that they can pay less for outside of the stadium. Together we developed the street pricing model that has really revolutionized the industry and others have taken notice. Can you talk about what you’re doing to attract the next generation in the industry? Well, I think we have a neat thing going for us. You know, we like to say that working at Levy is truly the coolest job in food and sports.

58 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

continued on page 60

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Q&A Andy Lansing, from page 58 Wouldn’t you want to work for a company that does fun events like the Grammys, the Kentucky Derby and the U.S. Open? We need team members for our stadium and arena events so that attracts really cool people. When we get people to join our company, we usually keep them. We have folks that once they start with us; they feel like they’re home. We have partnerships everywhere, so it’s nice to be able to move and still have a job in your new city. We’re about to embark on a world of sports gambling. We haven’t seen in a very long time. Do you see yourself in the gambling business and are you concerned with how this will change how people buy your product. We’re actually really intrigued by gaming because in many cases, we think it’ll enhance the experience hand-in-hand and the opportuni-

For the next year and a half, we are focusing on opening all of these new locations brilliantly and continuing to grow, while at the same time just having the same hospitality that our partners and guests expect from us.” Andy Lansing, President & CEO, Levy (Photo by Maria Ponce)

ties for us. We have opportunities during games, and potentially on non-gamedays, to feed these people, and to have them experience our hospitality. It’s going to be a major opportunity for our partners. If you had a crystal ball, what’s the next 20 years have in store for the company?

60 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Regardless if it’s six months or 20 years from now, I’m always about doing the right thing and treating guests like they are guests in your home. If you follow this, I promise you that the profits and growth will come. We’re at a time where we as a company are experiencing an insane amount of growth right now, which is really exciting; it’s a testa-

ment to what our operators are doing. It’s a growth spurt like we’ve never seen before! For the next year and a half, we are focusing on opening all of these new locations brilliantly and continuing to grow, while at the same time just having the same hospitality that our partners and guests expect from us.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61

NEWS

CHAINS

NYC Restaurateur Debuts New Chicken Concept on Long Island

DQ, a chicken restaurant, made its New York debut late last month. The Tampa Bay-based franchise has teamed with a pair of seasoned restaurateurs to bring its concept to the Tri-State area. Dean Poll and Thomas J. Fanning, Sr. are the partners leading the charge into the local market, covering areas such as Long Island, New York City, Connecticut and more. Their first unit in Farmingdale features a variety of chicken-based items. Tenders, nuggets, sandwiches and salads are all available, as well as hand-spun shakes and desserts. PDQ is the brainchild of a pair of seasoned business professionals, Outback Steakhouse co-founder Bob Basham and Tampa Bay Buc-

I think the freshness of what we do, no antibiotics in the chicken, I think we’re going to knock their socks off. And we’re open seven days a week,” said Thomas Fanning caneers CFO Nick Reader. Basham was in search of fresh flavor and inspiration, and Reader wanted a place that served fresh, fast food he felt good about feeding to his kids. So they hit the road and (lucky for us) found just what they were looking for in North Carolina. A friendly down-home neighborhood joint

62 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

called Tenders with the tastiest, freshest, made-from-scratch chicken tenders. They made a deal on the spot with mom and pop, In 2011, after two years in R&D perfecting its flagship chicken tender and opened the first PDQ in Tampa, Florida. PDQ’s menu focuses on chicken tenders, nuggets,

sandwiches, and salads, but they’re doing things a little bit differently than your usual fast food chain. Chicken is 100 percent natural, never frozen, and contains no added hormones or steroids; tenders are hand-breaded in-house; the 11 sauces and dressings are made from scratch every day; salads are made to order; shakes are hand-spun to order; and cookies are fresh-baked in house daily. Long Islanders are already familiar with other chicken-based franchises: Kentucky Fried Chicken, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Chick-fil-A to name a few. Now, PDQ-People Dedicated to Quality is throwing its proverbial hat in the

continued on page 86

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

NEWS

NEW OPENINGS

Brooklyn Museum Debuts Elegant Pop Up As Cardin Exhibit Tribute

s a culinary complement to the Brooklyn Museum’s Pierre Cardin : Future Fashion exhibition the museum’s full-service restaurant The Norm has visually and gastronomically morphed into Maxim’s at The Norm, a salute to Cardin’s legendary Maxim’s de Paris, the art nouveau masterpiece that has laid claim to both the world’s most famous restaurant and the most expensive – and is a designated historical monument - that he has owned since 1981. The restaurant will have a five-anda half-month run through Jan. 5, the 80-seat with another 30 on a terrace overlooking the museum’s sculpture garden, Maxim’s at The Norm offers a French-forward a la carte menu, as well as a prix fixe option of dishes inspired by Maxim’s de Paris’s cookbook, Chez Maxim. To complement Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion, Great Performances Hospitality Group (GP)—the Brooklyn Museum’s exclusive culinary partner— collaborated with museum leadership bring an additional multi-sensory element of the iconic designer’s world to the exhibition: Maxim’s de Paris, the legendary restaurant owned by Cardin. The Norm, the museum’s full-service restaurant, has been transformed into Maxim’s at The Norm, with a new look and menu which will be in place

On Wednesdays and Fridays, we will be shopping at the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan and Saturday, they will be at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza market,” said Chef Saul Bolton throughout the Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion exhibition. This Gallic makeover comes on the heels of the tremendous success of The Norm’s Mexican-inspired transformation during the run of the Brooklyn Museum’s blockbuster exhibition, Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving. The Norm’s ceiling has been painted Maxim de Paris’s signature deep burgundy, while the bar now boasts the gold that is such a distinctive part of Maxim’s globally recognized logo. One wall provides glimpses of the art nouveau masterpiece that is the interior of the restaurant which opened in 1893, while another has been refashioned as Maxim’s famed exterior on Paris’s Rue Royale, complete with awning. Saul Bolton, The Norm’s executive chef and Andy Mejias, the restaurant’s chef de cuisine, have designed a menu

64 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

for Maxim’s at The Norm as an ode to French cuisine in general and an homage to Maxim’s in particular. Offering à la carte and prix fixe options, the menu features French classics such as Gougères, Steak Frites and Marquise de Chocolat. The $45 three-course prix fixe highlights contemporary versions of dishes from the Maxim’s de Paris cookbook, Chez Maxim including Salade Lyonnaise, seasonal greens, bacon lardons, croutons, poached egg; Poulet Rôti aux Pêches, roast chicken, grilled peaches, baby arugula, chimichurri sauce; Coquilles Saint-Jacques, pan seared scallops, oyster mushrooms, artichokes, escarole, white wine sauce; and Profiteroles, vanilla ice cream, praline, warm chocolate sauce. Because classic French cuisine is so rooted in farm-fresh local ingredients purchased almost daily at regional markets,

Chef Bolton is taking Great Performances’ hallmark brand promise of sourcing locally one step further: he’s charged Chef Mejias and other members of his culinary team to purchase ingredients to coincide with the Maxim’s at The Norm’s Wednesday through Sunday hours. “On Wednesdays and Fridays, we will be shopping at the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan and Saturday, they will be at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza market,” Bolton noted. Cocktails inspired by the life of Pierre Cardin (who at 97 is still active with his fashion, licensing and restaurant empire) were created by Loriana Sanabria for Maxim’s at The Norm. They include the Le Costumier, or The Costume Maker (champagne St. Germain, gin, lemon juice and hibiscus lime syrup), which is a reference to Cardin’s penchant for designing costumes and masks for the theater. Additional cocktails include the Cylindre (cognac, absinthe, pomegranate jelly, lime juice and hibiscus lime syrup), named after Cardin’s men’s collection, and The Tailor’s White Sangria (white grape juice, pomegranate vodka, Triple Sec, simple syrup, honey, pinot grigio), among others. The sangria is a nod to the 1950 hiring of Cardin by Christian Dior as a tailor for the House of Dior.

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

LEGAL INSIDER

WITH MITCHELL BORGER OF ELLENOFF GROSSMAN & SCHOLE LLP

A Restaurateur’s Day Goes Bad – Reacting To A Workplace Harassment Complaint

n the last few years the #METOO Movement has changed our society and workplace through a consciousness raising of media articles, discussions among friends, family and the passage of new governmental legislation. Just last year my partner, Amanda M. Fugazy, wrote an article for Total Food Service explaining the basics and setting out the deadlines for New York employers to meet the new mandate of a written sexual harassment prevention policy and annual interactive training. To remind you, on October 9, 2018 New York State employers were required to either adopt the State’s model sexual harassment prevention policy or have a policy that exceeded that minimum standard. In addition, effective April 1, 2019, employers were further obligated to provide their employees with annual interactive training, comprised of either the State’s model training or a comparable training that met or exceeded the State’s standards. If you operate a restaurant in New York, this should not come as a surprise for you. You probably hope that the policy and training will now keep your workplace free from harassment problems, sexual or otherwise, but what happens if it doesn’t? What follows is an overview of what actions you should take to appropriately respond to workplace claims of harassment.

You probably hope that the [recent New York State] policy and training will now keep your workplace free from harassment problems, sexual or otherwise, but what happens if it doesn’t?

Mitchell F. Borger , a member of the Firm, has more than twentyseven years of experience practicing Employment Law. Mr. Borger advises

First, insure that there is a process for reporting a complaint to any manager. Reporting of a complaint to any manager is sufficient to place the company on formal legal notice. Second, it is then critical for the individual who receives the complaint to promptly transmit the complaint in a confidential manner to the appropriate person who will decide on how it will be investigated. This may be the senior HR executive, the general manger or owner. What does “confidentiality” mean for these purposes? The information about the complaint and how it will be handled should only be shared with individuals on a “need to know” business basis. Third, you must decide who will investigate the complaint. If possible, the investigator should be a HR or other executive, who has been

66 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

trained in conducting investigations. Most employment attorneys can also serve as investigators. Other considerations include whether the interviews can be done in person, by phone or by Skype.

clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, drafts employment agreements, severance and release documents, handbooks, and policies, is well versed in alternative dispute resolution (with an emphasis on mediation and arbitration programs),

Fourth, the investigator must strive to conduct a prompt, thorough and confidential investigation. The investigator should interview all relevant witnesses and review all relevant documents, including company policies and emails between the parties or witnesses. At times, the investigator needs to think outside the box. For instance, are there cameras in the facility and would a review of the video from certain dates be germane to the issues? Are there text messages or cellphone video of any of the incidents? If so, those all need to be reviewed. All interviews should be documented with a detailed summary of what the witness

and performs employment-related corporate due diligence. Mr. Borger is the current Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s (“NYSBA”) Corporate Counsel Section, served as its 2005 Chair and is a twenty year member of its Executive Committee. He can be reached by phone at 212-370-1300 or by email at mborger@egsllp.com

stated. Periodically during the investigation, it is advisable for the investigator to provide the complainant with an update on how the investiga-

continued on page 92

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67

NEWSMAKER

Kevin Gaffney, HX: The Hotel Experience, Group Show Director

ith the annual HX show slated for early November at the Javits Center, Total Food Service wanted an update on the restaurant and foodservice segment of the show. Potential exhibitors are looking to assess the value of the “November” show and the restaurant professional seeks a reason to attend. So TFS sought out the show’s new manager Kevin Gaffney to give our readers a preview of what they can expect at the annual event. Gaffney brings over 23 years of trade show management, most recently with the Emerald Exposition healthcare brands. Since 2008, Gaffney has served as group show director for the Medtrade, Medtrade Spring, Environments for Aging, Healthcare Design and Construction SuperConference trade shows. Prior roles also include serving as the associate director for the Research Chefs Association, and as the sales and marketing director for the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association. In addition, Gaffney also managed sales, marketing and trade show operations for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Gas Turbine Institute. This show has a long and storied history in Metro NYC. What has made it successful through the years? Attendees appreciate the show’s ability to offer the latest in innovative products and services, in addition to timely education for the hos-

pitality industry. It’s truly one-stop shopping for any needs that hotel owners/operators might require— whether it’s linens for the guest room, ice machines for each floor of the property, or dishwashers for the hotel kitchen. The show has introduced experiential applications for foodservice design via the Foodservice Pioneering Concept, and attendees/exhibitors have responded well to that. What is the vision for the show? Food and beverage is an integral part of guests’ hotel experiences and a great rev par generator for hotel owners and operators. HX’s focus is on the hotel industry as a comprehensive whole. On the F&B side, that naturally includes an emphasis on all things food and beverage: hotel restaurants; banquets and catering; hotel bars; lobby bars; room service; catering; retail foodservice within hotels; and additional F&B experiences such as breakfast and happy hours at limited service hotels. The agreement HX recently signed with AAHOA is also a big part of our plans going forward. AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The 18,500-plus AAHOA Members own almost one in every two hotels in the United States. Data shows that nearly 10,000 hotels in the U.S. feature a restaurant or bar, and travelers are eager to develop hotel experiences that include limited or full-serve dining. The HX/ AAHOA partnership will help us further understand the needs of hotel

68 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

owners and developers, while helping us evolve and meet the changing needs of attendees. The co-located Boutique Design New York (BDNY) has grown like crazy. What is the profile of that exhibitor? The typical exhibitor on the boutique side is made up of manufacturers and marketers of innovative design elements for hotels, resorts, cruise ships, restaurants, spas, casinos, night clubs, and other related projects. Among the design resources, especially more for hotel F&B spaces are suppliers of seating, lighting, flooring, and materials. Who is the target attendee for BDNY? Targeted attendees on the boutique side include interior designers, architects, purchasing agents, and hospitality owners/developers primarily based in the eastern United States. Secondary regions include Europe and Canada. Is it possible that many of these folks either help to design or design areas in hotels that feature restaurants/dining or cocktail lounges? If you are talking about Foodservice Consultants Society International (fcsi.org) designers, many of them work with hotel architects or individual owners/operators to embrace the experience they are trying to build with their operations. Food is connection and community, and the hospitality designer and FCSI

Kevin Gaffney, HX: The Hotel Experience, Group Show Director

consultant work hand in hand so that front-of-house and back-ofhouse operations enhance the guest experience. How could the show rebuild its approach to foodservice equipment and supplies to reflect that movement? HX offers premier access to F&B and equipment vendors looking to connect with hotel owners, operators, and departmental team leaders—including chefs and F&B directors. Hotel F&B is a market segment within foodservice that continues to see significant growth and introduction of new applications such as the lobby bar. An interactive approach with engagement of technology, robotics, and latest innovative products can engage a personalized experience with products and services that manufacturers and vendors can offer attendees. The show has featured a rather exciting build out of a pioneering foodservice concept over the past few years. What can attendees expect to see this November?

continued on page 94

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METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

UConn And Stony Brook Capture Top National Honors At NACUFS 2019 National Conference

he NACUFS 2019 National cepted triple bottom line philosophy, Conference took centerstage a method of evaluating operational in Denver last month. Many performance by measuring financial of Metro New York and the success as well as environmental susnation’s leading college and university tainability and social responsibility— food service directors headed to the also known as “people, planet, profRockies for an opportunity to interact it.” Sixteen universities across North with some of the best collegiate dinAmerica submitted entries in this cating operators in the country. The anegory. A team of four judges examined nual event provided an opportunity to each entry carefully and selected top collaborate with industry leaders and candidates. peers to discover new ideas, build connections, ignite creative passions, and the opportunity to connect to reach new heights in the industry. A pair of Tri-State universities won prestigious national awards. Stony Brook University of Long Island won a Sustainable and OpTop national honors went to University of California/ erational award for their Irvine for sustainability. Out reach and Education program. The NACUFS Sustainability Awards annually recognize and honor member institutions that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the promotion and implementation of environmental sustainability, specifically as it relates to campus dining operations. The NACUFS Sustainability Awards Led by Smitha Haneef, New Jersey’s Princeton Universupport the globally acsity brought a large contingent to the annual event

70 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

The University of Connecticut was presented with a NACUFS nutrition award for Best Local Recipe. The NACUFS Nutrition Awards aims to help member institutions highlight successful wellness promotions and outstanding recipes. Twenty-one universities across North America submitted entries in this category. A team of four judges examined each entry carefully and se-

lected top candidates. Competing for one of these prestigious awards not only helps market the dining program as an awardwinning program, it builds a sense of pride and team spirit within a dining staff. Sharing creativity and knowledge with other foodservice professionals is a key component to NACUFS membership. NACUFS was founded in 1958 by a group of 19 college and university foodservice professionals from across the United States. Since its inception, NACUFS has focused on its mission to support and promote excellence in collegiate dining by providing members with the programs and resources they need to excel, from Hope College Dining Services’ excellence in offering inbenchmarking and best ternational cuisine has won the NACUFS national grand prize in the Residential Dining Concepts category practices to education programming and professional networking. NACUFS membership is composed of institutions of higher education from across the United States, Canada, and abroad; and, industry members from the food and beverage; equipment and supplies; consulting and services; and technology market segments. University of Montana dining won a NACUFS Sustainability award for “Outreach and Education.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

NEWS

VENTLESS SOLUTIONS

Out With The Old & In With The New: The Evolution Of Cinema Dining

here was once a time, believe it or not, when your only food choices at the movie theatre were popcorn, soda pop and a box of Jujubes. Going out for “dinner & a movie” meant stopping at a restaurant for a bite to eat before making your way to the multiplex. Today, cinemas are moving towards a different way to dine. Over the years, movie cuisine has developed into more fast-casual options. Hot dogs, soft pretzels and nachos are just some of the options that have graced movie theatre menus. But now those days are falling farther and farther behind us. The future of cinema foodservice is here and rewriting the whole script! Imagine walking into your local theatre and being greeted with the enticing smell of freshly prepared food, instead of popcorn. The food options in front of you are items like garden salads topped with freshly fried coco-

nut shrimp, prosciutto and pear flatbreads, and roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and a maple mayo for dipping. Suddenly your trip to the movies becomes a culinary showcase! So, you pick out the delicious items you plan to devour during the film and head to your seats. To your amazement, the seats are much bigger than you remember, and now include a fold down tray to make eating even easier! You find the perfect seat, turn your cell phone to silent, and dig in. This scenario isn’t too good to be true. This is the new rising reality of cinema dining. But, how is it possible? How can theatres add these extensive menus and still increase their profits? The answer is simple, with the right equipment. At Motion Technology Inc., we have spent nearly thirty years perfecting our ventless fryers and ovens to meet the needs of our clients. The AutoFry and MultiChef XL require no hood installations, saving owners

from costly renovations, and can fit in just about any location. All operators need to do is plug in and start cooking. The menu possibilities are as endless as the end credits! Not only can cinemas serve up all the delicious items mentioned above, they can create just about anything they can dream up! And while each piece of our equipment shines bright all on their

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72 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

own, combining our oven and fryer arms any business with a powerhouse of a kitchen. There is no denying cinema dining has come quite a long way since its beginnings. There is also no denying that cinemas need to keep up with the culinary trends! Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be difficult, as long as the AutoFry and MultiChef XL are on your team!

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August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73

THE ESSENTIALS OF HOSPITALITY PR

WITH LINDA KAVANAGH

Post This, Insta That, Click! The Undeniable Power of Site and Social Within The Hospitality Industry

umbers don’t lie. There are 4.1 billion Internet users in the world. Over 4 million blog posts are published on the Internet every day. Over 500 million tweets are sent every day. Over 5 billion Google searches are made every day. There are approximately 1.94 billion websites in the world. And not surprising, Google is the world’s most visited website, followed by Youtube and Facebook. And statistics from 2019 show that there are 3.2 billion social media users worldwide. All of these numbers continue to grow. OK, so now that we have that out of the way, what does this information mean to you? Hopefully not much because your business is already engaged in social media and has a strong online presence that stems from an awesome and responsive website, strong search engine optimization, and active content. But, since I am all for information reinforcement, and even more interested in keeping up with the most current site and social practices, let’s establish some baseline strategies and become better acquainted with some solid information from some of our top marketing professionals; NY based firm Enormous Creative is a powerhouse when it comes to generating brand awareness across numerous platforms. CT tech company GoNation has taken digital marketing for small businesses a step further by creating their own high-tech platform which puts the business in the driver’s

seat while engaging the consumer. And Box 8 Creative in New Haven is the creative team behind developing well over 100 food and beverage brands throughout New England. You heard it here first! Website There are no excuses for not having a thoughtfully designed and fully optimized website these days. The competitiveness of the web design industry has made it much easier to engage with talented and accessible web companies who truly stand out as being client and result-focused. Same goes for social media managers. We are functioning in their generation’s wheelhouse after all. Be sure to work with a company that not only evolves with their industry but who has experience with your industry. In the case of my firm, we’ve kissed quite a few frogs along the way, but ultimately have found our princes who are innovative, fearless, communicative, and meticulous about what they do, and they specialize in the hospitality industry. We see websites becoming far more streamlined knowing that retention is low – is less best? Enormous: If done correctly, less can be more. A website has all the information a visitor will need, but if it is not obvious for them to navigate, then we lose them. This is why many websites have become very streamlined or simplified. Balancing functionality and aesthetics is the key, and we only

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have a few seconds to make an impression before the visitor moves on. Our goal is to get them interested and to dive deeper into the website. The experience must also be effective on all devices. On average globally, nearly half of a website’s traffic takes place on mobile devices. Having a streamlined experience on mobile is beneficial due to the data and screen limitations that those site visitors may have. What’s your tactical approach when creating a website for a restaurant? GoNation: Because of social media, smartphones, and the speed of the web, customers are being trained to expect easy access to every type of information. Restaurant menu items, events, accurate hours, and photos on are no exception. So why is it so difficult to find this information and so challenging for the business owner to update it? Traditional technology and current methods of building a website do not focus on the critical data that the consumer desires. Therefore the simple needs of a restaurant website are not met. We have designed a platform which organizes restaurants’ most important information so it can be accessed and shared easily. We focus on three simple principles when we create a restaurant website. First, the site has to be mobile excellent. Second, it must showcase and promote brand experience. Third, it has to have real-time content that can be easily updated. And of course, having the best SEO is required, as no

Linda Kavanagh is the founder of MaxEx Public Relations, LLC. Prior to launching her company in 1997, Kavanagh spent ten years in the culinary field, ultimately leaving the kitchen side of the business, trading her apron in for the almighty press release. Kavanagh’s experience in the restaurant industry adds another layer to her skillset, separating her from other publicists. Kavanagh is also the director of the New England Culinary Group, a 501(c)(3) professional organizational and support arm for the food service industry.

site should function without that. Our technology is built to incorporate that on autopilot. How best to maintain brand integrity across both site and social platforms? Box 8: Today’s customer is more visual than ever. You need to sell your company at every visual touch point. Your website should be able to convey your concept, style, and energy directly from your homepage. Your site, physical space, and social media platforms all need to have the same feel. Matching and supporting icons and graphics, style of photos, and messaging are important. Consistency is the key to brand recognition and ultimately brand loyalty. Where do you feel most websites and the process in creating them tend to go wrong?

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by www.admiralcraft.com August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 75

NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

Atlantic City Set To Host Annual Northeast Pizza & Pasta Expo Next Month

hen veteran marketers Pete Lachapelle and Bill Oakley were teamed by Emerald Expositions, they were asked to “top this.” For two decades plus the Lachappelle/Oakley duo had been the driving force behind the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Emerald was convinced that an East Coast edition of the show couldn’t miss. So once again the their annual Northeast Pizza and Pasta Expo will take center stage September 2526th at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

“If you’re looking for new ideas to boost revenue or just want to find out what the latest trends are in the pizza and Italian restaurant segments, then the Pizza & Pasta Northeast is the show for you,” noted Oakley. You’ll be able to see, touch, taste and explore thousands of products, as well as negotiate great deals right on the show floor. “This is the only tradeshow where you’ll find an industry specific demonstration and education program designed for pizzeria and Italian restaurant owners and operators,” Oakley continued. “We will have

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Remember, when deciding on which tradeshow to attend, general foodservice shows are precisely that, even if they claim to have an Italian pavilion,” said Bill Oakley 300-plus booths of products and services, morning keynote addresses, seminars, pizza and pasta demonstrations, workshops, networking events and more. Our goal is to present endless possibilities to take your restaurant to the next level.” “The Northeast has more pizzerias and Italian restaurants than any other region in the U.S.,” Oakley explained. “That’s not to mention that Atlantic City is within a few hours drive of one-third of America’s population: approximately 100 miles from New York; less than 300 miles from Boston; fewer than 100 miles from Philadelphia; and 150 miles from Washington, D.C.” Armed with that info, the Louisville based executives created the show. “We love

the excitement that Atlantic City brings as a venue,” Oakley continued. “There is always something new that makes the trip worthwhile for show attendees and exhibitors. With that growth in mind, International Pizza Expo®, the largest pizzeria business-to-business trade show in the world, will again take center stage with the second edition of its two-day trade show that focuses on pizzerias and Italian restaurants. The 2019 Pizza & Pasta Northeast® show will incorporate a blend of food demonstrations, contests and educational sessions to augment an exhibit hall showcasing top suppliers for both of these strong foodservice segments. Under the guidance of a seasoned show manager in Oakley, the event brings a long and distinguished track record of success from its Las

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NEWS

MARKETING SOLUTIONS

How 20 Lemons Keeps Restaurant Groups Fresh

hen it was time for the Blue Horse Restaurant in Highand Park, NJ to open their doors, the business’s management called 20 Lemons—a strategic marketing company—to make the proper arrangements. The 20 Lemons team planned the ribbon cutting event, invited the mayor and other local legislators, provided the event photography, and wrote/distributed press to local news outlets. From restaurant openings to facilitating a hospitality business’s marketing goals thereafter, 20 Lemons has more than a decade worth of experience. The 20 Lemons team has consistently and efficiently set restaurant groups, individual restaurants, bars, and other businesses up for success when developing and carrying out their respective marketing plans. “We are always receptive and accessible to get our hands dirty—you need to be hands-on when working for a restaurant client,” said company founder and lead marketing strategist, Noelle Stary. “We’re on their social media accounts every day. We constantly interact with the operations team. And when it comes to menu design and edits—we are the people who are catching the issues or mistakes that someone who is constantly working in the restaurant may have missed.” The company’s team members claim to be the experts in hospitality marketing for their restaurant, bar, and restaurant group clients. Based

We are always receptive and accessible to get our hands dirty—you need to be hands-on when working for a restaurant client,” said company founder and lead marketing strategist, Noelle Stary. out of Woodbridge, NJ, the company has established itself as a leader in restaurant marketing by carrying out services like staff training, interior design, branding, menu layout, social media management, email marketing, website development, and more. Follow-up reporting and praise from clients has given 20 Lemons quantitative and qualitative data that proves these marketing services work. The 20 Lemons team works with a variety of hospitality and restaurant clients—each is given a customized list of marketing services based on the business’s specific need. What’s more, the marketing company’s goal

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is to recommend the proper services, carry them out, and reassess to determine whether or not changes should be made to the marketing plan. “We typically work with restaurants, restaurant groups, or bars on retainers that will often include social media, email campaigns, development of marketing materials for events, and menu design,” said Stary. The marketing agency was able to do all of these services and then some when it came to their client in Bridgewater—22 West Tap & Grill. In 2016, the gastro-pub opened with the help of Stary and Co. 20 Lemons was able to deliver on sound interior design,

event planning and public relations for opening day, as well as a list of marketing initiatives that are still being strategically implemented. 22 West owner, Trimarchi’s hard work and culinary expertise was combined with marketing efforts that educated customers and kept them coming back. To say the marriage of efforts worked well might be an understatement. After collaborating with 20 Lemons to make 22 West a success, Trimarchi hired the team again to fuel his latest project: Main Street Gourmet Deli. The new restaurant in downtown Somerville received help with their opening process, branding, logo design, website development, menu layout, and email marketing. The 20 Lemons team is not just checking the boxes and moving on when assessing marketing objectives for clients like Trimarchi. When talking to these young, marketing experts it is obvious that they find the work interesting and are genuine when they say they’d like their clients to succeed. “I think that when restaurants work with the average marketing company, that agency will deliver a product and walk away or carry out a service and not circle back,” explained Stary. “The unique thing about 20 Lemons is that we will prep materials for server shift meetings, prep materials for distribution to customers, and make sure the same message or goal is distributed from management, to staff, and to customers both current and prospective.”

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LIZ ON TABLETOP

TABLETOP SOLUTIONS

A Fresh Look At Catering Strategies

ith the current healthy economy, catering can be a great way to build cash flow and your brand. It wasn’t that many years ago that catering actually took a break in the summertime. Tradition dictated that events were planned for before Memorial Day and then again after Labor Day. Like so many things in today’s world, catering is now a 52week business. It’s not at all unusual to get invited to a Fourth of July or even a New Year’s Eve wedding. So whether you are the food and beverage manager at a Manhattan hotel, or managing a Westchester country club or a Hampton’s hot spot, you need to be on top of your

It is always fun working with our catering customers as their culinary teams create new additions to their menus. This summer, we are seeing many of our caterers returning to fusion on their menus.

Liz Weiss is the President and coowner of Armonk, NY based H. Weiss Co., a division of BHS Foodservice Solutions. She is known nation-

game 24/7. My definition of that is the ability to create signature concepts that reflect both your facility and of course the current season. It’s really interesting watching how you can tweak your table top to

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reflect the pressures that come with a $15 minimum wage on staffing. It can start with a move to a bigger coffee cup. We are also seeing a lot of thought going into the quantity and coffee of the bread basket. My read on the new reality of a higher minimum wage is that you are in fact going to see a different type of turnover in the wait staff than you may have expected. It could very well lead to the return of the old days of the professional waiter. So restaurant owners knowing that they are going to have to have fewer waiters doing more can afford to be more selective and demanding of their staffs. The other change

ally as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on tabletop design. The Michigan State graduate is also actively involved with WPO-Women’s Presidents Organization. Comments may be sent to eweiss@hweiss.net.

that we are seeing is how vacation time and capital projects are being handled. It used to be that catering was a seasonal business. Today it’s 52 week of the year. So let’s take an example of a large caterer that needs to install a new flight machine. The approach today has been to close for two weeks, bite the bullet, have the entire staff take their vacations at the same time and comeback rested and ready to go as well as getting the install done without any sacrifice in service. Catering also requires a re-evaluation of your inventory of banquet small wares. We can work with you

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NEWS

CHARITY

LI and NYC Chefs Team To Support East Wind Chef Battling Cancer

rofessional chefs, restaurateurs and community members joined forces to show support for a Wading River chef battling cancer. East Wind Long Island hosted “Super Ryan Fundraiser” Wednesday, July 31, with proceeds benefiting Ryan Augusta, who is the facility’s director of culinary arts. Mr. Augusta, 35, was diagnosed in May 2018 with squamous cell carcinoma — a rare form of cancer caused by an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. The news, he said, came just two days before his youngest son, Cameron, was born. Two and a half weeks later, Mr. Augusta, who lives in Huntington underwent surgery and additional treatment, returning home with a large scar and stitches near his neck.

Daddy, you’re like Superman, nothing can beat you,” said Ryan Augusta’s son Brandon His 6-year-old son Brandon, lover of all things comics, realized his father was recovering from surgery “Daddy, you’re like Superman,” Brandon said that day. “Nothing can beat you.” The comment stuck with Mr. Augusta, he said, and prompted him to get a Superman tattoo. Once he returned to work at East Wind — where he oversees all eateries in the complex — he shared the story with his co-workers. But in May 2019, just as he was preparing to celebrate one year of being cancer-free, doctors discovered a rare, cancerous tumor in his neck, he said. Two days later, he went under the knife again. He is expected to start 34 rounds of radiation and chemotherapy during the last week of July, he said. “The doctors are recom-

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mending proton radiation, because it’s a more aggressive treatment plan, but it’s not covered under insurance,” Mr. Augusta said in a phone interview Tuesday. “They are really pushing for it, to get as far ahead of this as possible.” To pay for the “significant financial strain to his family,”, East Wind’s senior management team put together the fundraiser with help from Rocky Point’s Ralph Perrazzo of BBD’s, who opened a second location in Las Vegas in 2017. “They wanted to do whatever they could for me, and that’s what the East Wind family is all about,” Augusta said. East Wind general manager Louis Ambrosio said in an email that Mr. Augusta’s work ethic is “second to none.” The chef, who has been with East Wind for three years, is constantly giving back to the businesses in the shopping center, he said.

“He’s at work early in the A.M. and is here until the day is complete, no matter the time,” Mr. Ambrosio wrote Monday. “Ryan is very quiet in his demeanor but gets the job done and delegates to a staff of about 50. He’s well-respected by all in every department at our facility.” The event included a buffet, live entertainment, raffles, auctions and cuisine from more than 15 Long Island and New York City chefs. Those chefs included Stephan Bogardus of The Halyard in Greenport, Josh Eden of August in New York City and Steve Scalesse of Tullulah’s in Bay Shore. Augusta said the chefs banding together to help him is “the true definition of our industry — that being the hospitality industry.” “It’s an amazing feeling to have that kind of support from fellow professionals,” he said. “I just wish, one day, I can return the favor to someone who might need it.” Five breweries served up drinks at the event, including Sand City Brewing Company of Northport, Barrier Brewing of Oceanside, Root & Branch of Copiague, Evil Twin of Ridgewood and Grimm of Brooklyn.

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Weiss, from page 80 to build a flexible base of small ware staples including stainless pans with induction warmers and wood risers and stands. We are also seeing a fresh new approach to how a caterer should handle small wares inventory. What we are seeing now is a change of how this is successfully mapped out. Caterers are doing a full mock up of the night menu and buffet and then figuring out the multiples of math function of the number of functions you’re hosting per date. Among the trends that we are seeing this summer is a wooden farm look. It focuses on comfort and tends to be more homey than rustic. In many cases restaurants are using darker woods that are a little more polished but create a sense of comfort. We are also seeing a lot of brass with an old flat finish vs. shiny where to create an aged look with almost a copper look. In many cases it is also being combined with a brushed metal or black matte finish. One of my favorite finds of the year is using frozen fruit or vegetables as a garnish for a martini menu. Many of our clients are taking their vacuum sealer and sealing vodka and olives or onions which they then freeze. So the outcome is a fabulous dirty martini with frozen olives and onions with an ice cube garnish. It also works beautifully with brandy and cherries. I’ve seen them sealed and then frozen with chocolate. This year’s hot look for serving cocktails is the on-going return of traditional cut glasses.

I am also seeing lots of cool colors with cocktail service. With today’s mixtures of sweet and sour and spicy and salty, many of our BHS/ Weiss customers are using the garnish to make a statement. Colored salt or a colored sugar for lavender are all in play this summer. We continue to see our customers try to find the replacement to plastic straws. I just don’t see anything in paper that cuts it. We certainly can’t comfortably suggest a reusable to our customers. So at this point we are advocates of serving drinks without straws. So the best operators simply work around the issue. They get their customers to focus on the cocktail itself. I love the glasses being served in a mini-muffin tin. The servers loved it because the glasses didn’t spill and it was really kitschy looking. It is always fun working with our catering customers as their culinary teams create new additions to their menus. This summer, we are seeing many of our caterers returning to fusion on their menus. You have a whole crew of young chefs that are very artistic. Our clients tell us they are seeing more experimentation than ever with Asian, Mexican and Latin fare all being mixed and matched. There’s also a new energy for fun desserts that include things like a lavender cheesecake. Our BHS/H. Weiss team is here to help with updating your catering service and share our experiences as you look to keep it fresh for your customers.

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CT Brewers, from page 28 didn’t need a cafe law,” said Szamatulski, who was already allowed to sell out-of-state liquor and wine under his current permits. “I would love to keep the brewery going but I have real doubts about what bills are coming up next year. I have to renew my lease eventually, and I don’t know what I want to do.” Pappas says the benefits of increased beer sales far outweigh the additional costs from scaled permitting and the new excise tax. After all, Connecticut ranked No. 48 in the U.S. for the amount of beer breweries could sell to patrons for off-site consumption prior to the law change. Meantime, states like Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont have no limits. “We are still toward the bottom, but obviously we have a lot of people to think about when we are increasing sales limits,” said Pappas, who suggested brewers will likely push for higher off-site sale limits next legislative session. “We will see how it goes, and see how it impacts the market. I think it will be good for all parties.” Anticipating major liquor reforms, Cameron, of Hooker Brewery, has nearly completed a major $1 million infrastructure rebuild of his 36,000-square-foot Bloomfield facility, adding new cooling systems, fermentation tanks and a centrifuge machine, which separates solids from beer. The renovation includes adding a $150,000 commercial kitchen that will serve pizza and other food offerings currently sold at Hooker’s Hartford taproom. Cameron spent an additional $700,000 buying a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing/warehousing facility behind his Tobey Road headquarters in Bloomfield for beer production and storage. Liquor reforms that allow crossselling of products, Cameron said, is the biggest benefit for Thomas Hooker, which annually produces 15,000 barrels and sells the majority of that

PDQ Chicken, from page 62 through wholesalers. Cameron isn’t sure which alcoholic products Thomas Hooker will add, but he said he’s intrigued about being able to sell meads, hard ciders and cocktails. “It’s all about creating options for the consumer and this really opens up the possibilities,” Cameron said of the liquor reforms. Almost five miles south, Hog River Brewing in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford recently acquired a 3,500-square-foot space that will be dedicated for a 100-seat private event area later this summer. The brewery, which currently produces 500 barrels a year, will also be able to manufacture more than 1,000 barrels in 2020 when it more than doubles its brewing footprint later this year. That expansion will cost $150,000. Ben Braddock, who co-owns Hog River Brewing with his wife, Joy, said their business will also start to offer additional locallyproduced products in their taproom to pair with their current offerings of craft beer, hard cider and wine. “Increasing the limits for per-person sales is huge for us,” Joy Braddock said. “It’s hard to run a business when you’re told what you can’t do all the time.” In Manchester, the three co-owners of Labyrinth Brewing Co. aren’t worried about the new excise tax, even though the change will be costly for the one-year-old brewery because their taproom accounts for 95 percent of overall sales. The brewers are also looking to cross-sell its craft beer products with other area wineries and cideries to continue pushing its brand in the region. Evolving its offerings will be key for Labyrinth to stay relevant and grow, Delaura said. “Nobody likes to pay more taxes, but are we going to live? Yes we are,” he said. “I think if we could push into cideries, wineries, meaderies and craft distilleries, this all makes it a lot easier to get our name out there.”

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ring, and Fanning believes the restaurant is earmarked to stand out among its competitors. “I think the name says it: People Dedicated to Quality,” noted Fanning. “As far as the space goes, I think there’s enough room for a new player in town. I think the freshness of what we do, no antibiotics in the chicken, I think we’re going to knock their socks off. And we’re open seven days a week.” Fanning also believes the location of the business is ideal: he called Broadhollow Road the busiest thruway north and south on Long Island. He also said the chicken tenders are what PDQ is known for down in its southern roots. However, he’s predicting another menu item could become Long Island’s favorite. “We’re going to see if [the tenders] make a mark up here, because everybody loves a chicken sandwich,” he said. “The chicken is unbelievable.” There are six types of sandwiches on the PDQ menu: Crispy Chicken, Buffy Bleu, Cali Club, Grilled Chicken, Honey Butter and Pimento Crunch. The Pimento Crunch features a large crispy chicken breast, pimento cheese, lettuce, sea salt potato chips and bacon. The available shakes range from the traditional vanilla, chocolate and strawberry to the out-of-the-box Oreo, mint Oreo, Heath and Reese’s Cup. Available dipping sauces are ranch, buffalo bleu, creamy garlic, honey BBQ, sweet Sriracha, chipotle BBQ and honey mustard. The franchise said sauces are never more than a few

days old. PDQ also caters, with its catering menu featuring the six aforementioned sandwiches, as well as party platters of tenders and nuggets. Salads are also available. Additionally, PDQ has a few other features designed for customer convenience: a face-to-face drive-thru as opposed to a machine, a sink outside the restroom and a Cornhole set out front. Fanning said the Farmingdale PDQ, which employs around 70 people, is using the six-day period between its soft and grand openings to work on two things: the speed of the customer’s experience and employees’ smiles. “We always want our people smiling, because we want our customers to smile,” he said. “If you’re trying to learn new things, you’re focused, so you’re not going to smile. By making it rote the way they are, that smile will become come easier. But that repetition is what we’re looking for now to build it, and as the doors open, everybody should be smiling ear to ear.” He added that he’s confident in the current state of the food’s quality and the crew’s attention to detail. Fanning said that PDQ is looking for the perfect marriage between product and management. “You can take the best product in the world with the worst management and you’ll fail,” he said. “You take the worst product and the best management, you’ll succeed. Now if you have the best management and the best product, we’re going to see where PDQ goes.”

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Kavanagh, from page 74 GoNation: Websites can go wrong in many ways. From lousy design and not meeting the necessary standards in SEO, to poor user experiences such as sites with PDF menus, unprofessional photos, and stale information because it is too much work to update the website or the “web guy disappeared.” Owners have been wronged too many times by big companies and local developers. Here are a few lessons learned every owner should adhere to: 1. Always put the domain name and all social media accounts in your name under an email you plan to always have access to. NEVER let anyone own your domain and always have the login info safely stored. 2. If you are paying more than $1,500 upfront on a single restaurant website, you are burning money. 3. PDF menus and jpeg images of a menu are outdated. Customers do not want to spend their time stretching documents to read what you are selling. Nobody wants to download a pdf to their android phone. PDFs should only be there for supporting real data as an option and for desktop viewing or printing. 4. Build the best mobile experience first, and then worry about a desktop. If you are not mobile, you are losing money. 5. Take the time and accept the costs

of creating great content. High-quality images, quality designed logos, videos, and so on. This should be incorporated into your business plan and budget. A million-dollar restaurant to build is no good if you can’t promote it! 6. Use a professional cloud email service and email marketing program. Avoid housing your business email on a company’s personal server or allowing your customers’ email addresses to reside in someone else’s database.

There’s some buzz about social media platforms taking the place of traditional websites? Enormous: Websites will always have a place. Social media is a great form of engaging with your audience or promoting your content, but a website is the foundation of your business that keeps it all together. Using both platforms in tandem with each other creates the ultimate weapon to make your business truly shine for SEO and Google rankings.

How important is running monthly analytics for both site and social? Enormous: Performance analytics is a powerful resource. Being able to look over data and see what pages or posts are receiving the most engagement, or the times of day that visitors interact with a website or a social post, allows us to improve upon our performance and be ahead of the game as site and social creators and managers.

What are some common brand missteps within social media platforms that can dilute your brand? Box 8: I’ve seen so many great brands diluted by showing the wrong versions of their brand marks as their social icons. The customer needs that visual recognition (consistency!) to be carried throughout all forms of communication. The biggest missteps are cropping a logo, which often happens within an Instagram icon. Another big one is forcing a picture of a dish or restaurant space to fit within an Instagram or Facebook circle which is just far too small to give the proper visual link to your brand identity. We always take a recognizable element to tie them all together whenever possible, such as an icon or brand mark.

Social Media This is where being old school will indeed get in the way of your competitive edge and will have you struggling to stay relevant in an evolving industry. No longer a point, shoot, and post platform, social media has proven itself to be a driving force for influencing consumer decisions.

posting to social media? Enormous: DO know your platform. Between Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, the way to engage or post content is different. Twitter is about real-time engagement and updates; Instagram is all about the imagery, Insta-Stories, and how to effectively use hashtags (while this is obvious, many people still don’t use the right hashtags or use too many broad hashtags); and Facebook is a bit of a combo between the two (No hashtags though. That’s not as effective on Facebook). Having an image with less text means that you will be able to reach more people to look at your posts/boosted posts. Speaking of which... DO utilize promotional tools. Boosting content is the cheapest form of advertising in the market. Being able to customize how you are going to promote a post on Facebook or Instagram makes all the difference. DON’T focus so much on the number of followers or likes you have - DO focus on building a quality audience. You want to attract and appeal to people who are genuinely interested in your business and its offering and who have the geographical capability to become an actual customer. DON’T sweat the haters. Most people just want attention. Ignoring them speaks louder than engaging them.

What are some dos and don’ts when

Peters, from page 54 vive or die on their own. There was no formal training whatsoever, and since there wasn’t any formal training when they first joined the restaurant, there was no hope. We would do this again and again, and we would continue to lose great MITs and AMs. Albert Einstein once said (and I’m paraphrasing here), that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly yet expecting a different result. By this definition, we were nuts.

It’s no wonder we lost these great managers. We weren’t offering any guidance, direction or goals. We weren’t offering any training. And a major reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t know what’s expected of them. Without a structured training system, these expectations are overlooked and valuable diamonds are lost. We spend a lot of time and money training our line employees to give our guests the best experience possible,

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yet we throw new managers into the fire with almost no support and training and expect them to succeed. To change that cycle (and to allow your diamonds to shine), create a training program specific to management. It should include all your operational systems in an operations manual and then a training program that walks each manager through a step-by-step process to learn the skills necessary to be successful. You have to test them on what they learn so that

you know they are proficient at each skill set and system necessary to do their job correctly. Your restaurant’s success is dependent upon it. Adding this step to your process, especially when developing someone from within, will virtually guarantee you a strong management team from top to bottom. Build a successful management team from within with great training from start to management.

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Pizza Show, from page 76 Vegas roots. Now in its 34th Year of serving Independent and Chain Pizzerias, attendees at the ‘Vegas event include pizzeria or pizza-concept restaurant owners, operators and managers, as well as distributors and food brokers. Exhibitors in New Jersey will include suppliers of pizza ingredients and pizza flour, point-of-sales systems, ovens, kitchen equipment, marketing and promotional materials and many other companies providing goods and services to the pizza restaurant industry. “Our show is a must see for the pizza and hospitality operator,” Oakley noted. Today’s consumers and pizza aficionados have many styles from which to choose. From Pizza Napoletana to Roman and Detroit style, which is currently expanding across the U.S. Our goal is to bring prep insight to the foodservice professional that want to add diversity to their menu.”

The 2019 Pizza & Pasta Northeast show will deliver a one-stop shop exhibit hall where Italian and pizzaconcept restaurant owners can meet face-to-face with leading national and regional industry suppliers. Attendees will also have access to food demonstrations that will focus on new and traditional, Italian ingredients, flavors and products - allowing attendees to stay on top of the consumers’ growing desire for pizza and pasta menu items. Once again the visionary Oakley and his team have brought their unique brand of excitement to the show floor. Restaurant competitors from throughout the Northeast will battle in The Northeast Pasta Showdown to determine who has the “Best Pasta Dish” east of the Mississippi. Pizza & Pasta Northeast will once again partner with Antimo Caputo and Orlando Foods to host the 5th annual Caputo Cup. The Caputo Cup

is Italy’s largest, most exciting pizzamaking contest. This year nearly 200 of the best pizza-makers in the world will present their signature pies to the judges in the Traditional, NonTraditional, Pizza Napoletana/STG and Gluten-Free divisions. The New England region combined with Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. is home to more than 28,000 Italian restaurants and pizzerias, making this region No. 1 in the U.S. in terms of the total number of pizzerias and Italian restaurants. This means onethird of the country’s operators, generating 30 percent of the industry’s revenue, are located in one tightly condensed geographic area. “This is in no way a replacement to Pizza Expo for East Coast pizzeria operators and their staffs, but more of an opportunity to let them be a part of this regional two-day

experience,” said Oakley. “Most of our eastern U.S. attendees have two days of travel in order to attend the Expo, making it difficult to attend the entire four-day show, which would keep them from their pizzeria for an entire week. This event is a natural progression and one that we hope will allow more restaurateurs and pizzeria operators the opportunity to experience some of the things they have been missing for years are now at the International Pizza Expo. Adding some new twists to this new event should make it a very compelling event to attend.” “Remember, when deciding on which tradeshow to attend, general foodservice shows are precisely that, even if they claim to have an Italian pavilion,” Oakley concluded. “To succeed in today’s fiercely competitive restaurant marketplace you need access to all the latest strategies and product innovations.”

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Harassment Complaints, from page 66 tion is proceeding and when completion is expected. Fifth, the investigator should reach a conclusion as to whether the harassment allegations are corroborated. The investigator should be able to make a credibility assessment for each witness as to whether the information they provide is relevant, accurate and credible. Even in cases devoid of corroboration, the investigator can consider whether a witness has a motive to lie or be less than forthcoming. The investigator should draft a conclusory report, which includes a summary of the allegations, witnesses interviewed with a credibility assessment, the information reviewed and a conclusion reached. If the investigator concluded that harassment or a violation of company policy occurred, there needs to be a decision on discipline and/or ter-

mination. I generally recommend that a person other than the investigator be the decision maker for the ultimate outcome. The decision needs to then be communicated to the complainant and the alleged harasser. If the allegations are partly or fully corroborated, the complainant should be told that the harasser will face discipline, but there is no requirement to share the specific details. Examples of discipline can include suspension, placement on final warning and/or retraining. All of the above must be accomplished while protecting the complainant from additional harassment and retaliation, separate from the alleged harassment. If the complainant and the alleged harasser work in close proximity, consider separating them for, at least, the pendency of the workplace investigation. One of the final steps is to remind all parties and witnesses that retaliation is prohibited by

company policy, is illegal and will not be condoned. Finally, it is incumbent upon the restaurateur to ensure that all of these steps are documented and placed in a file that is kept separate and apart from the complainant’s personnel file. Have you wondered what happens if you don’t respond to a complaint appropriately? Recognizing that most of this magazine’s readership will be found in New York State, I looked for examples in other states and found two examples from the Chicago and Lexington, Kentucky areas. In 2018, a chain of nine Rosebud Restaurants in Chicago agreed to pay $160,000 to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) to settle a lawsuit where the EEOC found that the restaurant did not take adequate steps to address the employees’ complaints, specifically where two women were subjected to sexual harassment and one was fired after complaining. In

addition to the monetary award, the restaurant chain was required to provide annual training and compliance reports to the EEOC. If that wasn’t bad enough, in 2016 Mint Julep Restaurant Operations LLC, in Lexington, Kentucky agreed to settle a lawsuit with the EEOC for $450,000. In that case, the EEOC found that the restaurant managers requested sexual favors, subjected female employees to unwelcome touching and did not respond to complaints “in a prompt and appropriate manner.” On top of that, these two restaurant chains undoubtedly incurred tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees and, worst of all, a huge hit to their brand names and reputations. While there are many other examples, these two restaurant cases provide you with reason enough to take harassment complaints seriously, react promptly and respond with an appropriate investigation and follow-up.

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NEWS

FRANCHISING

Manhattan’s Mamoun’s Falafel Continues Aggressive Expansion With Jersey Opening

amoun’s Falafel, the fastest growing Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant in North America, has opened its fifth location in New Jersey, with plans for two more to open by the end of the year. The new restaurant, located at the Wall Promenade shopping center in Wall, New Jersey, marks the 10th location nationwide. The concept’s New Jersey partner, Prospect Capital Restaurants, signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to continue bringing Mamoun’s Falafel’s authentic, quality food to its eager customers throughout the state of New Jersey. Prospect Capital Restaurants is responsible for existing franchise locations in Wall and New Brunswick, with two additional locations currently un-

der development in Paramus and East Rutherford. Mamoun’s Falafel also has corporate locations in Hoboken and Princeton, as well as an additional franchise location in Fort Lee. “More and more diners are looking for globally influenced cuisine as well as healthier options, and we are able to offer the diverse menu they crave,” said Mamoun’s CEO Hussam Chater. “The growth momentum seen by our fifth New Jersey restaurant – and 10th location nationwide – is a significant turning point for the concept, as we start to push outside of our traditional urban roots and explore suburban settings. We intend to penetrate markets across New Jersey and beyond, to better reach our customers and deliver the authentic, flavorful food we’ve built our legacy on.”

More and more diners are looking for globally influenced cuisine as well as healthier options, and we are able to offer the diverse menu they crave,” said Hussam Chater, Mamoun CEO In addition to the five existing New Jersey locations, the fast-casual concept currently has five other locations throughout the East Coast – three in New York in the West Village, East Village, and Syosset; one in New Haven, Connecticut, and one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mamoun’s Falafel’s high sales volume, coupled with high consumer demand, proves the brand is well-poised for its planned expansion. More than 50 locations are in development nationwide, including eight locations in Southern California, six locations in Atlanta, Georgia, and five locations in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in Greenwich Village in 1971, Mamoun’s Falafel has established a reputation of being the most authentic and flavorful falafel in New York City, and continues to expand nationwide to bring its authentic Middle Eastern recipes, consisting of simple, natural ingredients and spices, to its customers. In addition to using rigorous production systems and legendary sous-vide cooking methods

to ensure high quality and consistent product at every location, Mamoun’s is also developing technological updates and integrated solutions to elevate the consumer and franchisee experience. This includes a mobile app, an online ordering platform, a new software partnership and a custom internal training program for employees. Mamoun’s Falafel has partnered with Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and Qdoba Mexican Grill, as their exclusive franchise development partner to grow the brand. The concept is currently looking for experienced multi-unit foodservice operators to develop franchise territories across all markets in the U.S. Those interested in joining the Mamoun’s Falafel family as franchisees will receive training and support from start to finish, from site selection expertise to recipe and menu development to localized brand building.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93

Morgan, from page 10 the food for a reception tasked with bringing a humanitarian motive to real life. Just last year, ‘Cultivate’ was the theme selected for the annual Roots Conference hosted at The Chef’s Garden, where WGS provided all spirits. At ‘William Grant & Sons – In Real Life’ (#WGSIRL), the scene was set by a farmer and wheelbarrow. Almost two thousand influencers were served harvested potatoes from a shovel, with ‘dirt’ made from olives and portabella mushrooms. An apiarist in a beekeeping suit offered beeswax bonbons of green tea and honey straight from a reclaimed hive. Lemon curd with cucumber blooms were quite literally hanging from lemon and cucumber trees, ripe for the picking. No trees were harmed and neither plates nor silverware were needed. Compostable cups were used in each of the portfolio brand’s social media forward activations to showcase ambassadors and their respective spirits personalities IRL. “Often, we’re so busy talking about our ideals and motivations that we forget to let our colleagues know precisely what we’re trying to do,” says Seth Godin, marketing motivator and inspiration speaker. Whether in New Orleans, Puerto Rico, or at one of their satellite events, ‘Tales’ and TOTCF are raising voices, taking action, and making change. We’re honored to feature meaningful causes and leaders in our community, especially the ones truly making a ruckus! Visit LMTprovisions.com to see how we’re disrupting the model of foodservice distribution by personalizing the conversation. We stand beside the mixologists, chefs, and industry leaders breaking the mold and even more grateful to call them our customers.

HX, from page 68 Each year, professional foodservice design consultants and conceptualists are invited to dream up a foodservice design/concept that’s especially suited to a nontraditional, high-traffic space not specifically outfitted to foodservice. They’re challenged to use today’s most innovative equipment and technologies to produce exceptional menus and service experiences in a hotel lobby. This year, HX has decided on a bigger, even more spectacular interactive concept. One extraordinary design concept is being featured at this year’s show. Through the collaboration between HX, FCSI, and vendor partners, this concept will come to life, built as life-sized working models right on the show floor. It’s about more possibilities and revenue opportunities for hotel owners, general managers, and foodservice operators. This year’s featured pioneering foodservice concept is Duality. Duality was developed and designed by FoodSpace, which focuses on helping companies provide the best food and beverage amenity and concept programs for their customers. They identify concepts and suggest tactical food and beverage strategies geared toward maximizing workforce productivity and workplace satisfaction. Visit www.scgfoodspace.com for more information about this designer. Duality is a modular, portable, shippable foodservice concept that is made up of a doughnut shape cut into four quarters with a Yin-Yang shape in the center. This six-piece set can be configured and re-configured to accommodate multiple food concepts. Everything from a Poki restaurant to a soup and sandwich Bar can be displayed and sold from this concept. Each section can be configured to be self or full service, cus-

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tomer accessible from one or both sides, and can also interact with the other sections to create additional shapes and configurations. Duality gives the blend of hot and cold food products, as well as self and full service modules. Interchangeable accessories allow for the flexibility to reconfigure a food concept quickly and cost effectively. Throughout the two days of HX, the Pioneering Foodservice Concept (Duality) will focus on concept overviews, equipment and operations demonstrations throughout each day, with food and beverage samplings to help drive attendee traffic to the space. In addition, this year FoodSpace will have a technology portion of their interactive approach to personalize the experience. Set ups will show the possibilities of different featured equipment and other retail venues and menus that can be built into that footprint. What’s the next step for an exhibitor or attendee who wants more info on HX? Those interested in exhibiting should contact Bethanne Doud, Business Development Manager, at bethanne.doud@emeraldexpo.com or (513) 964-1780. Those interested in attending should visit www.thehotelexperience.com for details. Our foodservice vendors have a number of exhibiting choices including the Pizza Expo owned by Emerald Expositions. Why choose HX to exhibit their latest? The hotel industry continues its remarkable expansion, and it creates multiple product placement opportunities for vendors—whether banquet and catering requirements for full service hotels or evolving hotel lobby bars and the unique F&B needs that they require. Foodservice vendors exhibit at HX because they

wish to center their tradeshow strategy around customers and their challenges. HX offers the opportunity to focus on specific equipment to solve challenges in restaurants, retail foodservice venues, chains, boutique hotels, and other lodging options that need a ROI and a customer food experience connection. HX offers the complete experience for hotels and/or resorts. For those who haven’t noticed, the Javits now finds itself in a very hot neighborhood: Hudson Yards. Any thoughts on combining a trip to the show and a walk through a very exciting new area? Whether Hudson Yards, Brooklyn, or elsewhere, NYC is the perfect environment to explore the latest in hospitality design and trends shaping the guest experience. We encourage attendees to see all the products at Javits and then experience the city by visiting multiple neighborhoods of NYC. HX has always featured a comprehensive education component. What is on tap for this year? We’re excited about the education at HX this year. AAHOA hosts more than 200 events each year, and using its attendee feedback allows us to develop a comprehensive slate of educational offerings. Familiar speakers and panelists will share their considerable expertise during two days of educational sessions. Topics can be ruthlessly practical, such as HOTEL ROI - Maximizing F&B/Restaurant Profits, Cutting Costs, Assessing Pricing Strategies and Marketing Your Hotel Restaurant to Non Guests. Other sessions can tend toward the philosophical, such as Planting the Seed: How to Empower the Next Generation. The full slate of educational sessions will soon be on the website at www. thehotelexperience.com.

YOU KNOW US, NOW JOIN US! You know SHFM, you’ve been to an event, and maybe you have been a member in the past. No need to sit on the sidelines any longer. Membership is said to have its privileges and that is true of SHFM. Sure, we have a lot of great member benefits, but the biggest benefit is what the SHFM family can do for your personal network and your career. Quite simply, SHFM members represent the leaders of the corporate foodservice and workplace hospitality industry. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that group, right?

We invite you to join the SHFM family today! Visit our website at shfm-online.org or just give us a call at 502-574-9931. 502.574.9931 | shfm-online.org

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 95

Scoop, from page 52 coholic beverages do make the cut, like a skinny margarita made with organic tequila. Centerbridge Partners, the firm that formerly owned P.F. Chang’s, is the majority shareholder of the restaurant chain. Last year, True Food Kitchen had plans to double its locations to 46. The chain now spans 16 states, with locations including one in the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania, along with others in Texas, California, Florida, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Maryland and Florida.

Chef Daniel Kill Joins Allegory Restaurant in Montclair’s MC Hotel SCOOP hears that the MC Hotel, the 159-room hotel opening in Montclair this summer, has named an executive chef. Daniel Kill, who got his cooking chops in his native Germany at the Michelin-starred Tantris, will oversee Allegory, the lobby-level restaurant, and the market café. He will also supervise the food component of the lobby and rooftop bars, according to the restaurant management company Aparium Group. Montclair’s diversity and accessibility to local farms helped shape the chef’s vision for Allegory. Local farms will supply fresh produce, he said, and menus will change frequently to keep up with seasonal supplies of seafood, vegetables and fruit. His menu offerings will encourage diners to eat family-style. “Allegory’s focus will be on light, vegetable-forward shared plates,” Kill said. “Our global cuisine will mimic the global influences of Montclair and also reflect my personal European roots.” Kill has also worked at Kurt Gutenbrunner’s Wallsé, Café Sabarsky, and The Upholstery Store Food & Wine in New York.Several other positions have also been filled recently at the hotel, including general manager Oscar Fontana Roos; director of sales Jennifer Varua; Montclair native Emily Wittmann as director of lifestyle, and Amin Deroui as director of food & beverage.

Hutong Takes Over Former Le Cirque Space SCOOP learned that when the iconic Le Cirque closed at the end of 2017, it left in its wake memories of a different, more glamorous New York dining era and a vacant ground-level restaurant space in the horse96 • August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

The interior at Hutong

shoe-shaped One Beacon Court. But that distinctive space has finally found its next tenant: Hutong, an upscale Chinese restaurant. The opening marks the first expansion into the U.S. for the Hong Kong-based Aqua Restaurant Group, which runs dining concepts in London, Hong Kong and Beijing. “New York’s always been a huge dream for us, because if you think about truly global cities, there are really only London, Paris and New York,” says group founder David Yeo. “Yes, Hong Kong is very international, but it’s different from being global.”’ Yeo heeded the call of regulars at the other two Hutong locations (London and Hong Kong), who noted the potential for the concept in New York. “Everybody said to us, ‘we’ve got no shortage of Western cuisines, but something like Hutong, which is pan Northern Chinese, we just don’t have this, and not of this quality,’” says Yeo. Hutong is focused on delivering the concept that has been crafted in Hong Kong and London. Yeo saw an opportunity to bring upscale, high-quality Pan Northern Chinese cuisine Stateside. Signature dishes include a crispy soft-shell crab with Sichuan dried chilli and Roasted Peking Duck. While the classics have carried over, the New York menu embraces the availability of local ingredients, with seafood being a large focus; similar to its London and Hong Kong outposts, dim sum will be a main feature of Hutong’s lunchtime offerings. Yeo is aware that Hutong will likely be compared to Le Cirque, at least in the beginning. The interiors have been completely redone, tapping into the Art Deco heritage of New York and Shanghai. On the ground floor, the restaurant is separated into two distinct spaces, a more formal dining room and a casual bar area. The main dining room is outfitted in dark blue tones, with angular mirrored accents tracing the vaulted room and a white marble fireplace. Upstairs in the private dining areas, tables are round with a Lazy Susan center, with screens providing room distinc-

tion. Door handles take the shape of a silver Eternity Knot, and Aqua’s logo, a modified ankh, is inscribed on the back of every chair in the bar room. The aim for Hutong isn’t to become a clubby hot spot in the vein of a Tao or Buddakan; instead, the emphasis is on cultivating a following of patrons equally likely to frequent the spot for lunch as dinner; the gaggle of corporate firms nearby — not to mention Bloomberg’s headquarters — is likely to help fill many of those spots. It’s upscale, but not stuffy, fine dining, and the team is hoping to create an experience that can also skew casual.

Siro’s in Saratoga Sold; New Owners Hire Chef David Britton SCOOP hears that venerable track-season hotspot Siro’s Restaurant in Saratoga Springs was recently sold by its owners since 2010 and will be run by a partner who was or is involved with Pig n’ Whistle on Broadway and the former Mingle on the Avenue, both in Saratoga Springs. Scott Solomon, a partner in Pig n’ Whistle and co-owner of Mingle, says the property was sold by an investment group headed by Manhattan banker Keith Kantrowitz to SPS & JLS Family Partnerships, which two years ago bought and overhauled the Lake George Beach Club in Lake George. Solomon and a silent partner are leasing the property to continue it as Siro’s. He has different partners at Pig n’ Whistle.Solomon hired veteran area chef David Britton to oversee the kitchen and introduce an updated menu at Siro’s. It hosted the annual Siro’s Cup gala when the Saratoga Race Course began its new, expanded season. The bar will open at 5 p.m., dinner from 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday, when the track is dark. Britton owned the popular Springwater Bistro, also near the Saratoga Race Course, until closing it in 2009. He owns the popular Pies on Wheels food truck and catering company, and six years ago Britton was founding partner of DownTown City Tavern in Glens Falls. Kantrowitz’s group owned Siro’s for nine racing seasons; in 2015 and 2016, it was run under contract by the New York City steakhouse Hunt & Fish Club, but for the past two summers it was again under the command of veteran chef Tom Dillon, who owned it for about 25 years prior to the investment group’s purchase. Solomon says Dillon and his son and fellow chef Brady are leaving on good terms.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 97

East Rock Brewing, from page 38 portion of the brewery. The new energy-efficient lighting also gives staff a well-lit place to work and inspectors a better view of the facility, which Wilson indicated is a challenge for many breweries. Patrons have a clear view of the brewery through a glass partition wall along the back of the beer hall – a unique feature that both engages customers and showcases the quality lighting. With the opportunity for future expansion in mind, the Wilson brothers added all new electrical and plumbing to handle current production capacity and projected future production. According to Eigo, additional energy fund incentives could help make more holding tanks, bottling lines and refrigeration possible in the foreseeable future. “It is very rewarding to assist start-up, family-run companies in opening their doors for business

in Connecticut,” said Eigo. “We are here as a resource, to answer questions and guide our customers in the right direction toward saving on their operational costs.” Together, the Wilson brothers have an MBA, a diploma in brewing technology, a master’s degree in engineering management, a doctorate in chemistry and over a decade of experience in brewery management. They combined their business savvy to fill a local void in German-inspired brewing options. According to Wilson, breweries are typically located on the outskirts of town, making this location particularly noteworthy. The East Rock neighborhood boasts over 10,000 residents and easy access to major highways.

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East Rock was founded by two brothers - Tim and Shaun Wilson. The two brothers grew up in the greater New Haven area and lived in the city for varying stretches of time as young adults. They developed an affinity for New Haven at an early age, impressed by the city’s rich history, abundance of cultural assets, and delicious food. Having ventured down separate yet complimentary career paths, their passion for family and small business eventually brought them back to New Haven to open East Rock Brewing Company. The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,500 miles of electric distribution lines and 139 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 335,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. For more

information, visit www.uinet.com. The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1847, SCG operates approximately 2,500 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines, serving approximately 197,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. For more information, visit www.soconngas.com. Energize Connecticut helps you save money and use clean energy. It is an initiative of the State of Connecticut, the Connecticut Green Bank, Eversource, UI, SCG and CNG, with funding from a charge on customer energy bills. Information on energy-saving programs can be found at EnergizeCT.com or by calling 877.WISE.USE.

August 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 99

Richard Knoop, from page 18 Foam is critical in delivering the true flavor of the brew. Each style of beer has its own taste and aroma characteristics. Foam lets the beer taste the way in which it was intended by the brewer. Are there smells that are a telltale sign of a dirty glass? Glassware needs to be properly cleaned but also properly sanitized. A very inexpensive sanitizer that is sometimes used is chlorine based.

Imagine ordering your favorite pint and when you go in for that first sip you get a big whiff of bleach. Immediate disappointment. How can that be avoided and how does Nu-Foam eliminate that? Use products specifically formulated to clean and sanitize bar glassware. For close to 90 years, Nu-Foam has been designed specifically for bar glassware. Our detergents and sanitizers will never leave a residue

or odor. What advice do you have for breweries on the manufacturing and packaging process to ensure a “Proper Pint”? Brewers can take the steps to use Nu-Foam products to ensure a “proper pint” in their taproom but the problem lies outside of their facility. Say the brewery distributes product to a bar down the block. If that bar is serving the local brew in

a dirty glass with lipstick stains and smelling like chlorine that alters the taste of the beer then the end user loses faith in that brew thus hurting the breweries reputation. We are working alongside the breweries sales people to educate their customers on how to use Nu-Foam to ensure a Proper Pint. There seems to be an on-going argument between hand washing glasses vs. machine washing glasses to get to this “Proper Pint”. What are the pros and cons of each? It depends upon application. Hand washing is still the fastest most economical way to wash bar glassware. With that being said, more high volume establishments can’t keep up with hand washing alone and install undercounter machines specifically for glass washing. We have noticed the industry going in that direction and for the past 5 years have developed products for these machines that have been rigorously tested to be able to hold the Nu-Foam name. Once that decision is made, how can Glissen’s Nu-Foam maximize the process and help move towards that “Proper Pint”? When using Nu-Foam you can be sure that you are achieving the three P’s of a Proper Pint. Presentation, Performance, and Profit. What’s the next step for a restaurant/brewpub operator or beer manufacturer that wants more info on the Glissen portfolio of solutions? Please visit our website to learn more about our complete line of products. For more information on where to purchase our products please reach out to me personally at rich@glissenchemical.com. I want to help you serve the Proper Pint, Cheers!

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Bobrow, from page 24 oozing with liquid. It has been split and then roasted in a very slow oven for at least two hours at 200 degrees, first sprinkled with Angostura Bitters. These peach chunks should last at least a week in the fridge and longer if submersed in 100 proof bourbon. The Full Details Ingredients: • 1 half of a roasted peach • 3 oz. Bottled in Bond-100 proof Bourbon • Fresh mint • Crushed ice • Demerara Sugar Preparation: 1. Muddle the roasted peach with the bourbon and a bit of mint 2. Add a bit more mint, then sugar- repeat 3. Serve ice cold with a few shakes of Angostura over the top

ar together with the bourbon and ice 2. Do not over muddle the mint. It will disappoint you by tasting vegetal 3. When the glass frosts up, it’s ready to supp! The final Mint Julep is made with Mezcal. And for the record, it works much better than with tequila, which is too sweet in my opinion. Mostly from the used American

Bourbon oak barrels. You see, when bourbon is produced, it is by law required to rest in new American oak casks. Once the bourbon is finished aging the barrels are sold off. Usually to places like Scotland or Mexico or even the Caribbean. That’s why you can taste notes of bourbon whiskey in your Scotch Whisky, your Tequila and in your rum. Mezcal Mint Julep Ingredients:

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Another fun mint julep that takes you to another place is as easy as switching out the typical bourbon with a rye whiskey of your choice. I think the peppery, cinnamon notes that evolve from rye whiskey act as a foil against the usually candy sweet bourbon. That’s why I suggested using a bottled in bond bourbon over an eighty-proof version. I find those to be way too sweet for my cocktails. I like them dry over sweet. Just my way. Rye Julep Ingredients: • 3 oz. Straight Rye- that means over two years old. Worth the extra money! • Bunch of mint • Crushed ice • Turbanado sugar – has a nutty aroma and flavor Preparation: 1. Muddle the mint and the sug-

• 3 oz. Mezcal • 1 bunch mint • Demerara Sugar (to taste) • Crushed Ice Preparation: 1. Muddle mint with the Mezcal and the sugar 2. Add ice, add mint, add Mezcal, add sugar 3. Muddle 4. When filled, serve with a smile!

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Composting, from page 16 gredients to cook with later on.” Bucket & Bay Craft Gelato owner Jen Kavlakov saw working with Community Compost as the logical way to come full circle, as she says her small-batch gelato shop, which opened in Jersey City in 2015, places a premium on sourcing local, seasonal ingredients. Community Compost’s first restaurant client in Jersey City, Kavlakov has recommended them to other area cafes and restaurants who want to recycle kitchen prep scraps and customer leftovers. “It’s about sustainability,” she tells peers. “It’s about doing what is right for the future.” In Jersey City, Subia’s Vegan Cafe, Barcade, and Busy Bee Organics also compost with Community Compost Co. More communities, restaurants and home cooks are clamoring to get in on compost pick-up or communal drop-off locations, Rodriguez says. But she says there are steep hurdles for Community Compost and other small and mid-size businesses like theirs to take root or expand. Just obtaining permits to recycle food waste in New Jersey is a costly, inflexible and lengthy process, explains Matthew A. Karmel, founding board member of the NJ Composting Council and an attorney in the Environmental Practice Group at Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland, Perretti LLP in Morristown. By his count, there are only four facilities in the state with traditional food waste permits and an additional three with temporary research, development and demonstration permits, which Karmel says is not nearly enough when compared with the growing demand for such services in the state. Legislation passed at the end of June does require establishments generating large quantities of food waste to recycle this waste. The loophole? Landfills and incinerators count as recycling cen-

ters. In light of this, environmental and industry groups like Karmel’s are urging Governor Phil Murphy to veto the measure. Because Community Compost Co. takes the scraps they collect over the border to a Kerhonkson, New York farm, they avoid much of this tricky legal landscape (New Jerseyans’ trash often gets carted to landfills much further away, Rodriguez is quick to point out; Hoboken’s garbage, for example, ends up in West Virginia), but Rodriguez says they are fighting for change in New Jersey so that “there are more options, and more and more communities can get on board with composting.” In the meantime, she says their focus is on their current New Jersey and New York locations and on educating communities and food businesses. They partner with community gardens and farmers markets, sell their compost at a handful of area markets and garden stores (they’re bagged under the name Hudson Soil Co.; subscribers can also get a container of compost back each fall and spring) and have worked with concerts, film and TV productions and festivals in New Jersey to compost catering leftovers, too. Above all, Rodriguez says she encourages people “to try to not look at food as garbage.” Is composting, at home or via pick-up and dropoff services, extra effort? Yes. Does it take some getting used to? Sure. But, she says, “it’s really a resource that helps our soil to grow healthy food for us to eat again.”

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Quel’s Corner, from page 32 ity golf outings, an informal happy hour filled with team members, and a Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management baseball game in Boston, MA. We even made it to a few industry events and expanded our horizons a bit too, participating in The National Association of College and University Food Services Conference and the American Institute of Architects National Conference. Nearly 50 percent of the elite|studio

e team also attended the AJC Food Service and Hospitality Division Gala (check out last month’s Total Food Service for that article). I thoroughly enjoyed seeing people from so many facets of the industry — consultants, foodservice designers, reps, operators and more — gather together for a cause. In addition to that personal connection and those fun activities, what really brings us together is … food! The foodservice and hospital-

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ity industries provide a variety of forums for educational takeaways too. NAFEM, the NRA Show, and SHFM’s Critical Issues and National conferences, are all great resources to learn something new about what we do. I’m also a huge fan of the lunch and learn. Who doesn’t love a free meal or a live demonstration? A few weeks ago, our team had the opportunity to meet with a factory representative for breakfast and to try out

a new bean-to-cup coffee maker. The machine was in our office most of the day. I must tell you we all really enjoyed the coffee and the experience. However, odds are, the rep now thinks our team drinks way too much coffee! One more important thing to note about professional events and programs is that I’m seeing an increasing number of participants from the younger generations. I really enjoy getting together with people my age who share professional and personal interests. When I look at some of these different events and see people who have been in the industry for 20+ years, they’ve evolved and have created friendships. I’m excited to be part of this new wave that’s happening. I’m also happy to say many of these organizations are seeing it too and creating smaller groups within them, like SHFM’s Rising Stars and the AJC Young Professionals Division, to attract professionals in their 20s to 40s. Hopefully, if you take away one thing from this column, it’s that no matter how much convenience technology provides, face-to-face meetings are still extremely important. On that note, I’m can’t wait to head out to Palm Springs, CA, for the SHFM National Conference in September. I’ll get to catch up with colleagues and see many of the friends I’ve made over the years. Hopefully, I’ll see you there too! I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate my dad, Eric Weiss, and all the honorees from the AJC Food Service and Hospitality Dinner. And lastly, I hope you all have a wonderful summer. Cheers!

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Ithaca College, from page 4 “Identifying and cultivating innovative partnerships is not just embedded within our strategic plan, it’s part of the DNA of this institution,” said Ithaca College President Shirley M. Collado. “This agreement with Cornell is a bold, smart and local collaboration that will help us continue to provide an outstanding student experience.” Dustin Cutler, executive director for Cornell Dining, will help Ithaca College translate their expertise to fit the needs of IC’s student population. “I am very proud of Dustin and his team for stepping up in this manner,” said Ryan Lombardi, Cornell vice president for student and campus life. “It developed quickly as an outstanding community partnership and is reflective of the strength and quality of our program and team at Cornell Dining.” The partnership with Cornell will allow Ithaca College to realize the benefits of immediate productivity, providing a framework from which the

college can tailor its operations and future initiatives. IC is also exploring potential partnerships with other local and national vendors and suppliers for dining halls and retail operations, to ensure that the dining program is being responsive to the needs of the campus community.  Founded in 1892, Ithaca College is a residential college dedicated to building knowledge and confidence through a continuous cycle of theory, practice and performance. Home to some 6,500 students, the college offers more than 100 degree programs in its schools of Business, Communications, Humanities and Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Performance, and Music. Students, faculty and staff at Ithaca College create an active, inclusive community anchored in a keen desire to make a difference in the local community and the broader world.

Ned Lamont, from page 14 necticut tip wage regulations would apply retroactively to wage dispute lawsuits pending or filed on or after the bills’ passage. “Any such civil actions, of course, would be brought to pursue claims for wages earned at a time when the regulation at issue was in effect,” Lamont wrote. “This retroactive attempt to extinguish a worker’s right to recover wages in an amount lawfully required and earned is patently unfair to the affected workers.The bill also contained provisions that made changes to grants, membership and training assistance of the state’s Workforce Training Authority board, which Lamont did not object to. Lamont also vetoed a bill increasing the criminal penalty for the theft of used cooking oil, Lamont also did not believe that restaurants battling an uptick in used cooking oil theft, which can be recycled into bio-diesel, should

see more jail time for the greasy burglars. Lamont argued that the degree of an offense and its penalty is associated with the value of the goods stolen. Changing the penalty for used cooking oil but not other goods “privileges the theft of one particular product and the protection of one particular industry over other Connecticut property owners,” Lamont wrote. “A person who steals $35 worth of waste vegetable oil should not face the prospect of a prison sentence four times greater than that faced by a person who steals $35 worth of gasoline,” Lamont wrote. Candelora, who owns the Connecticut Sportsplex, who vendors use cooking oil that must be recycled, said he thought the bill had “merit.” “We want to make sure that market stays strong,” said Candelora, referring to businesses who recycle cooking oil into grease and bio-diesel.

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Rafael Palomino, from page 26 city with a large student population and mix ethnicities.” The partners sold Pacifico in Rye after 8 years and soon tried their hand at a location in Greenwich in hopes of expanding upon their large Greenwich customer base from Sonora. Bistro Latino, a sophisticated restaurant and bar, open in 2013 in the former Boxing Cat Grill location in Old Greenwich. It struggled to find an audience and so the duo quickly morphed the restaurant into a more casual, albeit, upscale tavern, called Greenwich Tavern. That too was unable to find its groove, whether it was due to its isolated location so far from the center of town, or its quick turnover and consequential mixed messaging. “It wasn’t meant to be,” reflects Palomino, “And I soon realized that it was more important to nurture the restaurants that had forward momentum and nurture my staff who were all counting on these restaurant jobs to support themselves.” Palomino’s passion for cooking and being a part of an industry he holds so dear is matched by his dedication to his staff. He believes in sharing in his success and compensating his team generously. Long-term managers, some of whom have been with him for over 15 years, are vested in the restaurants as partners and have the opportunity to carve out a significant career within Palomino’s restaurant group. “First, their phones need to work and they need money in their pockets,” explains Palomino of his reputation for paying his staff above what other restaurants typically offer, “Happy, well looked after, trained staff stay. It’s that simple.” This past spring Sonora celebrated its 20th anniversary. While still a neighborhood darling, there’s no denying the plethora and caliber of restaurants that have joined the Port Chester food scene since Sonora first opened. It’s even fair to say, Port Chester is a saturated market. In true Palomino fashion, the challenge is met

with humility, creativity, and a spirit that continues to motivate this chef and his team. Palomino celebrated the anniversary with a trip to Spain, finding inspiration while roaming wine country, exploring tapas bars throughout Barcelona, and drinking in the country’s “viva la vida” spirit. “It’s a new day. In place of mainstream media and traditional advertising, we’re enjoying being a part of the digital age and social media culture. It’s a take-out and delivery world and we’re just living in it,” Chef muses, “Vegan, gluten and dairy-free, you name it. I’m cooking for how people are eating today while staying true to the restaurants’ Latin roots, keeping things fresh and growing with our customers, as well as an evolving foodservice industry. You can’t be in denial – or else you go out of business.” Today, Chef Palomino’s restaurants currently span four states and many miles. They include; The Urbano in Bethlehem, PA; Tapas on Main in Bethlehem, PA; The Flying Egg, Cachette Bistro & Creperie, and Mesa Modern Mexican in Easton, PA; Pacífico in New Haven, CT; and B Square Burgers + Booze in Fort Lauderdale, FL. His extended services include a robust catering arm under the Chef Rafael Palomino brand and corporate delivery from his newly developed multi-cuisine ordering platform. Palomino is well-liked and respected by his peers. Humble to a fault, he remains a sought after chef figure for food festivals, cooking demonstrations, and high-profile events throughout the region. “Everything in this business is about relationships. The camaraderie I share with my fellow chefs, the bond I have with my partners and staff, and the relationships I enjoy with my customers. Plus, there’s a whole new generation of customers to meet – and I can’t wait.” 179 Rectory Street, Port Chester, NY 10573, (914)-933-0200, www. sonorarestaurant.net

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Andrew Rigie, from page 42 their rent. A progressive city would give storefront businesses a credit for the property taxes they effectively pay. These savings would be equal to saving hundreds or thousands of dollars a month in rent for small businesses. And the money they [small business owners] get credited would be pumped right back into the economy through the additional wages they pay, their purchases from local farmers and vendors, reinvestment in their business, and if all goes well, a few extra bucks to take home for their families. A progressive city would eliminate the unjust and inequitable commercial rent tax levied on thousands of businesses south of 96th Street in Manhattan. The tax is calculated on annual rent, not income, and has been repealed everywhere else in New York City, except in areas of Manhattan where rents and

vacancies are often the highest. The State and City of New York’s Tax and Finance Departments should allow the amount of a restaurant’s FICA Tip Tax Credit to be subtracted from their taxable income, which would provide additional financial relief to restaurants. Tax incentives could be extended to restaurants that purchase vegetables, proteins, and wine from New York State farmers and producers. This would help stimulate the local economy and reduce our environmental impact. We could pass a bill in the state legislature that would give a modest tax credit to restaurants that donate their used oyster shells to help repopulate New York Harbor’s oyster beds, which will clean our water ways, protect against storm surges, support marine life, and reduce shells that end up in our landfills.

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When progressive cities enact laws like paid sick leave, and propose an unfunded two-week paid vacation mandate, like New York City recently did, they should include financial offsets and/or administrative support to lighten the impact on businesses. It’s wrong to force small businesses to fully shoulder the cost and administration of societal benefits and safety net programs. For example, benefits like social security and workers’ compensation incorporate a combination of collective contributions. This approach would help mitigate burdens and send a message to businesses that government wants to help, not just hinder. The purpose of these tax benefits would not be to subsidize failing businesses, or be irresponsible corporate giveaways, but rather they would support the countless suc-

cessful restaurants and bars that contribute so much to New York, but are challenged due to the forever increasing costs and complexity of operating in New York City. For those people uneasy with businesses receiving tax benefits, they should know that New York City’s nightlife industry, which includes restaurants and bars, operating from 6:00pm to 6:00am, generates $697 million annually in local tax revenue, supports 299,000 jobs, and is responsible for $35.1 billion in total economic output. This doesn’t include the intangible value that the hospitality industry contributes to the City’s cultural, creative, business, and social wealth. New York should use the tax code to support the hospitality industry, which has long supported the Empire State.

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