// NEWS
HOTELS
New York's Iconic Waldorf Astoria Sold To Chinese Businessmen The Waldorf Astoria has become the world's most expensive hotel after being sold to a Chinese firm for just under $2 billion. It is the epitome of American luxury, the place where the Waldorf salad was born, room service invented and where long-term resident Cole Porter's piano remains in the lobby.
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ut now New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel is in the hands of a man whose background lies thousands of miles and a political philosophy away, after the hotel was sold to a group of Chinese businessmen. With a price tag of just under $2 billion making it the most expensive ever sold, the iconic hotel situated on Park Avenue just above Grand Central Station in midtown Manhattan was bought by the Beijing-based Anbang Insurance Group, headed by the grandson of the architect of modern China. An earlier version of this post said Anbang Insurance Group was founded in 2012 and that it had $700 billion in combined assets. It was founded a decade ago and has more than 700 billion renminbi, or $114 billion, in assets. Businessman Wu Xiaohui is married to the granddaughter of Deng Xiaoping, the former Communist
With a price tag of just under $2 billion, The Waldorf-Astoria is the most expensive hotel ever sold. Situated on Park Avenue just above Grand Central Station in midtown Manhattan, it was bought by the Beijing-based Anbang Insurance Group
guerrilla who served as China's paramount leader from the late 1970s until his death in 1997. Deng is widely credited for open-
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ing China up to the rest of the world economically after decades of Communist isolation. The Waldorf Astoria had been
owned by the Hilton family for 65 years, and as part of the terms of the sale, the Hilton Group will continue to run the hotel for at least another century. The current art deco building is the second incarnation of the famous hotel, which was originally built on 5th Avenue in 1893 on the site of a mansion owned by millionaire William Waldorf Astoria. According to legend, the Waldorf salad, made with apples, grapes, celery, walnuts and a mayonnaise dressing, was invented by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel in 1896. Hugely popular in its heyday, the Senate hearings into the sinking of the Titanic were held at the 5th Avenue location, but having suffered from the effects of Prohibition it was demolished in 1929 to make way for the Empire State Building. The new building opened in 1931 and at 47 floors was for some years the tallest in the world. A favorite of visiting heads of state, presidents and celebrities, the Waldorf Astoria has its own railway platform at Grand Central, and a lift down to it designed to be large enough to carry President Franklin Roosevelt's car. Jazz legend Cole Porter lived at the hotel for 25 years and his floral print Steinway and Sons grand piano remains in the lobby. His song "You're the Top" contains the line "You're Waldorf salad." The 1945 Ginger Rogers film Weekend at the Waldorf was filmed at the hotel, and room service is said to have been offered for the first time there in its luxurious rooms and suites. In a joint statement, Hilton and
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// NEWS
CHEFS
Chef Anne-Sophie Pic Sets Out to Conquer NY Anne-Sophie Pic, one of top five women chefs in the world, is gearing up to take the fickle, competitive world of New York gastronomy by storm in opening a new restaurant next year.
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amed best female chef in 2011 at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards run by British magazine Restaurant and the only three-star woman chef in France. On the ground floor of a gleaming glass tower at 510 Madison Avenue she will open a MetCafe and on the second floor, a New York branch of "Dame de Pic" which opened in
Anne-Sophie Pic, one of top five women chefs in the world, is gearing up to take the fickle, competitive world of New York gastronomy by storm in opening a new restaurant next year.
Paris two years ago. "It will be a gastronomic restaurant with 50 covers, between a chic bistro and a threestar restaurant," the 45-year-old said in the empty space, bathed in light with high ceilings. "It pleases me a lot. It's new, ev-
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// NEWS
MENU INNOVATIONS
Farm Ridge Foods Brings Consistent Fresh Ingredients To Metro NYC Tables Most people don't know this but a salad is not just a salad.
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n the Northeast, people like their potato salad made from white potatoes, while in other parts of the country, it's yellow potatoes. In the Northeast people like their cole slaw shredded. In the Midwest, it's chopped. Ron Loeb, president and owner of Farm Ridge Foods, has known this for quite some time, and his business, now in its sixth year, has salads and
other prepared foods to offer people just the way they like them, just about anywhere in the country. “We're the largest prepared food manufacturer on the East Coast,” he says. “Our core product line is prepared salads. But don't think we're boring. From potato and macaroni salad to cole slaw to tuna, chicken, shrimp and crab salads, we have it all.”
The company's products are distributed in the Northeast. But that's not all the company does. It has come out with an artisan line of pickles and olives, and its Untypickle Pickles – from horseradish to hot chips to garlic to hickory-smoked – have exploded into the marketplace over the last several years and are now the company's fastest-growing line of products.
Farm Ridge began by selling unique and artisan prepared, portion-controlled foods to supermarkets and restaurants. “We have everything from prepared grilled chicken to crab cakes to stuffed cabbage, twicebaked potatoes to coconut- and panko-crusted chicken to hungry man meatloaf with bacon and cheese,” says Loeb. For the full article, please visit www. totalfood.com
Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Laurie Forster Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Cindi Avila Staff Writers Deborah Hirsch Marcy Bruch Intern Alexis Robinson Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2014 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
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// NEWS NJRA to Host the 2014 Annual Gala Awards On December 1st the New Jersey Restaurant Association will host the 2014 Annual Awards Gala, one of the premier events of the year for the state’s restaurant and food service industry.
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or the first time, the black tie evening will be held in South Jersey at The Merion in Cinnaminson, NJ. Doors will open for cocktails at 6:00pm. Four inspiring and successful restaurateurs will be honored that evening and bestowed awards from their peers. This year’s cast includes: Edward Doherty of Doherty Enterprises as this year’s “Restaurateur of the Year,” Harry Knowles of The Knowles Restaurants with the “Deborah Roy-Dowdell Lifetime Achievement Award,” Robert Cooper of Chefs International and Robert Scerbo of The Exchange as this year’s “Gold Plate Award” winners. “Our Annual Awards Gala is the primary event of the year where we all gather as one to celebrate our industry and its importance to New Jersey’s economy, no matter how great or rough the year has been,” said Marilou Halvorsen, President of the New Jersey Restaurant Association. “Metaphorically speaking, we remove our aprons, put down our wooden spoons and just have a great time.” The New Jersey Restaurant Association represents the Garden State's 25,000 eating and drinking establishments, which generate $14.2 billion in annual sales and employ over 318,000 people. The restaurant industry is the state’s largest employer, not accounting for the multitude of small to large local businesses that thrive and rely on
it. In the past two years the industry has been hit hard by Hurricane Sandy and legislative changes that have strained many restaurateurs; namely a 15% minimum wage hike, pending paid sick leave legislation and the cost and confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act mandates. The Annual Awards Gala tosses all these concerns aside and encourages everyone to have fun. “Winter Wonderland” is this year’s Gala theme with snowflakes, frosty cocktails and blue and white décor gracing the night’s event. Music, dancing as well as giveaways will add even more excitement and fun to the evening. “The Merion is a perfect location to host this year’s Annual Awards Gala although traditionally the event has been held in central or northern Jersey. We felt it was important to show our support to South Jersey this time,” said Lucie Delcuvellerie, Events Manager for the NJRA. “Parking is plentiful and there are many hotels nearby for people who want to make a complete evening out of it. Our partner, Hotel ML in Mount Laurel, will be running a shuttle for our guests between The Merion and the hotel,” she added. For more information, tickets, journal ads, sponsorships or table purchases, please call the NJRA's headquarters at (609) 599-3316.
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BOOTH
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BOOTH
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// NEWS
MARKETING
This CMO's Company Can Make Or Break Any Restaurant In NYC You’ve probably never heard of Claire Dorland-Clauzel, even though she’s among the world’s most important culinary figures. DorlandClauzel is SVP of brands (the French equivalent of the CMO) for Michelin, whose restaurant Red Guide is now in its 114th year.
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or year's prior to the Internet, Zagat was the arbiter for selecting Metro New York's top restaurants. Michelin has just issued the 10th edition of the Red Guide for New York and continues to challenge Zagat's stronghold. "Michelin is the only guide that matters," noted chef Paul Bocuse. "They rely on a team of anonymous experts who confer ratings of one to three stars—and one star can make or break a place overnight." People need a guide with selections made by professional, anonymous reviewers who are able to deliver true advice on the quality of the ingredients. “Of course, there are some people who prefer to have the opinions of other customers, and that’s fine. But we think we have true knowledge in making the selections of a good guide,” says Clauzel. "It’s difficult to live with such a big responsibility and it's not easy to manage," she added. But you don’t give or withdraw a star without an extreme analysis, and over one or two or three visits. “It’s not a decision to take lightly. But the team of reviewers know they have a great responsibility because with the stars we deliver a service to the public—and we create economic value for the restau-
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Claire Dorland-Clauzel is SVP of brands (the French equivalent of the CMO) for Michelin
rants. We are perfectly aware of that, We receive letters from people who are opening a restaurant, asking if Michelin could come. But the rule is that the people in charge of the rankings are anonymous. We have to maintain our principles.” “Tourist guides say you have to visit this and this, but you can also stop in the street and see something that's not in the guide. I’m in the lucky position that I’m not an inspector, so I can have fun,” continued Clauzel. "When I go out to eat I always look to make sure it's a quality restaurant, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking at the stars. The media are always talking about stars. But Michelin is not just a guide for starred restaurants, but quality restaurants."
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BOOTH
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// INSURANCE
FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Lessons Learned from Recent Cyber Attacks: Privacy/Data Liability Protection is Essential for All Restaurants P.F. Chang’s restaurant chain fell victim to a recent cyber attack and is unfortunately learning the hard way that their insurance coverage will not be able to relieve them of the financial impact.
Bob Fiorito, Vice President of Business Development at Hub International Robert.Fiorito@ hubinternational.com
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federal, class-action lawsuit filed against the Chinese restaurant chain this past summer alleges negligence, breach of implied contract, breach of fiduciary duty, strict liability and negligent misrepresentation by P.F. Chang's. The Seattle lawsuit alleges that the restaurant chain failed to prevent the compromise of their customers' personal and financial information. Their insurance carrier refused to cover these damages since their existing liability policies only apply to bodily injury or property damage, which does not include any loss or damage to "electronic media and records." The lesson learned here is that almost all companies have some kind of network, database or online presence that puts it at risk for litigation. Cyber Liability, also known as Privacy/Data Liability, is a rapidly evolving product in today’s marketplace. In fact, Cyber In-
surance is the fastest growing coverage in the insurance industry, according to the New York Times. A data breach can become a very expensive situation for your business. According to 2014 Ponemon Institute Cost of Data Breach Study, the average cost to a company was $3.5 million, 15 percent more than what it cost last year. The basic elements of a Cyber Liability insurance product can include coverage for a number of expenses associated with breach including legal expenses, notification expenses, regulatory fines and penalties, credit monitoring and public relations expenses. Below is a brief overview of some popular Cyber Liability insurance coverages available to protect your restaurant. Your broker can help you navigate through the options available to ensure your policy provides adequate protection for the needs of your restaurant and food service business. Privacy Liability - Covers loss arising out of the organization’s failure to protect sensitive personal or corporate information. Network Security Liability - Covers any liability of the organization arising out of the failure of network security, including unauthorized access or un-
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A data breach can become a very expensive situation for your business. According to 2014 Ponemon Institute Cost of Data Breach Study, the average cost to a company was $3.5 million, 15 percent more than what it cost last year.
authorized use of corporate systems, a denial of service attack, or transmission of malicious code. Internet Media Liability - Covers infringement of copyright or trade mark, invasion of privacy, slander, plagiarism, or negligence arising out of internet content. Privacy Breach Costs/Data Breach Fund - Covers expenses to notify customers whose sensitive personal information has been breached, to retain a
computer forensics firm to determine the scope of a breach, and to obtain legal, public relations or crisis management services to restore the company’s reputation. Network/Cyber Extortion - Covers extortion monies and expenses associated with a criminal threat to release sensitive information or bring down a network unless payment is received. Digital Asset Loss - Covers costs incurred to replace, restore or recollect data which has been corrupted or destroyed as a result of a network security failure. Business Interruption - Covers loss of income and extra expense arising out of the interruption of network service due to an attack on the insured’s network. PCI Fines and Costs - Pays amounts owed under a merchant services agreement for noncompliance with PCI Data Security Standards. Cyber attacks are the fastest growing crimes in the world and most standard insurance products do not address this exposure. Even a large well known chain like P.F. Chang’s fell victim to this reality. Don’t leave your business vulnerable and unprotected; your insurance advisor can help you conduct a cyber risk assessment to identify your company’s risk profile so you can take appropriate actions to reduce those risks and find a coverage plan designed to meet the needs of your company. Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, HUB International Northeast, where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20-year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth" dining establishments. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito. com
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// NEWS
FOODSERVICE TECHNOLOGY
ICE Teams With IBM to Launch Cognitive Cooking Initiative Since its Watson computer system handily beat two humans in a nationally televised game of "Jeopardy" three years ago, IBM has been formulating a vital mission for the super-smart software: Help consumers create unique and great-tasting meals.
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fter all, "everybody eats," said Steve Abrams, an engineer in IBM's Watson Group. "You talk about food and you talk about cooking, that affects people's daily lives." With that in mind, the Armonk, New York-based company has launched Chef Watson, a research effort with the Institute of Culinary Education and Bon Appétit magazine to pursue what IBM calls "cognitive cooking." Previewed during a demonstration last year at the company's Almaden research laboratory in San Jose, the effort already is transforming gastronomy. An artificial-intelligence system that understands common speech, and learns from its successes and failures, Watson defeated two former "Jeopardy" champions in 2011 by quickly answering questions about topics ranging from famous authors to medical disorders. Since then, IBM has touted the technology for everything from analyzing business data to helping doctors devise treatments for patients, an idea being studied at several hospitals. But Chef Watson is aimed at just about everyone. It analyzes thousands of existing recipes to understand their ingredi-
It analyzes thousands of existing recipes to understand their ingredients, including their molecular composition, along with data on regional and cultural food preferences.
ents, including their molecular composition, along with data on regional and cultural food preferences. Then, if someone submits a query about a type of food they'd like to try, it uses its knowledge of the human palate to respond with an original list of food combinations to consider. Bon Appétit, which is allowing a few readers to beta-test Watson's cooking capabilities through an app on the magazine's website, offers this explanation of how it works: "To start, choose an ingredient any ingredient you want to cook with. From there, you
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decide which kind of dish you want to make: a fricassee, perhaps? A burger? Paella? Finally, you choose a style or theme, anything from "Tuscany" or "Friday Night" to "Fourth of July" or "Chefs' Day Off." At last, Chef Watson presents you with 100 recipe options,
each with different ingredient lists, plus suggested cooking instructions, based on similar Bon Appétit recipes." When chefs with the New Yorkbased Institute of Culinary Education tested Watson with a food truck at the South-by-Southwest music and video festival in Austin earlier this year, they decided to stretch the software's creative limits. So they asked it to come up with a tasty burrito that contained chocolate and also had an Austrian flavor. IBM says the computer's recipe -- which married chocolate with ground beef, cheese, vanilla, orange peel, apricot and cinnamon turned out to be a hit. Another well-received Watson recipe was Vietnamese apple kebab,
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// MIXOLOGY
WITH WARREN BOBROW
Metro New York Mixology There is a chill in the air and if a recent trip to Hudson, NY is any indication, there is going to be a change in the seasons. Warren Bobrow
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ou can tell by looking at the colors that say fall. Apples are bursting from the trees, fat with lip smacking sugar and dripping with juice. These apples are begging
for a pie or your cocktail glass. They call for slow cooking with caramel and flaky crusts or woven into bone warming punches, elixirs for the mind and the soul.
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Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Magazine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
I just love apples in cocktails. They work with bourbon or rye whiskey equally well, the rye being a bit drier and “saltier” the bourbon a bit sweeter, but no less spirituous. Sparkling apple ciders or apple brandies are products that are as old as our nation. They deserve a place at your table and in your glass- even in your mug! The first time that I tasted mulled apple cider it had a bit of a kick from the addition of Laird’s Apple Brandy. Laird’s practically invented the art of distillation in the United States using apples, although the basic premise for apple brandy came from England, France and Germany. Immigration
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// LIZ ON TABLETOP
TABLETOP SOLUTIONS
Liz Weiss,
President of H. Weiss
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ou've been going to shows for years. How do you get the most out of your trip to a show? I try to see what I have seen when I go to the show. In other words, I try to get a preview before I go. That way I know what will interest me, or am able to compare vendors. I don’t need to see what I already know, except to say hello to old friends. I also try to look for unusual items, items that my customers can use and make better profits with. I am a firm believer in specialty plates and showpieces- not many, but well placed. I also like to go into booths and look at what I want, what catches my eye before they tell me what they want to sell me. I do think it is important to listen to the sales pitch, but also try to decipher what the pitches really mean. That way I can give honest real answers to customers. How do I get presenters to show me what I need rather than what the company wants to sell me? Whether or not they say it, customers are always looking for ways to maximize profits- sell for more money. The presentation- splash and showis part of that. I look for ways for customers to draw attention to their most profitable areas and maximize their profit. But more than selling trends in serving, I watch trends in eating and cooking. Food is the language, plates are “words” and totally
secondary. I would never tell a chef that I know how to present his food, only what I, as a customer, would like to see. And I try not to over-utilize the same looks. Not fair to the restaurateurs- to give away their “identity.” What are your customers asking for this year that we should keep an eye out for when they walk the show? Glasses—Durability that feel good on your mouth (lips)!!!! Cortinas with smaller pours Flatware- needs to feel good, good weight, nice finish- no gimmicks (satin or gold) Dishes- need to have good finishwarranty, accent plates, and some color pops Different materials! - slate, wood, matte glazes, metal, kitchen wares for serving And new serving options- other than chaffers- induction, eutectic plates, gel, double walled- anything other than chaffers and insulated beverage servers Should we shop a show thinking about how the prices on our menu relate to what we are serving on? You must consider price of plates and the food that you are serving. What is appropriate to serve a grilled American cheese is not appropriate for plating caviar. We all, dealers and end-users, need to keep in mind what they are trying to accomplish- who their customer is, and their visual
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comfort- given their expected dining experience. Given that, we should push for value and class on the serving items. It seems as if beer is the new wine. Is it time for us to rethink what we serve beer in? Most of our high-end users have long gone to nicer and proper beer glasses. We are seeing an uptick in tasters and
flights, but frankly, I like them better for soup and desserts (nothing like a flight of chocolate mousse!). Mugs are pretty much gone (except for sundaes). What I do see is a movement towards glasses that are female friendly….because women are drinking more beer. Pilsners- taller, slimmer, and more elegant. But what we do see is a change in wine glassesstemless… ahhhhhhh! Sheer-rim, well-balanced, clear glass (no more green tinged heavy glass). Larger bowls (which make for more wine sales. And no matter how you slice it, $100 bottle of wine has more profit in it than 2 $5.00 beers!
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// Q&A
EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEWS
Jonathan Wright
Executive Chef of the Rainbow Room Jonathan Wright has been appointed Executive Chef of Rainbow Room. Lauded for his ability to command a kitchen and execute a wide range of cuisines, Chef Wright brings more than 20 years of international culinary experience to the iconic New York venue.
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did you get into the industry? I was raised in Billingsly, a small village in Shropshire, England, an area rich in agricultural tradition and spent much of my youth working on local farms, fishing, foraging and bird hunting. My earliest memories involve raising goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and helping in the family’s vegetable gardens. My mother and grandmother were tremendous cooks and I eventually spent more and more time in the farm house kitchen. This formed the basis for my interest and passion for cooking and working with beautiful ingredients. My first exposure to the culinary industry came when I was starting out as a Graphic Designer in Ludlow, England, and in need of a part time job. I first worked as a waiter / bartender and then as a line cook. In 1987, I began working full time in the kitchen, commencing a five year career with Trust House Forte while at The Complete Angler in Marlow, under the guidance of Executive Chef Ferdinand Testka Who have some of the key mentors been in your career? Early in my career, an opportunity materialized in the form of a stage at the highly regarded Le Manoir Aux
Jonathan Wright has been appointed Executive Chef of Rainbow Room. Lauded for his ability to command a kitchen and execute a wide range of cuisines, Chef Wright brings more than 20 years of international culinary experience to the iconic New York venue
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Quat Saison (Oxford, England) with Chef Patron Raymond Blanc, who was probably the key mentor in my career (although I have learned much from many professionals over the years). Over the course of eight years at Raymond Blanc’s 2 Star Michelin restaurant, I made my way through the ranks from Demi Chef de Partie to Executive Chef. I was fortunate to work closely with Raymond Blanc in developing the cuisine, training and mentoring young chefs, compiling cookery books and, in 1992, launching Le Manoir’s cookery school. The environment and experience at Le Manoir was so captivating, it strengthened my intention to pursue the career path of professional chef. What brought you to the Rainbow Room? I was intrigued by the opportunity to work on such a special project and especially one located in NYC. When I learned more about the people involved, some of whom I’ve known in industry circles for years, I became convinced that it was an opportunity that I could not pass up. What's your read coming in on the New York City dining scene? It’s exciting to be in a city where the best in the industry practice their craft, at all levels from food trucks to haute cuisine. I’ve worked in other food-centric cities, including Singapore, New Orleans, Miami, London, but New York is in a class of its own. I look forward to having more time to indulge in the city’s restaurant scene. What made you successful in your various positions across the globe? I believe that it is critically important for someone in my position to have the ability to develop a culinary team as a whole and individual team members alike. The success of any culinary establishment relies upon many different functions working closely together and supporting one another. If one area is weak, then the strength of another
component may be undermined. While I consider myself to be creative and passionate about my craft, I think that equally important qualities are the ability to communicate ideas, the ability to think through a plan from concept to execution, and the ability to motivate people to share and support in a common vision. How will that same skill set create success in NYC? My experiences in kitchens across the globe have been extremely valuable in shaping my career, especially in creating authentic, engaging dining experiences. One example was the signature, globally-inspired brunch at The Setai on Miami Beach, which was a visual feast with live stations and stunning presentations. I draw a lot of inspiration from my favorite dining experiences in cities where I've lived and worked, from San Francisco to Singapore and beyond, to offer guests an extraordinary brunch experience in the unrivaled setting of the Rainbow Room. We are fortunate to be in a city that attracts so many skilled culinary professionals from around the world, so we’re off to a good start in terms of building a solid culinary team. That said, many of the same principles that have guided my career thus far remain the same: communicating to the team, developing the team, motivating the team. Also, I try to demonstrate what I expect from the team in terms of organization, work ethic and collaboration. How are you and Elizabeth Blau working as a team to accomplish Tishman Speyer's goals? Elizabeth Blau’s team has been an incredible resource and sounding board since I joined the operation in May. Elizabeth’s commitment to the project and clarity of vision has been remarkable; she has put her heart and soul into every stage of development. We collaborated on everything from equipment selection to menu development. It was a great pleasure working with her through the opening and I
feel that we’ve put together a very solid team to move forward under my guidance. Is local to table or farm to table a focus for your menu approach? We are focusing on local and regional sources for our menu, which is not difficult in an area with such robust agricultural resources as the Hudson Valley nearby. While I’ve worked in the US for many years in the past, I’m continually impressed by the availability and quality of artisan products such as local cheese, honey, breads made with local flour, in addition to the produce,
What's your approach to building a culinary team? Building a strong culinary team is a process and does not materialize overnight. Beginning with the recruitment process, we are looking not only for relevant experience but also the potential for development and the right personality / temperament to thrive within a dynamic group of likeminded professionals. I think of myself as a guide and a coach, I take a lot of pride in supporting and developing my cooks (in the end I also benefit from the collaboration and learning process that we un-
My experiences in kitchens across the globe have been extremely valuable in shaping my career, especially in creating authentic, engaging dining experiences.
meat and seafood that comes from the Northeastern US. How does your catering event menu strategy differ from your a la carte approach? Our catering menus are driven by our a la carte menus, as we want to give our special event guests the same local, seasonal options as our a la carte dinner guests. We have one-on-one tastings for special events, where I spend time with each guest to make sure that we have a good understanding of their preferences. If we need to deviate from the a la carte menu to accommodate a special request, then we discuss this during the tasting but in general the two menus are not very different in that our overall approach is local/regional farm-to-table ingredients, which drive the menus.
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dertake). Every team is different, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and it’s always exciting to see how we eventually come to achieve the goal. How do you source product? Do you go out to bid daily/weekly or do you look to build loyalty with vendors? It’s a balancing act, of course you’ve got to make sure you’re buying at a price that makes sense and does not throw your costs out of line, so you must be aware of what the food should cost. That said, building long term relationships with vendors is usually the best solution for both product quality and cost because a byproduct of good relationships is that you support one another. The vendor and chefs together sustain the common interest of delivering the highest quality product for a fair price that will encourage on-going
business. In your previous roles, did you work directly with equipment manufacturers? Yes, for bigger projects (in the US, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean) I work directly with the manufacturers. For smaller projects, I work with a local dealer or buy off-the-shelf. What role does fine wine and spirits play in your customers’ experience? Wine and spirits are integral to the overall dining experience, as is the setting and the service. We try to create an overall impression by offering our guests a range of wine and spirit options, all curated to compliment (and be complimented by) the dishes. We’ve got exceptional, talented craftspeople behind the bar who excel in both innovative and classic recipes. Our sommeliers are extremely knowledgeable about both old world and new world wines and how they pair with items on our menu. Crystal ball ... what will the Rainbow Room "look like" with your imprint? I feel it is important to inhabit a space (and what a stunning space it is!) before knowing what will work well in that environment and it’s still early days. I try not to make predictions, especially within this industry….that said, the concept of re-launching a classic space is reflected in the cuisine. I think that once we have more time to work together as a culinary team, we may have some fun reinventing more of the classic dishes served in the Rainbow Room’s heyday. I love that New York has both an old-school, traditional side to its character, as well as a penchant for pushing the envelope with innovation and fresh ideas. These qualities appeal to my personality as well, so in many ways the character of the venue is a good fit for my culinary sensibilities. I’m as excited as anyone to see what the Rainbow Room will look like as we evolve and grow.
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33 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
LATIN FLAVORS
Padilla Brings Full Spectrum Of Latin Flavors To Tri-State Food Service Operators As most restaurants have learned, the spicier the better, these days. And The Padilla Group, a top supplier of brands with Hispanic and Latin flavors, is a large part of the reason.
O
ver the last 10 years, Hispanic and Latin flavors have seen an increase in popularity. As the trend has grown, the customers The Padilla Group serves has grown as well, according to Amy Colella, Vice President, Marketing and Communications. “We sell and market our brands across all business segments nationally. Having quality authentic products is important to all grocery retailers as well as chefs. Hispanic brands are no longer limited to only being found in Hispanic grocery stores or restaurants now,” she says. Padilla Group represents two of the most popular Mexican brands in the market with distribution in over 25,000 independent grocery stores, food service distributors, and both regional and national chain retailers. In addition to representing and managing the brand marketing for El Yucateco, the #1 selling habanero sauce in the US, The Padilla Group also owns their own brand line, Don Victor. Padilla Innovation, a division of The Padilla Group, works closely
“We sell and market our brands across all business segments nationally. Having quality authentic products is important to all grocery retailers as well as chefs. Hispanic brands are no longer limited to only being found in Hispanic grocery stores or restaurants now,” she says.
34 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
with all our brands, and customer partners to ensure that the newest flavor trends, recipes, social media tactics etc. are being employed to help our retailers and restaurants delight their customers with the fresh bold flavor our products provide while driving growth for each of our businesses. “We have a team of sales and marketing professionals with over 20 years experience in this industry, we understand the ever changing market and believe that it takes an integrated approach and continuous dialog to deliver the right flavors, product innovation and price to retailers and foodservice departments.” Colella explains, The Padilla Group is made up of four divisions, including its sales arm; the Padilla Innovation, the marketing division, Padilla Logistics, and Padilla Foods. Today Padilla Foods manufactures, sources and co-packs products for the Don Victor brand. “We also do specialty projects with other manufacturers as well,” she says. “If a customer or brand wants to create a new product, or expand from our existing line, we help work through all of the logistics, strategy, creative, concept testing etc., all the way through to final product. “With over 40 years experience as an importer of ethnic foods from both Spain and Mexico, we have many partners and a deep understanding of how to go from concept to market." “The company's own brand, Don Victor, was developed to create products that blend Latin flavor and style with more main stream, or every day use products,” Colella says. It includes sweeteners and sauces, all based on authentic Mexican culture, style and taste. “Our most popular
Padilla Group represents two of the most popular Mexican brands in the market with distribution in over 25,000 independent grocery stores, food service distributors, and both regional and national chain retailers.
restaurants offer 20 or more varieties, either on the table or set up as a self serve bar. We have been selling El Yucateco in the food service segment, for over 10 years. It started out small, primarily on tables in Mexican restaurants, but in the last few years, it’s moved to the back-of-the-house and we have chefs bring the flavor of habanero into new recipes every day. It’s becoming more and more
product is pure honey, packed with a chuck of honeycomb inside a glass globe jar. Having the comb inside is very traditional for Mexico and Spain,” Colella says. For our chefs, El Yucateco is by far the most well known and loved brand in our portfolio today. “Hot
“If a customer or brand wants to create a new product, or expand from our existing line, we help work through all of the logistics, strategy, creative, concept testing etc., all the way through to final product.
sauce has exploded in popularity over the last 10 years, everyone uses it and there are literally hundreds of flavors available to choose from. It's like ketchup, it is a staple condiment for all homes and restaurants. Some 35 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
incorporated into every day American dishes. We love working with our restaurant partners to create new flavorful dishes to add to the menu for special themed nights or as permanent additions. “Mexican Food has long past the days of tacos and enchiladas, Mexican influenced flavors and spices are everywhere now, and in all types of foods, from BBQ to sweet and savory
dishes. Today’s consumers are continuously looking for new, different, authentic and flavorful. New twists on traditional recipes are wildly popular and really easy to do with El Yucateco, from kicking up a ham and swiss Panini with habanero raspberry preserves, to a deep smoky spicy chocolate fondue for the dessert menu, there is no end to the flavors we can help create.”
// SCOOP Camden's Cathedral Kitchen Hosts SJ Hot Chefs For World Hunger Month Scoop saw that the South Jersey Hot Chefs visited with Cathedral Kitchen to cook with student cooks in honor of World Hunger Month, in Camden, last month. Executive Chef Jonathan Jernigan turned his kitchen over to six guests at Cathedral Kitchen in Camden. In honor of World Hunger Month, South Jersey Hot Chefs reached out to Cathedral Kitchen in the hopes of visiting and helping feed those in need. "They've been in the community for so long, and they do nothing but positive things," said SJ Hot Chef Fred Kellermann of Elements Cafe in Haddon Heights. "Our organization is always looking to help the people around us." Cathedral Kitchen is a non-denominational soup kitchen that prepares and serves hundreds of meals daily and more than 100,000 per year. "This is not a traditional soup kitchen," said Cathedral Kitchen Executive Director Karen Talarico. "There are no lines, guests are seated at tables and served a hot meal by volunteers who care deeply. When we
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
"Our organization is always looking to help the people around us." Cathedral Kitchen is a non-denominational soup kitchen that prepares and serves hundreds of meals daily and more than 100,000 per year.
opened our current facility in 2008, we were able to launch a Culinary Arts Training Program and open a health clinic that also offers free dental care, taking us to a new level of service in our community." Kellermann, along with chefs from Anthony's Creative Italian Cuisine in Haddon Heights, Crux Cafe in Audubon, La Esperenza in Lindenwold and District Riverton Bistro in Riverton,
36 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
South Jersey Hot Chefs visit Cathedral Kitchen to cook with student cooks in honor of World Hunger Month, in Camden last month (Joe Warner | South Jersey Times)
worked with Jernigan and his staff, as well as with the current culinary class at Cathedral Kitchen to prepare a meal for between 275 and 300 people. "They have skills," Kellermann said. "The students here, they're getting an education." Jernigan said the culinary class enjoyed hosting the guest chefs. "The students were excited," he said. "It's good when chefs come in and talk to them." The extended culinary team prepared a feast of roasted chicken with gravy, roasted corn on the cob, cauliflower gratin, braised cabbage with onions, and a fresh apple crisp for dessert.
"I stole that apple crisp recipe," laughed former culinary student and current Cathedral Kitchen Chef LaBaron Harvey. "The way they just cut up the apples and tossed them in the cinnamon - we always try to find recipes that are good but fast at the same time because we have to feed so many." Kellermann said because all of Cathedral Kitchen's food is donated, the chefs weren't sure what ingredients they were going to be working with until they arrived. "We didn't know what food we would have or what equipment we would have to work with," he said. "So we made it up on the fly." But he was pleasantly surprised. "A lot of the time, people think places like this use canned and frozen foods, but not here," Kellermann said. "This is a real kitchen."
‘MasterChef’ Winner, Italy Native Luca Manfé Touts Book, Restaurant, Chef-ForHire Venture Scoop says Luca Manfé will quickly point out that he’s not a trained chef. Yet he achieved a measure of fame
and fortune last year because of a cooking show on American television. The 33-year-old, who views Aviano, Italy, as home even though he’s spent the past decade in New York City, won season four of Fox’s “MasterChef,” a show probably better known for its hard-to-please host, Gordon Ramsay, than its contestants. “It’s not as popular as some shows in the States,” Manfé said during a recent visit to Italy that included a book signing
at the exchange on Aviano Air Base. But nearly 6 million viewers is still a lot of people. And a barrage of press coverage after his victory proved that he had a lot of supporters in Italy, including his parents, who are longtime employees at the base. Italian journalists “don’t want to talk to me now,” Manfé said, smiling. “They’ve moved on to other things.” But since Manfé doesn’t plan to open a restaurant in Italy, he’s OK with that.
Italian journalists “don’t want to talk to me now,” Luca Manfé said, smiling. “They’ve moved on to other things.” But since Manfé doesn’t plan to open a restaurant in Italy, he’s OK with that.
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
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181 Marsh Hill Road 91 Brainard Road 566 Hamilton Avenue 22 Warehouse Row 100 Oakpoint Ave 100 Corporate Drive Ste 101 15-06 132nd Street 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 305 S. Regent St. 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road Route 66 21 US Highway 46
He wouldn’t mind some level of fame in the United States, though. He’s got a book, “My Italian Kitchen,” to promote, a venture as a personal cook that’s taken him across his adopted country, and a restaurant in New York to open. The fame generated from winning the series would help with all of that. And the $250,000 prize is going to help with the last part. If his recent book signing was any indication, the fame is somewhat lasting. The exchange quickly sold the 175 copies it had in stock, and the line of people waiting to get the book signed stretched to the entrance. It wasn’t Manfé’s first time on base. His mother, Bruna Fedrigo, has worked in the 31st Contracting Squadron for 26 years. His father, Fedruccio Manfé, has been with the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron for 20 years. Manfé himself worked for two summers on base mowing lawns. But gardening wasn’t the only thing on his résumé before he decided to try out to become the best home cook in America. He did work restaurant jobs in three countries — Italy, Australia and the U.S. — only none as a chef. Manfé is modest about his talents. “I probably know a bit more about food
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Orange, CT 06477 Hartford, CT 06114 Brooklyn, NY 11232 Colonie, NY 12205 Bronx, NY 10474 Blauvelt, NY 10913 College Point, NY 11356 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Port Chester, NY 10573 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 S. Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083 Neptune, NJ 07753 Pinebrook, NJ 07058
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The 33-year-old, who views Aviano, Italy, as home even though he’s spent the past decade in New York City, won season four of Fox’s “MasterChef,” a show probably better known for its hard-to-please host, Gordon Ramsay, than its contestants.
than the average person. But I don’t have the knowledge, the technique. I have a horrible relationship with yeast and dough.” That hasn’t stopped him from creating his own chef-for-hire venture, called “Dinner with Luca,” which can be booked on his website (lucamanfe.com). He’s traveled from Florida to California to prepare inti-
203-795-9900 860-549-4000 718-768-0555 518-458-1630 718-665-3910 845-358-0410 718-762-1000 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 718-707-9330 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 914-935-0220 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-791-2740 908-964-5544 732-643-9393 732-643-9393
mate meals for people. “It’s gone surprisingly well,” he said. “I’m booked through November.” With the help of his “MasterChef” victory, he’s attracted investors to take his career to a new level by opening New York City’s first Friulian venue. Aviano is a part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy’s most northeastern region. Many natives speak Friulano, a dialect that’s different enough from Italian to be considered a separate language by many. Proud of his heritage, Manfé credits his mother and grandmother as his main cooking influences. Many of the dishes come from Friuli. His presentation of frico was key to his success on “MasterChef.” It’s a dish of fried cheese and potatoes, often combined with other ingredients, such as flour, onions, radicchio and meats or mushrooms. “Frico. That’s what the name of the restaurant will be.”
The World's Most MichelinStarred Chef Is Coming Back To New York Scoop says New York City foodies are having a fantastic month. Not only did Michelin reveal its 2015 restau-
After retiring from Jamin in the ’90s, Robuchon re-emerged with a series of restaurants bearing his name and with his protégées at the helm. Now that he’s coming back to New York City, the Michelin Guide should get ready to make another spot on its list.
rant ratings for the Big Apple but it was recently announced that worldrenowned chef Joël Robuchon is set to reopen his famous L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in New York’s Battery Park City. Robuchon, whose restaurant empire encompasses Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Monaco, Paris, and
Tokyo, has more Michelin stars than any other chef in the world - an impressive 28 in total. He closed the original New York L’Atelier at the Four Seasons in 2012, departing entirely from the New York restaurant scene. But he often said that he would like to come back and try again. The new iteration of NYC’s L’Atelier — the more affordable version of Robuchon’s series of eponymous restaurants will open in March 2015 at Brookfield Place, formerly the World Financial Center. The new establishment will be 11,000 square feet with both counter and table seating, as well as a bar, lounge, and waterside outdoor area. This will be Robuchon’s third restaurant in America, and 23rd in the world. Sometimes called the "chef,” Robuchon became famous thanks to his first Paris restaurant, Jamin, which was regarded as one of the best restaurants in history. After retiring from Jamin in the ’90s, Robuchon re-emerged with a series of restaurants bearing his name and with his protégées at the helm. Now that he’s coming back to New York City, the Michelin Guide should get ready to make another spot on its list.
BCAGlobal To Host Annual Cultural Awareness Salute Gala Dinner In NYC Friday Nov 21st 2014
Joel Robuchon, whose restaurant empire encompasses Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Monaco, Paris, and Tokyo, has more Michelin stars than any other chef in the world an impressive 28 in total. 38 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Scoop notes that the BCAGlobal’s Cultural Awareness Salute and Black Tie Gala will be held Friday, November 21, 2014, at the Crown Plaza in Midtown NYC. Now in its 21st year, this event honors the achievements of people of color in the hospitality and culinary industry. This year's theme of "Crossing Cultures-Jamaica and South Africa” will focus on a deeper understanding of global diversity in the food service, culinary and hospitality industry. This event will provide a space for networking and dialogue about the advancement of diversity and give
culinary students from around the country the opportunity to hone their skills in a real life environment. The Gala will begin with a VIP and cocktail reception, followed by a multi-course dinner and Viennese reception. The honoree for the 2014 Jefferson Edwards Award is Rodolfo Contreras, Compass Group-Restaurant Associates’ Executive Chef of the Guggenheim Museum. This year’s honoree for the 2014 Lifetime Ambassador Award is Michael Thompson, VP of Conferences, National Urban League and BCAGlobal Board Member Emeritus. "Students from different schools and different backgrounds come together in the same kitchen and cook in a noncompetitive environment," states Howard Stanford, Board Chair, and Alex Askew President of BCA Global. For more information please contact: BCA Global, info@bcaglobal.org or call (212) 643 –6570. To purchase tickets please visit our website at http:// bcaglobal.org/
City Tech Hospitality Management Professor Inducted Into the Prestigious Les Dames d’Escoffier Scoop notes that Professor Elizabeth Schaible, chair of Hospitality Management, was recently inducted into Les Dames d’Escoffier New York (LDNY), the first and largest chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a 40-year-old association supporting women leaders in the food, wine and hospitality industries. Out of the nine inductees, Schaible was the only one to have also been a recipient of a Les Dame d’Escoffier scholarship; she is a City Tech alumna. The eve-
ning keynote speaker was Dorothy Cann Hamilton, Founder of the International Culinary Center (formerly the French Culinary Institute). Prior to joining the faculty at City Tech, Professor Schaible held a variety of culinary and hospitality management positions including executive chef of a corporate dining facility, private chef to the editor of Rolling Stone Magazine as well as the owner of a retail food and catering operation. Currently, Schaible serves on the National Advisory Board of Spoons Across America, a source for children’s culinary education. In addition to serving as department chair of the Hospitality Management Department, Schaible recently completed a photography essay titled “Down on the Farm: A Farm to Table Photo Essay of the Indiana Farmer.” Her current research is a study of tearoom management schools in the early 20th century in New York City. City Tech’s Hospitality Management Department has an impressive three members of LDNY on its faculty. Professors Karen Goodlad and Susan Lifrieiri-Lowry were inducted in 2010 and 2013, respectively. “Professor Schaible's rich background, renaissance approach to
Les Amis d'Escoffier, which was established in homage to the legendary chef, Auguste Escoffier. LDNY’s mission is to help inspire, empower and mentor women and to enable them to pursue careers in the culinary and hospitality professions through higher education.
York (LDNY), the founding and largest chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, is an invitational volunteer organization comprised of women of achievement in the food, fine beverage and hospitality professions. LDNY began as an offshoot of the prestigious, all-male organization Les Amis d'Escoffier, which was established in homage to the legendary chef, Auguste Escoffier. LDNY’s mission is to help inspire, empower and mentor women and to enable them to pursue careers in the culinary and hospitality professions through higher education. LDNY has flourishing scholarship and mentoring programs, engaging educational, networking and professional development programs, and a Green Tables initiative to promote healthy eating, sound nutrition and sustainability.
Nobu Still A Prize Catch hospitality and relentless dedication to ensuring tomorrow's leaders are well prepared is impressive. It’s these qualities that led to her acceptance into the prestigious, invitation-only organization for women leaders in food, beverage and hospitality,” said Goodlad. Les Dames d'Escoffier New
LDNY Inductees, Liz Schaible of City Tech (3rd from left) led this year's LDNY Inductee Class (Photo credit: Cynthia Carris, Photo Solutions NYC) 39 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Scoop notes it started as a simple, perfect sushi bar in one marginal New York neighborhood and grew into a game-changing global fish phenomenon. With outposts from Waikiki to Milan, Nobu marked its 20th anniversary last month at its original Tribeca restaurant. “in the 20 years, Japanese food has become part of the world’s cuisine,” says founder Nobu Matsuhisa. “For me, it is always about our customers and creating something with passion.” It all started with a hunch from an actor. “Robert De Niro is really the one who discovered Nobu in Beverly Hills,” recalls co-founder Drew Nieporent. “I saw this tremendous friendship that the two of them shared.” De Niro introduced Nieporent to Matsuhisa, and a few years later all three became partners along with film producer Meir Teper at the original location, which opened in August 1994.
// NEWS
FESTIVALS
Southern Westchester Food & Wine Festival Celebrates Country's Burgeoning Culinary Scene Last month's Southern Westchester (SOWE) Food and Wine Festival attracted more than 7,500 attendees to an incredible epicurean celebration, featuring more than 100 sponsors, 75 restaurants, celebrity chefs, and more.
S
OWE was also excited to partner this year with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), which provided cooking demonstrations and tasty samples from their world famous restaurants. The 2014 schedule of events, highlighted by the SOWE Celebrity Chef
Battle; cooking demonstrations from twenty four celebrity chefs; and musical acts Gary U.S. Bonds, Marshall Crenshaw, The Ramps and Gil Parris. The SOWE Food & Wine Festival is a unique culinary celebration showcasing the talents of renowned restaurants, wineries, pit masters, cheese
mongers, breweries, specialty culinary providers, chefs and culinary personalities. Hosted by the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce and The Village of Mamaroneck, the Festival brings community together through food, wine, and beverage sampling, while generating awareness and raising funds to
fight hunger, obesity and malnutrition. This fun-filled weekend also included music concerts, book signings, cooking demos and even activities for kids. SOWE 2014 featured a variety of activities including the SOWE “Celebrity Chef Battle” at Pepe Infiniti in White Plains NY which included food tastings by BLT, Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse, and more, plus champagne and wines by Zachy’s. The SOWE Grand Culinary Village, included Mrs. Green’s Healthy Eating Pavilion, BBQ/Grilling Expo, Celebrity Chef Demos, Beer and Wine Village, Live Concert, Kid’s Zone, & Food Trucks at Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck. The first annual SOWE Celebrity Chef Battle pitted Graham Elliot & Franklin Becker against Rocco DiSpirito & Dave
BOOTH
#3129
40 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Dibari. A remarkable kitchen stadium set the tone for a true culinary experience. In this Iron-Chef style performance, celebrity chefs, local chefs and students, were divided into teams and competed in a timed culinary competition, incorporating secret ingredients into an appetizer and entrée. One of the more interesting appearances was from noted TV Chef Graham Elliot. The noted toque had a shortlived stint as a Greenwich restaurant owner earlier this year. He joined SOWE from Chicago, IL, and brings a unique dining experience for all. Elliot, a cultured chef who has traveled the globe, as well as all 50 states, combines fine dining and exceptional creativity to all of his meals. Chef Elliot was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs” in 2004 and was featured on Crain’s Chicago Business list of “40 Under Forty.” His restaurant in Chicago, Graham Elliot Bistro, has captivated not only the city, but President Obama, who recently dined at the restaurant
The Southern Westchester Food and Wine Festival is a unique culinary celebration showcasing the talents of renowned restaurants, wineries, pit masters, cheese mongers, breweries, specialty culinary providers, spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities.
for an intimate birthday dinner. Elliot faced off with Rocco DiSpirito in SOWE’s Chef Battle. Rocco DiSpirito is an award-winning chef and author of ten highly acclaimed cookbooks, including his newest #1 New York Times best seller The Pound A Day Diet and bestselling series Now Eat This!
41 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The Scotto Family of the famed Fresco Restaurant (Marion, Elaina, Rosanna, and Tony, Jr.) judged the SOWE Celebrity Chef Battle. SOWE also presented two dozen celebrity chefs cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend, featuring Jacques Torres (Mr. Chocolate), and Mauro Castano from Carlos Bakery (featured on TLC’s Cake Boss). Watch and learn from SOWE chefs: Dan Amatuzzi, Wine Director, Eataly, NYC, and Nick Coleman, Oleologist (olive oil specialist), Eataly, NYC, also conducted a wine and olive oil demonstration; Christine Silverstein (MasterChef Season 5 contestant), Nisa Lee; Rafael Palomino (Palominos, Sonora); Brian McMenamin (Club Car); Sam Talbot; Jay Lippin (Crabtree Kittle House); CIA executive Waldy Malouf, and more. A sampling of more than 100 restaurants partook in SOWE 2014 included: 8 North Broadway, 808 Bistro, Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, Emma’s Ale House, Madison Kitchen, Inn at Pound Ridge,
ABC Cakes, An American Bistro, Artuso Pastry, Benjamin Steakhouse, BLT, Chutney Masala, Crabtree’s Kittle House, Pinch, Dolphin, Enrico’s Pastry Shop, Ruths Chris Steakhouse, Club Car, Havana Central Ridge Hill, Imagine Candy, Jake’s Wayback Burgers, Le Jardin Du Roi, Le Moulin Event Planning & Catering, Longford’s Ice Cream, Lu Lu’s, Massa, Melting Pot, Palominos, Bistro Latino, Sonora, Parkway, Pete’s Saloon, Pizza & Brew, Savona, Serafina, The Sneaky Chef, The Cookery’s Dough Nation, Thyme, Chef Johnson, and Dan Rooneys. An important part of the SOWE Food and Wine Festival is giving back to the local community. This year’s beneficiaries included: WhyHunger, Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corp., Food Bank for Westchester, Greyston Foundation, JDRF, and the Community Counseling Center of Larchmont/Mamaroneck.
// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WITH FRED SAMPSON
Minimum Wage Is a Perpetual Issue In this observer’s opinion, the number 1 issue facing the foodservice industry at every level is the minimum wage, not only nationally, but in most of the fifty states.
W
hy do I say this? Because it will not only dramatically change the operators’ wage structure, it also will be loaded with various changes in regulations which even now have caused a myriad of expensive court cases. Remember, when you raise the rates for the lowest paid staff member, you will be faced with keeping your present differentials; it has a ripple effect. So if the tip allow-
Fred G. Sampson,
President of Sampson Consulting, Inc. fredgsampson@juno.com
ance is removed, that means servers will be paid the same basic rate as ev-
42 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ery employee, plus their tips. How do you think that’s going to go over when
a server is making anywhere from $700 to $1,000 a week in tips, plus the house wage? A classic example of what I’m talking about, if the tip credit is eliminated, can be found in a recent story published by California’s The Sacramento Bee. California is one of the seven states without a tip credit. The following is a sample of what operators are wrestling with regarding the recent hourly increase from $8 to $9 on July 1, 2014, and an additional increase in 2015. It’s an impact on their wage structure. According to the newspaper, one operator observed that the wage increase has created management challenges. Among the key issues at restaurants where tipping is permitted, servers get the lion’s share of them, while cooks
continued on page 123
// NEWS
SCHOOL FOODSERVICE
“Garden State on Your Plate” Program Gets Kids Excited About Local Food Swiss chard took over Princeton. During the last two weeks of last month, the ruffly green vegetable with a ruby-red spine appeared in storefronts, window displays, planters, and on menus all over town.
B
ent Spoon had chard ice cream on its list of flavors. Mediterra, Olsson’s, and the brand-new Jammin’ Crepes were among the eateries including the crinkly vegetable as part of their offerings. It was all part of Garden State on Your
Plate, a program that took place in the Princeton Public Schools that brings children together with chefs and local farmers. The goal is to educate young palates and make kids “food literate” from an early age. Funded by a $12,000 grant from Princeton University this year, the program began its third sea-
43 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
son with four sessions each at Community Park, Riverside, Johnson Park, and Littlebrook schools. “We want to expose the entire elementary school population to wellprepared, locally grown produce, and bring the whole community to the table around the idea that we’re really
fortunate to live in the Garden State,” said Karla Cook, a founder with Fran McManus, Dorothy Mullen, and Diane Landis of the Princeton School Gardens Cooperative, Inc. in 2006. Garden State on Your Plate grew out of the school gardens initiative, an edible garden started by Ms. Mullen at Riverside Elementary School. “Elementary school is the perfect time to introduce children to new foods. They’re out of their own homes, they’re open to new things,” said Ms. McManus “We have these wonderful chefs because we want this first experience for the children to be the best — the best of what a beet or chard can taste like.” For the full article, visit www.totalfood.com
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45 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// LITTLE M. TUCKER
WITH MORGAN TUCKER
A Little Better Service Growing up in the foodservice industry has its perks. Some of those perks are better than others.
F
or example, as a child, I thought every family had a staff photographer. Later in life, I’ve learned that Total Food Service’s publisher, Fred Klashman, just follows everyone in this business around with his camera and treats them like family. Just like many of you, Total Food Service has been a staple in my life for a very long time. However, I am thrilled to formally join the TFS family with the start of a monthly column that offers you a taste of my life in the food service industry under the bright lights of New York City. Most people in this business have a love of food. My love affair with food and hospitality began well before my journey to Ithaca, NY where I attended the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. However, on your first day as a “hotelie” each student reads the words of E.M. Statler in a quote that eloquently describes how I choose to live my life in this business. “Life is service – the one who progresses is the one who gives his fellow men a little more – a little better service.” Earlier this summer I started a new branch of Singer NY, LLC: Little M Tucker, the namesake for this column. My goal is to invite you into my world of giving and receiving superior service. I continue to reinvent myself every day as I have the unique oppor-
Morgan Tucker, M. Tucker m p t u c ke r @ m t u c ke r.c o m
“Life is service – the one who progresses is the one who gives his fellow men a little more – a little better service.”
tunity to work with some of the world’s most enlightened service professionals. I will highlight industry events I attend locally, nationally, and internationally, discuss trends, noteworthy projects and industry news, and give you insight into the authority of chefs and restaurateurs in my life. Beyond the openings, events, and
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shows, I love the emotion and personalization of hospitality and I hope to be able to convey this to each of you. I’m also a bit afraid to expose my prose, but isn’t that what great hospitality does? It welcomes you to be comfortable and vulnerable at the same time. The StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress was held in Brooklyn, NY last month with the theme of Cooking Honest: The Power of Authenticity in the Ktitchen. Whether watching the new bittersweet documentary, American Wine Story, reading Dan Barber’s insightful The Third Plate, or seeing the inventive agricultural practices at Mountain Sweet Berry Farm firsthand, I am moved by our great sommeliers’, chefs’, and farmers’ abilities to elevate sustainable education, implement
change locally, and teach us how to do something that has permanence with honestly. Each presenter at ICC was carefully selected based on their dedication and commitment to authenticity and innovation. I am excited to share personal highlights from the show in my next column. And while the team at Star Chefs has completely redefined what a trade show entails, it’s also nice to go back to our roots at the International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show where our company has been participating for close to 50 years. If we haven’t met, please stop by and introduce yourself. I would love to meet you November 9-11th at the Javits Convention Center. I’ll be at Booth #1637. After graduating with honors from the prestigious Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in 2007, Morgan worked for New York's most celebrated restaurateurs at Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group and Steve Hanson's BR Guest Restaurant Group, before beginning her journey at M. Tucker. After 5 years in her family business, Morgan currently overseas the largest and most successful distribution sales team in the country, passionately servicing Manhattan's hottest operations. In 2012 Ms. Tucker was awarded the highest honor in her industry, Foodservice Equipment and Supplies Magazines DSR of the Year. Tucker is regularly interviewed as an expert on tabletop trends and NYC's rising stars and was most recently selected as the Foodservice Equipment Distributor Associations Next Generation Leader of 2013. She is a member of the New York City Hospitality Group, The New York City Hospitality Alliance, and The Partridge Invitation Foundation.
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// NEWS
RENOVATIONS
Zakarian Comeback Continues With Opening Of Revamped Plaza Palm Court The Palm Court at The Plaza reopened last month with “Iron Chef ” Geoffrey Zakarian at the helm, following a complete renovation of the historic space by architect Thierry Despont.
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he space still has the Central Park-comes-indoors vibe with a large oval trellised bar that anchors the room. Zakarian has
launched both an "elaborate cocktail program" and a brand new breakfast and tea menu as part of the upgrade. The Palm Court’s famous afternoon
tea is still being offered, along with new menu items from Zakarian, including a lobster roll and pastrami on rye. Food will be served throughout
the day, and cocktails are designed by mixologist Brian Van Flandern, known for his drinks at Per Se. The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel closed for renovations in the Spring so that the grand restaurant/tea lounge could undergo some renovations. The revamp is part of Zakarian’s takeover of all the dining operations at the hotel (except Todd English's basement food hall), which began almost exactly a year ago. Zakarian is well known as Iron Chef, restaurateur, television personality and author. He is the executive chef of several restaurants in New York City, Atlantic City and Miami. He is featured on several television programs on the Food Network, including Chopped and in 2011, The Next Iron Chef, where he won the right to join
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The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel closed for renovations in the Spring so that the grand restaurant/tea lounge could undergo some renovations.
Iron Chef America. Zakarian was born in 1959 and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. He began his culinary career with an associate's degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. As an apprentice chef, he began his work under chef Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque, where he was named "Chef de Cuisine" from 1982 to 1987. In 1990, he became the executive chef at 44, a restaurant described by The New York Times as "trendy" and "chic," located at the Royalton Hotel in midtown Manhattan. In 1996, he was hired to oversee Old Navy's ill-fated coffee bar and coffee cart division with David Brody of Z100 WHTZ. He then went on to work for the Blue Door of the Delano Hotel in South Beach, Miami In 1998; he became the executive chef at Patroon in Manhattan. In the spring of 2000, Zakarian worked with Alain Passard, a renowned French chef at the threeMichelin star restaurant Arpège in Paris. His style is described as "modern" with roots in French cuisine, or as he describes, "dynamic American." Zakarian owned two restaurants, Town and Country, both of which are in Manhattan. They have been rated with 3 stars by The New York Times. His restaurant Town was located in the East Side of Midtown Manhattan in the Chambers Hotel and opened in Spring 2001 but had closed in 2009. Country is located in the Carlton Hotel near Madison Square Park and opened in 2005. The restaurant has earned a Mi-
chelin Star. Zakarian is now a consultant and executive chef at the Water Club in Atlantic City and the Lamb's Club in New York City, respectively. The history of the Plaza reads like a great American novel. Donald Trump bought the Plaza Hotel for $407.5 million in 1988 (equivalent of $812 million today). Trump commented on his purchase in a fullpage open letter he published in The New York Times: "I haven't purchased a building, I have purchased a masterpiece – the Mona Lisa. For the first time in my life, I have knowingly made a deal that was not economic – for I can never justify the price I paid, no matter how successful the Plaza becomes." After Trump's divorce from Ivana Trump, the Plaza Hotel's president, Trump sold the hotel for $325 million in 1995 (equivalent of $503 million today) to Troy Richard Campbell, from New Hampshire. He sold it in 2004 for $675 million (equivalent of $843 million today) to Israeli-owned Manhattan-based developer, El Ad Properties. El Ad bought the hotel with plans of adding residential and commercial sections. Since the Plaza Hotel is a New York landmark, Tishman Construction Corporation, the construction management company hired to complete the renovations and conversions, had to comply with landmark regulations. El Ad temporarily closed the Plaza Hotel on April 30, 2005, for extensive renovations. In July 2012, India's business group Sahara India Pariwar agreed to buy a 75 percent controlling stake for $570 million from El Ad Properties. In August 2014, Sahara's Subrata Roy announced he was seeking a buyer for his company's majority stake in The Plaza, along with similar stakes in the Dream Hotel in New York and the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. A $4 billion price tag was placed on The Plaza stake. Speculation that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei would be the buyer was quashed by the sultan.
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// NEWS
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Is Public Relations Right for You? Are you thinking about getting a PR person for your restaurant?
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aybe you are a private Chef who wants to make a name for yourself on TV. If you believe public relations is only for huge restaurants, think again. It’s actually something almost every Chef should consider in the modern
Cindi Avila, Green Goddess, Public Relations greengoddesspr@ gmail.com
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media age. With that in mind, I asked client Mark Bailey, a private chef and breakfast expert how his “TV career” came about and why he decided to use a public relations specialist. How did your first TV appearance come about? While attending cooking school in Los Angeles, a friend introduced me to actress/comedian Niecy Nash. During our brief discussion, I shared with her a bit of my story which included my passion for cooking, as well as my Caribbean background. I must have left a great impression because two months later, I received a call from Niecy herself asking me to teach her how to make an authentic Jamaican surprise dinner for her husband (who also has a Jamai-
can background) to celebrate their 6 month wedding anniversary. Not only was I going to assist her with this surprise dinner, it was to all be done in front of the cameras for her upcoming reality series, TLC's 'Leave It To Niecy'. How did you find TV appearances helped you in the private chef world? Appearing on television not only helped my private chef business it introduced my new business/career to the world. Prior to appearing on TV, I had spent most of my life in corporate America. Appearing on TV was like my using a huge blow horn to promote my brand and my busi-
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// NEWS
RESTAURANT SUPPLIES
The E&A Supply Difference How this “Chef ’s Toy Store” has become both a one-stop shop and educational resource for the foodservice industry.
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ven though foodservice operators can choose from among many hotel and restaurant suppliers in the greater New York metropolitan area, many restaurateurs often feel overwhelmed when picking out the right equipment—especially if they are on the brink of opening a new restaurant. That’s where E&A Supply stands out from the competition. “We are not a typical box warehouse store where foodservice operators can walk around for hours and no one talks to them—much less recommends one brand of oven over another,” points out Joel Green, vice president and general manager of Plainfield, NJ-based E&A Supply. Founded in the 1930s by Earl Denise and later purchased by Al Green (hence the name E&A Supply) Joel’s father Al took over the business almost 40 years ago. “We started as a party supply center in 1972 and from that point eventually grew into a 100,000-square-foot supply warehouse that offers most everything a restaurant owner could possibly need for both the back of the house and front of the house,” says Green. “All totaled, we have almost 80 years of experience behind this business.” Green adds that E&A Supply offers state-of-the art equipment for both the back of the house and also has front-of-the house pieces such as glassware, tables, chairs and bar supplies. Currently about 80 percent of the company’s sales come from standard
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equipment, such as freezers, refrigerators, stoves, fryers and our smallwares selections.” The company’s brand offerings are vast, ranging from AdCraft, Vulcan Blodgett, Carlisle, Hobart, Oneida, Hamilton Beach—and the list goes on. “Our entire staff is extensively trained by all these companies on various equipment and supplies. We are constantly offering kitchen demonstrations at the warehouse so they can thoroughly explain the difference in performance and energy savings. For example, a restaurant owner may choose to buy a refrigerator because it’s the cheapest, but our employees can explain to them how a higher-priced refrigerator would be a better investment because it costs less in energy usage, and is more efficient in the long term. “This would save them about 500 dollars a year over the life span of the equipment making it actually less expensive,” explains Green. The company’s knowledgeable staff makes it quick and easy to pick out the right product, with the right features and benefits at the right price. That’s why E&A Supply is coined “The Chef’s Toy Store,” Green explains. And what if a piece of equipment breaks down? “We can ship them a piece of equipment they need within 24 hours,” answers Green. In fact, E&A Supply’s website has become a key resource for many customers because they can log on to the site 24/7 to order
pieces of equipment, get answers to questions, or simply get more information on a piece of equipment. Whether it is 10pm at night or 5am in the morning, a customer-service representative will get back to them within an hour,” Green adds. “Our main warehouse is a restocking facility and we deal with every major brand and off-brand in the restaurant industry. But even if pieces of equipment or supplies are not in stock, we can get our hands on anything very quickly,” he explains. For example, if a chef would like to get a specialized piece for a specific purpose, Green says they can point them in the right direction and ship it out ASAP. “If something blows up on Friday night we work it out so they are back in operation as quickly possible. For that reason, the company’s website has greatly enhanced our business, “Green points out. The website also has a blog with educational posts such as: Five Promotional Plan Essentials for Restaurants, Finding The Right Glass For The Right Wine, and How To Increase Business With Perceived Deals. “Educating our customers on how to manage their businesses is another differential that sets us apart,” says Green. With E&A Supply being in business almost 80 years, how has the business changed? “Today it is all about total cost of ownership,” Green answers. “Foodservice operators analyze costs of every aspect of running a business over the long haul. “When the bottom dropped out of the economy in 2009, restaurateurs looked at things such as: how much gas will this equipment cost to operate, how much will this cost to maintain? Green notes that his staff helps with those issues by comparing brand to brand to show foodservice operators in real numbers how to save money. “We can illustrate how just one or two changes can save them thousands of dollars a year.” It is one reason the company is yearly certified. “Any business owner that wants to be in business for more than a year needs to look at the cost of ownership to succeed,” Green points out. Another way E&A Supply helps their
“We are not a typical box warehouse store where foodservice operators can walk around for hours and no one talks to them—much less recommends one brand of oven over another,” points out Joel Green, vice president and general manager of Plainfield, NJ-based E&A Supply.
clientele save thousands of dollars is by assisting them with the layout of their kitchens—especially when it comes to new restaurant launches. “Working with an architect can be costly when setting up a restaurant,” explains Green, “Our staff can help layout a kitchen designed for two-line workers rather than three-line employees, thereby saving on additional wages. We also offer stateof-the-art equipment that minimizes waste and energy. In fact, we sell new dishwashers that recover steam from the previous wash cycle and use it to save energy for the next cycle. This eliminates the need for a condensation hood over the machine. All those savings add up so restaurant owners can direct those surplus funds towards other areas such as marketing their business.” To add credibility to the company’s credentials, Green says it is a Certified Green Professional (CGP) member of the National Restaurant Association. E&A Supply also offers a wide selection of used equipment. “We go through a 20-point check system and make sure the equipment is compliant with current health department codes. The pieces are tested extensively so it is almost like getting new equipment. What’s more, all of our used equipment is backed by a 30-day warranty,” says Green. In addition, the staff is trained on how that equipment should be maintained. “Our employees are up to date on plumbing, electric, ventilation and fire codes.”
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Like many companies that started small and grew, Green says E&A Supply started by servicing mom-and-pop restaurants, then expanded to corporate dining facilities, institutional foodservice, chain restaurants and now hotels and hospitality. “We have many success stories in all segments of the foodservice business.
For example, we recently partnered with Goya Foods, Towne Square Media, and put together a state-of-the-art kitchen for a Colorado concert,” notes Green. Most recently, the company partnered with the upscale Le Malt Wine Lounge located on St. George Avenue in Woodbridge, NJ. “In the kitchen, we supplied them with Blodgett, Star, True, Advance, Pitco, Voilrath and MasterBilt appliances,” says Green. Although E&A Supply’s distribution is focused on the Northeast—New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania—it does ship across the country and internationally as well. In fact, a lot of the company’s repeat customers are restaurants that have opened overseas. “E&A Supply is truly a one-stop shop where restaurateurs can get everything they need to open a restaurant from soup to nuts. What’s more, we help our customers work smarter not harder.” For more information, call 800-8321369, or visit E&A Supply’s website at www.easupply.com.
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// RESTAURANT GROWTH STRATEGIES
WITH DANA ZUKOFSKY
Changing Demands Of Running a Restaurant Make Specialized Accounting A Must A lot of people assume that an accountant is an accountant is an accountant. Numbers are numbers, whether you are crunching them for a local manufacturing operation or a large national franchise, right?
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rong. When you are looking for an accountant, you want someone who understands your unique challenges and the complex undertakings of your industry. Too many CPA firms are generalists and think they can
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Dana Zukofsky, CPA Associate Director, SS&G New York, NY d z u ko f s k y @ s s a n d g .c o m
handle restaurant clients without understanding the economics, regulations, tax issues, and trends that influence the industry. At SS&G, we are a little different. We know restaurants. Our firm is one of few with a strong commitment to the restaurant industry – and we have one of the largest restaurant accounting and consulting practices in the country. Our specialized restaurant group professionals serve more than 200 restaurant clients, from small independents to large national chains, from quickserve locations to fine dining establishments, and from franchisors to franchisees. And we’ve helped these
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// NEWS
KITCHEN SOLUTIONS - KNIVES
CT-Based Ergo Chef Debuts Re-Engineered Approach To Kitchen Knife Design One of the most important pieces of equipment a chef can have is a knife.
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ut the wrong one can do more damage than anything else in the kitchen. That's why Ergo Chef has come up with a series of premium knives, created for ease of use and comfort that
has helped prevent pain, and chefs from developing injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis from repetitive chopping. “My brother, Scott, as a chef had a need for a more ergonomic and com-
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fortable knife, because he developed carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis from repetitive use of a chef’s knife,” says Mike Staib, vice president, Ergo Chef. “His doctor said, 'You can have surgery, stop cooking or you can
design a new product.' He looked at the knife he was using and realized the repetitive motions from chopping was causing the issues, so he sat down with some engineers, chefs and our dad at his company Capital Design, and they came up with the original Pro-Series line that are more ergonomic & comfortable to use.” The Chef knives the family patented helped many chefs cut for hours without strain or pain in testing. “It can help to relieve the pain of fibromyalgia or arthritis or carpal tunnel,” he says. “If you want to keep your hand healthy, this knife is for you. It's more efficient and cuts without strain.” After six years of testing and R&D, the group was finally happy to turn
out a product that is now helping chefs avoid damage to their hand, wrist & forearm, making food preparation more comfortable. “We tested the prototype over and over,” says Staib. “One chef said, 'This is amazing. I want a whole set.” In 2002 the company was launched in Danbury, Conn. “Ergo is for ergonomics,” says Staib. “It's the shape of the handle and geometry of the blade that touches the cutting surface. Our knives have a nice large radius to create a smooth rocking motion and no abrupt stops. Most knives have a flat on the heel of blade, and you end up stopping, and that abrupt stop creates a knock in your wrist, hand and forearm that can create a problem over time.” Ergo Chef knives have another vital feature. “Our handle comes down rather than straight off the bolster. With the rocking up and down motion, your hand falls right on the back of the knife perfectly when you're raising it up, rather than having it bent up too far or bent down too far when you're putting the knife all the way down on the board,” he points out. “It's just a more natural, comfortable grip and the balance of the knife is precisely at the bolster area. This way you have a perfect balance where you pinch the knife, either in front of the bolster or right on the bolster itself. It's a nice weight that makes it very easy and comfortable to control,” he says. The more natural shape, Staib adds, makes a chef's life easier. “It's even good for line cooks and prep cooks.” The company's foodservice line was chosen as a finalist in the Food Service Equipment Review for its 10-inch chef knife. “These knives are called the Prodigy series and they're designed expressly for foodservice, restaurants or beginner chefs. They're for the masses, and they're lower-cost, but are designed with the same ergonomics,” he notes. “The 10-inch Prodigy chef knife also has
a full tang (the steel of blade extends into the handle), which makes it balanced & more durable. Most foodservice knives have a rat tail inside the handle, which is less durable and the handle can be prone to breaking off. Ours goes all the way back, almost to the end of the handle, a full tang that builds strength and balance and is better quality which is our highest priority next to ergonomic comfort.” Some restaurants will buy the cheaper version but others rent.
different restaurants in the tri-state area. “We're featured in their cashand-carry store in Brewster, N.Y. They're a great foodservice company & provide food products for Yankee Stadium. Once chefs try the knives, they're ready to upgrade,” says Staib. The company offers the same three product lines to everybody. “Prodigy® Series is our lower-cost knife and it's foodservice grade, with a TPR non-slip handle, for a better grip in the kitchen environment when hands
Ergo Chef knives have another vital feature. “Our handle comes down rather than straight off the bolster. With the rocking up and down motion, your hand falls right on the back of the knife perfectly when you're raising it up, rather than having it bent up too far or bent down too far when you're putting the knife all the way down on the board,” Staib points out.
“They want what looks good,” he says. “Executive chefs say, what else do you guys have? These Crimson knives, I want one of those. This is our premier brand. Executive chefs gravitate to them because of the quality & beauty. They'll take them home, lock them up so no line cook grabs their stuff.” Ergo Chef just partnered with Ace Endico to introduce its product into
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are wet or greasy. The PRO Series line has a classic 3 rivet black POM handle, a German carbon steel blade, and a full tang showing in the handle. It's been highly rated in a leading consumer test publication. The newest Crimson® Series features G10 handles, the world's strongest handle material,” Staib explains. “It looks like wood but it’s G10, a fiberglass resin
that’s deemed the world strongest handle material. We wanted to create a beautiful wood look without using wood, because wood contracts and expands with moisture and gaps can form collecting bacteria. The handles of wood knives can also end up cracking & falling off.” Staib says the company wanted something that would last. “It has German high carbon stainless polished blades, and a tapered bolster area so it has a more comfortable pinch grip on the blades. There's less callusing, and the handle's more ergonomic with a rounded shape, more conforming to the hand. Its full tang is exposed and there's an end cap. It's a little flashier, more elegant.” In terms of composition, Ergo Chef uses German carbon stainless steel for most of its knives. “The Prodigy has German-type stainless steel, the same composition, carbon stainless, but not from Germany. That's what helps keeps the cost down,” he says. The company keeps its prices about 15-20% lower than other top brands, but Staib points out, it's the same quality, steel from Germany, a black handle, classic rivets. “We beat most major brands for price, ergonomic comfort and edge retention, & 30 day Money Back Guarantee, key to all our lines.” Why should foodservice operators use these knives? “They make cutting and chopping more efficient & 30 days to use them in the kitchen. Chefs are using products that are going to help them, and at the end of the day, their hand's not going to be killing them. It can prevent worker's comp claims for carpal tunnel and tendinitis, loss of work. If it gives better health to chefs and line cooks for their hands, arms and forearms, why not?” says Staib. As for that doctor? “We went back to him and he said, 'You're going to put me out of business,'” he says with a laugh.
// NEWS
PIZZA
Apple Metro Debuts New Pizza Concept With Bronx Opening For its 20 years of operation, Apple-Metro’s focus has been to create the ultimate casual dining experience through extraordinary service, exceptional food and drink in a fun filled friendly atmosphere.
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n its first two decades of operation, the firm accomplished that goal as the New York Metropolitan Area franchisee for Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar®. Our portfolio currently includes 37 Applebee’s in the five boroughs, Westchester and Rockland Counties.
For the first time, the Westchester based company has diversified beyond its Applebee's restaurants. Apple Metro recently opened its first Pizza Arts franchised restaurant in the Bronx. “We love the Pizza Studio guests experience that features a fresh, custommade, piping hot pizza in approxi-
mately 10 minutes including a quick 2 minutes in the oven,” Tankel noted. Making sure that we are staffed correctly to ensure a quick, and memorable experience every time." "It is a new, dynamic yet simple concept," Tankel explained. "The real key to the concept is that the end product
is guest driven. More and more, our guests want to customize and be in control of their dining experience. Pizza Studio gives them that ultimate control. It is also an amazing Price/Value prospect." Visionary real estate decisions have been a cornerstone of Apple Metro's success. "The site selection strategy with Pizza Arts is similar with a focus on high density targeted demographics, nearby traffic drivers (big box retail, entertainment, etc.), added Tankel. We believe that the drivers for a successful Applebee’s will yield good results for Pizza Studio as well. There is also a synergy to negotiating leases for multiple concepts with a specific site landlord." Seeing the dynamic opportunity and
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// NEWS
PEST CONTROL
Western Pest Services Helps Foodservice Operators Keep Fruit Flies, Roaches, Mice & Other Pests From Mass Invasion As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. However, many foodservice operators get so wrapped up in the day-to-day operations of running their businesses, they don’t tackle the issues of pests running rampant until the problem gets out of control.
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hat’s when the pest onslaught forces a restaurateur to contact a pest services company with almost as much urgency as a 911 call. “The
best way to keep pests from overrunning restaurants and hotels is proactive prevention,” maintains John Kane, regional entomologist at Parsippany, New Jersey-based West-
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ern Pest Services. “But the good news is there is always a cure. Our company is known for getting to the source of the problem. We are not just offering a temporary fix. Our
expertise helps eliminate the pest issue so it doesn’t come back to haunt a business six months to a year down the road.” Founded back in 1928 by J. Edwin Sameth, Western Pest Services’ company name was originally drawn from a hat! Throughout the years, the company expanded and acquired other businesses to enhance its growth. It now services the Tri-State area that includes New York, Connecticut and New Jersey as well as portions of the Mid-Atlantic including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. In addition to Western Pest Services’ long-standing heritage, the company employs people that have extensive education to properly
evaluate the root of pest control issues. For example, John Kane has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Entomology, and is Board Certified by the Entomological Society of America, which gives him the highest level of expertise to tackle a vast array of pest problems. “I employ a three-pronged strategy whenever I approach a pest control job,” says Kane. “First, I take a big
A good pest controller treats a pest issue very similar to a crime scene, they’ll play the role of the investigating detective, and it’s here, Kane says, that ‘nothing talks like experience.’
picture approach to ‘diagnosing’ a pest issue; I assess the plumbing (‘circulatory’ system), gas supply (‘pulmonary’ system), heating and the “skin” of the walls,” he explains. Wherever there is a structural breakdown that needs to be repaired,
wherever there is lots of water or no water at all in the plumbing, there is a potential place where pests can enter, multiply and thrive,” he says. “For example, if there is a leak in the pipe of a beer keg, all that yeast is the perfect breeding ground for fruitflies.” The second thing Kane analyzes is the kitchen’s methods of cleaning and disposal of waste. “As many know, there is high turnover in the restaurant business and the recommended cleaning and waste disposal methods may not always be practiced by a new dishwasher or bus boy,” says Kane. “When lots of water and food scraps don’t drain properly, that provides sustenance for rats and mice,” he explains. The third thing Kane assesses is the flow of business during the entire cycle of a business day, seeking to identify any missed steps or cut corners in equipment maintenance, item storage, or voids that may have been concealed and eventually forgotten. The building in which you run your business has a history, renovations have occurred, drains or doors may be covered ‘temporarily’ by stored items, staff turn over, and now that drain or door is forgotten. A good pest controller treats a pest issue very similar to a crime scene, they’ll play the role of the investigating detective, and it’s here, Kane says, that ‘nothing talks like experience.’
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// NEWS
CRAFT BEER
Roscoe’s Craft Brews Bring Tasty Local To Table Solution For Tri-State Operators It's not often you hear the words “trout” and “beer” in the same sentence. Unless, of course, you live in or near Roscoe, N.Y.
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his small town in Sullivan County has long been known as one of the best trout-fishing towns in the country, and was recently voted #1 in the U.S. according to Josh Hughes, brew master and operations manager at The Roscoe NY Beer Company. “All the members and founders of our brewery are very proud members of Roscoe and wanted to give something back to the community and create a beer specific to Roscoe, catering to everything it has to offer and the great outdoors,” says Hughes. The brewery, which opened in May of last year, uses all-natural ingredients. “Our beer stands out from many other breweries because we're 100% handmade,” he adds. “We can pay very close attention to every batch of beer we produce, every little bit of beer that comes out of here. Because we're small, we can also source locally. We use as many local hops as we can source, and our water comes from the Catskills, which is phenomenal. Those reservoirs supply all the drinking water for New York City.” Hops are what are probably the
most vital ingredient in a beer right next to barley, Hughes notes, and the brewery's hops are unlike any other. “Hops are the bittering agent of beer. For a long time they were used as a preservative as well. Hops also have strong citrus notes, fruity and floral
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notes, which adds wonderful character to the beer. Beer would not be beer without hops.” Roscoe sells its beer in bottles to gas stations, grocery stores, and smaller restaurants, while most bigger restaurants buy draft only. “We
are on tap at every local place that has a liquor license. We're a hometown favorite, for sure,” says Hughes. The brewery sells a variety of craft beers that are always on tap at its store, Trout Town Rainbow Red Ale, Trout Town Brown Ale, and its flagship beer, Trout Town American Amber Ale. “It's all so popular we can’t keep up with demand,” he notes. “Trout Town Rainbow Red Ale is verywell received. We tend to sell out of it very quickly, but it's one we're always brewing. It's a nice strong malted beer, 7.5% alcohol, with a nice hop character to it, a bit of bitterness with a little bit of citrus and a floral finish to it,” he says. Trout Town Brown Ale is a dark brown ale that comes in at 5.5% alcohol. “It has nice coffee and chocolate flavors that are imparted by the barley we put in the beer. Though it's very dark, it's actually light in body, a very easy-drinking beer,” Hughes points out. “A lot of dark beers have a thick character to them, but this is light. You can have a couple without feeling overly full.” Finally, there's Trout Town American Amber Ale, Roscoe's flagship beer. “It's a light toasty beer with some grapefruit character to it, and a little bit of a balanced bitter finish to it. It's 5% alcohol,” he says. The company also produces seasonal beers, including its hop harvest IPA. “That beer was brewed 100% with homegrown hops, not one hop from a commercial producer. We collected the hops from our homebrew club, including myself and my mother, we pooled the hops together and brewed a nice beer,” he says, adding that Roscoe just brewed an Autumn Spice Ale that will be on tap in two to three weeks.
The brewery employs three fulltime staff, as well as some part-timers, and distributes its beer to all five boroughs in New York, most of Long Island, and the Hudson valley, where it will be expanding in the near future. The company also plans to begin distributing further north in Delaware, Chenango and Otsego counties. The brewery's beer is sold in bottles and draft. Bottling is contracted through Adirondack Brewing Co. but there are plans to create this capability for the brewery itself, Hughes says. “Some draft goes through Adirondack, too, but a good percentage is brewed on-site.” Hughes says that, while there are
The brewery sells a variety of craft beers that are always on tap at its store, Trout Town Rainbow Red Ale, Trout Town Brown Ale, and its flagship beer, Trout Town American Amber Ale.
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nearly 3,000 breweries in the U.S., and growing every day, there's room for everyone. “It doesn't take away from our uniqueness, our own creative input to make it our own,” he says. Craft beer can be very remunerative for foodservice, he says. “It tends to increase the check dollar value as well as the tipping rate for establishments. It's been long known that craft beer has helped local establishments nationwide. It adds appeal to the restaurant as an artisan, and, like wine, food and beer pair well together. A good craft beer can accentuate the food. Beer can actually pull that together and add a whole new dimen-
sion to the atmosphere and enjoying the food. It's a far better experience for the person looking to get a little bit more out of their beer.” Craft beer is here to stay, Hughes says. Neighborhood breweries don't threaten others, but strengthen them, he claims. “You can haul a greater amount of customers from a diverse area. We're entering a maturing market. There's no beer out there that's perfect for everyone, so we try to have a diverse product line. If someone comes in, they're going to enjoy something we have on tap.”
// PBAC’s SHOW PREVIEW
1-On-1 With PBAC's Michael Posternak How Has 2014 Been for PBAC? This has been a relatively good year for us. In 2013, we began our representation of Gaylord, Scotsman, and Duke and we have quickly grown both sales and market share of those brands very significantly.
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hey are a perfect fit to our platform of complementary products. In 2012, we acquired a leading Upstate
New York Rep Firm, M&W Sales, and throughout 2014, we fully integrated
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PBAC’s SHOW PREVIEW from page 70 Mike Snedeker and Terry Flynn into PBAC North. New York is one large powerful state and we feel great energy and chemistry between the Downstate and Upstate Regions. New York had led the Food Service market in the past Great Recession Recovery, fueled by a surge in the financial markets. On top of that, 2013 performance was abnormally inflated by the impact of post-hurricane Sandy rebuilding business. As a result we underestimated this one time bump in our 2014 projections and as a result, we had to make some mid-course corrections. How Does NY Differ From Most Mar-
On top of that, 2013 performance was abnormally inflated by the impact of posthurricane Sandy rebuilding business. As a result we underestimated this one time bump in our 2014 projections and as a result, we had to make some mid-course corrections.
kets? It is entirely unique. In terms of distribution, the Equipment & Supply market is more handled by traditional independent dealers and is less food oriented than others. The higher end, quality oriented market is very large, hence PBAC’s concentration of top shelf products. NY is also the Food Service Consultant epicenter of the US with NY Consultants specifying projects around the country and the world. But in terms of growth the Northeast has lagged behind all other US areas by about 6-8%, according to
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PBAC’s SHOW PREVIEW from page 73 the MAFSI Business Barometer. What Is In Store For NYC for 2015/2016? There is a tremendous amount of work on the boards in all sectors of our business, from Healthcare to Business and Industry, Schools, Restaurants, and Entertainment. Leading projects include: Hudson Yards, World Trade Center, new Casinos in five areas of NY State, DUMBO development, Atlantic Yards area, Willets Point, High Line part III, Cornell Biotech Campus on Roosevelt Island, US Tennis Center, Coach, Google, Conde Nast, SUNY Projects, NYC Medical Center and other Health Care projects, Brookfield Development, Grand Central Terminal, and Penn Station. What If Any Are The Storm Clouds On The Region?
Has the recovery run its course? Is the economy too subsidized by the Fed with artificially low interest rates? New York restaurants have grown in numbers from 18,000 in 2007 to 23, 705 in 2014, an increased of 32% --are we approaching saturation? It seems like we are dealing with a new set of variables right now that could mean we are approaching a “tipping point.” Things like Ebola, ISIS, flat wages, falling fuel prices, stock market volitility, deflation and the slowdown in Europe and Asia. Taking All Of This Into Account, What Do You Forecast? The NY market has vitality and momentum that will carry it into 2015, I see growth of about 4-5% followed by a slowing to a level of 2-4% in 2016.
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// NEWS
BALANCED NUTRITION
ReViVer Brings Balanced Nutrition To Its Midtown Manhattan Restaurant The name says it all, says Todd Horowitz. “ReViVer is about balanced nutrition,” says the owner of this midtown Manhattan restaurant.
"I
t’s a palindrome. It's perfectly balanced. Forwards and backwards, it's the same word. It's got 'ViV,' in the middle, representing life, and only one lower case letter, the 'i', which we understand represents one's own ability to take care of oneself.” And it's a restaurant that strives for healthy food that tastes good, often a tall order for any chef. “Our entire menu is based on the Four Food Principles, the building blocks to any nutritious meal,” he says. “We didn't want to be another cafe or grille. We really felt that healthy eating should be bold and unique and have a different kind of name that's attractive to both men and women.” Horowitz says he felt the word “healthy” as it relates to food needed to be redefined. “There's a lot of misinformation and opinion out there. Should I be gluten-free, vegan, low carb? Eating healthy has become a nuisance and confusing. We wanted to define what we believe to be a balanced nutritious meal that people would want to eat for overall health, not a diet place, or a fad place, but a place for everyone to eat. Our goal is to have lifelong health, feel good, look good, for longevity; you want to walk your daughter down the aisle, to celebrate your 65th on the ski slope. What do you need nutritionally for lifelong
•
“Our entire menu is based on the Four Food Principles, the building blocks to any nutritious meal,” says Horowitz.
health?” The restaurateur says he and his partner, Scott Liebfried, turned to science and hired a licensed nutritionist. “With the information we collected from respected universities and institutions around the world, we created a nutritional charter that is the foundation of our menu.” The Four Food Principles are • balanced, a healthy balance of macro-nutrients, including carbs, fats proteins; • nutritious, in proportion to your daily recommended value, omega-3’s, fiber, fruits and/ or vegetables; • clean, no empty calories, no refined flours or sugars, only honey, agave or molasses, and they can't account for more than 5% of the calories of the total dish;
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pure: “Our protein, our fish, poultry, shellfish – none of it has ever been treated with antibiotics or hormones, and our tofu is organic and GMO-free.” Whether patrons are ordering soup, salad or a sandwich, the whole menu adheres to these principles, says Horowitz. ReViver was designed by NYC based, TPG Architecture and the firm was given a strict mandate: the design and graphics had to speak to healthy, fresh and made-to- order food, while avoiding the predictable healthy restaurant clichés like organic, fruit colored or salad-obsessed. The designers took the challenge seriously; as Alec Zaballero, Studio Head of the Retail Group explains, “This design space and the visual language around food is already crowded; red and yellow mean fast, brown is burgers, green means salad.” The team - the designers and the very hands-on owners, Todd, Scott and a third owner, Bill McDermond - eschewed bamboo, stock photography, any cliché around health or spa restaurants, and spoke at length about what they did NOT want. What resulted was a clean, primarily white,1,200 square-foot storefront with colorful graphics and seating for 14. The signature color is an iconic, saturated blue that feels very new; it subtly says crisp modern and
suggests a scientific approach. The graphics are appropriately organized to underscore and support the messaging. TPG Architecture’s scope of work included a full corporate identity: interior design, logo, graphics (signage, menus), all promotional material, uniforms, and packaging. Not surprisingly, TPG’s Graphics Group used food cues to stay on message: the red is very tomato-y, the yellow is golden, and there are two greens, an olive and a leafy one. “Our client in this case was very messagedriven, and the graphics support that message,” says Gladys Yue, Associate Principal, Director of Branding and Graphics, “Everything we did reinforces ReViVer’s message of health, thoughtful meal combinations, balance, flavor and nutrition.” From 8th Avenue, the facade is clear and simple, with a bold blue entry portal and large windows that allow people to see into the kitchen, an experience important to the owners. There are explanatory menus and notes above and next to the service counter, set back from the front door. A large menu board covers most of the left wall; it describes every meal, the ingredients and derivation. It’s unusual for a small food venue to have multiple grills – there are five at ReViVer – but because every order is cooked to order, the owners insisted on having that capacity. Gary Jacobs of Jacobs Doland Beer was the equipment consultant. The pickup window, behind and to the left of the front counter, allows guests to hang out and learn more about the restaurant philosophy, again, via a series of graphics: why the owners founded ReViVer, the food scoring system, and other food facts. Everywhere the messages of thoughtful eating, health and balance are reinforced, as TPG tells the ReViVer story in an original way.
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// FOODSERVICE REAL ESTATE
WITH COLBY SWARTZ
"The Pace of Business" I recently returned last week from 14 days of traveling throughout Europe.
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fter eating and drinking my way thru London, Paris, Reims and a few other small towns in Europe, it solidified the notion of what I always preach to my international clients, the pace of business here in NYC is fast and nimble. As a hospitality/franchise advisor and commercial real estate broker, 50% of my business is assisting well
Colby Swartz Director of Suzuki Capital Development, Financing, and Hospitality Brokerage cswartz@suzukicapital.com
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known foreign food and beverage brands expand to the United States, that of which NYC tends to be the first stop for their new flagship location. Almost every foreign establishment that has huge goals and dreams of expanding their brand wants to have a storefront in NYC, but it comes at a cost, no pun intended. Throughout my trip to Europe meeting clients and after meeting several restaurant groups in town from Asia, it has solidified what I have already known. I have continued to preach to clients of mine over my career, get use to the pace of business in NYC, not just from a hospitality standpoint, but a real estate stand point, which I was reassured what I am preaching is
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// NEWS
EXPANSION
ICE’S Lower Manhattan Expansion Plans Unveiled New York City’s oldest culinary school is about to become its newest. In January, The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) will be moving from its longtime home at 50 West 23rd Street to 225 Liberty Street in Brookfield Place.
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he new Lower Manhattan location will extend over 74,000 square feet, with Hudson River views to the west and World Trade Center views to the east. For ICE, the 20 year lease at this expansive new facility is the keystone in a long range mission to serve as one of the world’s most significant and successful centers for culinary education. At present, ICE’s wide range of programs already distinguishes the school among culinary institutions. While the school’s main focus and the majority of teaching is devoted to award-winning diploma programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Culinary Management and Hospitality Management, the school also maintains an active special events division and offers what is considered America’s largest “handson” recreational cooking program. The move comes at a good time for ICE and the culinary industry at large, as demand for well-trained culinary professionals has never been greater. The widespread pressure on restaurateurs and chefs to find skilled help has generated an increasing interest in ICE. Commenting on school growth, ICE President
For ICE, the 20 year lease at this expansive new facility is the keystone in a long range mission to serve as one of the world’s most significant and successful centers for culinary education.
Rick Smilow reports, “2014 will break our prior records for career student enrollment.” ICE was founded in 1975 as Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School. The school’s early home was in Kump’s own kitchen, followed by a three-story walk-up on East 92nd Street. In 1999, the school moved to 50 W. 23rd Street, and there have since been three expansions at that Chelsea location. Over the course of
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those expansions, the school landed on six non-contiguous floors—a challenge for any culinary business. In researching a new location for the school, Smilow notes that one of the primary selling points of Brookfield Place was the opportunity to house all of the school’s 13 teaching kitchens, six lecture halls and its stewarding department on a single floor. “Having all school operations on one floor will result in a level of energy,
activity and community that will enhance the learning experience for all our students and customers.” In addition to its impressive architectural design, the new facility will feature a wide range of unique features, equipment and spaces. This includes an indoor hydroponic herb garden and vegetable farm, facilities for professional study of mixology and charcuterie production, a Culinary Technology Lab equipped with the leading modernist cooking equipment, as well as a rotisserie, plancha, tandoor and stone hearth oven. Pastry chefs will also enjoy the school’s investment in an artisanal chocolate studio, featuring the full range of “bean to bar” equipment. In ICE’s teaching kitchens, the highest standard of professional equipment has been selected to enhance the depth and breadth of learning. Every culinary kitchen is equipped with gas, induction and French top burners, representing the leading professional cooking methods from across the globe. ICE Vice President of Education Richard Simpson adds, “Outside of America, induction and French top are the most common culinary equipment and we thought it wise to have our future students gain exposure to these methods.” As for curriculum delivery, ICE is already one of the first culinary schools in the nation to use iPads to distribute textbooks, lesson plans and recipes, and the new school will further evolve this interface for increased creativity, connectivity and communication between students and faculty. Beyond equipment and specialty kitchens, ICE’s new home is de-
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// C-CAP TRADE TALK Cesar Gutierrez,
WITH JOYCE APPELMAN
Executive Chef at Lexington Brass Just two years ago, Cesar Gutierrez was a line cook at the popular Midtown-East eatery Lexington Brass. Now, at the tender age of 24, he has worked his way up the restaurant ranks to become Executive Chef. And yet, this trajectory is hardly surprising for this extraordinary young man.
O
n the streets at age 12, he fell into gang life, sold drugs, and ended up in prison. When Cesar returned to high school, he enrolled in C-CAP and was quick to excel, winning a full-tuition scholarship to The French Culinary Institute, and later, the Daniel Boulud/CCAP Scholarship to the Institut Paul
Joyce Appelman, New York, NY j oyc e a p p e l m a n @ g m a i l .c o m
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Bocuse in Lyon, France where he spent five weeks learning authentic French cuisine. Cesar has worked at many of New York’s finest restaurants including Daniel, Picholine, Lyon Bouchon Modern, BLT Prime, and Feast & Fetes Catering, and has staged at highly ranked restaurants across France and Brazil. In his new role as Executive Chef, Cesar is mentoring the next generation of CCAP interns and alumni. You recently took on the role of Executive Chef at Lexington Brass. What have you learned about being a leader? Being a leader takes many hats (teacher, counselor, babysitter, business man, Chef). It’s definitely tough trying to balance the best interest of the business while trying to keep everyone happy. Ultimately I have learned that you have to be strong, focused, and be able to have
the confidence to take risks.
dictive—kind of reminds me of a chicharrón.
How important is mentorship in developing a workforce? It is extremely important! You need to be able to mentor and nourish your staff with knowledge so they can have the tools to succeed, not only with you but wherever they may go. What makes a good dining experience? All the little things done right! Everything from how you walk in, to determining if [the diners] are lefty or righty, to the order taking and kitchen timing. It’s all the little things done right, but it should all seem effortless. What is your favorite dish on the menu at Lexington Brass right now, and why?
What are some of your favorite meals to cook for yourself? I love to make simple but very flavorful meals. Such as a roast chicken, tacos, and soup. You can literally make a soup out of anything.
At the tender age of 24, Cesar has worked his way up the restaurant ranks to become Executive Chef
Black sushi rice chips. I love it because it came from one of my cooks overcooking the rice and ruining it. I refused to throw it out and wound up coming up with this chip. It’s super crunchy and ad-
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What are a few of your favorite flavor combinations? Burnt onions and vinegar; fermented black beans and orange juice; thyme, butter and garlic; passion fruit and coconut. If you could go anywhere in the world for culinary travel, where would you go?
I would go to Peru. They have such a plethora of ingredients, a great history of culture, and so many bold and different flavor combinations. What does success look like to you? I measure success in a few ways: being able to cook at a very high level and having someone pay me to do so. When I have a new cook and I get to develop them and watch them grow. Watching the bottom line increase every month. Name one kitchen tool or gadget you can’t do without. My spoon. It’s an extension of me; with it I can taste, baste, flip, pull, plate, sauce, bang it on my station when there is too much noise, and most importantly, eat. The spoon is so versatile.
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// ON LOCATION
MADE IN NEW YORK
Rockland Bakery Combines Old World Artisan Baking With State Of The Art Technology For restaurateurs and foodservice operators looking for handmade whole wheat bastone or sesame Ficelle, or any other kind of artisanal bread, the Rockland Bakery delivers fresh products 365 days a year to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and lower Massachusetts.
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he bakery, which was established over 75 years ago, was purchased by the Battaglia family in 1986 and since then, it has received numerous awards, recognitions, and been featured on television shows like, "Good Morning America.” Rockland Bakery started with one small bakery and one truck, and now has five baking facilities in the New York and New Jersey area. Defining itself as one of the largest bakeries in the Northeast, the Rockland Bakery
The firm's football filed sized automated baking facility has enabled it to respond to the needs of its largest customers
has over 100 trucks on the road and four distribution centers, delivering its baked goods over 200 routes in six states. The firm's football-field-sized automated baking facility has enabled it to respond to the needs of its largest
customers. The bakery's clients include small cafés, hotels, and corporate institutions, as well as foodservice management companies, including Aramark, Compass and Sodexo. Rockland Bakery also serves Yankee Stadium, Citi
Rockland Bakery has built a reputation with Northeast food service professionals for rolls and baked goods that feature quality and consistency
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Field, Sands Casino Pa, West Point Academy and Rutgers University. One of the Nanuet, NY-based firm's specialties is individual slice and roll packaging for foodservice customers. A key to the company's baking process is the cooling of dough and finished product. And its dedicated sales professionals, including Lester Schwartz, bring the legendary bakery's passion to its restaurant and B&I clientele. In 2006, the Battaglia brothers purchased Pechter’s Bakery in Harrison NJ. In 2010, Rockland purchased Sabrett Baking. The following year in 2011, Rockland acquired Voila Sweets, located in New York City, bringing to all its commitment to consistency and quality. Each year the bakery donates to its community through religious and non-religious organizations, schools and events. In 2001, one of its proudest moments came when Rockland Bakery was recognized by NYU Downtown Hospital for providing products to many rescuers of 9/11.
Dedicated sales professionals including Lester Schwartz bring the legendary bakery's passion to their restaurant and B&I clientele
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// MEET THE NEWSMAKER
JESSAMYN RODRIGUEZ
Harlem Program Combining Bread Baking Skills With Life Skills Brings World Of Artisan Flavors To Metro NY Food Service Community The UN and baking might not come to mind as a traditional partnership but Jessamyn Rodriguez is using her commitment to social justice, immigrant justice and the rights of women, along with her passion for good food, to create a social-purpose bakery, Hot Bread Kitchen, in New York City.
"I
worked at the UN on immigrant-related issues, and I decided to start Hot Bread Kitchen to help women get better jobs in food management. So I learned to build the skills I needed,” she says. In most parts of the world, women bake bread but it's the men in Europe and North America who are getting all the jobs, she notes. “I'm helping women with the passion and skills in the culinary arts to leverage those skills and get good living-wage jobs in good companies where they can grow professionally.” Rodriguez says the bakery looks for women who have the passion, skill and interest in the culinary arts, and also, the physical stamina and work ethic to be successful in this work. She gets her students from community partners, the organizations in Manhattan working hard to get people good jobs. In addition, she gets referrals from other women in the program. “No one knows better than they do the kinds of women who do well in our unique training program,” she says. “And finally, we're in this interesting,
“These are women who think and enjoy food, not necessarily having the hard baking skills but are women who bake every day before they come to work, baking bread in a bakery all day,” says Rodriguez.
quirky space under the train tracks in Harlem and East Harlem, areas of high unemployment where people need jobs. We've started to establish our reputation as a place in the community where you can get training or get hired. We've had more and more walk-ins – people who heard we're doing training here for something really
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good.” Ideally, candidates make bread at home. “But not all women in the program bake, so really my thesis is that people are successful if they're interested in the work they're doing,” Rodriguez says. “These are women who think and enjoy food, not necessarily having the hard baking skills but are
women who bake every day before they come to work, baking bread in a bakery all day,” says Rodriguez. Shimme, Senior Director of Operations at Hot Bread Kitchen adds, “You just need to be passionate about food. The timing and math comes later. You can teach someone how to shape and what the dough should feel like coming out of the mixer. Those are all hard skills, which are easier to learn. But the softer side, someone who wants to be in the kitchen, who is passionate about food, and bread and interested in seeing the transformation take place from a bag of flour into a loaf of bread. That's what we're looking for.” What makes good bread? “The whole interesting thing about bread is, it's as individual as anything. We have 70 different products, and everyone loves them each like they were their child,” says Rodriguez. “Great bread is versatile. It's a vehicle for all wonderful things but it also needs to be delicious and stand on its own. Great bread is chewy, crusty, soft, or tough. It's all these things.” To replicate bread made in certain countries in a commercial kitchen took a lot of R&D, Shimme says. “We've done that with our chapati. One of our employees makes it for her family every day, and we tweaked it to make it work in our commercial kitchen. Most things we can get to work, other things take time to be perfected. If it's a great product, and you believe in it, you'll find a way to make it work.” The two are particularly proud of one student who moved on from the program, who started with few English skills and no commercial food history at all who learned how to mix and bake. “And now she's at a large chain grocery store where she's able to transfer her skills into cookies and cakes and butter cream, and she just made employee of the fiscal quarter,”
says Shimme. “They're even encouraging her to move up into a buyer's position, and she's only been there six months. What women in the program are learning is how to make bread but they’re all transferable skills. Our goal is to help our students go into any kitchen and be able to adapt because of the knowledge they’ve gained at Hot Bread Kitchen.” The bakery sells its breads at 12 different green markets in three boroughs each week, and does wholesale distribution either through contract drivers or distributors. “We have 70 wholesale merchants right now,” says Rodriguez. She says they have one main distributor, and are working with another to get into the corporate, Sodexo-run market. “We're always open to finding new modes to get products to customers. We want to expand north to Connecticut and down to Pennsylvania.” The bakery's most popular breads are its ethnic breads, as well as more
Jessamyn Rodriguez is using her commitment to social justice, immigrant justice and the rights of women, along with her passion for good food, to create a social-purpose bakery, Hot Bread Kitchen, in New York City
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traditional artisanal ones. “One of our highest moving products is our M'smen, a buttery, flaky Moroccan flatbread, but, our handmade multigrain hand loaf is by far one of our highest-selling breads. Our product line is a really healthy mix of the unique and everyday, and that's what's attractive about the breads we're putting out there. We can offer such a wide variety, but there's also a safety net so customers know they can
get a more traditional bread and some breads maybe a customer can experiment with,” says Shimme. As for the future, Rodriguez says the bakery is getting its program in New York City to scale in the next five years, hopes to expand and replicate it in other cities. “We plan to take our unique product line and really important training program elsewhere,” she says.
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// NEWS
CUSTOM FUNDING SOLUTIONS
Can Capital Brings Portfolio Of Custom Funding Solutions To Metro NYC Restaurateurs So you want to add a patio but you just finished paying off your vent-less cook top and the money just isn't there.
C
an Capital Inc. is used to working with restaurants in this situation. They provide funding to small businesses, focusing on foodservice. And they've
provided access to $4 billion over the years, according to chief marketing officer James Mendelsohn. Mendelsohn says Can Capital is an outgrowth of a larger company that's
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been in business for over 16 years, a capital access network comprised of a number of operating companies, each focused on a specific product. “We realized having multiple brands was cre-
ating confusion for our customers and associates so we decided, as part of our mission to get more access to capital for small businesses, to have a single brand, and we rebranded ourselves as Can Capital,” he notes. The company supplies money to small business in two ways – access to loans and merchant cash advances. And it's easy to apply. Simply go to its Web site, www.cancapital.com. “It couldn't be simpler to apply,” says Mendelsohn. “Whether you go to our Web site or call us on the phone, it will take 10 minutes to process an application, in most cases. We can actually present an offer to a foodservice operator right on the phone, in that 10-minute application process. If there's documentation we need, or copies of bank
statements or drivers' licenses, someone can upload or email that information to us. Everyone has busy schedules, so we try to make it as simple as possible. We can process applications quickly and get funds to a business in a day or two.” When the company started, it was only working with restaurants. “Now 20% of our volume comes from restaurants but because we've done so many transactions with restaurants, we know that industry so well, we can approve applications more quickly, and create better funding products for them – higher loan sizes or superior terms, compared to other types of businesses in our portfolio,” he adds. “We very typically hear two common opportunities, an expansion opportunity, where an operator can get into a larger space or build a patio or buy an additional piece of equipment. In those transactions, it's a really positive thing. We can very quickly facilitate the operator taking advantage of that opportunity for payback, in terms of the ROI the operator gets. If you want to build a patio and put four more tables on it, the revenue you're going to generate will be incremental to the business, with more going to offset the funding with us,” Mendelsohn explains. Another common need for funding is when operators have a real short-term crunch. “A cooler breaks or when Hurricane Sandy hit, we had businesses in the New York area that needed help, so we can actually help the business having the unplanned crunch. There are all kinds of situations where we can help someone through a short-term emergency,” he says. Mendelsohn says the company has a very large commitment to the foodservice industry. “We like to continue to grow both our number of customers and those who come back to us. Three out of four customers come back to us. Foodservice is absolutely a focus for us.” How restaurants pay it back is simple. “One of the things we pioneered
Can Capital Inc. is used to working with restaurants in this situation. They provide funding to small businesses, focusing on foodservice. And they've provided access to $4 billion over the years, according to chief marketing officer James Mendelsohn.
when we started the company was to offer a daily remittance platform. Depending on the product, they're paying every day and that's the real advantage. Essentially, they're paying out of the performance they're getting from the expansion,” he says. The company's two products work differently, “The business loan feels like a familiar loan. There's a fixed payment remitted daily from the restaurant's bank account. The second kind, the merchant cash advance, is not a loan. It's a purchase of receivables, so that is paid on a fixed percentage basis,” he says. “The payment fluctuates with the restaurant's sales. That's remitted out of the credit card processing, so when they settle with the acquirer, there's a split of the proceeds. The daily remittance comes to us and the remainder goes into their processing account.” Restaurant operators are some of the busiest people on the planet, Mendelsohn says. “Working with us is incredibly easy. Even at 2 in the morning, they can go on the application site, go all the way through, get the loan processed and funded, just like that. If they want to talk to us on the phone, we can be very flexible. We make it very easy for the operator.” Mendelsohn says Can Capital is an accelerant to an operator's ability to grow. “To add menu items, equipment, refresh décor, we make it very simple
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and easy versus going to a bank or other source of capital. It's a lot faster to work with us and take advantage of that opportunity.” The company can do it all so fast because it has the advantage of being one of the most experienced providers
in the space, he points out. “We understand the category, and understand small business in general, but restaurant operators in particular, so we really know what we're looking for. Our risk models leverage 16 years of daily transactional data from a variety of different businesses across a lot of markets so we can very quickly determine a business' profile for our product. It's not about your FICO score. It's about the business performance and how we can look at it very, very quickly that sets us apart.” To get the word out about the company's services, it does direct mail and digital marketing. “We go to trade shows for small business. We're always looking for more ways to reach the restaurant community,” he says. “We have a great product, a terrific success story, with over 5,000 different restaurants, and it would be wonderful for us to expand that.”
BOOTH
#1548
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// NEWS
NYS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
Sometimes Holiday Drinks Are Not a Cause for Celebration Restaurants are always in search of ways to bring more guests in, sell more, and obtain higher check averages.
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ucceeding in these three goals benefits everyone. The restaurant increases traffic, the house makes more money and the waitstaff gets a better tip. Typically a way to sell more to your customer is by upselling drinks with the meal. A couple having dinner that costs $50.00 could easily double or even triple a check total just by having a few cocktails during the meal. With the holiday season, twotops quickly change to four, six, tentops or more, and that means more sales. This is a time for signature cocktails, cordials with dessert, and open bar tabs for holiday parties. People are in the holiday spirit and want to celebrate at your restaurant. However, the party does come to an end and when the evening’s festivities are over it’s time to head home. So who has the keys? Who drank too much? Who may injure someone or themselves on the way home? If you think that none of these questions pertain to you or your staff you’re mistaken. The Dram Shop Act places liability on the drinking establishment for third-party damages done by anyone served that is already intoxicated
This is a time for signature cocktails, cordials with dessert, and open bar tabs for holiday parties. People are in the holiday spirit and want to celebrate at your restaurant. or under the legal drinking age. In New York, patrons themselves cannot hold the restaurant or bar liable, but the third party that was injured by the patron can. Also, failure to act could result in loss of your liquor license, increased insurance costs or worse. So whether your restaurant is in New York State or not, responsible alcohol service is simply a safe and effective practice for your establishment. Implementing an alcohol service policy that your staff adheres to is a great way to get started. Tracking the amount of drinks served and asking,
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“Is this the second time I dropped off a round of champagne to table 46, or the fifth?” allows the wait staff to know right away if a table should be
monitored or even cut off. Trust your staff, and stand behind them when they make the call to no longer serve a customer. The National Restaurant Association’s Responsible Alcohol Service class is a resource available to help you and your staff not only look for signs of intoxication but learn how to deal with such situations effectively. Being aware of who has had enough and maintaining a level of responsible alcohol service will keep you, your staff, your customer, and the roads safer this holiday season. Contact the NYS Restaurant Association at 800-452-5212 or info@ nysra.org to find ServSafe Alcohol Classes. Or visit www.nysra.org.
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// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
The 2014 Greenwich Wine & Food Festival Wraps With Highest Attendance To Date The 2014 Greenwich Wine&food Festival, presented by Serendipity, a three-day event that benefited Paul Newman’s The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
The fourth annual GREENWICH WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL presented by Serendipity magazine and benefits Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall
Gang Camp, took place Thursday, September 25 – Saturday, September 27 at the Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, Conn. The
festival featured a Raw Bar wine tasting on Thursday, September 25, the Most Innovative Chefs Gala on Friday, September 26 and the Culi-
nary Village on Saturday, September 27. “We’re so excited to be back for our fourth year, honoring and celebrating the area’s culinary community, while raising money for an amazing, local charity,” said Suni Unger, Founder & CEO of Unger Publishing, the publisher of Serendipity magazine. “As the festival continues to grow, we had a number of new events and new faces that debuted this year, mixed in with many new and returning food and wine vendors.” The official weekend kickoff on Thursday evening brought the First Annual Raw Bar wine tasting to the festival. The evening’s events were held at L’escale Restaurant in Greenwich.
(L-R) Greenwich became the center of the foodservice world as Geoffrey Zakarian, Rui Correia (Douro Restaurant) , Plan B Burger Bar winners, Anne Burrell, John Stage, Adam Richman & Joe Campanale took center stage
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The official weekend kickoff on Thursday evening brought the First Annual Raw Bar wine tasting to the festival. The evening’s events were held at L’escale Restaurant in Greenwich.
The Most Innovative Chefs Gala on Friday evening, with special guests Geoffrey Zakarian and JeanGeorges, featured the 2014 Most Innovative Chef winners from restaurants across Fairfield and Westchester Counties, as well as JeanGeorges, who served an incredible tasting menu. The evening also included elite wines, premium liquor, an exclusive auction and a live musical performance by Marshall Tucker Band. On Saturday, the Culinary Village, the center of the entire GREENWICH 2014 WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL, offered tastings and demonstrations from more than one hundred food, wine, spirits and product vendors. Culinary demonstration tents and stages housed cooking presentations by celebrity chefs and local talent. Guests also enjoyed sommelier presentations, a beer garden, celebrity chef book signings, the third annual Burger Battle, BBQ Pit Masters’ Tasting Tent and live musical performances by Alabama. For the first time this year, the event includes a Top Bartender Showdown, Food Truck Corner and a special
ticketed event, Tequila and Tostadas hosted by Aaron Sanchez. Demos were conducted by celebrity chefs including Anne Burrell, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Adam Richman, Emma Frish, Aaron Sanchez, Geoffrey Zakarian and Nicole Gaffney. Local chefs included Rafael Palomino (Bistro Latino), Fjord Fish Market, Tim Labant (Schoolhouse at Cannondale), Gretchen Thomas (Barcelona), Marc Stroobandt, Joe Campanale, Ketel One, Ryan Fibiger (Craft Butchery), John Stage (Dinosaur BBQ) and Kathie Lee Gifford (GIFFT Wines). The list of chefs who served on Friday’s Chefs Gala included: Devin Bozkaya, The Bedford Post Inn, Bedford, New York; Gustave Christman, Harvest Wine Bar and Restaurant, Greenwich, Conn.; Samantha Eichenberg, The Dessertist, Westchester, New York; Blake Farrar, The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges, Pound Ridge, New York; Giorgio Giacinto, Da Giorgio, New Rochelle, New York; Anthony Goncalves, 42, White Plains, New York; Nicholas Martschenko, South End, New Canaan, Conn.; Chaz Mazas, Mama’s Boy Southern Table and Refuge, South Norwalk, Conn.; Forrest Pasternack, Bailey’s Backyard, Ridgefield, Conn.; Reuben Palma, Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse, Greenwich, Conn.; Christian Petroni, Fortina, Armonk, New York; Nancy Roper, TRUCK restaurant, Bedford, New York; David Synder, Char, Greenwich, Conn. and Adam Truelove, Napa & Co., Stamford, Conn. 100% of the festival’s net proceeds benefit The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, an organization dedicated to providing healing to children and their families coping with cancer, sickle cell anemia and other serious illnesses.
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// NEWS
HEALTHCARE
Leading Corporate & Healthcare Dining Professionals Set to Meet At Mohegan Sun For SHFM’S 35th Anniversary Conference The Society for Hospitality & Foodservice Management (SHFM), the preeminent national association serving the needs and interests of executives in the corporate foodservice and hospitality industry, will host its annual conference November 4 – 6 in Uncasville, Connecticut, at the Mohegan Sun Hotel & Spa.
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ith a theme of Envision the Future: Celebrating our Legacy, Crafting our Destiny, this 35th Anniversary conference will feature an exciting new futurefocused element – the SHFM Scholarship Showdown. The SHFM Scholarship Showdown, a student culinary competition, modeled after several popular TV series, will culminate with a scholarship for the final winner. Celebrity Chef Marc Forgione will serve as one of the judges for the competition, while experienced competition host Chef Jet Tila will MC the event. Some of the contenders for the SHFM Scholarship Showdown include: Emeril Lagasse Scholar Matthew McDonald. McDonald, named Student Culinarian of the Year by ACF is a Culinary/FSM Major at Johnson & Wales University. McDonald and his team prepared and presented gold medal-winning cold food platters at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) culinary salon in New York, NY. The Culinary Institute of America student and Dallas, Texas native 104 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Acenette Gonzalez. Gonzalez completed an externship at the restaurant Sugarri in Hondarribia, Spain, only to return and compete in the San Pellegrino Almost Famous chef competition – and winning overall signature dish nationwide. In addition to serving as a supervisor at one of the UMASS Amherst retail dining locations, Josh Perilli has owned his own painting business for years. Perilli will graduate in the spring of 2015 and plans to be an entrepreneur in the arena of hospitality management. “The mission of the SHFM Foundation is to provide opportunities and support in the form of scholarships for the next generation of corporate foodservice and hospitality leaders,” says Matthew Merson, SHFM Foundation Chair. “While the Showcase will highlight the skills of these students, the silent auction that will be happening during the competition will allow the Foundation to continue to build our industry.” “As we look back at SHFM’s history during our 35th Anniversary conference – and the ways in which our members and association im-
pact the productivity and morale of millions of workers every day – we are also looking ahead,” says Sabrina Capannola, SHFM President. “I am so excited to introduce this new component to the 2014 conference. These students represent the future of our industry and we hope to hear more from them and their peers at our 40th Anniversary conference!” In addition to the Scholarship Showdown, SHFM’s 35th Anniversary conference will feature educational seminars on professional development and industry issues, interactive events, networking opportunities, and national speakers. Conference registration is open on the SHFM conference website. The Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management is a preeminent national association serving the needs and interests of executives in the corporate foodservice and workplace hospitality services. SHFM’s principal role is to enhance the ability of our members to achieve career and business objectives in an ethical, responsible and professional climate.
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// NEWS
NYS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
NYS Restaurant Assocation Fighting For Issues That Benefit Restaurants If you're thinking of opening a restaurant in New York State, or expanding, or just have a question about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) might affect your business, the NYS Restaurant Association has all the answers for you.
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ccording to Chris Hickey, regional director of New York City for the NYS Restaurant Association, the organization has been around since 1935 and, in the 1960's under executive vice president Fred Sampson, became involved in advocacy in government, education and cost-savings benefits to members. “Under Fred, we began to take a more active role in advocacy – first, the minimum wage order, then the FDA and health standards,” says Hickey. Over time the membership benefits program was added, which included cost-saving services, as well as education, and when Rick Sampson, Fred's son, took over in 1994, the NYS Restaurant Association grew into what it is today, a huge organization that helps restaurateurs succeed. A year ago, Melissa Autilio Fleischut became president and chief executive officer, moving the association forward strategically, he notes. “When you get down to brass tacks, we're the official voice for the 50,000 restaurants statewide,” Hickey says. “When you're a member with us, you have a voice in the industry. We fight for
Chris Hickey, Regional Director of New York City for the NYS Restaurant Association
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you, on the issues. If you want to open a restaurant, you could walk in our doors with no experience, no knowledge of how to run or operate one and we could provide you with all the tools, all the contacts, all the education and you'd be able to run your own restaurant in no time. That's the attitude we create. When you're a member, we're the one-stop shop for restaurants. Our mission is to help restaurants succeed.” In terms of advocacy, Hickey says there are a lot of issues that restaurants face on a day-to-day basis, like dealing with health departments, environmental protection and in New York City, the consumer affairs bureau, and different regulatory agencies. “We make sure we're fighting for issues that benefit restaurants,” he says. “We're working right now on a new wage order for the hospitality industry. It's been a big challenge. We're there, giving our testimony, making sure restaurant opinions get heard. We work through government as much as possible to ensure these issues are ruled in our favor at the end of the day. We're here to benefit restaurant owners and the industry. We're the voice for them, putting our best foot forward. We're fighting for your best interests.” Where education is concerned, when members join the NYS Restaurant Association, they also become members of the National Restaurant Association (NRA), as well. “The NRA has its own education arm, but we do things like the ServSafe responsible alcohol and allergy programs, the ServSafe nationally recognized health regulations program that every restaurant in NYC has to have certification in. We educate restaurants in New York City about all the things they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, like ACA. It's a touchy subject for some restaurants, there are different caveats. We bring in people
who specialize in it – this is what you need to do, the requirements you need to fulfill. We had 50 restaurant groups come in,” Hickey says. This month's program is about do-ityourself PR. “Create your own marketing and social media presence. We help restaurants do it all.” The association has also held programs on real estate, how to correctly cost out a menu, beverage solutions, and other important topics. One of the things the NYS Restaurant Association is most proud of is its Green Hospitality Initiative program. Restaurants which obtain a grant from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) get a free energy audit and the organization can send someone in, look through a restaurant's entire set-up, and find point-by-point opportunities where the restaurant can become a more green operation. “We provide one-on-one training with you, if you want to be part of the initiative,” Hickey says. “It boils down to energy, waste, conservation, making sure you're using the right kind of chemicals, not wasting water, providing energy-efficient solutions and disposing of everything properly, recycling the right items, disposing of grease properly, etc. We really focus on this.” In Manhattan the NYS Restaurant Association also partnered with the New York City DEP water challenge. “Last year the DEP paired with major hotels in the city and did a 'water challenge' with them. To qualify, you needed to have a water meter from the department installed for at least a year, so you'd have data on your water consumption,” he says. “They challenged the major hotels in New York City to reduce their water consumption by 5 percent, using cost-savings solutions like not washing their sheets as much, not letting their water run, things like that. The hotels wound up reducing their water consumption by more than 5 percent, so now, it was such a success, it's moving on to the restaurant sector,” he says. “The DEP approached us, so we're
developing a guide that allows restaurants to use a bunch of cost-saving solutions to conserve water in their restaurants and challenging those who have this data to reduce their water consumption. We hope it will show other restaurants that they can do this, too. We have a lot of buy-in from members. We're not saving them just money but the environment, too.” Hickey says the NYS Restaurant Association hopes to have at least 30 restaurants within a year participating in the challenge. Another benefit of membership is finding out where restaurants can save money in their operations. “It's not sexy, payroll is not sexy. It's not something people find attractive, but payroll is a necessary expense,” he says. “So we partner with a major payroll company and they provide discounted services. We also provide full insurance. We have a whole wing that provides workers comp, health, disability and life insurance. We can save you a considerable amount of money by consolidating everything into our own service,” he says. Problems with staffing is another solution the organization offers. “It's such a huge subject in the industry. Turnover is rampant, and you have to treat it as a necessary evil. Finding and keeping the right people are the two biggest challenges restaurants face,” Hickey says. “So we pair with a job posting site that provides a link to a trusted source, at a discount, to valuable hospitality professionals.” Additional benefits include labor consulting, and two law firms that are retained, whose services are discounted for members, as well as merchant services that provide restaurant financing for new equipment, expanding the business, and music licensing, to help restaurateurs be able to play copyrighted music legally in their restaurants. “We're like a big bear who hugs everybody,” Hickey says. “We're going to help you out and make sure you get everything you need to succeed.”
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ICE, from page 83 signed with community in mind. At the geographic center of the school is a student lounge with floor-toceiling windows and views overlooking the Hudson. Students will also enjoy having access to Brookfield Place’s soaring, palm tree-filled Winter Garden atrium theatre and the complex’s five-acre outdoor plaza and marina. Construction is being managed by Tishman Interiors and executed by architectural firm TPG. For this build-out, kitchens will be equipped by veritable “who’s who” of leading American foodservice brands: commercial ranges from Jade and Southbend, convection ovens from Blodgett, hoods by Gaylord, refrigeration by Traulsen, and warewashing from Hobart, among others. In the school’s recreational cooking kitchens, BlueStar is the range of choice. What’s more, the move to Lower Manhattan puts ICE on the forefront of a trend in NYC real estate. Joining the ranks of major media companies, design firms and even high-end department stores, ICE is among the many companies infusing the burgeoning district with a distinct creative energy. Within Brookfield Place alone, ICE’s new neighbors include Time Publishing (Food & Wine, Time, People, Sports Illustrated), American Express and Bank of America. Brookfield has also attracted a range of highly acclaimed chefs to open restaurants in the complex. The line-up includes Joel Robuchon, Jose Garces and new outposts for popular NYC eateries Parm, Blue Ribbon Sushi and Dos Toros. Moreover, the complex will feature the acclaimed Hudson Eats food court and HPH Hospitality’s 23,000 square ft “Le District,” a French food market and café. On the retail side, tenants include Burberry, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hermes, Michael Kors and Ferragamo. Whether on a national or New York City level, it is very rare to 108 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
For this build-out, kitchens will be equipped by veritable “who’s who” of leading American foodservice brands: commercial ranges from Jade and Southbend, convection ovens from Blodgett, hoods by Gaylord, refrigeration by Traulsen, and warewashing from Hobart, among others.
find a school, let alone a culinary school, in a top tier, “class A” complex like Brookfield Place. However, for Brookfield, recruiting top tier food businesses was a clear project development goal. Paul Schulman, President of Brookfield’s U.S. Office Division commented, “Both as a destination and as evidence of the ongoing diversification happening downtown, we are excited to have ICE at Brookfield Place. We look forward to being the long term home of this vibrant and impressive center for culinary education.” Going forward, ICE anticipates that its new home will offer an expanded schedule of events, conferences, guest chef appearances and non-profit fundraisers, with active partnerships and projects already underway with IBM, the New York Jets, KitchenAid, Wusthof, American Express, City Harvest and the Union Square Hospitality Group. Smilow notes, “The team and faculty at ICE already have a distinguished track record of advancing culinary education and innovation. The move to our new home will only be a catalyst for more groundbreaking projects.”
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// NEWS
DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES
Imperial Bag & Paper Co., LLC Debuts State-of-the-Art LEED Certified Facility in Jersey City
Imperial Salesmen Larry Schneider with Representative Sean Brady and Sabert Representatives Tony Ajello and Kathy Deignan
“At Imperial, we differentiate our self from other distributors because of the value of service that we provide to our clients. Our goal has been to be able to support and continue to grow with our customers,” says CEO, Robert Tillis.
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mperial held the Grand Opening of their new home located on Route 440 in Jersey City early September 2014. It was a grand celebration for the completion of their new home. “We believe that with this facility we will be able to more than double our business in the future,” said President, Jason Tillis. The 535,000-square-foot building has more than 19 million cubic feet of storage space, 85 loading docks, 4.5 million pounds of steel racks, 95 pieces of material-handling equipment, 1 million cases of merchandise inventory and office accommodation for 225 people. Imperial’s commitment to technology now includes the ability to provide their customers with custom websites tied into the inventory system to maximize ordering efficiency. “We’ve made a major investment in technology with a team of IT professionals that are here 24/7 to support our customers,” Jason added. The company, which employs more than 425 drivers, warehouse, office employees and sales staff, is consolidating its four Bayonne loca-
tions into the Jersey City building. The 80-year-old company uses its 100 trucks to distribute its 20,000 different products from New England to Washington D.C. and uses a carrier service daily in order to ship Nationwide for all national accounts. “Jersey City was very welcoming and it was very hard to find a site that is 500,000-plus square feet so close to Manhattan,” said Jason Tillis said at the Grand Opening. “We hire locally whenever possible, we want to be a good neighbor and we will continue to grow our business.” “The new facility makes us much
President Jason Tillis with CEO Robert Tillis
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Imperial Bag & Paper’s Executive Officers (Todd Avery, not pictured)
more efficient,” says Robert Tillis. “By having the operation consolidated, it gives us a real advantage over the competition, just from a resources point of view. Also our new building is LEED Certified.” Imperial is now a leader in energy and environmental design. To receive LEED Certification a facility must undergo and satisfy all prerequisites to earn a number of points that best fit the building project needs; Imperial started this for their new warehouse from Day 1. Imperial also offers top of the line LEED Certified food packaging and janitorial products. “Many of our competitors boast
that they're in Westchester Tuesdays and Thursdays, in Queens on Friday, but the reality is that Imperial is in every area every day,” adds Jason. “We can offer next-day delivery to every single customer.” The company has also invested heavily in new technology to continue to support its clients. “We have a new ERP system,” says Jason. “Every case that goes out of the building is scanned. We have live stocking, which gives us zero errors. We've invested in state-of-the-art wrapping, all brand-new material handling equipment, which is all quickcharged. It takes only a matter of minutes to get back to a full charge. That saves time and effort, too.” “We're a service company,” says Robert, “and the facility allows us to be a better one. We have a very diverse customer base; we tackle all different markets, packer processors, supermarkets and retail. Many of our best clients we started out with, started as a single unit operation and that's what gets me excited. There's nothing better than growing with our clients. We like clients that want to grow with us.”
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// EVENTS International Chefs Congress Hosts Inaugural Brooklyn Event StarChefs.com celebrated its 9th Annual StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress in a new venue last month. After eight years in Manhattan, the event headed to the Brooklyn Expo Center.
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ttendees experienced this one of a kind culinary symposium that gathered more than 100 of the world's most innovative chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers to present the latest techniques and culinary concepts to their peers— all under the umbrella of this year's theme, Cooking Honest: The Power of Authenticity in the Kitchen. For three days, culinary professionals had the opportunity to attend Main Stage Demonstrations, Hands-on Savory, Pastry, and Mixology work-
Pastry Chef Courtney Weyl of wd~50 walks away winner of the 5th Annual Vitamix Challenge
shops, Wine Tasting Seminars, and Business Panels. Organizers Will Blunt and Antoinette Bruno once again created a line-up of presenters that reads like a who's who of the culinary world. The Main Stage featured Grant Achatz (Alinea), Christophe Adam (L'Éclair de Génie), Dan Barber (Blue Hill at Stone Barns), Steve Jones and Jonathan Bethony (The Bread Lab), Jamie Bissonnette (Toro), Gunnar Gislason (Dill), Will Goldfarb (Ku De Ta), George Mendes (Aldea), Masaharu Morimoto ( Japonais), Diego Muñoz
(Astrid y Gastón), Jaime Pesaque (Mayta), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Narisawa), Enrique Olvera (Cosme), Joan Roca (El Celler de Can Roca), Michael White, Gordon Finn and Jared Gadbaw (Altamarea Group). With a number of new conferences that debuted this year included the much talked about Welcome Conference in June, StarChefs bolstered its business curriculum. This year's event featured presentations from Kevin Boehm (Boka Restaurant Group), Mike Isabella (Graffiato), Mark Stone (MM
James Briscione of ICE welcomes attendees to the Main Stage on Day 1 of ICC
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Management), Antoinette Bruno (StarChefs.com), Michael Chernow (The Meatball Shop), James Mark (north), Marcus Samuelsson (Red Rooster Harlem), Will Blunt (StarChefs.com), Amanda Cohen (Dirt Candy), Michael Lynn (Cornell University), Bryan Dillon (Station Casinos), David Morgan (Omni Hotels), Brad Nelson (Marriott International), Daniel Krieger (Daniel Krieger Photography), David LeFevre (MB Post) and. Spike Gjerde (Woodberry Kitchen).
Chef Paul Liebrandt of The Elm demonstrates his Gold Bar/Black Eggplant on Day 1 of the StarChefs.com International Chef Congress
Sake experience at Saga City
Watson, from page 22 which surprisingly paired strawberries with mushrooms. The computer figured those ingredients would go well together because they contain a common flavor compound, g-dodecalactone. Abrams noted that studies have found Westerners tend to like ingredients with the same molecular basis, although people in other parts of the world favor more diverse fare. Although no restaurants are using Watson's recipes, some grocery and restaurant chains have expressed interest in the technology, Abrams said, adding that IBM hopes it results in food that satisfies peoples' dietary needs while also tasting good. Although Thailand's government recently unveiled a food-sampling robot with an electronic nose and tongue that purportedly can tell restaurants whether their Thai food is authentic, computer systems to help consumers cook have tended to be little more than bulky, hard-to-decipher recipe databases. That makes Chef Watson's ability to create new and sometimes bizarre food combinations unique. Moreover, many of its recipes have been successful, said Michael Laiskonis, the Institute of Culinary Education's creative director. "Most of the time it works, 90 percent easily," he said. "It's given us ingredients that we wouldn't normally associate with each other." Laiskonis envisions consumers one day walking into grocery stores armed with a Chef Watson-enabled smartphone and having the software quickly provide recipes for whatever food they consider buying. But for now, he said, IBM and the culinary institute plan something old-school to highlight the technology - a cookbook. "Some are very straightforward," he said of the Watson recipes in the soonto-be-published book. But others, he added, will be "a little more challenging to show how we've pushed the creativity of the system." 113 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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FURNITURE SOLUTIONS
Maywood Furniture Set To Debut Best Of Europe Bistro Line To US Market Times have changed. Where once a reception or party would be set up with tables and chairs for guests to sit down while having cocktails, today hosts want them to stand up and mingle.
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hat's good news for Maywood Furniture Corp., which makes tables for just this purpose that are also easy to fold, stack and store and are waterproof, for use outside as well as inside. “There are no parts to lose, and they're quite beautiful,” says Ken Persson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing. Long popular in Europe at cafes and bistros, now the 42-inch highboys, along with 30-inch lowboys, will be available in the U.S. “It's the material for the top of the table that makes it so durable,” he says. “It has a nice molded edge for strength.” The tables are only 24 pounds, making them light enough to carry up to four at a time. “And the base folds so they're flat and the top gets flipped over, so each one takes up just five inches of space. You can stack them up in a closet or hallway and rest one against another,” Persson adds. For storage, the legs fold together, and stay in place with a safety latch, while the flip top also has a latch that keeps the top in that exact position. “It doesn't move around when it's folded and stored,” he says. Persson says the tables are used equally both outdoors and inside. “We'll be selling these tables to hotels for indoor and outdoor use. We have three hotels ready to place orders,” he
“Everyone is trying to economize so you see lots of events being stand-up parties so people can mingle, go from one table to another,” says Persson. “It's much more popular today to have cocktail tables at this height – it forces people to stand and move around the room.” The base is made of 18-gauge steel tubing, with 1.125 round and rubber feet and a 26-inch spread. “This makes it very stable, actually more stable than the x pedestal base that many hotels and venues have,” Persson points out. “If something is spilled – food or wine – it's very easy to clean it,” he says.
notes. What makes the tables so popular is their tremendous flexibility, according to Persson. “They're perfect for weddings or other events. They're easy to configure, and easy for staff to set up and store.” Persson says the market for these types of tables are cafes, catering halls, country clubs, party rental, exposition, casinos and, of course, hotels. The 30-inch table is standard for dinner, while the 42-inch is for cocktails. “We think this will be popular in the rental, hospitality and foodservice industries,” he says. “It's a lot easier to set this table up at a large hotel or underneath a tent for a wedding, as opposed
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to a three-piece knock-down pedestal table, which has a base, a column that's tapered 30 or 42 inches high and then a plywood top to put linens on.” The really nice thing about Maywood's new tables is that they come in four colors – including a white marble, punti, metal brushed (gray metallic, with a molded gray edge) and pizarra. “You do not need any type of linens, so it will save the end user a lot of linen costs,” he says. The base for the table comes in black or silver and it's powder-coated. The 42-inch high table with the pizarra top in black is the most popular in Europe for weddings and outdoor events. “Everyone is trying to economize so
you see lots of events being stand-up parties so people can mingle, go from one table to another,” says Persson. “It's much more popular today to have cocktail tables at this height – it forces people to stand and move around the room.” The base is made of 18-gauge steel tubing, with 1.125 round and rubber feet and a 26-inch spread. “This makes it very stable, actually more stable than the x pedestal base that many hotels and venues have,” Persson points out. “If something is spilled – food or wine – it's very easy to clean it,” he says. The company is betting on the rental market. When the rental market takes off with products like this, Persson says, hotels, country clubs and catering halls see it and are more apt to buy it. The tables will be launched in the U.S. through the company's sales reps, who will receive a sample of the table. It will also be shown to major dealers, hotels in sales reps' territories, and advertised in major trade magazines, as well as at trade shows. The company also plans to use social media campaigns, and will display the tables at the International Hotel and Motel Restaurant Show Nov. 9-11 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, in booth 1648, as well as the National Restaurant Association exhibitions next year. “We're currently taking orders, and shipping by the end of October,” Persson says. “It's a few dollars more than the knock-down pedestal base, but it's worth it.” All tables come with a fiveyear warranty. Ken is excited about launching the tables in New York City. “Being in this industry for 30 years, we believe everything starts here. If it takes off here, it will really take off everywhere else.” For more information, call (800) 2386797 or sales@maywood.com.
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Bobrow, from page 24 created the impetus to make alcoholic beverages from locally produced ingredients. Apples are an important cash crop in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. I love the snap of flavor when you open a bottle of fermented sparkling apple cider. It doesn’t have to be alcoholic, but for my purposes it wouldn’t hurt! Sparkling Apple Cider is HOT insofar as trends go, but this refreshing beverage is anything from new! Farnum Hill in New Hampshire has revitalized the age-old art of making gently sparkling apple cider to a high art form. They make cider in the old English way with natural yeasts and the use of large bottles that seem to encourage sharing with friends. I’m a big fan of their products. Privateer Rum is carefully distilled on the north shore of Massachusetts is my choice for rum in this somewhat seasonal, pleasurable slurp. They take time to age their rum in barrels that formerly rested a variety of spirits; each has its own terroir and qualities. It’s not inexpensive rum, but most anything that is handcrafted is more expensive to produce. It is quality in every sip and I seem to be attracted to the process of making Privateer Rum because of this attention to detail. In keeping with the flavors of the season and with my palate moving closer to the wintertime, I’m encouraged to use products that resonate within my body along with my mind. Plus, it
will be frosty soon enough, so doesn’t it make sense to keep warm in your heart as well as fill your belly sufficiently with good cheer? It absolutely does. Back in the days before central heating made being below deck more uncomfortable, while toiling on ships, sailors did everything they could to keep warm when below deck on these vessels. Rum certainly played a major role into their everyday life along with applejack made from fermented and distilled apples. With the changing of the seasons, drinking beverages that speak to inner warmth is very kind indeed.
There is No Disguise… There is No Disguise is an unlikely name for a delicious combination of Farnum Hill Cider, Privateer Rum, Laird’s Apple Brandy and a pinch of curry powder. This cocktail speaks clearly of the fall with a hint of the exotic and mysterious curry powder. The slight fizz from the sparkling cider will more than please your tummy and fill your mind with possibilities. You might get a nice little buzz as well! Ingredients: • 4 oz. Farnum Hill Sparkling Cider • 1 oz. Privateer Rum • 1 oz. Laird’s Apple Brandy • pinch of curry powder
Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220 116 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Prep: 1. Fill a Collins glass with a spear of hand cut ice 2. Add both the rum and the apple brandy 3. Top with the sparkling cider 4. Add a pinch of curry powder 5. Stir and serve!
This may have ice, yet it is quite warming indeed! Warren Bobrow is a barman/author. He’s written for Whole Foods, Foodista, and Williams-Sonoma along with three books on mixology. Warren appeared in the Saveur 100. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
Anne-Sophie, from page 3 erything has to be built, it's the magnificent side of the project." Rents for this kind of space in this neighborhood start at around $50,000 a month and the venture is not without risk in a city, with thousands of restaurants where fashions come and go. Last month celebrity French chef Daniel Boulud downgraded, losing the third star he won in 2010 from the prestigious Michelin guide. "I am not coming into conquered territory! I'm aware that New York is a magical place, but difficult. My approach in coming here is to be humble," she said. She speaks English; she knows the city and stayed several months when she was a student. She likes the pace, the "good energy" and likes to visit with her husband, Davis Sinapian, Pic CEO. They are a couple who complement each other well: she does the food and he runs the business, which includes five restaurants, and employs 200 people. Another 100 staff will be added in New York. The crown jewels in their empire is Maison Pic, the family-run restaurant that Pic inherited after her father died, a three-star triumph in the southeastern French town of Valence. There is the one-star Dame de Pic in Paris and a two-star restaurant in Lausanne. "I find that the trends in New York are very close to French trends," Pic says, talking about passion for all things organic and growing interest in vegetables in Amer-
ica's largest city. "It corresponds to the evolution of my cuisine, I don't feel like it's a complete shift, even if I have a lot of things to learn." "What's important for me is to do things that I love, bring pleasure to people, to be in this sincerely," she said. She says her life is in Valence, where she is investing three million euros ($3.8 million) in a new, totally glass kitchen and a 60-squaremeter (646-square-foot) laboratory kitchen. A team will take care of the day to day running of the New York restaurant and she will stick to creating the menu. She will come "as often as necessary to ensure that the standard is consistent, as I do in the three other restaurants." She comes from a family of celebrated chefs. Grandfather Andre won three Michelin stars for Maison Pic in 1934 and father Jacques was made a three-star chef in 1973. She took over Maison Pic in 1998 after it was downgraded to two stars and won back the third star in 2007.
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Waldorf, from page 2 Anbang said the hotel would now undergo a "major renovation to restore it to its "historic grandeur." The hotel's food and beverage operation is currently co-managed by Gilbert Bolivar and Christopher Alexis. New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel holds a special place for many Chinese visitors starting at the very top. The diminutive Chairman Deng Xiaoping stayed at the hotel during his first trip to the United States in 1974, where then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger threw a banquet in his honor. Deng’s handpicked successors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao followed his example, as have luminaries including Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma, who used the glamorous venue to launch his recent IPO road show, attracting hundreds of investors.
Anbang also boasts an extremely well connected board, with many family members of notable government officials. A 2013 statement from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission lists Chen Xiaolu, the son of revolutionary general Chen Yi, on the board, as well as Wu Xiaohui as chairman. Wu is known for his merciless business style in Beijing, as well as his strong level of political support. The 83-year-old, 1,232 room Art Deco building will continue to be managed by the Hilton group. Hilton will renovate the property in the upcoming months. “Purchase of real estate, such as the extremely high-profile hotel, is an attempt to diversify portfolios in shaky times, Kevin Mallory, head of the hotels unit of commercial real
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estate brokerage CBRE Group Inc” noted. “We’ve seen a lot of wealth generated there over the last decade, and we see private investors diversifying their portfolio around the globe.” Other Chinese buyers have also recently expanded into New York’s real estate market. Last year, real estate firm SOHO China bought 40% of Manhattan’s General Motors building for $1.4 billion, which was the largest purchase in the United States before the Waldorf deal. Chinese Conglomerate Fosun International bought the towering Chase Manhattan Plaza tower for $725 million. Chinese buyers are now the top foreign investors in Manhattan real estate, reported Reuters in April.
Dana, from page 60 clients recover millions in tax deductions and save even more with proper planning and strategy tailored to restaurants. Our experience is specifically catered to the restaurant industry, and we can assist clients with financial and non-financial issues, ranging from key controls to general manger compensation plans. SS&G’s full scope of restaurant service offerings include audits, reviews, compilations, tax planning and compliance, cost segregation studies, business valuations, litigation support, business plans, forecasts and projections, obtaining financing, benchmarking, and tip reporting and compliance. We have a restaurant specific blog, offer webinars, and provide Second Course services – a complimentary double-check on some of your company’s most important financial documents to make sure you aren’t missing any valuable tax opportunities. On top of all that, SS&G offers restaurant industry financial executives the opportunity for handson learning. Our Restaurant CFO Bootcamp®, which takes place several times a year in Las Vegas, Chicago, and New York City, serves up an intense study of restaurant financial management with a focus on unique aspects of the industry. And our Restaurant CFO Roundtables are unique networking and learning opportunities that offer the chance to mix, mingle, and share success stories and strategies with peers at a luncheon hosted by SS&G. Where did all of this experience, knowledge, and expertise come from? Our story begins back in 1968, when a group of entrepreneurialminded CPAs got together and grew a small, two partner firm in Cleveland, Ohio, into the 37th largest accounting firm in the U.S. Over the past 45 years the firm has expanded
to include nearly 600 total professionals who work out of 10 offices in three states. Now, clients – including those in the restaurant industry – in almost every state and in countries around the world trust SS&G with their accounting, tax, and consult-
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ing needs. With all that being said, I’m going to be using this column to provide you with helpful tips and financial insight relevant to you and your restaurant industry peers. From understanding cash advances to making
sure you understand the fine print details of your lease, I am here to pass along the collective knowledge of my fellow restaurant professionals.
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Avila, from page 54 ness, which resulted in new client inquiries for dinner parties and events. Why do you think PR is important to your business? It's important because it not only allows me to demo my cooking services but also gives me a chance to share a bit of who I am to potential clients. When people hire chefs they not only want to ensure the food is going to be delicious but they also want a chef who is personable, fun and relatable. Nobody likes a 'Kitchen Nazi.’ How do you think PR plays into the culinary world in general? PR is definitely an important component to any chef ‘s business. As a private chef, one is always seeking to
acquire new clients and opportunities to display your talents. PR is the most logical vehicle a chef can use to secure those goals.
titled, 'Breakfast In Bed with Chef Bailey.’
How did you decide to go about using a PR person? After appearing on a couple of local programs, I decided I needed to hire a PR person to take my exposure to the next level. Having PR representation not only secured me segments with national exposure it also increased my exposure in print media.
What do you think makes a good television cooking segment? A good cooking segment is one that is informative, simple and fun. For most people, cooking can be complicated, tedious and therefore frustrating. Segments are like mini crash courses in cooking. After watching a viewer should be left feeling excited about cooking, empowered to get in the kitchen and of course hungry!
What is your dream job in the chef/ TV chef world? My dream job would be to co-host or host my own cooking show. Since I am a self-proclaimed breakfast guru, my cooking show would be sensibly
What would you tell other chefs about TV segments? TV isn't a kitchen so I would tell other chefs to be prepared to take off the chef hat and be prepared to don the hat of a producer when working on
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segments. While a segment only lasts a few minutes, a lot of work goes into the pre-planning, which includes planning a TV friendly demo, choosing timely/informative food topics and learning how to style your food for TV. It's a lot of work but when done right, it's definitely worth it when your brand/business starts to flourish. I would probably also suggest to other chefs to rehearse the entire segment (in your head) in advance of the segment. Rehearsing your every step helps you to remember all the pertinent details.
Apple Metro, from page 64 unfulfilled marketplace needs in the New York Metro area, Franchise Principals Zane Tankel and Roy Raeburn seized the opportunity to control franchise rights for Casual Dining segment front runner, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar. Tankel and Raeburn built their business on very simple principles – a desire to create the ultimate casual dining experience through extraordinary service, exceptional food and drink in a fun filled friendly atmosphere. Our first Applebee’s® opened in Staten Island in October of 1994. Since then, we have opened an additional 36 Applebee’s® that include the three largest Applebee’s® in the world which are located at 50th Street (NYC), 42nd Street (NYC) and Rego Park (Queens). Apple-Metro has exclusive franchise rights to Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island as well as all of Westchester and Rockland Counties.
Colby, from page 80 The firm's milestone 25th Applebee's location and fourth on Staten Island opened in May of 2006 in the Bricktown Centre at Outerbridge Crossing. In 2010 Apple Metro opened the 2,000th Applebee's in the world at the corner of 125th St. and Fifth Avenue in Harlem. Our newest locations include: Gateway Shopping Center North in Brooklyn, NY and Throgs Neck in Bronx, NY. "We take the basic franchisor concept and elevate it to another level. We have a track record of taking our Applebee’s locations from the ordinary to the extraordinary from location strategy, size of restaurant, physical enhancements, and most importantly, service standards. Our guests constantly comment that they are surprised (in a positive way) by the level of service they receive in our restaurants. We see their meal as an experience and always look to WOW them. That’s the very same goal we have with our new Pizza Art units.
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correct. Whether you’re sitting at a cafe in the Latin Quarter of Paris or finalizing the terms of your new storefront lease here in NYC, the pace of business and how things get done here in NYC is much more fast paced. If there is a real estate "deal" to be had, which is far and few in Manhattan, you better believe you are not the only business interested in the space. Now, obviously the devil is in the details, however if you as a operator do have interest, it is best to get the conversation started instead of waiting around. Whether you are a new operator from NYC or a new one expanding from a foreign county to NYC, playing the waiting game is not the best move. This tends to be the scenario with the majority of food and beverage operators new to the "game" or new to NYC. The market dictates you, it is not the other way
around. Once you know the major details of the space, you have seen it and can operate a fully functional and successful business in the space, let the interest be known and make an offer. That gets the conversation started and no matter what, a letter of intent is exactly that, and it is non binding. This is why it is extremely important to have all of your "ducks in a row" and when it is time to find a retail space, you can pull the trigger when the time is right. New York City in my humble opinion is the best city in the world and moves at its own speed and pace. Hospitality and commercial real estate can be tricky here, so be prepared from day one to know your business, your concept and your customer because once you have that established, the pace picks up and you will be left in the dust.
Sampson, from page 42 and chefs generally get a small portion of the tips if tip pooling is allowed. A talented server at a busy restaurant can earn more than $10 to $25 an hour, even at the average places. Also pointed out is the impact on the back of the house: “Many servers earn minimum wage and received a raise on July 1. Most cooks earning more than minimum wage, on the other hand, aren’t seeing that same increase. The disparity in earnings between the ‘front of the house’ and those in the kitchen can sometimes lead to tension.” This last comment is very often overlooked by many, both in and outside the industry. Most tipped employees make anywhere from $20 to $30 plus an hour already. Raising their minimum wage not only gives them a direct raise, but also an additional raise when the customer leaves them a tip based on the increase in the check due to the restaurant raising their prices. A personal observation: I served on three New York State minimum wage boards and advanced this same point, to no avail. For some reason this fact is never overlooked when raises are based on the Cost of Living Allowance, but does not apply to tip earnings. I guess it was a case of “Don’t confuse us with facts.” The actual minimum wage itself is only part of the problem. Portions of the regulations can be loaded with land mines such as payment of split shifts, overtime rates for servers, meal credits, uniform allowances, service charges, and mandatory gratuities. I’m sure most of those reading this feel that they are well acquainted with the present regulations. Many times, however, the various departments of labor which must interpret and write the regulations make subtle changes that can—if not properly applied—be costly. I digress for this: Whenever you see TV commercials for law firms, you will notice that many are reaching out to restaurant employees, asking if they are aware of overtime payments, did they
receive all of their tips, and so on. Minimum wage law practice has become an active part of many firms’ litigation departments. So, if you’re not sure about a minimum-wage issue, I urge you to call your CPA or your lawyer or your local trade association. There have been cases with settlements in the millions of dollars. Don’t guess; call an authority. Of all the cost factors that an operator faces, changing the minimum wage is the most difficult. Just think. Should
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your landlord want to raise your rent, you have the option of moving … not always the best choice, but a choice. If your vendors want to raise their prices, you can negotiate a better price or seek another vendor. If your utility costs get out of hand, you can call a specialist to help you reduce them. You get the point. The government now is the source of all wage rates in the United States. By setting the rate of the minimum wage, they establish the floor for all wages in
the U.S., even union contracts. One of the reasons unions support minimumwage increases is that after the floor is raised, they can seek a similar increase for their members when they negotiate a new contract. That is why I said at the outset of this piece, the industry’s number 1 issue is and always will be the minimum wage, as long as it is controlled by federal, state, and soon-to-be local governments. They truly have become your partner.
BOOTH
#1801
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// NEWS
FIRE SAFETY
Bronx Firm Brings Three Generations Of Experience To Fire Prevention Strategy It’s not something restaurants like to think about, but the threat of a fire is always there. That’s why it’s so important to keep range hoods clean, sprinkler systems up to date, new fire prevention systems installed, old ones brought up to code, even fire extinguishers recharged.
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ew York-based Master Fire Prevention, in existence since the ‘60’s, helps restaurants do all these things, and more. “Back then, it was a struggling business,” recalls Peter Martinez of his father’s budding company, which has grown to include a range of fire protection and prevention products, services, sprinklers, and systems. Martinez, owner and president, says his father, Peter Sr., took the company from fire extinguishers to fire-prevention systems. From there, customers began requesting a raft of services, including system and ductwork maintenance, cleaning and installation, even inspection. When Martinez took over from his father, he decided to add manufacturing to the company’s list of services—first out of a garage, then a small store, and finally a sheet-metal factory, where the company custommakes all the necessary parts and pieces for its customers. “We manufacture our own materials and install them,” Martinez says. “Someone can
The team at Master Fire Prevention has been in existence since the ‘60’s and helps restaurants keep range hoods clean, sprinkler systems up to date, new fire prevention systems installed, old ones brought up to code, even fire extinguishers recharged.
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“Every year the National Fire Protection Association numbers change, and we have to keep up with those,” says Martinez. “This is very important.”
come to us, and there’s no middleman. It’s a turnkey operation.” The business has changed over the years, Martinez notes. “Food service operations have been, looking for service contracts from reputable, licensed people to do their quarterly cleanings. Otherwise, they will not get insurance. It used to be the business was fairly fly-by-night but it’s a whole different story today. Now, the business is highly regulated and licensed.” Through the years, Martinez says, the company had to constantly retrain its employees for each kind of distributor, have safety and OSHA cards for construction personnel and hold safety meetings for all, including office workers. “Our training in fire protection was constant, because everything changes. We used to make most of our materials by hand, but as you look at your vendors, a lot of them have accessed a lot of new technology, and these products have obviously become far more sophisticated.
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// CHEF OF THE MONTH PRESENTED BY
Ron Duprat From humble beginnings growing up in Mare Rouge, Haiti, a young Ron Duprat watched in delightful anticipation as his grandmother cooked. He always knew he wanted to be a chef.
Y
ears later, he would arrive in the United States and begin work as a dishwasher. Ron Duprat then realized that he would dedicate his life to creating beautiful dishes. Chef Ron Duprat is best known as one of the top competitors on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef.” During that season’s competition in Las Vegas, Duprat amazed judges with his exotic flavors, combining his rich Haitian heritage with French Asian influences, quickly becoming a crowd favorite. Since his days on Top Chef, Chef Ron has been traveling the world sharing his culinary prowess in cooking demonstrations, working as a celebrity chef at numerous restaurants, resorts and companies. He is currently a consultant for the international food company Rastelli Direct and works as a consulting executive chef at the Sugar Bay Resort and Spa in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Chef Ron has prepared amazing meals for President and First Lady Obama, Jay Z and Beyonce, Usher and many other notable figures. Having been educated at the College Aime Cesaire, La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine and the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Ron has used his cooking skills to also become actively involved in the fight against child obe130 • November 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Chef Ron Duprat is best known as one of the top competitors on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef.”
sity and advocacy for healthy kids eating. He is affiliated with several major causes, including the First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, No Hungry Kids, the Black Culinarian Alliance, the College of Culinary Arts in Miami, Chef’s Table and Basil Magazine’s Chef Council. Chef Ron is a Caribbean Black Elk Ambassador at Black Elk Wine and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton named him a “Culinary Ambassador.” Recently, the HuffingtonPost named him as one of the “10 Black Chefs That Are Changing the Food World as We Know It” and the Washington Post company’s TheRoot. com included him in a list of the “How 12 Black Chefs Cooked Their Way to the Top of the World” along with Marcus Samuelsson, G. Garvin, B. Smith and Tre Wilcox.
BOOTH
#1801
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