February 2015 by Total Food Service

// NEWS

VENDORS

City’s Restaurant And Food Service Operators Breathe Sigh Of Relief With Hunts Point Pact Teamsters Local 202 announced last month that it has reached a contract agreement with Hunts Point Terminal Market. The union’s 1,300 market members, who have ratified the new deal.

this city. People really rallied around these workers demanding a wage that their families can live on.” Robert Leonard, a spokesman for the market, said that its merchants were happy that both sides were able to come together. “At the end of the day, discussions resulted in a fair package, which goes a long way towards addressing the issues raised by management and labor,” he said.

The increases represented a

ur members stood strong and the market knew we were serious,” Daniel Kane Jr., president of Teamsters Local 202 said. “We said we deserved a fair wage, we fought for it and we got it.” Merchants on the market, some of which are third- and fourth-generation family members, supply the gross amount of fresh fruits and vegetables to New York City and beyond. The market, made up of about 40 independent merchants but run as a cooperative, is the region’s largest supplier of fresh produce to wholesale and retail businesses, including grocers, bodegas and produce stands. The contract deal comes on the heels of an earlier strike vote taken by members wherein 95 percent of members approved the strike after merchants gave a “final offer” with raises “far short of those proposed by the union,” It also stated that after the strike vote, merchants raised their wage offer. The three-year agreement would give workers a raise of $20 a week the

compromise between the union’s earlier push for a raise of $25 a week each year, and the merchants’ counteroffer of $16 in the first year and $22 thereafter.

The three-year agreement would give workers a raise of $20 a week the first year, $22 the second year and $24 the third year.

first year, $22 the second year and $24 the third year. The increases represented a compromise between the union’s earlier push for a raise of $25 a week each year, and the merchants’ counteroffer of $16 in the first year and $22 thereafter. While warehouse workers and drivers typically earn

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$38,000 to $53,000 a year, a smaller number of supervisors and others can earn more than $75,000, Kane said. “We were boosted by the support of our elected officials and everyday New Yorkers," Kane added. "It’s getting harder and harder to get by in

Another issue, yet to be resolved, is that the Hunts Point merchants were demanding that more workers begin contributing $20 a week to their health plan. Employees hired during the past three years already make that contribution. Under the tentative agreement, the health care contributions would be extended to some higher paid workers such as supervisors and salespeople.

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// NEWS

EVENTS

Pride Of New York Marketplace/Taste NY To Feature Locally Sourced Products At The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York The Pride of New York Marketplace/Taste NY Pavilion will preview exclusive products from New York growers and producers at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York from March 8 - 10, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City.

ride of NY/Taste NY will provide a unique opportunity for restaurant and foodservice professionals to discover food processors who will feature delicious new products including locally grown produce, handcrafted spirits and whiskeys, yogurts and cheeses, honey and maple syrup, breads and bakery products, wines and craft beers and much more. "The Pride of New York Marketplace/Taste NY Pavilion brings our attendees face-to-face with family farmers and purveyors who have made New York State one of America's leading suppliers of food and agricultural products. This is a one of a kind opportunity to find resources all under one roof, that addresses guest's desires for local ingredients and farm-to-table fare," said Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President for Urban Expositions Foodservice Events, producers of the event. The Pavilion will feature the following companies (as of January 2015).

• •

• • • • • Amagansett Sea Salt Co. www. AmagansettSeaSalt.com • Argyle Cheese Farmer www.cheesefarmer.com • Black Willow Winery www.blackwillowwinery.com • Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winerywww.brotherhoodwinery.com • Catskill Provisions www.catskillprovisions.com • Cheeky Monkey Foods www.cheekymonkeyfoods.

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•

• • • • •

com Cliffton Dry www.clifftondry.com Cornell University - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences & Cornell Cooperative Extension www.cals.cornell. edu Crepini LLC www.crepini.com Damascus Bakeries www.damascusbakery.com Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars www.drfrankwines.com Dutch's Spirits www.DutchsSpirits.com Esposito's Finest Quality Sausage www.espositosausage.com Farm to Table Foods www.farmtotablefoods.com Finger Lakes Family Farms www.ilovenyfarms.com Fox Run Vineyards www.foxrunvineyards.com Hudson Valley Harvest www.hv-harvest.com Kaneb Orchards www.kaneborchards.com

• Larry's Southwestern Sauces www.larryssouthwesternsauces.com • Old Chatham Sheepherding Company www.blacksheepcheese.com • Orwasher's: New York's Original Artisan Bakery www.orwashers.com • Pleasant Valley Wine Company www.pleasantvalleywine.com • Pure Catskills www.purecatskills.com • The Ravioli Store www.raviolistore.com • Red Jacket Orchards www. redjacketorchards.com • Saratoga Spring Water Company www.sswc.com • Serendipi Tea www.serendipitea.com • Spoonable LLC www.spoonablellc.com • New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets - Taste NY www.taste.ny.gov, www.prideofny.com Pride of NY/ Taste NY will be part of the Food Trends Experience, a tasting event featuring over 100 exhibitors providing direct access to product, flavors and ingredients driving the most recent trends in the market - healthy, organic, sustainable, ethnic, artisanal, and more. In addition to the Marketplace, attendees are invited to the Farm to City Expo taking place on Tuesday, March 10 from 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm. Restaurant owners and foodservice professionals can learn how buying locally can improve their bottom line at this free seminar. Both programs are run by the

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// NEWS

RESTAURANTS

Award Winning London Restaurant Opens First Ever US Outpost In NYC

Ginjo developed by the Sommelier team in conjunction with Akitabare brewery, Akita prefecture Japan. Since the 2002 opening of Zuma's flagship London outpost, Becker, has worked with Tokyo-based designer, Noriyoshi Muramatsu, founder of Studio Glitt, to design all nine international locations. Zuma's global aesthetic is inspired by the four ele-

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Zuma, London's award-winning restaurant, late last month officially opened its highly anticipated location in Midtown Manhattan, the ninth outpost in its international collection.

ounded by acclaimed chef Rainer Becker, Zuma offers contemporary Japanese dining that is authentic, but not traditional, prepared using the highest quality ingredients and characterized by bold flavors and simple but exquisite presentation. Inspired by the many years Becker spent in Tokyo, immersed in the food culture there, Zuma presents informal izakaya-style dining and gracious service in an elegant space. "New York has an energy that is unmatched by any city in the world and I have always been impressed by the quality of food and incomparable dining experiences here," said Zuma creator and co-founder Rainer Becker. "We are excited to join this culinary community and hope that guests will enjoy not only our interpretation of Japanese cuisine, but an experience that reflects the vitality of this great city." Zuma's menu is informed by Becker's reverence for the discipline, passion, heritage and innovation that characterizes Japanese cuisine. The restaurant features a main kitchen,

New York has an energy that is unmatched by any city in the world and I have always been impressed by the quality of food and incomparable dining experiences here," said Zuma creator and co-founder Rainer Becker.

sushi counter, and a robata grill that produces dishes designed to be shared. Executive Chef Carlos Jorge leads Zuma New York's kitchen in collaboration with Group Executive Chef Bjoern Weissgerber and Zuma's Group Head Sushi Chef, Kazutoshi Endo. The menu offers signature dishes including tsubu-miso gake hinadori no oven taki – barley miso chicken oven roasted over cedar wood, rib eye no daikon ponzu fumi – rib eye steak with wafu sauce and

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garlic chips, kinoko no kama meshi – rice hot pot with wild mushrooms and Japanese vegetables and suzuki no sashimi – seabass sashimi with yuzu and salmon roe. In addition to the award-winning signature cocktails crafted by Bar Manager Theo Von Ungern-Sternberg and wines selected by Head Sommelier John Loats, Zuma has a comprehensive list of approximately 70 different varieties of premium sakes including the exclusive Zuma

Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Laurie Forster Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Cindi Avila Staff Writers Deborah Hirsch Intern Alexis Robinson Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2015 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836

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BOOTH #2225

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BOOTH

#FTE2249A

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// NEWS

SIGNATURE FLAVOR

Megas Yeeros Enables Tri-State Operators To Add Authentic Greek Signature Flavor To Local Patrons

or the last eight years, Megas Gyros has rolled out gyros in Greece, becoming the country's largest producer of these tasty sandwiches. And now for restaurant chains looking to add a hot new product to their menus, the Megas Yeero – roasted meat turning on a spit – is here. Lovers of Yeeros – similar to kebabs and gyros – will now find the company's beloved meat products in the U.S. “Megas Yeeros is the largest producer of yeeros in Greece,” says founder Nikos Loustas. “We now export to 11 countries and have expanded globally.” When he created the company, Megas Gyros, in 2007, it was with his background in successful restaurants, he says. “I had the vision of creating a manufacturing company to supply a better authentic, hand-stacked Yeero in the Greek market.” Megas Gyros began creating and releasing these new types of products in this market with great success, according to Loustas, and the company has grown tremendously every year. “This has allowed us to introduce innovations and an expanded product line that includes various types of souvlaki, kebabs and many other authentic Greek items,” he says. “Now, we are bringing all that made Megas Gyros in Greece internationally known to the United States, with the new Megas Yeeros brand of authentic Yeeros.” Loustas explains that the company

Tri-State foodservice operators love the menu flexibility that Megas Yeeros offers

stacks meat the same way ancient Greeks did, thousands of years ago. “Now both Megas Yeeros (US) & Megas Gyros (GR) are made with handstacked, fresh, whole muscle meats and marinated with authentic natural ingredients, like Greek yogurt, olive oil, honey, and oregano. The result is a healthy, delicious gyro/yeero that is much more appealing to today’s consumers seeking to eat a more fresh and healthy product,” he adds. Megas Yeeros is committed to quality, safety and consistency, Loustas notes. “We support and thoroughly train our customers and distributors on the proper handling and serving of our products. We know the importance of maintaining healthy standards,” he says. “In an industry filled with fast foods, preservatives and fillers, we provide a healthy, clean-label product. We’ve carried this commitment to quality, safety and consistency into our

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operations in the U.S. by making sure our new facility is USDA- and HazardAnalysis-Critical- Control-Point-certified.” With the rising popularity of Greek cuisine and especially, Greek yogurt, Loustas says he knew it was the right time for his business to expand into the North American market. “We now have a clear opportunity to elevate the current Gyro experience. It’s the perfect time for a better Yeero, especially with the massive increase in interest from Millennials and Gen X-ers looking for a healthier dining experience,” he says. Loustas says his company's Yeeros are very different from the typical gyro. “It’s all about the quality of our ingredients and meats,” he says. “There’s no mystery in the recipe or in the ingredients. We stand behind what’s in our products and we know it’s delicious. Compared to the regular gyro, the entire experience, from appearance to flavor, is elevated. We are creating a revolution around the Megas Yeeros brand of Yeeros with authentic traditional recipes, available in pork, beef and lamb, and chicken.” The company founder notes that what makes his Yeeros stand out is the authentic recipe and natural ingredients -- like Greek yogurt honey, extra virgin olive oil, and oregano – that Megas Yeeros uses. “We take our time to ensure that the flavor and the marinade is absorbed to the fullest extent. The re-

sult is a very tender and delicious product,” he says. “We are the manufacturer of a product that will change up the gyro game in North America. Our authentic Yeero cones will be a great feature for independent restaurant chains looking to add value to their menu with a new concept for menu items. We will also look to gyro restaurants looking to 'elevate' their menus and offer a product that is true to Greece and simply delicious.” Loustas points out that Bon Appetit recently predicted that “better” gyros will be the number-one food trend in 2015. “Our timing couldn't be better,” he says. The Yeero is not just a hand-held product in a pita but can also be used in appetizers, salads, wraps, or as a pizza topping. “You can make a club sandwich, pair it with eggs for breakfast. Menu innovation ends only where your creativity does,” he says. “We see this as an opportunity for Megas Yeeros products to be incorporated into small -bite appetizer options, tapas style, or mini Yeeros for catering or amusebouche.” The reason foodservice operations should consider taking on Megas Yeeros is that they're truly on-trend, healthy, and delicious. Let your customers experience something new and exciting, Loustas says. “This hot trend is going to bring in new business, new customers, and generate even more interest in authentic Greek cuisine.” Megas Yeeros’ products have no binders, fillers, preservatives, or MSG, and are gluten-free. “We stand behind the product as a healthy item and so will your customers,” Loustas says. For more information, call 212-777MEGA (6342) or visit megasyeeros. com. The company will also be at the International Restaurant & Food Service Show of New York in Booth #2300.

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// NEWS

MINIMUM WAGE

Governor Cuomo Angers New York State Food Service Operators With Proposed Two Tiered Minimum Wage Hikes Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced late last month a proposal on raising the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour in New York City and $10.50 an hour in the rest of the state.

he cost of living is higher in New York City,” Cuomo said. “And that should be

accounted for.” If approved by the State Legislature,

the proposal would make New York’s minimum wage among the highest in the country. But traditional Republican opposition in the State Senate, where that party holds a majority, makes the passage of such legislation

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far from assured. Still, Cuomo, a Democrat, seemed cautiously optimistic that an improving economy, including robust recent gains on Wall Street and the stock market, would make it easier to cut a deal.

“The world has changed,” said Cuomo, when asked about past Republican opposition, adding: “The market is strong and I believe the market, this market, at this rate of strength, can deal with this.” The state last increased the minimum wage in 2013, approving a threeyear rollout that pushed the hourly rate to $8.75 from $7.25. That wage will rise to $9 an hour by 2016. But Cuomo suggested that the rate of increase was too slow, saying, “The wage gap has continued to increase.” Under his proposal, the wage would increase to $11.50 and $10.50 at the end of 2016. The proposal, announced at a news conference in Manhattan, seemingly offered the governor a chance to refine

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BOOTH #1930

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// MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Douglas Corwin, Owner of Crescent Duck

ow did you get into the business? Our family was one of the original settlers of Long Island's North Fork in the late 1630's. A few years later a large tract of land was purchased in Aquebogue. In 1908 Great Grandfather made the decision to leave his carpentry business, and start a duck farm on this land. Over time my Grandfather, Father and Sons have entered the family business. Each has contributed in different ways as we push well into the 21st Century. How has the industry changed? So much has changed over the past 107 years. The food industry has evolved from merely providing sustenance to providing our diets and pallets with a culinary explosion that delights us. Obviously technology has radicalized the way we live our day-to-day lives, and it also has added so much science to the processes of breeding and growing ducks. Who are your target customers? Our customers compose the upper end of the culinary trade. Our ducks are demanded by food service professionals who use multiple ducks each day in their operations, and can discern a consistently meaty and succulent duck. We also target upscale retailers who are concerned about quality versus buying the cheapest ducks. How have your customers and their end-user guests’ needs changed? What are you doing to help them meet those new needs? I am 56. I have witnessed a wild explo-

Douglas Corwin is the owner of Crescent Duck

sion of interest in food and the restaurant experiences in general. When I graduated Cornell in 1980: there was no food network: there was nowhere near the diversity in cuisines; there were no celebrity chefs. Our customers have become more demanding. Our customers have a good idea what they want from a duck. They demand that we give them a quality, fresh product. They demand all kinds of fabricated portions in exacting sizes from a duck. They demand a duck to make money for them on their menus. There's a tremendous push toward "Local to Table" product. How has that helped Crescent Duck? We are fortunate to have our farm on Eastern Long Island. This has been an optimal area to grow ducks since the Long Island Duck industry started in the 1870's. Being close to New York, Boston,

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4615

BOOTH #1844

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2544

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BOOTH #2037

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BOOTH #1831

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// FOOD IS FASHION

WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO

Food is Fashion: Designer Dining The way to shoppers’ hearts may be through their stomachs: The recent opening of the Polo Bar, a luxury restaurant at Ralph Lauren’s equally luxurious flagship store at 1 East 55th Street is just the latest example of an ongoing trend in New York City: the marriage of retail and dining.

n a way, this is nothing new: department stores have nearly always boasted a café of some kind to keep shoppers in the building longer. But recent years have seen these retail legends focus on haute cuisine. Freds at Barneys New York is a favorite gathering spot for Upper East Siders as well as shoppers for lunch, brunch and dinner. One aspect of Macy’s massive renovation is the creation of better dining, including Stella 34 Trattoria, which joins the Cellar Bar & Grill and Cucina & Co. Bloomingdale’s (1000 Third Avenue) offers Le Train Bleu, the casual Forty Carrots and the Burke Bar Café. Café SFA at Saks Fifth Avenue (611 Fifth Avenue) is home to many a business lunch thanks to Chef Alex Reyes’ seasonal menus. Lord & Taylor offers Sarabeth’s, while Bergdorf Goodman boasts BG Restaurant. And now specialty stores also seek to enhance their shoppers’ experience and burnish their own images by opening restaurants. Armani/Ristorante, opened in the Giorgio Armani boutique at 717 Fifth Avenue, is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city, with linens and cutlery designed by the master himself. Armani extends his brand. Quality and branding are key to creating an in-store restaurant: the design

Faith Hope Consolo, Douglas Elliman Real Estate fc o n s o l o @ e l l i m a n .c o m

must reflect the ethos of the retail experience, and the food must be of sufficient quality to keep consumers in the store, and possibly to attract more shoppers. A case in point is the Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar, which offers a substantial island-themed dining experience with tropical food inside the flagship store at 551 Fifth Avenue. The bar is a headquarters for lovers of exotic cocktails – perfect for the ambience of the store and a perfect complement to the fun casual merchandise sold on the ground floor. ABC Carpet and Home (35 East 18th Street) has long offered some sort of restaurant, and its latest incarnation, ABC Kitchen from Jean-Georges Vongerichten focuses on organic and local ingredients of a quality comparable to the stunning merchandise and home décor found for sale in the rest of the space.

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And now Polo Bar has come with the equestrian-inspired décor of fine woods and leathers, and a menu that veers to classic American fare including Dover Sole, steaks, sandwiches, salads and crab cakes, as well as cognacs that cost hundreds of dollars. The restaurant is an extension and an exemplification of the brand – ultimate American Luxury. And let’s not forget the ultimate combination of food and dining – Eataly (200 Fifth Avenue), a combination of food market, café and cooking school that is a singular experience in the city. For the past decade or so, retailers have discussed creating an experience for their shoppers to keep them away from the Internet. If done well, there’s no better way to create that experience than through that most social of activities: a meal out. Happy Dining!

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// C-CAP TRADE TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

Master Chef Daniel Boulud Heats Up Culinary Education with New Apprenticeship Program

than sixty years, City Tech graduates have led successful careers in the hospitality industry in New York City and beyond, thanks in part to this method of teaching. “Internships and other real-world

In partnership with Careers through Culinary Arts Program & New York City College of Technology, Boulud transforms culinary education by bringing the classroom into his kitchens for

“Chef Boulud and The

a new apprenticeship program.

Dinex Group have been

enowned French Chef Daniel Boulud of The Dinex Group, is collaborating with Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) and New York City College of Technology (City Tech) to transform culinary education and the lives of New York City college students. The new culinary training program is based upon the European apprenticeship model, giving City Tech students college credit for paid internships in Boulud’s kitchens. As a pioneer in culinary education and a bridge to the restaurant industry for 25 years, C-CAP has been instrumental in producing talented chefs from underserved inner-city high schools and providing lifelong career support for their graduates. All participants in the new apprenticeship program are C-CAP alumni studying Culinary and Pastry Arts at City Tech. “We are thrilled to be part of creating this program with C-CAP and City Tech which will mentor the talent of New York City’s youth and start them on an exciting career path,” says Boulud. “C-CAP knows the needs of our industry and the value of education. Their staff are ex-

huge supporters of C-CAP for more than 20 years,” says Susan Robbins, President of

Joyce Appelman,

C-CAP.

New York, NY j oyc e a p p e l m a n @ g m a i l .c o m

perts in taking students from disadvantaged backgrounds, teaching them the skills needed for success and changing their lives in the process. Combining CCAP’s expertise, City Tech’s outstanding and affordable education and the opportunity to study in our kitchens will most definitely be a recipe for success.” Two students are currently piloting the program, working in Dinex’s fastpaced, high-precision kitchens, such as Daniel, Café Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne and DBGB Bar & Kitchen. Christian Bolanos of Corona, Queens, NY and Tatiana Taylor of Queens Village, Queens, NY will have the opportunity to train and master their skills alongside culinary greats as well as build their professional networks and opening doors

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into the hospitality industry. “Chef Boulud and The Dinex Group have been huge supporters of C-CAP for more than 20 years,” says Susan Robbins, President of C-CAP. “While Daniel believes in learning through apprenticeship, he recognizes the value of a strong educational partner like City Tech. It’s been a true pleasure working alongside Daniel and Professor Schaible at City Tech to provide this creative solution. By combining classroom training with four-star hands-on restaurant experience, the possibilities for these students are endless.” City Tech’s Hospitality Management Department is highly regarded for its first-rate practical training combined with a liberal arts education. For more

experiences play an increasingly important role in City Tech's many careerfocused degree programs. This apprenticeship model, at Daniel Boulud’s celebrated restaurants, adds an exciting new facet for one of our signature majors. Dinex and C-CAP are helping to launch students on great careers,” says City Tech Provost Bonne August. The pilot program just completed its first semester and just began its second term, with students in Dinex restaurants two days per week. New York City College of Technology (City Tech), of The City University of New York, is the largest four-year public college of technology in the Northeast and a national model for technological education. City Tech has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students in 24 baccalaureate and 27 associate degree programs.

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// Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEWS

Geoffrey Zakarian, Culinary Director at The Plaza and Chef and Partner at the Lambs Club

Geoffrey Zakarian is an Armenian-American Iron Chef, restaurateur, television personality and author. He is the executive chef of several restaurants in New York City, Atlantic City and Miami. He's currently starring in the Food Network's top-rated Chopped series.

ou're an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and a very popular TV presence, who makes chefs knuckles turn white on your show. So how did you wind up here?   As you know, there's a theory that people go into food because they're very talented, and they're ethereal, they're cerebral, they're artistic. And then there's the other theory that they're misfits and sort of don't feel good enough about themselves and they just fall into it because they need a job. I think I'm somewhere in between that, quite frankly.

How did you wind up at the CIA?   I left my economics degree behind. I decided to take a trip to France and it lasted longer than I thought it would and I discovered French culture. I really appreciated it. I was 19. I came back and said I wanted to be a chef instead of going to get my MBA in economics. And that was it. That's how I ended up here. And then I started to work in 1982 in the city, and that was it. I've been working ever since.   Tell me about the Lambs Club. We bought it in 2004 and renovated it for several years. It opened in 2010. We spent a long time and a lot of money renovating it. And it was a very wonderful club. It was built by Sanford White and it was just an abandoned building. Then it became a great hotel, the Chatwal, and we opened the restaurant five years ago. It's just been a fantastic, iconic place.

Did you love food from early on? If you've ever been in the house with a Middle Eastern family, all they do is talk about food!   Did you work in restaurants when you were young?   I did. I worked in restaurants and in fast food places. But it was just, again, a job. The good thing about me was that I was completely driven by making money. So I was a capitalist early on, and I was bartending even though I was underage. I was

working two jobs while I was in high school. And so I just loved the fact that I'd get a paycheck every week and... This was along with living in a very driven-centric family. My mother made everything from scratch. Those two things together were very powerful.

What brought you to The Plaza? My partner and another group of people in 2012 bought The Plaza, so he asked me to try to do my best and renovate a couple of scenarios over there. There's the food hall, and I'm upstairs.

Geoffrey Zakarian is a Manhattan based Iron Chef, restaurateur, television personality and author. He is the executive chef of several restaurants in New York City, Atlantic City and Miami. He's currently starring in the Food Network's top-rated Chopped series.

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What was the plan on the Plaza? Did you go in with an idea of what you wanted?   I've been in the city for 38 years

and I always went to The Plaza. So I thought, let's make it what it used to be, but let's make it more relevant. I'm always searching for relevance. It's a great old building. It had great bones. The previous owners didn't treat it well. And I just wanted to get back to the food and beverages, get an understanding of what I wanted it to be. Clean it up. Brighten it up. It's historical so you can't really do too much to it, though we did change the furniture and the fixtures. We put a huge bar in The Palm Court. We brought it into today's world. People just want to mingle and have fun and have a great tea experience. We reinvented what it meant to have tea there. And we tried to keep it the historical gem it is, but we wanted, again, to make it relevant for New Yorkers and everyone who passed through there. So that's my mission, just to make it relevant, not to completely reinvent this.

So does Eloise have a place in there or not? Eloise does have a place. Although she has tattoos, and she's wearing earrings.   At what point did you evolve from being a chef to being a brand? And how has that changed your life?   Well, that's not a foregone conclusion! I think of myself as a chef first. I have been, for over 30 years. My real expertise is still as a chef and a cook and as a developer of clientele. Developing staff, and teaching the staff is what I do best and what I live to do. Everything else on TV is really an extension of what I do, which is teaching people. Now I'm teaching people to watch the show. So, it's not really any different. I'm very glad to have a much broader fan base, and I don't just teach cooks now. I teach home cooks. And teachers and housewives, and home-makers and everybody who loves cooking. It's

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amazing, especially young people.   How are the amateurs, those who are not chefs, benefiting from what you do?   A lot of young people now are taping the shows that we do. They're cooking in their houses and actually teaching their parents how to cook, It's odd. They are not learning from their parents. It's the other way around now. It's a wonderful sort of paradise.   So do you think that what's happened with technology and television is a virtue?   Without question. That never would have happened without Food Network. What technology has done is, it's allowed people time and the freedom to sit and learn and watch and figure it out.   You've written a number of books. You're involved in consulting for cruise ships. Where does all this play

with your brand?   I just try to take what I have and make it relevant, always. So what I'm doing on TV and what I'm doing with my restaurants is very connected. I don't do things that are disconnected. I only have one thought process. I'm not trying to be someone to one person and something else to my customers. I am always looking to stay within the classical, relevant line of things and just put my spin on things. And always, whatever I approach with it -- the bar, or the front of the house, or the back of the house, a book... a ship -- there is always a vein of who I am, running through it. And I try to be very consistent because I can't explain myself to my core friends. It's the same with the cookbook and the teaching project. I try to stay with my knowhow. I am who I am.   For the full interview with Geoffrey Zakarian visit www.totalfood.com

6244

BOOTH #1601

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// MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Chris Freeman,

Vice President of Sales at Imperial Bag

ow did you come to Imperial Bag? I was stolen by Michael Nash from Burke Supply Company, where I was a sales manager, in 2003. And the way life sometimes works; we bought Burke in 2011 so I was reunited with my 44 sales people. All are still here. We've not had a single rep defect since we purchased Burke.

barriers except what’s inside you. We don’t have territories we don't have boundaries, and as a result, we ship coast to coast, and we acquire enormous pieces of business. This month we were awarded a five-year contract to service every Delhaize America supermarket in the country. They're the largest on the Eastern seaboard. That deal alone could be worth around $150m if we do our job well.

That has a lot to do with you. I was the intermediary for a successful transition for all these guys and the company, to seamlessly become part of the Imperial family.

That comes from the way you manage the sales force. We believe in elevating targets and going beyond what’s comfortable. That’s what happened in this situation. We had a sales rep who‘s been inspired and in the past two years has generated new business valued at $365 million to the company.

How did you do it? But I'm not surprised. You're very good with people. I’m very fair with people. I listen to them. I have a higher degree of listening ability than most, bottom line, I inspire people. That's why I'm in the position I’m in. I’m able to motivate them and help them achieve beyond their own personal expectations. I've known enough sales people to know what makes them strong or weak and identify their strengths, make them go way beyond what they’re comfortable with and what’s expected of them. So how do you motivate them? Money? Well, people think it's money and ego. But that's not the key. The key is allowing them to identify and overcome their own personal barriers. At our company, we believe there are no

You're one of the most creative exhibitors. What role does this show play? This show is the premier event for our company to interface with a public who may not know us. What I’ve always been fairly good at is recognizing norms and violating them – in a positive way. A lot of people have a traditional understanding of what a show is about and how to present at a show. By paying attention to what everyone else does, I always try to go in a different direction and make it fun and enjoyable for anyone walking the floor. Because it’s so important, because it's the one time we get out in the open and show who we are, because it’s the only time we open our raincoats and show everyone what’s

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trees and bamboo all through it. We had the show where everything was hanging from the ceiling like it was dropping from Heaven. This comes to me in a dream and I had the dream this year, and we’re going to actualize it. The world is changing. Social media. Texting. Why do we still need shows? As much as people think things happen digitally, they happen between people, looking into someone’s eyes, when you have human contact. I can tell you for sure every success we've had as a company didn’t come from an email or a text message or a phone call. It comes from somebody having direct contact with a customer and a show is the place to do it for us.

Chris Freeman is the Vice President of Sales at Imperial Bag

inside. That compels me to be unique and exciting. Where do you get the inspiration? For every show I’ve done, and I've been doing them for 20-some years – I only ever derive what I do at a show from my dreams. And that may sound ridiculous but the truth is, I’m inspired by what I dream. Even up until two weeks before a show in some years past, I haven’t known what I'm going to do, until I’ve had what my associates know as “the dream.” They come to me and say, “Did you have the dream?” And I’ll say yes, I saw it and we try to actualize what I saw. One year we interviewed a lot of people, and we had a stone floor and

How will you show off your new state-of-the-art facility with showgoers? That’s exactly what we’re featuring in our exhibit this year, our new place, the energy and excitement of our people and the technology we bring to the marketplace. We'll do it in a visually stunning way, a fun and exciting way. Do you get into what's going on in the marketplace, like the Styrofoam ban in New York City? Yes, we do. Whatever's going on in the marketplace, we care about. Our booth addresses solutions. Some years we’ve had a cost-savings imitative as the theme of the booth, when people were hurting and the economy was down. This year it's the foam ban. We'll see a lot of interesting stuff about that in our booth. We're demonstrating what people have done in the past with foam. The foam guys will be there to educate the marketplace.

BOOTH #1921 #2025

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// SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE

vice president of food and beverage innovation for Boston-based bakerycafé chain Au Bon Pain. Before that he was corporate chef of Bertucci’s, also

Wahlburgers Restaurants Headed For NYC Scoop says move over, Shake Shack and Five Guys there's a celebrity burger chain coming to town. Wahlburgers, the burger franchise owned by actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg and their chef brother, Paul Wahlberg, has signed a lease in Coney Island and has plans for six more locations in Manhattan. Like any good celebrity offspring, the Boston-based restaurant and bar has its own reality show, "Wahlburgers," on A&E, which follows the behind-the-scenes drama that comes with running a family business. If the Coney Island location, slated to open May 1, keeps with the regular menu, it will serve up everything from a "Thanksgiving Day" turkey burger (Mark's favorite) and a triple decker house burger to sweet potato tots and macaroni salad a la mama Wahlberg. Drinks include adult frappes - that's fancy talk for boozy milkshakes along with draft beers, a custom pale ale (aptly named Wahlbrewski) and hand-selected wines, margaritas and even spiked

Like any good celebrity offspring, the Bostonbased restaurant and bar has its own reality show, "Wahlburgers," on A&E, which follows the behind-the-scenes drama that comes with running a family business.

coffee.

Former Restaurant Associates Exec Tabbed To Starbucks Food Post Scoop notes that Stefano Cordova, a veteran of restaurant chain research and development, has joined Star-

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Scoop says that New York City wants visitors from around the globe to experience Harlem's cultural and Stefano Cordova, a veteran of restaurant chain research and development, has joined Starbucks Corp. as Vice President of its food category, evenings and food business development

bucks Corp. as Vice President of its food category, evenings and food business development. Cordova said he would be responsible for supporting the growth of Starbucks' food program during the breakfast, lunch and evening day parts. Most recently, Cordova was executive chef and senior

culinary vibe.

based in Boston. Previously, he was a corporate chef at New York-based Restaurant Associates. Starbucks recently released a five-year plan that included doubling food sales in the United States to more than $4 billion. The operator said it planned to offer its Starbucks Evenings platform, which includes beer, wine and snacks,

in roughly 20 percent to 25 percent of domestic locations within five years. Starbucks improved breakfast food sales in 2013 with the introduction of its La Boulange line of sweet and savory pastries.

NYC Restaurants Take Centerstage With Tourism Initiative In Harlem Scoop says that New York City wants visitors from around the globe to experience Harlem's cultural and culinary vibe. The city's tourism agency, NYC & Company, recently released a short documentary that spotlights the northern Manhattan neighborhood's restaurants, music venues and theaters. They include the famous Apollo Theater and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The short film, is being launched to cities as far away as Shanghai. It's part of the city's effort to highlight its diverse and distinct neighborhoods. The documentary features six Harlem insiders recommending what to see and do after taking the uptown train. They include The Studio Museum, home to artwork dedicated to black culture and the restaurant the Red Rooster. Other eateries include featuring American comfort foods and the soul food Sylvia's Restaurant.

New Jersey Noodle Maker Sets Sights On NYC Winner Eatery Scoop says Ramen, the traditional noodle soup from Japan, has captured the taste buds of millions of Americans, and one small family business is behind many of the ramen shops in the U.S. It's a family dedicated to making noodles and changing the way we eat them, says CBS This Morning: Saturday co-host Vinita Nair reports. Fresh noodles covered with hot chicken broth and topped with sliced pork - there is nothing instant about this ramen, except for how fast it gets eaten. The noodles were made in a 10,000 square-foot factory in New Jersey. It's one of three in Kenshiro Uki's family. "Out of this factory, we make over 150 different types of noodles," Uki said. On this line, workers are constantly making adjustments, ensuring the noodles have the right texture, waviness and moisture content. "The next step and the final step before we start cutting it is we measure how thick it is because each ramen shop has a different thickness," Uki said. It is a massive operation compared to the company's humble beginnings in 1981, under Kenshiro's

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This year, Kosher Restaurant Week featured 24 restaurants - topping last year’s total of 20 from across Brooklyn, from Crown Heights to Borough Park to Marine Park. As part of Kosher Restaurant Week, certain participating eateries offered fixed menus at a fixed price, while others provided patrons with a complimentary glass of wine, appetizer or dessert.

father, Hidehito. "It didn't really occur to me how amazing his craft was until I really got into high school," Uki said. "Cause he's kind of a magician when it comes to flour and water." Back then, the Uki family was living

in Hawaii. Hidehito's biggest challenge was explaining what Japanese craft ramen was, that it didn't involve dried noodles and flavor packs. His first factory had six employees, and Kenshiro said they helped raise him. "I was with them every day, and even until this day, we have memories of eating dinner together after work," Uki said. "They're a bit older now, but we still call them in Hawaii, 'auntie and uncle.'" From Hawaii, Sun Noodle expanded to Los Angeles. In 2011, Kenshiro decided to build his factory. Last month he opened Ramen Lab in New York City. It's an intimate, 10seat counter where diners can learn one on one with renowned Tokyo chef Jack Nakamura.

Brooklyn Chamber Of Commerce Kicks Off Kosher Restaurant Week In Brooklyn Scoop notes with Brooklyn being home to large thriving Jewish communities, it’s no surprise they have some of the best kosher foods in the world. These establishments build community in Brooklyn and that’s all the more reason to celebrate them. Last month The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce kicked off its 2nd Annual Kosher Restaurant Week. This year,

Kosher Restaurant Week featured 24 restaurants - topping last year’s total of 20 from across Brooklyn, from Crown Heights to Borough Park to Marine Park. As part of Kosher Restaurant Week, certain participating eateries offered fixed menus at a fixed price, while others provided patrons with a complimentary glass of wine, appetizer or dessert. “Brooklyn has some of the finest kosher food in the world, so it only makes sense that it has its own restaurant week,” said Carlo A. Scissura, President & CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “Food brings cultures together, and this festival will introduce kosher cuisine to people of all ethnicities from across Brooklyn. I enjoyed visiting some of these restaurants, and I encouraged all Brooklynites to do the same. L’chaim!” “Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine was proud to be coordinating Kosher Restaurant Week with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce,” said Elan Kornblum, President & Publisher of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine. “Brooklyn kosher restaurants are locally owned and have that true Brooklyn spirit.” “Kosher Restaurant Week put all the terrific Kosher culinary options in Brooklyn on full display,” said Gil Cygler, owner of Allcar Rent A Car. “I want to thank the entire Brooklyn Chamber, particularly Carlo Scissura and Avi Leshes, for assisting businesses across all religious and ethnic communities and uniting Brooklyn under the Chamber umbrella.”

Styrofoam Post Mortem – Why Couldn’t Dart And NYSRA Broker Deal? Scoop says despite the higher cost of using alternatives to polystyrene containers for food packaging, the New York State Restaurant Association backed the city’s new ban on the material, thanks in part to some key concessions. But a plastics-industry

group says the city missed an opportunity to recycle. New York City just scored a big victory in its war on trash. Last month, the city finalized plans to ban the use of most single-usage polystyrene foam containers and loose-fill packing peanuts in the city, starting July 1. That’s despite the fact that New York State Restaurant Association members will have to pay more for alternatives to polystyrene containers, which cost between 50 and 70 cents each. The association said that alternatives cost more than twice as much. But thanks in part to some flexibility from the city, NYSRA got behind the ban. Nonprofits and businesses with less than $500,000 in revenue could be exempted as long as they’re able

to prove that using nonfoam materials “would create financial hardship.” “The New York State Restaurant Association appreciates the efforts of the NYC Department of Sanitation and the Mayor’s Office to enact legislation that moves our industry toward sustainability while recognizing the needs of small businesses via a long transition period and a commitment to educate businesses on alternatives before fining them,” the group’s regional director for New York City, Chris Hickey, said. The city approved the ban in 2013 but delayed implementation while research was being done to determine whether items made from polystyrene foam could be recycled. Dart Container Corp.,

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a major manufacturer of foam containers, and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) had lobbied for the study. The city ultimately found that recycling polystyrene would prove difficult due to the high level of foodwaste contamination that’s common with such materials. "The ACC said that by going with the ban, the city missed out on an opportunity to recycle the materials at Dart’s expense," according to Mike Levy, senior director of ACC’s Plastics Foodservice Packaging Group.” The decision by New York City illogically ignores Dart’s offer to recycle these materials at no cost to the city,” Levy said. “Worse, it forces the use of other materials that will be sent to landfills, because foodcontaminated paper or cardboard and paper take-out containers ‘with

heavy wax or plastic coatings’ are not accepted for recycling in the city. These alternative foodservice packaging materials should be held to the same standard as foam packaging.”

Greenwich Native And Food Network Personality DiFabio Debuts Stamford Eatery Scoop says as Bruno DiFabio reflected on his career coming full circle at the new Amore Cucina & Bar in Stamford's Springdale neighborhood, the restaurant's wood-fired pizza oven basked the back of the eatery in warmth on an otherwise chilly January morning. DiFabio never lost the warm place in his heart for the restaurant that launched his career in the business. Amore Cucina & Bar had its official opening last month at the former location of Amore Restaurant on

BOOTH #1930

Hope Street, led by DiFabio, a Food Network personality who learned to make pizza at the original Amore and has since won international competitions for the art. DiFabio grew up in Greenwich, where his father had a restaurant and worked out a division of labor of sorts with Amore Restaurant founder Al Carozza, with DiFabio working both restaurants at an early age. "The first time I touched dough and was here working with Al," DiFabio said. "Even at 10, 11, 12 years old, they entrusted me to make something that would be served to a customer as a young kid." Within a year after graduating from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1992, DiFabio opened his first restaurant in Scarsdale, N.Y., fronted by a $13,000 loan his grandmother secured for him and naming

it after Amore Restaurant. In addition to his restaurants in Connecticut and New York, DiFabio has opened eateries in Florida, California and Ohio, finding business opportunities alongside friends he has made while competing in pizza competitions. He has appeared on one episode of Food Network's culinary competition show "Chopped," as well as morning programs on the network, helping boost both his visibility and generate exposure for his restaurants. Those establishments include ReNapoli Pizzeria & Chicago Italian Beef in Greenwich, and Pinocchio's Pizza in New Canaan and Wilton. "When I heard Al wanted to retire, I couldn't believe it," DiFabio said. "We started talking and we came to the conclusion that I was probably the best candidate to take it from

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him, because I was going to keep the name and embrace the place and give it the proper renovation that it deserved." The restaurant is modeled in the style of a casual trattoria serving Italian fare, with a 900-degree, woodfired oven dominating a corner of the bar area, seating 60 people inside, and with the interior dominated by a communal farm table. DiFabio installed a row of doorways opening up to sidewalk patio seating for the summer months. DiFabio did not say how much he invested, except to say it is the most he has ever put into a facility. "Fortunately, there were really nice finishes underneath all that," DiFabio said. "We're pretty happy with the way everything came out.

// NEWS

EVENTS

2015 Latino Food Industry Trade Show Features Producers and Dynamic International Business Exchanges At the heart of the Latino market in the Tri-state New York Metropolitan area, the “World of the Latino Cuisine: El Mundo de la Cocina Latina, a food product and beverage trade show, will showcase domestic and international food products on August 26-27, 2015 , at the Meadowlands Expo Center in the New York/New Jersey market.

he trade show provides a dynamic venue where food producers of all kinds will exhibit their offerings for

the ever-growing Hispanic marketplace. The show will feature an exhibit floor, educational sessions and business exchanges.

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“We are expecting a full house with the participation of many providers and importers” says William Colón, President and CEO of The Latino In-

stitute, the show organizer. “It would be a great opportunity for them to identify new business opportunities and grow their markets” adds Mr. Colón. “We should remember Latino buying power reached about $1.3 trillion in 2014 and Hispanic shoppers spend significantly more than other groups on food consumed at home, due to the importance of family mealtime and larger family units. Our show in 2014 was an outstanding success and we are sure this year we will improve on our results, both in terms of exhibitors and attendees”, adds Mr. Colón. This food and beverage trade show

continued on page 103

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BOOTH #2101

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// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

WITH FRED SAMPSON

The Food & Drug Administration Levels the Playing Field … Maybe I’m sure by this time you are aware of the recent action by the FDA, whereby chain restaurants with twenty or more units, movie theatres, and pizza places in all fifty states will have to post calories on their menus. That’s just for openers.

Fred G. Sampson,

President of Sampson Consulting, Inc. fredgsampson@juno.com

he new rules cover food in vending machines as well as certain foods in supermarkets, and— are you ready for this—alcoholic beverages on menus and menu boards in food establishments; however, a mixed drink at the bar will not be covered. Most of the rules’ provisions will not take effect for a year. About this time last year I wrote a column discussing this proposal and the fact that supermarkets, pizza parlors, vending machines, and amusement parks were all opting to be exempt. Well, they’re not. However, it does not mean they have lost their right to go to court, which some observers say most of them will do … which is why I say “maybe.” One of the major surprises was the inclusion of alcoholic beverages. Operators will have to figure out how they are going to present this information to guests. There are as many ways to make cocktails as there are to present pizzas. How will they list the calorie count of

One of the major surprises was the inclusion of alcoholic beverages. Operators will have to figure out how they are going to present this information to guests. different wines? If you have twenty or more units and serve alcohol, it will be a challenge trying to comply. One critic of the law was quoted as follows: “If Congress wanted to cover any establishment that sells prepared foods, they would have said that. No reasonable person is about to confuse a grocery store, convenience store or a movie theatre with a restaurant.” While I agree about movie theatres being different, grocery and convenience stores are competing every day with food service operations; it’s called “Café Microwave.” Example: Almost every motor lodge or motel has refrigerators and microwave ovens in their rooms. Families with two or three youngsters stop at supermarkets, load up on microwave en-

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trees or breakfast foods, and skip going to a restaurant. What do you call that? I call it competition! Sen. Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa and one of the supporters of the Menu Labeling Act, said in an interview with The New York Times, “This rule closely mirrors congressional intent.” I want to pause here and tell you that this matter of “legislative intent” is sometimes changed by various departmental staff members, whereby the rules do not mirror legislative intent and then become the basis for legal action by the aggrieved parties, in the case of supermarkets, theatres, and other businesses. New York was the first to implement a menu posting law in 2006. Many other states, cities, and coun-

ties followed with their own rules and regulations. This law has a preemption clause, which means that states and locations cannot set different or additional requirements on establishments covered under the federal law. Federal preemption would also apply in the case of smaller establishments that opt in to the federal standards. Once those with twenty or more units make this information available, there is no question in my mind that consumers will be asking why independents can’t do the same. A restaurant is a restaurant, no matter who owns it; the sponsors of this kind of legislation are counting on it. Ah, yes, remember the no-smoking laws? First it was for sections in restaurants and now whole towns want to do it. Gathering and presenting this information is both time consuming and expensive, and it must be accurate. Many will need the aid of a nutritionist. As an example, when you use the term “light,” that’s what it must be. As a recent article in The New York Times pointed out: “Advocates praised the rules as a strong public education tool, but whether menu labeling has any effect on obesity is still an open question. Some studies have shown no effect, while others found one. A 2008 study of 100 million cash register transactions at Starbucks found a 6 percent decrease in average calories purchased after calorie posting. ‘You’ll need more time out there in the real world with this to see if it works,’ said Kelly Brownell, a professor of public policy at Duke University.” If that is the case, it will, to this writer’s mind, be a very expensive experiment for the various industries involved. This is another example of government’s “regulatory revolving-door mentality”: Pass a law and obesity will go away.

3642

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// LITTLE M. TUCKER

WITH MORGAN TUCKER

Cookie Monster said it best in Avenue Q: The Internet is for porn! (…and for following my blog.) Foodservice dealers and sales professionals are all grappling with how the growth in ecommerce is impacting our business. Luckily for me, my expertise as a tabletop

MP: We assume all responsibility and fully resolve all problems, making customers for life. That is what I love about this business. Our forte is representing the highest quality brands that we have invested a lifetime in. We must constantly demonstrate the best value. Tabletop supplies and heavy equipment are two categories where knowledgeable consultants offer critical value. When you look to reduce costs by experimenting with alternative distribution channels such as the internet,

consultant, primarily hired for the ability to specify suitable, distinctive tableware, has positioned me better than other specialists. However, the industry is undergoing a

ure I lose the occasional blender order to an online retailer with employees who likely cannot differentiate machines, but buyers still prefer to feel their dinnerware, flatware, glassware, and most tabletop accessories before purchase. However, the industry is undergoing a dynamic change that is affecting many of my good friends. To better understand this market shift, I’ve spoken with three of our region’s largest heavy equipment manufacturer representatives. Joe Ferri (JF) of Pecinka Ferri is at the forefront of social media. His website features his own insightful posts as well as real time industry news. Michael Posternak (MP) shares my commitment to scholarship and is a dedicated member of The Partridge Invitation Scholarship Foundation, committed to raising funds for students pursuing careers in Hospitality. He leads a team of masterful industry networkers at PBAC. Finally, Jeff Hessel (JH) of BSE Marketing is a wonderful student of the business, and a brilliant teacher. His highly skilled four man culinary team manages a 5000 square foot test kitch-

dynamic change that

Morgan Tucker,

is affecting many of my

M. Tucker

good friends.

m p t u c ke r @ m t u c ke r.c o m

en of fully operating equipment. As Joe, Michael, and Jeff told me, the customer experience is significantly worse when ordering online. JH: The hurdle all begins with “the race to the bottom”. Low margins impact the “value added” services we can provide to the operator in terms of training, follow-up, and after care. MP: The internet might work for some commodity supplies, but badly breaks down when used to source heavy equipment. JH: The real differentiation between top brands is the added value the rep and dealer team provide: product and industry knowledge, culinary acumen, customer service reliability, and assistance AFTER the sale.

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JF: All of our trading partners are feeling the pinch and looking for creative solutions to keep their service levels up while maintaining profitability. Our success is consistently derived from the support of and from our dealer sales representative partners through responsive customer service. Our test kitchen facility affords the marketplace a comfortable setting for culinary events, product and equipment validation, training and education.

you are ceding significant value added services from representatives and dealers. The internet doesn’t provide the curated experience that a rep can. Accessing industry information immediately on the internet is vital to operating in foodservice today, but we must be aware that the cost to purchase is not the true cost of ownership. I hope you have the opportunity and choose to engage each of these knowledgeable industry leaders and allow them to navigate the purchasing process with you. Follow @joeferri on twitter or visit www.foodiequipper.com. Join Michael on April 14th at a wine tasting event to support www.thepartridge.org. Email Jeffh@bsemarketing.com and schedule a visit to BSE’s new test kitchen. And for more with me, please visit www.littlemtucker.com.

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// INSURANCE

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

TRIA 2015: Terrorism Insurance Is Vital To Your Restaurant In January, President Obama signed into law H.R. 26, the "Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (TRIA) of 2015," which extends authorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program through December 31, 2020.

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

his decision will help avert would could have been a serious economic impact on banks, workers, financial markets, and the broader economy. Since its inception in 2002, developers have credited TRIA with reviving commercial development in New York City and beyond. Most major insurance carriers have been reluctant to offer terrorism insurance without the federal backstop but the truth is, terrorism insurance is vital to all businesses. According to a document released by the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, major program changes that came along with the extension included the following: 1.Trigger: The Program trigger, which is currently $100 million in annual aggregate insured losses, will be increased in phases to $200 million. The trigger will increase $20 million per year every year for five years start-

ing in 2016. 2. Co-Share: The insurer co-share will increase from 15 percent to 20 percent. Starting on January 1, 2016, the co-share will increase 1 percent a year for five years. 3. Recoupment: The amount that the federal government will recoup increases from the current $27.5 billion to $37.5 billion. The recoupment amount increases $2 billion per year starting in 2015. Starting in 2020, recoupment will be the lesser of $37.5 billion or the annual average of the sum of insurer deductibles for all insurers participating in the Program for the prior three calendar years. Determination of such sum will be made pursuant to regulations to be issued by the Treasury Department. Finally, the rate of recoupment will increase from 133 percent to 140 percent. Thus, under the reauthorized Program: A terrorist act must cause at least $5 million in insured losses to be certified for TRIA coverage; The aggregate insured losses from a certified act of terrorism triggering government coverage to begin will increase by $20 million each year from $100 million in 2015 to $200 million in 2020; An individual insurer must

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meet a deductible of 20 percent of its annual premiums for the government coverage to begin; Assuming above thresholds are passed, the government covers 85 percent of losses (decreasing to 80 percent by 2020) due to terrorism, up to a cap of $100 billion; If insured losses are under $27.5 billion (increasing to $37.5 billion by 2020), the government is required to recoup 140 percent of government outlays. As insured losses rise above the monetary thresholds, the government is required to recoup a progressively reduced amount of the outlays. At a certain high insured loss level, which will depend on the exact distribution of the losses (i.e., if overall losses exceed the industry retention level), the government would no longer be required to recoup outlays, but would retain the discretionary authority to do so. Commercial Insurance vs. Terrorism Insurance. Commercial insurance, also known as business property insurance, protects businesses from financial loss due to the physical assets of a business being damaged. These can include the building the business is housed in, its inventory, its equipment and other essential contents. This type of coverage protects against things like fire, light-

ning, hail, wind storms, explosions, riots and vandalism. Additionally, endorsements can be added to a policy that will protect it further. Common endorsements include those for flood, earthquakes, business income and equipment breakdown. Unfortunately, according to data from the Congressional Research Service, nearly four out of 10 commercial insurance policies have exemptions relating to terrorism, which would allow insurers to reject business interruption claims. Large office buildings are much more likely to have terrorism insurance than small businesses. Minimizing Risk Dealing with the possibility of terrorism can feel overwhelming, but it's essential for businesses to meet the challenge head-on. The first step should be to analyze your current insurance coverage and determine if you are protected in the event of a terrorist attack. Many businesses may have gaps in their coverage relating to terrorism and not even realize it. In addition to physical damage, the potential financial impact of terrorism can be devastating. As reported by USA Today, Howard Kunreuther, co-author of Insurance and Behavioral Economics, writes that as many as 70 percent of businesses have terrorism insurance. More businesses should take a cue from this, especially those in urban areas. If the worst should happen, proper insurance coverage could be the only thing standing between a business failing or succeeding. Like all risks, the most important thing to do is to review the exposures with an insurance professional and determine the best way to handle. Not everything can be covered, but you certainly want to do the evaluation and make choices based on the best advice.

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BOOTH #1902

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BOOTH #1945

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// INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

WITH ALISON CODY

How Tri-State Reps Bring Value to Local Foodservice Community Alison Cody, Executive Director, MAFSI acody@mafsi.org

here did the idea for SpecPath™ come from? Like all mothers’ of invention and great ideas; SpecPath™ originated in necessity. In the past, accurately tracking split commissions between Reps was virtually impossible. Due monies were either paid to the wrong parties, or left on the table entirely. Without SpecPath™, even attempting to accurately track commissions requires a huge labor and time commitment. For individual Rep firms, it can mean spending upwards of tens of thousands of dollars on inside labor -- all for compensation that was already due to them. As we get ready for another NAFEM show, how has the role of the rep evolved? Over the last two to three years, we’ve obviously begun seeing major evolution within the commercial foodservice equipment industry as a whole. Manufacturers are severely upping their games in regards to big data, and starting to take a smarter,

more market-segment focused approach to sales. Dealers are consolidating and merging, and reorganizing the entire way they do business. Our software partners are making huge strides to better serve users, and provide industry partners with relevant and timely data. The service side is working hard to recruit new talent, increase their footprints, and maximize customer satisfaction. In regards to Reps, the same is true – yet – entirely different. Reps touch everyone. The dealer, the service agent, the manufacturer, the consultant, and operator. There’s a particular onus on the Rep not only to evolve with the other partners — but to lead the evolution. When these other partners ask what’s going on out on the street – they call the Rep for the scoop. When industry partners need to know what’s happening on the supply side – they call the Rep to find out. When folks need an appointment with a major chain operator to talk about productivity and efficiency – they call the Rep to make it happen. All of which amounts to the Rep taking a staunch lead in our industry’s progression. Like all businesses, the proof is in the numbers. MAFSI membership is at an all time high. Rep firms are growing, expanding, and setting new precedent for sales and marketing excel-

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lence – and other industries are taking notice. Sure, the general economy is on an uptick, but our members are leading our industry’s uptick by learning from their experiences, compiling smart and insightful data, equipping themselves with the very best sales and marketing techniques out there – and most importantly - seizing every opportunity that crosses their paths. All while scoping the narrative of the industry, and moving it to greatness. You've gone from one "elephant in the room" to two in the room. What impact has the net had on the rep's role? Twenty years ago, a Rep firm opened, secured manufacturers, the smart ones joined MAFSI, and they hoped local dealers and customers needed what they had to offer. All that changed with the inception of the Internet. A Rep will always be dependent on their local customer base for their survival; but their manufacturers now have an international audience for goods and services. The Internet has changed not only a firms’ customer base, but how a firm communicates with its employees, and finds and

manages the competition. Our position has been the same since day one: Commission splits should be applied for all equipment sales regardless of order size. We leave it up to the manufacturer to determine the commission split at the time of order entry. This determination requires information on the order’s destination. If prior knowledge exists of orders being placed via Internet based suppliers, a Representative from either the ordering or destination territory should inform the manufacturer of the forthcoming business, and have systems in place to document and track information. Internet dealers should provide a log of all orders placed on a monthly basis for a manufacturer to review and perform commission/sales credit split. We feel strongly that our position is fair to both sides of our membership. Food brokers led by Advantage Waypoint and Acosta have entered the Rep industry, and by virtue of their acquisitions, have inherited MAFSI memberships. Will they be welcomed? As will all MAFSI membership applications, final memberships are subject to our bylaws. That said, we welcome any firm who qualifies for MAFSI membership, as they obviously appreciate the value and talents our members bring to their businesses through acquisitions. Our members understand the foodservice equipment industry better than anyone – so it would only makes sense that folks from other industries looking to branch into ours, would want to en-

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BOOTH #1453

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// NEWS

GLUTEN FREE SOLUTIONS

Brooklyn’s Everybody Eats Brings Celiac and Allergy Free Signature Menu Solutions To Tri-State Operators What could be worse than having a cup of Jell-O with a candle stuck in it on your birthday?

edro Arroba swore that would never happen again. “As a young man, I was very sad that my poor mother was making Jell-O with a candle for my birthday,” says the co-founder of Everybody Eats Inc., who was diagnosed with celiac disease at a young age. “I know how important it is, especially for a kid to have a cake on his birthday. So I make cakes to fill that need.” The kind of cake Arroba is talking about is a gluten-free one. But not just any gluten-free cake. A truly delicious one. He makes breads, too. In fact, he's known for his bread. And restaurants across the tristate area are, well, eating it up. Celiac disease is an illness in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten, leading to difficulty in digesting food. And so was born Everybody Eats Inc., gluten-free breads and cakes that are just, well, “delicious,” says Arroba. “I could never find bread I could eat that was delicious. So I had to start making one myself.” And make one he did. A mechanical engineer by training,

The kind of cake Arroba is talking about is a gluten-free one. But not just any gluten-free cake. A truly delicious one. He makes breads, too. In fact, he's known for his bread.

Arroba and his partner, co-founder Bruce Bassman, started out small, actually in Bassman's apartment, turning out gluten- and nut-free breads. “We had very limited production, with no money just a dream,” says Arroba, “and we started making four baguettes at a time on a regular stove.” Bassman's background is as a chef. “But he's not a baker. He's

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into food, not baking. I was the one who thought we should do that. For people with celiac disease, the bread out there was pretty lousy 10 years ago. The company was born out of my health situation and pursuing a good piece of bread. I wanted a piece of bread to soak in the sauce. I was missing that, big time. The goal of this company is to make it delicious, to make a piece of delicious bread,” Arroba says.

And the world seems to agree. Everybody Eats Inc. just celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. “I guess I’m lucky. I don’t know why all the companies are not making good bread but they're not.” he says happily. “That just makes more business for me.” The bakery started out with retail in health food stores. “But the client there is not the customer, it’s the manager of the store. Some managers don't care much about quality. They care about money, profit. They don’t care if it’s delicious,” he says. So Arroba and Bassman turned to restaurants. “A chef in a restaurant wants to provide something delicious in his restaurant,” says Arroba. In fact, restaurants are what put the bakery – and the bread – on the map. “Everything is word of mouth,” he says. “People from the restaurant come and taste my breads. There's a nice percentage of people who taste that bread and want that bread in their restaurant. I developed the recipes myself,” this non-baker confides. After developing gluten-free bread, the bakery turned to nut-free. “You expand your target when there are many, many children out there as there are today with severe nut allergies. They don't care that it's glutenfree but they order from me because I'm nut-free,” says Arroba. Some of the bakery's products are not just gluten- and nut-free but also dairy-free, including egg challah, challah rolls, deli rolls, banana bread and multi-grain rolls. Everybody Eats also produces gluten-free star sugar cookies, pizza shells, multi-

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BOOTH #2144

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// LIZ ON TABLETOP

TABLETOP SOLUTIONS

Rethinking Flatware Strategies for 2015

hen a restaurant or food service professional is in the market for flatware, there's a number of reasons why calling a responsible and knowledgeable dealer, like us can make a world of difference. Believe it or not, our first question when we meet with you will have nothing to do with the design of the flatware. When choosing metalware the first thing you need to consider is how you will care for it. Keep in mind that Dishwashers that use cold water, use more abrasive chemicals for cleaning and sanitizing.

Liz Weiss, President, H. Weiss LLC ewe i s s @ h we i s s . n e t

Silver-plate will wear off under these conditions quickly and are therefore not appropriate to use. 18/0 flatware and hollowware will abrade when

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cleaned with cold chemicals and develop a satin patina. A better option if you are working with cold water washing is a more expensive 18/10

metal should keep their luster under these circumstances. There are savings to be had when considering 18/0 flatware, or chemical sanitized (cold) dishwashing, but when used together, they will compromise the aesthetics unless you want a “customized” satin finish. The problem in doing this is that the finishes will never be consistent as the patina will develop over time and new items and less used items will appear different. Flatware should always be washed in vertical baskets especially when using cold dishwasher detergents. This will allow water to roll off the flatware and reduce spotting, and more importantly any rusting. We assume that stainless steel will not rust, but this can happen with

// BIRINDER ON CALL some of the less expensive metals. Rust and corrosion can easily occur on better knives than carbon steel blades. Please make sure that the baskets are not crowded or flatware will not clean and water will pool. Brushed finish is a good look in certain instances: it is more rustic and less formal , and hides any finger prints. There are several nice satin flatware and hollowware patterns on the market currently thru reliable channels. Satin finished are not used as often, thus enabling the restaurant to achieve their own unique look. I just like to see consistency throughout the service, another words, if you are using satin finish on your flatware, please use a similar finish on your metal hollowware and accessories. It's these little things that make the difference. There is something to be said for one or two well-placed items on the table-top as accent pieces.

One can choose to add a special satin item that will stand out. For instance, a satin steak knife or bud vase will stand out against a setting of polished flatware and white china on a tablecloth. I just want to be careful that there are not too many “accents." I keep in mind whether the customer will add too much to their settings in the future that it will get confusing. Eclectic tabletop settings are interesting, mish/mash is confusing. H. Weiss LLC, will know to look at how a facility is washing, storing, and using all their items and take it into account when helping choose settings. This is one of the many services that we perform and why you should opt for an experienced equipment and supply salesperson. Please feel free to reach out to us if you need any assistance.

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Induction Cooking Birinder Madan, President of Acme American Group

Birinder.madan@ acmeamericangroup.com

hat's the next trend that you see in cooking? No question that induction cooking is going to take off in 2015. We've seen it grow from being used at a hotel for Sunday brunch to a dependable technology for heavy duty cooking. Induction cooking reduces the amount of energy used, is safer, and much more! We are now seeing induction griddles, cooktops, and woks. We are finding that many chefs like the power and precison of induction. For example, do you need some heavy duty heat for boiling pasta

water? Many of the new induction cooktops can do the job in half the time of gas or radiant heat, slashing cooking times. We love how these cooktops make using the same unit for both stir frying and simmering simple with their ability to maintain precision temperatures. Because induction cooking keeps the heat inside of the pan, less heat escapes saving both energy and heartache for your cooking crew in the kitchen. This is also the reason why induction cooking is safer for your kitchen staff. Because there isn’t a hot range to worry about, the only thing your chefs have to worry about is it not touching the hot piece of induction cookware. Please send questions and comments to: Birinder.madan@acmeamericangroup.com

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// MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

Galician Rendezvous The Galician Rendezvous is not what you’re thinking, although the circumstances for this decision to write about a cocktail did take many turns.

he Rendezvous in this case is a new release from Barrell Whiskey. It’s called Batch #001 and there really isn’t much of it out there- so get going and find some. I just cannot

Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is a barman/author. He’s

wait for the next time to meet up with a glass of this really authentic whiskey. Rendezvous in flavor profile is not for the meek. If you drink Maker’s Mark, you are probably not going to like this,

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written for Whole Foods, Foodista, and Williams-Sonoma along with three books on mixology. Warren appeared in the Saveur 100.www.cocktailwhisperer.com

but maybe you should drink it just for your sociological edification. At 122.5 Proof, Barrell Whiskey is not wimpy, watered down whiskey. This is not for beginners, unless you are coming from the school of thought involving nostalgia and authenticity. If so, kudos to you! Barrell Whiskey will put some bristle in your throat and that’s not from swallowing this gorgeous elixir, it’s from the aromatics. I would compare Barrell Whiskey with enjoying a Ruben Sandwich made on really good rye bread. All that I’m saying is that Barrell Whiskey reminds me of a trip to the Old West, without the pesky saddle sores. This is how whiskey used to be made before it got all merlot-like with sweet vanilla finish and port barrel opulence. Brim-

ming with juicy notes of corn sugar. I like my whiskey to be robust in the glass, yet kind as it goes down my throat. Does that make sense? You could say I like whiskey as a genre and you’d be correct. But I must stress right up front. There is a rye component in this whiskey that is just not for everyone. With that said I could free up my pen and get down to the next ingredient in this drink, the Galician Rendezvous gets Stroh Rum for a potent 80% (abv) float at the end. In the right context, Stroh Rum is stylish, like an Armani suit on a handsome gentleman. It’s a stretch but the Galician Rendezvous is a most elegant beast and you must use both Barrell Whiskey and Stroh Rum to make it. Otherwise it just won’t be the same. With all my cocktails, if you don’t have the base spirits, try it with what you have on hand. I think you may be surprised. Experimentation is ok, but I must stress that you always used freshly squeezed juices. This is essential to my drinks and your drinks will know it. In fact your friends know it too, so if you have been using bottled juices- they’re just being nice to you. So please, don’t use frozen or powdered, concentrated juices with your expensive liquors. Get on an ice program as well. If you are using high-end spirits, why ruin your perfectly good drink by using that ice that tastes like last week’s garlic pasta, or that salmon filet that went slimy a few days ago. Doesn’t it make sense to treat your ice like the basis of your cocktail? I think so and you should too! Not enough is said about the quality of the ice in a drink. That is too bad because the more I drink out, the more I see that just isn’t pretty. There is nothing exemplary about making a drink with a quarter cube ice. I’m not impressed. Get yourself a silicone ice tray. Skip the ones that feature miniature ducks or lobsters- although if you lived up in Maine, this could be fun. And please don’t throw it in the dishwasher. It will be ruined! Hand wash only! You’ll need one that makes 2-inch

squares or 1-inch squares. The large ones seem to work the best and dilute your drink the slowest. Double boil some spring water or better yet, distilled water. Freeze overnight. Sure you can infuse your ice with your choice of bitters or even juices or minced herbs. I utilize this culinary technique and you can too. Finally, make yourself a Reuben sandwich to go with your Barrell Whiskey and Stroh Rum. If you are in the NY/ Metro area, get yourself down to Hobby’s Delicatessen in Newark on Branford Place, and make sure that you let them know I sent you. This is not a candy sweet cocktail. It requires careful examination and deliberate gratitude. I suggest for you to have at least two and make sure that you drink plenty of water.

The Galician Rendezvous Cocktail Ingredients • 1 oz. Barrell Whiskey • ½ oz. Stroh Rum (for the float) • ¼ oz. Freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 oz. Freshly squeezed orange juice • 3 drops Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters • 1 large cube of handmade ice • On a bamboo pick, place a green olive (stuffed with an anchovy) and a ½ round of orange (just like they do in Spain!) Preparation 1. Fill a Boston Shaker ¾ with ice 2. Pour over the Barrell Whiskey 3. Add the freshly squeezed juices and cap… 4. Shake hard for 20 seconds 5. Place large ice in your pre-chilled old-fashioned glass (ice and water work) 6. Strain into an old-fashioned glass 7. Float the Stroh Rum on top with a bar spoon 8. Dot with the Jerry Thomas Bitters 9. Garnish of the ½ orange round and anchovy stuffed olive on the side of the glass

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BOOTH #1100

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// NEWS

SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS

Long Island Based Day & Nite Family Of Companies Sets Industry Standard With Leading Edge Sustainability Agenda What if you could get rid of grease by mutating it so that it flows back down your drain without any stinky smells or having to stop what's going on in your kitchen to let workers dispose of it?

nd what if you could do it in a way that’s good for the environment? That’s what Day & Nite’s Popular Plumbing is offering to its clients, according to Matthew Sher, president. Day & Nite recognizes the fact that the marketplace is demanding green and sustainable solutions, so it has repositioned its infrastructure to respond to those requests by its customers. But that’s not all the company provides. It can also replace incandescent or fluorescent lighting with energysaving LED lights, and upgrade rotary motors on refrigerators to make them more efficient, all part of Day & Nite's plan to make the world a better, more green place to live. “We decided to do this in 2006,” says Sher, President of The Day & Nite Family of Companies. “Our primary focus was on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). We started seeing huge opportunities to help our clients become more sustainable in those areas because about 60% of a building’s energy-spend is on HVAC and mechanical equipment. Early stage, we thought we could have the

agement system. At a set time of day we’re effectively injecting a warm water pre-flush, which causes the proper environment for us to then inject our microbial solution into the drain distribution system, which eats organic matter. As a result, that eliminates any smells and organic matter for drain flies to eat or populate around. It eliminates any back up because it's connected as far back to the main as possible. We’re not just treating the

Day & Nite recognizes the fact that the marketplace is demanding green and sustainable solutions, so it has repositioned its infrastructure to respond to those requests by its customers. In fact, Day & Nite has been ahead of the market in creating sustainable and green solutions to help foodservice operations reduce their impact on the environment.

biggest impact for our clients focusing on that particular angle.” In fact, Day & Nite has been ahead of the market in creating sustainable and green solutions to help foodservice operations reduce their impact on the environment. Day & Nite has repositioned its infrastructure to respond to these kinds of requests by its customers. At the same time Day & Nite is ready

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to work seamlessly with a facility like the Great Neck, N.Y. wastewater treatment plant, which has received $16 million in state funding for planned upgrades to make the system more green and sustainable, including $1 million for a new receiving station for hauled liquid waste. “We don’t dispose of grease,” says Sher. “We’re not disposing of anything. What we offer is a grease trap man-

trap, we're treating the drain distribution system.” Sher says that what this system does is make it better for the environment. “A trap is supposed to trap all the sludge and organic matter in a kitchen but often it runs through the drain anyway. By the way we treat it, you’re no longer disposing of or removing anything. It eats it.” The grease management system can be installed anywhere there’s a grease

trap, according to Sher. “We would go back to the main line that feeds that trap, and install the system,” he explains. And how much does it cost? “It’s typically the same price or less expensive than monthly grease trap-pumping currently in place. You no longer have to have someone disrupt your foodservice environment, open up a smelly, stinky trap, expose the area to drain flies, with offensive smells and stopping production of your kitchen,” he says. “What you’re paying for in terms of traditional grease trap pumping/disposal is no longer necessary with our solution.” Sher points out that the company's system is money-saving, affords productivity gains, and offers much less chance of a health department identifying a health risk by finding drain flies. “They won’t find your space unsanitary, and you won't run the risk of being cited and not preserving your

'A' letter grade,” he says. “Our systems help with your bottom line, efficiency, productivity, and preserves your letter grade, while protecting the environment and potentially may stave off tax increases for treatment of grease.” The company also provides LED retrofitted lights for refrigeration display/merchandising energy benefits. “The ROI with these is usually within a year in terms of energy savings,” he notes. “We come out and do a free survey so it's pretty easy. Call us, we come in, our hardware specialists look at your existing box, come up with a plan / proposal and the work performed seamless,” he says. “It’s the next best step when looking for a lighting solution, because it's significantly more energy-saving, and it's not only good for the environment but for our clients’ pocketbooks, too.” In general, savings can run from 75% to 90% over incandescent or fluorescent lighting. “You can put that

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money somewhere else,” he says. “All of this plays into our overall holistic, sustainable outlook,” he says. “When we see something that makes sense, we try to get behind it to support our clients.” That thinking also drove the company to partner with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), a public benefit corporation that offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. “We have been trying to save clients money as optimally as possible. Partnering with NYSERDA illustrates for our clients that, in fact, we are serious about this. Whatever a typical pm inspection scope of work might look like, our standards go above and beyond that in terms of the data we

have to deliver back to NYSERDA and our clients to stay in the program. It forces our hand to execute on these best practices, which ultimately delivers a better end solution for our clients, at no additional cost,” Sher says. “And often we’re actually able to fund back certain rebates that we’re able to get for our clients for being part of the program. So, aside from getting a better end-to-end solution, there are times we can make what otherwise they’d be paying for, revenue-neutral.” Finally, the company offers clients the ability to upgrade rotary motors that can result in a 50% reduction in energy usage in most cases, which is provided through Day & Nite Refrigeration. “Everything we're doing adds up to significant savings in energy and efficiency costs, while saving the environment, all at the same time,” he says.

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// NEWS

FOODSERVICE TECHNOLOGY

With New Cloud-Based Software, ShiftZen Offering Restaurants a New Approach to Employee Scheduling and Shift Planning Imagine shaving about four to five hours off the time you spend scheduling your employees. There’s the schedule you post to the wall – irrelevant the minute you put it up -- the phone calls when workers don’t show up, the shifts that need to be covered, or changed, to suit employees’ needs. And you’ve just wasted about half the day simply setting up and managing schedules.

hiftZen has a way around all that. According to CEO Peter Michaels, his new app allows workers to see, set up and change their schedules on their phones, with management approval, and free up general managers to do other, more important jobs in the restaurant. Clients are liking it, too. "One of my favorite things about Shiftzen's software is their responsiveness to the needs of a small business. Shiftzen online scheduling saves us time and money and optimizes not only the schedule but also staff communication,” says Leon Barrera de Grodski, Owner/Operator of Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham, NC. But what’s even more important is that the software can track and forecast exactly how the restaurant is doing, and where changes might need to be made. “I worked in the restaurant business for years, while finishing up my degree in technology and I thought, boy, it would be nice if we could

“My idea was to create a technical product that was user-friendly and made people’s lives better. And I wanted to do it on the Web.” marry these two together,” he says. “That’s where the idea for ShiftZen came from.” But Michaels didn’t want to create just any old app. “My idea was to create a technical product that was user-friendly and made people’s lives better. And I wanted to do it on the Web.” ShiftZen offers a product platform that helps people schedule and communicate while preparing a large number of reports that will

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help foodservice operators keep track of labor and costs. “We actually have reports that say front-ofhouse labor and back-of-house labor, kitchen staff, lunch, dinner. At the end of the night, a manager can go through and pull information from the point-of sale (POS) system and fill out what happened that day and send that information out to any manager anywhere. And the app will store that data forever,” Michaels says. “When they have a good

Thursday at the end of January, they can compare how they did in the previous year on that day.” Michaels points out that the app gives owners and operators and responsible general managers the numbers they need in a hurry to see if something’s going wrong. “An independent restaurant is a little, selfcontained unit that’s trying to make $1 to 2 to 3 million a year and keep as much of that as it possibly can. Our software comes in an all-in-one package where they can do that. It keeps human resource records on employees. Sometimes they don’t show up for work, then quit and file an unemployment claim, and if you don’t have the records to back up that these people stopped coming to work, you can end up paying for that. For the low cost that we offer, you have legal recourse, digital records, a secure database to create records and keep track of anything,” he says. “We switched from another system and never looked back at our four locations. We save over $30 per month, per restaurant. We got a system that was easier for our staff to use, and allowed us to start tracking some data about day over day sales and operations,” says Rob Stover, owner/operator, Tyler’s Taproom, Durham, NC. Another selling point is that it can protect restaurants from legal trouble, too. “If you cut off someone who’s drinking too much at 10 p.m., and tell him, you need to get out of here, then put it in the database, and he gets in an accident, and kills someone, that could be used in a court record to exonerate your bartender,” Michaels says. He notes that POS systems in restaurants are dinosaurs. “The POS

system today is where people are doing their orders, stuff that goes back to the kitchen, the ones doing it efficiently are tracking how many steaks they order and how many they sell. But our app is really for labor forecasting and daily reporting. Shitzen also allows a user to post a link that allows people to directly apply for an open position in a restaurant.” Even something as rudimentary as setting up schedules can become a nightmare. “People are calling and calling, when do I work today, I don’t want to work today, and the manager is fielding calls like that, looking through a book of scribbly

notes, ‘I need Saturday off,’ you’re scrambling to have that shift covered, making phone calls to track everything,” Michaels says. That takes a lot of time. But with our software, you can lock down the availability of the employee, and they can’t change it unless they ask you, they’re responsible for it, and it changes things. You can’t get away with it anymore, and it save a ton of time.” All operators have to do to create a schedule is click two buttons. “You grab the previous week’s schedule, copy it, click one button and it’s posted. That usually takes four to five hours for the restaurant. People

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can give up their shifts; offer to pick up others’ shifts. It’s pretty cool. All a manager has to do is click approve, approve, approve from a link in their email and that’s done,” he notes. Employees can even access and change schedules on their phones. But it’s the reporting and record-keeping that helps foodservice operators become more efficient and profitable. “It’s a virtual spreadsheet comparing last year’s revenues to this year’s. It can take hours to do things like this and now it takes 15 minutes,” he says. With ShiftZen, managers can see the labor costs for that shift divid-

ed by the projected sales, and get a firm number right away. “When you drop your first cook onto the schedule, you’ll see that it’s 1% of your labor costs. You see that right away. And you can make sure you’re not putting anyone into overtime. The cost of our software is covered by one screw-up in overtime,” Michaels points out. All it takes is a monthly membership fee ($25 for restaurants with under 24 employees, $45 for 25 to 75 employees and $65 for 76-100 and up employees. No contract is required. For more information, go to www.shiftzen.com.

// CHEF OF THE MONTH

PRESENTED BY

Anthony Miller Anthony Miller was born in Dallas, Texas. At the age of nineteen he enrolled into the Elcentro Community College Culinary Arts degree program.

nthony began his apprenticeship and dream of becoming a chef at the Historic Adolphus Hotel in the heart of down town Dallas in 1989. Anthony continued his studies with Celebrity Chef Avner Samuel for two years at The Fairmont Hotel, completing his training and establishing himself rapidly as a talented up and coming Chef. Since his arrival to Jamaica in 2002, Anthony has excelled tremendously working for Super Clubs Resorts as Executive Chef for Grand Lido Braco. Anthony also was recently Executive Chef for several years for the five-star Couples Swept Away allinclusive award winning Resort and Spa, where he hosted weekly Chef Wine dinners and managed six restaurants with over 100 staff members. Anthony has a passion for food and international cuisine. Mr. Miller also likes to compete and is a prolific food show competitor whose successes include 2002 JCDC “Best Hot Food Team” and Charcuterie, 2007 Westmoreland Curry Festival “Chef of the show,” 2009 Best Seafood dish for the Negril Seafood inaugural competition, and in 2009 “Salt Fish

Anthony also was recently Executive Chef for Since his arrival to Jamaica in 2002, Anthony has excelled tremendously working for Super Clubs Resorts as Executive Chef for Grand Lido Braco.

Champion Chef” in Kingston, Jamaica, sponsored by The Norwegian Seafood Export Counsel accompanied with a media trip to Norway. Anthony also traveled with the 2011 Jamaican Culinary Team and achieved an individual gold medal in the Certified Angus Beef Mystery basket competition in the Taste of the Caribbean annual culinary event in Miami, Florida. In September of 2010 and August of 2012, Anthony was invited as Guest Chef to Johannesburg, South Africa where he delivered a spectacular Wine Dinner among other activities sponsored by The South Africa Ministry of Arts and Culture

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several years for the five-star Couples Swept Away all-inclusive award winning Resort and Spa, where he hosted weekly Chef Wine dinners and managed six restaurants with over 100 staff members.

in collaboration with The Jamaican High Commission Consulate in Pretoria, South Africa. One of Mr. Miller’s greatest accomplishments was to receive “The Jefferson Evans lifetime achievement award” in March 2011 by BCA. Anthony Miller has a consulting company, Actual Foods, which has provided catering and teaching to international and local customers over the past ten years.

Anthony has recently taken on a new challenge as Executive Chef for the newly renovated Hedonism II Resort and Spa in Negril, Jamaica operated By PB & J Resorts. Anthony’s hobbies include scuba diving, traveling, reading, and fishing.

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BOOTH #1902

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// NEWS

EVENTS

Pair Of Myriad Restaurant Chefs Selected To Represent NYC At Super Bowl Event More than 30 Chefs from across the country were paired with NFL players for the ultimate fan and cuisine experience: TASTE OF THE NFL.

he 24th Annual Taste of the NFL Party with a Purpose was held on the eve of Super Bowl XLIX late last month at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

The annual event which was held in Brooklyn last year was the culmination of the national Kick Hunger Challenge®, an annual fundraising campaign that pits fans from all 32

NFL markets against each other for a friendly competition to raise money for food banks nationwide. Fans are encouraged to support Taste of the NFL’s mission to end hunger by

donating to their favorite NFL team’s fundraising page online at kickhungerchallenge.com. One hundred percent of donations made to a team’s individual page will be distributed to the team’s local food bank partner. As part of the organization’s commitment to rallying the country’s top chefs to raise awareness and money, TASTE OF THE NFL has appointed Andrew Zimmern as this year’s national culinary host for its Party with a Purpose. Zimmern, the creator, host and co-executive producer of Travel Channel’s hit series, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, led the charge along side national celebrity spokesperson, Alyssa Milano. “With millions of people in America struggling with hunger, the need to

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do more is greater than ever,” said Zimmern. “I am honored to support Taste of the NFL’s efforts as culinary host and one of many of this country’s top chefs and NFL players that are raising money and awareness in support of food banks throughout the United States.” This year’s star-studded Party with a Purpose fundraising event brought together exceptional cuisine, prominent chefs and legendary players from around the country. In Scottsdale this year, Metro New York was represented by a pair of Myriad Restaurant chefs. The Tribeca Grill's Kamal Rose representing the New York Giants and prepared Spicy Caribbean Seafood Chowder. Nobu's Chef Taku Sato's represented three New York Jets and thrilled guests with his Zuke Salmon Tataki. The two New York chefs were joined by NFL legends Bill Ard who enjoyed a productive career with the Giants and former Jets star

Nobu's Chef Taku Sato's represented three New York Jets and thrilled guests with his Zuke Salmon Tataki.

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Freeman McNeil. Chef Rose's story is special with his inspiring story of talent, persistence and hard work. As a child on St. Vincent and The Grenadines, he was encouraged to cook by his grandmother. Kamal moved to New York when he was 15 years old, and in his senior year of high school he got the opportunity to do an internship at Tribeca Grill. Working his way through every station in the kitchen from garde manger and tournant to head of Banquets and then to sous chef, Kamal perfected his craft with focus and determination. In 2009, he won a $20,000 scholarship in a national cooking competition and also earned a diploma in Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education. The evening's culinary host Zimmern is a three-time James Beard Awardwinning TV personality, chef, food writer, teacher and is regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledge-

able personalities in the food world. As the creator, host and executive producer of Travel Channel's hit series, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, he travels the globe, exploring food in its own terroir. The driving force behind the event is Wayne Kostroski. The Minneapolis restaurateur and 2010 James Beard Humanitarian of the year Wayne Kostroski is so passionate about hunger-relief efforts, he’s been called “downright evangelical" about the cause. Since 1992, the Taste of the NFL has rallied the country's top chefs and the NFL's greatest players to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. To date, Taste of The NFL’s programs and events have raised $22 million dollars to help feed the 37 million Americans, who have turned to their local food banks for assistance.

// NEWS

NEW RELEASES

Hollywood Brings NYC Deli Traditions To Big Screen With Deli Man Release For some, delicatessen food is close to a religious experience. A tender, crumbling cut of corned beef steeped in its juices. A full-bodied garlic dill pickle.

picy brown mustard with grain. A blintz that melts in your mouth like a creamsicle on a summer’s day. Recipes and culinary garnishes from Hungary, Poland, Russia, Romania that flowed into late 19th and early 20th century America and soon became part of an American culinary and cultural vernacular – Deli. Deli Man is a delectable documentary that reflects the heart of a vital ethnic history – the Jewish delicatessen – that, while almost decimated in 21st century fitness-crazed, suburban-sprawled and assimilated Jewish America, still remains the virtual epicenter not only of food, but of family, laughter and community. Produced and directed by Erik Greenberg Anjou, Deli Man is set to begin serving around the country on February 27, 2015. Every story needs a brave and trustworthy guide, and Deli Man’s is the effusive and charming Ziggy Gruber, a thirdgeneration delicatessen man - his uncle and great-uncle owned Berger’s in the diamond district, and the Woodrow Deli on Long Island. His grandfather owned the famous Rialto Delicatessen on Broadway, and Ziggy was stuffing cabbages atop of a crate when he was eight. Now he is owner and maven (as well as a Yiddish-speaking French trained chef)

“That was a different of one of the country’s top delis, Kenny and Ziggy’s in Houston – yes, Texas… Shalom y’all. Of course the story of deli isn’t Ziggy’s alone. Deli Man has visited meccas like the Carnegie, Katz’s, 2nd Avenue Deli, Nate ‘n Al, and Canter’s, as well as interviewed some of the great connoisseurs of deli, including Jerry Stiller, Alan Dershowitz, Freddie Klein, Dennis Howard, Jay Parker (Ben’s Best), Fyvush Finkel, and Larry King. “That was a different time,” Gruber says with a sigh. “It has been a process of attrition.” He attributes the disappearance of the deli to numerous factors. The demographic shifts in the Jewish population have certainly affected the location of the restaurants, but one of the prime culprits, ironically, has been the success with which Jewish-Americans have become a part of the mainstream culture. The changing understanding of what constitutes “healthy” eating has hurt the delicatessen world, but the passage of time is an

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time,” Gruber says with a sigh. “It has been a process of attrition.” He attributes the disappearance of the deli to numerous factors.

underrated factor. “Most of the delis are owned by older people,” Gruber says. He’s a fourth-generation deli man himself. “It is a family-driven business.” He adds, “Overheads keep going up, too. Food prices have risen at least 30 percent every single year in the last three years.” The deli faces some obstacles that don’t have the same impact on purveyors of other cuisines.” There’s a shortage of pastrami and brisket,” Gruber says. “We’ve had a serious problem with drought and there has been a lack of cattle production. The cattle market has changed, with the U.S. exporting 30 to 40 percent of its beef

to Asia. It’s ending up as shabu-shabu instead of pastrami.” But if you push your kids to become doctors and lawyers, they won’t want or need to work the 90-hour week of a restaurateur. Economic realities have worked against the deli, too, he notes. “Rents go up and if you don’t own your own real estate, that will kill you,” Gruber says. “And it’s expensive to build a new deli from scratch; you’re looking at $1.5 million, $2 million, maybe even more.” Although the subject of his work ranges from Ivy League football to abstract expressionist painting, Erik has a particular passion for Jewish and Israeli-driven content. Two previous featurelength documentaries he has produced and directed – “A Cantor’s Tale” and “The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground” – are about sacred music and klezmer music. They have screened at more than two hundred international film festivals and have captured top festival prizes in Tel Aviv, Warsaw, Miami, San Diego and Washington, D.C. As a screenwriter, his most recent endeavor is “You Shall Not Kill” adapted from a novel by Uri Oren. The film is being Co-Produced by Thomas Schühly (“Alexander”) and Rony Yacov (“Picking Up The Pieces”). Erik is the Writer-Director of the upcoming “La Fatura” (The Favor), Produced by Stephen Greenwald, Executive Produced by Fred Zollo. He is adapting Warren Adler’s novel, “Residue,” for Grey Eagle Films. And just to make sure he stays busy, Erik teaches film as an adjunct professor at St. John’s University in Queens, New York. Gruber is optimistic about the future of the deli. “Just because things are different doesn’t mean there’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. “You have to be innovative, you have to appeal to a multigenerational clientele. If you run the business right, you will prosper.”

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// NEWS

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Why Restaurants Need Public Relations Whenever I meet with a new restaurant client the first question I usually get is what can you do for our business? The answer is a lot. There are so many ways public relations can help food businesses, much more than meets the eye. Here are just a handful:

Cindi Avila, Public Relations and Communications, ICE, New York, NY C av i l a @ i c e.e du

ou also need to MAKE SURE you add public relations into the mix. Why? Because PR is more important than ever. Social media and review websites are part of the reason. Word of mouth just isn’t enough to raise a restaurant’s profile anymore. You need active social media, positive reviews on the web and PR to build your business. They are all intertwined. Yet many restaurants still don’t want to invest in a public relations firm and still believe they don’t need to be on Facebook or Twitter. Wrong! Bringing in Customers: These days there is so much competition out there. You need to make sure people find you, know who you are and that they know what makes you outstanding. How can you do this? You could go the advertising route, but let’s be honest that can be expensive and often overlooked by the public. These days consumers are mostly influenced by

what they see on news programs, in the newspaper or on the web. Public relations can position you in all those outlets organically. I get my clients positioned in news stories. Whether it’s on Fox News, CBS, in Food and Wine magazine or on a website like The Daily Meal getting a restaurant’s name out there can translate into guests coming into the door. I recently had a client featured on a list of best veggie burgers. What happens after people read about that burger? Of course many came into the restaurant to try it, the first time there for many people. Raising Your Profile: One of the biggest things you want to get in the restaurant world is name recognition. You want everyone to know your restaurant’s name. The only way to really get your name out there is through good word of mouth and through PR. You’ve probably heard the saying any publicity is good publicity and this is the reason why. Getting your name out there is always a good thing. Even if it’s just a one line mention in a story, that helps with name recognition. Making You Credible: Often times the Chef of a certain restaurant is the star attraction, or perhaps it’s the owner of the restaurant. This is very calculated. To get credibility in a very crowded industry you often need a

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face to be associated with your business. If your Chef is well known, or in some cases a celebrity of sorts, this can raise a food business’s credibility. Through a series of public relations moves I try to make sure to make all my clients “stars” in their own field. A bonus? This is actually really fun for the client. Social Media: Public relations and social media go hand and hand now. It can be hard generating new content for social media, but that’s not the case if your name is constantly in the media. When I get clients on TV, in web stories, you name it that content goes on their social media channels, their websites, etc. While seeing pictures of menu items can be fun that only takes you so far in the social media world. If you tweet something like “Our sandwich made the list of top 10 sandwiches in the city,” that’s something that will pique more interest on social media and possibly be shared. All in all public relations is something all restaurants should be considering. If I can help feel free to email me at cindi@greengoddesspr.org

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// MEET THE NEWSMAKERS

Chef Ian Russo (aka The Dirty Chef)

Owner/Operator of Dirty Burger® Long Island, NY Chef Ian Russo (aka The Dirty Chef ) developed a new concept of cooking - cooking dirty. After spending years in top rated kitchens such as La Reserve, Lespinasse, Roy’s and Bouley, Russo opened his eponymous restaurant, IAN in Manhattan.

t was there that he crafted his signature Dirty Drunken Rib-eye, which was honored with New York Magazine’s “Best Steak in the City” Award. He used similar innovation in his newest culinary creation, the Dirtyburger®, which has received critical praise. In a city known around the world for its cheesesteaks, Ian’s signature DIRTY Cooking® style became a culinary force on the Philadelphia food scene. There, he perfected his style and planted the seeds for what was to come, the first fully branded Dirty restaurant. Opened in the fall of 2013 in Plainview, Dirtyburger® allows the lucky residents who live on Long Island to experience Ian’s signature creations, and all of the tastes on his constantly evolving menu. What led you into a career in foodservice, where’d you study and what led you back to New York? When I was 12 I got my first job as a dishwasher at the Brooklyn IHOP. Being young and full of fire, I moved up to busboy, then prep and bacon cook. I made line cook at 16, and couldn’t believe how much satisfaction I received from getting compliments from the diners. I realized there was so much more to this than just throwing food on a griddle, this is what we eat, and has the ability, when done well, to make

people smile and enjoy themselves. A great meal can make your day, and I loved “making people’s day” so much I decided to become a chef. I started chef training at the New York Technical College of Hotel and Restaurant management, worked as SousChef at Le Chantilly, then decided if I wanted to truly hone my craft, I needed to learn from the best. I left for Europe (France to be exact) and secured a stage at André Daguin’s Hotel de France in Gascony. On my days off, I’d travel the country (mostly by bus and hitchhiking), eating at every Michelin starred restaurant I could. I then started my real culinary journey working in some of the world’s best kitchens with some of the world’s most renowned chefs, to include Michel Guérard, George Blanc, and Roy Yamaguchi.

I developed a spice blend inspired by my world travels, using ingredients from the four corners of the world to create a uniquely different flavor enhancer.

I’ve cooked in France, Belgium, the UK, China, and here in the US in Hawaii, San Francisco, Providence and Philadelphia. But I’m a Brooklyn boy at heart, so I always return to the area I call home.

Chef Ian Russo (aka The Dirty Chef) developed a new concept of cooking known as cooking dirty.

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What exactly is DIRTY Cooking® and how did this style of cooking turn into a vision for the first fully branded Dirty Burger®? I developed a spice blend inspired by

Grilled, baked, broiled, fried, or sprinkled, it takes whatever is being cooked, healthy or decadent, to another taste level.

my world travels, using ingredients from the four corners of the world to create a uniquely different flavor enhancer. This blend takes on a bit of a spicy profile, but tends to smooth out in the cooking process, especially with the use of honey, which is the basis of Dirty Cooking. It’s the process that uses Dirty Dust and a caramelizing agent, most commonly oil and/or honey, transformed over heat. Grilled, baked, broiled, fried, or sprinkled, it takes whatever is being cooked, healthy or decadent, to another taste level. I first utilized this process in a steak I made at IAN (on my 3rd return to NYC). The Dirty Drunken Ribeye was a bit more complex than the process for our burgers, or say fish, involving other ingredients and a six-hour marinade, but at the heart of the process was this spice blend and honey as the caramelizing agent. People loved it, and New York magazine awarded it “Best Steak in the City”. One day, a customer asked if the same profile could be used for a burger, so I tried it, and it worked. I never put it on the official menu (IAN was a fine dining establishment before the huge burger boom), but we still sold a lot of them through word of mouth. That’s when the seed was planted… maybe this “Dirtyburger” could carry a place on its own. Dirty Burger® menu has a little something for everyone’s tastes, not just burgers. What was the approach to your menu? Does it change seasonally?

We keep roughly the same menu yearround, although we do add items from time to time to add some excitement, to shake things up. The approach always had been to: Create amazing delicious food that overdelivers on expectations Offer a good assortment of healthy options, not just one or two items (people care more and more about not just the taste, but how good it is for them). Maintain a good value. If I can’t source an authentic flavor for a reasonable price, I won’t cut corners and use substitutes, I just don’t include it. Make Dirtyburger a specialty dietfriendly restaurant. 90% of our menu items are available gluten free, and while we don’t have the nutritional content of our items (we’re only one restaurant at the moment), we do make an effort to provide whatever information we can if a customer needs specifics. We recognize that not everyone, even in a close knit family, has the same likes, dislikes, and dietary needs. We want everyone to be comfortable and happy here, so that’s why we try to offer so much more than burgers. Why did you choose Plainview, NY for Dirty Burger® rather than hot spots like Brooklyn? Two of my five partners call Long Island their home. Both are very active in the community, and significant business owners here. They wanted to start close to home, and share the great food and vibe that they knew would be Dirtyburger with friends and loved ones before taking it elsewhere. And it’s still close enough to the city to get that Brooklyn state of mind, where myself and another partner hail from. However, Brooklyn could be next! What was the design approach to Dirty Burger®? Work with any restaurant dealers and consultants for the FOH and BOH? We designed and developed everything

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// ICE BUSINESS

WITH ROBERT IRVINE

Top 10 Reasons I Don’t Own An Ice Machine I’ve been a chef for 30 years and one piece of equipment that I’ll never buy is a commercial ice machine.

op 10 reasons Not to buy a commercial ice maker: 1. Purchase price is expensive. When I spend money on new equipment, it better be something that can actually improve my customers’ experience. An ice maker doesn’t enhance the customer’s experience — ice is just ice! 2. Buying a commercial ice machine is simply not a good business decision. Every little decision you make operating your restaurant needs to be smart and thoughtful. 3. Maintaining a commercial ice maker properly requires an expert. No one on my staff is an ice machine expert. I don’t have time to fuss around making sure the ice machine is properly maintained! 4. Repairs are expensive and unpredictable. It’s just not worth it! 5. Running successful, busy restaurants can be stressful. Why would I want the added stress of being responsible for an ice machine? 6. Loss of productivity while fussing with ice machine issues. I don’t want to have to send an employee out to buy bagged ice every time the machine breaks. It’s a waste of time and productivity!

When I spend money on new equipment, it better be something that can actually improve my customers’ experience. An ice maker doesn’t enhance the customer’s experience — ice is just ice! Robert Irvine is an English celebrity chef who has appeared on a variety of Food Network programs including Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, Restaurant: Impossible, and Restaurant Express.

7. I can’t charge more for ice, but I have to have it. Why would I invest a large chunk of capital on something that I can’t charge more for and doesn’t add value? It’s a no-brainer to leave ice to the experts! 8. Deep cleaning a commercial ice machine requires a lot more than wiping down surfaces and emptying the bin.

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Ice machines are complicated with lots of moving parts that need attention during a cleaning. If you want to pass your health inspection, you better have a clean ice machine! 9. Unpredictable costs can be the downfall of any business. Did you know that in just one night at a busy restaurant you could spend $500 just on replacement bagged ice if the ice maker’s broken? 10. Easy Ice has a better alternative to owning a commercial ice maker!

// NEWS

FOODSERVICE INNOVATIONS

Hobart Set to Unveil Ventless Technology On New FT1000 Series At NAFEM ‘15 Reducing energy costs is always important for foodservice operations. But what good is a lower bill if your dishes still aren’t clean?

hat’s the conundrum Hobart faced, so, after talking to customers, product development went to work and the FT1000 was born. “We visited numerous sites to talk with end-users across the country, especially those who purchase flight-types for their operations, such as healthcare, higher education, lodging and corrections,” says Megan Dyer, Product Line Manager at Hobart. “We know that a focus on energy, chemical and labor-saving technology is critical. That's what drove us to develop a lot of the new features that you'll see on our updated FT1000, including automatic soil removal, auto clean, auto delime and ventless technology. But it's also critical that the FT1000 improves cleaning performance. Let’s face it. You can reduce energy costs all you want, but at the end of the day, the dish needs to be clean.” Dyer points out that the company does a number of tests in its lab to ensure that that happens with its dishwashers. “Whether it’s a gross soil test or other NSF tests that we complete,

One of the hottest new features of the FT1000 is automatic soil removal, a capability that eliminates the need to pre-rinse ware prior to loading it onto the conveyor. we stake our reputation on guaranteeing that our dish machines are maintaining superior performance,” she says. One of the hottest new features of the FT1000 is automatic soil removal, a capability that eliminates the need to pre-rinse ware prior to loading it onto the conveyor. “It's a dedicated section that uses specialized soil removal wash arms and a pumped system to remove soil from the ware before it reaches the prewash tank. That reduces both the

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number of tank refills required per day and chemical consumption by up to 25%.” Auto clean and auto delime (getting rid of the limescale that can accumulate on dishwashers from hard minerals) reduce the operator labor that's required by up to 30 minutes per day, according to the company. “These features provide automated programs that effectively clean and maintain the dish machine, including the booster heater,” says Dyer. “This machine is the first flight-

type that automatically delimes the booster. It’s all about taking care of those critical components and making it easier and safer for the operator.” Finally, ventless technology allows increased flexibility because it does not require a direct-to-vent connection. “It also provides large energy savings for our customers of up to 22% annually versus our previous machine,” Dyer notes. “The FT1000 is a very robust machine designed for harsh kitchen conditions. And the features we’ve added provide the energy, chemical and labor savings that address the challenges that our dish room operators are facing today.” The FT1000 is available in base, energy recovery and ventless models, but the ventless model is proving to be the most popular. “The ventless uses an integrated heat pump that captures the heat from the waste air and uses that recycycled energy to provide heat to the machine’s wash tank and to blow the dryer and complete the final rinse. There's a significant reduction in operating costs and also eliminates the need for direct vent connection,” Dyer says. “The FT1000 is the only ventless flighttype that provides the lowest costs of ownership, huge energy savings, and does not require direct vent connection. It offers flexibility and cost savings when it comes to any ductwork modification needed, and it's an ideal option for kitchens that require significant ventilation rework. If you have limited space for venting capabilities, with rework or new construction, in places like New York where space costs are inhibit-

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IRFSNY, from page 4 New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets to help people identify New York-produced food and beverages. All exhibitors in the Marketplace are proud members of the Pride of NY/ Taste NY program. The 22nd Annual International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York will be held Sunday, March 8 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The show will bring together thousands of foodservice, restaurant and hospitality professionals from New York State, and will feature more than 500 leading

vendors, accompanying the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum education sessions and buzz building special events. The show is owned and produced by Urban Expositions, and sponsored by the New York State Restaurant Association, a member of the National Restaurant Association. For more information on exhibiting or attending, visit the official Show website at www.internationalrestaurantny.com.

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Crescent, from page 16 Philadelphia and Washington allows us to listen to our food service customers and give them fresh ducks on an over night basis. Obviously our proximity to these markets only benefits Crescent Duck, as our customers gain awareness of our local farm. We've talked for years about government recognition and support of a local firm like Crescent. How has that evolved? Firstly, anyone in business has a huge set of responsibilities. In our industry such include: food safety; taking good care of our employees; being a good member of our community, including in all environmental matters; etc., etc. Government sets the minimum standards that we must meet. We try hard to be a solid member of our local and the food service community. I feel strongly that that is a reason why we have prospered for 107 years. Consequently, I feel that our regulating federal, state and local agencies appreciate our efforts and enjoy working with us. Secondly, farmers seem to be becoming a scarcer commodity, as we get better at what we do and produce more. That is even truer here on Long Island, where various cost and environmental pressures have forced away what was a huge Long Island Duck industry. When returning to the farm in 1980, there were 34 other duck farms on Long Island. Now, we are the only farm left. Back in 1980 government was most always a villainous impediment. These days government, while still making us be responsible, works hard to try to preserve that remaining farmers we have on Long Island. The attitudes have drastically changed.

diets for our ducks that allow the fat to easily render during cooking, while at the same time adding a taste, succulence and mouth feel that gives that WOW factor. Chefs have taken the benefits of this cooking profile to add a duck to a wide variety of cuisines.

creative evolution of duck. At one time it was reserved for French and Chinese restaurants, along with the occasional family meal. These days I see it most everywhere, as chefs seem to outdo one another in utilizing it for pate, pizza, quesadillas, salads, tapas, etc., etc.

Duck is so much more than a center of the plate. Talk about its growth from pate to pizza topping? I have watched in astonishment at the

Do you have resources to help chefs and the distributors that serve them expand their duck menus? I have a unique perspective in my in-

For a very long time, duck was the centerpiece of rich French menus. How have chefs reinvented it as healthy fare? Ducks are waterfowl, which biologically have been given a skin/fat layer to give both buoyancy and thermal warmth in the wild. We have developed nutritional 88 • February 2015 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

dustry. My family breeds and grows over 4% of the US duck production. I am a farmer and yet I have very close working ties with our distributors and chefs. I have gained a unique perspective as to what they want and how to satisfy their needs. Given this starting point, I have tried to develop our website and promotional material with the chef and their businesses in mind.

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Food & Wine, from page 10 rity showcase, with Chef Maneet and their Surprise Guest Chef, and admission to the Grand Tasting event. Giants of Generosity, founded by CEO/Executive Director D. Jane Albanese in 2007, is a registered 501(C)3 organization based in Cresskill, NJ, whose mission is to provide emergency-relief funding to people experiencing critical, life-altering situations. It provides financial assistance, connections to vital area resources, moral support, and hope for the future. After Hurricane Sandy's devastation, 400 families in the Rockaways were helped with the aid of the Robin Hood Foundation, the Religious Action for Reform Judaism, KidCare, and Michael Bolton Charities. Giants of Generosity worked in conjunction with Friends of Rockaway, a volunteer organization that was on the ground helping people rebuild their lives. On November 18, 2014 they completed their second annual Champions of Rockaway fundraiser hosted by Scarlett Johansson, with an intimate performance by Award-winning actor/singer Jamie Foxx. An additional $76,000 was raised to help Hurricane Sandy victims. Giants of Generosity, which is wholly supported by donations from people like you, corporate sponsorships and grants, has helped more than 510 families and individuals to date. Chef Chauhan's culinary journey began in her homeland of India, where she graduated at the top of her class at The Welcome Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration, India's top culinary and hotel management school. After interning at India's finest hotels and kitchens, she attended The Culinary Institute of America and graduated with high honors. Chauhan served as executive chef at some of the finest restaurants in Chicago and New York before founding Indie Culinaire, an avant-garde culinary and hospitality company. The only Indian female

ever to compete on Iron Chef and a fierce competitor on The Next Iron Chef, Chef Chauhan is now a fulltime judge on the Food Network hit show, Chopped. She has just published her first cookbook, “Flavors of my World: A Culinary Tour through 25 Countries.” Maneet has also recently opened Chauhan Ale & Masala House, in Nashville, TN.

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Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220

Minimum Wage, from page 12 his position regarding differing wages in differing parts of the state, noting it was the first time New York City would be allowed a different rate. Last year, Cuomo had dismissed suggestions that local governments could set their own minimum wages, saying that letting them do so could lead to a “chaotic situation.” The minimum wage increase was just one of 10 proposals that the governor unveiled in advance of his State of

the State address in Albany including expansions in job programs for urban youth, additional funding for homeless services and low-income housing, and assistance for food programs. Yet even as Cuomo announced his plans, several groups noted that even a $11.50 wage in the city, and $10.50 upstate, was still not high enough to support many workers. “Eleven-fifty is almost $2 less than what he endorsed last spring,” said Bill Lipton, the director of the New York State Working

Families Party, a liberal-leaning third party that endorsed Mr. Cuomo last spring, only to be disappointed by his lack of interest in their goals. “And the truth is it’s nearly impossible to raise a family in this state on even $12 or $13 an hour.” “The reason that cities all over the

nation are moving towards $15 is because that’s what it costs to make ends meet in a big city today,” Cabral says. “My coworkers at McDonald’s and me know that it takes at least $15 an hour to support our families and we’ll be fighting alongside New York’s 3 million low-wage workers until we win."

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Everybody Eats, from page 52 grain paninis, chocolate chip cookies, among others. But the core – and most beloved – product will always be the crusty baguette. “When we started we went to the chef at restaurants because we knew this was an issue, being gluten-free,” says Arroba. “More and more restaurants realize that there are many people with gluten intolerance, but it's not just them. They bring their family and friends, too. It's not just for celiac people. It's a good thing for a restaurant to offer a good gluten-free menu.” What really exploded the business was customers tasting the bread, then going to their favorite restaurants and asking for it. “It’s word of mouth,” he says. “One Italian restaurant started carrying my bread because one customer brought that bread to that restaurant, and now this restaurant orders 68 baguettes every week,” he says. Arroba will be bringing his products to IR&FS Show in New York in March in booth #2144. As for cakes, the bakery only makes them to order. “It’s very important for a celiac person to have a birthday cake or a wedding cake.” Arroba hopes to keep growing, getting more restaurants in the tristate region to carry his bakery products. “People without celiac disease can order my breads and rolls, too,” he says. “You can order as little as one loaf. We want everyone to know just how good our bread is.” For more information, go to yelp. com, gluten-free, Brooklyn, or everybodyeats-inc.com, or call 718369-7444.

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BOOTH #1763

Outpost, from page 6 ments of earth, fire, water and air, incorporating natural materials and textures but reflecting New York's vibrant, metropolitan energy and diverse cultures. Muramatsu's richly detailed design is both a visual and tactile experience. Raw industrial materials and finishes include millscale iron and rough-hewn granite boulders that are a nod to the bedrock upon which the city is built. These elements are juxtaposed with reclaimed monkeypod wood, clear, crisp glass, rich leather, distressed iron and steel. The one hundred seat main dining room includes a sushi bar that accommodates eight and guests may also experience the action seating at the robata grill. Slatted steel booths called koyas, translated as "little pods" in Japanese, create an inti-

mate dining experience for groups of four people. A row of illuminated openwork lanterns in the windows lining Madison Avenue recall the buildings that define Manhattan's iconic skyline. To ascend to the second level bar and lounge areas, guests may take either the glass elevator or the suspended steel staircase to the second floor. The focal point of the room is an illuminated resin island bar flanked by leather banquettes against an accent wall of stacked wine bottles. The lounge provides a dramatic view of diners below and is furnished with luxurious burgundy and cherry-colored leather and suede armchairs and sofas and glass and monkeypod wood tables. Near the bar, a slatted wood corridor accented with sculptural rice paper

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lamps leads to two private dining rooms where diners can experience Zuma in a more intimate setting. Zuma was co-founded by Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney in 2002. Zuma London, the first restaurant to open, remains the brand's homestead. All of Zuma's management and chefs are extensively trained in London before working in Zuma's international locations. Zuma has successfully launched several locations across the world including Hong Kong (2007), Dubai (2008), Istanbul (2008), Miami (2010), Bangkok (2011), Datca Peninsula (2013), and Abu Dhabi (2014). Zuma's characteristic culinary concept features a main kitchen, sushi counter, and robata grill offering modern, sophisticated Japanese cuisine. Zuma has garnered international

acclaim from media including 'Restaurant of the Year' in the UK's Tatler Restaurant Awards. Conde Nast Traveler's Hot Tables Awards awarded Zuma Hong Kong 'Most Exciting New Restaurant,' and Time Out Istanbul awarded Zuma Istanbul 'Best New Restaurant 2009.' Both Zuma London and Hong Kong made the Top 100 listing of The S. Pellegrino World's Best Restaurants, as voted for by an international panel of over 800 critics, chefs and restaurateurs. Chef Rainer Becker has also been recognized within the industry, with awards including Chef of the Year nods from both Harper's Bazaar and Moet.

Newsmaker, from page 79

FT1000, from page 82 ing, the flexibility and cost savings of the FT1000 can't be beaten.” And customers are loving it. Since its introduction last spring, the Hobart FT1000 Flight-Type dish machine has been receiving very favorable feedback, according to Megan Dyer, Product Manager for Hobart. “Customers are really pleased with the machine's performance as well as its significant water and energy savings,” she says. “They particularly like the new features of automatic flow removal, auto clean and auto delime. Operators are really pleased with how the new features bring labor savings, increased productivity and ease-of-use to kitchens.” The FT 1000 will be showcased at the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers Show February 19-21 in Hobart Booth #4433, as well as in the “What's Hot, What's Cool” trends gallery booth # 6020. Dyer notes there is a huge opportunity for customers with aging flight-types to realize significant, water, chemical and energy savings. “Switching to the FT1000 can provide quick payback,” she says, adding that Cedarville University in Ohio has reported that its total energy and water savings are just under $15,000. “Final rinse water consumption has been reduced by 86%, and they've also been able to turn off two water heaters that previously supplied the kitchen and not seen any change in performance, she says. In addition, Hobart machines have dual rinse, which provides another opportunity to rinse the dish, while offering improved cleaning and rinse performance and reducing water consumption. “Because it is easy for a customer to lose or damage their wash arm end caps, we now feature capless wash arms, eliminating the caps altogether and providing a much easier experience for our customers in terms of cleaning and

maintenance. “We also have a new blower dryer, and we've reduced the energy consumption on that to only 7.5 kW and have improved the air flow,” she says. The new blower dryers have venting along the sides to direct the airflow out from the side and up, for better overall coverage, reducing the energy needed for drying, and the humidity as well. “So we have overall better results,” says Dyer. The company has significantly reduced water consumption on this machine. “At 58 gallons of rinse water per hour, we've cut the water in half compared to our previous machine and we also have the lowest total cost of ownership of a flighttype in the industry,” she adds. “By reducing water consumption, energy, chemicals and labor, we’re providing a product that can work for all our customers, no matter what their needs.” Dyer says there's a lot of opportunity for replacement dish machines. “The savings in operating costs are so substantial that facilities with older flight machines could actually see a payback within the first several years of replacement. And we have flexibility with our product offering, with all these new features, to make it attractive for customers to do that.” In today's market, where customer needs are ever-changing -- energy, food and labor costs always on the rise -- it’s important for the company to provide a product that can help foodservice operations do more with less, says Dyer. “The six most critical elements of warewashing are cleaning performance, utilities, labor management, chemical optimization, soil management and life cycle management – those are the pillars of dishwashing operation. We meet all those requirements with the FT1000.”

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ourselves. The FOH was an evolutionInitially, we weren’t sure if the location would support a order counter style or sit down and dine in style eatery, so we created sort of a hybrid with an order counter up front, and a sit down dining area with wait staff. As time has gone by, we realize that while the open counter concept works in cities, our customers here prefer to sit and be served. We’re in the process of converting the front counter into a full bar with additional high tables in the waiting area. I designed the back of house/kitchen to accommodate our menu and the volume we expect. My fifth partner is a design and brand consultant who had worked on many national accounts, so he gave us our brand look and interior feel from designing the space to executing the art elements. It’s intended to be a comfortable, accessible and hip without going over the top space. Talk a little about your dining space? What did you look for in terms of furniture? The space needed to feel casual, comfortable and a step up from your typical burger joint. We carried the warmth of wood into the tabletops and accented it with a rich dark stain. The chairs are a metal frame black leather upholstered look, that are comfortable, but not so much so that people will fall asleep here. Wood abounds throughout the dining area (we even have some reclaimed wood covering one wall) for its warmth. Red is our primary brand color, and research suggests it makes people hungry, so several of the walls carry this accent color. The front counter also picks up this color in a red granite, and the front of the counter has words that we consider to be “Dirty” cut into it. It’s a tone on tone treatment, so it’s subtle. The art is a mixture of “Dirtyisms” and pop art graphics. We wanted to bring some of the Brooklyn vibe into the

place, so we got Brooklyn Made Tattoo artist/owner Michael Kaves to do a graffiti mural for us, adding that last hip accent. You’re only as good as the team around you. What is your team building approach to a better business? The most important thing is to absolutely hire the correct candidate, then create a positive culture of care for the staff, who will then care for the customers in the same way. Everyone is instrumental to the success of the restaurant, so we treat everyone, regardless of position, equally. This is the best formula to ensure the best experience for everyone, from our customers to our staff. What’s next for Dirty Burger® down the road? We’ve finally gotten this location to the quality and service standards I expect, so we’ll be tightening our systems then looking at how to scale this to other, most likely denser locations. Brooklyn is definitely in our sights, and if things go according to plan, we’d like to open 5-10 locations in the near future. We would also like to start getting “Dirty” outside of the restaurant and give back in the community. Dirty is a way of living, and a way of life. It’s being engaged, open, honest, passionate and loving. Being involved in things you believe in, but not on a surface level; rolling up your sleeves and getting “Dirty”. It’s our philosophy, and we strive to live it in everything we do. I know hunger is amazingly still an issue, and we’d like to tackle that in some way. It’s core to why I became a chef all those years ago- to make people happy through their meal. Wouldn’t it be great to eliminate hunger at least in this country, and then the world? I realize it’s a tall order, but so was turning a burger into a restaurant, and that’s going pretty well.

BOOTH #1737

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BOOTH #1934

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BOOTH #1326

// NEWS

DESSERT SOLUTIONS

Bronx Based Big Apple Dairy Desserts Provide Single Source For Tri-State Operators To Offer Patrons Signature Ice Cream Based Treasures Chances are, if a customer in your restaurant orders ice cream, it's been provided by Big Apple Dairy Desserts.

ccording to Sal Pesce, vice president of sales, the company has been distributing premium ice cream to foodservice providers in the New York metropolitan areas since the 1970s from its original location in Brooklyn. Now, under new management since 2006, only the best ice cream comes from its warehouse in the Bronx.  “ We carry all brands,” says Pesce. “Edy's, Haagen Dazs, Schrafft's, Ciao Bella, Maria's Italian ice and Sedutto's tartufo, spumoni and lava cakes You name it, we carry it.” In fact, Big Apple will be introducing the Sedutto lava cakes, tartufo, and truffles, in booth #1873 at the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York in March in Manhattan at the Javits Center. The lava cakes, with chocolate as the base layer, have fudge bubbling out of them, with raspberries or mint or chocolate chips on top. Big Apple distributes to restau-

In fact, Big Apple Dairy Desserts will be introducing the Sedutto lava cakes, tartufo, and truffles, at the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York in March in Manhattan at the Javits Center.

rants, ice cream parlors, hospitals, schools and universities, nursing homes, catering halls, country clubs, and stadiums, to name several. “We do every single outlet you can think of in foodservice,” Pesce notes.  Restaurants, though, are the biggest part of the business for Big Ap-

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ple Dairy Desserts. And in that market segment, what's the hottest item? “Gelato,” he says. “It's really hot right now because it’s a fad that has hit and is growing. Gelato is lighter than ice cream, lower in calories, with a very distinctive taste. We keep adding flavors. The most popular new

flavor is sea salt caramel. It took off like a rocket!”  Pesce is proud to point out that much of the ice cream it distributes – like Schrafft's and Sedutto – are only available at high-end restaurants. “Unlike many national brands in the marketplace, you won’t find these in retail or grocery stores. If someone gets hooked on that dessert in a restaurant, they can’t go to a supermarket and get it. That makes a restaurant stand out. They even put brand names on the menu, they're so proud of them.”  The company also custom-caters, he says. “Any type of point-of-sale, or signage, and where approved, we supply our equipment. The bigger distributors don't do this. We specialize in ice cream and our product is always maintained at minus-15 or minus-20, which is important for consistency,” he says. “Our drivers fully understand and are dedicated to ice cream. We don’t have large minimums in Manhattan, which is huge for restaurants. And we deliver Monday through Friday and between Memorial and Labor Day, we run trucks on Saturday, too. You can get a delivery any day. For restaurants that don’t have a lot of storage, we can make frequent deliveries.” Pesce says that the last impression most people have when eating out is dessert. “If the dessert's not good, you're not going back. We make sure you do.” For more information, call 718518-8700.

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// CHEFCETERA

UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK'S CHEFS

Peter Darrow,

Founder of Darrow’s in NYC Darrow's Farm Fresh Takeout, a new restaurant located in Union Square NYC aims to provide New Yorkers with better alternatives.

ounded by Peter Darrow and partnering with nutritionist Julie Starr and cochefs David Kupperberg (Pure Food & Wine) and Taylor Thorne (Eleven Madison Park, Jean Georges), they have created nutrient-rich, high-quality recipes using local and organic ingredients (dependent on season). Darrow’s believes food should be simple, nutritious, and more importantly delicious. We sat down with Peter Darrow to find out more about this new operation in this month’s Meet the Newsmaker. For those that don’t know you, give our readers a little background about yourself, your culinary background, and how Darrow’s NYC came to vision then reality? Thanks for this wonderful opportunity! I grew up in New York City, attending the Browning School before heading to St. Paul’s School for high school. I adopted a plant-based diet 3 years ago when my dad and mom were both diagnosed with cancer. I was pursuing my MBA in entrepreneurship at Babson College when my father passed away in May 2013, so I decided to follow his advice: “You will only be successful at things for which you are passionate.” I am pas-

sionate about helping people. Eating with your friends or significant other shouldn’t be such a challenge in New York City. We offer many plant-based and gluten-free options, but also have organic chicken and wild salmon on our menu. We believe in giving customers plenty of options. How did planning go from the origi-

Peter Darrow is the owner of a new restaurant located in Union Square NYC aims to provide New Yorkers with better alternatives.

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nal business plan to the actual opening? It really grew in complexity and scope from the original idea. It began as a vegan/vegetarian concept with only takeout, but as we really thought through our mission, we wanted to create bridges rather than “walls.” We aren’t trying to proselytize or preach about a certain diet, but to provide clean, unprocessed and local options to our customers. How did you meet up with your inhouse nutritionist, Julie Starr and cochefs David Kupperberg and Taylor Thorne and what do they bring to the table for Darrow’s? Julie actually was my personal nutritionist while I was in graduate school in Boston. I knew from the moment I met her that she had a special personality about her. I hired a top restaurant consultant in Manhattan, Andre Neyrey of Blackwood Hospitality, who introduced me to Taylor. After several iterations and tastings of the menu, we added David Kupperberg from Pure Food and Wine. He brought an incredible depth of natural cooking knowledge to our vision and made the menu what it is today! We are so thankful to have both of their contributions.

You work with a group of wonderful purveyors. Tell us how your research led you to them and what they’ve done for your menu and offerings. Our whole concept was trying to source as much local as possible. There is a renaissance happening in the local food movement, and we are excited to play a role in moving away from large industrial farm complexes. As soon as we found a space near the Union Square Greenmarket, we knew it was a natural fit. We are always seeking to build new relationships with farms. It began by simply walking over and introducing ourselves. That’s how meaningful relationships are built. In person, not email. Does dessert, coffee or tea play a role at Darrow’s? Do you want diners to stay and have dessert or do you look to turn tables quickly? We offer a wide selection of teas, and we are equally excited to feature Grace Hightower & Coffees of Rwanda by Grace Hightower De Niro. We want diners to be transformed in our beautiful upstairs space and relax from the daily hustle and bustle of New York City. That’s why we spent so much attention to detail in constructing it. What’s Darrow’s team building approach to better the business? We are trying to build a unique culture at Darrow’s based on support and family, rather than a “pressure-cooker” environment. I emphasize that this is a new family and there’s more to life than simply a paycheck. If you’re not having fun at work, then what are we doing here anyways? Regarding finding the right real estate, what were you looking for in terms of space? It had to be “airy”, wide open, spa-

cious, inviting. The beautiful part of our location is that we can serve lots of local businesses on Park Ave. South, while providing a daytime refuge for our local residents in Gramercy. Let’s face it, people still enjoy eating unhealthy. Who is Darrow’s target audience? Completely agree. And again, that’s why we aren’t about trying to preach how someone should eat or live their life. As someone who personally grew up eating lots of steak and poultry, I measure success by the ratio of “meatheavy to plant-based eaters” we can serve in our restaurant. When some-

Hospitality as my consultant. He helped me focus my vision as a hip, trendy, modern eatery/farm-to-table concept. What online marketing tools is Darrow’s using to spread the word?   Everything that we can! Word of mouth and social media are essential to our survival. We can be found on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. @

"We are 100% loyal to our initial suppliers for believing in our concept. As with any business, we are constantly searching for the best products available on the market."

one says, “wow, I had no idea that vegetables could taste so good!” that makes me happy. When purchasing product, do you go to bid each week or is their loyalty to your suppliers? We are 100% loyal to our initial suppliers for believing in our concept. As with any business, we are constantly searching for the best products available on the market. What was the design approach to Darrow’s? Work with any restaurant dealers and consultants for the FOH and BOH? I hired Andre Neyrey of Blackwood 101 • February 2015 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

darrowsnyc. As Darrow’s employees are paid hourly a big topic right now in NYC is tipping. What are your thoughts on this issue, for it, against it? We’ve actually had a wonderful surprise in our first week of operation, customers are so pleased with the product that they are leaving larger tips than we expected. We are definite-

ly using a fair tip-sharing program for all of our employees. Crystal Ball…Where do you see yourself and Darrow’s NYC in 2020? I can’t even imagine where Darrow’s will be next year! We are so excited just to be a part of this movement and help people in any way possible. Hopefully opening many more Darrow's restaurants!

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Trade Show, from page 38 invites domestic and international food manufacturers, producers and distributors as exhibitors, and the attendance of buyers, merchandisers, distributors, small and medium sized specialty food stores, regional chains, caterers, restaurants, independents, and bodegueros. Exhibit categories include frozen foods, groceries, organic products, beverages, non-food products, and food service vendors/providers. The active and massive participation of Latino food and beverage distributors at the trade show in 2014, makes this a truly unique opportuni-

our show, but the ROI can be truly profitable and significant. Remember, this is the largest trade show dedicated to the Latino food industry in the United States. Don’t miss it!” adds Mr. Colón. “El Mundo de la Cocina Latina ” ‘The World of the Latino Cuisine’ is the trade show that represents and radiates the strength of the Latino

market, opening business opportunities, while contributing to the social good. The World of the Latino Cuisine is produced by The Latino Institute, Inc., a private, not-for-profit organization. The Institute is dedicated to assisting the Latino population in becoming better educated, better consumers, and in supporting

the growing class of entrepreneurs in the continental United States. For further information on exhibiting, sponsorships, speaking opportunities, and registration, please contact: latinofoodshow1@gmail.com , call 973-273-0273 or visit: www.latinofoodshow.com.

This food and beverage trade show invites domestic and international food manufacturers, producers and distributors as exhibitors, and the attendance of buyers, merchandisers, distributors, small and medium sized specialty food stores, regional chains, caterers, restaurants, independents, and bodegueros.

ty for producers or importers seeking to enter the market or expand sales. “This is a selling show. We are seeking exhibitors who are serious about marketing to the ever-growing Hispanic consumer, and who are willing to invest the resources to succeed. It is a modest investment to exhibit at 103 • February 2015 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1212

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BOOTH #1609

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// NEWS

REFRIGERATION SOLUTIONS

Long Island’s Americold Brings Seasoned Refrigeration Expertise To Tri-State Food Service Operators Foodborne diseases caused 5,000 deaths and an astounding 76 million illnesses in 2014. With stakes this high, foodservice operations must guarantee food safety. So for many leading Metro NYC operators, Americold provides a dependable solution.

he company, which Bob Levine started in the five boroughs of New York in the 1970's to service freezers for the ice cream trade, now serves restaurants from Manhattan to Montauk and most recently from Miami to Fort Lauderdale. With a fleet of repair trucks and trained technicians always available, they are able to quickly respond to emergency calls and get customer equipment back up and running. “When I started out, my goal was to help restaurateurs keep their food preservation equipment in peak operating condition,” says Levine. “Today, as technology has changed the way food is cooked, and cooled, food safety has become a very important issue." Americold has been in the food preservation business for 30-plus years, "With the advent of the lettergrading system, our ability to deal with health departments has become vital to our customers," Levine noted. "The expectations and requirements of health departments have changed as well as the inspection process," Levine continued.

Letter grading has changed the entire way the industry does business. “What happens is guys who used to give their refrigeration work to air conditioning companies now say we can’t rely on this AC guy to be a specialist. “Americold is the only company that’s strictly food preservation,” he says. “HVAC dealers don't carry the parts, they don’t train on this equipment the way we do. Americold is specifically designed to meet the requirements of health departments and the office support staff is Department of Health certified." Americold's Rapid Response program is unique to the industry. “We came up with this idea a few years ago to address the needs of customers,” says Levine. “When the health department inspector walks in, customers used to be left to fend for

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themselves and stumble through the inspection. What we do for all contract customers is, if the inspector walks in, any time night or day, the restaurant's first phone call is to our hotline and we’ll scramble the closest technician there immediately to be on-site during the inspection. “We stay on-site with the customer all through the investigation. After a while, the inspectors have come to know Americold,” he says. “When they see our truck there, see us there working on the equipment, they tend to say, let’s move on, and they go to the next area of the restaurant they need to inspect. They have confidence in us.” Levine says the company's technicians are known industry-wide for their dedication and work ethic. “There's a culture of passion and enthusiasm at Americold that’s contagious,” he says. “Our technicians are both dedicated and long-standing. Turnover is minimal. Some of our techs have been with us for decades and know the equipment and the customer. It’s still a family company and they’re treated as family.” Rob Rivera, Americold's vice president and

COO, notes that a priority today is to be able to respond to the changes in food preservation technology. “Everyone is trying to figure out how to lessen their energy bill, and minimize their carbon footprint." Restaurants are now using small parallel rack systems, like supermarkets use, but smaller, for the express purpose of energy management and electric cost. “Racks benefit normal refrigeration, the walk-in and the lowboy refrigerator.” Americold continues to innovate with its newly introduced free temperature monitoring system for new contract customers,” says Rivera. “In New York City, the health department is so strict about maintaining product temps at 41 degrees or below and it's very easy for a small refrigerator to go off-kilter without people realizing it. We want to give customers the ability to be notified instantly, so that the manager, the executive chef, knows about it before the line even goes down.”   “It also gives them the ability to maintain active records,” adds Levine. “When the health department comes in and says, why is this box not on temperature, they can say, 20 minutes ago it was where it was supposed to be, and show them the proof,” says Rivera. “It's much better than having a chef walk around with a thermometer to check temperatures,” says Levine. “It's 24-hour monitoring. Even when they're not there, they can be confident the food is safe.” From food preservation to energy savings and most recently temperature monitoring, Americold continues to deliver peace of mind to its customer base.

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// NEWS

GLUTEN FREE

Bronx Based Allied Metal Set To Bring Gluten Free Cookware Solutions To NAFEM Show As more and more restaurants are seeing the need for gluten-free dishes on their menus, it’s not just about the flours they use but also the equipment.

ccording to Glenn Coutts, “In order to truly market Gluten-Free dishes, the items need to be prepared using the proper equipment to avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen.” The vice president of sales at Allied Metal Spinning Corp. says that, to meet this requirement, the company now offers new deep-dish pans, Sicilian Pans, disc, screens, peels and trays, and has expanded its line into cookware for preparing Latino and Asian dishes. This includes hard-to-find accessories, such as cazuela bowls, 21 different sizes of carbon steel paella pans and steel woks made in its factory. Allied will showcase many of these products at the North American Food Equipment Manufacturers Show in Anaheim in February. “The fact that we manufacture products in our Bronx, N.Y., factory lends itself to shorter lead times, greater quality control and the opportunity to custom-manufacture aluminum and steel products to our customers’ specifications,” says Coutts. “We work closely with our customers R&D and

but one solution the company uses when dealing with limited resources. “Consumers understand that buying and using ‘local’ products and services results in higher quality and is better for the environment. The foodservice industry knows this and caters to customers’ wants,” he says. “This happens in both front-of-the-house as well as in the kitchen. Allied offers solutions using high- quality materials that make our products last lon-

“The fact that we manufacture products in our Bronx, N.Y., factory lends itself to shorter lead times, greater quality control and the opportunity to custommanufacture aluminum and steel products to our customers’ specifications,” Sustainability is not just a concept but one solution the company uses when dealing with limited resources. “Consumers understand that buying and using ‘local’ products and services results in higher quality and is better for the environment."

operations team -- from concept to testing to rollout – to make sure that the finished product exceeds our customers’ expectations.” Coutts attributes a lot of the company’s success to Arlene Saunders, Allied’s CEO. “She has a deep knowledge and passion for this industry. Since we are a ‘factory,’ her understanding of the manufacturing process gives her insight that minimizes repeated

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sampling and allows our customers to implement new menu items faster,” he says. “If re-tooling or minor tweaks are needed, we do it in our factory, not 8,000 miles away. Shorter lead times, quick turn-around and USAmade quality are why chains continue to turn to Allied. We appreciate their support and work hard to earn their trust every day,” he adds. Sustainability is not just a concept

says Coutts.

ger, resulting in lower replacement cost. Since we manufacture domestically, there are no additional resources needed to be imported from far away. Front-of-the-house solutions include metal serving dishes and trays rather than porcelain, plastic or paper products, materials that are recyclable.” For more information, go to http:// www.alliedmetalusa.com/

MAFSI, from page 50 gage with MAFSI reps. One of our local reps: Joe Ferri is currently serving as president of MAFSI. Talk about Joe’s imprint on MAFSI? To fully talk about the impact Joe Ferri has had on our organization would require another article entirely. But, in brief, Joe’s impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. First and foremost, without Joe – SpecPath wouldn’t even be happening. All MAFSI presidents take a platform, and for Joe, it was solving the 20-year-old specification-tracking problem. We believe we’ve found an elegant solution in SpecPath™. Beyond SpecPath™, Joe has been fundamental in scoping the long-term plan of MAFSI. We’ve spent a large portion of his presidency examining everything MAFSI stands for, and determining our best strategic way forward. A long time member of our Marketing and Communications committee, Joe had us take a hard look at our entire association brand, our marketing, and our PR initiatives. We’ve been working hard to make huge strides in all of our communication touch points. Of course, the bulk of these initiatives will not come to fruition until after his presidency – but like all great presidents – he laid a solid foundation for everyone, and everything, that will come after him. We are truly indebted to Joe, and couldn’t be more thankful for his service. MAFSI'S Business Barometer has become a staple for reading our industry. Crystal Ball give us a read on where we are at and where we are headed in 2015? MAFSI Reps are forecasting healthy growth of +4.1% for 2015, over 2014. Growth is expected across all regions of North America and all product seg-

ments (equipment, supplies, tabletop, and furnishings) including MAFSI's recent addition of new equipment sub-categories (primary cooking equipment, refrigeration and ice machines, storage and handling equipment, food preparation equipment, serving equipment, warewashing and sanitation equipment, and ventila-

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tion). Geographically, overall sales for 2015 vs. 2014, the Northeast is forecasted at +4.1%, Midwest at +4.6%, South at +4.0%, West at +4.8% and Canada at +3.4%. Though the numbers are beginning to dampen, our Reps predict another year of continued growth since the

“The Great Foodservice Recession.” Through reps’ continued efforts to move the market with increased quoting and a steady foodservice design consultant pipeline; 2015 continues to indicate another strong market year for the commercial foodservice industry.

// NEWS

FOODSERVICE SOLUTIONS

CT Optometrist Brings Eater’s Readers Solution To Tri-State Patrons With Goal Of Maximizing Per Check Yield How many times have you seen diners fumbling angrily for their reading glasses, only to have to borrow ones from their partner? A new business can make that never happen again in your restaurant.

r. Manny Greitzer has come up with a solution -- readily available common prescription reading glasses to read the menu in establishments that prefer a dark, quiet atmosphere but can anger their patrons if reading glasses go missing. The candle light ambiance, parchment calligraphy menus, or worst of all, the faded print on the check or credit card voucher to be signed, can all make a dining out experience frustrating and not at all the pleasant occasion it’s supposed to be. An optometrist with a master’s degree in education, and also a certified “reading specialist,” Dr. Greitzer has been practicing for 37 years, and came up with the idea to offer reading glasses to restaurants when he found it hard to read menus himself in places with low lighting. “While on vacation and taking a cab to a restaurant, I lost my glasses even before getting there,” he says. “I was totally unable to see the menu. My partner had to read the whole menu to me. Luckily, I had a spare in the hotel so the rest of the trip wasn't ruined,

but I no longer travel with less than three pairs!” Of course, if the restaurant’s in your hometown, that might not be such a problem. But it’s still very annoying, for most. What Dr. Greitzer can supply restaurants with is a selection of handsomely made reading glasses with the same prescription strength as found at any retail outlet. Eater’s Readers come in a wooden designer box and can be purchased in assorted optical strengths. “The establishment can profit from selling new ones from their spare collection as well,” he notes, for restaurants that may already carry reading glasses for borrowing by guests. “And it will cut down on their being pilfered!” Diners won’t just feel confident in having been able to properly see the menu (and all the prices and options), but also appreciate, and enjoy, what's set before them, he points out. “Restaurants used to provide matches and toothpicks and mints to their guests to show their appreciation. This means so much more,” he says. Instead of pulling out a box of left-

110 • February 2015 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

behind glasses, with bent or nibbledon earpieces and we won’t even talk about the nose pads, restaurants

could impress guests with a collection of brand-new reading glasses that they can use in the restaurant, or even purchase. “Mine are universally color-coded for prescription strength as well as marked low, medium and high,” Dr. Greitzer says. “If unable to see, the patron may just order the basics. The glasses not only enhance the whole dining experience, but can add value to the restaurant, as well.” For more information, go to www. eatersreaders.com or call 212 247 2020.

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