// NEWS
PROMOTIONS
Sternlicht Stuns Industry with Gersten For Hanson Swap BR Guest Hospitality announced last month that James Gersten, a leading restaurateur with senior leadership experience at organizations including Smith & Wollensky and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of the widely acclaimed hospitality company.
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n his new position, Mr. Gersten will oversee BR Guest's portfolio of 25 restaurants and bars, which include market-leading concepts and brands in several categories, including highly rated steak restaurant Strip House, modern Mexican restaurant Dos Caminos, high-energy "burger joint" Bill's Bar & Burger, innovative seafood restaurants in Atlantic Grill and Blue Fin, and the highly acclaimed Blue Water Grill. Collectively, BR Guest's restaurants generate about $150 million in annual revenue and reside in enviable locations in New York, Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Florida. Mr. Gersten brings 22 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries to his new position. Over the course of his career, Gersten has overseen the national expansion of famed New York City steakhouse Smith & Wollensky and served as President of Culinary Concepts Hospitality Group, where he developed, opened and operated 25 successful restaurants in seven countries, developing many concepts with world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. He also founded the highly successful and highly rated La Esquina, a Mexican restaurant with locations in New
Stephen Hanson, who after founding and guiding BR Guest over the past 26 years and creating one of the leading U.S. restaurant groups, is stepping down from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of BR Guest to pursue other opportunities.
York City's Little Italy and Brooklyn. Stephen Hanson, who after founding and guiding BR Guest over the past 26 years and creating one of the lead-
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ing U.S. restaurant groups, is stepping down from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of BR Guest to pursue other opportunities.
Mr. Gersten brings 22 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries to his new position. Over the course of his career, Gersten has overseen the national expansion of famed New York City steakhouse Smith & Wollensky and served as President of Culinary Concepts Hospitality Group.
“Starwood Capital Group, the sole shareholder of BR Guest, is extremely grateful to Mr. Hanson for his vision, years of dedicated service and tireless effort in creating the industry leader that BR Guest is today,” Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Starwood Capital Group, commented, "Steve is a pioneer in this business, and we would like to thank him not only for his partnership through the years, but all he has done to create such a world-class organization. James's experience with leading restaurant groups across the country and his teamwork-oriented management style will be invaluable as we look to continue investing in and growing the business, while delivering the high-quality products and outstanding customer experience our customers have come to expect." "After more than a quarter century working with some of the best people in the business, I am looking forward to pursuing the next stage of my career, but also deeply grateful for what we were able to accomplish at BR Guest," said Mr. Hanson. "From the opening of the Coconut Grill on
Manhattan's Upper East Side to our expansion into Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Florida, BR Guest has been a truly rewarding experience and I am looking forward to watching it and the many talented people working there flourish and am committed to working toward a seamless transition." "BR Guest is a standout name in the U.S. hospitality sector and I am truly excited to work with the talented team of executives, chefs and employees who operate so many acclaimed restaurants," said Mr. Gersten. "I have a deep respect for what Steve has accomplished in our industry. It is a privilege to step into this position and to have an opportunity to lead BR Guest and its brands to even greater heights by building upon the company's history of excellent customer service and best-in-class dining experiences." Since opening its first restaurant in 1987, BR Guest Hospitality has redefined the restaurant experience through an emphasis on hospitality and quality. Current BR Guest concepts include Atlantic Grill, Bill's Bar & Burger, Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos, Isabella's, Ocean Grill, Strip House, Sammy D's, Ruby Foo's, Wildwood Barbeque, HiLo Bar & Club, and 675 Bar. In 2007, BR Guest reinforced its commitment to the environment by becoming the first national multi-concept restaurant group to be certified green by the Green Restaurant Association. BR Guest's commitment to service and hospitality is also evident through its dedication of time and resources to community-based organizations including City-MealsOn-Wheels, City Harvest, Breast Treatment Task Force, Autism Speaks, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Publicolor, PENCIL, and The James Beard Foundation. Starwood Capital Group is a private, U.S.-based investment firm with a
core focus on global real estate. Since the group's inception in 1991, the firm has raised more than $22 billion of equity capital and acquired over $44 billion in assets. Starwood Capital Group currently has $29 billion of assets under management. Starwood Capital Group maintains offices in Green-
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wich, Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Chicago, and affiliated offices in London, Luxembourg, Paris, Mumbai and Sao Paulo. Starwood Capital Group has invested in nearly every class of real estate on a global basis, including office, retail, residential, senior housing,
golf, hotels, resorts and industrial assets. Starwood Capital Group and its affiliates have successfully executed an investment strategy that includes building enterprises around core real estate portfolios in both the private and public markets.
// NEWS
LEGISLATION
New York City Keeps E-Cigs Out Of Local Restaurants With Legislation New York's City Council has approved extending the city's strict smoking ban to include electronic cigarettes, which emit a vapor.
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he measure was pushed by outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg and backed by public health advocates in the city. It comes just weeks after New York became the first major city to raise the age for buying tobacco to 21. Earlier last month, New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said that "more research is needed on electronic cigarettes," but that "waiting to act could jeopardize the progress we have made over the last few years." Since 2002, New York has had a ban in place on smoking in bars, restaurants, parks, beaches and plazas. Councilman James Gennaro, one of the lead sponsors of the proposal to ban e-cigarettes in public places, and the commissioner, Dr. Thomas A. Farley, said that a loophole in current law allowing for electronic cigarettes was sowing confusion. "People are lighting up electronic cigarettes in restaurants, creating conflict with other patrons and waiters who have to mediate," noted Gennaro. "Children who could not differentiate between regular and electronic smoking were getting the message that smoking is socially acceptable." "We see these cigarettes are really starting to proliferate, and it's unacceptable,” Gennaro continued "I get reports of people smoking cigarettes
constituents’ liberties. Now a tenure in office that opened with welcome limits on smoking in public places and the mandatory inclusion of calorie information on restaurant menus will close with a ban on electronic cigarettes in public indoor spaces that Bloomberg signed into law after the New York’s City Council vote. The city already has one of the strictest smoking bans in America; since 2002, smoking has been prohibited in bars, restaurants, workplaces
continued on page 82
The makers of electronic cigarettes say that they are safe because they do not burn tar or tobacco, and they signaled their readiness to fight the proposed ban vigorously.
"People are lighting up electronic cigarettes in restaurants, creating conflict with other patrons and waiters who have to mediate," noted Gennaro. "Children who could not differentiate between regular and electronic smoking were getting the message that smoking is socially acceptable."
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in public libraries. Certainly, they're becoming more common in restaurants and bars." But the makers of electronic cigarettes say that they are safe because they do not burn tar or tobacco, and they signaled their readiness to fight the proposed ban vigorously. They say the e-cigarettes are a good alternative to regular smoking for people who cannot quit." After having undertaken a number of popular health initiatives since assuming office 12 years ago, just like predecessor Rudy Giuliani, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has come under fire for taking increasing liberties with his power to limit his
Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Wyman Philbrook Noelle Ifshin Andrew Catalano Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2014 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
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// NEWS
LEGISLATION
New York City Passes Mandatory Composting Ban For High Volume Restaurants The New York City council passed a bill late last month that establishes a commercial composting program for restaurants and large supermarkets by July 1, 2015. Food is the most prevalent item in the waste stream, especially in the restaurant and grocery businesses.
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hen excess food, leftover food, and food scraps are sent to a landfill, the food decomposes and becomes a source of methane - a powerful greenhouse gas. Increased access to composting combined with a food packaging ban will work together for improved food waste collection, since compostable packaging, such as food containers and bags, can be used to make the process more convenient and less messy. Outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg had said earlier that he was proposing the bill to require restaurants that generate more than a ton of food waste a week — about 1,200 establishments — to separate their food waste from the rest of their garbage so it could be sent to a composting plant. There, the food scraps would be converted to fertilizer or energy, part of the mayor’s long effort to divert more of the city’s trash from landfills. The Bloomberg administration estimates that the bill, would result in the diversion of 30 percent of the city’s commercial food waste, or over 250,000 tons annually. The city already collects food scraps in a pilot program from roughly 31,000 homes in about a dozen neighborhoods in the Bronx, in Brooklyn and on
Staten Island. By 2015, the city plans to expand the program to 100,000 singlefamily homes and 70 high-rise buildings across the city. In-coming Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed strong support for the pilot program when it was announced. In April, the city began a “Food Waste Challenge,” where about 150 restaurants, including chains like Pret A Manger and Chipotle and establishments like Le Bernadin and Mario Batali’s Babbo, pledged to cut in half the amount of food waste they sent to landfills. They promised to use composting and other waste prevention strategies like donating unsellable but edible food, such as misshaped pies, to food banks rather than throwing them away. More than 50 of the restaurants met their 50 percent goal, resulting in the collection of over 2,500 tons of food waste. “The days of burying millions of tons of it in the ground are quickly coming to an end,” Caswell F. Holloway IV, the deputy mayor for operations, said. The Cleaver Co, a catering company, shares a kitchen with the Green Table, a restaurant in Chelsea Market, and they have been recycling food scraps for several years, with a porter carry-
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ing out the waste and a hauler picking it up six days a week.” I’ve been thinking about where food comes from for years and years, and where is it all going,” Mary Cleaver, the owner of both establishments, said.
Melissa Autilio Fleischut, the president and chief executive of the New York State Restaurant Association, said that many restaurants were willing to compost, but that the logistics and cost of separating food waste from other trash, and arranging for pickup, could slow the effort. “The New York restaurant industry wants to become more environmentally friendly, but such a big change will not happen overnight,” Ms. Fleischut said, adding that she hoped “the system handling the supply of food waste can keep up.” “The last thing we want is to change the industry for the better, only to have the pipeline get overburdened and blow back on restaurants with higher fees or fewer pickups,” she said.
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// NEWS
RESTAURANTS
Pair Of Former Knicks Stars Set To Debut Harlem Pizzeria Former New York Knicks John Starks and Anthony Mason have decided to team up again and they're opening up a pizza restaurant. They are set to combine forces with a former Tavern on the Green executive on the project.
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tarks and Mason will bring the Custom Fuel Pizza franchise to uptown Manhattan early next year. The restaurant will be located on Frederick Douglas Boulevard and West 123rd Street. CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim are also investors in the eatery. The first of the chain of restaurants was started in Washington, D.C. But make no mistake there's a New York restaurateur behind the concept. Custom Fuels' President Jeremy Wladis knows great food. His tongue for great taste started when he was a young boy, working in his father's grocery store in upstate New York. His taste buds, have "budded" a bit since then. But, once he got a gulp of the restaurant industry he got thirsty for the thrill, the flavors and the feeling. Wladis pizza concept is one of several eateries that he owns and operates under the The Restaurant Group banner. "Our goal is to create a fusion of flavors that make a great recipe,” Wladis noted. The great recipe is what results when these "flavors" come together into a concept. His first pizza concept, Fuel Pizza - is a nostalgic, gas station themed pizzeria that started in Charlotte, North Carolina as a way to bring New York pizza, to the Southerners. Custom Fuel Pizza - a modern twist, and evolved version- of
Custom Fuel Pizza is known for allowing customers to "design" their own pies by picking the crust and sauce as well as any toppings. The Big Apple location is scheduled to open in late January.
TRG's original Fuel Pizza. Quality, real ingredients on a pizza - fast fired in just minutes. The firm also operates Brad's Brew - a psychadelic coffee and sandwich shop where college students frequent to eat and hang out. Firehouse Tavern - the familiar neighborhood tavern where families, sports and great food come together. Its Amigos - Mexican fare, done with untraditional and tasty flare! Tacos and happy hour collide daily. Good Enough to Eat, capturing the resurgence of New York's Upper West side - a trendy spot that boasts home cooked food, with a farm feel. Fresh biscuits and the ever-popular pumpkin pancakes made fresh every day. And
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Former New York Knicks John Starks and Anthony Mason have decided to team up again and they're opening up a pizza restaurant.
A.G. Kitchen is a place where burgers and Brazilian style chicken, get a creative spin on a plate, alongside Latino classics. Custom Fuel Pizza is known for allowing customers to "design" their own pies by picking the crust and sauce as well as any toppings. The Big Apple location is scheduled to open in late January. Waldis marketing strategy also includes a community-based agenda. The eatery also offers a Field to
Fuel School Garden Program, which has gained national attention. The program is an effort to interest children in nutrition while also teaching them to cook. The Fuel Pizza Field to Fork Program will give students an education in cooking and nutrition as well as gardening. Several schools in Charlotte, North Carolina are now a part of the Field to Fork Pizza Garden Program, which teaches children healthy habits. Starks and Mason aren't the only exKnicks players who have opened businesses in New York City. Walt "Clyde" Frazier owns a sports bar on the far west side of midtown Manhattan. Frazier was the point guard of the 1973 championship team. The bar, which opened in March of 2012, is called Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine. Custom Fuel's menu offers custom, personal-sized (13-by-6 inch) pizzas that are baked in a conveyor belt oven within two minutes rather than whole pies and slices. The menu incorporates organic seasonal local produce. Diners choose a crust (traditional, whole wheat, or gluten-free), sauce (tomato, pesto, barbecue, spicy marinara, etc.), cheese (including dairy free and fat free), and other meat and vegetable toppings including pork belly, shrimp, crab, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes. The restaurant also offers a dozen signature "vintage" pizzas like gorgonzola, pear, prosciutto; Old Bay shrimp; Hawaiian; and Veggie Delight. There's even a dessert pie with Nutella and seasonal fruit. Customizable pizzas with two toppings and the signature pizzas are $7.97. Classic pizzas like pepperoni or just cheese are $6.97. Salads, which are also customizable, range from $6.97 to $7.97.
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// C-CAP TRADE TALK
WITH JOYCE APPELMAN
Interview with C-CAP Grad Chef Sean Quinn Chef Sean Quinn, Executive Chef at Chadwick’s Restaurant, recently battled on the Food Network’s CHOPPED and earned the coveted title of “Chopped Champion.”
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is restaurant was named the “Best of the Boro— Best American Continental Restaurant Award” in 2012. He’s taking that winning attitude and launching his new line of fancy food items including Bacon Jam and Onion Marmalade. As a high school student, Quinn competed in the C-CAP New York Cooking Competition for Scholarships, where he was awarded the coveted scholarship to the New England Culinary Institute. After graduating, Quinn began his career working in corporate dining for FLIK at Paul Weiss, a law firm in midtown Manhattan. In 2002, Quinn moved out to Brooklyn to make his mark in the kitchen at Chadwick’s Restaurant as a Sous Chef, then took a variety of positions in restaurants in Brooklyn and Staten Island including Vida and Richmond County Country Club. In 2006, Chadwick’s owners Steven Oliver and Gerry Morris invited Quinn, then only 25, to rejoin the restaurant as the Executive Chef. With Chef Quinn at the helm, Chadwick’s has repeatedly earned a Zagat Survey score of 22 or higher for its food, earning a 24 in 2013. Quinn specializes in serving steaks, wild game, and giving a modern flair to classic regional American food. He continues to support C-CAP, participating as a featured chef in two C-CAP
Joyce Appelman, Director of Communications, C-CAP New York, NY j oyc e a p p e l m a n @ g m a i l .c o m
Junior Benefits at Ginny’s at Red Rooster and at the 2013 C-CAP Benefit at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers honoring Tony May. What inspired you to pursue cooking professionally? My parents always cooked at home; we never had take-out or fast food growing up. I used to help in the kitchen. I remember peeling potatoes and beating eggs at a really young age. My grandmother was also an inspiration to me. Her food was so simple and yet some of the best I've ever eaten. Share with us your favorite C-CAP memory. When my Chopped episode aired in November, a group of C-CAP staff came to my restaurant for the viewing party to show their support. Beyond winning, getting to cook for them that night made me so proud.
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Chef Sean Quinn, Executive Chef at Chadwick’s Restaurant
How has mentorship played a role in your success? I owe much of my success to the mentorship I received from my high school culinary arts teacher Warren Schueler, and C-CAP’s founder Richard Grausman. Mr. Grausman has always been there to help me, to answer questions,
and to offer up advice. With his guidance I’ve had opportunities to do things I wouldn’t have imagined possible: cooking in Daniel Boulud's kitchen for the chance to study at the Institut Paul Bocuse; sharing the floor with some of the world’s best chefs at the C-CAP Annual Benefit; and so much more. What trends do you see emerging in the restaurant industry now? I see a great trend in the importance of sustainability and sourcing products locally. It’s a wonderful thing to buy as local as possible because you know where your food is coming from. I love to support farmers; it’s an industry that is underappreciated. What’s the one ingredient you couldn’t live without? Bacon. I know its passé to love bacon so much. Bacon has been done, but it really is a magical food. It’s salty and savory and smoky; it even goes with sweet things, as I proved when I put it in my dessert on CHOPPED. I believe that my use of bacon was one of the deciding factors in my winning and becoming a "Chopped Champion!" What are a few of your favorite dishes on your menu right now, and why? My Chargrilled Filet Mignon with Blue Cheese Butter and my special Bacon Jam. The Bacon Jam is a recipe that I’ve made at Chadwick’s for years and have recently begun selling via social media and through my website, chefseanquinn.com. How important is mentorship in developing a workforce? Mentorship is hugely important. CCAP taught me the importance of mentorship by always being there for me. Fifteen years later, I still contact CCAP to share good news and bad, to get advice and to give back. I try to pay it forward whenever I can.
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// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
CT Restaurant Association’s Annual “Salute to Excellence” Awards Dinner The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) held its annual Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner on Tuesday, December 3rd, at the Mohegan Sun Casino Ballroom. The event honored many of Connecticut’s restaurants, caterers, chefs, and mixologists. Over 350 people were in attendance.
"I
t is great that we have the opportunity to bring restaurant leaders from across the state together to celebrate the talent of our local chefs and the achievements of our restaurants,” said CRA Board Chairman, Phil Barnett of the Hartford Restaurant Group. This year’s Awards Dinner recognized Jimmy Cosgrove of Salute Restaurant in Hartford as the 2013 Restau-
rateur of the Year, an award given each year to a restaurateur who is a handson operator, involved in the community, and supportive of the hospitality industry in Connecticut. The CRA also honored the Hartford law firm of Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck as their Vendor of the Year, and State Senator Bob Duff as their Friend of the Industry. The CRA also honored the Union League Café of New Haven and the
Marchetti Family of Restaurants of Fairfield County, which include Columbus Park Trattoria in Stamford, Applausi Osteria in Old Greenwich and Tarantino Restaurant in Westport, with their Hospitality Hall of Fame
The Oyster Club's Dan Meiser (trophy in hand) and Executive Chef James Wayman celebrated Mystic Restaurant's upscale Restaurant of The Year honors
Phil Barnett, Chairman, CRA Board of Directors and Partner in the Hartford Restaurant Group (all Wood n Taps, Agave, TD Homer’s) Jason Hawkins of NBC 30, our emcee, Nicole Griffin, Executive Director of the CRA, Jimmy Cosgrove of Salute Restaurant, recipient of 2013 Restaurateur of the Year award.
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Award. Awards were also given out in the following categories: Casual Restaurant of the Year, Upscale Restaurant of the Year, Caterer of the Year, Mixologist of the Year, and Chef of the Year. More than eight thousand votes were cast online at www.ctrestaurant.org. “I am thrilled to be honoring these superb restaurants, caterers, chefs and mixologists who have demonstrated a passion for offering outstanding food and beverages,” said CRA Executive Director, Nicole Griffin.
John Tsipouras, of Grant Restaurant Group (Grant’s and Bricco in West Hartford) recipient of the Pernod Ricard Mixologist of the Year Award
(L to R) Michael Marchetti, Tracey McKenzie, Steve Lisitano, Jimmy Cosgrove, State Senator Bob Duff, Marcia Selden, Dan Meiser, James Wayman
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// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Families In Need Enjoyed Delicious Thanksgiving Dinner Donated By Top Chefs & Generous Volunteers The spirit of Thanksgiving was on full view at Children’s Aid’s Dunlevy Milbank Center on the day before Thanksgiving as chefs from some of New York’s finest hotels and restaurants teamed up to provide a luscious Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of New York’s disadvantaged children and their families.
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hanks to the generosity of the Food & Beverage Association of America, this was the 22nd year that this special dinner was served at the Dinlevy Milbank
Center. Wayne Whinna Director of Food & Beverage at The Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers headed up the culinary efforts for the 11th year. Wayne Whinna and his staff cooked 275 turkeys at 20 lbs. each, plus all
The visionary Gladys Mouton Di Stefano welcomed many guests
Noted author and chef Arno Schmidt at the amazing age of 80 continues to volunteer his time
Veteran food service executive Steve Gattullo and daughter Madison were among many families that teamed to make thanksgiving special for those less fortunate.
Hotel Association of NYC chairman Geoffrey Mills and M. Tucker's Marc Fuchs made thanksgiving special for the Harlem neighborhood
Noted hotel executive David Cohen has been a staple at the annual event for years
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the trimmings for the 22nd consecutive year, Gladys Mouton Di Stefano, President of the Food & Beverage Association and President of At Your Service Party Consulting, LLC organized the dinner and coordinated all donations. Members, family members and friends of The Food and Beverage Association donated all the food, decorations and table settings for the dinner, prepared and served the food. Among the children and families who celebrated at the dinner were the homeless families who live at Children’s Aid’s Pelham Fritz Apartments (a homeless shelter for families) across the street from the Dunlevy Milbank Center; formerly homeless families who return for this special celebration; hundreds of other families from the Harlem community served by the Dunlevy Milbank Center all year. A DJ entertained diners during the meal and a raffle distributed more cooked turkeys to the families in attendance.
Charmer/Sunbelts' David Silverman (L) hosted an army of young assistants
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// NEWS
RESTAURANTS
Brooklyn Pizzeria Paulie Gee Sets Sights On Ambitious National Expansion Plan Brooklyn's Paulie Giannone has burst onto the local scene with his much talked about Paulie Gee's Pizzeria in Greenpoint. With hour plus waits, the entrepreneur has set his sights on bringing the best of the borough to the rest of the nation in 2014.
P
aulie Gee's is planning a massive multi-city expansion, aiming to open locations in Chicago, Oakland, Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Columbus, and Long Island. Pizzaiolo Paulie Giannone is currently working on opening in Baltimore in collaboration with the aptly named anonymous pizza blogger Pizzablogger, no leases have been signed yet, but Giannone says that "if things break right" some location might open as soon as early 2014, otherwise locations are expected in late 2014 and in 2015. In each of the expansions, Giannone will be opening with a partner who will be based in the new city, explaining that he wants to be able to expand without having to be in two places at once. His partners are already pizza experts, many of whom have been working a few days a week at the Brooklyn pizzeria to learn more about restaurant operations and the Paulie Gee's way of making pizza. On why he is partnering with pizza fanatics as opposed to seasoned restaurant veterans, Giannone says: "It's about passion - I was able to make my restaurant without any prior knowledge in the restaurant world. I don't limit myself to the restaurant world." Gi-
In each of the expansions, Giannone will be opening with a partner who will be based in the new city, explaining that he wants to be able to expand without having to be in two places at once.
annone also explains that each new location will have the same kind of oven that he has in Brooklyn: a Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven, complete with a sun logo. Giannone will be partnering with Slice founder Adam Kuban to open a Paulie Gee's in Portland, OR. Kuban approached Giannone with the idea and has been working with Giannone a few days a week at the Brooklyn pizzeria, learning Giannone's pizza ways plus the ins and outs of the restaurant business. The pair has not yet identi-
Brooklyn's Paulie Giannone has burst onto the local scene with his much talked about Paulie Gee's Pizzeria in Greenpoint.
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fied a space, but are actively looking. Also on the docket for Giannone is a pizzeria in Oakland, CA, which he will open with Andrew Brown, who currently works at Paulie Gee's. Giannone decided on Oakland because his friends in the pizza world suggested that in the Bay Area, that would be the best fit. Giannone also adds that when evaluating potential locations he considers whether they have a similar vibe and demographic makeup to his home base location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (just north of Williamsburg). Giannone has also identified a partner for a location in Los Angeles' Highland Park with partner Lou Tomczak. Giannone is specifically looking for a space on the hip York Boulevard, but apparently there aren't many available spaces in that area. Giannone explains that Tomczak became one of his best dough makers while working in the Brooklyn pizzeria. He even has a pizza named after him. Giannone has also identified partners for locations in Chicago's Wicker Park or Logan Square, Long Island's North Fork, Short North in Columbus, OH, and Las Vegas. Giannone also has his eye on Philadelphia, but hasn't identified a collaborator for that location. Giannone won't name names on those upcoming partnerships, but explains that these relationships are active and that the restaurant search is on. Giannone is also planning on expanding his Brooklyn location into the neighboring space and pending an agreement with the landlord will use the new square footage to ease wait times open up the bar, and host private events.
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// NEWS
REAL ESTATE
Hunts Point Inks 7 Year Extension Of Pact To Keep Market In Bronx On the last day of the Bloomberg administration, city officials bought some time in their longrunning effort to keep the Hunts Points Terminal Produce Market from leaving the Bronx for New Jersey or elsewhere.
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ew York City’s Economic Development Corporation announced late last month that after years of sometimes contentious negotiations, the market’s lease had been renewed for seven years. The agreement keeps the wholesale market and its 3,000 jobs in the South Bronx until June 2021. The market, which has operated since 1967, has an option to renew the lease for 10 years after that. The agreement is a step toward developing a long-term plan to overhaul the market, which occupies more than 100 acres. The city agreed to reduce the maximum annual rent the market pays to $4 million from $4.5 million. In return, the market agreed to reduce the amount it can deduct from that rent for repairs it makes to its infrastructure to $1.5 million from $2.25 million annually. “This is our way of saying, look, let us rebuild this place and let’s focus on making this place bigger and better than it ever was,” said Charles G. Slepian, special counsel to the market’s board of directors. He said the market’s operators had not ruled out listening to offers from the State of New Jersey or other suitors. But for now, he said, they would concentrate on short-term improve-
“This is our way of saying, look, let us rebuild this place and let’s focus on making this place bigger and better than it ever was,” said Charles G. Slepian, special counsel to the market’s board of directors.
ments, such as repaving roads and repairing train tracks that are sinking. The market’s operators had complained about the involvement of the city’s Business Integrity Commission, whose mandate is to keep organized crime out of certain industries. The operators had demanded that the commission relax some of its regulations before they would agree to a lease renewal. But Mr. Slepian said that he de-
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cided to drop that demand and that it was not an element of the new agreement. The operators would still like the commission to ease up, but he said that “they have been much easier to work with in the last several months.”
Kyle Kimball, who was reappointed by Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio as president of the development corporation last month said: “The Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market has been an integral part of New York City’s economy for nearly 50 years, creating jobs for thousands of people and providing fresh produce to millions of New Yorkers. The announcement that the market will remain in Hunts Point until 2021 ensures that these jobs remain in the Bronx, strengthening the industrial sector within the outer boroughs and building a stronger and more diverse city economy for years to come.”
// CHEFCETERA
UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK'S CHEFS
Tim Oltmans
Chef at Jack the Horse Tavern in Brooklyn, NY For Chef Tim and his wife Micki, Jack the Horse Tavern is the culmination of more than a decade of studying, planning, dreaming, patience, and just plain hard work.
C
limbing through the ranks in some of NYC’s great restaurants, Tim spent 14 years perfecting his craft with such outstanding chefs as Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern, Laurent Tourondel at C.T., and Floyd Cardoz at Tabla, for example. Micki was the guiding force behind the creation of Jack the Horse Tavern. Her unwavering belief in the success of their restaurant kept them firmly on track as their vision slowly took shape. Micki’s flair for art and design, combined with business experience, served her well in transforming an idea into a reality. What or who inspired you to become a chef, where did you study? Growing up in Minneapolis with a huge garden got me in the mode of thinking about fresh local things. When you are young you don’t always appreciate fresh fruit and vegetables but fresh was the norm for us. We canned vegetables, froze garden pickings, made wine (it was dreadful), and fermented cabbage. After 15 years of being a mechanical engineer and a home cook I was ready for a change. I took a few professional cooking classes to see if I was about to make the right move and decided I was ready for a new adventure. I headed east with Micki and landed at the French Culinary Institute. From there
and why great techniques work so well. Just learning the braising methods they employed have made my braises second to none.
Tim Oltmans spent 14 years perfecting his craft with such outstanding chefs as Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern, Laurent Tourondel at C.T., and Floyd Cardoz at Tabla
I made my way to Trois Jean, a wonderful French Bistro on the Upper East Side. Have any mentors? What have you learned from them? My three most influential cooking experiences were Trois Jean under Jean Louis Dumonet, Gramercy Tavern, Chef Tom Colicchio, Tabla, with Floyd Cardoz. Each chef added to my knowledge in really significant ways. Chef Dumonet taught me many things about French cooking and eating (I was fresh out of the French Culinary Institute at the time). Both Tom Colicchio and Floyd Cardoz taught me about paying attention to the details
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How did you end up in Brooklyn with JtH? Micki and I spent years looking at restaurant spaces in the West Village, East Village, Lower East Side, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint. We never saw quite the right thing. One day my broker said I should take a look at a space he stumbled across in Brooklyn Heights. We took a look, took some measurements, did a quick floor plan and said “Let’s do it”. Our investors came to us when we started looking for financing and Commerce Bank (now TD) was happy to help out with leases on equipment. Are you using sustainable sources for your dishes? Three days a week Brooklyn’s Borough Hall farmers market provides me with many great local products. Generally with our seafood items I follow the recommendations of our fish supplier as to sustainability. Cheeses for our cheese plate all come from small local farms & dairies. What role does Micki play at JtH? Micki handles most of our back office functions working closely with our accountant on payroll, benefits, keeping
our investors informed, and keeping track of a million little details that must be addressed to keep a small business running. She is also an idea person when it comes to what’s next, where are we headed, what do we need to pay more attention to, etc. The look and feel of the interior of Jack the Horse Tavern is very much Micki. The artwork on the walls, much of it by her father, all came off the walls of our apartment. The colors, the fabrics, the table settings, the lighting are all part of her vision. What’s the process in developing new menu entrées? As with many menu items you say what is available right now in the market and you build around those items. If the price of a certain fish drops to a certain point it lets us build a dish we can put on the menu at a reasonable price. Then there are times when I ask my sous chefs to put together something they are interested in. That usually involves a bit more give and take since they don’t always take into account some of the logistics of a new dish. On the equipment side, what do you look for when purchasing foodservice equipment for the kitchen? Getting the restaurant started meant looking for bargains. That meant going to restaurant auctions with a huge wad of cash in my pocket. I found lots of great stuff that I would not have been able to afford otherwise. The biggest repair budget - refrigeration. Find a good repair guy and take his advice. I asked many chefs for their advice about what equipment to buy and which items they liked. The restaurant industry has a very
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// Q&A
EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEWS
Melissa Autilio Fleischut President & CEO of NYS Restaurant Association in Albany, New York What do you get when you take someone versed in government affairs, and restaurant issues? Melissa Autilio Fleischut, who brings her wealth of knowledge about how government works and the ways in which it can help the foodservice industry, a combination that benefits both.
H
ow did you get into the industry?
I ended up getting an internship in the government affairs department of the National Restaurant Association. Something just clicked. Yes, I really loved it. It was very interesting to see what the association did as far as government affairs go, and how it worked on Capitol Hill.
What brought you to the NYS Restaurant Association? Through my job I got to meet Rick Sampson from the New York State Restaurant Association, and after my first child was born, I was asked if I’d consider returning to New York. I was invited to apply for a regional rep position, and became the Northeast regional rep for the association. The timing seemed right for me. I'd spent my 20s in Washington, DC, and it was a good time for my family and I to move home.
What are the needs of your member-
ship? The association tries to do everything it can to make sure it’s in tune with the membership, though we do rely heavily on our chapters to be the eyes and ears in those local communities. The members need information on new laws and regulations, trends and best practices. They need help finding employees, help with financing and educational programs.
What’s the legacy that Rick Sampson left as the Association’s leader? My predecessor and mentor, Rick Sampson, continued the legacy of his father, Fred, who unified the organization – brought us all together. As CEO, Rick was behind the creation and development of the Educational Foundation when it was originally formed in 1999. Through the Foundation Rick was able to bring the ProStart program to New York. He was instrumental in getting the whole concept of reaching into the high schools to talk about our industry in a positive way and to get them excited and interested in the industry so that we continue to grow and thrive as an industry moving forward. He also managed the Association through some difficult economic years and made tough choices to keep the Association on track.
How does the NYS Restaurant Association respond to the organization’s needs?
What do you get when you take someone versed in government affairs, and restaurant issues? Melissa Fleischut, who brings her wealth of knowledge about how government works and the ways in which it can help the foodservice industry, a combination that benefits both.
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We developed a new tagline. It's helping restaurateurs succeed. That's so simple, but it's so complex at the same time. It resonates well with the members that I've been able to speak to about the plan at this point, and they understand that we really have to narrow that focus as to how we are helping restaurateurs succeed, and is everything we're doing focused around
My predecessor and mentor, Rick Sampson, continued the legacy of his father, Fred, who unified the organization – brought us all together. that. Does everything go back to that tag line? We’re looking at some new ways to process member benefit programs, forming a task force of not just board members, but general members, too, so that they can have a say in telling us what kinds of programs they need. The association’s creating a new board committee focused on leadership development, which is looking to find and identify new leaders for the chapters and getting the boards reactivated in some of the areas where they hadn't been as active recently. It starts there and it catches on. It's only a matter of time before it spreads statewide. We want members to see the importance of the success of each area and the importance of each area being healthy in order for the state association to be healthy. And we’re examining our programs – we have to make sure that they are the best programs that we can offer, and that they really speak to the needs of the members. It all comes back to communication. They're looking for us to provide them with answers – on government regulations, on best practices, industry trends. So we have to find the best
ways to communicate with them on all platforms, because now there are so many different varying communication platforms. To that end, the association has just launched a new Web site, with a social media component where the members can talk to each other and network. Kind of like Facebook for the association.
The Association has made a significant commitment to education. Please outline the highlights and vision. We’re particularly proud of the ProStart program, which focuses on juniors and seniors in high school. What we're hoping to do is promote that program more so that people know about the good things that we're doing. There's been a lot of success in that program but we find that not everybody's heard of it. And not everybody knows what we're doing. So again, kind of back to the communication aspect of things and telling people more about the program and what we're trying to accomplish. We do have some challenges. How do we keep track of those kids? How do we keep them engaged with the association as they move into the industry, become employees in the industry, managers in the industry and, someday, owners in the industry? We want to make sure that we don't lose them. If we've managed to have an impact on their life at 15, 16, 17 and 18, then, we want to make sure we stay focused on them throughout their career. So that, when they become owners or they become managers, they want to become members of the New York State Restaurant Association. Are there ways to structure this moving forward so that we can stay better engaged with the students? The foundation has been able to keep track of some of the students and follow them through the
Talk about the Association’s initiatives to promote locally grown product on New York State menus?
It resonates well with the members that I've been able to speak to about the plan at this point, and they understand that we really have to narrow that focus as to how we are helping restaurateurs succeed, and is everything we're doing focused around that.
whole program and their graduation.
We recently completed 12 years of the Bloomberg administration. From smoking ban to the elimination of trans fat and calorie posting, there was no shortage of issues. It’s true it was probably very challenging for restaurants during Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure, which included bans on trans fat and smoking in restaurants, and raising the price of sugary sodas to deter people from drinking them. We may never know what his motivation was. But he certainly put forward a lot of restaurant initiatives while he was there. It's incredibly complicated to run a restaurant in New York City today, because of all the different city agencies as well as the state agencies that are there to look over your shoulder. That’s why they need an association like ours. The association has been working with members in New York to let them know they have somebody who can
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help them navigate that maze of city agencies and keep on top of all the different changes that are coming down the pike.
What impact will the casino referendum have on our industry? We’ve decided to stay neutral. What we found was that the restaurateurs seemed to be quite mixed. Some think it's a good thing, that it could drive tourism and bring in new people to the community, which would be good for all the businesses. But others are concerned that the casino, because it's not in the food and beverage industry, tends to be able to offer food and drink items at significantly reduced prices, because their real business is casino gaming, and they're concerned about the competition in the marketplace. Because we don't have clear direction from our members, we stayed neutral on the issue.
The NYS Restaurant Association ran a Taste of New York showcase recently.
We brought locally grown product to New York chefs, helping restaurants learn how to build a financial model with distribution to be able to put those types of local products on their plates and their menus. The association's been working on this for years, all the way back to Rick's involvement with the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, where he serves as a board member on the foundation and has for a number of years, working with Jim Trezise. Their partnership and friendship has always been a part of what we do here at the organization and how we can better promote New York wines. Governor Andrew Cuomo is really behind this. His commitment to the summit and Taste of New York has elevated it in the minds of the consumers and the restaurateurs, along with the beer, wine and spirits summit. I really have to give credit to the governor for his initiative in putting significant resources behind Taste of New York. And also, how he's going to solve some of the common issues that can bankrupt a restaurant, helping them find resources, and how they can use them better. One final piece of business the association is working on with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is a pledge for restaurateurs to use more local product in their restaurants. Customers want more locally sourced food and beverages. It's a big trend in the industry. We’re asking restaurateurs to use 10% more local product. Even if you're using local products, let's find ways to use more of it. And it can be anything – produce, dairy, meats, beverages.
// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
The Partridge Club's Annual Holiday Event at New York Athletic Club EYE joined fellow Partridge Club members in welcoming the holiday season at the club’s annual holiday shindig at the New York Athletic Club.
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ennis Sweeney brought his touch of humor to the festivities, as the event once again marked a highlight of Christmas in New York. EYE toasted the holidays with educators including: Liz Schaible of NYC College of Technology, Steve Shipley of Johnson & Wales and Jim Clark of Culinary Institute of America.
The Club honored the memory of long time member Joe Thomas who died earlier in the month. EYE spotted such notables as Myriad Restaurant Group's Tracy Nieporent and The New York State Restaurant Association's James Versocki. EYE enjoyed the camaraderie of such food and beverage leaders as Fresh and Tasty's Peter Fernandez,
Dennis Murphy of Opici and Chaz White of Southern Wines. Top operators at the Holiday event included: Dick Cattani and Ed Sirhal of Restaurant Associates and The Partridge Club was formed in 1935 at the Victoria Hotel in New York City. The membership was made up of leading purveyors to the hotel, club and restaurant trade. The Holiday luncheon brought the
mission of the Partridge Foundation to raise scholarship funds for institutions of higher learning and to provide training for students pursuing a career in the Hospitality Industry. Among the industry's top equipment and supply professionals who celebrated were: Hobart's Gary Simpson, Keith Fitzgerald of PBAC, Kurt Newman of Steelite and Morgan Tucker of M.Tucker. EYE can’t say enough about the Partridge Club’s scholarship initiatives, which are led by Marc Sarrazin of DeBragga and Spitler. Once again with the meat maven’s lead Partridge grants went to such noted institutions as the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales, Cornell University, Paul Smith College and the University of Massachusetts.
Randy Ruder of Beach Point Club (3rdL) and Todd Zorn of Salem Golf Club (3rd-R) led a large contingent of club managers to the holiday event
(L to R) Myriad Restaurant Group's Tracy Nieporent, Mike Scinto of TFS and New York Hospitality Alliances' Andrew Rigie
(L to R) Long time Partridge members: Minners Design's Maureen Cole and Mrs and Mrs Ross Gnesin
(L to R) Noted consultant James Davella, Kent Bain of the Federal Reserve Bank and Restaurant Associates' Ed Sirhal
The event was marked by the Partridge's annual scholarship presentation including Hobart's Dick Hynes presenting a check to Steve Shipley of Johnson and Wales
(L to R) Tony Orlando and Phil Robinson of ST Media unwound from their successful IHMRS show
(L to R) WH Linen's Bill Hermanns, Pamela Fernandez & David DePoalo
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// SCOOP Bar Fight As Former P.J. Clarke’s Bartender Opens His Own Saloon Two Blocks From The Tavern That Fired Him Scoop sees that Doug Quinn, the beloved bartender who helmed P.J. Clarke’s for nearly a decade, is gearing up for war. “I want to create an army of Doug Quinns,” says the barkeep, who was fired from Clarke’s in June 2012. Rather than retreat after an unceremonious ouster, the tapster has gone on the offensive. Last month, he opened his own Midtown East Saloon, Hudson Malone, in a two-story space at 218 E. 53rd St. It sits a mere two blocks from the original Clarke’s at 915 third Ave. “This place will be a ‘New York joint.’ I don’t think they really exist so much anymore,” Quinn says. Countless fans have followed Quinn to Hudson Malone. After all, he’s become something of a mythical creature among the city’s most elite and discerning drinkers, famed for his uncanny ability to remember every customer’s drink and life story. Also, for being able to pour a dozen cocktails at once, all while keeping a firm eye on
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
ies Joe Allen and Elaine Kaufman hang on the walls alongside a chalkboard scrawled with “Quinn’s Laws,” which include “Stand Tall. Choose Sides,” and “I’d Rather Die on My Feet Than Live on My Knees.”
“Listen some people say I’m gifted,” says Quinn. “But I also work hard, too.” If customer loyalty is any indication the hard work pays off. “I was building a brand at Clarke’s and maybe, in some respect, they didn’t want me to be the brand,” says Quinn.
the door. “Listen some people say I’m gifted,” says Quinn. “But I also work hard, too.” If customer loyalty is any indication the hard work pays off. “I was building a brand at Clarke’s and maybe, in some respect, they didn’t want me to be the brand,” says Quinn. In October,
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Doug Quinn, the beloved bartender who helmed P.J. Clarke’s for nearly a decade, is gearing up for war
he purchased the spot where Hudson Malone now sits; previously home to a succession of all you can drink dens of debauchery. Then he simply spread the word. “I didn’t realize how many thousands of people I know,” Quinn says. “I’ve been everywhere in the world, and where I go, people will say ‘Hey, Doug Quinn.’ People tell me how something, I did touched their life,” he says. While at Clarke’s, he introduced at least 10 men to their future wives. His new joint is an old-schooled saloon (jukebox included) where Quinn’s bow-tie collection hangs behind the bar, men outnumber women 60 to 1 and portrait of bar-owning luminar-
Tri-State Buffalo Wings Ink Pepsi Deal Scoop notes that in an unusual deal that goes far beyond the soda wars, PepsiCo has announced that it is unseating Coca-Cola as the beverage supplier to one of the Tri-State’s hottest restaurant chains Buffalo Wild Wings. The deal, which will start with the introduction of Pepsi, Mountain Dew and other drink brands in the new year, is the biggest sign so far of how PepsiCo is deploying its thriving snacks business and Quaker, which it also owns, to offset declines in its traditional soda business. “You’ve got to get in the door with great beverages,” said Kirk Tanner, president of PepsiCo’s food service businesses, which supplies restaurants and other institutions with the company’s products. “But what this partnership does is give Buffalo Wild Wings a full access
pass to all that PepsiCo has to offer.” That means items on the restaurant menus might someday include a Dorito-crusted wing or a Mountain Dew cocktail. While details for how to marry their varied palates are still in the discussion stages, the two companies envision blends that include things as diverse as chip-flavored dishes and sports celebrity appearances fostered by PepsiCo’s sports affiliations. And the deal also allows Buffalo Wild Wings to capitalize on PepsiCo’s relationships with major sports organizations like the National Football League and Major League Baseball.
A Banner Year For NYC’s Daniel Boulud
by Relais & Chateaux. Thirty-six new members were welcomed into the network, and two new North American Grands Chefs were recognized. If that weren’t enough, Relais & Chateaux’s brand new international president, Phillippe Gombert, was introduced. Actress Elizabeth Olsen attended the event with a friend. “When someone invites you to a lunch like this, you go,” she said. “Also, I’ve always wanted to go to Daniel,” added Olsen, who finds herself with a bit of time off before heading to London to film “Avengers 2” in March. “I’m trying everything,” she said. There’s no question that Mr. Boulud has had a big year, with his flagship restaurant, Daniel, turning 20 and the launch of his acclaimed cook-
Scoop says “The nice thing about having a party at Daniel is that everyone accepts, even in inclement weather,” said Patrick O’Connell, president of Relais & Chateaux North America at a four-course lunch on a snowy day late last month. The event celebrated new members of Relais & Chateaux, the prestigious collection of high-end small to medium sized hotels and restaurants across the globe. A special honor was given to Daniel’s owner, Daniel Boulud, deemed a Grand Chef
book, “Daniel: My French Cuisine.” He was honored with a Welcome Trophy for “Impeccable attentive service and pursuit of excellence” at the event. Al Roker, who spends Thanksgiving with Mr. Boulud at his restaurant, introduced the chef. “Like Relais & Chateaux, I will also be turning 60 in 2014,” said Roker. “If any of the properties want to host my celebration, I’m available.” Mr. Roker went on to say how Mr. Boulud epitomizes the welcoming nature that has earned Relais & Chateaux properties global esteem. “He welcomes everyone,” he said. Mr. Boulud has been a member of Relais & Chateaux for 19 years. “It’s all about detail in service and a personal touch. All members believe in the principle of excellence in service, without being pretentious.”
Hungry Near The Hudson Scoop notes it is interesting to see how attitudes have changed from New York City’s top landlords towards the value of restaurants in their new development. Such is the case with Gotham West, a brand new rental scheme on the farthest end of West 45th Street. Opened barely one month ago and arriving with a $500 million price tag,
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
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181 Marsh Hill Road 91 Brainard Road 566 Hamilton Avenue 15-06 132nd Street 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 305 S. Regent St. 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road
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Orange, CT 06477 Hartford, CT 06114 Brooklyn, NY 11232 College Point, NY 11356 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Port Chester, NY 10573 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 S. Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083
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Renting for between $2,750 and $10,000 per month, Gotham West’s units are clearly aimed at the type of Manhattan professionals typically drawn to Chelsea or the West Village. Gotham West is nothing if not ambitious. More than 550 apartments with some 80 different configurations are packed into four mega-towers set on a nearly full-block slice of 11th Avenue. Renting for between $2,750 and $10,000 per month, Gotham West’s units are clearly aimed at the type of Manhattan professionals typically drawn to Chelsea or the West Village. But this is Hell’s Kitchen’s far southwestern fringe, where quality services are still relatively rare despite the 2011 West Clinton Rezoning scheme, which
203-795-9900 860-549-4000 718-768-0555 718-762-1000 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 718-707-9330 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 914-935-0220 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-791-2740 908-964-5544 continued on next page
allows for new development across 18 area blocks between 10th and 11th Avenues from West 55th to West 43rd Streets. So rather than wait for fellow developers to arrive with brand name shops and chef-driven restaurants, Gotham decided to bring the goods themselves. Armed with 10,000 square feet of flexible commercial space, Gotham President David Picket, along with architecture firm AvroKO have created Gotham Market, a restaurant filled mini-mall that is reimagining the boundaries between operators, consumers and tenants. “Our first inclination was to get a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, but the space was just too small,” Picket says. Inspired by European market halls and the street food stalls of Singapore, Picket has substituted a single Whole Foods with more than a half dozen quality restaurants and purveyors from Ivasn Ramen Slurp Shop and the tapas-focused El Colmado to The Brooklyn Kitchen retail shop and a branch of San Francisco-based Blue Bottle Coffee. “Folks flow through the entire market in a way that exposes each purveyor to the most customers possible,” Picket says. “There’s no formal hierarchy here, it’s eight chefs playing off each other and everyone sinks or swims together.”
A Veteran Chef Serves New Upper West Crowd Scoop notes that in a cramped church basement on the Upper West Side, with pots and pantry staples lining the walls, chef Andrea Bergquist-Zamir discussed paella with 19 students and explained how to flavor fish stock. A 15-year veteran of top city restaurants such as Gramercy Tavern and Tabla, Ms. Bergquist-Zamir is a knowledgeable if unlikely instructor for the Chef Training Program run by West Side Campaign Against Hunger. Ms. Bergquist-Zamir, the former executive chef at celebrity restaurateur Marcus
Samuelsson’s Red Rooster and Merkato 55, has traded in her 12-plus hour workdays to teach at the social service organization that serves several hundred families a day at its grocery storestyle food pantry. After helping open restaurants as well as cooking for President Obama, the 46-year old Ms. Bergquist-Zamir said she asked herself: “What’s next?” “It was like, how may of these fancy meals can I keep cooking?” she said. “I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.” Ms. Bergquist-Zamir was turned off by the idea of teaching at a culinary school, where she said the main ambition of many students is to “become famous TV chefs overnight.” But an ad that she spotted for WSCAH on a jobs website appealed to her. Though offered for 10 years, the class became a rigorous job training program after Bergquist-Zamir took the reins in late May, staff at WSCAH said. “In the past it was more about healthy cooking - learning to cook at home, and showing pantry clients how to prepare farmer’s market vegetable donations they might not be familiar with,” said Steward Desmond, the or-
“I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.” Ms. BergquistZamir was turned off by the idea of teaching at a culinary school. ganization’s executive director. Ms. Bergquist-Zamir designed her 12week syllabus to mirror one of a professional cooking school, beginning with sanitation and nutrition, then progressing to basic knife skills, stocks, sauces and other fundamentals. A few students have worked in professional
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kitchens, but most are home cooks or have no cooking experience. Ms. Bergquist-Zamir’s first graduating class, in August, included Russell Brown, 52, a recovering alcoholic who was referred by the Bowery Mission, where he was living at the time. With Ms. Bergquist-Zamir’s help, he is now a line cook at the Upper West Side Shake Shack. Tim Knapp, the Bowery Mission’s director of career training and education, said of Ms. BergquistZamir: “She wants her students to walk out of that class to absolutely be work ready, she pushes students to their limit, but that’s what a great leader does.”
Yanks Step To The Plate With Steak Scoop sees the Bronx Bombers are making a move into Manhattan. The NYY Steakhouse, collaboration between the Yankees and the Hard Rock Café, has opened near Rockefeller Center. The three-story, 220-seat-restaurant- which currently has locations in Yankee Stadium and South Florida will service dishes like the Long Bone Rib Eye and Alaskan King Crab in two private dining rooms.
Long Island Shopping Developers Sets Sights On Top Toques Scoop says on the surface, there is something mild-mannered, even bland, about furniture heir Eric Villency’s conventional good looks, impeccable taste and easygoing ways. But underneath the charming “nice guy” surface is a passion for design and development. Villency has created an upscale shopping center in Roslyn, Long Island, named @250. The space had been build in 1962 and used as a warehouse to store his grandfather Maurice Villency’s furniture creations in one of America’s wealthiest communities. And like his grandfather, Eric Villency is a designer as well as a businessman. As CEO of Villency De-
Villency is negotiating to bring a noted celebrity chef to his Long Island shopping center
sign Group, he’s involved in interior and architectural design, as well as product design and development that goes well beyond furniture. A restaurant, Down Dog Alimentari built by Villency, who is in “advanced talks” with celebrity chef John DeLucie to be both partner and chef is slated to open in March. A wine bar, Down Dog Wine, is slated to open in April - Villency is in talks with DeLucie about that, as well. He’s the brains behind the bikes that cult-classic SoulCycle uses and the bottles that you drink from at Organic Avenue. And Villency may very well be the first and only developer and designer who can boast that his clients are also his tenants at @250. “Having worked on so many commercial projects – from hotels to the club level at Citi Field and the Delta Miami terminal – it was a great opportunity to be builder and developer.”
Junior’s Workers Protest In Brooklyn Scoop notes that workers at one of Brooklyn’s signature eateries are demanding more than their just deserts. More than 100 workers at junior’s res-
taurant, the iconic cheesecake emporium on Flatbush Ave., are in the early stages of forming a union. The cooks, servers, busers and bakers say they work too hard for their paltry pay, which averages about $24,000 a year including tips, and they also want health benefits, paid sick leave and vacation time. 140 co-workers reached out in November to Unite Here Local 100. The 260,000 member union represents 6,000 food service and restaurant workers in the city, and was one of the first labor groups that endorsed Mayor elect Bill de Blaso in April. The next steps for the hungry workers remains unclear; the group can either go through an official application process with the National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that oversees worker’s rights, or negotiate directly with the owner.
Lobman Led Adcraft Continues Explosive Growth SCOOP notes that one of the industries great local business success stories is being built on Long Island. Admiral Craft Equipment Corp. (Adcraft) has grown to be a leading manufacturer of equipment, utensils, and supplies to the food service industry. Offering in excess of 2,000 quality products, the Hicksville firm's goal is to provide superior customer service, prompt shipment, an exceptional fill rate while offering very competitive pricing. "We believe that our continued growth is a testament that we have continued to be successful in meeting these goals," noted the firm's president Matt Lobman. "That success has been very much the result of the growth of our team." Adcraft celebrated the holiday by announcing a pair of promotions. Marilyn DiGregorio has been promoted to Vice President of Finance and Kerri Frino has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. In business since 1952, Admiral Craft Equipment Corp. (Adcraft) has grown to be 37 • January 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
a leading manufacturer of equipment, utensils, and supplies to the food service industry. The second generation firm’s earlier years were that of a smallwares company, its product line has evolved over the past decade. The success of its first countertop electric item, a standard food warmer, spurred the continued effort to produce more affordable quality countertop items for the industry. There are over sixty products
in the line today with additional products being developed. The success of this line has increased our brand recognition throughout the food service facilities worldwide. Adcraft products are distributed by authorized restaurant supply dealers throughout the world.
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// PASTRY CHEF OF THE MONTH
PRESENTED BY
Thom Capizzi Co-Owner of Thom's Bread You might not think bread and t-shirts have much in common, but if you’re Thom Capizzi, you’re not too far off.
"M
y background is actually clothing,” says the owner of Thom’s Bread, specialty Italian bread that is crispy, yet chewy. “I grew up in a family business, knit-wear specifically, selling to accounts like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, the Gap. My dad started the company in the early ‘80s and we grossed $150,000,000 every year.” The Capizzi family business was Skip’s Cutting, a privately held apparel company that was bought out, like many U.S. businesses, by a Chinese company in the early part of the century. Capizzi continued to work for the company through 2011, when he felt it was time to move on and start something new. “With four kids, you don’t mess around,” he says. “Even though this bread is not a t-shirt, it's very similar for me because it's something that I'm proud of and have a lot of control over. Building a brand is what I'm doing. I’m building my own product. “ Capizzi’s entrée into the business was very simple. “My dad bought me a bread book about three years ago. I was looking at different items, low-tech stuff. And bread became it. You know, bread became that thing that I could do well. I started making it at home. A lot of people liked it,” he says. Capizzi incorporated in 2012 and developed a relationship with a local bak-
Jordan Capizzi, left, and Thom Capizzi are shown at their Central Market stand.
ery, where he currently shares a space. “I have the bakery from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. But now I'm looking to get my own space,” he says. Right now he sells his bread “on a weekend from a 6-foot stand,” Capizzi says. “Our whole business structure is very simple. But our bakery will be, max, 1500 square feet. Traditional French bakers, in 900 to 1,000 square feet, produce 1,000 baguettes a day. What we're doing -- focusing on simple breads – doesn't take a lot of space, and the margins on the breads are very good. But it's all relative. You have to sell a lot of bread.” Thom’s Bread currently sells to small specialty shops. “Farm stands, farmers’
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markets, and those kinds of places. Our main location is at the Lancaster Central Market in Lancaster, PA, which is actually the oldest, continuously running farmers’ market in the country -since the late 1700s. We have our main stand there and we're a local, familyowned market.” Capizzi says this is not a hobby for him. “Some people say, why don't you have 10 different types of rye? It's because I can't. But it's okay when people want your product.” Right now, the business doesn’t go out of a 40-mile radius. “But we're doing a little over 1,000 loaves a week,” he points out. Full maturity for this business would be 2 to 3,000 loaves a week, he notes. “But we plan to branch out to new products like pizza. We want to start getting more income and growing. We plan to offer more products, not squeezing the growth, but moving on in a measured way.” In order for us to accomplish that growth we are looking at the technology that companies like Irinox offer,” Capizzi continued. Capizzi feels his ingredients are what set him apart. “We're using fresh rosemary that we pick and grind and put in our bread, along with olive oil, cranberries, pecans, a small amount of kalamata olives in our olive breads. We also have a very buttery focaccia with some Italian seasoning. Our bread has a clean flavor. It’s simple food, not a
mish-mash of things.” Capizzi also likes to experiment. “We have chocolate bread where we use semi-sweet and milk chocolate – it’s a little more mainstream, it's our rustic Italian with chocolate in it. And it does very well, it's great. Toast it with butter, peanut butter and bananas. It’s like French toast. It's really nice.” One of the things Thom’s Bread hopes to do is get a location in the Philadelphia area. “Then we would have a foot in that area. The Reading Terminal, for instance, in Philly, is the one place that would be great. We don't necessarily want to be a part of a farmer's market bakery that carries 10 different types of products for their customers. For the customers, it’s great, for me, not so much. Because, even if I do get in there, they're going to take maybe 20 or 30 loaves. My goal is to go into one of those big markets and sell 300 loaves a day.” Capizzi likes that his product is taken home “and shared over meals with people talking about good things and bad things and social times, holiday times, with family and friends, things that, I believe are really important and what, hopefully, we can all move towards. “I'm just looking at doing something that can take care of me and my family, and be a good service to the community. And have some nice products that we can be proud of. And have control. It's easier to be proud when you can control it.” Capizzi says when his family’s business moved to China, “My design development was happening almost 8,000 miles away. When I used to be right here in Lancaster, selling the shirts myself, if the ink didn't look right on the shirt, I could change it in 20 minutes. This bread, if it's not right, it's mine. I have more of a say in what happens with my future and my family's future and that's what matters to me.”
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// HEALTHCARE PERSPECTIVE
WITH ANDREW CATALANO
The Tragedy Of Closing A Business Walking away from a business for whatever the reason is a humbling experience. Whether there is a good exit plan or not the pain of defeat exists. The investors scramble to minimize his or her investments, vendors push to get paid and avoid losses, the landlords worry about damages and the vacancy, but what about the little people who live from paycheck to paycheck or that older worker who has been with the organization for years and worries about landing a job with equal value.
Andrew Catalano, Director of Hospitality & Service Excellence SUNY Downstate at LICH New York, NY andrew.catalano@downstate.edu
I
n most situations prior to a closing or for that matter realignment (layoffs) there is this terrible eerie feeling within the company that creates that deep sharp pain in the bottom of your stomach. The spectrum of conversations ranges from everything from things will work out, to run as fast as you can. Having ever experienced this and also trying to maintain some level of professionalism and comfort to the existing staff takes a lot of perseverance and inner strength. As for the staff that remains after a layoff or the few remaining that exit the building together there is a numbing feeling, but a sense of commonality of the people and a weird feeling of belonging. I can only guess that when people leave a bad situation, there is this forever bond, and no matter the future of each individual there will be those war stories and a comfort when people tell of their fight to keep the status quo.
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// NEWS
RESTAURANTS
Manhattan's Helmsley Park Lane Hotel Sold For $660 Million Developer Steven Witkoff has teamed up with a Hong Kong equity partner, Jynwel Capital, to buy the Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South for $660 million.
T
he transaction, which was financed by Wells Fargo and Criterion Real Estate Capital, closed last month, the partnership between Mr. Witkoff and Jynwel announced. The deal is the latest of several high profile real estate transactions completed with an investor from the Far East. In late October, the Kwee family
from Singapore invested $300 million into a planned mixed use tower at 53 W. 53rd St., which has been popularly known as the MoMA Tower because it will provide expansion space in its base for the MoMA, which is next door. Asian financiers also bankrolled that project's $860 million construction loan. Mr. Witkoff, one of the city's most
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prolific developers of residential space, said that Jynwel shared his vision of continuing to operate the property as a hotel, while contemplating future plans for the site. The investment group intends to make upgrades to enhance the efficiency of operations of the 47-story, 605-key, 446,000-square-foot luxury hotel, and rebrand it as the Park Lane New York. "The Park Lane sits at the very center of retail and culture in Manhattan, with sweeping views of Central Park," noted Steven Witkoff, Chairman and CEO of The Witkoff Group. "We look forward to working with our partners to continue to operate the property as one of the preeminent hotels in New York City." "This was a unique deal because we're keeping the hotel operations," Mr. Witkoff said. "It's a cash flow deal, the hotel earns about $20 to $25 million annually, which is enough to service this debt while we consider longer term plans." Mr. Witkoff said that the building could eventually be renovated, either fully or partially converted over to residential use, or demolished and redeveloped from the ground up as either residential, hotel or a mixture of both.” What we like is that there are a lot of options here and we're still contemplating them," Witkoff said. Jho Low, Chief Executive Officer of Jynwel Capital, said, "We are excited
to partner with Witkoff and play an important role in the investment consortium for this attractive New York City hotel property." The Park Lane Hotel, which was built by Harry and Leona Helmsley, and sold by the late Mrs. Helmsley's trust, sits along Central Park South between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, a stretch that is considered one of the city's most valuable locations. The area has seen several plans take shape in recent months for a new generation of super-tall ultra-luxury towers that offer sweeping views of Central Park and are asking for record prices. In addition to Jynwel and the Kwee family, several other Asian investors have made bold entries into New York City real estate in recent months. Greenland Holdings Group, a real estate development and investment company owned by the Chinese government, has entered into a contract to acquire a majority stake in the Atlantic Yards development project in Brooklyn. Fosun International, another group from China, entered into a deal to acquire the office property 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza in lower Manhattan for $725 million in October. The Witkoff Group is a leading real estate investment, operating and full-service development firm headquartered in New York City. Since its founding by Steven Witkoff in 1997, The Witkoff Group has taken a hands-on, operational approach to all of its projects, with in-house teams focused on acquisitions, asset and property management, development and construction. This structure, along with the company's proven track record, enables The Witkoff Group to successfully execute complex real estate transactions and development projects.
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// NEWS
RESTAURANTS
Top Windy City Toque Makes Tri-State Debut With Greenwich Eatery Award-winning chef and restaurateur Graham Elliot, a judge on FOX's "MasterChef" and owner of his self-named, two-Michelin-star Chicago restaurant, opened Primary Food & Drink last month.
E
lliot collaborated with Executive Chef/Managing Partner Merlin Verrier on the menu of contemporary American seasonal cuisine as well as the design of the restaurant. The restaurant is Elliot's first restaurant on the East Coast and the first outside of Chicago. Verrier has worked with Elliot for
the past six years, most recently as Director of Operations for all Graham Elliot restaurants (Graham Elliot and Graham Elliot Bistro in Chicago). Prior to joining Elliot, Verrier held various positions while working with Chef Richard Sandoval at Modern Mexican, Chefs Max Macissock and Carl Kelin at Great Northern Tavern and Chef
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Jennifer Jasinski at Rioja in Denver, among others. Now with a move to Connecticut from the Windy City under his belt, Verrier is excited to extend the brand in a new market. “We first fell in love with Greenwich by participating in the annual Food & Wine Festival. Being close to a seaboard and having access to ingredi-
ents you just can’t get in the Midwest was an exciting prospect,” Verrier said. “Once we connected with a Greenwich native as our partner, the pieces fell into place and Primary just made sense as a next step for the brand.” Another big influence in Verrier’s life was his mother, who is Indonesian. “I grew up with her cooking a lot of her native food, and so I was exposed to another large amount of foreign ingredients that not every kid would see every single day.” In a town like Greenwich with wealthy residents, Verrier says, “It’s definitely not a destination restaurant.” “We’re just throwing a dinner party every single night. That’s what we do and, that’s what we want. We want teenagers to be able to come in and have a good time. And we want 70, 80-year old people to come in
and have a good time. And everybody in between. That’s, the key, to have a good time. It’s not pretentiousness; it’s not anything else. It’s this really good food but most of all ‘the servers were themselves, the music was great. And we had a good time.” The menu showcases creative spins on well-known classics with dishes like Deconstructed Caesar served with brioche “twinkie,” Shortrib Stroganoff with truffle coulis, and Berkshire Porkchop with rootbeer BBQ sauce. A selection of classic cocktails and a wine list, comprised primarily of American bottles, are also offered. Architect Richard Avery and designer Liza Laserow worked with both chefs on the restaurant's design, focusing on creating a comfortable atmosphere accented by vintage
finds. The experience is first set by the "parlor," which one passes through upon entering. The room is replete with a marble-topped bar and mosaic checkered floor in shades of white and navy, which present a truly vintage feel. Continuing the theme, the larger of two main dining rooms features mid-century-inspired banquette seating in tanned leather, by Rose Tarlow Melrose House, and oak tables in reclaimed wood from South Carolina. The second dining room is outfitted in wainscoting, vintage wallpaper and local artwork, which are available for consignment; it can also be curtained off for private events. A four-seat chef's table, which allows a closer glimpse into the open kitchen, completes the experience.
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// MIXOLOGY
WITH WARREN BOBROW
Simplicity In Cocktails… The winter months with their stark colors and frosty temperatures teach my palate to expect simplicity in ingredients. I want my wintertime cocktails to speak clearly of the season.
Ingredients • 1 ½ oz. Busted Barrel Dark Rum • 3 oz. Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (essential) • 2 oz. Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water- Pink Grapefruit • Hand Cut Ice Preparation Add hand cut ice to a Collins glass Pour the rum over the ice Pour the orange juice over the rum Pour the Perrier over the top Add a tall straw and mix
The Big Duck Freshly Squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruits are encapsulated in a gorgeous, concentrated syrup made by Fruitations in Massachusetts. Sold originally as soda syrup, this passionate product is more than worthy of your simple
Hand Cut Ice
Preparation 1. To a Boston Shaker add: 2. Barr Hill Gin 3. Fruitations syrup 4. Then fill ¾ with ice 5. Cover and shake hard for 10 seconds 6. Strain into an old fashioned glass with one cube of hand cut ice 7. Finish with the Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Aaron Burr’s Electric Bowler
Summer in the Winter Citrus jumps into view immediately with blood oranges taking the forefront of my tongue. Rum of course sends my body into a warmer place and no sooner than right now! Jersey Artisan Distilling makes Busted Barrel Rum from Fairfield, NJ with passion and care. I love to make a simple cocktail with their aged rum that is no more than three ingredients-excluding the ice!
•
Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Maga-
Whiskey is on my mind these days and I cannot think of a more lovely way to enjoy whiskey than with raw honey simple syrup, lemon juice and rye whiskey. Dad’s Hat from Bristol, Pennsylvania is taking their already vivacious whiskey and then further aging it in casks formerly used to age Vya Vermouth. The nutty, herbal quality of the Vermouth soaked casks balance against the spicier, cinnamon tinged rye whiskey. If you can find a bottle it is a rare treat. I do know that Dad’s Hat is widely available.
zine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River
cocktails. I like to do nothing more than add a dollop of it with Barr Hill Gin from Vermont (made from raw honey) and add a measure of Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.
Ingredients • 2 oz. Dad’s Hat Vya Vermouth Cask Aged Rye Whiskey • ½ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 oz. Raw Honey Simple Syrup 1:1 Boiling water to raw honey – let cool • Hand cut ice
Ingredients • 1 ½ oz. Barr Hill Gin (from Vermont) • 1 oz. Fruitations Ruby Red Grapefruit Syrup (made with care by Allison Goldberg in Massachusetts. It’s amazing stuff, seek it out!) • 3 oz. Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Preparation 1. In a Mixing glass fill ¾ with ice 2. Add the Dad’s Hat Vya Vermouth Cask Aged Rye Whiskey 3. Add the lemon juice 4. Add the Raw Honey Simple Syrup 5. Mix until chilled 6. Strain to a rocks’ glass with a Hawthorne strainer with one cube of
Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
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hand cut ice 7. Garnish with a lemon twist
La Taza de Olvida The Cup of Forgetfulness Vodka, oh how I wonder about you. What is vodka really? What is it made of? It depends on whom you ask. Does vodka need to be flavored like candy or cake for it to be enjoyable? Again it depends on whom you ask. If you ask me, my explanation is pretty succinct. It should never be flavored like rock candy, or cake. It should be clean in flavor with either the earthy qualities of potatoes or the clean smack of toasted grains against your tongue. Ingredients • 2 ½ oz. Barr Hill Raw Honey Distilled Vodka • ½ oz. Lapsang Souchong (smoked) Tea (cool) • ½ oz. Lemon Juice – always freshly squeezed • ½ oz. Raw Honey Simple Syrup – Preparation- 1:1 ratio raw honey to boiling hot water (then cool) • 2-3 drops Aztec Chocolate Bitters from Fee Brothers • Lemon peel Preparation 1. Make Lapsang Souchong tea then cool 2. To a cocktail mixing glass add the cool tea then the lemon juice, then the vodka and then the raw honey simple syrup 3. Add a bit of ice and stir well until chilled 4. Strain over a lemon peel in a coupe glass 5. Drip the Aztec bitters over the top to finish 6. Oh, I forgot! It serves two comfortably
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// NEWS
FOOD SHOWS
Taking the Mystery Out of Umami JRO Umami Pavilion Comes to the International Restaurant Food & Service Show 2014 to Acquaint the Restaurant Industry
G
ive your creations an edge by discovering the power of umami — the hidden “fifth flavor” — at JRO Umami Pavilion at this year’s International
Restaurant & Food Service Show from March 2-4, 2014. JRO is proud to announce that UNESCO added traditional Japanese cuisine or “Washoku” onto its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. JRO
has continued to support Japanese restaurants overseas and convey to the world the appeal of Japanese food and culture. 2014 is the 8th consecutive year
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// INSIGHTS & INNOVATIONS
TIPS FOR FOODSERVICE
Tipped Employees Payroll challenges for employers Payroll can be a unique challenge for businesses that employ tipped workers. Complex regulations that change from federal to state and local levels make handling payroll for tipped employees a complicated undertaking for many small businesses.
B
y understanding government regulations concerning tipped employees, employers can take appropriate steps to reduce risk and ensure compliance.
Minimum Wage For Tipped Employees Federal law determines the minimum wage rate at which employees can be paid. Although individual states set their own minimum wage rate, unless the state rate is higher, employers must pay their employees based on the
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federal minimum wage. This is true for tipped employees as well. Since July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage rate has been set at $7.25 per hour. However, federal law also permits employers to count employee tips as part of their wages by taking a credit against the minimum wage requirement. The
maximum amount of credit that the employer can apply is $5.12 per hour resulting in a tipped employee federal minimum wage of $2.13 per hour when the maximum credit is applied. This credit applies only to tipped employees, and many states have regulations concerning these credits. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) maintains a table of minimum hourly wages for tipped employees, segmented by state. Although employers can take advantage of the tip credit, the employer is still obligated to ensure that an employee’s combined total of wages and tips meets or exceeds minimum wage. In states where the minimum wage is higher than $7.25, employers must be sure employees are receiving the equivalent of the state minimum. If an
employee’s tips do not bring his or her total wages up to the minimum, the employer must pay the difference to the employee. The DOL provides a list of state minimum wage rates.
Overtime For Tipped Employees When an employer takes advantage of the tip credit, there is a special overtime rule that needs to be applied when calculating the overtime rate. For any overtime hours worked the maximum tip credit remains the same. In other words, the employer can take a tip credit of no more than $5.12, regardless of how many hours the employee worked. The calculation for overtime rate for an employee paid at the federal minimum wage when the maximum federal tip credit is applied is: $7.250 federal minimum wage 3.625 plus 1/2 federal minimum wage $10.875 hourly overtime rate <5.120> less maximum federal tip credit $5.755 overtime rate for tipped employees being paid federal minimum wage when the maximum federal tip credit is applied.
by the employee An explanation that all tips received by the tipped employee remain the property of the tipped employee (except in a valid pooling arrangement. However, pooled tips are to be distributed only among eligible employees; the employer may not receive any of the employees’ pooled tips.) • A notation that the tip credit will not be applied to any employees’ wages unless the employee has been notified of the tip credit provisions. If an employer fails to notify the worker, use of the tip credit is prohibited and the employer must pay the employee at least minimum wage and allow the employee to retain all tips. Should the employer not inform the employee and •
take the tip credit, the business is subject to criminal and civil penalties from the DOL in addition to any lawsuit the employee may file.
Tips vs. Service Charges Tip Credit Notice Requirement A tip credit regulation under the Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to provide oral or written notice to each employee that the employer is taking the tip credit and how the employee’s tips will be applied to their wages. Notification must include the following: • The hourly rate the employer is paying the tipped employee (at least $2.13/hour) • The amount the employer is claiming as a tip credit (not more than $5.12/hour) • A statement that the tip credit cannot exceed the actual tips received
Beginning in January 2014, IRS Rev. Rul. 2012-18 classifies service charges (sometimes referred to as automatic gratuities) as regular wages rather than allowing them to be considered tips. As a result, employers will need to include service charges in employee wages and must withhold payroll taxes from that income. In general, service charges are mandatory fees charged by the establishment for which the customer does not have the ability to control the amount or the right to determine who receives the money. It often appears as a line item on the customer’s bill. For example, an automatic 15% gratuity added to a party of six or more at a restaurant is considered a service charge. The dis-
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tribution of a service charge is up to the employer; all or part of the charge may be paid to someone other than the server. On the other hand, a tip is a non-compulsory amount determined by the customer and given to an employee of the establishment in recognition of service received. Tips are not negotiated by or determined by the employer, but rather are solely between the customer and server, and tips belong to the employee, not the employer.
Pooled Tips In some establishments, employees who regularly and customarily receive tips are required to contribute a portion of their tips to a pool, which is then divided among a group of employees. Employees may only contribute any amount in tips received that are in excess of minimum wage when combined with their hourly wage. Tips from a pool cannot go to employees, like chefs and dishwashers, who don’t usually receive tips. Employers, and in some states managers or supervisors, are prohibited from receiving funds from pooled tips.
Reporting Tips Employees receiving more than $20.00 per month in tips must report the total amount of their tips to the employer by the 10th day of the following month. The IRS provides Form 4070, Employee’s Report of Tips to Employer for this purpose, although employees may use anything similar to complete this reporting. The report must include the employee’s name, address, Social Security number, employer’s name and address, the period that the report covers and the total tips received. Tips reported must include both amounts received directly by the employee and charged tips paid over to the employee. Generally, employees report their tips to their employer at the end of each night on paper or through the restaurant management software.
Additional information about tip withholding and reporting, including W-2s, tip allocation and voluntary compliance programs are available on the IRS website.
Tips In Excess Of Minimum Wage Businesses that employ workers who receive tips for providing, delivering or serving food or beverages for consumption and incurred the employer’s portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) on those tips may be entitled to a tax credit. Known as the Section 45B credit, this credit is for the employer’s share of FICA taxes paid on tips reported in excess of minimum wage. It is important to keep in mind that this credit is applicable only to tips collected by food and beverage employees. The credit is part of the general business tax credit and is claimed on IRS Form 8846, Credit for Employer Social Security and Medicare Taxes on Certain Employee Tips. The IRS is very specific about the treatment of the Section 45B credit. Additional information regarding the Section 45B credit, including how to claim the credit, can be found on the IRS website. The DOL has issued a fact sheet titled Tipped Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that is available for download from their website. The fact sheet covers the application of the FLSA laws to tipped employees, including wage rates, tips and pooling, service charges, dual jobs and gives examples of typical issues employers and employees may encounter when handling tip income. Content provided by BenefitMall. For more information or to talk to someone at BenefitMall, call our local NY Number at (212) 631-9600.
// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
and rebirth. Now more than a century old, the award-winning Bernards Inn has been called a “Garden State dining legend” by the Star-Ledger. Imperatore spearheaded the multimillion renovation and redesign of the Inn in 2006, when the property celebrated its 100th anniversary under the banner of “Celebrating 100 Years of Gracious Hospitality.” Imperatore’s
commitment to the highest standards of fine dining and service has continued to set The Bernards Inn apart. Diane Carr returned to The Bernards Inn as General Manager and Partner in 2007 and has been instrumental in the award-winning property’s continued growth and success. Carr also served as General Manager of The Bernards Inn from 2002 -2005 and Assistant General Manager from 1997-2005. She spent two years in between as Director of Catering at the Hilton Short Hills, where she received Hilton Hotels prestigious “Circle of Excellence” Award. In recognition of 30 years of innovation and service, the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) has named Sneh Mehtani “Restaurateur of the Year,” its highest distinction. The Mehtani Restaurant Group has grown to become one of the Northeast’s largest family-owned South Asian restau-
(L to R) Marilou Halvorsen, George Vlahos & 2013 Gold Plate Award Winner Harold Imperatore
Sneh Mehtani, Founder & Owner of The Mehtani Restaurant Group & 2013 Restaurant of the Year Award Winner
The New Jersey Restaurant Association's 34th Annual Awards Gala The New Jersey Restaurant Association hosted its 34th Annual Awards Gala – the premier event for the people of the Garden State’s restaurant and hospitality industry. Mayfair Farms in West Orange, NJ hosted the “Celebration of Colors” to honor excellence and innovation in the Garden State's restaurant and food service community. Photo Credits Jay Seth Photo
T
he 2014 lineup of winners was led by Sneh Mehtani of The Mehtani Restaurant Group who won Restaurateur of the Year honors. Gold Plate Award honors went to Diane Carr and Harold Imperatore of The Bernards Inn and Anthony Calandra of The Calandra Mediterranean Grill. “This is a great honor for me and the
entire team at The Bernards Inn,” said Imperatore after receiving the Gold Plate Award. “I am fortunate to work with a group of people who are truly passionate about hospitality and it shows every day.” Imperatore took the helm at The Bernards Inn in 2006 as Proprietor and has successfully directed the landmark hospitality property’s growth
(L to R) Thomas Calandra, Luciano Calandra, Kristin Calandra, Anthony Calandra, & Kim Anish
Corey W. Heyer, Executive Chef of The Bernards Inn & Diane Carr, GM of The Bernards Inn & 2013 Gold Plate Award Winner
(L to R) Shaun, Sneh & Satish Mehtani, Owners of The Mehtani Restaurant Group
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rant groups. “When my mother opened the original Moghul restaurant in New York City, she was a trailblazer,” said Sneh’s son Shaun Mehtani, who has been working alongside her since he was six. “There were few, if any, Indian women running restaurants, and this cuisine was nowhere near as popular
Eastern and Asian fusion dining, both located at Oak Tree Center. The members of the New Jersey Restaurant Association celebrate the heritage of some of America’s most legendary restaurants and neighborhood eateries. Under constant threat of shifting economic winds and super storm weather emergencies, the peo-
Desmond & Alice Lloyd of The Grand Café and NJRA President Marilou Halvorsen
as it is today. Since this is our 30th year in business and my mom is retiring, the NJRA recognition is sort of a lifetime achievement award,” he added. Current holdings include three venues located within the Hyatt Morristown - Mehndi, which has authentic Punjabi and Mughlai fare; SM23 Bar & Lounge, with a cocktail culture vibe; and Ming II, which serves pan-Asian
(First row R to L) Steve Sanders, Mrs. Margaret Sanders, Bill Schiffman, Mrs. Carol Schiffman (Second row R to L) Eliot Kang, Gary Young, Mrs. Ginny Avondoglio, Wade Avondoglio, Jon Gagliardi, & Mrs. Anna Gagliardi
food. The group’s Edison properties include Moghul, with Northern Indian cuisine, and Ming, specializing in Far 65 • January 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ple who own, operate and serve New Jersey’s celebrated eating and drinking destinations generate nearly $12 billion in annual economic activity. For over seven decades, the NJRA has been their essential ingredient. As the voice of the state’s largest private sector employer, NJRA makes available the highest quality educa-
tion and training resources for New Jersey’s 300,000 restaurant professionals. It is also a direct link to the elected officials and policy leaders whose decisions impact every restaurant owner’s opportunity for success.
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// INSURANCE
FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Have You Overlooked Premium Audits in Your Workers’ Compensation Cost Reduction Strategy? On the surface, workers' compensation premium is an easy concept to grasp: Payroll x Rate (with a few debit and/or credits thrown in) = Premium. But for those of us who work with clients to improve their risk profile for workers' compensation insurance, there are a lot of moving parts. Managing these parts is the key to controlling costs.
Bob Fiorito, Vice President of Business Development at Hub International Robert.Fiorito@ hubinternational.com
I
f your restaurant is like most businesses, you rely on a traditional guaranteed cost, or first dollar insurance policy. These policies transfer 100% of the claim costs to the insurance company in return for a premium payment. Your premium cost is driven by your company's loss history as formulated in an experience rating factor (mod). The purpose of the mod is to reward businesses that control their losses. Businesses with favorable loss experience relative to other comparable businesses are rewarded with a premium credit. By having few or no losses, you can keep your premiums to a minimum. The greater your losses, the higher your experience rating factor which leads to higher premium costs. Your company can control costs by following a simple, three-part strategy:
1. Prevent Every Loss Possible Work with internal and/or external risk services consultants to design and implement programs that increase employee awareness of proper safety procedures and reduce workplace injuries or accidents. Some risk management professionals will argue that 100% of losses are preventable, but workplace accidents, for one reason or another, continue to occur so you must have a plan in place to manage losses. 2. Manage The Losses That Can't Be Prevented When accidents happen, your broker needs to have a solid post-accident claims management strategy in place to help you mitigate the impact of these claims on your experience modification factor. A claims management specialist should be your advocate to ensure that your claims are resolved as quickly as possible and with the best possible outcome for all parties. 3. Verify All The Factors Used To Calculate Your Premium We have found that the premium audit is the single most overlooked component in controlling workers' compensation costs. This third piece of the
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puzzle requires a specialist who can find and correct errors so your company does not pay more than it should for insurance coverage. Because workers' compensation insurance is mandatory for all businesses, there are a complex set of rules, backed by state law, that govern coverage definitions, premium calculations, reporting requirements, and much more. The complexity is staggering. For example, there is one manual dedicated to classifications that describe businesses. Another manual governs the production of the experience modification factor. There is a manual governing the data that goes into the experience modification factor. And, yes, there is yet another manual that provides the framework that everyone is supposed to follow. While most businesses know the basics of workers' compensation and most brokers understand the complexities of insurance coverage, few have the working knowledge of the manuals to ensure that all of the rules have been adhered to. That's why brokers rely on their premium audit team to review and confirm that the rules have been applied correctly by the insurance company.
Our in-house auditors understand the manuals and can identify positions taken by the insurance company that may have resulted in an overcharge to a client. Our experts work on behalf of our clients to convince the insurance company to correct their interpretation of the rules. More often than not, when the rules are not adhered to, an overcharge can result. Even minute errors in the interpretation of the rules can result in significant premium overcharges to the business. Our premium audit team recently saved a client $235,000 on their workers' compensation and general liability insurance after finding errors in the classification of employees. While this example is one of the larger cost savings we have achieved, our audit team routinely identifies savings for clients. Whether it is $2,000 or $200,000, any amount paid to the insurance company that is not actually owed is too much. Only a specialist trained to find and correct these errors can help ensure that you are not paying more than you should for your workers' compensation insurance. Talk to your broker to learn how our Risk Services, Claims Management and Premium Audit Specialists can help you improve the management of your workers' compensation risks and costs. Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, HUB International Northeast, where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20-year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth" dining establishments. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito. com
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// FOOD SAFETY
WITH WYMAN PHILBROOK
Q&A with Wyman Philbrook Mr. Philbrook is the owner of Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting and Training, and has 35+ years in the food and beverage industry. CP-FS, CCFS, CDM-CFPP, CFSM, CFPM, FSP, FMP, CSE, CSW, CSS, WSET Certified
T
he breadth of his experience covers the operations of hotels, resorts, educational, healthcare and corporate foodservice, military and private clubs. A graduate with high honors from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, his career in the food and beverage industry has taken him to 12 countries in Asia and Europe and most of the United States in a variety of management positions and endeavors. Highlights of his long career include developing and conducting the training programs for 1000 employees while at the world–famous Pinehurst Resort and managing the day-to-day food operation as the Resident Area Manager at Boston’s landmark John Hancock Tower complex for 8500 tenants. His operational positions have always worked closely with regulatory offices as the person-in-charge, on compliance and construction & renovation issues, but his recent positions before founding his own company have focused on food safety & HACCP. He was the Regional Food Safety Specialist for a national food service company, responsible for all of their accounts east of the Mississippi. In that role, he was their food safety & HACCP trainer and compliance auditor. He was also the Director of Safety and Sanitation for Boston University
Wyman Philbrook
Owner of Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting And Training philbrook_fandb@comcast.net
insuring that 30,000 students, faculty and guests were served safe meals. He has numerous professional certifications and has received specialized training (SQF Standards & Auditing, GMPs, GAPs, FDA Special Processes, ROP HACCP, FDA Facility Plan Review). He is an active member of the National Environmental Health Association, the International Association for Food Protection and the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, where he was an invited subject matter expert for an international team project to develop a certification exam for a Food Safety HACCP Manager. That exam is currently in the final process steps of attaining ANSI accreditation, in early 2014. He has been a guest instructor/speaker on food safety & HACCP to the students of the Culinary Institute of America’s Hyde Park Campus and the members of the Central Atlantic States Asso-
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Remember that “organic” does not mean that the food is pathogen-free. Chefs build relations with their suppliers and this is just one more criteria besides quality that should be discussed and agreed upon. ciation (CASA) of Food and Drug Officials at their quarterly training sessions. He has trained, audited & assessed
the food safety programs of many diverse food service operations, such as the International Monetary Fund, New York University, NIKE, Alcoa, Humana, Verizon and the InterAmerican Development Bank. Philbrook F&B Consulting and Training is a 4 year old company focused on HACCP and food safety as they apply to retail and manufacturing / processing environments. Their most recently completed project was successfully working with the offices of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Food Protection Program, local regulatory officials and a multi-unit retail client that had been implicated in a large salmonella outbreak in the northeast. The project included developing and implementing a complete Food Safety System of Prerequisite Programs and HACCP plans for 8 retail outlets and a wholesale commissary kitchen that were reviewed and inspected by MDPH. He resides on Boston’s north shore with Hyon, his wife of 27 years. Their hobbies and passions are travel, history, art, architecture, dining and wine. How did you get into the industry? I started in food & beverage as a part time kitchen employee while in high school. I progressed through the ranks working for a CIA trained chef and then entered US Air Force. Due to my background, I was selected to enter the military club management program and enjoyed and learned all facets of F & B management at officer’s clubs and consolidated clubs in southern California, Philippines, South Korea & Japan. During this 10 year period I also had an intense indoctrination in food safety since each of the food establishments that I was responsible for, were inspected by environmental health specialists twice
a month for a total of 24 annual inspections. I achieved a personal goal when I entered the Culinary Institute of America upon my discharge. How do you define risk-based controls? Start by analyzing all the factors that can affect the safety of your food, i.e. food product, suppliers, facilities, equipment, customers, employee skills & knowledge and then develop and implement controls for those potential risks. How has HACCP evolved? The system (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) started in the 1960s as a way of controlling food risks in the US space program and then expanded into certain manufacturing and processing processes for food such as low acid food canning, meat and poultry and seafood. Currently certain increasingly popular food service techniques that are usually used in the processing environment such as vacuum-packaging, sous-vide, cook-chill, smoking & curing and fermenting require a HACCP plan to be submitted and approved by the regulatory authority. The new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for the manufacturing of food includes references to Hazard Analysis Risk-based Preventive Controls (HARPC) based on the HACCP model. How have farm to table initiatives changed the industry’s approach to food safety? The current trend across the USA is to buy local and organic products. This means that the food service operator needs to hold their smaller suppliers responsible and accountable for growing, handling and delivering their food products safely. Remember that “organic” does not mean that the food is pathogen-free. Chefs build relations with their suppliers and this is just one more criteria besides quality that should be dis-
cussed and agreed upon. Work with your local regulatory office for guidance and outline and verify the food safety criteria you expect from your food sources. Many food service operations treat produce with microbial washes to complement the food safety standards of their direct suppliers either voluntarily or as mandated by your regulatory authority. How has technology impacted executing a food safety strategy? Some of the biggest areas have been temperature monitoring, information recording, surface testing and communication. We have the ability to get instantaneous & accurate temperatures of food items during transportation, storage, holding and cooking by data loggers, thermocouples & digital thermometers. We can have 24/7 recordkeeping of refrigeration, storage and transportation containers and with hand-held devices we can eliminate many of the logs and paperwork of the past. New handheld devices can analyze surface swabs to indicate issues with cleaning and sanitizing. National & local news and food recalls can get to your customers with such speed through social media outlets, that if you do not have a method to monitor them on a regular basis, your customer will be aware of food safety issues before you have time to even react. What advice do you have for being proactive versus waiting for an inspection or problem? I always advise current or prospective clients that being proactive will dramatically reduce the odds that you will have a food safety issue and if you should have a problem you can expedite your investigation and determine what the root cause was. On the other hand it is exactly the opposite if you are reactive, your odds of having a food safety issue or poor inspection increase and it will take sig-
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nificantly longer to come to a conclusion, if you can, of what went wrong or what needs to be fixed, so it could easily reoccur. How does the food safety need of a restaurant differ from that of a health care or an educational K-12 facility? I referenced earlier that to institute risk-based controls you need to analyze food and customers. In restaurants you have a higher proportion of healthy adults where as both health care and elementary school environments, you have customers who either haven’t fully developed a strong immune system or had it compromised by advanced age or medical issues. Serving raw or under-cooked foods put these populations at risk. Allergens are also a noteworthy risk with elementary schools. How can Philbrook Food and Beverage Consulting help an operator build a strategy? My company looks at an operation on a broad scope using the risk-based controls referenced above and builds a customized program around what is currently in place and the areas that need improvement. We conduct an initial assessment of the operation and work with the on-site management team to develop a strategy that meets their unique needs and challenges. We assist with the develop-
ment of SOPs, Policies and Programs, HACCP Plans, staff training and the implementation of a comprehensive food safety system. We also conduct verification audits for existing food safety programs and through our network can arrange validation testing of your program through federally recognized labs. Your core business is risk management and safety. What else do you offer that’s unique to the retail sectors of the food & beverage and hospitality? The food & beverage and the hospitality industry has been my entire career and training is a personal passion, so my company also offers specialized and custom programs on wine, service standards, financial management and workplace safety. I have conducted these privately for companies and as a contract trainer for the Culinary Institute of America’s continuing education department.
Catalano, from page 46 Whether your business is a restaurant, hospital, manufacturing and so on, it is never easy and the outcome of defeat for people will take its toll. Even the people that land another job right there are thoughts of what could have been and what could have been done differently to avoid this devastation. The real sad part of this tragedy is the majority of the people affected were the least responsible for the closure. Many times the reason for failure is the lack of focus and vision, maintaining accountable, and not knowing the direction of the business. There is one thing for sure when a business closes; there is always enough people to point to and the people that are pointing the most normally contributed the most for the tragedy. Now if you are one of the people that fit the tragedy scenario then what have you done to prepare for the next
tragedy. Our business world is evolving and personal development is what is required to stay resilient and employable. The only thing one can say is listen to the under tones, the noise factors, and the basic ethics of the business. If there are too many questions that are not addressed by the business leadership then one can speculate that there is trouble brewing like hot ooze of a witches’ brew that slowly burns the life out of people. Keep in mind the tragedy for most of us was out of one’s control but the reality one must think of are what steps could have been taken pre and post the inevitable. For some of us we need that healing period and possibly a support group for no other reason but to vent. The next step in the healing process is to take a self-inventory and one must spend a lot of time thinking and soul searching. If at the end
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Whether your business is a restaurant, hospital, manufacturing and so on, it is never easy and the outcome of defeat for people will take its toll. Even the people that land another job right there are thoughts of what could have been and what could have been done differently to avoid this devastation.
of this self-search you realize you are missing something then go and get it. Now that the inventory is set, get ready to be pummeled during the interview process. It could be from a person that does not know how to interview or is just insensitive. A lot of work for interviewing is humbling oneself but display confidence, knowledge, and passion. Finally be ready to try that job that you never thought was possible or a different career path. Some call this risk taking but based on the tragedy that was just realized how much of a risk are we really taking? Explore all options and never turn down the opportunity to talk to people in the business community. You never know what the next corner will bring so consider everything and for no other reason learn from the conversation. Pursue your dream, be true to yourself and never, never give up.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Experience the Pride of New York Marketplace Pride of New York Marketplace features New York Beverages, New York Foods, New York Pride... at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York.
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wealth of products--from across New York State-will be showcased at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City March 2-4, 2014. “Locavore” and “Locapour” are two of the hottest trends in food and beverage, reflecting the surge in consumer demand for local products. And there’s no better place to discover those products than at the Pride of New York Marketplace. The Pride of New York Marketplace will have dozens of small producers with great local products—from wines, beers, and spirits, to cheeses, meats, breads, fruits and vegetables,
and much more. Pride of New York is a wonderful program run by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets to help people identify New Yorkproduced foods and beverages. All of the exhibitors in the Marketplace are proud members of the Pride of New York program, and New Yorkers who pride themselves in offering only the best in handcrafted products. This area has been a hit of the show for the past several years, and is not to be missed. Tantalize the taste buds and take advantage of the “local” trend by visiting
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the Pride of New York Marketplace. The Flavors of the 2014 Pride of New York Marketplace: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Argyle Cheese Farmer Catskill Distilling Company Catskill Provisions Cliffton Dry Crepini LLC Crown Maple Damascus Bakeries, Inc. Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars Empire Brewing Company Esposito's Finest Quality Sausage Finger Lakes Fresh Food Hub Fox Run Vineyards
• • • • • • • • • • •
Great Performances Katchkie Farm Long Island Spirits Micosta Enterprises Orwasher's, New York’s Original Artisan Bakery The Ravioli Store Red Jacket Orchards Red Tomato Regional Access Saratoga Spring Water Company Woodbury Vineyards
And many more…
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// THE WINE COACH
WITH LAURIE FORSTER
Stress Free Pairings Whether you work in a restaurant or just enjoy dining out, chances are the thought of selecting wine pairings might make you feel queasy. You are not alone.
Fats Soften Tannins
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any people find choosing wine a stressful task, but it doesn’t have to be. Think of wine as an ingredient in the recipe for your meal, not an independent course. When selecting a wine pairing you’ll know when it works because it will taste as good or better when enjoyed with that dish as it does alone. The following guidelines will help narrow your choices and create stress free pairings for your guest or just a night out on the town.
Acid in wine is that tangy or sour sensation you get on your tongue. That pucker factor is found in crisp wines like Sauvignon Blanc,
Match “like weights” Specifically, match the weight of the wine with the weight of the food— light fare with lighter bodied, more delicate wines, and fuller bodied wines with bigger foods. This is one of the food and wine concepts that is most intuitive. Most of us wouldn't think to order a light, fruity Sauvignon Blanc with a fillet mignon. Conversely, a glass of hearty Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t go well with a delicate seafood salad. Think of a boxing match—would you put a heavyweight in the ring with a featherweight? The wine and food should work together not overpower each other.
Think of your pairing strategy— Contrast or complement? We have all heard the sayings "opposites attract," or the converse, "com-
and need to be paired with higher acid wines. Most meals should have wines with at least moderate acidity. If the dish is particularly salty or briny, e.g., oysters, crabs, pickled items, etc.—look for crisp or higher acid wines.
Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, is a certified sommelier, award-winning author and media personality. Forster is the host of her radio show The Sipping Point and her mobile application “The Wine Coach” was listed as one of
Riesling and Albariño
Sweet with Spicy
to name a few. Salty
Fruity or sweeter wines tone down spicy foods, whereas high alcohol, dry wines intensify the heat of spices. If you are serving spicy cuisine you need to find wines that are fruity and even a bit sweet to counteract. Whites that work with spicy food include lush whites like Riesling, Viognier, Gewürztraminer or Sauvignon Blanc. Reds that pair nicely with spicy dishes include fruity, lower tannin wines such as Beaujolais, Pinot Noir or Shiraz. In the end wine pairing is subject to personal taste. Chances are you and your guests won’t always agree on what the best pairing is for each course but these rules can simplify selecting wine pairings and improve the dining experience.
foods neutralize or soften acidity in a wine and need to be paired with higher acid wines.
the Top 8 Wine Apps in Wine Enthusiast. To find out more visit: www.TheWineCoachSpeaks.com | @thewinecoach | facebook.com/winecoach
plementary partners make the best matches." Sound like relationship advice? Well it is, but these rules also create successful food and wine pairings. Contrasting uses diverse flavors to enhance the differences; whereas complementary matches flavors to enhance the similarities. Think of a seafood dish
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Tannins are naturally astringent substances found in grape skins, as well as other foods like walnuts. Tannins are perceived in our mouths as a sense of dryness. Reds with firmer tannins are a natural pairing with a fattier dish like red meat, cheese or stew. Try a Cabernet Sauvignon with a bite of steak and notice how the tannins soften in your wine. Bold reds pair nicely with heartier dishes— Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec or Syrah.
in a creamy sauce. You could complement it with a rich, buttery Chardonnay or contrast it with a crisper white like Pinot Gris.
Salt needs Acid Acid in wine is that tangy or sour sensation you get on your tongue. That pucker factor is found in crisp wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Albariño to name a few. Salty foods neutralize or soften acidity in a wine
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Chefcetera, from page 26 broad range of foods…what’s your buying approach? Do you go out to bid on a regular basis or do you look for loyalty from vendors? Ah, loyalty, it means a lot in this business. I first got to know the fellows at my fish company when they were getting started twenty some years ago and I have been using them whenever I have been responsible for buying fish. One thing about a small operation like ours is that it is hard to split your buying between too many vendors since you may not be able to make minimums. I tend to stick with a few reliable vendors even if the full range of prices is not the best because knowing I can get great products as I need them is equally important. Of course if I just need two avocados for brunch I get them at the corner market.
make sure the new place they are going to try doesn’t suck. Thirdly in the case of Yelp it lets people complain about something they don’t have the guts to do face-to-face or pretend they are the next food critic. Whether good, bad or a mix of both, what are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in our industry since your career started? On the personnel side a lack of commitment and loyalty. It’s far too easy
Foursquare states that JtH has “The best Manhattan in Brooklyn”. Talk about Ryan Spahn’s role and what he has done for your wine and signature cocktail offerings? First of all let me say that Ryan was a great find for us. He has been dedicated and loyal in his five years here. He took over the beverage program expanding our wine list with some really fun items and keeping our cocktails nicely focused. Frankly we have the best cocktails in this neighborhood and beyond. Ryan keeps close track of everything related to beverage at JtH and manages all the front of the house people. The importance of his role cannot be overstated since everyone in the front of the house interacts with our guests. His attention to those details really does show. Do you feel that the restaurant industry suffers too much from Zagat, Yelp, and other consumer review sights? Are consumers depending too much on review? I think consumers use Zagat and Yelp primarily for addresses and telephone numbers and secondly to 80 • January 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
to quit and collect unemployment so employees will work for a few weeks or months then just disappear. Food allergies seem to be the big concern these days. When I started cooking in New York we would get a nut allergy once a week, now it’s numerous allergies five times a day. Guests substituting different ingredients they spot on the menu to go with whatever they have ordered. It’s not like we can’t do it but we did give some thought as to what components
go together on a dish. It used to be you would go to a restaurant to eat what they were serving. Now it seems like people want us to cook what they would cook at home. The best trend has been the availability of such great local products. I wish I were closer to Union Square because spring, summer and fall it is full of the most beautiful stuff on the planet.
Japanese, from page 60 that JRO (the Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad) is hosting the Umami Pavilion. They will introduce eight new sections this year: Japanese Rice, Sake, Wagu, Umami, Ramen, Soba, Japanese Green Tea and sweets; all essential Japanese ingredients. The JRO Umami Pavilion has a joint mission to enlighten the industry about umami, the essence of Japanese cuisine that is becoming well known by chefs to develop flavor. Generally understood as a savory flavor, umami has been recognized in Japan for thousands of years but is a relatively new concept in the States. It is the flavor that characterizes Japanese and other Asian cuisine. There has been increasing influence in current taste preferences because of the growing interest in umami-packed ingredients such as miso, soy sauce, and konbu. JRO Umami Pavilion will host cooking demonstrations for three days to show “Wagu”, “Ramen”, how to make
JRO Umami Pavilion will host cooking demonstrations for three days to show “Wagu”, “Ramen”, how to make the best rice, how to enhance the umami flavor in dishes. the best rice, how to enhance the umami flavor in dishes. There will also be discussions on Japanese condiments and the science of the flavor.
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Another event at the fourth JRO Umami Pavilion will be the Umami Recipe Contest, where three finalists who submit a recipe using umami Japanese ingredients are invited to an on-stage showdown judged by Gorge Mendes, Aldea and culinary professionals. The final three contestants will be announced in February 2014. The winner will receive a special tour of the culinary world in Japan in addition to a round-trip flight to Japan, valued at $20,000. An opportunity to gain an advantage with exclusive insight into one of Japan’s culinary secrets, JRO Umami Japan Pavilion: UMAMI is an experience that you do not want to miss! Registration is now open at www.japanpavilion.com.
ECigs, from page 4 and stores, with the addition of parks and public plazas in 2011. But these measures were implemented to protect those other than smokers, who previously had no regard for the harm they were causing bystanders with their secondhand smoke. There’s very little scientific evidence, however, to suggest e-cigarettes are unhealthy for nonsmokers. The general consensus is that, at the very least, they’re not harmful on the level of tobacco cigarettes, bolstering claims by opponents that this newest ordinance is a case of nanny-state overreach. In case you’re not entirely sure what smoking e-cigarettes — also
called “vaping” - entails, e-cigs emit doses of vaporized nicotine that Prevention.com explains contain propylene glycol (PEG), the same substance found in theatrical smoke. What scientists are unsure of are traces of other chemicals that could be harmful. According to Medical News Today, “Manufacturers say (e-cigarettes) are an alternative for tobacco smokers who want to avoid inhaling smoke.” And they’re reportedly as effective as patches in helping smokers quit. Regardless, the council was firm, voting 43 to 8 in favor of the measure. Former US Surgeon General (and board member for e-cig manufacturer NJOY) Richard Carmona wrote a letter before the vote advocating on behalf of e-cigarettes. “I’m extremely concerned that a well-intentioned
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but scientifically unsupported effort like the current proposal to include electronic cigarettes in New York’s current smoking ban, could constitute a giant step backward in the effort to defeat tobacco smoking.” He’s not the only one fired up about the decision. Miguel Martin, president of e-cig manufacturer Logic Technology: “It’s really unfortunate. I find their line of reasoning flawed. It’s not based on science and there’s no foundation for this.” The FDA says it has yet to evaluate e-cigarettes for safety or effectiveness, though it has invited the Electronic Cigarette Association to work with the agency for approval, which is why over 200 e-cigarette smokers staged a protest this month, marching to City Hall and informing the council of these facts, in hopes of halting the measure from advancing. They and others believe the New York City Council has acted prema-
turely, given there’s virtually no basis for any of its claims. That didn’t stop the head of the American Lung Association from stating, “We’re grateful that New Yorkers will not be exposed to potentially unsafe secondhand emission from electronic cigarettes.” Key word being “potentially” - the scientific data on which such decisions are supposed to be based doesn’t exist yet.
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// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WITH FRED SAMPSON
Surveying the Surveys With the exception of food preparation, I can think of no other food service activity that receives as much scrutiny and examination as service. There is no question that its execution—good or bad—can impact an operation almost to the same degree as the quality of the preparation, and yet I’m not sure that in some cases it receives the same level of managerial attention.
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hen one scans the many surveys on service, one notices that most of the consumer complaints pretty much follow a pattern. I have selected two surveys: one dealing with consumers was conducted by Restaurant Hospitality, and the other was taken by RestaurantOwner. com, with owners. Due to space limitations we have condensed their responses. First, Restaurant Hospitality: Restaurant guests are quite demanding when it comes to their servers. Here is what they prize: Advice Nine out of ten ask for the server’s recommendation, and 71 percent will take their advice. Recognition Two-thirds of respondents say they expect to be greeted within three minutes of seating. Follow-through The vast majority (91 percent) say they prefer their server to check their table once or twice—no more, no less—following the arrival of food. A Familiar Face Three-quarters have a preferred server at their favorite spot and more than half (56 percent) have requested a specific server. A professional attitude
Fred G. Sampson,
President of Sampson Consulting, Inc. fredgsampson@juno.com
What do the RestaurantOwners. com results show? That taking care of the basics goes a long way toward burnishing a restaurant’s image. Nearly three-quarters claim to be impressed when a server doesn’t “auction off’ plates and remembers which dish each guest orders. What do the RestaurantOwners.com results show? That taking care of the basics goes a long way toward burnishing a restaurant’s image. And since service is such an important element of
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the whole package, it makes sense to develop the best servers to help drive loyalty. While loyalty is one of the rewards of maintaining a successful operation, it is critical in this current economic environment. More than 40 percent of consumers say they are so loyal to their favorite restaurants that promo-
tions don’t factor into their decision to patronize these places, according to the NPD Group, a leading global market research company. Although more than one-third of consumers are still bargain seekers, this large group of loyal restaurant patrons value the overall experience more than price. It has always been my contention that the word “value” when referring to restaurant meals includes more than just price; it is an important part of the trio that can almost guarantee success, the other two being “quality” and “service.” When you are providing all three, you have hit a “home run.” The RestaurantOwner.com survey is noteworthy in that the respondents were operators. More than 500 operators shared their collective viewpoints on the impact that customer service, both good and bad, has on their restaurant. Not surprisingly, just about every respondent strongly agreed that the level of customer service they give has a direct and significant impact on their overall success. In fact, on a scale of 1 to 10, the average respondent rated the importance at 9.5. Remarkably, though, when asked to rate the quality of customer service in their restaurant, they rated at an average of less, 7.5 out of 10. When asked for the important factors when it comes to creating a consistently high level of customer service, this is how they responded: (84%) hiring the right people; (73%) treating employees well and providing a good place to work; (73%) constant, ongoing reinforcement of service standards; (70%) teaching employees the basic social skills such as smiling, eye contact, positive attitude, and conversational skills; (61%) educating servers on the correlation between good service and higher tips; and (41%) access to good customer service training resources.
I found the next part of this survey not only the most interesting but the most helpful in that once you identify the cause of a problem, you can be halfway on the road to solving it. Read on. Reasons Cited for Poorer Levels of Customer Service Operators who rated their own level of customer service at 7 or below, cited these reasons for not having better customer service: • Staff turnover • Inadequate management • Poor-quality labor force • Transient staff • Shortage of staff • Uncooperative staff • Not a priority, too busy running the business • Seasonal, changing staff
• • • •
Failure to weed out “bad apples” Quality of employees Poor leadership Complacent employees
As we scan the above, it would seem to me that while all of the reasons are valid, none of them are acceptable. Note that one of the first reasons for not having better customer service is “inadequate management.” One last observation. In 95 percent of the customer service complaint surveys that I have read, the following are the two that top the list, irrespective of price range. They are: “How are you guys doing tonight?” (Particularly for parties with women.) And “Do you need change?” when picking up payment for the check, as opposed to “I’ll be right back with your change.”
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Guests do not want the server determining the amount of the tip. All change should be returned, even if it is only pennies. Surveys have shown that the vast majority of guests who have received
good to great service will tip accordingly, and when this happens, both the server and the house are having a good night. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com.
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Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220
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