July 2016 - Total Food Service by Total Food Service

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NEWS

STATE LEGISLATION

Brunch Bill Approval Highlights Final Curtain in Albany Legislative Session

he 2016 New York State legislative sessions wrapped late last month with major bills headed to the governor’s desk that will impact on New York City’s restaurant owners and operators. Here is what you need to know about what passed and how it affects the city’s foodservice operators. The biggest victory is the so called “Brunch Bill” also known as bill number SO8140 sponsored by Senator Andrew J. Lanza of Staten Island’s 24th District. The bill loosens restrictions on serving alcohol at restaurants on Sundays, allowing alcohol service beginning at ten am, two hours earlier than the previous law allowed. Additionally

upstate New York operators may apply for a special permit up to twelve times in a calendar year to serve alcohol at eight am for a fee of thirty five dollars. That bill was passed with the efforts of the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA), who have lobbying efforts in New York City and at the state legislature in Albany. The organization has been spearheaded by CEO Melissa Fleischut since 2013 along with Government Affairs Director Jay Holland. The Association seeks to help restaurateurs succeed in running operations in New York, a task Fleischut says “can be incredibly challenging”. The NYSRA used unique lobbying tactics to garner

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support for the bill, including distributing “thousands of ‘Pass the Brunch Bill’ beverage coasters to engage customers in the campaign”. Assemblyman Sean M. Ryan, DBuffalo, co-sponsored the bill saying the ban stemmed from old laws that no longer reflect the realities of life in 2016.“It’s one of many outdated Prohibition-era laws we have been trying to fix over the years,” Ryan said, referring to past efforts to make it easier to open craft beer breweries and spirit-makers. A 19-member panel, the Alcohol Beverage Control Law Working Group, created by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to study changes to regulations re-

leased recommendations that include a change in the Sunday alcohol sales. The alcohol working group suggested two options for Sunday: Allow alcohol sales starting at 8 a.m. at restaurants and bars, similar to other days of the week, or establish a process in which businesses obtain special permits for the Sunday morning sales. The panel used the Buffalo Bills football game played last year in London as an example of why the law should change. Because of the time difference, television coverage here started at 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday, yet restau-

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NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

NYC’s Tosi Takes Center Stage At Aspen Food Fest

hristina Tosi doesn’t take questions about baked goods lightly. The first time Momofuku Milk Bar chef and owner Christina Tosi met her mentor Wylie Dufresne, she was a diner at his pioneering molecular gastronomy restaurant WD~50. At the time she was working as a cook at much-lauded New York French restaurant Bouley and saved up for six months to have dinner at the now-closed WD~50 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The meal was in part a test to help her decide whether her next career move should be working at a cutting edge enterprise like WD~50, or a more traditional restaurant such as Gramercy Tavern or Craft. When the palate cleanser portion of the meal came out that night, Dufresne stopped by Tosi’s table to ask what she and her dining companions thought of the dish. It looked like a sunny-side up egg with coconut for the white portion and mango as the yolk, and the mango oozed just like an egg when pierced. “It was the first time someone had asked me what I thought about food,” Tosi said during the American Express Restaurant Trade program at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen last month. Tosi told him that it was “super cool and delicious.” But when she went home and thought about it more, she decided she would have done it differently maybe some curry flavor in the yolk. Tosi called the restaurant two or

“It was the first time someone had asked me what I thought about food,” Tosi said during the American Express Restaurant Trade program at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen last month. three days later and asked to speak with Dufresne, relaying how she would have tweaked the dish. “I don’t remember that phone call, because I probably should have hung up on her,” said Dufresne, who had no idea who was on the other end of the line. “But the fact that she thought about it that’s all I want.” After that meal, Tosi decided she wanted to work at WD~50. “For me, it’s the spirit of who I am” Tosi said, adding that the restaurant tapped into the “curiosity of what the baked good is.” Tosi started working at WD~50 in her free time for no pay. The restaurant had what she called a “silent waiting list,” and you had to be there the day a job opened up. WD~50 closed in 2014 after 13 years. “I think in a way it ran its course,” Dufresne said and the next year he was forced to close his other restaurant, Alder. Unlike a lot of his peers, who were opening up restaurant after restaurant, Alder was only Dufresne’s second. By the time he opened the East Village Bistro, he said he was probably a little bit dated.

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“I spent a lot of time wondering where I’d gone wrong,” Dufresne said. “People younger than me have four, five, six restaurants, and I’ve closed two.” He said it was a combination of wrong decisions and luck of the draw. “I’m past feeling like a failure,” Dufresne said, joking that he was submitting his resume to Tosi’s bakery. Tosi went on to found the dessert program at Momofuku before starting the company’s bakery, Milk Bar,

in 2008. At Milk Bar, she focuses on making her products, which include cookies, cakes, and ice cream, additive, rather than just checking a single box. That’s a lesson learned at WD~50, where everything had to have purpose and be clever enough to make the cut. “He taught me how to think about food and how to have opinions about food,” Tosi said of Dufresne. Dufresne said that part of mentoring is helping people understand why they’re there working for you and following this path, and Tosi has applied the same principle to running Milk Bar. “They have to be in love with the pursuit of it,” Tosi said of her employees. “How passionate are you really, and does that translate when it’s 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and everyone is home, or everyone is asleep, and everyone else had a day off?” What it comes down to, she said, is, “Do you love it when no one else is looking?”

Christina Tosi with other panelists at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen last month.

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July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

NEWS

RETAIL DINING SOLUTIONS

Barnes & Noble’s New Comeback Plan: AlcoholServing Restaurants New Concept To Open In Eastchester

arnes & Noble Inc. has a Barnes & Noble also said that Boire, a former Sears executive plan to enliven the slumpsame-store sales will probably who took the helm at Barnes & Noing bookstore chain: addrange from flat to up 1 percent this ble last year, also named Michael ing restaurants that serve fiscal year, and losses from its Nook Ladd to the role of vice president of beer and wine. e-reader business are shrinking. stores. Ladd was previously a senior Last month, the company apThe company expects the division vice president in charge of stores at pointed Chief Operating Officer to post a loss of $10 million by fiscal Sears. Jaime Carey to the head of a newly 2018, compared with $98.6 million The four new concept stores will created restaurant group, and dislast year. open in Eastchester, New York; Edicussed plans to open four new conThe outlook was cheered by inna, Minnesota; Folsom, California; cept stores with eateries attached. vestors, who sent the shares up 7.9 and Loudon, Virginia. The idea is to build on Barnes & Nopercent to $11.26 in New York. The ble’s push into other non-book arstock is now up 29 percent this year. eas, such as the sale of toys, gifts and vinyl records. Facing mounting competition from Amazon.com Inc., Barnes & Noble is seeking more creative ways to get customers in the door. The restaurant plan is part of a broader shift among brick-and-mortar retailers toward offering experiences, rather than just physical goods. “Jaime’s promotion underscores the importance of having a leader devoted to our new store concepts with a focus on an enhanced resThe new Barnes & Noble Eastchester store will have an assortment of books, expanded seating taurant experience,” Chief and open spaces for in-store events. In addition to being a full-service restaurant serving alcohol, it will also have an outdoor space with elements such as a bocce court, fire pit and outdoor Executive Officer Ron Boire seating. (Photo: Renderings credit: AvroKO) said.

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Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Art Director: Mark Sahm Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Faith Hope Consolo Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Staff Writers Deborah Hirsch Andrew Watson Intern Alexis Robinson Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Cover photo by Ali Paige Goldstein/AMC

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 2016 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburgh, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836

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July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

NEWS

POS TECHNOLOGY

How To Create A Positive Environment For Hospitality Workers By Antasha Solomon, TouchBistro

illions of people worldwide clock in and out everyday to work as chefs, cooks, servers, bartenders, bussers, and dishwashers. For tipped employees and in-demand chefs, hospitality can be lucrative, fun, and exciting. However, it can also be riddled with downsides such as depression, high stress and internal and external abuses such as addiction and harassment. According to the Center for Disease Control, one in five adults in America experience one or more mental health issues. In the hospitality industry, these rates tend to be higher because of long hours, high stress and constant scrutiny. One bad Yelp review or Facebook post could lead to an employee losing their job or questioning their worth. The Heirloom Foundation, a nonprofit organization specializing in mental health issues and substance abuse amongst hospitality workers conducted a study in partnership with Chefs with Issues to learn more about the prevalence of depression in restaurants and bars. Together, these organizations found 94 percent of the 1,000 participants sur-

example, if your employees see you as open, receptive and on their side, staff morale will be higher and any pending issues will be easily solved.

veyed reported experiencing current or past mental health issues. Depression, anxiety and substance abuse ranked as the tops three issues. Additionally, only two percent of these people felt comfortable enough to be honest about their sufferings at work. Sarah Ory, Executive Director of the Heirloom Foundation says it’s no surprise hospitality workers often struggle with addiction and mental health issues. According to Ory, “as public interest in food and restaurant culture has increased, restaurant workers experience more pressure and more competition. When combined with unrelentingly long hours in a work environment that often doesn’t allow weakness, it’s no mystery why we see high instances of abuse, stress, depression,

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anxiety and other mental health issues in hospitality.” By creating a healthy, supportive, and positive work environment, restaurateurs can alleviate some of the negative mental and emotional effects their employees are often faced with. Here are six ways restaurateurs can create a positive work environment. 1. HIRE THE RIGHT PEOPLE Your employees play a star role in the culture of your organization, if you want your venue to be a place people enjoy coming to work it’s important to hire the right people. Recruit people who are friendly, easy going and team players (this includes all FOH, BOH and management staff members). Lead by

2. BREAK BREAD WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES Offer your staff members a free pre-shift meal and eat with them. This doesn’t need to be elaborate, but it should be enough to keep your staff fueled and well-nourished for the next eight plus hours. A nice meal will ensure your staff have enough energy to last throughout their shifts, and enable them to maintain a positive attitude-- after all no one wants to be served by a ‘hangry’ person! 3. ENCOURAGE POSITIVE THINKING Studies show positive thinking helps to lower stress, negativity and depression. For example, you could start each pre-shift meeting by going around the room and having each staff member list three things they are grateful for. This will help everyone appreciate what they already have, and start each shift on

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MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

Summer Rum Punch

elcome to rum, the libation understood by Buccaneers, Pirates, Sailors and “Armchair Sailors” the world over, throughout history. Follow the Rhumb line on your sailing chart and let it take you around the globe. Here also is an intoxicating liquid in your hand. This liquid is as ancient as the early sailors who plied the relentless seas. It is called Rum. Rum is usually available in almost every port where sailors gather after a long voyage or before embarking upon a longer one. Rum has always been served as an inexpensive and potent form of relaxation for sailors and landlubbers alike. As a panacea against fear, rum always calmed a sailor’s beleaguered nerves while far out at sea, unable to tie up to the yacht club dock. Rum would take

the edge off of weeks without even a tickle of wind, or in the face of the fiercest weather. Rum is the complete drink of sailors who took this tipple to sea as a cure-all against all known infirmities from being a sailor in the early days. And let me tell you from working for weeks aboard a modern boat, it’s really hard work! The ocean has always held an allure for me. It’s unlike any other place that I’ve ever experienced. I’ve done more than just a bit of sailing. Mostly my sailing took place on a yacht belonging to my family. I can picture her now, about sixty feet in length, displacing 65 or so tons. She had all the modern conveniences of home along with a water maker- to turn seawater to a dense, brackish substance seemingly only good for washing dishes. But it also made decent, not clear: ice- but extremely helpful to the brain,

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when all about you is sticky: hot, humid and mosquito beleaguered. Being out at sea and having an iced rum cocktail housed in a clean glass is one of life’s simple pleasures. It connects you with every sailor who has ever sailed upon the ocean, even if they didn’t have your milky colored ice to cool their fevered brow. The sea at night (and even in the daytime) can be a very scary place in a storm. As anyone who has been in a yacht away from the relative safety of the yacht club dock knows, the ocean is much larger than you are. Ships are not meant to be docked. They are meant to explore the globe. And to do this they need to go to sea. The waves will tower over your tiny vessel, threatening to smash you and your hard earned dollars into piles of shredded (read expensive) sailcloth, toothpicks of your fine teak decks and miles of razor sharp fiberglass where the bow decided to split open for no reason at all, exposing the interior of the vessel to the bottom of the sea in mere seconds. That is why sailors kept rum on board their ship. Because that mug of rum somehow makes it easier to forget that such a horrible demise may await you with every uncontrollable gust of wind or steep wave that knocks you to the wooden deck. You’ll know it when it happens. Rum is hand-held courage for the sailor. Maybe the thrill of being a sailor out at sea continues to make rum so beguiling to all kinds of drinkers, even today. After all, this allure and call to the sea is what took this drink through history. A daily tot of rum punch might

Warren Bobrow is the creator of the popular blog The Cocktail Whisperer and the author of nearly half a dozen books, including Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and his most recent book Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, & Tonics.

have been made with a preserved fruit shrub. Shrubs were made up of vinegar along with citrus fruit and molasses or raw honey. They were mixed with water for purification and also with rum in a rudimentary punch. The early shrubs were no more than citrus fruit, mixed with vinegar and sugar against decay. Drinking what little water taken on board a ship could be fatal because the water was potentially deadly without purification systems like on modern vessels. The feeling of being soaked to the skin in cold weather with a steaming mug of grog filling your belly makes the going so much easier. Just like cooling punch made with rum and tropical fruit juices gave scurvy ravaged sailors deep relief. The modern day product Rose’s Lime Juice, a potent curative in its own right dates back to the Colonial era when drinking lime and rum was not just a casual drink, it was a curative in your mug of more than good cheer. Rum traditionally found its way around the world because it was easy to transport from place to place. And rum is sturdy stuff. It doesn’t sour like wine or beer in the motion of the ship or the heat of the hold.

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EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

AJC Food Service Division’s 2016 Human Relations Award Dinner

ast month, a record throng of some 500 plus jammed the ballroom of the Bronx Botanical Garden for the annual AJC’s Food Service division’s Human Relations Award Dinner. The AJC (American Jewish Committee) honored Jay Ringelheim, President Globe Equipment Company, and the AJC’s Corporate Leadership Awards to Bull’sEye, and Reddy Raw, Inc. EYE notes that the success of the event each year comes as the result of the hard work of the indefatigable Lenny Myron of the AJC. EYE loved the introductory remarks of Hoffmaster’s Vice President of Sales Mike O’Neill. The former Boston College hockey captain spoke about the commitment that Bull’sEye’s founder has had since they launched the business. “They still carry the bag he noted in reference to each of the principals still being active in sales.” The Dinner Chair was Restaurant Depot’s Clark Pager. This celebrated award is given to individuals whose contributions have helped to uplift the shared life of our community. For 75 years now, Globe Equipment of Bridgeport has had a hand in many of the meals prepared across the county and more recently, around the world. “We provide the equipment and supplies to commercial food service establishments,” said owner Jay Ringelheim, who meets the needs of chain restaurants such as schools, nursing

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Former AJC honoree Joseph Lehr of Glissen Chemical enjoyed the festivities with family and friends

(L to R) Manitowoc’s Gregg Geanurocos with Performance Food Group’s Ken Kurzweil and Jon Bowerman

(L to R) M. Tucker/Singer’s Fred Singer, Larry Cantamessa and Keith Fitzgerald of PBAC, Hobart’s Gary Simpson and SEFA’s Jim Reid

LinkedIn’s Jesse Rothstein and Waring’s Keith Sisco

It was an award winning performance for Reddy Raw, The Ringelheims and Globe Equipment and the Bull’sEye team at AJC ‘16

(L to R) Industry legends Steve Tabak and Joe Tabak of Jersey Paper, flank Creative Sales’ Eddie Toby and Bob Tillis of Imperial Bag & Paper Co.

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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

WITH FRED SAMPSON

Organized Labor Is Organizing Itself

Fred G. Sampson is the retired President Emeritus of the New York State

ifty years ago, nearly a third of U.S. workers belonged to unions. Today, it’s one in 10. But the decline has not been the same for every state. I recently read a map which shows the present membership across the country. I have listed here only those that would be of interest to this area’s readership. They are: New York, 24 percent; New Jersey, 16.5 percent; and Connecticut, 14.5 percent. New York has the highest share of union workers in the country. The main story is the public sector: 71 percent of government workers in New York belong to unions. Nationwide, 36 percent of government employees are in unions, compared to just 7 percent of workers in the private sector. If you are not too busy managing a business, you probably have heard that the reason for this drop is due to the North American Fair Trade Agreement. NAFTA has been a hot topic in this calamity presently taking place— more commonly described as the 2016 presidential campaign. While NAFTA is one of the reasons, there are many more. In 1964 the Midwest was full of manufacturing jobs and had the highest concentration of union workers in America. That has changed dramatically, both because the share of manufacturing jobs has fallen and fewer of the manufacturing jobs are held by union workers. As a result of this declining situation, two of the major and most active labor groups, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Restaurant Association. He began working with NYSRA in 1961.

It would seem, from this observer’s perspective, that when you take a look at the future, we as a country will continue to move to an even more consumer service–oriented society...”

Within the next four years the NYSRA more than tripled its membership and expanded from one regional chapter to eight. Sampson played roles in representing restaurants on issues including paid sick leave, minimum wage, liquor laws, a state-

Employees and the Service Employees International Union are considering ways to step up collaboration, including a merger, as reported by The New York Times. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union has 1.6 million members, most of them government workers. The Service Employees International Union has approximately 2 million members and is split evenly between workers in the private and the public sectors. About 80 percent of these unions’ membership is in roughly a dozen states, including New York, California, and Illinois. The benefits of the arrangement, officials said, would be that unions could settle on common messages and strategies rather than tugging in different directions, and they could eliminate duplication of fixed costs such as for phone banks, direct mail, and advertisements. Union officials also said they hoped the joint efforts would prevent politicians from playing one union against the other when raising money for their campaigns, a practice the unions said they found exasperating but were often powerless to stop. Both unions are active in political

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campaigns. The Service Employees organization is widely seen as more innovative and willing to take risks in organizing workers. A perfect example of the S.E.I.U.’s activities is that it has spent tens of millions of dollars supporting the $15 an hour fight which focused on the plight of fast-food workers. There is a sense that it brought no immediate benefit in the form of new members, according to The New York Times. Such benefits are a condition most traditional unions insist on when spending large sums on organizing. However, many cities and states will phase in a $15 per hour minimum wage over the coming years, which will benefit many of its members and millions of other workers. It would seem, from this observer’s perspective, that when you take a look at the future, we as a country will continue to move to an even more consumer service–oriented society and that means more service jobs and more potential membership opportunities for unions such as the S.E.I.U. Food services and drinking establishments now represent only 1.7 percent of total workers. Historically, unions did not pursue workers in the quickservice segment. One reason was that the average age of most workers

wide alcohol training program and insurance plans. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com

was teens and low twenties and turnover was higher. While quick-service operators still hire younger people, they now have a larger, more mature workforce, which was evident during the $15 an hour demonstrations. The unions will continue to be a force. While jobs, the economy in general, foreign affairs, and immigration will be the focus of the campaign, two others come to mind: appointments to the Supreme Court and the makeup of the National Labor Relations Board. As you know, many of their decisions have a tremendous impact on how you conduct your business. In light of increases in the minimum wage, the new overtime regulations, rising commodity prices, and constant government tinkering, it’s going to take an ever vigilant, focused management team to operate in this climate. Does anyone out there appreciate and understand that we are a major job making, tax paying, risk taking, economic force? We employ 14 million people—and growing!

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NEWS

MERGERS

Tarrytown’s Elliot Group Enterprises Partners with Prominent Insurance Executive

lliot Group Enterprises, LLC (Elliot), a nationally recognized leader in global executive search and strategic consulting for the hospitality, foodservice, manufacturing, retail and service sector industries, and Steve Lockton, Executive Vice President and Owner at the Lockton Companies (Lockton), the world’s largest privately held insurance broker and risk management consulting firm, announced last month that they have entered into a strategic partnership. Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Lockton has made an undisclosed equity investment in Elliot to further advance both firms’ ability to leverage existing business and create new opportunities in the global marketplace. Elliot provides a range of services to the hospitality, foodservice, manufacturing, retail and service sector industries through its three subdivisions; Elliot Associates, LLC, a retained executive search firm, Elliot Executive Consulting, LLC, a strategic and operational consulting firm, and Elliot Productions, LLC, a creative management firm specializing in events and content development. As part of the partnership, Lockton will now have access to Elliot’s un-

paralleled experience within target sectors where Lockton sees tremendous potential for their global risk management, insurance and employee benefits consulting services. “We’re honored to be partnering with Steve Lockton,” said Alice Elliot, founder and CEO of the Elliot Group, LLC. “His decision to invest in and collaborate with us is validation of the achievements Elliot has accomplished to date and the vision we have articulated for the Company going forward. We look forward to working closely with Steve to build our industry leading position and accelerate our growth strategy.”

Alice Elliott

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This partnership will further Lockton’s interests in areas where Elliot has established itself as the dominant industry leader. It is a privilege to collaborate with Alice and the brilliant team at Elliot, and we are excited by the opportunities ahead.” “Today marks an important milestone for both us and Elliot,” said Steve Lockton, Executive Vice President and Owner at the Lockton Companies. “This partnership will further Lockton’s interests in areas where Elliot has established itself as the dominant industry leader. It is a privilege to collaborate with Alice and the brilliant team at Elliot, and we are excited by the opportunities ahead.” Elliot Group Enterprises, LLC is a nationally recognized leader in global executive search and strategic consulting that is exclusively dedicated to the hospitality, foodservice, manufacturing, retail and service sector industries. With the

headquarters in New York and offices in Georgia, New Hampshire, Texas and California, The Elliot Group professionals have more than 275 years of combined experience, and are sought out by equity and financial groups for their counsel on human capital issues, creative management and executive search. They provide a wide range of services and expertise to many of the top global companies in their industry segments.

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LITTLE M. TUCKER

WITH MORGAN TUCKER

Are You Satisfied, Or Are You Just Full?

arlier this month I travelled 3500 miles to Antwerp, Belgium to find the plateware satisfaction I had been craving. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Serax, a company that plays with trend and is committed to using surprising shapes and materials and no classic designs. There is a distinct difference between being full and being satisfied. My preferred tabletop manufacturers continue to push their designers and partner factories to come up with creative and exciting collections. If you had the pleasure to travel to NRA in May, you would have seen the greatest display of tabletop collections in history. There were more colors, matte glazes, and unique shapes than ever before. I truly believed that we had reached the pinnacle of our industry and could fill any void with the commercial foodservice dinnerware suppliers exhibiting in Chicago.

However, in Belgium, I witnessed a new generation of tableware that pleasures all your senses. Serax is a unique and diverse assortment of materials. Uncompromised design and functionality come together in artisan stoneware, pressed glass, fully vitrified porcelain, and fire clay, to name a few. Research for each collections start with understanding the direction of the individual freelance designer and supporting their unique position. Each of four elements – water, earth, air, and fire – is entertained and selected or eliminated to ensure authenticity and a direct correlation to nature. Every collection is intended to be geometrically unique and independently complete. One of my favorites is Dusk, where a deep charcoal exterior enhances a glazed white interior. The 19 unique shapes include mostly straight rimmed plates and coupe bowls.

A sampling from Serax’s artisanal stoneware collection Aqua.

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Perfect imperfection is a favorite of Jean Georges. This innovative porcelain range is celebrated for its unique ability to produce defective art that coincidentally makes an innovative assembly of very diverse shapes. In early 2017, Little M Tucker will be the first to bring you concrete dinnerware from Serax. We are all acutely aware of the relationship of tabletop supplies to culinary. As I continue to develop my brand, Little M Tucker, I’m thrilled that industry leaders turn to me to be a resource for tabletop solutions. The connection that I find between dinnerware and cuisine is deep. I have spent enough time with culinary artisans and award winning chefs to know that it’s not about filling your customers, it’s about satisfying them. As I return from The Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, I am invigorated by the talent in this industry. Listening to legends and new all-stars alike address the importance of tableware proves that our consulting is meaningful and necessary. The masters have a unique way of balancing craft and design, constantly creating and evolving in new ways. Our manufacturers are doing this more than ever before… introducing new materials, creating state of the art local plants, and bringing innovative new production methods to the commercial sector. Serax’s BOND collections say it eloquently. The bonding of people through their shared love for the culinary art is unbreakable. As

Morgan Tucker is Director of Business Development at M. Tucker, a division of Singer Equipment Company. Ms. Tucker works with a wide diversity of acclaimed restaurateurs, celebrated chefs, and industry leaders across the U.S. Her website littlemtucker.com is an exceptional resource for equipment and supplies solutions. Morgan is based in NYC and can be reached at mptucker@mtucker.com.

consultants we are looking to minimalistically aid in the presentation of culinary artwork. Without undermining the gastronomic experience, Serax dinnerware elevates presentation with its unparalleled luminance. As with culinary arts, a deep emotional collection creates true satisfaction. Serax’s diversification and inventiveness will leave you yearning for more. It’s a good thing I can get it for you.

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NEWS

HOTEL DINING

HX Partners with NYC Hospitality Alliance to Expand Foodservice Segment of Trade Show

X: The Hotel Experience, now in its second year of a multimillion dollar rebrand, and the New York City Hospitality Alliance have formed a partnership, through which the Alliance will produce restaurant and foodservice content for the Show, November 13-15, 2016 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Alliance will create and present sessions for both HX: ONSTAGE-RESTAURANT, the Show’s on floor center for foodservice education, and chef demos at the new HX: COOKS, the Show’s culinary theater. New York City Hospitality Alliance represents 2,000 members made up of restaurant and nightlife establishments across all five boroughs, and plays a critical role in meeting the specialized and unique needs of these essential pillars making up New York City’s identity. “We’re thrilled to partner with HX to discuss today’s hottest trends and topics in the hospitality industry. We’ll

bring together some of the most influential names in the industry to dish on topics ranging from tipping to mobile technology. If you’re in the hospitality industry, you will not want to miss this year’s show, I assure you,” commented Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of NYC Hospitality Alliance. “Whether it’s sessions for HX: ONSTAGE-RESTAURANT or demonstrations at HX: COOKS, we know the creativity and talent of the Alliance’s diverse membership will bring relevant, thought-provoking content to attendees,” said Phil Robinson, HX Group Show Director. HX 2016 includes three enterprise feature areas on the show floor: HX: TECH, sponsored by MasterCard, is home to technology education and will demo the latest tech tools and gadgets. HX: ONSTAGE-HOTEL will feature top hospitality leaders, who will educate attendees on subjects such as: travel trends, management, leadership, and sales and marketing direction. HX: ONSTAGE-RESTAURANT

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will present chefs, restaurant owners and operators and kitchen consultants and designers covering what’s new and what’s next in the foodservice industry. For more information on HX please visit www.thehotelexperience.com. About NYC Hospitality Alliance New York City Hospitality Alliance is a membership-based organization, founded in 2012 to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World. The Alliance is committed to advocating on each members’ behalf in the halls of government, the media and beyond, to reduce regulatory burdens, streamline the licensing and permitting process, and represent the industry’s interests on all proposed laws impacting NYC restaurants and nightlife establishments. By providing education and training, access to expert consultants, and opportunities to collaborate and exchange ideas, we help ensure that

members have the tools necessary to prosper and continue to offer the world-class quality of service that has made our industry famous and our city a global destination. https://www. thenycalliance.org/ About HX HX: The Hotel Experience is now in its second year of a multimillion dollar rebrand. HX is North America’s largest trade show for hotel and foodservice owners, executives, directors, and GMs from across the hospitality spectrum, and manufacturers and marketers of all things hospitality. HX is held annually each November in New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Center. HX is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. (HANYC), and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSH&TA), managed by Hospitality Media Group (HMG), and collocated with Boutique Design New York (BDNY), November 13-14, 2016.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Jeremy Jacobowitz, Brunch Boys

eremy Jacobowitz is the founder of Brunch Boys, a rapidly expanding online source for impeccably photographed, drool-inducing brunches across New York City. In what started out as Jacobowitz’s personal account where he would post photos of his brunch “once a month”, Brunch Boys became his pet project that he worked on while taking a few months off from work. Nine months later, the Instagram account is closing in on 200,000 followers and gains a fresh 1,000 almost every day. The posts feature signature dishes from different hot spots all across the city and range from tempting sweets like Churro Horchata Milkshakes from Black Tap to outrageous concoctions like a bacon and egg cheeseburger slider on a syrup infused pancake from Invite Only. A former Production Assistant for Bobby Flay, Jacobowitz had experience in the food world well before the Brunch Boys but was exhausted from traveling across the country and being on set all day every day. The Brunch Boys was not intended to be his primary job but after taking some time off from work to recover from traveling, Jacobowitz started paying more attention to it and its popularity exploded. On his Facebook page, Flay said he was “very proud of Jeremy” and that his instagram page is “very impressive”. “The best photos are taken with natural light. For food, natural lighting highlights the details of food just right,” said Jacobowitz, highlighting his preferred method of taking photos which includes coming in when the restaurant is empty and having time to set up the shot. Restaurants don’t

pay Jeremy to post about their restaurant and he never asks, preferring to respond to invitations to different brunch spots to come in and try their dishes. He does not read many reviews, saying “it’s mostly places inviting me in. I don’t do much outreach for places because I have such a long list of places who have contacted me”. Sprinkled in to the Instagram page are posts he collaborates on with companies such as Bumble, the social media dating application. In addition to Instagram photos he also partners with companies to do videos, events and other branded content. This is one way he generates income, along with doing social media takeovers where he does photography for a restaurant for their own social media endeavors. For Jacobowitz the quality of food is important but he says that his focus is on the visual effect of the food and whether or not he feels it would make

for a good post. Although he does not post in real time, the NYU graduate does plan his posts around certain times of the day to make them time appropriate. Jacobowitz believes strongly that although it may result in the strange sight of everyone photographing their food in restaurants, the increase in food related social media accounts has forced chefs to step their game up. “I think its amazing that people love food. People’s level of sophistication about food has grown, and if thats through visual sources like Instagram, who cares? They care about where their food comes from and how its made. Being part of that growth is very exciting.” He also said he believes many restaurants are actively thinking about how they are presenting their food and want it to be photographable. “It helps their success if people go in their restaurant and take pictures and then their friends

Slider from Invite Only. Photography by Jeremy Jacobowitz

The Churro Horchata Milkshake at Black Tap NYC. Photograph by Jeremy Jacobowitz

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Jeremy Jacobowitz

see how beautiful the food is and they want to go to. The wow factor is important. The plate comes out of the kitchen and people say ‘oh my god’”. The Brunch Boys’ latest undertaking is planning events involving brunch spots in the city, including their recent Puppy Brunch that drew one hundred people and puppies to Cafe de La Esquina in Brooklyn. “They gave me free reign and let me fill it with puppies. At first I was thinking, who is going to let me do this? That was my dream, puppies and brunch and they helped make it happen”. With rapid growth, a fanbase in love with his photography and videos, and innovative new ideas like puppy brunches and Brunch Happy Hours, Jeremy Jacobowitz is making headlines for turning the industry on its head. While review sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor may be considered go-to sources for where to eat, Jacobowitz’s followers rely on him to show them the latest and greatest in the foodie world, a business model that seems to be working out better than even he could have expected. Reporting by Andrew Watson.

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July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

C-CAP TRADE TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

Teen Chefs Win Culinary Scholarships In Nationwide C-CAP Veggie Burger Competition

igh school students aspiring to become future celebrity chefs faced a challenge recently from the nationwide 2016 Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Meatless Monday Recipe Contest. The challenge: “get the beef off their buns” by creating innovative veggie burger recipes. The young chefs were challenged to come up with an innovative veggie burger to impress the judges. The panel included chefs from across the country including Rick Bayless, Chris Feldmeier, Scott Uehlein, and Jason Weiner, along with Meatless Monday’s recipe editor Diana Rice, RD. The New York City regional winner of a $2,000 scholarship was Tyler Ramos, from Tottenville High School in Staten Island, NY for her Sun-Dried Tomato Patty veggie burger. The burger infused with Italian flavor won for her colorful and flavorful pairing of flavors. She used ingredients like rosemary, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in her winning recipe. She also incorporated red potatoes and white kidney beans into the mix for protein. Working with her teacher, Chef David Schwartz, Tyler said, “The biggest challenge I faced while creating the recipe was deciding which food items and how many flavors to include. To overcome this challenge, I decided to stay within the flavors of Italy.” Chicago-based celeb Chef Rick Bayless, one of the 2016 judges said, “Even having a contest like this shows the giant leaps forward we’re making when it comes to good food. I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to

Joyce Appelman, is the National

see young people taking up the mantle of healthy eating. The experience of judging filled me with all kinds of hope.” Judges evaluated the recipe submissions based on originality, flavor, healthfulness, ease of preparation, and writing ability. The recipe contest covers C-CAP schools in seven markets: Arizona; Chicago; DC/Prince George’s County, Maryland; Hampton Roads, VA; Los Angeles, Philadelphia Region, and New York. “Through this annual contest, student chefs receive guidance from their teachers on recipe writing and development and are able to showcase their talent creating meatless recipes,” remarked C-CAP president Susan Robbins. “We greatly appreciate The Monday Campaigns providing high school students with the opportunity for scholarships while promoting healthy eating.” C-CAP is the national leader providing scholarships, education, and career opportunities in the culinary

arts to underserved youth, and Meatless Monday is an initiative of the nonprofit The Monday Campaigns, which provides healthy and environmentally friendly information and recipes. “We’re thrilled to team up with C-CAP for the annual recipe contest. This year, we challenged C-CAP students to convert traditional meatbased burgers into meatless versions. The winning recipes are stellar,” said Sid Lerner, founder of the Meatless Monday movement. Winners beat out thousands of their high school peers from across the country with recipes you could place in any good restaurant. According to the judges, this year’s impressive ingredients ranged from unexpected fillings of kale, spinach, falafel, sun-dried tomatoes, tofu, and beets to a rich array of exotic spices. The national winner, “Taste of Korea” kimchi tofu burger from Eubene Kim, received a $5,000 scholarship. He also earned for himself and

(L to R) Meatless Monday, The Monday Campaigns Founder Sid Lerner, Tyler Ramos, The Monday Campaigns President Peggy Neu

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Communications Director for CCAP, Careers through Culinary Arts Program in New York, NY. She has been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com

his teacher, Ramon Douglas from Chatsworth Charter High School in Los Angeles an all-inclusive stay at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, where they will attend learning sessions with Canyon Ranch nutritionists and the cooking staff Regional winners of the C-CAP Meatless Monday Veggie Burger Contest received $2,000 scholarships: Arizona-- Juliet Auld, Mountain View High School in Tucson for Falafel Spinach, Feta and Sundried Tomato Veggie Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki Sauce. Chicago, IL-- Aliyah Taylor, South Shore International College Prep for Smoked Chipotle Rice Burger. Hampton Roads, VA--- Reece Conwell, Woodrow Wilson High School for Spicy TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) on a Toasted Onion Bun. New York-- Tyler Ramos of Tottenville High School in Staten Island for Sun-Dried Tomato Patty. Philadelphia Region-- Nyshiera Jones, A. Philip Randolph Career Academy for Beet Burger with Asian Slaw. DC/Prince George’s County, Maryland: Jasmine Blackwell, Crossland High School, MD for Kale Burger.

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Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

Clyde Phillips Executive Producer of AMC’s Feed the Beast

lyde Phillips is the executive producer of AMC’s Feed the Beast, the story of a coke addicted Chef and an alcoholic Sommelier opening a high-end Greek restaurant in the Bronx. The show stars David Schwimmer as Sommelier and Jim Sturgess as Chef, however Phillips is the architect behind the project, having adapted it from a Danish television show called Bankerot. Phillips has worked previously on a multitude of projects, most notably Nurse Jackie and Dexter. This may be his darkest and most complex show to date, as it follows the two broken men on their difficult and often illegal journey into the underbelly of the New York restaurant scene, where the stakes are high and the Polish Mafia is out to collect on their debts. We spoke with the Boston native about the setting of the show, where the inspiration for the dishes comes from, and what went into getting the actors ready to run a restaurant. What made you decide Feed The Beast was a show you wanted to do? While I was still shooting Nurse Jackie my agents sent me the first two episodes of the Danish series Bankerot. I watched them late at night and I loved the show. The thing that attracted me the most about the show is the characters.

They’re so flawed and that makes them interesting. As a writer I don’t want to write about normal people and as an audience I don’t think you want to see normal people. They’re deeply flawed and that’s what makes it attractive to write. Was the show a difficult pitch to make? This is probably the easiest show I’ve had to pitch. After watching all sixteen episodes of the Danish version I worked out what the American version would be and formed a concise and artful pitch. After a short bidding war AMC took it off the table by offering me a straight to series commitment. It is extremely uncommon and happens maybe two or three times a year. I was lucky enough this time around to have it happen to me. What was your childhood like and how did that connect you to doing this show? My background has two significant parts that created a perfect storm for this series. My father was a butcher who made 125 dollars a week. I worked for him from age ten on. I was always cold and wet and always around meat, so I had an understanding of what it takes to get food to the table. In the opening

continued on page 32

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Clyde Phillips, Executive Producer of AMC’s Feed the Beast (photo by Ali Paige Goldstein/AMC)

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July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

Q&A Clyde Phillips, from page 30

credits you will see a sub-story going on with that process, where we see a little lamb in a field that ends up as a lamb chop in a restaurant. The other part of my background is that my father was a small time crook and gambling addict who was always in trouble. If you think of the movie Rocky, in the opening there is an enforcer beating up someone in a shipyard for the forty dollars he owes. The guy getting beaten up would be my father. With those two parts of my background being what they are, this show was screaming my name. I was riveted watching it at midnight after a fourteen hour day on set for Nurse Jackie. Where does the inspiration for the dishes and the wine come from? Here’s the thing. I am a total non-

foodie. I eat health bars for lunch. My wife is the best cook in the world and a total carnivore but I am not that way. For the show we would look up Greek recipes online and pick ones out. Then we would send over the recipes we came up with to our food expert and food stylist Susan Spungen and she would come up with the menu. After that we would take the menu to our sommelier consultant, Josh Nadel, and he came up with the wine pairings. Between him and Susan everything gets researched and is authentic in the show. Did Jim Sturgess and David Schwimmer have previous experience with wine and food?

continued on page 34

Clyde Phillips talks to AMC’s Feed the Beast star David Schwimmer. (photo by Ali Paige Goldstein/AMC)

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Q&A Clyde Phillips, from page 32

Schwimmer is a bit of a wine buff and Josh Nadel is a friend of his. He brought Josh to us, who is a sommelier and wine consultant to some of the best restaurants in New York. Also, I had dinner with David recently and he ordered wine and went through the whole routine, same as in the show, so he could choose the right wine to go with dinner. He is pretty serious about it. When I hired Jim it was over Skype and he was in England. We made a deal with him right away and five days later he was in cooking school. He did cooking school, meat-cutting school and cutlery school. He showed up the first day of work with bandages on his fingers. All the other actors we have as line cooks we also send to cooking school so they are comfortable handling raw meat, using knives and being around high heat. Whenever we do cooking scenes the actor is really doing the cooking.

and trying to raise a son. It’s also not just about a drug addiction for Dion, the Chef. He has debts to the mob and other issues.

ing through the sides of beef hanging from the ceiling. That is a pretty powerful image without it being direct and in your face.

Is there a connection in the show between the violence of the mob and the violence of butchery and meat cutting? Yes, but it’s not intended to be in your face. It is nuanced, like when David Schwimmer is walk-

Did you shoot on site for scenes in meat and produce markets? We shot at a meat distribution warehouse in Brooklyn. I have to tell you, shooting there was like stepping back in time to my childhood. Just smelling it and seeing the guys

Can you walk us through the process for the dishes that appear on the show? We do have a prep kitchen behind the stage kitchen where food is prepped by Susan and her crew and then brought to our guys to handle. Some things have to be done in the back because we can’t spend an hour and forty-five minutes on set making a roast. Then the finishing cooking touches are done by the actors on set. Susan also styles the dish before we shoot it because a big part of it is how it looks. Where did the idea for the coke addicted chef and the alcoholic sommelier come from? They came over from the Danish series, but again that is what appealed to me was the broken, messed up characters. It isn’t just alcoholism for the sommelier. He’s also grieving the death of his wife 34 • July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

in their stained white coats and everything was surreal. We added the fish, the poultry, the flowers and the spices to the shoot at the warehouse. It markets to some of the finest restaurants in New York. Why set the show in a restaurant in the Bronx?

continued on page 36

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Q&A Clyde Phillips, from page 34 The Bronx is really the last frontier of New York City. It seems like once a week in the New York Times there is an article about another industry going into the Bronx. There’s two sides to gentrification. There is the money and the jobs pouring in but also the effect it has on neighborhoods, schools and the ecosystems of the borough. We explore both sides of it. Does the show feel current with what is going on in the Bronx right now? All of it is going on right now. The first big restaurants are opening there. They are building in old warehouses and factories that have been abandoned. We fashioned the restaurant in the show after an old piano factory because in our research we learned that a lot of the

pianos made in the US were from the Bronx. From producing this show and having characters who run a restaurant, what do you believe it takes to have a successful restaurant in New York City? Chefs are like artists. They take great pride in saying they own a restaurant. They all have passion and obsession that drives them, but there is also the need to sustain yourself. If you borrow a lot of money you had better be really good at what you’re doing otherwise you’re going to be in trouble.

Reporting by Andrew Watson.

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Clyde Phillips talks to AMC’s Feed the Beast star Jim Sturgess. (photo by Ali Paige Goldstein/Lionsgate Television/AMC)

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NEWS

ENERGY SAVING SOLUTIONS

O’Connor Led UI Program Dedicated To Saving More Than Energy

ant to save 20 to 25% on your energy costs? Do you want to figure out what’s drawing the most power in your operation, and how to possibly reduce it? Analyze your habits as a business and be able to plan better for this kind of expense. United Illuminating, which purchases, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes in Southern Connecticut, has helped some companies save as much as one thousand dollars a month in energy costs - according to Dennis O’Connor. “Back in the ‘90s there were a lot of businesses going out of business because they couldn’t pay their bills – they had a good product and good customer service, but just couldn’t overcome the inefficiency of their equipment,” recalls the small business program administrator. Then, in 2000, the state of Connecticut started the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, which provides restaurants and commercial businesses financing at 0% for the purchase and installation of costsaving energy conservation improvements. “I had the opportunity to come in and help establish this small business program where we could actually help businesses stay in business,” O’Connor explained. The success of the program has

Restaurants don’t always realize how much energy they’re using,” O’Connor pointed out. been United Illuminating’s attention to detail with its pre and post inspections of energy usage that are initiated by a free audit. “Our goal is to understand what your restaurant’s Energy habits are now. If you look at your bill and do a walkthrough , room by room, to see what equipment generates heat or cold, that’s where your biggest consumption is, it’s your kitchen equipment, heating system or air conditioning.” In a restaurant heating and cooling equipment, lighting, and refrigeration, runs 24/7. “Restaurants don’t always realize how much energy they’re using,” O’Connor pointed out. “I would bring them the usage history and some of them would tell me that they are open 8 to 10 hours a day. I would then bring to their attention that over 60%of your energy use is when you’re not even in the restaurant.” That gets people thinking, and then it’s on to working on a common goal of lowering those energy bills. One restaurant that participated in the program has been able to save

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over one thousand dollars a month in its energy bills. “We changed all the lighting to LED, which is a huge savings,” O’Connor said. “When it first came out, it had a lot of flaws, so people didn’t want to use it. But now they’re ending up with something aesthetically that really works nicely as well. With this technology, the restaurant now has the ambiance of the old incandescent lights but in the form of a light bulb that’s using a quarter of the energy,” O’Connor asserted. “It’s strictly math. You get that customer thinking, ‘wow, that’s one fixture that I’m saving 75% on. For $75 a year, I got 50 lights.’ It’s almost like they become an energy detective. We changed out the standard motors in the walk-in freezers and coolers with electronicallycomputed motors (ECMs). That can save you 40% on the run time.” United Illuminating has worked on well over 5,000 (30,000 Statewide when counting Eversource) projects of all business segments, with average savings from about 20 to 25%. The program offers oil to gas conversions for businesses that is so at-

tractive that the gas funds are usually fully committed by mid-year. “Kitchen hood ventilation controls are also a program measure. Instead of these things running 24/7, these sensors allow the fans to run when smoke is generated from the cooking equipment.The energy use ramps up when needed and is brought down when not needed. This results in tremendous electric and gas savings,” O’Connor maintained. O’Connor gives an example - “Let’s say there’s a company with $60,000 worth of opportunity, upgrades that can be done. The more comprehensive the project is, the greater probability there is that we can actually award up to 50% of that cost for that project. So let’s say $29,000 of the $60,000 is paid for. This leaves the customer a $31,000 balance. If they qualify for the 0% financing, then we put that on their bill each month so that it’s a comfortable fit. Loans can be up to 48 months. The customer pays $31,000 over four years. “The idea behind it is that what they’re going to save from all of these upgrades each month offsets the monthly installment and even puts a little bit of money back into their pocket.” “In the end, the goal is not only to save energy, but to save businesses,” O’Connor explained.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE

New York Times Enters Home Meal Delivery Foray New York Food Truck Offers Franchising Scoop notes under the tagline “Take it Cheesy” the proprietors of Melt Mobile have begun offering franchises of their gourmet grilled cheese food truck. The concept chronicled on the Food Network show “3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay” in March 2012 and took off from there. Created by Darlene Andersen and Diana Hall, Melt Mobile sells a half dozen variations of the traditional grilled cheese sandwich as well as specials and dessert options, also offering catering.

Manhattan’s Ex-Food Network Star Nibbles At An IPO Scoop says restaurateur and former Food Network star Willie Degel is looking to take his 20-year-old chain public. Known for his “Restaurant Stake-out” reality TV series, which ran for five seasons, Degel is eyeing floating public shares sometime next year after he expands to about a dozen locations. “You either grow and diversify or you slowly go out of business,” Degel added. Degel

N.Y. Chef Bouley Named Japanese Cuisine Ambassador

Willie Degel

owns NYC eateries under the Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse, Uncle Jack’s Meat House and Jack’s Shack Organic Eatery nameplates. Degel plans to open an Uncle Jack’s Meat House in Astoria in August. The retro-style “speakeasy” in an industrial warehouse is a more casual version of his chophouse, with shareable plates and more affordable dishes like a falafel burger for $15 or a chicken panini for $15. The most expensive item on the menu is a 24-ounce ribeye for $55. The idea, Degel says, is to franchise his concepts. He also runs a sandwich outlet in Madison Square Garden.

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Scoop notes that renowned New York chef David Bouley, whose downtown restaurants include the kaiseki (traditional multi-course cuisine) mainstay Brushstroke, received the honorary title of Japanese cuisine goodwill ambassador last month. The American chef said it was “truly an honor” to accept the designation from the Japanese government and praised the health benefits of the cuisine during a ceremony at the residence of the Japanese consul general in New York. Bouley, 63, opened Brushstroke in 2011 as a joint venture with Japanese master chef Yoshiki Tsuji and the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. The acclaimed New York restaurant serves kaiseki-inspired course meals emphasizing seasonal ingredients, as well as a sushi omakase (chef’s recommendation) meal in a separate dining area. Following his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, Bouley apprenticed under several chefs in Europe and opened his original Bouley Restaurant in lower Manhattan in 1987, drawing largely

Chef David Bouley

on French cuisine for inspiration. In the late 1990s, Bouley met and became friends with future collaborator Tsuji, whom he credits for greatly expanding his education about the ingredients, techniques and cultural traditions behind toptier Japanese cooking. A total of 21 Japanese cuisine ambassadors were announced in February by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry in an effort to promote the country’s culinary arts abroad. Of the honorees chosen this year, eight are based domestically while 13 are spread out across nine foreign countries. Bouley is the only non-Japanese among the three

U.S.-based chefs selected for the title. The traditional dietary culture of Japan, or washoku, was inscribed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2013.

Famed New York Bar Employees Opens Singapore Outpost Scoop sees that famed New York City-based speakeasy Employees Only (EO) has opened its second branch last month, Igor Hadzismajlovic, one of the bar’s partners who is spearheading the project in Asia, said: “We’ve had our eye on the flourishing hospitality scene in Singapore for years and couldn’t be more excited to call this city a second home for EO.” Employees Only first opened in Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood, and had ranked number four in Drinks International’s World’s 50 Best Bars 2015. Hadzismajlovic is working with New York City native Joshua Schwartz, who, along with his wife Sarissa Rodriguez Schwartz, is a six-year veteran of the Singapore nightlife scene operating such popular venues as Pangaea, Bang Bang and Match. Its opening team will include key mem-

bers from New York, including Steve Schneider, EO’s award-winning principal bartender and star of the 2013 documentary “Hey Bartender”, its executive chef Julia Jaksic, Partner Eric Lincoln, and general manager Rachel Tow. The Singapore location, has transported the New York outlet’s core design elements, including its curving serpentine bar and Art Deco-inspired aesthetic, and similarly evokes an ambiance of fun and frivolity reminiscent of the 1920’s and 30’s era through its buzzy speakeasy atmosphere, retro décor, soft sepia lighting and evocative candlelight. The bar also has partnered with HomePolish, a New York-based interior design firm, to curate specific period pieces. “It’s absolutely a priority for us to create the same ambiance and energy that EO has become so cherished for,” said Schneider. He is leading the training for his team of Singaporean bartenders; which will see them learn about spirits and gather technical cocktail making skills, including speed bartending. Schneider added that they are “adapting some of our offerings to appeal to local Singaporean palates, while also

staying loyal to the EO brand that so many around the world know and love”. Cocktails on the menu include Ready Fire Aim, which has mezcal, fresh lime juice and house-made honey-pineapple syrup with dashes of Hellfire Bitters; and EO’s Manhattan, which has rye whiskey and Italian vermouth stirred with orange curaçao and dashes of Angostura Bitters. The dinner menu includes Jaksic’s meat specialties like tableside hand cut beef tartar, bacon wrapped lamb chops with salsa verde and bone marrow poppers pastry shells filled with Bordelaise Sauce and veal marrow garnished with lemony micro green salad.

New ‘Roaring Twenties’ Restaurant Coming to West Hartford Center Scoop announces a new restaurant that promises to bring something “entirely unique to the area” is planned to open in West Hartford Center later this year. McLadden Restaurant Group (MRG) announces that its newest dining brand will be called Noble & Co. and will represent something entirely unique to the area - a combination of old-

fashioned speakeasy ambiance and chef-inspired dining. MRG, which operates the successful McLadden’s restaurants in West Hartford, Simsbury and Northampton (Mass), expects to begin construction this summer and open Noble & Co. to the public later this year in downtown West Hartford Center. MRG President and CEO Michael Ladden said that Noble & Co. is envisioned as the “place to be, be seen, socialize & celebrate.” “By combining a sophisticated mixology-based cocktail menu, an extensive wine selection and a cosmopolitan cuisine with a glamorous modern speakeasy themed ambience, Noble & Co. will be a true destination establishment for those in the region,” Ladden said. “Noble & Co. will have a ‘Roaring Twenties’ feel with an edgy modern twist. “Patrons can count on innovative and creative takes on classic cocktails and posh dining selections that before now they would have to travel to New York City to find.” Ladden added MRG is working cooperatively with the

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Scoop, from page 41 West Hartford community to move forward on Noble & Co. this summer, and will continue to be a partner with both the town and the surrounding communities. Noble & Co. has launched a website with the following introduction: On January 17, 1920, Prohibition became the law of the land and the Speakeasy quickly came to prominence. Prosperity, glamour, fine food & fashion were all the rage in the Roaring Twenties. The 18th Amendment was repealed on December 5, 1933 and now, 85 years later, Noble & Co. arrives in West Hartford Center - the place to be, be seen, socialize & celebrate with chef-inspired cuisine, artisan bartenders & a classic ambiance with a cosmopolitan edge.

Del Posto’s Mark Ladner is The Latest Chef to do a Maple Menu Takeover Scoop notes to kick off summer, David Chang-backed meal delivery service Maple has teamed up with Mark Ladner, the executive chef of Del Posto to create a menu. Last month the company rolled out a new “surprise” menu item each day. Dishes included a whole wheat pasta salad, and the menu focuses on Italian dishes suited for Spring and Summer, similar to what you might find at Del Posto. Ladner worked with Michael Wilson to create the menu. Wilson is the former editor-in-chief of La Cucina Italiana and the two have been working together on the Del Posto Cookbook for nearly two years. Maple, the food delivery startup is backed by David Chang. The new app-based service that promises to deliver a $15 dinner in under 30 minutes. The service that doesn’t deliver from any specific restaurant, but instead promises restaurant quality meals from a menu developed by big name chefs. Chang is of course one of those chefs, but he’s also signed on Mark

Chef Mark Ladner

Ladner, Brooks Headley, and Dan Kluger to serve on its board of directors and weigh in on the food. The dishes are created by Soa Davies, who spent many years working at Le Bernardin, with input from Chang and the other chefs. These chefs may also create occasional specials, but for the most part the dishes are straightforward, complete entrees like pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and green beans, shrimp biryani with kale salad, or cheese enchiladas, the sort of things Maple’s founders think you’d want to eat “every day.” The app, which offers both lunch and dinner, provides three entree choices per meal. These choices change daily (though some dishes may end up on frequent rotation), and always include one vegetarian option. Each meal costs a flat $12 for lunch or $15 for dinner, tax, tip, and delivery included, putting Maple on the very reasonable end of all the delivery services out there – by comparison, Caviar charges about $5 just to deliver, on top of what the food costs. Then again, Caviar is arguably very different, since it offers food from actual restaurants. To keep it speedy, Maple partly relies on technology. An app tracks the timing of everything, from cooking to delivering, and maps out

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the fastest route, factoring in things like traffic and even the time it takes to get to a sixth floor walk-up, and learning as it goes. Deliveries go out in batches from a commissary kitchen with delivery people on either bikes or on foot who follow the route they’re given. But here’s the big catch: Maple also manages such speedy delivery by limiting the delivery zone to the neighborhood where the kitchen is. For now, that neighborhood is the Financial District, and Maple only delivers below Chambers Street. Eventually the team hopes to expand to other neighborhoods, with a network of satellite kitchens, but they’ll keep it in the FiDi until they’re sure the whole thing works smoothly.

Hong Kong Touque Richard Ekkebus At Mandarin Oriental, New York Scoop says last month, New Yorkers enjoyed an exclusive sample of chef Richard Ekkebus’s contemporary French cuisine at the Mandarin Oriental, New York. Ekkebus, a twoMichelin-star chef who hails from the highly touted Amber restaurant in Hong Kong, displayed his cooking prowess during a four-day pop-up at Asiate, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant. Menu options included a four-course lunch ($125 per person) and a six-course dinner menu ($195 per person), both of which showcased Ekkebus’s signature dishes such as sea urchin in a lobster jelly with cauliflower, caviar, and a crispy seaweed waffle.

Last Call for Broadway’s Iconic Barkeep Estevez Of Little Bar Scoop notes the post-matinee crowd began streaming into Sardi’s restaurant last month, just as it had for decades. After passing through the Chianti-red facade, many patrons entered the Little Bar, an

Sardi’s José Estevez

alcove-like room to the left of the entrance. Then they settled in for drinks and conversation in the company of a tall man wearing a maroon jacket, a white starched shirt and a black bow tie who had long been a steady presence there. In the years after World War II, Sardi’s, on West 44th Street in Manhattan, was practically synonymous with Broadway. People like the playwright Tennessee Williams and the actors John Barrymore and Helen Hayes frequented the restaurant, and opening-night theater reviews in The New York Times and The New York Herald Tribune were distributed to diners when the ink was barely dry. Some of the restaurant’s glory may have faded since that heyday, but it remains a staple of the neighborhood, cherished especially by those who see tradition in its red walls, lined with drawings of famous patrons. Part of that tradition includes José Estevez, who began working at Sardi’s in 1990 and presided over the Little Bar since 1993 - as familiar and reliable as the Rolex clock that ticks there above the rows of bottles and polished glasses. But a few weeks ago, Mr. Estevez, 72, told the restaurant’s main owner, Max Klimavicius, that he was planning to retire. The word spread quickly,

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Scoop, from page 42

and during Mr. Estevez’s last shift, on Saturday, June 4, more than two dozen regulars gathered to wish him a fond, raucous goodbye. “This isn’t working; it’s socializing,” Estevez said as he poured drinks and talked with those at the bar. “I have been lucky.”

Tankel Set To Fire Up Food At Tri-State Applebee’s Scoop says it’s make-or-break time for Applebee’s. The casual restaurant chain with slipping sales is investing $75 million to revamp its menu, adding wood-fired grills to its restaurants and new dishes to its offerings, including hand-cut top sirloin steaks and bone-in-pork chops, plus grilled salmon and chicken breasts. “All of our eggs are in this basket,” said Zane Tankel, who runs 39 Applebee’s in the New York metro

area, including a $14 million restaurant in Times Square. “We don’t have a Plan B.” The investment is meant to drive more diners in to the chain’s 2,000 eateries, owned by DineEquity, which also owns IHOP. Lately, that’s been a challenge. Along with other casual dining restaurants like Chili’s and Outback Steakhouse, Applebee’s has been fighting declining sales. “But Applebee’s has some of the lowest casual dining sale averages,” said Tankel. Despite the hefty investment of purchasing grills that cost between $10,000 and $15,000 a pop and hiring meat cutters, Applebee’s franchisees are not implementing big price hikes,” Tankel said. “The price point will be up to the individual franchisees, but it won’t be dramatic. The restaurants can’t afford it,” Tankel said.

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EBP Welcomes Guests To Annual Show At Foxwoods Scoop notes that EBP Supply Solutions recently welcomed its customers and vendors to the Foxwoods Casino for its annual day of education and introduction to many of the industry’s latest innovations. EBP is a leading distributor of cleaning and foodservice supplies and services in the eastern United States, “Our show is a reflection of our goal to better convey the broader scope of our product base and to underscore our dedication to provide a range of unique solutions that help businesses thrive,” said Meredith Reuben, CEO of EBP. “While our business is expanding, we remain committed to the personalized service our customers expect.” The Milford, CT firm also

hosts a web site EBPsolutions.com that features a customer-centric approach that focuses on making supplies work harder, so customers can work smarter. The company not only offers supplies, but delivery, consulting, training, and equipment repair services as well. “EBP becomes a trusted partner by providing the right product for the job, ensuring the proper training and service, and focusing on cost benefits - all key wins for our customers so that in the end they can shine,” said Michael Kaplan, vice president of marketing for the company. Headquartered in Milford, CT, it operates out of three distribution centers (Milford Conn., Tewksbury, Mass., and Hamilton, N.J.) and achieves national distribution in partnership with Network® Distribution Services.

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NEWS

AWARDS

Tim McLoone Wins NJRHA’s 2016 “Restaurateur Of The Year” Kunisch Family and Paul Dillon Take Gold Plate Awards

n November 28, 2016, the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association (NJRHA) will honor the State’s best and brightest along with their friends, family, business associates and peers at the 2016 NJRHA Annual Awards Gala to be held at the Liberty House in Jersey City. This year’s recipients are: Restaurateur of the Year

Tim McLoone

Tim McLoone -- McLoone’s Restaurants • CJ McLoone’s, Tinton Falls • McLoone’s Asbury Grille, Asbury Park • McLoone’s Bayonne Grille, Bayonne • McLoone’s Boathouse, West Orange • McLoone’s Clubhouse Pub, Hillsborough • McLoone’s Pier House, Long Branch • McLoone’s Pier House, Nation-

• • • • •

al Harbor, MD McLoone’s Pier House, Hoboken McLoone’s Woodbridge Grill, Fords The Rum Runner, Sea Bright The Robinson’s Ale House, Red Bank Tim McLoone’s Supper Club, Asbury Park

“Tim is a former Harvard graduate and an excellent restaurateur who has worked hard to get where he is today. His passion for his business is only surpassed by his passion for philanthropy. Over the years the company’s annual Holiday Express program has donated millions of dollars worth of food, time and money to the less fortunate in their communities,” said Marilou Halvorsen, President of the NJRHA, “This award is a well-deserved honor that Tim definitely deserves,” she added. Gold Plate Award The Kunisch Family • Allendale Bar & Grill • Mahwah Bar & Grill Paul Dillon, Associate Dean of Business, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management • Hudson County Community College

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(L to R) Chris Kunisch, Ken Kunisch, Katie (Kunisch) Ohnegian, Craig Kunisch

The Kunisch family has been active in the restaurant business for over 80 years. The current, fourth-generation owners continue the tradition of hospitality and community support started by their great-grandmother in 1935. They are supportive of a number of local causes and continue to make a significant impact on Sacred Heart School in Jersey City. The inner-city school has been helping underprivileged children for over 100 years. In addition, the Kunisch family assists the Mahwah Marine Moms in sending care packages to our overseas troops, and the Rose Foundation of Haiti, whose primary mission is continuing support for victims of the 2010 earthquake. Paul Dillon is the current Associate Dean of Business, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management and is personally involved in educating our next generation of hospitality industry executives. Through his many efforts, he supports the New Jersey Restaurant Education

Foundation with his endless time and talents. Prior to joining the world of education, Dillon’s esteemed career included working for major corporations such as Longchamps Inc., Host International, Orange Bowl Corporation, Restaurant Associates, and ISL International. As a former consulting chef for a myriad of national and international venues for public and corporate clients, his notable clients also included: the 1994 World Cup, the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France and several PGA Paul Dillon and USGA golf tournaments. The Annual Awards Gala, a black tie event created to honor the winners and celebrate the restaurant and hospitality industry, is traditionally held the Monday evening after Thanksgiving and hosts approximately 350 people. For more information on the awards, recipients or how to sponsor or attend the Gala, please contact Karen Geisel at 609-599-3316 or kgeisel@njrha.org. To learn more about the NJRHA, visit www.njrha.org.

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FIORITO ON INSURANCE Risk Prevention When Serving Customers With Food Allergies

irst, it was Chipotle in 2015 and now it’s Panera Bread. These high profile cases go to show that no matter the size and reputation of your restaurant, no one is immune to the many healthrelated food exposures in the United States today. Chipotle’s troubles resulted from a food-borne illness outbreak while Panera’s legal dilemma was caused by a severe case of food allergies. Last month, a Massachusetts family filed a lawsuit against Panera Bread after their six year old child with a peanut allergy was hospitalized after finding peanut butter in her grilled cheese. The suit accuses the Panera franchise of negligence since the family notified Panera of the allergy upon placing the order. Another added risk is the heightened diagnosis and awareness of Celiac Disease and gluten allergies in recent times. People who suffer from this can get very sick from the gluten found in wheat, rye and barley. The illness, which affects 1 in 133 Americans, causes abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea, fatigue, rashes and other problems. Severe allergic reactions of all kinds happen quickly and can be life-threatening. It’s estimated that one out of every 25 people experiences food allergies, with roughly 150 deaths a year attributed to allergic reactions. It is crucial that food service providers take all possible steps to avoid these dangerous situations. You should also know how to recognize and react accordingly when a person experiences an allergic reaction. SERVING

ALLERGY-PRONE

CUSTOMERS The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a list of “The Big 8” foods, which can cause food allergies, along with some examples of affected products: • EGGS - mayonnaise and Caesar dressing • PEANUT - cereals • WHEAT - gluten, cereals & hydrolyzed proteins • FISH - surimi and Caesar dressing • SOY - miso, lecithin, edamame • MILK - lactose, margarine, whey • TREE NUT - marzipan, pesto and cereals • SHELLFISH - oyster, shrimp A protein found in “The Big 8” foods is responsible for allergic reactions and may cause a food allergy. A food allergy occurs when the immune system attacks certain food proteins. It can impact the whole body, not just the stomach, and includes some or all of the following symptoms: rash, hives, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble swallowing or breathing. If not immediately treated, these symptoms can be severe, even resulting in death. When a customer has a food allergy, there are many steps that should be taken by the front- and back-of-the-house staff to protect customers with food allergies. SEATING THE GUEST • Ensure that tables, chairs, salt and pepper shakers, laminated menus and other table items are clean and sanitized. • Use a spray bottle solution to clean surfaces when sanitizing. Buckets are not recommended as food proteins could be floating in the water, coming into contact with eating surfaces.

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• Educate servers so they are knowledgeable about the ingredients used to prepare each menu item. If a server is new or uninformed, a manager or more experienced wait staff member should handle the table. • Communicate to managers, chefs and colleagues to heighten awareness around customers with food allergies. • Select a designated staff member to ensure that all food safety precautions have been met. FOOD PREPARATION Raise awareness with chefs and cooks on the precautions needed for “The Big 8” food items, as well as how to properly cook and prepare them. Reduce cross contact during the food preparation process: • Change aprons, wash hands and sanitize all food preparation surfaces. • Insert a piece of foil between food and a grill surface to act as a barrier. • Use separate fryers with clean grease. Example: If the guest has a fish allergy, do not cook French fries in the same oil used to fry fish. • Use separate utensils, plates, glassware etc. that has been washed, sanitized and stored separately in a locked cabinet. If mistakes are made during dish preparation, start over! It’s not worth putting someone’s life at risk. WHEN A CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES A REACTION Even with the best precautions and processes in place, incidents do occur. There are several key identifiers that will alert you to a customer in distress. • Guest has difficulty breathing or swallowing

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. For more i nformation on HUB’s Employee Benefits practice, please visit www.hubemployeebenefits.com

• Eyes, face, lips, or tongue begin to swell • Customer goes into anaphylactic shock. Notify the manager and call 911 immediately. In the event that a customer is in distress, do not leave the guest alone. Direct a co-worker to stand outside and meet paramedics at the door. Upon arrival, tell emergency services that the customer is experiencing an allergic reaction and advise them as to whether the customer has injected themselves with an EpiPen to mitigate the symptoms. When it comes to food allergies, food-borne illness and all types of other exposures, proactive risk management is a way of thinking that must permeate the whole organization - from management to frontline employees. Making it a part of all decision-making processes is important to creating a culture that values risk management. Speak to your broker and explore your options when it comes to managing risks for your business.

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EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Summer Fancy Food Show 2016 Coverage

he Specialty Food Association wrapped up the Summer Fancy Food Show on June 28th after three successful days at the Javits Center in New York City. The annual show that started in 1954 is the largest marketplace for speciality food and beverages in North America. The event saw 2,670 companies exhibit their speciality food products to attendees from major specialty retailers,

restaurants and foodservice companies such as Whole Foods, Starbucks and Trader Joe’s. The show comes at a time when US Speciality food sales are up almost twenty two percent in the last three years, representing a $120.5 billion dollar increase in sales. twenty two percent of Specialty Food Service sales are now in the Foodservice industry, also a large increase over previous years. The show floor was divided up

into geographical regions with nine US regions as well as 55 countries from as close as Canada and as far away as Vietnam. Each year the Fancy Food Show has a country sponsor. This year Tunisia was in the spotlight, with 40 food companies presenting products ranging from olive oil to harissa paste at the show. In addition to giving out samples of food and beverages to interested attendees, booths had live cooking

demonstrations and brand representatives giving out information about new and upcoming products. Among them were forty nine industry newcomers who are eligible for Speciality Food Association membership showcasing “dozens of niche and artisanal specialities. In addition to newcomers the show

continued on page 96

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board’s Rich Marston, Joanna Miller, and Abby Despins were on hand with a bevy of new cheeses at this year’s show.

Monini North America’s Director of Foodservice Business Development, Steve Malin.

Jonathan White, Executive Vice President of White Coffee Corporation.

The Kontos team of Warren Stoll, Chef Demetrios, Donna Appy, and Jason Woyke.

Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix’s Laura Laratro and Troy Waller.

Honey Smoked Fish Founder and CEO, Kevin Mason.

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Jonathan Ramos and Jessica Ortiz.

Rusty’s Hawaiian’s Ralph Gaston, Kevin Takafuji, and Rusty Obra.

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NEWS

MENU SOLUTIONS

Colorado Entrepreneur Creates Signature Seafood Dishes For Tri-State Operators

ou wouldn’t think a company in Colorado would know a lot about fish, but this centrally-located business in the U.S. trucks in creatures from the sea from British Columbia and Nova Scotia and just about anywhere in the world fish swim in the ocean. And if its delicious, fresh fish you’re looking for, no matter where you are, Honey Smoked Fish in Aurora is the place to go. “You don’t need to be at a seaport anymore. It’s not like you’re catching the fish right out of the port,” said Kevin Mason of Honey Smoked Fish. “Everyone else goes to Seattle or Florida or Nova Scotia. Why go where everybody else goes?” Mason noted that fish have been pretty much part of his life from day one. “I come from a fresh fish family business. For 38 years we had a Kosher fish market,” Mason explained. “And I’ve been deep-sea fishing since I was five!” When his father lost his lease, he opened up a new location and asked his son to become partners with him. The rest is history, according to Mason. Mason loved working with his dad but he felt his procedures needed modernizing. “It was the old style of shopping. People don’t go to a bakery anymore, to a produce market, to a butcher, to a fish market.

People want to go to one store, one fish, it’s in the smoke. We have a seshop. People want the convenience cret firing system. When the honey of going in-and-out shopping, bedrips into and hits the fire, it causes cause they’re more active with their a combustion, an explosion from work and their social lives,” he the sugars from the honey. And it pointed out. “They don’t have time puts an explosion in the smoker to go spend a whole day shopping, and a seal on the salmon,” Mason like they did in the 1930s.” explained. “When you cook the fish He acknowledged that the world for another four or five more hours, of smoking fish was new to him. “I all those Omega-3’s are locked in. never worked in a smokehouse beYou’re also cooking all the water out fore. I just knew that I had all the of the salmon so now it’s twice the fish in the world to play with,” Maconcentration of Omega-3’s than son said. “And I bought this little smoker, at a seafood show, and I started playing with it for over five years. I spent probably 2,000 times trying to get this recipe perfect.” What Mason realized, though, as he started up, was that his vision was more than just smoking salmon. “I’m making a protein superfood that’s ready to eat, that could be added to any dish. We’re the protein of the future,” Mason added. Watching how Honey Baked Ham made its mark, Mason decided he wanted to make his own mark on what he called “superfood salmon,” so he named it Honey Smoked Salmon. Kevin Mason of Honey Smoked Fish “There’s no honey on the

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found in grilled salmon. Chefs can get a signature flavor out of this.” The difference between Honey Smoked salmon and other kinds of salmon is that the business only uses a pound and a half of real center core wood to 100 pounds of fish. “So only a very little bit of wood is in there. And it’s just for flavoring, a slight hint of smoke. It’s the same profile as bacon, which is the number one food desired by men in the U.S.,” Mason maintained. Most cooks who cook or barbecue salmon let all the natural juice drip out of it. Mason noted, “I learned to seal the salmon so all those Omega-3’s are locked in. Omega-3’s have many health benefits, such as protecting the heart, anti-inflammatory benefits, improves skin tone, improves brain function and has been linked to potential cancer prevention.” What about the cost? “We’re not just the center of the plate, we’re at every avenue. I’ve been selling to the restaurant division for over 15 years to Sysco Foods and US Foods. And because you only need one to three ounces for any dish because it’s highly concentrated, it’s a low protein cost at under a dollar an ounce.” “We produce real food for real sustainable energy,” Mason concluded. “It’s the protein of the future.”

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ASK ANDREW 1. What are your thoughts on the passing of the Brunch bill? We’re thrilled the “Brunch Bill” passed. Soon restaurants in New York can lawfully serve alcohol at 10:00am on Sundays instead of noon. The NYC Hospitality Alliance had been advocating to reform this post-prohibition era blue law for some time. This reform became more relevant a couple of years ago while working alongside the city to successfully change another outdated law prohibiting restaurants from operating their sidewalk cafes before noon on Sundays. We had extra support for the reform this year when our counsel Rob Bookman was appointed by Governor Cuomo to the State Liquor Authority’s ABC Law Working Group, which recommended the “Brunch Bill” to the legislature. Finally brunch lovers will be able to enjoy their eggs benedict with a bloody mary while sitting at a beautiful sidewalk café beginning at 10:00am on Sundays. This reform also has the added benefit of generating additional revenue for restaurants during a time when most other operating costs are skyrocketing. These two reforms are a great example of how the hospitality industry can works together for sensible regulatory reform and by being coordinated, persistent and patient,

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

we can achieve our goals. 2. What advice do you have for your members relative to protecting against or creating a security strategy after Orlando? The recent attack in Orlando is horrible and our hearts go out to everyone. We’re fortunate to have a strong working relationship with the NYPD who do an incredible job keeping us safe. We stay in regular communication and work together to ensure that New York City is a safe and fun place to go out to eat and drink. We recommend that our members closely review our “Best Practice’s for Nightlife Establishments Guide, (2nd Edition)” with updated information from the NYPD on counterterrorism planning in nightlife businesses. The guide can be found on our website (www. theNYCalliance.org) or by contacting us. We’ve co-hosted with the NYPD active shooter trainings for our members and their security teams. And we continue to encourage our members to be vigilant. Businesses can also contact the NYPD who will review their security protocol and can work with their security team to ensure proper measures are in place. All this is not intended to alarm or frighten, but rather to help New York City’s vibrant night-

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life community deliver hospitality in a safe environment for their workers and guests.

Andrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality

3. What unfinished business is on the NYC Hospitality Alliance’s agenda for the next legislative session in the state capitol? We’ll push the bill to reform the 200 Foot Law, which is another blue law prohibiting restaurants from obtaining a full liquor license within 200 feet of a school or place of worship. We’ve heard from our members in communities like Harlem - where there are a lot of churches - that they’ve passed on signing a lease to open a high quality restaurant that would hire locals, source NY state products and be an asset to the neighborhood, all because the property falls within 200 feet of a church. Even if the church supports a restaurateur’s liquor license application the law doesn’t allow the State Liquor Authority to make an exception. This post prohibition law clearly should be amended to allow a full service restaurant with a business model requiring a full liquor license to obtain one, instead of only a limited beer and wine license which is allowed under the law. We’ll also continue our lobbying efforts to reform the so called 80/20 Rule that creates significant

Alliance, a trade association formed in 2012 to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World.

legal and financial liability for restaurants and hurts workers who want to work more hours and learn new skills. It’s a little complicated but basically, the law prohibits an employer from taking the tip credit if an employee works more than 20% or two hours of their shift-whatever is less- in a nontipped job capacity. Effectively this means they can’t work five hours of a shift as a bartender earning tips and then three hours doing non-tipped work like inventory, tastings and purchasing. If they do, they violate the 80/20 Rule and enormous financial legal and financial liability results, including loss of the tip credit, double damages and attorney fees. This reform is unlikely to happen overnight but we urge it to happen fast since minor technical violations, in which there is no real damage, are resulting in major lawsuits against employers.

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HEALTHCARE INSIDER

PRESENTED BY:

Tony Almeida

, Director of Food & Nutrition

at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ

ony Almeida has been relentless in his pursuit of improving the food service at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey for the past

25 years. In addition to being one of the first hospitals in the northeast to offer room service dining and bring in certified chefs, Mr. Almeida’s infectious positivity and desire to put his employees in an up-to-date and

enjoyable workplace make him one of the best in the healthcare foodservice industry. This is reflected in his award for Exemplary Leadership from the Association for Healthcare Foodservice. We had the opportunity to pick Mr. Almeida’s brain about Robert Wood Johnson, his career and the evolution of the industry as a whole. How did you get into the healthcare foodservice industry? I started washing pots and pans in 1974 after school. From there, after I graduated I was not sure what my career path was so I took a full time job as a grill cook, then I went to sanitation supervisor and finally to line supervisor. I spent nine years doing that and during that time I was going to school part time and I got my degree in hotel and restaurant management. I went to Muhlenberg Hospital then back to Elizabeth General where I managed a little restaurant in the hospital. I came to Robert Wood Johnson in 1988 and was promoted to director in 1991. So I actually just celebrated 25 years at the hospital.

Tony Almeida, Director of Food & Nutrition at Robert Wood Johnson

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After 25 years at the same hospital, how have you seen the dining needs of your patients evolve? The food service has really changed substantially, especially in the past 15 years. We were one of the first in the northeast to start room service dining back in 2003. Room

service is big and also the addition of talented culinary professionals. Here in New Jersey a lot our facilities have really stepped up with certified executive chefs on staff like we have here at Robert Wood Johnson. All that has really made a positive impact on the overall dine-in experience for our patients. The patient population has changed. Now when our patients come to the hospital they know they are going to get excellent medical care but they expect to get excellent food service as well. When it comes to your team at the hospital, what is your approach and who succeeds in the culture you’ve built? We have been really fortunate here. For the last 25 years our management team has been pretty much the same. We have only had one change in the last year, where my assistant director left. The big thing we look for in anybody that joins our team is that they are owners. They have to come in and own what they do. We don’t need renters. Renters are here just to get a paycheck. If you want to get a paycheck, you’re going to have to go somewhere else. On that note, what are you doing to attract young professionals into healthcare dining?

continued on page 60

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Winged Foot, from page 58 You can’t become stagnant. You challenge them every day to become better and think outside the box and go for new heights every day. When we hired our new clinical assistant we said, let’s do a nutrition symposium. And he had not done it before, and that is a lot of work doing a whole day conference. And he did it and brought 100 people into a room and gave them a great learning experience. You have to support them, and they will take the ball and run with it. What people don’t know is only thirty percent of our operation is serving patients. We do a lot of catering, and let me tell you, no one touches our catering either in the quality of the food or the presentation. Being a teaching hospital there are always conferences going on. Almost daily we have some kind of major function that takes a lot of our time. Moving on to your menu, there is tremendous pressure in the restaurant industry to serve farm to table. Is this realistic in a healthcare dining environment like Robert Wood Johnson? Every Thursday now we have a New Jersey farmer who is about 25 miles away and from May to October she will be coming in selling produce from Jersey Fresh that is grown on her farm. For us, we still have budgets in healthcare to maintain and buying local gets to be really costly. If we get a good deal from our primary vendor then we will jump on it, especially fresh vegetables.

helping us introduce new items and keeping us within our budget restrictions. What is your approach to your kitchen? Are there any recent or future renovations coming up? We’re actually very fortunate here at Robert Wood Johnson. We put in a brand new kitchen in 2002 and a brand new dining room. In the first quarter of 2016 we are revamping the dining room again, adding 65 seats to it and giving it a more contemporary look. Also we designed our kitchen as a very friendly environment to work in. The colors are very bright and light. You don’t mind hanging out in the kitchen for eight hours a day. It is bright, its fun and it is a positive atmosphere to work in. Lastly, could you talk about your role at the AHF (Association for Healthcare Foodservice) and what the benefits are of belonging to an organization such as the New Jersey chapter? Personally I don’t know where I would be today if it wasn’t for my involvement in the Greater New Jersey Society for Healthcare Foodservice Administrators. I have been on the board of directors for the chapter for 26 years. Attending conferences with high level professionals and networking opportunities is one of the best things you can ever do as a professional. Thanks for speaking with us Mr. Almeida and good luck with your kitchen renovation!

What role are your food and beverage vendors playing in your success? We are looking at our vendors as our partners. We cannot be successful unless we are on the same page as them. They are essential at 60 • July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Jeff Schacher Founder of Community Plates, Norwalk, CT

ive years ago Jeff Schacher and his friend Kevin Mullins were sitting around one morning and thinking about how we give. People from all walks of life give regularly to their favorite causes, but what about companies, how do they give? In 2005, Schacher started webbased software company WhenToManage, now called Peachworks, which gave restaurant operators a simple way to manage their labor, inventory and reporting. As a small and quickly growing company, Schacher thought they should start giving something back to the community. Since restaurants are what Schacher and his team knew, they started there. Restaurants, and other food service organizations, throw away a lot of food and there are many hungry people and families that don’t have a good idea where their next meal is coming from. That’s how Norwalk, CT based Community Plates was founded. So Schacher and Mullins started calling restaurant operators and support agencies, there was definitely food to save and definitely people that needed it. Now the only question left was, could they make the process simple enough for everyone? It’s a funny phrase: “food insecure.” But it describes more than 50 million people in the U.S. today. But if Jeff Schacher has his way, it will end for many in the New York City

Jeff Schacher, Founder of Community Plates and Executive Director, Kevin Mullins.

area. “Our vision at Community Plates from the beginning has always been exclusively about ending hunger in the United States,” Schacher explained. “People who are ‘foodinsecure’ are unable to provide for themselves, or their families the amount of food, the quality of food they need to live healthily. And so we’ve been very focused on how we can change that.” Even though this issue has been around many years, Schacher believes that it’s solvable. “I firmly believe that American hunger will go away. It’s not going to be a thing that lasts forever. But it still kind of takes you aback, every time you see the number.” Community Plates, which calls it-

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self a “food rescue revolution, works by directly transferring fresh, usable food that would have otherwise been thrown away from restaurants, markets and other food industry sources to food-insecure families throughout the U.S. “One of our core values is passion, which can be a little bit of a throwaway word, but it’s really what drives our team and our board. We have a team of about five people in our national office who work really really hard and what drives us is just knowing that we’ve got a solution on our hands for those 50 million Americans.” Another core value? Simplicity. “One nice thing about Community Plates is that we only have the one program. We only do one thing. We

try to meet the mission of ending American food insecurity through direct transfer food rescue. We’ve employed, proprietary technology that connects volunteers, grassroots volunteers, non-food professionals in general with the opportunity to pick up food that would have otherwise gone to waste from restaurants, bakers, caterers, farmers, farmers market, all up and down the food service industry chain so that they can directly transfer that food to agencies who already do a great job of serving the food-insecure population like soup kitchens and food pantries.” The program is national but recently launched in Fairfield County, but it’s expanding in Columbus, Ohio Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Orleans, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Cincinnati, Ohio. “We are in seven national locations,” Schacher noted. Fairfield County is kind of the test kitchen, he pointed out. “We didn’t have a template when we started it. We had to have a place to test and so we’ve done that here in Fairfield County.” Schacher said that his agency is not in competition with any other. “We serve almost 60 different social service agencies here. We’re not really in competition with anybody else for that food. But anybody that was receiving that food before can still receive that food. It’s just that we can take care of doing that for

Want to become one of our food runners? Visit communityplates.org for more information.

them free of charge.” Two critical pieces of the organization are leadership, and technology. “We’re always looking for people

who can grasp the vision. They have to be able to grasp the vision from the kind of unique way that we’re doing business, which is, we’re us-

ing technology as the foundation,” Schacher asserted. The third piece is that the food is transferred directly. “So it’s kind of distinctive to our platform that we don’t have any warehouses. We don’t have any employees. We don’t have any insurances or employees to staff those warehouses or drive those trucks. But all the food goes directly from point A, always, di-

rectly to point B with nowhere in between,” Schacher says proudly. Volunteers are also vital. That’s who rescues the food, according to Schacher. “What it really takes is someone in a community. That can sometimes be individuals, sometimes it’s corporations, sometimes it’s other non-profits who grasp the vision for solving hunger in specifically this way. Then generally they’ll approach and say hey, we’re interested in starting a food rescue community of our own. And then what our platform does is provide technology, best practices, training, and administrative support to make it very simple for them to be effective.” To learn more, visit communityplates.org or email kevin@communityplates.org.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

NEWS

BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS

Long Island’s Grapes & Greens Brings A Comprehensive Portfolio Of Wine Offerings To New York Operators

n 2015, chatter around the alcoholic beverage category focused on the craft beer explosion. While that shows no sign of slowing, the Summer of 2016 has been dubbed “The Season of Rosé” in Metro New York. What many operators don’t realize is that wine, particularly rosé, has moved to the forefront in what people desire most when they order drinks out. Vanity Fair’s Bob Paulinski reports that the Senior Vice President of Wine at BevMo said, “Rosé was a very prominent part of what was being promoted four or five years ago in Europe.” Three years ago BevMo sold just 12 to 15 rosés in their stores, now they offer around 45 to 50. Rosé wine is growing 10 times faster overall than table wine sales, according to cnbc.com. So why is it catching on now? Jack Cacciato, Managing Director of Long Island based Grapes & Greens, has over 30-years of unmatched expertise in wine imports and he believes the reason is simple. “Sometimes it just takes time for the larger public to catch on to trends. French Rosé is really in vogue right now. Rosé’s strong aesthetic appeal - from unique shaped bottles to

elegant pink hues – have helped this trend gain momentum. It’s a perfect summer beverage. It’s lighter, which means it pairs great with salads and fresh fish.” Even men, who traditionally have turned up their noses at “pink wine” now regularly order rosé because of its depth of complexity and lively acidity. When you heard the word “Rosé” in the past what came to mind was a sweet, light-colored wine. Remember white zinfandel? Rosé today is a much more refined flavor. With fragrances of rose petals and crisp acidity it is a refreshing and stylish choice. “People are traveling more than ever before, visiting the south of France, and acquiring a palate for these wines,” Cacciato noted. “There are many different profiles, different tastes, but if you go into any hip or trendy restaurant in Manhattan or the Hamptons you’ll find rosé at the top of the wine list.” Grapes & Greens’ goal is to bring a fine wine selection from around the world to New York Metro area restaurants and fine wine shops. Cacciato works with a team of 14 wine professionals to get the right wines into the

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right hands. Its featured rosés Château de Brigue and Maison du Chasseur are gaining popularity, especially in Montauk and the Hamptons – two New York summer hot spots. For the more sophisticated clientelé, Rosés that tend to be pale pink or a light salmon color are favored. Those colors are typically derived from a few different sources. “The pale pink color is a result of the bleeding-off method called Soignée which means to bleed or get the color out of the grape. That’s very typical of French Rosés, but rosés originating from California are usually darker. Their dark pink color is derived from longer skin contact. These darker Californian rosés are for a customer looking for sweeter versions,” said Cacciato when describing the current rosé market. Grapes & Greens is a division of J.Kings Foodservice, a Holtsville, Long Island based distributor. “John King, Chief Customer Officer at J.Kings is known as one of the most visionary minds in our industry,” Cacciato explained. “So it was only natural that he saw an opportunity to build an industry-leading wine distribution arm that would facilitate the ability to pair exquisite wines

with exquisite food.” J. Kings recruited Cacciato, who had previously built a highly successful wine-importing firm to lead and build its Grapes & Greens venture. “We have a team of wine industry professionals that understand our customer’s challenges and work with them to build successful wine programs. Many of the wineries we represent value J.Kings’ experience in food distribution as a big advantage in building our wine business,” Cacciato said. He noted that Grapes & Greens takes special care of its customers. “Once products are sold to our customers, we follow up with monthly staff training and marketing meetings to ensure their success in selling. “Customers want good wine choices, good service and valued supply partners. Our selection of world class wines and great values are winning over new customers. When their business grows, our business grows.” “At Grapes & Greens, we don’t just move boxes, we go above and beyond to make sure our customers and suppliers are set up for success,” the veteran wine executive concluded.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

FOOD SAFETY

WITH FRANCINE SHAW

Why Does Food Safety Matter

Francine L. Shaw, CP-FS.FMP, is President of Food Safety Training Solutions, Inc., which offers a robust

very year in the United States alone, 48 million people become ill and 3,000 people die because of foodborne illnesses. That’s 1 in 6 Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control. As some within the food service industry fail to provide safe products for consumption, consumer confidence falls, which shrinks profits and weakens the industry’s reputation. When consumers go out to eat, they don’t think about the safety of the meal they purchase. They think about where to go to eat, what to order, which restaurant has the best value. Not: Which restaurant is likely to make me ill? Or, which meal is the safest to eat? Food poisoning can be devastating. Many of us believe it to be a few stomach cramps, some vomiting, and a little diarrhea. This isn’t necessarily the case. The effects of a foodborne illness can last for weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime. Take Brianne Kiner, one of the victims from the tragic Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak in 1993. At the age of 9, Brianne ate an improperly cooked cheeseburger at a Jack in the Box restaurant. Her life was never the same. Brianne became so ill that she was sent to Seattle Children’s Hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit. She developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli infection that results in kidney

roster of services, including food safety training, food safety auditing, responsible alcohol service training,

The effects of a foodborne illness can last for weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime.

writing HACCP plans and more. The Food Safety Training Solutions team has more than100 combined years of industry experience in restaurants, casinos, and convenience stores. The company has helped numerous clients, including McDonald’s, Subway,

failure. Her major organs stopped functioning. Her infected pancreas lost the ability to produce insulin, and she developed diabetes. Doctors removed part of her inflamed intestine. She became comatose. She remained in a coma for 40 days. Doctors did not expect her to survive, but she did. It was another four months before she could leave the hospital. During her stay, she suffered strokes, 10,000 seizures, failure of every major organ, brain damage and muscle atrophy. She needed to relearn everything that had previously come easily to her – walking, talking, even chewing. Brianne was in the hospital for 189 days. Brianne needed years of physical, occupational and speech therapy that extended well into adolescence. She was left with damaged lungs, learning disabilities and has been advised not to have children due to the strain it would cause on her body. Brianne is now in her early 30s, and still suffers today because she was served a hamburger that was not cooked properly when she was 9 years old. I was working in operations when

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this happened, and I remember the pandemonium it created throughout the industry – rightfully so! Yet today, some still aren’t taking food safety as seriously as they should. This foodborne illness outbreak cost Jack in the Box over $50 million, severely damaged their reputation, disabled a child, and killed four others. As I travel and speak about food safety, I often wonder what it’s going to take for food service professionals to take this topic seriously. Chipotle’s food 2015 food safety crises seems to have, at least temporarily, gotten people talking about the topic. But is this enough to make industry professionals cook foods to proper temperature, store foods safely, avoid cross-contamination and get back to the basic rules to keep guests safe? I was recently contacted by someone that organizes food safety conferences, asking for my advice on the types of presentations that should be added to the itinerary. I suggested more industry-specific information for the retail and food service industry. Most conferences, summits and speaking engagements emphasize

Marriott, Domino’s, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Dairy Queen, and Omni Hotel and Resorts, prevent foodborne illnesses. Additionally, they work with restaurants of all sizes, schools, medical facilities, convenience stores, hotels and casinos.

manufacturing and processing. And, while those industries are paramount, retail and food service are also critical components of the process, and those professionals must also be educated about food safety. I am rarely at a loss for words, but the response I was given astonished me: ”The money is in manufacturing and processing.” There’s such a huge need to educate personnel in all facets of the food service industry about how to avoid foodborne illnesses and keep guests safe. No one wants to be responsible for sickening, disabling or even killing their guests, especially since foodborne illnesses are 100% preventable. The key to preventing an outbreak is proper training and education. Are you providing that at your company?

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NEWS

EVENTS

International Chefs Converge At Yale For Leadership Summit

t a time when more chefs are interested in food policy, the environment, health and leadership, a group of them descended on the Yale campus in New Haven last month to talk about food issues. Called the MAD Yale Leadership Summit, the gathering is an outgrowth of MAD, the Copenhagenbased nonprofit organization spearheaded by the chef René Redzepi of Noma that holds events around the world. For this event, which began with a dinner June 13, chefs like Chef Redzepi, David Chang, Kylie Kwong, Jessica Koslow, Alex Atala, April Bloomfield and Rosio Sanchez attended lectures and salon-like discussions on topics including fermentation, law, food security, agriculture and gender. “A few years back, I called up one of the professors at Yale and told him I have this crazy idea: Why don’t MAD and Yale together create an annual gathering for cooks at Yale, to learn about the world of food in a way that we don’t get to learn normally?” Redzepi said. “The idea was that we’d come together once a year and challenge ourselves to become better, to understand the world of food more, to get inspired in a different way than we usually get visiting a farm or going fishing.” Paul Freedman is the history professor (and the editor of a collection

of essays called “Food: The History of Taste”) who received that original approach from Chef Redzepi. Redzepi and Mark Bomford, the director of the Yale Sustainable Food Program, led the event with Chef Redzepi. Dr. Freedman pointed out that academia has a lot to learn from chefs, too, since they confront food issues hands-on and day-to-day. “Studying food is a useful lens through which to understand history and culture at large, Freedman said. “Only recently have historians recognized the crucial importance of taste, even frivolous taste, in driving historical change,” Dr. Freedman said. The event included topics like “Women, Food and Culture,” “The Ethnic Restaurateur and the American City,” “Soil and Fermentation,” “Nurturing Growth and Leadership” and “Culinary Fight or Flight: Why Stress Leaves a Bad Taste.” The MAD Foundation has funded over 300 community Projects, including the building of 128 classrooms, 80 toilet blocks and pit latrines, 12 pre-schools, 1 HIV clinic, 1 green house, 1 kitchen with a bread oven, 100 sinks and wash stations, 1 technical block, 8 permanent family houses and 20 fishing boats destroyed by the 2004 Tsunami, 13 Water tanks for schools, 8 playgrounds,

continued on page 108

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A few years back, I called up one of the professors at Yale and told him I have this crazy idea: Why don’t MAD and Yale together create an annual gathering for cooks at Yale, to learn about the world of food in a way that we don’t get to learn normally?” Redzepi said.

Chef René Redzepi, event co-organizer

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69

NEWS

AWARDS

World’s Best Restaurant Awards Makes Inaugural Trip To NYC

taly’s Osteria Francescana was named the best eatery on the planet at the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards, an annual tradition that has become beloved if lightly regarded in the culinary world. Last year’s winner, El Celler de Can Roca, dropped to second place, while Modena, Italy’s Osteria Francescana won raucous applause for its win. Helmed by Massimo Bottura, it’s the first Italian restaurant to make it to No. 1. Osteria Francescana is filled with artworks collected by Bottura, and the dishes reflect his love of artists such as Ai Weiwei and Wassily Kandinsky. They are colorful and exuberant, complex and fun yet totally focused. His Caesar Salad in Emilia may look like naked lettuce, but hidden inside are 15 ingredients: the cheese in the form of crispy wafers; the eggs cured in salt and sugar and then air-dried until they are hard enough to grate; the tomatoes strained through cheesecloth for at least 12 hours. The restaurants on the 2016 list were picked by a total of almost 1,000 members of the industry, including restaurateurs, chefs, writers, and gourmets. The group is divided into 27 regional panels, each with 36 members. They are asked to choose their seven “best restaurant experiences” it’s not a laurel based on food alone. The ceremony took place at Cipriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan the first time it has taken place outside of London since its founding in 2002.

In addition to the main awards, a few restaurants and chefs were specially recognized. Den in Tokyo took the “One to Watch” award, presented to a restaurant identified as a “rising star” in global gastronomy and which made the Top 100 list for the first time. The World’s Best Pastry Chef went to Pierre Hermé, the “Emperor of Macaroons” and “Picasso of Pastry,” a fourth-generation baker who began his career at 14 and now runs an eponymous shop in Paris. Relae in Copenhagen moved up five spots to No. 40 and won “Best Sustainable Restaurant” for a second year in a row. And scooping up the “World’s Best Female Chef” with her gorgeously poetic take on food is Dominique Crenn of the two-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn in San Francisco which strangely didn’t rank at all. Celebrated French chef Alain Passard of L’Arpège (No. 19) was recognized with the “Lifetime Achievement” award. Eleven Madison Park, under chef Daniel Humm, came in fifth in 2015 after placing fourth in 2014. This year it moved up one spot more to No. 3 making it the top restaurant in North America. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it also won the show’s first-ever “Art of Hospitality” award. The last U.S. restaurant to triumph was The French Laundry, in 2004. Since then, European establishments have monopolized the top place. The “Biggest Mover Award” this year went to Maido from Lima, which

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Eleven Madison Park, under chef Daniel Humm, came in fifth in 2015 after placing fourth in 2014. This year it moved up one spot more to No. 3 making it the top restaurant in North America. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it also won the show’s firstever “Art of Hospitality” award. climbed 31 points to No. 13, and along with Central at No. 4 further cements Peruvian cuisine’s global ascendance and its capital as a foodie destination. Past awards have struggled with diversity, so it’s heartening to see restaurants outside Europe and America getting their due. Other surprises included Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner, which dropped precipitously from No. 7 in 2015 to 45th place, joining Chateaubriand (No. 74), which saw a similar drop. Notably, only two Parisian restaurants made the top 50 this year, a small but significant departure from tradition. Meanwhile in New York, local favorite Estela made the top 50 for the first time, while Per Se dropped to No. 52 and NoMad fell off the list altogether (it was No. 67 last year). So did Masa, formerly No. 94.

Chef Massimo Bottura of Italy’s Osteria Francescana

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acenatural.com July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

RESTAURANT OPERATIONS

WITH NOELLE IFSHIN

The Value of A Good Business Plan Your Restaurant’s GPS - Gastronomic Positioning System

Noelle Ifshin has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant and

or many, opening a restaurant is often a romantic idea, until reality sets in of just how difficult it actually is. We advise clients that developing a detailed business plan is the first step. A great business plan becomes your navigation system (your GPS) for everything from raising funds, to fleshing out a concept, to getting open. In its simplest form a business plan is a guide for your business that outlines your goals and details how to achieve them. A good business plan should include: a summary of your concept, mission and company goals; a market analysis of where you plan to open – including a competitive analysis; a detailed description of your product and how you plan to execute that product; a labor model; several sets of financial models and an exit strategy – in the event that your concept doesn’t work. Before and after opening your restaurant, a business plan can: Be a pre-investment gut check - Investing in the development of a business plan before doing anything else can save you money, time and often heartbreak. The plan gives you an opportunity to flesh

hospitality industry. She has been

out your concept and to investigate whether it can be profitable in the marketplace. You might just discover that what you thought was a great idea won’t work: the demographics of the area may be wrong; the rents may be too high or the financial models don’t work for your concept. Better to know in advance than risk losing many thousands of dollars after the fact. Help you source start-up capital and financing – Many independent restaurants that try to self fund their start-up, are often undercapitalized and fail within the first year. A detailed plan, with several detailed sets of financial models, allows restaurateurs to secure outside monies with various types of lenders and/ or through alternative sources. Your plan must be able to answer the following questions for lenders and investors: 1) how and how soon do you plan to have a positive cash flow in order to be able to repay a loan or pay out investors? And 2) what is the unique selling proposition for your restaurant – for example, why will customers come to your restaurant versus the others in the neighborhood? Help you manage cash flow-

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Careful management of cash flow is a fundamental requirement for all restaurants. The reason is quite simple: many restaurants fail not because they are unprofitable, but because they ultimately become insolvent. Most restaurants’ cash flow can fluctuate dramatically from week to week primarily because of the timing of payments like payroll, sales tax, and rent combined with on-going operating expenses. Unexpected costs, such as emergency repairs, only amplify this fluctuation. Knowing your business cycle (e.g. busy season/ slow season) will help you be proactive in your cash flow management. The only thing worse than having a cash shortage, is having a cash shortage that was a total surprise. Be used as an on-going road map to your success and should be updated often. By continuing to review and update your plan, you can understand and develop changes to, and the growth strategy for, your business. Regularly checking your planned performance versus your actual results allows you to make the necessary changes to get you back on track. This is a living breathing document, not a book that is thrown in a drawer and never

instrumental in growing several companies, utilizing many different concepts, and was a successful revenue management leader with a national harbor cruise company, which operates in several markets across the Eastern US. Prior to founding 4Q Consulting, LLC, Noelle has functioned in an array of roles for various organizations ranging from front and back of house, single unit management, and multi-unit director, as well as company-wide profit management duties. Email her at noelle@4qconsult.com.

looked at again. We see restaurants that did not start with a formal business plan struggle to be successful - they figured their passion and optimism were enough to build a successful company. Operating without a plan can prove to be more time- consuming and costly in the long run – like driving somewhere without directions and just hoping you get there. Don’t know where to begin? Do you know how to write a great business plan with appropriate financial models? www.4qconsult.com can develop business plans to meet your needs.

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RESTAURANT RENAISSANCE

WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO

Dining Al Fresco and Sipping Under the Stars

n summer outside is inside and inside is outside. Manhattan is the place to see and be seen! The best parades are on the patios, dance on the decks, roam the rooftops and stroll the sidewalks. ViceVersa, 325 West 51st Street serves contemporary Italian cuisine in the Theatre District. The plantfilled back patio is a welcome escape. 230 Fifth, 230 Fifth Avenue (W. 27th Street) in Nomad, is New York’s largest outdoor rooftop garden, open year round, and a fully enclosed penthouse lounge. There is a breathtaking view of the skyline from the garden and the penthouse lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows. Food is served until midnight and they are famous for their cocktails. L’Apicio, 13 E 1st Street, in the East Village is a pasta lover’s heaven and the outdoor patio surrounded by greenery will take you away to Italy drinking a glass of fine wine. Modern Italian dining and cocktails in an airy, vibrant space with an open kitchen. Palma, 28 Cornelia Street, in the West Village is renowned for its ambiance featuring exposed wood beam ceilings and white stucco walls. When you step outside, you will find an ivycovered garden complete with fresh herbs and flowers. Inside or out, the traditional Italian fare is fabulous.

Barbuto, 775 Washington Street, in the West Village is in a massive garage space on the ground floor of Industria Superstudio on Washington Street, between Jane and West 12th Streets. When the garage doors are raised, the whole restaurant has an open-air feel and sidewalk seating. Chef and Owner Jonathan Waxman creates a sophisticated Italian menu. La Lanterna di Vittorio, 129 MacDougal Street is a romantic Greenwich Village Italian spot with an intimate garden seating area with ivy-covered, exposed-brick walls and a glass ceiling that welcomes natural light. Not to mention the live jazz in the adjoining bar. Perfect for a date night! Bar Pitti, 268 Sixth Avenue (Houston & Bleecker Streets) in Greenwich Village has sidewalk tables for people watching and is a celebrity favorite. The wine list and simple Italian dishes are perfection. They do not take reservations and only accept cash. Grand Banks, Pier 25, is located aboard the Sherman Zwicker, a large wooden schooner docked at the southwest edge of Hudson River Park in TriBeCa. Famous for the view, the experience, oysters and cocktails on the water. Lafayette, 380 Lafayette Street (Great Jones Street) in NoHo is a spectacular French restaurant and

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bakery from Chef Andrew Carmellini with first come first serve patio seating under azure awnings. C’est magnifique! Riverpark, Alexandria Center - 450 E. 29th Street in Murray Hill by Tom Colicchio has an interesting location; an office building adjacent to the FDR Drive with free garage parking. Seating ranges from outdoor tables, the main open dining room, or the more intimate café section with windows facing the East River. New American food is served and seasonal ingredients are supplied by the Riverpark Farm adjacent to the restaurant. Talk about fresh! Birds & Bubbles, 100B Forsyth Street, the lovely Lower East Side chicken and champagne eatery; is the perfect place to enjoy the outside patio. Exposed brick, terracotta tiles and strings of lights set the stage for an intimate summer barbeque. Seamore’s, 390 Broome Street in Little Italy, by Restaurateur Michael Chernow serves sustainable seafood complete with an outdoor sidewalk dining space dotted with striped umbrellas. Cipriani Club 55, 55 Wall Street, Financial District’s finest in the historic Merchants Exchange Building with an impressive outdoor terrace among the building’s granite columns with sweeping views of Wall Street.

Faith Hope Consolo is the Chairman of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group. Ms. Consolo is responsible for the most successful commercial division of New York City’s largest residential real estate brokerage firm. Email her at fconsolo@elliman.com

The Highline, between Little West 12th and West 18th Streets in the Meatpacking District is an outdoor food court of artisan food vendors lined up along the City’s prettiest stretch of repurposed railway. The Biergarten at the Standard, 848 Washington Street, is a classic German beer garden with a downtown vibe. One of the Meatpacking District’s hot spots. Also go up to The Top of The Standard on the 18th Floor for a jaw dropping City view from the sexy cocktail lounge. Dos Caminos Meatpacking District, 675 Hudson Street at 14th Street, is one of the five NYC outposts of this modern Mexican eatery offering plenty of sidewalk tables. Take your seat outside and enjoy a beautiful day or a starry night. The open-air options in New York City are limitless and delicious! Happy Summer and Happy Dining!

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LIZ ON TABLETOP TABLETOP SOLUTIONS Understanding How To Serve Oils and Cheeses On Your Foodservice Menu

he annual Fancy Food Show just had its annual run at the Javits in NYC last month. As you walk a show like that it never fails to amaze me at how many variations of cheese and oils are currently available to chefs, restaurants and foodservice operators. So now that you’ve shopped the show, we would like to make some suggestions on how to maximize profits by serving the cheese and oils correctly.

Liz Weiss is the President and coowner of Armonk, NY based H. Weiss Co. She is known nationally as one of

At H. Weiss, in working with our customers, we’ve seen a number of trends. In today’s market it is clear that your diners who are more educated than ever have a desire to know where you source your products. So we think it is critically important to serve oil and vinegar so that the guest can see the label. If the oil is top quality, say a good cold pressed extra virgin, the label will show that. Display the label for serving to impress your guests. Additionally

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vinegars, like a great balsamic from Modena should be put on display. It is a cut above what most places serve and your customers will appreciate you going the extra mile. We also suggest serving oil and vinegar in glass cruets that are easy and neat for the server to bring to the table. They should blend with the other elements of the table so as not to draw unwanted attention. Treat your oils and vinegars like wine - how you store and serve them is critical.

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

A key element in that storage is to put vinegars in a clear bottle to showcase the color. Oils should be in a dark glass otherwise the exposure to light will break it down.

Be sure to choose the appropriate oils and vinegars whether you are serving them with salad or bread before a meal. More flavorful oils such as garlic oil are great in a small dish or cruet to accompany bread. For a salad, go with a smoother, simpler oil that’s served in a bottle or cruet. Don’t forget mixing utensils to go along with this. Our H. Weiss team is here to suggest a number of utensil options to match your tabletop décor. Whether you are running a Midtown Manhattan hotel restaurant or a West Village hot spot, the same principals apply to cheese. Presentation and storage are key to displaying a great product. At the same time your cheese courses give you the most wonderful opportunity to showcase your commitment to farm to table and local to table offerings on your menu. Before a meal pair the cheese with fruit, meat, bread and honey. Use a small glass pitcher to showcase local honey. After a meal, go with more sweet pairings like dried fruit and chocolate. Don’t forget how important the right bread and crackers are to showcase the flavors of those oils and cheeses. This along with a local sweet wine, of which New York State has a tremendous and high quality variety, will make for a great dessert cheese plate. Treat the cheese the same as your

oil and vinegar. Label what variety it is, where it was made and who the producer is. This is the epitome of farm to table. Getting creative with small chalkboards or signs is a nice extra touch that the customer won’t be expecting. Small touches like this can make a big difference. Spreading knives that match the wooden board or match in finish to the other flatware will blend everything together. For serving, wooden boards look great but can’t go through the dishwasher. Alternatives exist, such as melamine boards that look like wood or slate but are more durable and dishwasher safe. If you choose wood be sure it does not outshine the cheese or overwhelm it. Use small boards for individual servings and larger boards for shared plates. Using a larger board as a shared plate gives another opportunity for you to showcase great plates or serving pieces to your customer. We’ve found at H. Weiss, that with cheese there’s a unique opportunity to maximize profitability. With a very small portion of cheese, you can create big profits for your business with a very healthy food cost margin. At the same time, with cheese you can continually rotate new cheeses with something that keeps your menu fresh and vibrant year round.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 77

RESTAURANT EXPERT

WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS

Top Trick to Hold Your Managers Accountable

expert, speaker, coach and trainer for

nce you start using systems, your job becomes holding your managers accountable. As I’ve explained in previous posts, the secret to it all is checklists that keep your team on task and focused on what you expect from them. Daily paperwork is one set of checklists that are a “daily” necessity. Here is an accountability checklist that covers daily paperwork. 1 End-of-Day Paperwork • Was it completed before the last manager left the building? • What is the over short? • Check that cash deposit was used, not POS cash due. • 1 Paid Out • A paid out is cash used from a bar or cashier drawer to pay for a bill, an invoice or a store run. • Entered to balance. • Was the line item detail completed? • Is there a receipt in the daily paperwork? 1 Manager Log • Are the questions answered?

David Scott Peters is a restaurant

being

1 Invoices • Check that invoices are being entered as they come in. • Check that invoice line item detail is being completed. • Review physical invoices against the invoice summary

report. Pick the correct date range, print it off and compare them to your vendor invoice summary reports. 1 Purchase Allotment System • Check to see that the purchase allotment system is being used and followed. • Double check purchase orders are within your purchasing guidelines. 1 Labor Systems • Are master schedules in place and accurate? • Has a labor allotment been run? • Schedule is within budget guidelines using the reverse labor system? • Is labor being tracked daily with the reverse labor system? 1 Food/Beverage Systems • Are your products usable, have pars and locations set? • Are recipe costing cards completed? • Are you checking that orders are within purchase allotment guidelines and being placed on time (complete)? • Has your inventory locations section been set to how the product appears on the shelves or alphabetical? • Are inventories being taken every Sunday or at least the last day of the month?

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Give this list to your managers. Your job is to hold your management team accountable and all you have to do is check their daily activities, holding them to this checklist. If you simply ASSUME they are being done, you will not have control of your cash, profits or management. Follow this checklist to ensure you are doing your job! For a checklist complete with descriptions and explanations of each category, visit David’s website at www. TheRestaurantExpert.com. for a Daily Paperwork Checklist.

independent restaurant owners. He is the developer of SMART Systems Pro, an online restaurant management software program helping the independent restaurant owner remain competitive and profitable in an industry boxed in by the big chain restaurants. Download a free report to discover the #1 secret to lowering food and labor costs and running the independent restaurant you’ve always dreamed of. Learn more about how David can help you at www. TheRestaurantExpert.com.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 79

NEWS

FOOD QUALITY SOLUTIONS

With Off-Premise Catered Events On The Rise, Cres Cor’s New Hotcube3™ Delivers

ff-premise or “Off-TheGrid” (OTG) temporary catered events are continually rising in popularity, and therefore represent viable revenue opportunity streams for Food and Beverage operations. The growing service needs for cuisine in less traditional settings can be optimized by planning work with proper modular hot holding and retherm cabinets. Groups from 5 to 50, or from 500 or 5,000 are daily occurrences in burgeoning OTG channels. Family events, club marketing, corporate celebrations, and sporting events are all viable OTG platforms where foods must still be safe and main-

The growing service needs for cuisine in less traditional settings can be optimized by planning work with proper modular hot holding and retherm cabinets. tain the highest standards of quality, just as they would in any other setting. Whether it is event dining in parks, backyards, tailgating, beaches, golf courses, roof tops, or even a vineyard − once a venue is selected, food selection, quality, and food safety become critical to the satisfaction of the event. Heated or refrigerated cabinets that work offthe-grid without the need for electricity will become even more crucial to maintain proper safe serving temps. Additionally, community settings where large numbers of people need to be fed within a short timeframe are becoming more prevalent; from K-12 schools and correctional facilities to Meals on Wheels programs. The challenge here is maintaining hot, stabilized temperatures (145°F and above) in transit between des-

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tination points. An alternative method is to create meals, refrigerate them, then retherm on-site to an optimal temperature. Why the boom in OTG the foodservice segment? Recently, Technomic, Inc. (Chicago, IL), a credible source for food and foodservice industry data, completed a study on catering called LOOP (Large Orders Off Premise), which revealed some interesting findings. Their research focused on learning how and why businesses select which venues to use for offsite catering events. Notably, this demographic is a critical group for hotels as it accounts for a large percentage of all banquets and catered events. Offsite catered events are not only for hotels, resorts, and country clubs; colleges and even chains are promoting more ways to purchase their food

off-premise and away from the dining hall or store location. The findings showed that overall, nearly 60% of catered events occur offsite − usually due to the size of the group, a need for a creative change of scenery, or an incentive to offer attendees. Only 23% of respondents said better meal options were a reason to move a meeting offsite. However, while food options were not the main driver for moving a meeting offsite, once a venue is selected, this variable becomes the driving force to the event’s success. Given the surge of OTG foodservice hospitality events, hot holding and retherm cabinets are constantly improving to meet the challenges that OTG presents in food transport and safety – whether transporting 50 feet or 50 Miles! Cres Cor continues to make significant advancements to its models, from improved insulations to smaller footprints, better electric battery systems for heating, as well as options in propane and solar energy. The search also continues for one “game-changing” cabinet that can provide optimal hot or cold environments for OTG applications. Be confident that Cres Cor continues to search for that Holy Grail. For an optimal OFG solution, Cres

Cor offers its latest technology−the HotCube3™. The industry’s first hybrid heated hot cabinet actually allows you to hold food safely indoors or out, with or without a cord! Versatile and efficient, the ¾-size holding cabinet allows you the flexibility to use it indoors with standard 120 Volt electric, then unplug and use it outdoors via a new propane fuel hybrid heat system (8,700 BTUs), which effortlessly maintains safe holding temps of up to 200°F (93°C). Built rugged for transport, the adaptable unit is perfect for transporting a wide variety of foods. It has ample capacity to hold up to 22 steam pans or 11 sheet pans. Ready-To-Go demands in the foodservice industry are not the wave of the future – they are NOW.

Maximizing the benefits of advanced hot holding cabinets can put foodservice operators at the forefront of this movement, by matching the right cabinet for the appli-

cation profile to meet the increased on-demand need seamlessly and head-on. Finding the right “Mix-in-the-Matrix” of hot holding time, tempera-

ture, and performance efficiencies ultimately will result in fewer staff hours and lower labor costs, representing a significant savings and return on investment over time. Finally, a piece of foodservice equipment is designed to earn foodservice operators more money the longer it remains in use, so it had better be energy efficient. In fact, hot holding cabinets might just be the most energy efficient solution of any category of major kitchen equipment in today’s food industry. For more information, call Cres Cor’s Metro New York Representative, TD Marketing at 732-339-3266 or visit www.crescor.com.

Life doesn’t slow down. Neither should they.

Represented in Metro New York by:

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TDAdmin@tdmarketingco.com • 732-339-3266 WWW.CRESCOR.COM July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81

SEDERHOLT ON RESTAURANT FINANCE

Gathering of F&B Elite at WeiserMazars CFO Boot Camp

he questions?? Where are we in the food and beverage industry going? How does the economy look and will we be going into another recession? What types of financing and capital will we have access to? What trends are going to be important as we move towards 2017 and what does it all mean for my business? These were the types of questions circulating around the room filled with over 100 C suite executives from throughout the food and beverage world mingling with senior level bankers, investors and accountants gathered in New York City. The event was the annual WeiserMazars, CFO Boot Camp. The conference was a full day of in depth discussions and presentations on key topics of importance to all members of the food and beverage community. Attendees included manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, as well as food markets, hotel and restaurant companies. The Boot Camp is the brainchild of Lou Biscotti, the National Director of WeiserMazars Food & Beverage practice, as a place to exchange ideas and build meaningful professional relationships through information and cooperation.

Disruption driven by consumer patterns was at the heart of the conference. Change is in the air but the overall state of the industry is very positive with annual increases in revenues and general growth reported across the board. Shifts in buying habits was illustrated by a growing trend for food retail outlets like supermarkets to behave more like restaurants and many restaurants behaving more like retail stores. Online challenge to food stores grew as companies like FreshDirect, Amazon and other delivery services spawned by livery companies like Uber and Lyft made the need to go to the store less necessary. Supermarket consolidations are happening as a result and many are moving directionally to smaller footprints with more focus on fresh and healthy foods along with inhouse chef prepared meals. Price sensitivity has brought about the next generation of Whole Foods which, opened its first “365” market in Los Angeles. They plan on keeping the prices down by building smaller boxes and having a smaller product mix. The focus is on the fresh food side of the business and virtually eliminating much of the “center aisles”. At the heart of any F&B business model is financing and the ability

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to get it. Without access to capital the needle doesn’t move for anyone. The finance panel consisted of senior commercial bankers from Capital One, TD Bank and Investors Bank of New Jersey. The unanimous position was that all these banks loved the food and beverage industry and that money was available for “A and B+” customers seeking $5MM to $500MM. There were all kinds of structures for the financing available, but not every bank was right for every customer. All agreed that the margins for banks were very tight and they were in a highly competitive environment and as a result couldn’t finance all ends of the spectrum, even if they wanted to. One banker said that commercial banks were simply not built for more entrepreneurial “Mom and Pop” businesses and that considering a loan for under $500,000 was simply not profitable for banks. He felt smaller businesses needed to consider other options including community banks and SBA lenders which are better suited even though they had their limits. One banker recommended considering small business alternative lenders like Strategic Funding (a sponsor for the conference) because of the range of financing available, speed to fund and easier credit scoring. The cost

David Sederholt is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Strategic Funding Source, Inc.,. The Manhattan based small business financing company utilizes advanced technology and insight to provide business owners with the capital they need to meet their goals. As COO, Sederholt rides shotgun for the CEO and runs the machinery that drives the company’s operations. Prior to cofounding Strategic Funding Source, he was a biomedical researcher, restaurant owner, corporate executive, business consultant and owner of a commercial real estate brokerage firm.

was higher, but was offset by other advantages. The Investors Panel reported on hot areas of interest and targets for the investment community. Many

continued on page 94

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RESTAURANT STAFF MANAGEMENT

WITH LEEANNE HOMSEY

How To Excite Employees To Train Better (Fast!)

ince it is common for current F & B employees to have a part in training new employees, making sure that enthusiasm and brand messaging is delivered the way you would want it to be is sometimes a difficult task. Your trainers maybe saying all the right things in front of you and injecting less than flattering remarks when you step away. Because most employees use their restaurant jobs to accomplish other goals, they are less invested to begin with and don’t value your restaurant the way that they should. When these employees train the new people they are quick to point out managerial and operational problems, highlight everything that may be wrong with your business and share why they are only in the business in order to get to their end goal. It is a frustrating scenario for everyone involved and dealing with it myself for several years this is what I came up with and wrote for my fellow managers: Try telling your Servers, Bartenders, Bussers And Hosts Or Hostesses: “How you train new employees will directly impact your income and how hard you have to work every day. Would you like to correct fewer mistakes, enjoy a fun upbeat team environment, make twice as much money and have more solid co-workers supporting you 100% of the time? It’s all in how you train the new hires. Training is everything and the more you train new hires to appreciate your restaurant, its owners, managers and its team, the more you are actually

Because most employees use their restaurant jobs to accomplish other goals, they are less invested to begin with and don’t value your restaurant the way that they should.” training them to support you, make money FOR you and bolster you when you need help. If you train new employees that yours is an average restaurant with short comings, has short tempered co-workers, short sighted managers, bad staff meals, inconsistent or slow kitchen staff, inattentive or micromanaging owners or managers, and ignored equipment repairs, you will actually be doubling your own work load and you don’t even know it. You will actually be training your new team to bring you down when you need to be brought up. If you incorporate eye-rolling or sarcastic remarks in your training you are actually teaching any new hire to work less, feel unenthusiastic, sell less, create short-cuts, look for ways to create smoke or text breaks instead of keeping side-work, customers and sales flowing or ever helping you when you need it. You will make less money and work harder when you train with indifference or disdain. New hires will be less effective and less productive and actually cost you time and money if you highlight anything but the very best of the restaurant. You actually now control the mood, the spirit and new income of the entire restaurant when new employees are in your hands. You should not take this re-

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sponsibility lightly. Showing new hires the tricks to check your phone mid-shift, chew gum, be disrespectful to managers or stand in front of a computer when you have no orders to put in instead of helping to run food or drinks or engage new guests in order to book future reservations speaks volumes to the person you are training and the people watching you. When your new coworkers do these things, they will find themselves in “hot-water,” eventually let-go and you will have to start training someone new all over again which means twice as much work before you to get a team-member up and running and contributing equally to the pool. Attitude is everything and if you want the absolute most money (even if you only plan to be in this business for another week, training new employees to appreciate all of the amazing things about your restaurant, training them to constantly look for something to do, restock, run, clear, carry, double check or find a customer to engage with and get a new reservation will directly create an environment of positiveness, support and more sales. Isn’t the goal to make the most money? Then train your new co-workers that this is the absolute best restaurant to work for, these are the best people to

LeeAnne Homsey is a monthly contributor to Total Food Service Magazine and offers a one thousand dollar discount to subscribers for her “Hospitality Tips For Bigger Thanks” 16 step customer engagement training course. Call to train your staff “engagement selling” and stop your employee turnover.

work with and the best people to work for. They can help create an ever growing clientele and income for you with your supportive, enthusiastic, highcaliber training. With your training they can create bigger spending, nicer, repeat, regular, effortless, fun customers for your team’s entire future.” Tell your staff to train for the best, expect the best and be the best. How you do anything is how you do everything and training the people around you to create money, time and wealth for you is what the smart people do. Not so smart people create animosity, hardship and ill-will for themselves and the people around them and subsequently cost themselves money. Help your employees create the best for themselves by being the best and sharing this with your staff.

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 85

ON WATER

WITH BRIAN MADDEN

Understanding The Importance Of Water In Maximizing The Quality Of Your Healthcare Foodservice Operation

s I travel around the country, it’s clear to me that there simply is not a more dedicated segment of our industry than the healthcare foodservice professionals. For these folks, there simply isn’t any room for compromise as they seek to make their patients stay as comfortable as possible. They also feel a sense of shared responsibility with the medical staff to nurse their patient guests back to good health. So at the very top of the healthcare professionals’ agenda is having great quality water that comes

from a safe source. Water comes into play in virtually every facet of a healthcare foodservice operation. I would like to take a few minutes and walk through some of the key components of water usage in a hospital or rehab center’s operation. From a cooking standpoint, combi ovens have burst onto the scene. These ovens enable healthcare foodservice operators in many cases to actually pre-program actual menus into the units. I see the challenges in operating and maintaining the combi oven to maintain the water’s balance. We

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provide a number of filtration solutions that can protect against high levels of chloride that can corrode and severely damage a combi oven. My other concern with combi cooking for the healthcare foodservice professional is balancing the water line. You need to understand that you can get scale accumulation above the line. The corrosion that the scale creates will result from the release of the elevated chloride as a gas. This will eat away at your combi oven and shorten the life of your appliances. The solution for healthcare foodservice operators or other operators using these appliances is to use phosphate to inhibit scale formation and get a good five micron carbon filter. At Pentair Everpure, we offer a full line of industry-leading filtration solutions like these, including options that will reduce the amount of scale forming below the water line and lower the chloride level, resulting in less gas being released and a cleaner, safer appliance. The next issue that I see as I work with our distributors and their healthcare foodservice clients is struggling with your dishwasher. Today flight machines in many cases don’t require filtration but do demand that you adjust the hardness before it goes into your hot water heater or tank. Using a softener before the heater will make it less hard

Brian Madden is a New Hyde Park , NY native. The Western Connectcut University graduate has built a reputation as one of the nation’s leading experts on water filtration. In his current post with Pentair, he is handling sales in the Northeast. Madden’s career includes successful stints with Pepsi in Las Vegas, Metro NY with Hoshizaki as well as being deployed by Pentair to China.

and do away with scale or spots on glassware. Using something like Everpure’s HT-10 will help prevent scale and it will make the longterm cost of the dish machine much cheaper and you will have far fewer service calls. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are major users of high volume ice machines. For a number of years, I worked in both the soft drink and ice machine industries. Given the enormous volume ice produced in

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July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 87

NEWS

PROMOTIONS

McDonald’s New York Metro Hires New VP of Operations

cDonald’s New York Metro Region announced the hiring of Mathew Ajayi, who began working with the brand more than 20 years ago, to serve as vice president of operations in the region. In this role, Ajayi will oversee operations for more than 600 local McDonald’s restaurants. “Mat is a highly talented individual who has a deep understanding of our brand, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our market,” says Mwaffak Kanjee, vice president and general manager of McDonald’s New York Metro Region. “We have

a number of exciting developments taking place in our region this summer, and we look forward to leveraging his experience and the vision he will bring to his new role.” Ajayi began his McDonald’s career as a crew person in Fresno, California, and advanced through restaurant management positions while completing his education. He has served as an area supervisor, overseeing companyowned restaurants; a business consultant for the Pacific Sierra regional staff; and a director of operations for the Southern California region, overseeing the operations performance of the

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more than 800 McDonald’s restaurants in that market. Throughout his career, he has received a number of prestigious internal awards, including: the Ray Kroc Award (2001); Outstanding Restaurant Manager (2000, 2001, and 2002); DriveThru Excellence Award (2002); and MA2C Leadership Award (2008). “Mat is a great example of the professional growth opportunities that are possible at McDonald’s,” Kanjee adds. “By completing his education and working his way up through the ranks, he has honed his knowledge and experience of our brand. He started out as a crew

member and has risen to one of the top operation positions in our market.” The McDonald’s New York Metro Region is in the process of testing new restaurant models to meet customers’ needs, including a drive-thru and walk-up only prototype in Jersey City, New Jersey for customers on the go, and several restaurant models with made-to-order burgers, interactive kiosks and tableside service throughout the region. As the brand’s presence in the region continues to evolve, Ajayi will play a key role in ensuring each restaurant’s commitment to elevating the customer experience. “We are focused on delivering what matters most to our customers: fresh food, excellent service and a contemporary restaurant experience,” Ajayi says. “I look forward to working with the entire New York Metro team as our brand continues to evolve to meet and exceed customer expectations.”

July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 89

NEWS

GRAND RE-OPENING

Ringelheims Unveil Newly Expanded Globe Equipment Home

t had the flair and feel of one of those great American success stories. The father and son team of Jay and Brian Ringelheim welcomed a bevy of friends and family as well as local politicians and industry notables to the Grand Re-opening of Globe Food Service Equipment in Bridgeport, CT. “I am so very happy for Globe,” noted Michael Posternak of PBAC. The veteran equipment and sales representative echoed the sentiments of the large outpouring of equipment and manufacturing executives who attended the muchanticipated event. In 1938 Ringelheim’s dad Sidney and uncle David opened the highly respected “E&S” dealership. Jay and his late brother Paul took the reigns in 1971 and most recently the third generation of Ringelheim’s Brian has made his imprint. When Brian Ringelheim joined the business in 2005, he said it just had a simple website he had created while still in college and did not have government clients. After finding success with an eBay store, Ringelheim expanded the company’s online customer base. A new website has also helped attract

These are the successes we need to be able to point to and show people there is business growth and investment here,” Stafstrom said. clients from all over the world and government contracts with army bases, prison systems and others. “They found us through the Internet, but they’re not Internet customers,” he said, noting that most of the business is still conducted in person, through emails or phone calls. While they have been growing their online presence and expanding their customer base for years, the showroom had not changed much. “Our showroom was old,” said Jay Ringelheim, “We needed to change. It was time.” Right next door was the company’s storage facility, which was dark, dirty and used mainly to park trucks. In the winter, employees dreaded having to go into the warehouse, which had no heating system. “It was just not part of what we were doing,” Jay Ringelheim said.

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So the father-son team began working with architects and others to figure out how to convert the roughly 10,000-square-foot warehouse into a new showroom, and build a 4,500-square-foot addition to connect the old and new showroom buildings. “Jay and Brian are just awesome people and well respected in our industry, so it’s exciting to be able to support this opening,” said Erin Eddy, division manager for Hamilton Beach, a manufacturer of kitchen appliances. State Rep. Steven Stafstrom, DBridgeport, said he was impressed by Globe Equipment’s commitment and investment in the city. “These are the successes we need to be able to point to and show people there is business growth and investment here,” Stafstrom said.

Globe’s Brian Ringelhiem shared the special day with his daughters Emma (L) and Paige (R)

(L to R) Metro’s Nancy Fera, Hobart’s Lou DiPrete and Larry Cantamessa of PBAC

Vollrath’s Eric Christiano

Tom Vajcovec of GMV Sales, Glissen’s Richie Ryan Knoop Jr. and Keith Suhoza of Globe

Globe Equipment president Jay Ringelheim (3rd-R) welcomed a number of industry notables

Jay Ringelheim was joined by (3rd-L) local dignitaries to cut the Grand Re-opening ribbon

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July 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 91

Brunch Bill, from page 4 rants and bars with patrons there to watch the game could not sell alcohol. The New York Giants play a London game at that time this season, and a similar situation arises with soccer fans, whose European matches are often televised in the United States on Sunday mornings, the panel noted in its report. Other bills that passed which affect restaurants include a part of the state budget, bill A06006, which raises the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour for certain parts of New York, albeit at a much slower phase in than originally proposed. According to Fleischut the association’s concern was that the wage was too high and the increase too fast. “The concern we were hearing from our members was that the proposal on the table was too high and too fast. We lobbied the legislatures to consider whether or not they could do something. They ended up compromising with different rates for

different areas.” It will vary by region, however most New York businesses will pay their employees fifteen dollars an hour by around the end of 2019. The exceptions include some counties upstate where the wage will only rise to $12.50. The NYSRA opposed this bill and won what they called some “significant victories” such as locking in the cash wage for tipped food service workers to two-thirds of the state minimum and slowing the rate of increase in upstate counties. More information about how the bill could affect your county or area, the NYSRA has a geographical breakdown available. The NYSRA had major concerns about another part of the budget; the establishment of what is being called the most comprehensive paid family leave in the country. Originally the onus to pay for the leave was to fall on the employers, however the bill was amended to shift the responsibility to employees through a paycheck de-

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duction program. Taking that burden off of the employers was important to the NYSRA. “We were hearing from members that they are concerned as to whether or not the leave would be paid for by the employer, which it does not. We felt that was a good way to go forward and compromise. We have two and a half years before this begins to phase in so we’ll wait to see how it all plays out.” The last two bills include one that the NYSRA was able to block last year but passed with amendments this session. That was bill S00817B, sponsored by Senator Betty Little of the 45th district. This bill allows funeral homes to partner with caterers to provide incidental refreshments (not alcohol) in their businesses. Last year’s block bill would have allowed the serving of food without Department of Health (DOH) regulation. This year’s bill has strict rules preventing funeral homes from acting as restaurants or caterers.

Per the NYSRA press release it passed both houses and could be signed by Governor Cuomo. The final bill affecting NYC’s restaurant operators, Bill S04280A, sponsored by Senator James L Seward of New York’s 51st district, would have allowed ridesharing operations like Lift and Uber to operate in Upstate New York. The bill was blocked by the state assembly. The NYSRA came out strongly in favor of the bill, with Melissa Fleischut saying the association supports ridesharing “as a way to offer our customers safe transport to and from restaurants. Taxi service in upstate New York is unreliable in some areas and we want to provide customers more options to have a safe evening out at a restaurant.” The bill is near the top of the NYSRA’s agenda for the state assembly’s next legislative session.

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Sederholt, from page 82 of the larger food and beverage companies we see today started as small family owned businesses making them of prime interest. In the opening remarks, it was projected that 33% of all family owned F&B businesses will transition in some way in the next 3 years. Some with succession plans to the next generation, or taking on investors, merging or selling. Opportunities for family owned F&B businesses depends on planning, maintaining good business practices, sound professional accounting and a realistic sense of the value of their business. One member of the panel, Andy Unanue, the Managing Partner of AUA Private Equity Partners is also a member of the Goya Foods family. He now focuses on the acquisition of family run Latin food businesses, which he believes offers strong growth opportunities. Because

many of them are not prepared for transactions, it often takes his group up to 2 – 2.5 years to complete a deal with an attractive business. The expert panel advised anyone seeking to take on a major investor, merge their business or sell, to be very diligent in building great records and sound corporate governance, even if they were relatively small as it would make a big difference in dealing with the investment world. As part of the Investor Panel, Hannah Chanoine, a litigator with the law firm of O’Melveny & Meyers, discussed some of the legal issues and risk factors that should be considered by F&B business owners and investors before getting too deeply into a potential transaction. Companies preparing for a transaction have to be aware of an increasing rate of class action lawsuits against the industry for false

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advertising. Items considered trivial to the business can wreak havoc if you are working with investors or banks. She highlighted numerous lawsuits filed recently including one against Subway for the “Foot Long” sandwich, which was not exactly 12 inches long. “All businesses and investors need to look at this risk as something to be assessed and quantified,” stated Ms. Chanoine. Some of the biggest targets for litigators are hot button claims such as – “Natural”, “Handcrafted”, “Artisanal”, “Wholegrain”, “Healthy” along with representations about “no added sugar” or interpretations of “protein”. Paul Leone, the CEO of The Breakers Hotel and Resort in Palm Beach, gave the conference keynote speech. Paul told an inspirational story about how a kid from Long Island, took his first hospitality in-

dustry job at his family’s 17 room Motel in Kentucky, only to find himself named as the “Hotelier of the World” in HOTELS Magazine. It was a story of the entrepreneurial drive of family businesses across America. Like his family’s hotel, The Breakers, is the only large historic luxury resort in the United States, still in the hands of the original family owners. He spoke about pride of ownership and that success resides in embracing a culture of service. If the people in the food and beverage industries believe this, they can overcome any obstacle. The parting message was clear – change and disruption are here and the consumers drive it all - and it is happening faster than ever. Be prepared to reimagine, refresh and evolve, but never forget that we are all here to serve our customers.

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Fancy Food Show, from page 50

honored longtime five SFA members for their recognition by the Specialty Food Hall of Fame. Andy Balducci, Eunice and David Bigelow, Dan Carter, Jim McGilloway and Joel Schuman were all honored for the career achievements. Other awards showcased included the sofi (speciality outstanding food innovation) awards, given to 28 outstanding specialty food and beverages. The awards have been given out annually since 1972 and seek to “advance culinary excellence and creativity worldwide”. The 2016 show saw a record breaking number of entries, with 3,200 submitted across 28 categories. The show was much more than just exhibitors, with Topical Talks about how to improve hospitality, the influence of Generation Z on Specialty Food trends and new

innovations in production and sales. There were also workshops on company growth, pricing, sales and the basics of Specialty Food. Perhaps most importantly was the “giving back” aspect of the Fancy Food Show, where exhibitors donate thousands of pounds of their products to the association who then give to City Harvest, a longtime charitable partner of the Summer Fancy Food Show. The show ended on Tuesday night June 28th after three spectacular days of food exhibitions, awards and demonstrations. It was a great success for all involved, marking the 62nd year of the Summer Fancy Food Show. Additional reporting by Andrew Watson.

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Les Vergers Boiron’s Jerome Robin and Robert Miller brought new vegetable purees and coulis to this year’s show.

TFS’s own contributing writer, Warren Bobrow and wife, Julie.

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Bobrow, from page 12 There are many names for rum that flows clear from the still with a hiccup or bubbles forth with a belly laugh. Times are changing and this has made rum universally respected. Rum is cheap to make, easy to store, it lasts nearly forever and it gets better over time when resting within a cask. It’s a win/win for the distiller and the casual drinker alike. A Summer Rum Punch should always be made with freshly crushed juices. I cannot imagine making something that I may be serving to others with anything but the very best. After all, aren’t you worth it? In my travels I always come across individuals who say that when they are entertaining, they use less than satisfactory ingredients because their guests won’t know any better. That’s a shame- because it doesn’t cost much more to ensure a unique experience.

When you take short cuts- well, the overall understanding is cheap. I don’t know from cheap. That’s why my drinks are memorable. They evoke history, one sip at a time. The Sea Cook (the cook is the most important person aboard your ship, don’t ever forget that) Ingredients: • 4 oz. Mezan XO Rum (no chill filtering, nor glycerin, nor added sugar, nor caramel coloring added) • 2 oz. juice: Take 2 pineapplescut into rings, placed on a silicone tray, with Angostura Bitters (for good gastric health) and roasted for 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until caramelized. Cool and set aside • 2 oz. juice in each cocktail-

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Do the same with a couple splashes of Angostura Bitters upon 2 large grapefruits- cut in half, also sprinkled with Demerara Sugar and broiled until bubbly. Cool and set aside • ½ oz. Freshly squeezed orange juice • ¼ oz. Freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 oz. White Balsamic Vinegar • Angostura Bitters • Fresh Nutmeg and scraper • 1 oz. Oloroso Sherry (dark in color, rich and smoky in taste) • Lime chunk garnish • Fresh ice- not stinking of last month’s garlic pasta Prep: 1. Take the pineapples, skin them well, no bitter crust allowed! Roast them with the Angostura Bitters.

2. Juice them and add 2 oz. of this juice to a Boston Shaker filled ¾ with ice 3. Do the same with the broiled grapefruits- no pith (it’s bitter!) just juice them and add 2 oz. of this broiled grapefruit juice to the Boston Shaker 4. Add the Mezan XO Rum and the vinegar 5. Finally, add the Orange juice and the Lemon juice 6. Cap and Shake hard for 15 seconds 7. Pour into two Collins Glasses filled with ice 8. Float the Oloroso Sherry over the top 9. Scrape some nutmeg over the top to finish 10. Garnish with a lime chunk and serve

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POS Technology, from page 10

a positive note. Another idea is to select one employee every week to find an inspirational quote, and hang the quote up in a high traffic employee area. By encouraging your employees to think positively you will help them be happier, healthier people – both inside and outside of the workplace.

ingful conversation and remembering aspects about your employees lives, they will feel respected, cared about, and important. In turn, when they are dealing with hardships (in or outside of the workplace) they will be more inclined to come to you for advice, help, or as someone to talk to.

4. BUILD MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE Start each day by greeting every employee you see, and take the time to learn about their backgrounds, interests and outside of work activities. Ask questions about specific things, such as, “How are your daughter’s piano lessons going?” or “What classes are you taking this semester?” By engaging in mean-

5. MOTIVATE Help your employees set their own goals and then take time each week or month to review their progress. For example, if you have a bartender who wants to earn more money, you can help them figure out ways to improve speed or service, thereby increasing their earnings. When you have your next meeting you can go over what worked and didn’t work,

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and why. In addition, goal setting will empower your employees and they will view themselves as integral parts of the business operations, rather than a means to an end. 6. GRATITUDE, GRATITUDE, GRATITUDE In everyday life it’s common to say “thank you” for goods and services we get from people, so why should the workplace be any different? Appreciate your employees and thank them for what they do, after all, without your employees, customers would sit with empty plates and glasses and hospitality would be nonexistent. By saying, “Thank you” and “I appreciate you,” you are acknowledging your employees’ efforts, and in turn transforming

the workplace into one where employees feel nurtured, happy, and respected. Gratitude doesn’t cost you a dime, but you will earn substantially by making it an everyday practice in your business. Ultimately, as a restaurateur you are the leader of your business. You can choose to make your establishment a positive place where people love to work, or allow it to be a negative one where mental health issues and substance abuse run rampant. What will you choose?

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CCAP Veggie Burger, from page 26 You can try Tyler’s award-winning Sun-Dried Tomato Patty, here’s the recipe. Serving Size: 1 Patty Number of Servings: 6 Ingredients · 1.5 pounds red potatoes (about 5 medium potatoes) · 1/3 cup rosemary sprigs · 1 cup parsley · 2 cloves garlic · 1 cup Vidalia onion · 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes · 1/2 cup white kidney beans · 1/4 cup breadcrumbs · Salt and pepper · Crushed red pepper (optional) Directions 1. Wash and peel potatoes. Add to a pot and fill with cold water until just above potatoes. Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, about 15 minutes. 2. In the meantime, rinse rosemary

W E N

Tyler Ramos

and parsley and roughly chop. Mince garlic. Chop onion into half-inch squares. Slice sun-dried tomatoes in strips. Drain liquid from kidney beans can. 3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and all items from

step 2. Set aside. 4. Stick a fork through a potato piece. It’s done when the fork goes through without much force. If not ready, keep checking in 2 minute intervals. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Mash until smooth with small lumps. Do NOT let them get too smooth. 5. In a food processor, add the potatoes and the contents of the medium bowl. Pulse until well incorporated. The mixture should be sticky. If too sticky, wet your hands before forming patties. 6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1/2 cup of mixture and shape it into any patty shape you

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Sun-Dried Tomato Patty

want. Repeat until finished with mixture. (You should get 6 patties). Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. 7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown, on the top rack of your oven. Flip halfway through. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. 8. Serve as you wish. • Serving Suggestion: Serve on toasted 7-grain bread topped with Dijon Mustard and leafy vegetables. Get the winning recipes at: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/ articles/c-cap-teens-rock-veggieburger-world/

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AJC, from page 14

(L to R) Cardinal’s Bryan O’Rourke, Lenny Myron of the AJC and HX-Show sales chief Lynn White

homes and other multi-meal operations, as well as having a retail space for all the chefs at home. “I think we’re well-known after all these years.” His father, Sidney, originally began the store with Jay’s uncle in 1938, in Bridgeport. The two had learned their trade as salesmen in New Jersey for several years prior, and thought Connecticut might offer opportunity. For many years, Globe’s business centered in Connecticut, but when the third generation Brian Ringelheim became a key player in the business, Globe expanded its market and made a significant leap into the 21st century. The firm used the event to celebrate its’ grand reopening on the day after the AJC festivities. The Metro New York dealer community was well represented by notables including Jimmy Weiss, Kevin Byman, Liz Weiss and Jeff Dellon of H. Weiss LLC, Marc Fuchs and Morgan Tucker of M. Tucker/Singer NY, and E&A Supply’s Joel Green. The Reddy Raw acceptance gave the evening’s guest insight into the teamwork of the well-oiled food distribution machine. The company’s David Rothstein and Rob Paeprer spoke about the list of key acquisitions that the firm has made through the years. Reddy Raw provides an integral service with its redistribution of products

Former honoree Michael Leffler of Admiration Foods was among a large group of food industry notables on hand

to a number of distributors on the East Coast. Two of the industry’s most influential buyers Jeffrey Burdick of Imperial Bag and Paper and Larry Rosenthal of Restaurant Depot were at AJC ‘16. Among top equipment manufacturers were Elkay’s Paul Day, Giuliana Bollanos, Richard Ferlauto of EMI Industries and Nancy Ferra of Inter Metro. The event has grown with the participation of the food industry over the past decade. Jim McManus of Key Impact, Infusion’s Cindy Young, Butterball’s Mark Abels, Advantage’s Mitch Levine, Ace Endico’s Murray Hertzberg and of course the recently retired Herb Reichenbach were all part of the overflowed crowd. For more than 100 years, AJC has sought to advance the peace and security of the Jewish people through high-level diplomacy, strong legislative advocacy, and effective interreligious and interethnic coalitions. AJC is the preeminent global Jewish advocate.

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Madden, from page 86 hospitals, ice machine applications demand special attention. To prevent bacteria or other nasty things from growing it is critical to maintain the proper disinfection dosage. This means not removing fluoride, which will result in clean ice and help minimize the risk of infection or other problems. A tasty cup of coffee for both patients and the medical staff has become part of a healthcare feeder’s

signature. A lot of institutions now use liquid coffee, a concentrate mined with hot water. It used to be absolutely terrible but it has gotten much better. However coffee is only as good as the ingredients that go in to it, so if you don’t clean the water the result will be an average cup of coffee at best. Making sure there is no buildup in the water is as important as looking at the amount of dissolved

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solids. If those concentrations are too high, regular PH or MH water filters won’t do anything. You will need a product like the Everpure Claris that uses ion exchange technology to effectively change the chemistry of the water. It seems basic, but being sure that the coffee is made at the proper temperature is also an important step. The right temperature to extract the full flavor of coffee is 190 degrees. My advice

would be to make sure you have equipment where you can read the temperature and control it very accurately. I hope that this overview offers you “food for thought”. Please don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions or challenges we can help you with.

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MAD Foundation, from page 68

5 bridges, 5 storm-drains, 2 bakeries, 1 Fish farm and a guinea pig shed. We’ve also planted over 25,000 trees, dug and laid 25 miles of water pipeline, taught 85,000 lessons, coached 63,000 sports sessions, renovated 6 orphanages and a home for street kids. By enabling sustainable projects and facilities, focusing on key areas such as education, child welfare, primary healthcare, health education, and employment skills, the MAD Foundation supports communities in creating better opportunities and scope for further development. In addition to funding all building materials, on average for every volunteer we take out we also employ one local person at each Project location. This may be a skilled mason, carpenter, driver or a cook, and underpins our ‘Develop-

ing Together’ ethos. The MAD charitable objective is: ‘To advance education and aid in the relief of poverty in any part of the world.’ MAD does this through a variety of means: Supporting and working as a project partner with indigenous communities and NonGovernment Organizations; Raising funds and distributing grants to appeals, including international emergency and disaster appeals, and projects that fit within our objectives; Providing scholarships to children and young people from developing countries to assist them in furthering their education; Providing business start up grants to individuals from indigenous communities and enabling under-privileged young people from the UK to ‘give and

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gain’ by working on a community project in the developing world. The Mottey African Development, now MAD (Make a Difference) Foundation was established in 1999, by John Lawler following his experiences whilst living in Ghana. John was enstooled as a Ghanaian Chief, Torgbui Mottey I, for his contribution to the local community and he continues today to visit Ghana, raise awareness and funds for people living in poverty all over the world. MAD has enabled community development projects in the following countries: Ghana, Togo, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Peru, Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam, India, South Africa, Trindad, Venezeula and Sri Lanka and hope to expand their work into more countries in the near future.

MAD Foundation’s overall objective is to enable community development projects in Africa and throughout the developing world. At its core is the desire to assist with sustainable programs, which are not funded from central government, aimed at improving the quality of life for impoverished indigenous communities with an emphasis on children, education and health.

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