July 2021 - Total Food Service by Total Food Service

NEWS

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

NYC LAUNCHES $11 MILLION CONCIERGE DESK TO CUT RED TAPE FOR RESTAURANT OPENINGS

udding small business owners and those who were shuttered during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic can now tap into a citywide concierge service that promises to cut bureaucratic red tape, and make it easy to open or reopen a business in the Big Apple. Mayor Bill de Blasio and city Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Jonnel Doris launched NYC Business Quick Start, an $11 million concierge service, late last month. NYC Business Quick Start will provide small businesses a sole point of contact to help navigate city regulations, as well as provide a public dashboard, according to City Hall. The program guarantees a 48-hour response to all small business inquiries and will cut processing time by 50%, said a statement from City Hall. The city expects 50,000 small businesses -- many of which were closed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic -- to benefit from the program. “There’s no time to wait for our small businesses to return to the neighborhoods they serve. This is the moment to bring New York City back, and that starts with making this city the easiest place in America to open a small business’ doors,” said de Blasio. “This program will give business owners all the tools they need to run their businesses smoothly and build a recovery for all of us.” NYC Business Quick Start is a collaboration between 100 city personnel across a host of agencies, including SBS, Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

“NYC Business Quick Start demonstrates the city’s commitment to help small businesses navigate the regulatory environment,” said Doris. “Each agency will work hand-in-hand with our small businesses to make New York City a seamless place to start and sustain a business in a post-COVID-19 environment.” “For decades, small business owners have had to navigate a complex, time-consuming and costly administrative process before they generate their first dollar of revenue. With the launch of NYC Business Quick Start today, the de Blasio administration has tackled what has been an endemic problem in many large cities all across the U.S.,” said Lorraine Grillo, Senior Advisor for Recovery. “By reducing the upfront burden of opening or reopening a business, NYC Business Quick Start will benefit small retailers, bodegas and family-owned busi-

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The program guarantees a 48-hour response to all small business inquiries and will cut processing time by 50%, said a statement from City Hall. nesses – the lifeblood of New York City’s economy and key to achieving a recovery for all.” “Our city’s recovery depends on small businesses,” said Deputy Mayor of Operations Laura Anglin. “NYC Business Quick Start is an unprecedented interagency effort to reduce barriers and help businesses serve their communities. This effort will speed New York City’s recovery and deliver the vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods New Yorkers deserve.” “Since the beginning of this administration, the City has been committed to reducing the regulatory burden that exists on small businesses. This mission has remained alive, especially throughout the pandemic,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives and CoChair of the Racial Inclusion and Equity Taskforce. “The NYC Business Quick Start will cut red tape and increase city government transparency, benefitting the many businesses that are reopening and new entrepreneurs that are seeking to make an impact.” SBS has launched 29 recovery programs and campaigns to help reopen businesses and provide the necessary resources to navigate the challenges of the pandemic. In the last year, the agency assisted more than 4,000 businesses with over $305 million in PPP applications, connected over 5,000 businesses with $156 million in loans and grants, helped over 62,400 callers

to the SBS hotline (888-SBS-4NYC), and assisted 90,000 job seekers. SBS is currently helping small businesses apply for the New York State Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program – a $5,000 - $50,000 grant for businesses with less than $500,000 in revenue; businesses that need assistance can visit nyc.gov/financingassistance. “We are thrilled to join this initiative and continue to support New York City’s small business recovery,” said Melanie La Rocca, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Buildings. “Whether they are opening their doors for the first time, or welcoming their customers back, this program makes it easier than ever for small business owners to access the resources they need.” “A healthy New York City economy relies on our thousands of small businesses and our business owners need the rapid support of government, including for critical water and sewer services,” said Vincent Sapienza, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. “I thank Commissioner Doris and the team at SBS for their leadership on this effort and am happy to report that DEP engineers are already expediting the review of small business applications.” “Small businesses are essential to

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NYC RESTAURANT CONCIERGE a thriving city, especially here in New York. Many of these mom-and-pop shops have struggled to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing these entrepreneurs with a central place to receive resources and cut through regulatory red tape is the least we can do to help them bounce back during these difficult times. Under those conditions, I support the NYC Business Quick Start Program, and I hope special attention will be given to Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (MWBEs) that have been hit hardest by the pandemic,” said State Senator James Sanders Jr. “Small businesses are the foundation of New York’s economy, and the pandemic has left them in dire financial straits,” said Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers. “As the economy restarts, NYC Business Quick Start will help our local retailers and family businesses reopen, and connect them with the assistance they need. We are one step closer to ensuring our communities make a full recovery.”

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“For independent entrepreneurs, New York City is often a place that stifles creativity. We need safety for our workers and neighbors, but the challenges of a small business cutting through the bureaucracy of DOB, DEP, DOHMH and FDNY can be insurmountable. As Chair of the Commission on M/WBE, I have seen over and over that this is especially difficult for Black-owned businesses. This new concierge service offers a way to level the playing field. It offers help that so many minority-owned and other businesses deserve,” said Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr. “Small Business is the very fabric of our neighborhoods, often being the place where neighbors meet for not just shopping but also socializing. We have seen the difficulties that our businesses have had during the pandemic and the effect it has had on keeping our neighborhoods safe and vibrant. As I continue to walk the shopping areas of my district, I know that there has been an outpouring of support

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for local shops “ said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “Centralizing business support services will help ease the burden on small businesses trying to navigate city rules and regulations. Thank you to SBS for addressing this common complaint and for looking to address inquiry processing times,” said Council Member Peter Koo. “NYC Business Quick Start is exactly the kind of initiative that is needed as businesses, small and large, seek to fully participate in the recovery of New York City.” “Red tape and bureaucracy have long been a challenge for small businesses, and in particular, entrepreneurs whose native language is not English. Making it easier to own and operate a small business is key to not only their recovery but the recovery of the whole City. We look forward to seeing NYC Business Quick Start in action!” said Robert J. Benfatto, Jennifer Tausig, and Mark Caserta, NYC BID Association. “The Bronx Chamber is a longtime advocate of increased access to busi-

ness startup supports for our City’s entrepreneurs,” said Lisa Sorin, President of the New Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “As we rebuild toward a strong post-pandemic future, the Bronx Chamber is thrilled that this interagency initiative will alleviate red tape and make it easier to open or reopen a business.” “Immigrant small business owners continue to experience distress and frustration trying to navigate the red tape and barriers that impede access to technology at various city agencies. We welcome this initiative that aims to accommodate the needs of small business owners, and look forward to working closely with SBS to create a meaningful program and increase access to its services for our community,” said Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director, Asian American Federation For more information on NYC Business Quick Start, visit nyc.gov/ business or call 888-SBS-4NYC (888-727-4692).

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

NEWS

LEGISLATION

NEW YORK LEGISLATURE UNABLE TO SAVE TO-GO COCKTAILS

ore than a dozen states have already decided to keep to-go cocktails legal even after the COVID-19 pandemic passes, but Saturday could be “last call” in New York—the state that pioneered the idea last spring. New York lawmakers will likely not extend alcohol to go at restaurants and bars, as part of their actions on the final day of the legislative session. Restaurant and tavern owners, who are still struggling financially, expressed their disappointment. When he required bars and restaurants to close on March 16, 2020, due to growing concern over the COVID-19 outbreak, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered a temporary easing of the state’s alcohol laws to allow beer, wine, and even mixed drinks to be ordered as to-go items from establishments across the state. That became a crucial lifeline for bars, and 38 other states (and Washington, D.C) ended up copying New York’s policy in one form or another. Restaurants and tavern owners, who gathered outside the Capitol for some last minute lobbying, say it’s been a lifeline and allowed them to increase sales and add staff as they struggle to come back from pandemic shutdowns. Melissa Fleischut is President of the New York State Restaurant Association. “We are not in any way shape or form back to our pre pandemic levels,” said Fleischut, who said the industry has lost billions of dollars and thousands of jobs since March of 2020. “Alcohol- to- go helps our restaurants, it helps their sales,” she said. Scott Wexler, with the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Asso-

“We are not in any way shape or form back to our pre pandemic levels,” — Melissa Fleischut ciation, blames opposition from the liquor industry and liquor stores. “The liquor store industry has operated like a protection racket for generations,” said Wexler, who said some of the state’s liquor laws have not changed substantially since 1935, shortly after prohibition ended. “(They are) trying to preserve the prohibition era rules that freeze out competition,” he said. The Senate and Assembly have separate bills that would extend the alcohol to go rule permanently, or with a one year sunset provision. But the houses did not plan to act on them,

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or try to agree on one measure, before the session ended. The liquor industry and liquor stores have not commented publicly on the bill. The restaurant and bar owners also say they are losing the argument because the Capitol remains closed to the public, even though Governor Cuomo has announced reopening for sports venues and theaters. They say that hampers them from getting their message directly to lawmaker That political fight means that New York could soon return to the pre-pandemic status quo. Cuomo’s executive order allowing to-go alcohol will expire on July 5th and the state legislature is scheduled to break for the summer at the end of next week. Many other states are taking steps to keep consumers’ options open. Fourteen states have already enacted laws making to-go cocktails permanently legal and another seven have moved to extend their legality on a temporary basis, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), which favors the passage of those laws. The latest to do so was Illinois, where Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Wednesday allowing restaurants to serve to-go cocktails through 2024. One poll conducted on behalf of the New York State Restaurant Association last month found that 78 percent of New Yorkers favored making to-go cocktails a permanent fixture.

Main Office 282 Railroad Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director Michael Scinto Art & Web Director Mark Sahm SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer Joyce Appelman Contributing Writers Morgan Tucker Francine Cohen Leslie Super Editorial Interns Wyatt Semenuk Claudia Giunta Alycia June Cahn Brian O’Regan Eva Karoun Scott Hank Bedingfield Phone: 203.661.9090 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

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Follow @TotalFoodService Cover photo courtesy of American Culinary Federation Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2021 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

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

WITH LESLIE SUPER

MINNEAPOLIS RESTAURANTS LOOK AHEAD AFTER A DEVASTATING 2020

fter a year that caused many of Minneapolis’s restaurants to shutter their doors, first because of COVID-19, then due to the social unrest unleashed by the tragic murder of George Floyd, one thing is clear, “the city’s landscape is going to look quite different,” said Jonathan Weinhagen, President and CEO of Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. “Many restaurants that have closed their doors in March 2020 have already announced they won’t be reopening.” Talents making Minneapolis restaurant scene buzz with excitement are names like James Beard award winning chefs Gavin Kayson and Isaac Becker in the hip North Loop, in South Minneapolis Jamie Malone emerged as a rising star with her award winning Grand Café, and Top Chef alumni Justin Sutherland, chef/owner of Handsome Hog, has had a big culinary influence on St. Paul, just to name a few. Of these chefs, during the pan-

Leslie Super, is a writer who focuses on the food, wine and spirits industries. In addition to Total Food Service, her work has been in New York Magazine, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, InStyle, and Beverage Media, among other publications. On top of her writing, she has worked in the wine and spirits distribution side of the business. Leslie can be reached at sleslie335@gmail.com.

demic, Malone closed Grand Café and launched Keep It Grand, togo gourmet meal kits, Sutherland closed Public Kitchen + Bar and relocated his Handsome Hog, Becker closed Birch Steak and Pizza, Kayson had to close Bellecour Bakery’s original location and reopen it inside Cooks of Crocus Hill cooking school. Becker and Kayson’s other restaurants remain open. “I’ve been writing restaurant obituary after restaurant obituary for months,” said Rick Nelson, Star Tribune’s restaurant critic. Erik Forsberg, restaurateur and

“The reserved Scandinavian DNA has fallen away a bit, and as other immigrant cultures moved in there’s a much more adventurous, culinary curiosity that’s benefited this region” — Rick Nelson, Minneapolis Star-Tribune board member of the MPLS Downtown Council, shares his three downtown locations are still closed. “You have a city where the majority of people working downtown don’t live downtown and they’re scared to come back. I’ve diverted a lot of

our resources to new suburb stores now.” Weinhagen estimated that downtown Minneapolis now sits at around 15% occupancy, which is

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A sampling of the delicious seafood dishes from The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Minneapolis, MN

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DELIVERING WORLD CLASS SERVICE TABLETOP CONSULTING

DESIGN & BUILD

FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

JANITORIAL & PPE

PAPER & DISPOSABLES

“Partnership means something very specific to

Hersheypark. The Singer team truly embodies our idea of a partner by not only delivering world class products, but more importantly delivering world class service. These food and beverage spaces began in 2019 and are greeting guests for the first time in 2021 and never once in that 2 year journey did Singer’s commitment to supporting our project waiver. We were confident that they would deliver on our supply needs while remaining true to our Fun to Table concept - and that they did! ”

www.singerequipment.com

Brian Dailey, Managing Director of The Downtown Restaurant Group overseeing The Chocolatier Restaurant, Bar + Patio, Hershey, PA

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

STELLA ARTOIS TEAMS WITH NYC SEAPORT EATERIES TO DRIVE REOPENING

ew York is dead. New York is never coming back. Everyone left the city for good, – said no real New Yorker ever! With millions of locals getting back in the New York groove by reuniting with their loved ones at their favorite eateries, Stella Artois is bringing together the city’s top restaurants as the spot to reconnect while savoring a refreshing beer, gourmet food and music. As part of the brand’s all new “Your Table Is Ready” summer campaign, Seaport Artois will extend table service for restaurants during an extra competitive patio season and offer exclusive pizzas from the best kitchens in town with 100% of event proceeds benefiting New York restaurants and the James Beard Foundation. Stella Artois is using chef’s interpretations of pizza as the centerpiece of the summer long campaign. Chef Trigg Brown & Josh Ku from Win Son will served their first

pie ever with a focaccia style pizza smeared with fermented bean curd, parmesan, mushroom powder, wilted/dried marinated cherry tomatoes and finished with thai basil. Chef Emma Bengtsson from Aquavit will take a Nordic approach on the slice with a sourdough pizza comprised of hay smoked fresh cheese, new potato, pickled red onion, whey bechamel and cured pork fat.  Additional pizza party headliners include: Chef Erik Ramirez of Llama Inn; Chef Alex Raij and Eder Montero of La Vara and Chef Hugue Dufour of M. Wells.   “I fell in love with New York because of its multi-cultural restaurant scene. Where it wasn’t out of the ordinary to meet your friends at 2 a.m. for some bone marrow and fried oysters,” said Chef Emma Bengtsson. “I am thrilled to see that we are slowly returning to that reality again. To me it’s what New York is all about and I can’t wait for Seaport Artois to sit down with friends

“Stella Artois is so excited to continue our support of the restaurant industry by bringing New Yorkers back together to savor life, enjoy some of their favorite staples, and remember what makes this city so special.” — Lara Krug, VP of Marketing, Stella Artois. on the pier and enjoy the summer.” Developed in partnership with the restaurant relief organization, Summerlong Supper Club, these five chefs’ creations will be available week over week, alongside a surprise pinnacle NYC guest restaurant tied to special themed dining experiences. The program began last month with “Iconic New York” featured Italian staple Don Angie “Pride” took center stage to show your support of LGBTQIA+ owned restaurants. This month, “NYC Flavors” ( July 8) will feature a toast to the diversity

of food across this fine city. “Street Culture” ( July 22) will salute the NY street food and culture that is unlike anywhere else. Next month will feature “Comeback” (August 5): A one-night only appearance from a beloved spot that closed its doors over the last year. “New” is schedule (August 19) to raise a chalice to welcome a new restaurant in the city that’s raved about.  Running for six weeks, your table at the Seaport Artois will be open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The pre-fixe evening will cost $50 and feature an amuse bouche, a selection of exclusive pizza interpretations, two chalices of Stella Artois, a sweet treat, DJ entertainment and exclusive access to Seaport Artois. Guests can also visit the Seaport Artois gift shop powered by Uncommon Goods that will be stocked with merchandise that are inspired by and pays tribute to New York City. “All summer long, Stella Artois is championing the long-awaited return to restaurants, so it only made sense to go big in one of the most iconic food capitals of the world,” said Lara Krug, VP of Marketing,

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REOPENING STRATEGIES

WITH LAURA CRAVEN

TAKING THE PRESSURE OFF OF STAFFING ISSUES WITH AN UPDATED CLEANING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

ith the reopening of restaurants and food service operations, operators are having to figure out how to do more with a smaller staff. One of the ways to ease the burden of having a smaller staff is by using smart and efficient cleaning technologies. There are several options I suggest for maximizing cleaning and sanitation efforts to ensure guest satisfaction, compliance with health codes, and reduce labor costs. The first option I recommend is a commercial dish machine. Commercial dish machines are available in a variety of configurations from small undercounter models that might be used in a bar area or café to large conveyer models for

An additional benefit of a CMS is its ability to reduce cost for the operator, a ready-touse quart of glass cleaner is approximately $3.00 and a quart of the same product that is dispensed through the CMS is $0.30. large restaurants and hotels. These machines are more efficient and effective than manual ware washing. They use much less water, about 5% of the water needed for a 3-comparment sink set up. Additionally, commercial dish machines can automatically regulate the proper amounts of detergent, sanitizer, and other chemicals, which can help an operator stay in compliance with

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health codes. When considering what dish machine to purchase it is important to consult with an experienced supplier. There are high-temperature models which require less chemicals and low-temperature models that are more energy efficient and less expensive. Each situation is unique. Another critical aspect to consider when looking to purchase a dish machine is if the supplier can maintain the machine. Only professional technicians should perform maintenance and repairs. Choose a supplier that offers installation and 24/7 emergency service as part of the contract. The second option the I think operators should consider when looking to reduce labor cost and possible health code violations, is a Chemical Management System (CMS). A chemical management system is a mechanical dispensing system that mixes the appropriate amount of concentrated cleaning chemical with water as it fills a spray bottle,

Laura Craven is the Vice President, Marketing & Communications at Imperial Dade. Laura oversees marketing and corporate communications for Imperial Dade, a national distribution company headquartered in Jersey City, NJ. Her responsibilities include marketing communications, brand and reputation management, internal and external communications, experiential marketing events, and media relations. Laura has been with the company for over 16 years and has contributed to the organization’s growth and brand awareness. A LEED AP, Laura consults on sustainability initiatives and as a GBAC Trained Technician she assists customers develop cleaning programs.

mop bucket, or pail. Similar to a commercial dishwasher this automation can help to properly regulate chemicals such as glass cleaners, disinfectants, degreasers, and floor cleaners. An additional benefit of a CMS is its ability to reduce cost for the operator, a ready-to-use quart of glass cleaner is approximately $3.00 and a quart of the same product that is dispensed through the CMS is $0.30. There are thousands of dollars to be saved by eliminating the shipping of water-based product to your restaurant or foodservice establishment. Just like dish machines, the CMS equipment requires routine maintenance to ensure it is working properly and to prevent problems. I strongly urge you to make sure that installation, maintenance, and 24/7 repair service are a part of your contract. Finally, an area that is often overlooked when people think of implementing advanced cleaning technologies, is a restaurant’s floors. There are micro scrubber

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The

Kitchen

ADAPT, ENHANCE, ENDURE. Mix & Match Solutions Tailored to Your DINE-IN, DELIVERY, GRAB ’n GO, or RETAIL Needs

Visit waringcommercialproducts.com to calculate how quickly you will see a return on your Waring Kitchen investment.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13

PROVISIONS PREVIEWED

WITH LMT PROVISIONS

MADE IN AMERICA: CHOCOLATETOWN OPENS OUTSIDE HERSHEYPARK

hey called it Operation Milkshake. Brian Dailey was on a mission, enlisting the team at Singer Equipment Company to find the perfect milkshake glass for The Chocolatier at Chocolatetown, which opened this summer. “We wanted the modern glassware to complement those only-in-Hershey elements with a nod to our history,” says Dailey, Managing Director of The Downtown Restaurant Group overseeing The Chocolatier. After much review, the result was sweet relief, and a trifecta of Americana: milkshakes, Hershey chocolate and Libbey glassware. “Working alongside Libbey on this project was a great experience,” says Jacqueline Leifholt, Sales Support Specialist who works with Hershey at Singer. “They knew how big it was and how important it was to get Hershey

what they needed for such a special restaurant.” Finding the perfect product is always joyous. It’s no surprise that the opening of The Chocolatier by Hershey is bringing smiles to lots of faces this summer. The restaurant is like no other, with a suite of customized tabletop and furniture made just for Hershey. “Our tabletop team at Singer is unmatched,” says Rick Snyder, Senior Account Executive at Singer. “There aren’t a lot of companies who have a consultative service at the level we offer.” Elite Global Solutions melamine boards and Frieling fondue pots host an impressive chocolate presentation, while G.E.T. Enterprise’s custom fabricated Ferris wheel is sure to turn heads whenever it leaves the kitchen. A custom Lodge cast iron skillet shaped like a Hershey Kiss is a true feat of both en-

The custom G.E.T. Enterprises Ferris wheel designed exclusively for Hershey.

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gineering and design, fabricated in the heart of Tennessee. The wooden tables themselves are also made to order in America. “There’s nothing more American than Hershey,” says Tanya Spaulding, Principal of Shea Designs, the design firm enlisted on the new opening. “It’s a business that’s influenced by the whole world, but distinctly American, created by one of early century leaders. This project became a storytelling exercise. There was such a rich history to draw inspiration from.” Hershey’s specialty has always been in the art of crafting original experiences. Its roots can be traced to 1880, when Milton Hershey founded the Lancaster Caramel Company, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Chocolatetown is an ode to Mr. Hershey’s journey, and his story is painted throughout the new space. Like everything executed by the Hershey team, nostalgia is key but keeping things current was equally important when planning for this $150 million expansion. When designing the space, no stone was left unturned. The opening of Chocolatetown represents the largest capital investment in Hershey Entertainment & Resorts history. Throughout Hershey’s saga of becoming an American foodservice powerhouse (the brand’s resume is boastful: chocolate manufacturer, amusement parks, schools, hotels, a stadium and more), Hershey selected a locally trusted supplier, Singer, as its partner. Singer and Hershey have been growing together ever since. “Partnership means something very specific to Hersheypark,” says Dailey. “The Singer team truly embodies our idea of a partner by not only delivering world class products, but more

Sarah Bulmer is the Marketing Manager for Singer Equipment Company, supporting strategic communication with Singer’s diverse range of hospitality clients and manufacturer partners. She studied Journalism & Mass Communications with a focus in food writing at the University of Iowa. Sarah is based in Brooklyn, New York and can be reached at sbulmer@singerequipment. com.

importantly delivering world class service. These food and beverage spaces began in 2019 and are greeting guests for the first time in 2021 and never once in that 2-year journey did Singer’s commitment to supporting our project waiver. We were confident that they would deliver on our supply needs while remaining true to our Fun to Table concept - and that they did!” The industry is faced with an underlined moment of reflection. Now more than ever, consumers are quickly realizing the importance of sourcing sustainably, thoughtfully and locally. American-made products are having their moment in the sun. At Singer, this is not just a trend. We remain committed to ensuring our partners are set up for lasting success. It’s why we’re trusted for generations. Learn more today by emailing marketing@singerequipment.com.

BURRATA

Soft and delicate, with a slightly sweet, milky flavor, BelGioioso Burrata is made with hand-crafted Fresh Mozzarella filled with Stracciatella, a mix of soft mozzarella shreds and cream. Enhance your menu by creating a deluxe Caprese salad with spooned sections of Burrata beside ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Or enrich your pizza or pasta by topping with a garnish of this fresh, creamy cheese just before serving. Available in 2 oz., 4 oz. and 8 oz. Burrata balls, 4 oz. balls with Black Truffles, and 8 oz. and 1 lb. Stracciatella. For more info and samples, please contact: foodservice@belgioioso.com 877-863-2123

belgioioso.com/Foodservice

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FIORITO ON INSURANCE

WITH JOSEPH TORELLA

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSIDERATIONS DUE TO HOSPITALITY BUSINESS DOWNSIZING

or many hospitality businesses, downsizing due to impacts of the pandemic, has been unavoidable. In fact, almost four in 10 of all the U.S. jobs lost since February of last year haven been in the leisure & hospitality industry, according to a 2021 Department of Labor (DOL) national jobs report—triple the number of the next-hardest-hit industry and accounting for 39%1 of all jobs lost to pandemic. Not only is this a serious concern for business owner but layoffs, which have long been a time-tested means of reducing organizational cost, are typically a chosen strategy when there is an adequate planning window to consider all the options, balance the positives and negatives, and ultimately take the appropriate ac-

tion. However, the pandemic didn’t provide employers, especially those in the hospitality industry, the required lead time to assess layoffs as a strategy; rather, layoffs became a natural reaction to a cataclysmic event – a self-preservation strategy that offered the necessary tactical response. However, now, as we return to a “new normal” and recognize that the benefits world will continue to evolve, we must embrace change and take a more strategic view of the road ahead. So, what should we do collectively, and just as important a question, individually? • First and foremost, we can expect that the dramatic decrease in staff may have had more than a ripple effect on our employee benefits options –and therefore, the strategies

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we must now apply to optimize our results. Reducing staff, without question, had an immediate and substantial impact. However, there are longer-term implications that are equally concerning. • For some employers, the layoffs and change in employee base may have completely changed the complexion of how your organization chooses benefits and the options from which those choices can be made. Managing your employee benefits program may have taken a very wide turn – at least when it comes to the medical plan options. • Managing your health care insurance program may be very different than it was 15 months ago. From an employee perspective, latent demand is likely to exist if you haven’t adjusted benefits in the past 15 months. For those operations that have moved from qualifying as a large employer to now operating as a small group, there are several benefits considerations to be aware of. The Affordable Care Act’s Employer Mandate (which became effective on January 1, 2016) requires businesses to offer every employee health insurance and will now identify organizations with 50 to 99 lives as “small businesses.” Please keep in mind that each state can operate very differently in terms of the definition of large or small group, how plans are rated and how benefits are impacted by mandates (e.g. in NY, the line of differentiation is 100 eligible employees). • Keep in mind that whether the line of demarcation is 50 or 100 employees, small groups typically have little to no underwriting flexibility – the rate is the rate; the ability for

Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President with HUB International Northeast, a leading global insurance brokerage, where he specializes in providing insurance services to the restaurant industry. As a 25+ year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Robert has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments. Robert can be reached at 212-3382324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.

Joseph Torella is the Employee Benefits President of HUB International’s Northeast and East Regions, responsible for the overall management of the Employee Benefits operations and serves as a member of the Executive Ma na ge me nt Team. Mr. Torella holds over three decades of insurance industry experience. During this time, he has been a continuing education instructor and is a distinguished speaker/ editorial contributor on many topics including consumer-driven healthcare, transparency, managed care and related health care trends. He can be reached at 212-338-2111 or joe. torella@hubinternational.com.

a customer to begin ‘enjoying’ such flexibility (known as experience rating) typically begins when an em-

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NEWS

By Alycia June Cahn

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

TRACKFORCE VALIANT BRINGS COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF SPECIALIZED PAYROLL AND HR SOLUTIONS TO HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

ormer independent companies Trackforce, a front-end solutions company, and Valiant, a payroll and back-office solutions company, merged to create Trackforce Valiant, a new powerhouse in restaurant and hospitality management. Trackforce Valiant serves as a holistic solutions company, offering restaurants their services for frontend, back-end, and everything in between. Trackforce Valiant specializes in payroll that caters to the restaurant and hospitality industry, allowing for a fluid workforce and specific compliance regulations. Trackforce Valiant prides themselves in their ability to understand the complexities of hospitality management with respect to different types of shifts, front-of-house vs back-of-house, tip pooling, meal credits and other wage and labor requirements. Their software takes into account all of these different nuances and looks at it from a compliance

Tim Lozier, Trackforce Valiant’s VP of Strategic Communications

point of view to make sure an employer is running or calculating something like payroll with this industry compliance already in mind. Over the last year, the hospitality sector experienced an almost complete lockdown of the industry. Especially with such a large number of furloughs, lay-offs, and hour reductions throughout the pandemic, it became increasingly challenging for businesses to even operate, let alone run a complete payroll or HR department. This really gave Trackforce Valiant a window to step in as a service partner to their clients, proving especially helpful while business owners were trying to navigate early COVID legislation such as federal aid or the Paycheck Protection Program. The team at Trackforce Valiant worked closely with their clients to help them understand both the eligibility and application aspects of these new programs. It was not so much of a financial gain for Trackforce Valiant as a company to do this, but more about the creation of true client partnerships, letting these business owners know that they have their backs even during these most unprecedented times. “We’ve always aimed to do that, and this time of need only emphasized that already existing relationship.” says Trackforce Valiant’s VP of Strategic Communications Tim Lozier. The team at Trackforce Valiant defines compliance as truly transparent. Whether that be for breaks, tips, or other fair labor standards, it is imperative for businesses to be both organized and candid. Trackforce Valiant is catching what may fall through the cracks with other payroll and time-

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“Our remote onboarding solution has become a big benefit for many of our clients, so once an employee finally does come onto the team, all of that prior legwork is already handled.” — Tim Lozier keeping services through their team’s expertise of the hospitality and restaurant industry. So much of compliance is about understanding where the employee information resides and how it should connect to the other aspects of a business. Almost every HR system has a place that all their important documentation lives—pay rates, deductions, tax codes, etc.—but what sets Trackforce Valiant apart is that they’ve found a way to connect all this documentation to the payroll system natively. It is not uncommon for a restaurant employee to serve as a hostess one night and a waitress the next, and nuances such as the different pay or tip percentage between those two positions can becoming confusing and difficult to navigate. But Trackforce Valiant understands and embraces this to build a system to easily accommodate such workforce fluidity. They have expertly adapted their technology and systems to best fit the nature of the restaurant industry. Especially with the labor shortages as a result of the pandemic, this flexibility is more important than ever as waitstaff may be taking on multiple roles at their restaurant. As things begin to open back up and return to capacity, the new challenge for Trackforce Valiant and their clients is rapid onboarding. They want

to allow for more remote-based onboarding processes. Now living in an increasingly post-covid world, it becomes more important to decrease in-person exposure prior to employment as well as appropriately allocate resources such as labor as restaurants return to capacity. “Our remote onboarding solution has become a big benefit for many of our clients, so once an employee finally does come onto the team, all of that prior legwork is already handled,” Lozier explained. “This is especially beneficial for hospitality owners and managers as it alleviates some of their administrative burden, allowing them to focus on bringing customers back into the establishment physically. This completely remote onboarding process was made possible through Trackforce Valiant’s partnerships with various onboarding and applicant tracking systems. We’ve created a system that can integrate with multiple hiring platforms and their apps, that becomes a seamless Trackforce Valiant experience.” From payroll to onboarding, Trackforce Valiant offers the restaurant and hospitality operator an easy to navigate portfolio of solutions. “Our goal is to enable our clients to do what they do best: create a memorable dining experience,” Lozier concluded.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19

BUSINESS LAW FOR THE REAL WORLD

WITH CHRISTY REUTER

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR RESTAURANT’S RETURN TO (THE NEW) NORMALCY

fter months of complying with CDC guidelines and citizens receiving their vaccinations, the State of New York has been granted access to reopen. However, there is a fine line, especially in the busy city of New York, about how we go from social distancing and wearing masks to the type of “normal” we were familiar with in 2019. It is expected that those individuals that have yet to be vaccinated continue wearing masks under the CDC’s guidelines. As a Partner and Chair of Meister Seelig & Fein LLP Hospitality Group, I understand how restaurants and businesses specializing in hospitality can prepare to adapt to a new normal. While the reopening of the State and City is an exciting time for res-

Many hotel operators are looking for a “signature” restaurant that they can position as a centerpiece in their marketing as they get ready to re-open and welcome back their business and tourist guests. taurants that have been anticipating reopening their doors and welcoming guests back, there is a large group of people who remain cautious. There is a level of confusion and uncertainty when customers walk into stores-- Should I wear a mask? Do I need to even if I am vaccinated to be on the safe side? There is also no requirement to prove you have been vaccinated, which I think leaves

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some people feeling uneasy and hesitant to trust those around them. It’s understood that you can still get Covid even if you have been vaccinated, so doing everything possible to make customers feel safe is important. For those spaces that are open to full capacity, I think it is smart for the entire staff to continue wearing masks to ensure customers feel comfortable. We need a period of transition to get back to what we think normal should look like. The next key issue are the lessons learned from the ferocious high demand for grant money from The Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Almost all of my clients whom I advised in applying, have received money and are on their way to making smart business decisions with these funds. With the Replenishment Act being proposed for an additional $60 billion for the RRF, I continue to encourage eligible businesses to apply. I can’t emphasize enough, whether it’s our firm or one of the many quality firms that specialize in restaurant and hospitality, invest the money to get the help to guide you through the process. It will pay for itself many times over.

Christy Reuter, Chair of the MSF Hospitality Group, has more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality sector and specializes in domestic and global hospitality transactions and expansions. She regularly guides clients through their day to day issues, providing advice and review of employment and contractor agreements, as well as agreements with vendors and third party service providers. Ms. Reuter provides strategic legal and business counsel to clients in all aspects of their business including new ventures. Ms. Reuter negotiates lease transactions, license and management agreements and advises on company structuring and joint ventures with her experienced and practical insight.

The next item is, once you have the funds – how to use them wisely. We all know that these funds can prove to be extremely beneficial as businesses in NYC reopen to full capacity. This can be confusing as the City threatens to take back outdoor space that isn’t being actively utilized by restaurants who have begun to move the core of their operations back inside to dining rooms. Maximizing outdoor spaces for the warmer weather is smart, but don’t put all funding towards this. You need to hedge your bet with the chance that the outdoor dining spots may be taken away with the election of a new Mayor in New York City. Among the really interesting trends to follow as we find this new normal, will be the tracking of the take-out and delivery growth that came from the Pandemic. It certainly remains a huge asset for the foodservice industry as full capacity indoor dining is welcomed back. I think it may need a fresh look, which starts with considering to invest in your own employee

continued on page 100

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

TREND TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

NABEEL ALAMGIR,

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, LUNCHBOX

hen it comes to digital marketing and ordering solutions for ghost kitchen and brick and mortar restaurants, businesses are turning to Nabeel Alamgir, Co-founder and CEO of Lunchbox. In 2019, Alamgir launched the collection of enterprise solutions that redefine the digital restaurant experience and created a successful company that promotes a healthy culture, diversity and mentorship. Tell us about your background. I was born in Bangladesh, moved to Kuwait 7 years later, and to

Queens, NY, seven years after that. As a teenager, I took a position as a busboy at Bareburger, learned English on the job, and worked my way up to CMO of the company before starting Lunchbox. It was at Bareburger that I saw first-hand how predatory third-party delivery apps (like GrubHub) take massive percentages (30% on average, per transaction) from restaurants and I was totally fed up. Fast forward to 2019, my partners and I launched Lunchbox, a food-tech company that planned to solve for all of that by putting the power back into restaurateurs’ hands via sleek, best in class and user-friendly online ordering solutions. What is Lunchbox’s role in the food service industry? Your clients? Our role is quite simple: we want to make the lives of restaurateurs easier. We work with our clients — including Bareburger, C3, Umami Burger, Clean Juice, Honeygrow,

Nabeel Alamgir, Co-Founder and CEO, Lunchbox

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Bareburger and Tacombi — to create omnichannel (or “first-party) online ordering solutions and bespoke apps, all while sharing guest data to inform marketing campaigns and stellar guest relations. On the other side of that same coin, one of our major goals is to eradicate the need for third-party. We feel, plain and simple, that platforms like Grubhub, are extremely predatory to the hundreds of thousands of restaurants it services through its core model and infrastructure. Where they take large percentages while adding literal and figurative bulk to the situation, we provide clean, user-friendly and low-cost services and the independent and enterprise levels. Tell us about the company culture, diversity and mentorship. At Lunchbox, we take a restaurant-first approach with our client and a people-first approach when it comes to our team. We are firm believers in empowering our staff to grow and be their best, but at the same time, I keep the door very open for feedback on ways that I can improve as a CEO. We definitely have an “open door” policy in that way.

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

Culture is key for us. Amid the pandemic, our remote team has maintained a connected and engaged company culture. With clubs spanning a myriad of topics/subjects — from LGBTQ to Cooking — meeting virtually, the team has dedicated time to nurture interests and passions while at work. Similarly, diversity is a major focus for our company and teams. I’m a first generation American and feel passionate about supporting other people of color. I’m proud to say that 42% of staff identify as POC and 50% of our leadership team is female. As mentioned, supporting team growth is important to us, so we offer a generous education stipend — covering nearly any opportunity brought to the table in the name of growing professionally. To that avail, mentorship is huge within

continued on page 98

“Since our launch in 2019, we’ve been growing at a really fast rate [740%]. The biggest thing I can chock this up to is staying true to our restaurant-first approach and always bringing best in class digital solutions. Of course, a whole lot of hustle comes along with that — our development teams are constantly working to ensure we are ahead of industry standards when it comes to technology for our clients.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

PLANT BASED SOLUTIONS

WITH BEN DAVIS

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF A $325 PLANT BASED MENU

fter the pandemic shut down restaurants across the city, chef and owner, Daniel Humm, is ready to reopen New York City’s three Michelinstarred restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. This reopening will reveal a new 100% plant-based menu that costs it’s going to be healthier, it’s going to not help but draw the media’s atten$325 per customer. Although plantbe more sustainable, and we’re only tion from across the world. I imagine based options are becoming increasgoing to charge you the same price. people flying in to try Eleven Madison ingly popular, this announcement is From what I can tell, the menu looks Park’s plant-based meals, to try someunprecedented for a restaurant of this to serve artfully crafted plant-based thing no one else has done before. caliber. meals from vegetable ingredients. A Not only has this announcement In planning our yearly shows tolack of reliance on plant-based meat created excitement but has left many gether in New York and London, I can’t alternatives, leaves the restaurant shocked. Headlines continuously emtell you how exciting this news is for solely dependent on a quality produce phasize the $325 price per customer. the plant-based community. There distributor for whole food ingredients. However, people must understand this is simply no precedence for a chef of People might assume a plant-based meal charge is the same as it was prea restaurant this size to commit to a meal would be cheaper than a meal of viously, pre-pandemic and pre-menu change across their entire menu. Othpremium meat such as filet mignon, change. I understand the surprise ers that have stepped into the plantbut there are back-end costs many do people might express concerning the based space have for the most part canot consider. Plant-based ingredients price, but it’s completely justified. tered to a flexitarian crowd and made require less resources and energy to People will pay a premium for healthy conservative menu changes to see produce, but meat products have a food. They are used to paying more for what would stick. much more established supply chain healthy or sustainable products. What Every time someone has taken a and subsidies attached to them. One Daniel is doing here is saying, we’ll leap in furthering what is happenmust also consider the challenge of cook you just as delicious of a meal, ing in the plant-based creating an entirely space, they have been new menu. rewarded both finanHumm has spocially and through the ken to his decision media. It’s riding on to switch to a plantthis consistent success based menu as influthat people who pioenced by the lack of neered this new shift guarantee that protein are seeing. products will conHumm’s decision to tinue to be available create a 100% plantin the future. I agree based menu creates with this vision. Meat a bigger splash than products have steadily simply incorporating decreased in quality meatless options into over the years, and the their previous menu. land needed to proThis drastic change is duce these products certainly more notecontinues to disapThe lavish interior at Eleven Madison Park’s dining room worthy, one that canpear. When you look to

Plant-based ingredients require less resources and energy to produce, but meat products have a much more established supply chain and subsidies attached to them.

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Ben Davis programs the world’s first and only fully plant-based trade expo and accompanying news site and newsletter. He developed the original concept of Plant Based World Conference and Expo for trade show management company JD Events, inspired by his own personal plant-based journey. The event launched successfully in 2019 in the U.S. at the Javits Convention Center in New York City and is currently in the launch phase of a European show to debut in London in 2021. Ben’s mission is to make delicious, natural foods accessible to everyone. He believes that diet and lifestyle are the keys to a balanced and prosperous future for all beings on Earth. Outside of his work in food, Ben is a music producer and performer under the stage name Vibe Street. His greatest joy is making people smile, dance and come alive to the magic of the present moment. Ben is determined to spend his life building community and celebrating this mysterious human experience to the fullest

the future, there is simply not enough Earth to continue to create these products in the long-term. We have a steady declining meat product quality and a time limit on how much we can produce, so I say that this concern is accurate. A shift from a reliance on meat products to plant-based products needs to happen in order to keep feeding people. I believe now that Eleven Madison Park reopens its doors with this newly crafted menu, this shift will continue to progress. I expect huge success for Humm with this concept. I think we’re going to see a lot of money coming in and a lot of people following suit, and I enthusiastically await to see how this move will expand the plant-based space. I applaud Daniel Humm for being a leader, and for taking the first big step needed to inspire other people to join him into making a difference within the food industry.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

NEWS

EVENT SOLUTIONS

by Easy Ice COO John Mahlmeister

HOW TO MAXIMIZE ICE SUPPLY WHEN CATERING OUTDOOR EVENTS

rom dinners to weddings to mixers, summer has a way of turning events outdoors. While summer brings the perfect weather to host outdoor parties, the heat can cause a few bumps in the road for party planners and caterers. It can be difficult to keep enough ice on hand in the heat and while ice is never the talk of the party, it will be if it runs out. At Easy Ice, we have a few tips for maximizing ice supply when catering outdoor events. How Much Ice is Needed? When planning a party, caterers focus on details like food, cocktails, or flowers, but ice is just as important. Factoring in the amount of ice needed to keep both food and cocktails cool for hours is key. Outdoor heat tends to make guests thirstier and ice melts faster during the sum-

mer, which means guests will be running back to the bar more than usual. The rule of thumb is to purchase one pound of ice per person and multiply that by how long the event will last. When the party is outdoors, that amount of ice doubles. For example, if there are 10 guests at a three-hour outdoor event, 60 lbs of ice will be needed. If the engagement also requires keeping food items cool, you’ll need to secure additional ice for that, and factor in temperature and whether the food storage will be insulated or not. When Should Drinks be Put on Ice? If drinks are thrown into stocked iced bins right before an event, chances are they will still be warm when the guests start arriving. Ice cools a 12 oz bottle faster than put-

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The rule of thumb is to purchase one pound of ice per person and multiply that by how long the event will last. When the party is outdoors, that amount of ice doubles. ting it in the freezer, so make sure beverages are nice and cold by putting them on ice around 15 minutes before the event starts. For larger bottles like champagne or 2-liter sodas, it takes 20 to 30 minutes. If the event calls for lots of bottles and cans in one large ice bin, they will need to sit at least 30 minutes prior to the event. What Are the Right Types of Ice Cubes and Storage? Different types of ice cubes are used for different reasons and occasions. For example, an open bar will need diced or crescent shaped ice cubes to prevent splash back when the drink is poured. For outdoor events, solid ice cubes should be used over nugget ice because it won’t melt as fast. To keep the ice cold, the type of container used to store the ice also makes a big difference. While metal beer troughs may look more professional, its crucial to go with plastic coolers when hosting a party in hot weather. This is because metal transfers heat to ice faster than plastic. It’s also recommended to have two separate supplies of ice. If beers and sodas are placed in an ice bath, it’s important to encourage guests not to use that bin to toss additional cubes into their cocktails to avoid

transferring germs and debris from bottles and cans. Plan to have two separate supplies of ice, one for bottles and cans and another for drinks. Be sure to supply guests with an ice scoop so they don’t use their hands and contaminate the supply. When catering events during summer months, knowing the amount of ice needed and how to use it will keep guests cool for hours. Following the above rules will help guarantee a successful outdoor event. John Mahlmeister is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Easy Ice. Easy Ice is co-headquartered in Phoenix and Marquette, Mich., and is the national leader in the full-service ice machine subscription industry with warehouse and distribution facilities in Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City and Orlando. Since its founding in 2009, the Company has rapidly grown its ice machines under management to 25,000 units across 47 states. Easy Ice’s commercial ice machine subscription programs include installation, cleaning, preventive maintenance, repairs, backup ice, and peak demand ice. The Company operates under three brands: Ice Masters in Kansas and Missouri; Automatic Icemakers in Chicago; and Easy Ice in all other cities and states. For more information, please visit www.easyice.com.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

MEDIA CORNER

With Joyce Appelman

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

BOOKS, TV, FILM, AND PODCASTS

WHAT WE’RE READING:

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO: of what we eat, deepening every cook’s appreciation for what’s on their kitchen counter. What’s Good a layered, insightful, and utterly enjoyable meal.

IN THE LIFE OF LOI: MEDITERRANEAN SECRETS Host Maria Loi, executive chef of the critically acclaimed Loi Estiatorio restaurant in Manhattan, shares thousands of years of knowledge baked into Mediterranean cuisine. Maria brings us to the rooftop of the historic Hotel Grande Bretagne in the heart of Athens and overlooking the Acropolis where she’s joined by Michelin star chef Asterios Koustoudis, then island hopping across Greece while learning about local ingredients and serving up the secrets to making some of the region’s most classic dishes. PBS Food celebrates a love of food and cooking with the best recipes and fresh ingredients. Watch the series on PBS Food on YouTube or Facebook channels. ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN Almost three years to the date of his death, a new documentary has dropped exploring the creator’s past and tremendous influence on the food industry. Directed by Academy Award winning director Morgan Neville, the documentary explores the life of the chef piecing together footage from around the world, past interviews, and current interviews with his friends,

fellow chefs and closest associates. Now in theaters, or watch it when it airs on CNN and on the HBO Max Matt Sartwell, Managing Partner, Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore in New York City shares his book reviews. WHAT’S GOOD? by Peter Hoffman A memoir by the pioneering chef What goes into the making of a chef, a restaurant, a dish? And if good ingredients make a difference on the plate, what makes them good in the first place? In his highly anticipated first book, influential chef Peter Hoffman offers thoughtful and delectable answers to these questions. “A locavore before the word existed” (New York Times), Hoffman tells the story of his upbringing, professional education, and evolution as a chef and restaurant owner through its components—everything from the importance of your relationship with your refrigerator repairman and an account of how a burger killed his restaurant, to his belief in peppers as a perfect food, one that is adaptable to a wide range of cultural tastes and geographic conditions and reminds us to be glad we are alive. Along with these personal stories

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from a life in restaurants, Hoffman braids in passionately curious explorations into the cultural, historical, and botanical backstories of the foods we eat. Beginning with a spring maple sap run and ending with the late-season, frost-defying vegetables, he follows the progress of the seasons and their reflections in his greenmarket favorites, moving ingredient to ingredient through the bounty of the natural world. Hoffman meets with farmers and vendors and unravels the magic

FRANTZEN By Bjorn Frantzen Inside Sweden’s sole Michelin 3-star restaurant This handsomely photographed, printed, and bound book showcases the work of Chef Bjorn Frantzen at his eponymous restaurant in Stockholm. Presenting the chef’s work seasonally, in dramatic full-page images, Frantzen demonstrates confident creativity and an awareness of world culinary traditions. An egg tart “Hong Kong style”—with black truffle, roasted yeast chantilly, and salted raisin toffee—draws its inspiration from Portuguese pasteis de nata as well. Grilled white asparagus is matched with young coconut, roasted coffee and a lemongrass velouté. A delicate mushroom-miso vol-au-vent incorporates the flavors of sake, juniper, and galangal root.

Each dish has been arrestingly photographed and is accompanied by notes from the chef on its origins and inspiration. Detailed recipes appear in a separate section at the end of the book. Fully clothbound in a deep navy blue, it has its title stamped on the front cover in copper foil and a matching iridescent copper full edge stain. FOOD WITH MARK BITTMAN Former New York Times food journalist and #1 bestselling author Mark Bittman (How to Cook Everything, Eat Vegan Before 6:00) has a love for food and a passion for food issues. He explores all aspects of food - from what to have for dinner, how to raise healthy children, and how to make a perfect meringue to big picture questions about climate change, sustainability, and global hunger. Each week, Mark talks with celebrities, cooks, chefs, farmers, activists, policymakers, and foodlovers about the role of food in their lives, what they love to cook, and

the ways that food impacts our society. Mark offers handy cooking tips, recipes, answers to your questions, and much more! Listen on Apple Podcasts. PLANT OUT LOUD Cookbook author Kristin Donnelly talks about plants, shares gardening tips, plant-based eating insights, lessons in herbalism, and more during interviews with experts. Whether you’re a novice gardener, chef or restaurateur curious to learn about

botanicals and plants tune in to the podcasts. Listen on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, PodParadise THE ZABAR’S PODCAST The Zabar’s Podcast explores the history and personalities behind one of New York City’s most beloved grocery stores. In each episode, fourth-generation deli man Willie Zabar talks with employees, customers, culinary experts and co-owners Stanley and Saul Zabar. In Episode 2, Willie learns all about

the Coffee Department from Saul Zabar, about his 50 years of experience selecting the coffee beans, while David Zabar offers a glimpse into how the store handles more than 400,000 pounds of coffee per year. Later, Willie learns how to scoop and grind beans from Eric in the Zabar’s Coffee Department. Also hear from professional coffee expert Erika Vonie about the science and techniques behind brewing the perfect cup of joe. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

HOSPITALITY MARKETING

WITH REV CIANCIO

THE TOP 5 SUCCESSFUL MARKETING TIPS, TRICKS & TOOLS EVERY RESTAURANT NEEDS TO KNOW What you need to stop and start doing NOW to attract and retain more guests

alk down any street in America. How many restaurants will you find? Seriously, is there a strip-mall anywhere with just one restaurant? Consumers not only have a myriad of restaurant options to feed their needs but now restaurants are getting into the game with in-store dining options and more prepared foods. Heck even banks now have coffee shops in them! The choices are unlimited. So what makes somebody choose a restaurant for their next meal and

more importantly, what makes them keep coming back? Cue Steve Harvey, “What is the top answer? … Good food, convenience, great service, word of mouth …. these are table stakes and something EVERY restaurant, regardless of size, service model or number of units, will tell you they have. The truth is that all of these are a factor but the way people discover a restaurant is through marketing and advertising. Yes, some people find new restaurants because they walk or drive

by one but hoping someone passes in front of your store is not a successful marketing plan. Successful restaurants are not just marketing to attract and retain customers, they are fine tuning their efforts to draw in the right person and get them coming back over and over again. Think about it. Do you eat at the same three restaurants all the time or are you constantly seeking out new places to eat? As consumers, we are loyal and we are lazy. We have a favorite place for coffee, quick lunch on the

David “Rev” Ciancio is a former New York City bar owner and knows exactly how hard it is to operate and brand a hospitality business. He is now a hospitality marketing consultant, customer and technology evangelist with more than 20 years experience in B2B digital marketing and business development, specializing in hospitality marketing, content, local SEO, reputation management and influencer marketing. He helps technology companies, brands and restaurants to acquire and retain customers. Rev is known as an “expert burger taster,” pens hospitality and marketing tips on his Instagram @revciancio, as well as his LinkedIn Profile. He believes that Pizza is a religion.

go, pizza on a Friday night and a nice restaurant where we like to take Mom out. Once we find a restaurant we love, we order and order and order again. So given all the competition, what can you do to outperform them? 1.Tell your followers what to do next Brands often think posting organic content to social media sites like Facebook and Instagram is a great way to attract new customers. The truth is that most people dont follow a restaurant brand on social media unless they have already had a brand experience or plan to in the near future. So who is following your accounts then? Current guests and likely your content doesn’t give them instructions on what to do next. The wrong way: Posting pictures of food with some witty or creative text that doesn’t also give them instructions on what you would like them to do. The right way: Give clear calls to

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Individually frozen vacuum-packed Fisherman’s Pride® Brand fish fillets are skinless, boneless, fully trimmed, and packed with only the finest quality available. Our Flounder, Grouper, Snapper, and Tuna are all wild caught and 100% all natural. Our Salmon are frozen IVP skinless, boneless, farm raised and 100% all natural. Count on Fisherman’s Pride® Brand, for the best seafood quality and value on the market.

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

KIMBERLY BROCK BROWN A

Celebrity Chef and President, American Culinary Federation

s the country recovers and restaurants shake the restrictions of COVID-19, chefs today face an ever-shifting set of problems. In order to survive, kitchens have had to become more creative and adaptable than ever. To see what chefs are really up against, Total Food Service has sought out the insight of Kimberly Brock Brown, the recently-elected president of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The ACF is now the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America with over 14,000 members in 170 chapters across the U.S. offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship, competitions, and accreditation. The ACF is also home to the ACF Culinary Team USA, representing the country in international, culinary competitions. As the first person of color, first woman, and first pastry chef to be elected President of the ACF, in the organizations 91 years of existence, Kimberly Brock Brown looks to bring about meaningful change in her two-year tenure. Brown takes us inside the ACF to reveal the unique challenges chefs today face as well as her hopes for the ACF’s future growth and direction.

continued on page 34

Kimberly Brock Brown, Celebrity Chef and President, American Culinary Federation (Photo courtesy of ACF)

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Food-safe disinfection made easy. Electrostatic is the solution your restaurant needs to keep every surface germ-free, from tables to food-prep surfaces. Electrostatic sprayers from Victory Innovations® are easier and faster to use than traditional cleaning methods — and the electrostatic charge provides full, even surface coverage. They’re compatible with any water-based chemical, which means you can choose the disinfectant that best suits your needs.

Shop Online: allenbrothers.com - or - For Chefs: chefswarehouse.com July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33

Q&A

KIMBERLY BROCK BROWN, from page 32

As the National President of the American Culinary Federation, please share how you first got interested in cooking with our readers. Growing up in Chicago with two parents who loved to cook, I was always around good food. We were always cooking in my house, always in the kitchen, and I just fell in love with it and knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. When I was 19, I got a job waiting tables and every now and then the cook wouldn’t be there for breakfast, so I would get in the kitchen and experiment, just try to figure stuff out and feed the customers, but I really liked it. From there I got an apprenticeship working at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Dallas, TX, and I was loving it— I was like a sponge. I learned all kinds of skills from a staff of professionals and it was a really great environment. I had a great mentor who taught me how to make pastries and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since! What made you decide to run for President of the ACF? I’ve been a member of the ACF since 1981, but never at ACF have I seen what I wanted to see. I’ve never seen as many women and people of color in leadership positions as I think there should be. I remember one convention dinner sitting there and thinking that the awards just kept seeming to pass along to the guys up there on the stage, you know, all the white guys. I know it and people know it, but this needs to be changed. But I didn’t know what that change would look like. I just got sick and tired of not seeing females and people of color in leadership positions, representing the whole. Two or three times at ACF events I felt like I was second class. There have been too many times where I’ve been the only per-

son of color or female in the room. So finally, I said to myself, okay, somebody needs to run, and I thought, well, why can’t I? As the first woman and person-ofcolor to be elected president of the ACF, what challenges do POC and female chefs face in the ACF? I think there are a couple of things that make it difficult for POC and female chefs to reach positions of leadership in the ACF. First, there’s a lot of “master chef intimidation” where if you want a position you have to go up against a veteran, seasoned chef. It can be difficult to take on a more experienced chef, but you really have to stick to what you know and believe in yourself, as cliché as that sounds. The other challenge is just understanding the rules and requirements that go along with taking leadership positions. But once you check that box it’s easy to get involved and to be empowered. I have a lot of hope right now, actually. There are a lot of women and a lot of people-of-color in the pipeline right now that are talented chefs and excellent leaders in the ACF. It’s really about taking advantage of opportunities and putting yourself in the position to lead. It also helps just to see other women, and other people-of-color, in those positions of power leading the organization. That kind of representation and that, “she’s like me and look what she did”, goes a long way. What do you want to get accomplished this year? What I really want is to have a better relationship with our students. I need to elevate what we give to our students and the commitment our students give to the organization. I mean, our organization’s age aver-

continued on page 36

34 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

Q&A

KIMBERLY BROCK BROWN, from page 34

age is 60, so we need to engage the youth now, more than ever. I would really love to expand our mentorship program and make it a bylaw that every chapter president and every person who sits on the board of directors adopts a mentee—a culinary student or recent graduate. Young and emerging chefs need to have more input, more direction, and more support. We also have a Young and Emerging Chefs Club currently and I would love to put the president of that club on the national board. We want the ACF to be sustainable and the young chefs, they’re the voice of our future.

takeout, delivery, or dine-in, we are still essential people. People have to eat everywhere and we have to feed them, regardless of the circumstances. It’s not like our profession is going away, but you have to figure out a way to feed people good food safely.

The restaurant industry has not been immune to national labor challenges. How might restaurants be able to adapt to these difficulties? Retaining and training staff has been one of the biggest difficulties in the industry for the past couple months. The bottom line is that we all have to get creative. I’m telling other peoWhat does the ACF offer ple who are in restaurants. chefs throughout their caWhy can you not cross-train reers? your staff, so that the salad The networking and eduperson can cover prep, and cational opportunities that work on the line as well. the ACF offers are really unYou can also rotate a crossparalleled. The ACF essentrained staff. That’s going to tially gives emerging chefs a make it so that another staff cache of resources and menmember can have a day off. Kimberly Brock Brown, Celebrity Chef and President, American Culinary Federation (Photo courtesy of ACF) tors that they would not othYou’ll have a happier crew erwise have access to. The and a happier crew works ACF also gives any member better. When there are fewer careers. livery sales, do chefs in the ACF access to certification courses rangpeople out there to hire, you have to Why would you not want to bemiss the satisfaction of in-person ing from nutrition to sanitation to improve and train the staff already long to an organization that is there service and making patrons happy, management. When you’re looking employed. for your benefit to guide you in your or is it enough to simply manufacfor a job an ACF certification stands career and teach you the skills you ture food? out and gives you verified merit. Chefs today have to be culinary need to be successful? You can’t get I think some chefs miss seeing The ACF really certifies a chef as a artists, businesspeople, and overthat anywhere else. diners face-to-face and some chefs professional and provides an orgadon’t. I think it’s important to renization of mentors that can create With the surge of takeout and demember, whether the service is continued on page 38

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

Q&A

KIMBERLY BROCK BROWN, from page 36

all problem-solvers. How can chefs be prepared to meet all these demands? It’s crazy today but it’s true; you have to be a jack of all trades and master some of them, too. That’s exactly why the ACF offers such a range of educational classes. We have tradeshows and visitor mentors who come in and cover anything from the latest appliance to basic plumbing. We want all of our chefs to be prepared for whatever challenges they face. The industry is about to be the recipient of $26 billion in grant funding. What impact do you see this relief having on your constituents? It’s no secret that restaurants across the country are still struggling. My biggest hope with this fund is that people know how to apply for it and get access to it. I hope that the funding goes to people who need it, not the restaurant owners who have been comfortable for the

When you’re looking for a job, an American Culinary Federation certification stands out and gives you verified merit. The ACF really certifies a chef as a professional and provides an organization of mentors that can create careers. Why would you not want to belong to an organization that is there for your benefit to guide you in your career and teach you the skills you need to be successful? You can’t get that anywhere else. past few months or the big corporate chains, but the people who are actually struggling. What do you think of recent food trends, as we look at a world of plant-based and health-focused food? At the ACF we want to provide any chef looking to cook great plantbased or vegan food with the re-

sources to do it. Right now, we have a committee working to create a certificate for that kind of cooking. A lot of the chefs teaching courses on vegan cooking have even worked that diet into their own lives. It’s clear this trend isn’t going anywhere so we want to make sure that we can educate the next generation of chefs, regardless of what they want to cook.

What are the next steps for readers interested in more information about the ACF? For more information visit https://www.acfchefs.org/ or call (800) 624-9458. Article contributions Bedingfield

continued on page 40 38 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Hank

BOOTH #1101

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39

COCKTAILS TO-GO FOR THE WIN

WITH FRANCINE COHEN

DRINKING IN CHANGE Francine Cohen is an awardwinning journalist covering the business of the f&b/hospitality industry, and a proud native Washingtonian (DC). In addition to her work as a journalist she keeps busy fundraising for Citymeals on Wheels, Les Dames d’Escoffier, NY Women’s Culinary Alliance, and the USBG Foundation and serves as chief storyteller and brand steward for clients in the food and beverage sector by providing them with strategic marketing and business growth guidance. She has never met a cheese or beverage she does not like, and lives with her husband in New York; leaving him behind to visit New Orleans every summer. (Except this one. Darn pandemic.) You can reach her at francinecohen@mindspring.com

onday through Sunday, it doesn’t matter what day you open up the business pages of your favorite newspaper, you can count on seeing yet another story about the labor shortage in the hospitality industry. And, inevitably, some financial wizard or politician will be claiming “free money” is hurting our businesses who are struggling to staff up, and that the way to turn this around and get all those bartenders, cocktail servers, bar backs and more back into their jobs is to cut off their unemployment. Well, maybe…or maybe not. Or rather, “free money” isn’t the whole picture. And if the hospitality industry doesn’t get serious about making changes to its broken model, then the labor shortage is going to keep being a problem. And all the application and hiring incentives in the world won’t fix it. We know that at Total Food, and you probably did too. But for those in the back we thought we’d sit down with Kim Haasarud, President of the United States Bartenders Guild and see what her members are saying and how they’re approaching a return to work. Maybe we’ll all learn something. There have been numerous stories in the news over the last few months about labor shortages in the hospitality industry. Many of them, whether anecdotally from the ownership side or externally from economists/financial analysts, and politicians, are pointing to unemployment supplements as the explanation for why there aren’t enough job applicants. But that’s not the whole picture, is it? KH: We have been reading a lot of articles about the labor shortages and even seen politicians blaming these hardworking bartenders for being lazy and preferring to collect a check. It’s

disheartening to read. And it’s not exactly what is going on. The enhanced unemployment payments are an easy thing people can point to and it’s easy to politicize the message that you can’t compete with free money. But what they’re not looking at – and this is happening in other industries besides hospitality – is that pandemic has afforded people the luxury of time, luxury to reevaluate, prioritize, and re-assess their lives. They are not just looking at their job as a paycheck, they’re asking themselves, “is this what I want to do is it going to make me happy? This re-evaluation and exploration of opportunities outside of hospitality, where is it leading them? KH: For example, I talked with a bartender who determined during the pandemic that he wasn’t going to return. He had majored in computer science and loved programming languages and so during the pandemic he did all the research, studying and preparation he needed to and now instead of returning to the bar he’s creat-

40 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ing his own software company. I know others who say, I’ll go into real estate and try that, or my uncle is in mortgage banking, that seems lucrative, I’ll do that. While certainly for people out of work that’s not a luxury situation, but time is. What did this introspection reveal? KH: Shutting our bars down absolutely offered the luxury of time spent on reassessing lives and pursuing hobbies and entrepreneurial interests that generate revenue. And it has really shined a light on people having a lower tolerance for toxic environment. One only needs to read the Anthony Bourdain book “Kitchen Confidential” to get a whiff of what some of these kitchen/restaurant/bar environments were like initially. In those places, which had a low bar to entry to begin with, staff forgave a lot of bad behavior because of bundles of cash you took home – bad behavior was sort of swept under the rug in exchange for taking home a lot of money. I once worked at a place where there

was a sign on the door in the manager’s office that said, churn ‘em and burn ‘em, don’t get attached. It was a sign of the culture reflecting how expendable workers were. Intended as a joke, but not funny in actuality when you’re telling someone you don’t care about them because you can replace them next week. So, a toxic work environment isn’t cutting it. And shouldn’t; should it? KH: No. That’s what we need to change. And we need to change our guest interactions too. We love creating warm and welcoming environments and bending over backwards to accommodate our guests, but it can’t be to the detriment of the staff. And the power of the yelp reviewer, social media, etc. means that pleasing them at all cost comes at a high cost for the employee. FOH and BOH bear the brunt of that. So, if bars – and restaurants – are going to find that adequate level of staff that they need to profitably run their establishment somethings

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BOOTH #3071

SPECIALTY ICE

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

NEWS

by Brian O’Regan

TAKEOUT & DELIVERY SOLUTIONS

DOMETIC DELIBOX CAN REDEFINE DELIVERY FOR OPERATORS

s a result of the pandemic, foodservice operators and restaurant owners have seen their businesses shift from in house dining to take-out and delivery. One of the problems with take-out and delivery is the challenge of an insulated bag good in keeping food at the perfect temperature. Sweden’s Dometic has solved that issue with their new DeliBox. Dometic has made it so that food can be the perfect temperature when it reaches its destination. With its dual zone technology, DeliBox can hold both hot and cold foods simultaneously allowing restaurants and foodservice operators

to deliver the perfect meal every time. “If you would like you can have the whole box hot or cold. Operators need a combination to match their menu profile. With the DeliBox they can deliver a warm pizza and a cold beer at the same time,” said Dometic’s Chief Marketing Officer, Peter Kjellberg. “So if you can get both in the same package that is the ideal situation, and you can get both with our solution.” The last year has brought a new focus on the safety of food In addition to keeping food hot or cold, depending upon the food service operator’s preferences, the DeliBox can also keep food sanitary with its built-in air purification sys-

“It is no longer unusual to see a $40 filet mignon being delivered. So, the high-end operator that may have previously hesitated to enter the segment, can now find a solution to protect both their food and reputation with the DeliBox.” — Peter Kjellberg tem. “When we were designing the DeliBox we looked at other food transportation units and safety was secondary to heat. It’s an uncomfortable feeling to not know what your food is being stored in when it is being delivered to your customer,” said Kjellberg. “Since we have

The insulated Dometic DeliBox can be mounted on mopeds and motorcycles and provides a new way to deliver food safely, efficiently, and as it was made.

42 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

this technology in many of our other products, we decided to integrate it into the DeliBox. In this day and age with all of the awareness surrounding viruses and bacteria, we felt that it was important to design a product that is easy to clean. Additionally, the DeliBox has an interior surface that has disinfectant technology that reduces bacteria build up and odor.” The Dometic team also understands the importance of being able to include the latest Takeout and Delivery technology into their DeliBox solution. By using smartphone integration, Dometic has taken additional steps to ensure that the food that is placed in their boxes stays the right temperature and is untampered with. “You can in practice check two things that are important to you and your product. First, you can check the temperature of the food. If you are a fine dining establishment and you are delivering fish or meat you can ensure that the food is being transported under the conditions that it should be,” said Kjellberg. “Secondly, you can see if someone has opened the box during transportation. Normally, there

continued on page 110

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

NEWS

LEGISLATION

NYC CITY COUNCIL SETS SIGHTS ON PREDATORY THIRD PARTY DELIVERY PRACTICES

ew York City is on the verge of allowing restaurants to have more control over their own deliveries. Mark Gjonaj, a Bronx City Council member and chair of the Committee on Small Business, is set to introduce a new bill on Thursday that would make it illegal for third-party delivery companies to add restaurants to their apps without explicit permission — and would fine the companies as much as $1,000 a day, per restaurant, for violating those terms, according to a version of the bill. “Often in cases where a restaurant doesn’t want to be included on a thirdparty marketplace, it’s because they lose quality control on the food, and they give up having a direct relationship with their own customers — both put restaurants in a no-win situation,” Gjonaj said. “Now more than ever, locally owned restaurants should be able to control their business and how it operates. If they want to sign up for a delivery service, then great. If they don’t, they shouldn’t have to grovel to tech companies and hope to be taken off of a platform that may be harmful to their business.” The law, should it pass, would potentially double penalties imposed by a state bill from Staten Island state senator Diane Savino that nixes the practice statewide. The state bill, which passed both legislative houses in May and will go to the governor for review in the next few weeks, also allows restaurants to pursue legal action against third-party delivery companies for adding them. And it’s coming as city lawmakers are looking to redouble their efforts to rein in the middleman apps, just as restaurants that survived the pandemic are able

“With the struggles that restaurants have faced over the last year, this legislation will help ensure that they are not taken advantage of,” — Diane Savino to return at full capacity. “With the struggles that restaurants have faced over the last year, this legislation will help ensure that they are not taken advantage of,” Senator Savino said. Surreptitiously adding restaurants has been a delivery practice for years. DoorDash and Postmates, now owned by Uber, were exemplars of the practice, and used it to fuel their Silicon Valley–style growth. Seamless, the parent company of Grubhub, soon followed suit, adding hundreds of thousands of restaurants in a race for market domination. While the growth has been undeniable — especially during the pandemic — it’s still a generally unprofitable industry. Before the pandemic, New York City’s restaurants, would typically partnering with third party delivery apps despite the 30 percent they’d charge in fees. But once the city locked down, restaurateurs cut ties with the apps. Many opted to reach out directly to customers by putting flyers in people’s takeout orders asking them not to use the apps, and retrained service staff so they could do delivery work. Yet the Grubhub, Seamless and Postmates kept coming. Even though there was no contractual relationship, the delivery sites continued to leave the restaurants on their sites. Not only were they still charging his customers fees; they were using old menus, promising customers meals

44 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

they hadn’t made in years. That led to confused and upset customers, negative reviews, and a general frustration that tech giants are gaining from his business and leaving him with little to show for it. By the time the pandemic started in March 2020, tension had been building for years between New York City’s restaurant industry and these techenabled delivery companies. Seamless and DoorDash, they complained, charged extremely high fees, discouraged indoor dining — where restaurateurs typically make more per meal — and actually made it more confusing than before for some customers. By May, just a few weeks into the lockdown, the City Council had passed a suite of emergency laws temporarily capping fees and reining in their ability to charge commissions for orders made through their phone systems— a situation that’s had the potential to cost restaurants thousands of dollars extra a month. Those bills expire this August, and Gjonaj’s office is planning on holding a hearing later this month to discuss making them permanent as well as making phone-ordering fees more transparent. “My colleagues and I are currently considering whether it is needed to temporarily extend, make permanent, or allow the laws to sunset,” Gjonaj said. The reaction from delivery companies has been mixed. Uber declined to comment. DoorDash had already an-

nounced in November that it was ending the practice of adding restaurants to the platform without their explicit permission, though it has retained the ones that it already listed, according to a person familiar with the business. “We’re proud that the odds of staying in business during the pandemic are eight times better for restaurants on DoorDash, and we commend efforts to support local merchants and ensure that they are heard,” a DoorDash spokeswoman said. Grubhub, which started adding these so-called non-partner restaurants only in 2019, didn’t directly address questions about the new bills, but said it’s supportive of local restaurants that want out. “We’re developing tools that make it easier for restaurants to claim their menus or request to be removed from our platform, and if a restaurant would not like to be included on Grubhub, they can reach out to us at restaurants@grubhub. com,” a company spokesman said. New York has generally been among the most aggressive states in pushing back against the delivery companies. While the restaurant industry has been battered by the pandemic Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, noted that there are still about 130,000 fewer jobs in the city — lawmakers have been more receptive to getting them back. “We need to have penalties for non-compliance,” Rigie said. ”Many of these are billion-dollar corporations. We’ve seen they are willing to exploit local restaurants, they try to creatively wiggle around laws so they don’t impact them, and even in cases when laws are in effect, they willfully break them.”

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45

NEWS

CULINARY EDUCATION

HOPPER BRINGS PASSION FOR PIZZA MAKING TO OVEN MANUFACTURER FORZA FORNI

mong the hidden gems in the Metro New York foodservice community is the knowledge of Peter de Jong. He may not be a household name but for pizza professionals across the globe, his knowledge is simply unmatched. His vision has led to the growth of Forza Forni, into global leader and supplier of authentic Italian ovens for commercial, mobile, and residential use, Forza Forni de Jong understands that pizza making is an art form and as such sees a responsibility to help create an educational track to ensure that those skills are readily available. With that mission in mind, (L-R) In the FORZA FORNI Test Kitchen: Founder & CEO Peter de Jong with Chef Mark Hopper, Culinary the Brewster, NY based Forza Director (Photo: Kaarsten Harris) Forni has hired one of the nation’s leading pizza experts: entrepreneurial, and residential cliends up in the kitchen. This allows executive chef Mark Hopper entele from all over the world. me to really use all the tools I knew as Culinary Director. Hopper has a Restaurants are now seeking to this is where I wanted to be. I knew diverse background in fine and camaintain the increased Takeout & Dewhat I could bring to the table even sual dining, predominantly with the livery sales volume that are through though I’d never done it. Even though Thomas Keller Restaurant Group the pandemic. At the same time, they I never stepped foot in this building. (TKRG) as Executive Chef of Casual are welcoming back in-dining room The same way as with The French Dining, Chef de Cuisine of Bouchon guests at increased numbers as caLaundry. I did enough research, I Bistro and Sous Chef of the famed pacity limits are in many cases elimicommunicated with Peter de Jong French Laundry. Mark also founded nated. With that in mind, we sought (the founder) and the rest of the team and owned Pizzeria Vignette, recogthe guidance of Chef Hopper on how here. nized as one of most popular Neapolto balance the challenges of the “new I knew about Forza Forni because itan pizzerias in California’s Bay Area. normal” I was always trying to find out what Chef Hopper’s role at Forza Forni was going on with oven technology, was created to support all its clients So what was it that actually attractand mixers and new trends. As Forza by establishing a full-service consulted you to the opportunity at Forza Forni was always pushing and innoing program for commercial clients Forni? vating the industry So I saw it as an worldwide and an Authentic EducaI wanted to come back to New York opportunity to again grow – to be in a tion program. Hopper has taken up after 27 years living out west and be position to help others. It was a beauresidence hosted Forza Forni’s headin a kitchen at home. When there is tiful experience I met some amazing quarters test kitchen offering classes a party at someone’s home it always people and still to this day they are and demonstrations for commercial,

46 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

some of my best friends. I just think at this stage in my life and my career it was the perfect move when the world was not so much in a perfect place. It allowed me to really do what I was meant to do. How does your vision match up with Forza Forni’s? It matches seamlessly. I think it’s a great fit, organically we came to that conclusion without even speaking about it. Peter wanted more than a pizza guy. Our ovens, equipment and gear are accessible and functional for all sorts of cooking and being creative. And I’m well-traveled enough to speak to at a high level to our clients. I could be the best pizza guy in the world but if I’ve only had experience at one place for 12 years and never moved around and never saw anything else I would not have the experience that I have. This is where your life experience and your career knowledge built over 35 years or whatever that crazy number is, really comes into play. And I think if someone out there makes an investment in their business with buying one of our ovens, and basically an investment in us – on the sidecar is an investment in me. I’m honored that my background is valid, and that people want to ask questions. Not that what I say rules but I’m going to give it to you straight the same way many gave it to me straight.

continued on page 100

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47

NEWS

NEW OPENINGS

ICONIC NEW HAVEN PIZZA LANDMARK SALLY’S SETS SIGHTS ON EXPANDING FOOTPRINT

ally’s Apizza, a New Haven landmark, is opening the first of its new locations in Stamford Connecticut this summer. Since 1938, Sally’s has been bringing excitement into the hearts of pizza fans from around the world. “We’ve seen people from other states and even other countries make the journey to New Haven for our craveable tomato sauce and addictive charred pies” said Rob Nelson, Sally’s Director of Hospitality.“Our fans have been hoping for years that we would open up additional locations and we are thrilled to announce to the world that this dream is now a reality.” The first new location, in Stamford Connecticut, measures over 4,000 square feet and offers increased

seating options for customers with a mezzanine and an outdoor patio. The Stamford location will include a dedicated fulfillment area for seamless pickup, take-out and delivery. Another highly anticipated feature is the addition of a full bar where guests can enjoy craft beer, cocktails and authentic coal-fired New Haven apizza. The signature honey oak paneled interior walls will feature art and memorabilia celebrating Sally’s storied history as a favorite among musical artists, from Frank Sinatra to The Rolling Stones. Long time Sally’s afficionados can rest assured that the pizza in Stamford will be the same as it is in New Haven. A dedicated team has spent years ensuring the ability to produce the authentic Sally’s product in new

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“I am happy to see my father’s legacy carrying on and being made available to more people. I plan on making the rounds at the new locations, with an eye toward seeing the same quality product coming out of these incredible ovens.” — Rick Consiglio locations. A major part of this was engineering and building custom pizza ovens that are brick-for-brick identical to the historic coal-fired ‘magic oven’ at Wooster Street in New Haven. Another essential factor is keeping the authentic original recipe. “Sally’s is committed to using the same ingredients, recipes and tech-

niques that my father developed in New Haven decades ago” said Bob Consiglio, who plans on helping Sally’s provision for the new locations. His brother Rick Consiglio added, “I am happy to see my father’s legacy carrying on and being made available to more people. I plan on making the rounds at the new locations, with an eye toward seeing the same quality product coming out of these incredible ovens.” Krystina Nataloni, Sally’s Brand and Marketing Director said, “In designing the new Sally’s, we took inspiration from Sal Consiglio’s drive and passion for creating a product that makes people light up inside. The amount of innovation and customer-centric thinking that went into this new restaurant has made it a game-changer and we believe it will raise the bar in the craft casual category.”  Founded by Salvatore “Sally” Consiglio in 1938, Sally’s Apizza crafts authentic coal-fired New Haven apizza using traditional recipes and techniques. Sally’s Apizza is working with visionary national scale property developers to bring its craft casual culinary experience and unique brand of hospitality to fans throughout the Northeast, making it one of the fastest growing food and beverage companies in the United States.

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MEDITERRANEAN MENU TRENDS

WITH CHEF MARIA LOI

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN… OR IS IT?

o matter what season it is in Greece, there’s always a bounty of incredible produce, ready to be prepared into an exciting array of healthy, delicious dishes, both hot and cold. However, no season brings the flavors of my homeland to mind more than summer – and no color more than green. Spinach, amaranth leaves and mint are just a few examples of the leafy green vegetables that are so good for you, especially during the summer. These are versatile ingredients in the kitchen and can be eaten as salads, soups, stews, pies, smoothies, juices and so much more. All over tables in Greece, you will find ‘horta,’ or wild greens, not only as a side dish, but as a main component of every meal. Different kinds of horta grow wild all over my homeland, and some of my favorites include: • Amaranth (known as Vlita) • Cretan Chicory (known as Stam-

robust and versatile - some can be bitter, tart or have a faint peppery taste, and many have a great crunch. They’re great in salads, boiled and cooked with beans, or wilted with fish, for example. I use them as a key ingredient in stews, soups, dips, savory dishes and more. We Greeks adore their varied tastes and textures, and recognize and appreciate their incredibly vast health benefits too. Leafy greens are low in calories and packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. They’re beautiful and good for you! nagathi) • Mustard Greens (known as Horta Moustardas or Vrouves) • Dandelion Greens (known as Prasina Piklarida) • Spinach (known as Spanaki) • Arugula (known as Roka) • Chard (known as Cescula) • Chicory (known as Radiki) Leafy greens come in all sizes and shapes - flat, curvy, hearty, sturdy,

Quintessential Greek Greens: Vlita, or Amaranth for example, turns purple when you boil it, and the verdant flavor has an undercurrent of bitterness with a sweet finish that shines through. It’s wonderful in salads or used to make a risotto style dish – brighten it up with a squeeze of lemon and a generous helping of extra virgin olive oil for a light, yet satisfying summer

Chef Maria Loi is an Entrepreneur, Greek Food Ambassador and Healthy Lifestyle Guru. The author of more than 36 cookbooks, she will also host a new show, The Life of Loi, debuting on PBS in 2021, which aims to build an inspirational and educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. Her Loi Food Products, a specialty brand built on traditional ingredients from Greece, includes pastas, beans, botanical herbs, refrigerated dips, honey and olive oil sold on QVC, at Whole Foods Markets and in other stores. The namesake of three restaurants, her current one is Loi Estiatorio in the heart of Manhattan. Connect with her on LinkedIn and learn more about her food philosophy atloiestiatorio.com/chef-loi/.

favorite! Stamnagathi, a particular variety of chicory native to the island of Crete, can now be found all over Greece, but rarely anywhere else. These greens somehow embody the perfect balance of bright, bitter, sweet, savory, and satisfying, all in one bite! Often baked into pies known as ‘Hortopita’ (wild greens pie), Cretan Chicory is usually

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Uses of greens in Mediterranean cuisine include (top) Wild Green Croquettes - Hortokeftedes; (bottom L-R) Roka Salata - Arugula Salad with Walnuts and Honey, Soupies Me Spanaki - Cuttlefish with Spinach, Pea and Leek Soup - Hortosoupa, and Vlita - Amaranth (Photos courtesy of Loi Estiatorio).

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51

NEWS

GREEN & SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES

By Claudia Giunta

ECO-PLIANT GROWS FROM SINGLE STRAW SOLUTION TO DIVERSE GREEN PACKAGING RESOURCE

usinesses across the world are adapting to eco-friendly practices and products, contributing to a global movement to go green. As companies turn to locating suppliers and learning about compostable supplies, Eco-pliant simplifies the process. A solution-oriented company, Eco-pliant started as a movement away from our dependence on plastic straws, but has expanded its supply line tremendously, meeting the needs of customers who are passionate and conscientious about being environmentally friendly. Andrew Hargest, COO and cofounder of Eco-pliant, shares the vision and purpose behind the brand. “About four years ago, there

Andrew Hargest

was this huge movement away from plastic straws. My partner, Jimmy Lyons, and I were members of Surfrider (a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the ocean) and decided to become more involved in their mission and launch our own business. At the start of the shift from plastic to paper straws, it was difficult for restaurants to locate high-quality and durable paper straw suppliers. We started by solving that problem, and once we discovered there was a strong product market fit, expanded our product lines to be the Eco-pliant delivers compostable paper food packaging and restaurant supplies nationwide, one-stop-shop for ecowhile researching and developing the highest-quality product solutions to support the foodserfriendly supplies.” Hargvice industry’s growth in sustainability. est had worked for one of the largest packaging brokerage firms on the West ery operating supply item in a rescompanies, adding to its customCoast, representing manufacturers taurant’s repertoire. All things equal; er base. Hotel groups, restaurant of packaging products throughout like quality, aesthetic, and pricing, chains, and even the film and tv inhis career. Hargest and Lyons’s exmost business owners are choosing dustry utilize the digital Eco-pliant pertise in understanding distributhe eco-friendly alternative.” In desystem that just makes things easier. tion and the supply-chain process ciding how to extend their line, the However, the independent restauhas proved valuable as their reputacompany listens to the customers’ rant was and still is the core focus. tion has grown. needs and helps allocate products “We pride ourselves on being a local In addition to paper straws, Ecothat fit their sustainable brand. Adsmall business, with national reach. pliant’s broader product line inditionally, Hargest’s experience in There’s something about a smaller, cludes compostable fiber clamshells, packaging has helped establish a mom and pop business that we confolded cartons and food boxes, hot vast network of suppliers to meet nect with by sharing their core valand cold cups, and more. “One of and exceed customer expectations. ues. They want to do the right thing our goals of 2021 is to have an ecoAs Eco-pliant has grown, the comfriendly alternative for virtually evpany has earned trust from larger

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continued on page 110

BOOTH #2101

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

NEWS

E&S SOLUTIONS

KOLD-DRAFT BUILDS NEW REPRESENTATION AND DISTRIBUTION TEAM TO SERVE METRO NEW YORK

arlier this year the Ali Group added Kold-Draft to its portfolio of companies. It raised eyes among foodservice professionals who have long seen Kold-Draft’s patented ice cube as the proverbial “diamond in the rough.” “The KOLD-DRAFT acquisition is strategically important to our Group as it strengthens our position as a leader in the global commercial foodservice industry, stated Filippo Berti, Ali Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. This latest acquisition provides us with one of the industry’s most unique and well-known ice shapes and further enhances our portfolio in the ice machine segment. The addition of very strong and well-recognized brands to those of the Ali Group. “ Since 1955, KOLD-DRAFT has been manufacturing ice machines that make the only true “square cube,” utilizing their exclusive “upside-down” horizontal evaporator ice-making system. KOLD-DRAFT

machines produce pure, solid, sparkling ice that cools faster, melts slower, and doesn’t distort the taste of beverages. KOLD-DRAFT machines have a long life cycle and a three-year warranty on all parts and labor, making them one of the least expensive to own. Kold-Draft and its iconic cube have always been well known in New York City. Mixologists and their creative cocktail making have taken centerstage over the last 20 plus years. Many of the world’s award winning and visionary barkeeps call Manhattan and Metro New York home. With that many those leaders have brought focus upon the importance of the ice cube not to keep drinks cold but to be part of the recipe of a signature cocktail. “That large cube with its unique density has become an essential part of the mix,” noted Jeffrey Hendler, General Manager-New York region for Icesurance. Hendler’s firm has collaborated with Eastchester, NY based PBAC to form a new repre-

“We are thrilled to be able to offer the extraordinary level of service that our Ali Group customers have come to expect.” — Ken Harris

sentation and distribution strategy for Ali Group’s ice division in Metro New York. Hendler brings decades of knowledge to the new Kold-Draft team. “The market for a clear, square cube continues to increase as demand is now well beyond the original niche mixology segment that jump started the trend in 20072008,” Hendler explained. “Simply put, its’ popularity is the result of being a better product for any ‘on the rocks’ cocktail. With consumers paying $20 to $25 for a fine scotch, why dilute it with happy meal cubes?” The need for specialty ice has evolved. In many cases, you are now seeing an array of ice machines to handle the needs of the restaurant and food service operator, depending on the size of a venue, including a Scotsman nugget machine for julep style, a Scotsman flaker for the kitchen and then a Kold-Draft to support the cube needs of the cocktail operation.” Hendler has also had a unique insight into the growth of ice machine leasing. The Kold-Draft SC200 Series is a bar owner’s dream machine: A self contained, undercounter, full-cube “What began in the ice machine late 70’s as a financial

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solution for what may have been a startup or struggling operator has changed dramatically,” Hendler explained. “Today, many of Metro New York’s top nightclubs and restaurants can certainly afford to buy an ice machine. But what they are really after is the peace of mind that our rental program offers with scheduled cleaning & sanitizing as well as guaranteed replacement ice in the event of a malfunction.” “We’ve been doing this for a long time and the reality is with the wear and tear that a machine goes through, they will break down,” Hendler said. “So it really comes back to how much would it cost to have 500 pounds of ice delivered to Manhattan for three or four days while waiting for a service technician to comeback with a replacement part.” PBAC brings a stellar reputation to the new collaboration. They are recognized as a leading manufacturer’s rep wage in Metro New York and Upstate New York. Company president Larry Cantamessa and his team represent 20 premium manufacturers, from smallwares through heavy equipment. Since 1988, they have worked side by side leading dealers and consultants to service the needs of their restaurant, B2B and healthcare customers.

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BOOTH #1935

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 55

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 57

NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

FLYNN SHARES VISION FOR NAFEM 2021 ORLANDO SHOW Article by Wyatt Semenuk

estaurant and foodservice operators around the country are arising from the proverbial ashes. With that many industry events, conventions, and other large gatherings are tentatively working towards ending their hiatuses. With the changes in CDC guidelines, the trade show industry is set to return from a year of virtual events to in-person gatherings. With the prevalence of vaccines and new government guidelines, the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) has decided The NAFEM Show is returning to the classic, in-person trade show setting this August. The biennial event has become synonymous with the introduction of ground-breaking appliances and equipment designed to make restaurants more efficient in labor, operations and training. Many industry pundits expect that this year’s focus will be on takeout and delivery innovation. “Many of our attendees are looking to maintain the volume they were able to build from takeout and delivery during the pandemic and at the same time welcome back guests to their dining rooms,” noted NAFEM’s executive director Deirdre Flynn.

“Smart phones have had so much impact on our industry,” Flynn explained. “Whether it’s a restaurant customer ordering or an operator maintaining safe temperatures in multiple kitchens, our show reflects the very latest innovation.” “We’re trying to give attendees the lay of the land as comprehensively and efficiently as possible,” Flynn said. “We are doing a lot to make sure that exhibitors and attendees know we are committed to facilitating a safe experience. First off, Orlando is a certified global bio-risk certified convention center, so employees there are following all necessary protocols to ensure health and safety for everyone involved. We’ve also had a number of people on our show-planning team global bio-risk certified, so that they can also play a key role in keeping the event safe.” Flynn and her team anticipate a fairly normal show experience for both attendees and exhibitors. “Luckily, we are also not anticipating any limitations on how many people can enter the booths of exhibitors at one time in meeting rooms however, we will still be maintaining the required social distancing rules,” Flynn noted. “In regard to individual precautions, hand sanitization will be extremely prevalent. We will also have multiple forms of signage touching on every as-

“Smart phones have had so much impact on our industry,” Deirdre Flynn explained. “Whether it’s a restaurant customer ordering or an operator maintaining safe temperatures in multiple kitchens, our show reflects the very latest innovation.” 58 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

The foodservice equipment and supply industry is anxious to reconvene later this summer at NAFEM 2021.

pect of safety distributed throughout the event, and any booth that involves direct interaction or samples will receive a NAFEM hand-washing and sanitization station,” stated NAFEM’s long time executive director. When asked if she had any advice for attendees, Flynn urged all potential buyers to write their shopping lists with the future in mind. “If restaurants have done anything over the past year, it’s adapt. If there’s anything positive that’s come out of this whole pandemic, it’s been the realization by many restaurants that they don’t want to go back to how things were. These businesses want to keep moving forward from where they are now. Many have realized that their adaptations and accommodations have actually been improvements to efficiency and productivity, so with that in mind, I’d recommend restaurateurs keep their eyes open for products that might further build on the successes they’ve created

over the past year.” “One of the most important parts of NAFEM hosting this in-person show is what it means for the industry as a whole,” stated Flynn. “We’ve had a tremendous response from both the exhibitor and the attendee community, and honestly this is probably the very first chance the industry will have to come together again in person since the beginning of the pandemic. We’ve all learned how to make do on our own or digitally, but there’s just something special about everybody coming together physically. It’s almost symbolic in that it’s indicative of the industry’s recovery.” For more information about the NAFEM trade show, TheNAFEMshow. org is up and running and the hub for all things show-related. Attendees can register online. The NAFEM Show will take place August 26th-28th in Orlando, Florida.

BOOTH #1533

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 59

NEWS

By Hank Bedingfield

E&S MANAGEMENT

AUTOMATION AND EXCITEMENT ABOUND AS ZAKHARENKO TAKES MIDDLEBY MARSHALL REINS

iddleby Marshall, a cornerstone division of the Middleby Corporation with a focus on innovative conveyor cooking technology, has a new president. With that change has come a redoubled determination to offer operators the best product available. At the helm, Max Zakharenko is determined to confront the unique challenges facing restaurants today and offer technologically forward products that promise operators efficiency with the promise of consistent culinary quality. “When I started at Midldeby in 2012 we had only 40 brands and had just entered the residential market,” Zakharenko said, looking back at his early career with the Middleby corporate team. . “Today there are more than 100 brands in three highly-respected busi-

Max Zakharenko, President, Middleby Marshall

ness platforms. Despite this growth, our culture has not changed with a continued focus on innovation, an open forum for ideas and creativity. I’m proud that despite expansion over the past decade, Middleby continues to operate like and uphold the values of a smaller company. With our growth has come positive momentum and I am truly excited to continue my journey within Middleby in this new role surrounded by the best people in the industry.” The Middleby Corporation supports dozens of innovative brands that address today’s challenges in the restaurant and foodservice industry. One brand Zakharenko oversees, CTX, has focused on the automated baking and grilling process since the mid 1980s. In the current restaurant environment, the CTX conveyor technology is now at the forefront of oven innovation and central to Zakharenko’s efforts and commitment to streamlining food production and addressing labor challenges. According to Zakharenko, we want to revolutionize how food is cooked across the nation. “The CTX oven really automates the entire back of the house,” Zakharenko said. “You can take away the charbroiler, the griddle, the flat top, and automate that whole process.” By maximizing kitchen efficiency, the CTX takes aim at the labor issues confronting the industry today. “Finding, training and retaining workers in the current market has become extremely challenging and labor costs are quickly rising,” he explained.

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“With the CTX, operators not only save physical space and reduce energy costs but most importantly the skilled labor can be reallocated to move value added tasks.” — Max Zakharenko “With the CTX, operators not only save physical space and reduce energy cost but most importantly the skilled labor can be reallocated to more value added tasks. Ask any foodservice operator, they say their greatest challenge is finding and securing labor, and we believe the CTX is a game changer that has been established in various concepts already.” By utilizing clean infrared heat in four zones in extremely high temperatures, food can be cooked consistently and properly to a standard of quality. Food can be cooked in half the time and to a consistent and outstanding quality. “So if I throw a piece of chicken on the grill at home, I rarely cook it the same way twice. On my grill the final product is either great, or burnt and dry — It’s always a challenge,” Zakharenko said with a smile. “In just seven minutes, with a specifically set belt speed, the CTX oven cooks chicken perfectly every time. Ticket times can be cut in half and the food is consistently of outstanding quality. The oven does a terrific job on all proteins, and new customers are always impressed with the results. By the way, the CTX never calls in ‘sick’” With the tremendous demand for

take-out and delivery meals and ghost kitchens, gaining popularity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, food production has to be faster than ever and typically, it has to be made in smaller kitchens. The CTX lineup of products are determined to meet this shifting demand with state-of-the-art innovation. “Most ghost kitchens have a reduced footprint, so our products have really focused on the ability to prepare high quality product in half the traditional space ,” Zakharenko continued. “We’ve paired a CTX oven with a Pitco fryer and Blodgett Combi Oven and most operators are able to run 100% of their menu with those three pieces of equipment. Establishments have the same production capacity as a fullscale kitchen but with less than half of the equipment.” The Middelby Marshall future recipe for success will be led by Zakharenko and his proven, long-tenured team as they continue to introduce new, innovative solutions to the foodservice market. To accomplish their mission, Team Middleby is determined to spearhead change throughout the restaurant industry with creative, efficient products that feature state of the industry technology and innovation.

Take ideas from booth to business. Discover the latest foodservice trends for your restaurant. Master the

art of on-demand deliveries. Find equipment and supplies to boost your operation. Because at The NAFEM Show, you’re at the center of it all.

thenafemshow.org

NSHO 6387-05 Trade Media Management Print Ad_04_TFS.indd 1

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61 6/11/21 12:48 PM

NEWS

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY SOLUTIONS

HOBART SETS NAFEM DEBUT FOR NEW LEGACY+ MAXIMUM HEAVY-DUTY MIXERS

obart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, musthave equipment, has introduced its Legacy+® maximum heavy-duty mixers. Featuring the exclusive PLUS System — a powerful combination of

three industry-leading technologies — the mixers provide as much as 30% more mixing capacity in the same-sized bowl, giving operators the power to do more. The VFDadvantage variable frequency drive is the first of the three Hobart-exclusive technologies in the PLUS System. This technology delivers more power to the bowl to incorporate and develop ingredients, while also safeguarding the motor from overheating if the operator exceeds the rated capacity. It ensures convenient, efficient speed changes while the mixer is operating. There is no need to stop and restart the machine. VFDadvantage provides a soft-start function that gradually delivers power to the mixer as it increases speed to prevent ingredient splash-out and protect the motor. It also has an ultra-slow stir speed that allows ingredients to be mixed slowly and thoroughly. On the 80- and 140-quart mixers, VFDadvantage allows for the new FastStop feature — the ability to bring all moving parts to a complete stop in three seconds. In addition to VFDadvantage, the PLUS System offers a maxi-

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VFDadvantage allows for the new FastStop feature — the ability to bring all moving parts to a complete stop in three seconds. mum-capacity overheat protection. The Legacy+ mixers feature heavyduty wiring and connections that can handle more power, resulting in higher production and reducing thermal cycling impact. The mixers also feature a reinforced planetary shaft system that drives additional power to the bowl by way of an optimized shaft geometry and allgear-driven transmission for highcapacity output. Legacy+ mixers are available in eight sizes, ranging from 12 to 140 quart, and include four mixing speeds, along with a SmartTimer™ feature that counts time up and down to help operators when they are creating new recipes. Hobart has included more of its exclusive technologies on the new Legacy+ mixers. Quick-Release™ agitators include a pin to lock them to the shaft, eliminating the up and down movement associated with bayonet-style agitators and making installation and removal quick and easy. Adding to the ease of use is a single-point bowl installation, the swing-out bowl and a bowl guard that can be removed without tools for dishwasher cleaning. A Triple Interlock System with MagnaLock™ technology prevents the mixers from starting unless the bowl is in

the fully locked position and the bowl guard is securely in place. The new Legacy mixer is the latest from Hobart, an ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand. The company will once again bring its mission of providing premium food preparation equipment that foodservice and food retail professionals can trust to work hard and deliver quality, consistent results day in and day out to the annual NAFEM Show. With a focus on empowering the foodservice professional to focus on what they love most—creating great food for great people, the full Hobart line will be on display in booth 2171 at NAFEM ‘21 slated for August 26th-28th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. From one plate to one thousand, Hobart helps you satisfy every appetite. Whether you need to mix, chop, grind or peel, its legendary equipment is the perfect partner. The line is backed by a nationwide network of 1,500 factory-trained service technicians, that are always nearby to install, maintain and service your equipment. Hobart is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) and is proud to be an ENERGYSTAR® Partner of the Year since 2008.

BOOTH #2171

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

NEWS

PLANT BASED SOLUTIONS

SIMPLE FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS THAT WIN THE HEARTS OF DINERS

Cheese spreads can be made without cheese, such as this one that is made with macadamia nuts and cashews.

By Adam Wilson, Senior Manager, Culinary Exploration, Vitamix®

aturated fats, added sugar, and dairy are three food categories that some healthconscious diners are aiming to limit these days. They are also three things that make food taste good, so this sets up a challenge for chefs. Fortunately, there are natural, plant-based substitutes that can be used across the menu, without significant compromise to taste or texture. As a member of the Vitamix Culinary Team, I work collaboratively with chefs across the country, and I am always impressed by their ingenuity in substituting common ingredients for traditional standbys. Nondairy Milks, Creams and Cheeses There are a host of alternatives to

traditional cow’s milk, and many can be made in-house with a high-performance blender. Oat milk, for one, has been all the rage, but there are other popular options, including milks made with almonds and cashews, that may stand up to heating and frothing better. Another entirely feasible option is making dairy-free milk with some combination of these ingredients, such as raw cashews plus rolled oats, coconut flakes and water. Cashews are an extremely hardworking replacement for all types of dairy products, as they can be blended and whipped to create everything from sour cream to salad dressing. One of our favorite recipes is an entirely plant-based lasagna that uses cashew cream in place of ricotta or mozzarella cheese, alongside wholewheat lasagna noodles. It’s a comfortfood hit with diners who prefer plantbased options, as it delivers all the

64 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Cashew cream, consisting of raw cashews whipped in a high-performance blender, is a hardworking substitute for dairy cream or cheese.

luxurious texture, warmth and flavor of traditional lasagna. To create the cashew cream, add about two cups of raw cashews to the Vitamix with one cup of water, as well as some lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt or other flavoring (e.g., basil, oregano, garlic, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard). Hold back on some of the water and add it sparingly during the blending, as needed. Among the vegetables, consider mushrooms for their umami flavor. Cooked red lentils will add a meat-like texture to the marinara sauce, if desired. Parmesan cheese is a desirable topping for the lasagna, but for those interested in a nondairy alternative, cashews again provide a tasty substitute. Crush them in the Vitamix, adding nutritional yeast, garlic and/or onion powder and salt. Another option is hemp seeds, with the same supporting ingredients. With the hemp seeds,

there is no need to blend the ingredients; just stir them together. Fruit, Without Added Sugar For diners aiming to avoid added sugar, fruit is a good option. The sugar in whole fruit is combined with fiber, which slows down the rate of absorption in the body. Fruits like berries and apples also contain nutritional benefits (e.g., flavonoids and antioxidants). Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries are all relatively low in sugar and make for delectable and visually stunning desserts. For recipes that call for more sweetness, consider dates, raisins, prunes, bananas, dried mango and apricots, which are higher in sugar than other fruits but also contain fiber. Medjool dates are particularly popular, appearing in many recipes from smoothies

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BOOTH #2143

SEAR, ROAST, CHAR, BAKE, & STEAM

Bakes Up To 60% Faster AUTOMATED PLATFORM Designed to cook, bake, broil, sear, steam, or roast FASTER COOK TIMES Bakes 30% to 60% faster than traditional cooking methods CONSISTENT PRODUCT Automation prevents over or undercooking, perfect every time LABOR SAVINGS CTX users have reported thousands of kitchen labor hours eliminated per year SELF CLEANING Push the self-clean button at the end of the shift with no other labor needed FOOD SAFETY Independent studies found the CTX oven eliminates 99.99999% of bacteria SPACE SAVINGS Only piece of equipment needed – replace your convection ovens, griddles, charbroilers, and microwaves

www.middmarshall.com

[P] 877-34-OVENS

[E] sales@middleby.com July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

LEGAL INSIDER

FROM ELLENOFF GROSSMAN & SCHOLE LLP

COOPERATION AMONG COMPETITORS: RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

ederal antitrust laws, which includes the Sherman Act, Clayton Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, are sometimes described as being highly mysterious and shrouded in technical, economic terms. In truth, they are simply the legal embodiment of economic theories of how free markets should function. First enacted in 1890, they were initially intended to address businesses engaging in anticompetitive behavior by raising prices to restrict competition. Therefore, from the beginning, practices that affect price have been subject to the most rigorous antitrust scrutiny because price is considered to be the very life blood of competition. It is important that potential members of a joint venture or a group of competitors (such as hotel or restaurant trade associations) determine if their plan subjects them to potential governmental scrutiny. Federal and

By combining resources, competitors can complement each other in the marketplace, spur innovation and bring new product and service enhancements to bear which can increase competition and reduce costs to consumers. state enforcement agencies are armed with powerful civil and criminal remedies intended to punish and discourage violations. At the federal level, the primary agencies responsible for enforcement are the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”). At the state level, attorneys general enforce state law equivalents. Moreover, enforcement is additionally supported by the ability of private parties to bring their own lawsuits for violations. Conversely, courts and economists

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have long recognized that lawful collaboration among competitors can benefit the parties and society at large. By combining resources, competitors can complement each other in the market place, spur innovation and bring new product and service enhancements to bear which can increase competition and reduce costs to consumers. To assist potential collaborators, federal agencies have published guidelines intended to guide businesses in the best practices for structuring and operating collaborative activities to ensure that the pro-competitive benefits are realized and that safeguards are in place to avoid any potential anticompetitive results. Of course, the parties can (and should) conduct their own analysis with legal counsel including consulting the published guidance referred to above. But more specific advice may also be available. Businesses may request a Business Review Letter (“BRL”) from the Antitrust Division of the DOJ under the DOJ’s BRL procedures. The BRL procedure permits the DOJ to analyze and comment on the possible competitive impact of specific proposed activities thus possibly avoiding lawsuits or other enforcement actions under the Sherman

Robert L. Sacks is a Partner at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, and practices in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and in all phases of labor and employment on behalf of management, ERISA, principally as applied to multiple and multi-employer plans, trade association law and antitrust. Robert L. Sacks can be reached at RSacks@ egsllp.com or via phone at 212-370-1300.

Act (actions by other federal agencies and by state enforcement agencies are not implicated in the DOJ’s analysis). The FTC offers a similar service under its Staff Advisory Opinion procedure. Because the FTC tends to concentrate on the impact on consumers while the DOJ’s focuses more on the overall impact on competition within the relevant market, the balance of this article discusses the broader DOJ BRL Procedure. The BRL procedure is only available for “proposed” business activities once activities have commenced, the procedure is unavailable. The BRL request must be in writing describing the parties and structure, details of the proposed activities and may include a description of the relevant market in which the activities will occur, identification of major competitors, ease of access to the market, safeguards to

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YOUR DIGITAL WAREHOUSE FOR SUSTAINABLE & COMPOSTABLE SUPPLIES

www.ecopliant.com | info@ecopliant.com July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67

RESTAURANT EXPERT

WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS

TWO TRUTHS ABOUT RESTAURANT PROFITS

hat is a realistic profit margin for a restaurant? Have you been searching for a magic number? Do you want to know where you stack up against the competition? Are you worried that you’re leaving money on the table, or are you just looking to make money for the first time? If you’re looking for the answer, allow me to explain two truths about restaurant profits and your restaurant’s potential. Truth number one: You can’t use industry averages to run your restaurant. What do I mean by that? When the National Restaurant Association does all their surveys and compiles all the data for restaurants, they’re combining data from all kinds of restaurants, from a pizzeria to a steakhouse. They say the average res-

I really don’t want to get in the restaurant business to make a nickel on every dollar. At that margin, you’re putting your money and your future at risk, especially when you think about the chances of success. taurant makes a nickel to 8 cents on every dollar that comes in the door. That’s a profit margin of 5 to 8 percent on average. That combines the good, the bad and the ugly. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to get in the restaurant business to make a nickel on every dollar. In this industry there are a lot of challenges. It’s a tough business. It can be rewarding as hell, but at that margin, you’re putting your money and your future at risk, especially when you think about the chances of suc-

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cess. For example, several years ago Ohio State University did a study that found that 62 percent of all restaurants fail in the first three years of business. Looking at the chances of failure and a lowly 5 percent profit margin, why would you want to be in the restaurant business? Truth number two: Most independents are running their food cost and labor cost at least 10 to 23 percentage points above their targets. I discovered this in coaching independent restaurant owners just like you since 2003. I’ve based my entire business on this fundamental truth. If the National Restaurant Association says you can make a nickel to 8 cents on every dollar, and I’m telling you that you are already 10–23 points above where you should be, can you start to put those things together to see there is greater opportunity for profit if you simply learn how to manage your restaurant properly? To figure out where your profit margin should be, first you must know about prime cost way back when and prime cost now. Prime cost is the term for controllable expenses in the control of management:

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to use his trademark Restaurant Prosperity Formula to cut costs and increase profits. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits to develop to run a profitable restaurant. Known as THE expert in the restaurant industry, he uses a no-BS style to teach and motivate restaurant owners to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. Thousands of restaurants have used his formula to transform their businesses. To learn more about David Scott Peters, his formula for restaurant success, his book, or his coaching program, visit davidscottpeters.com.

how you hire, fire, train, utilize your people, purchase product and utilize that product. Prime cost is total cost of goods sold plus total labor costs, including taxes, benefits, insurance. What should your prime cost be? The old standard was a 65 percent prime cost for a full-service restaurant and 60 percent for a quick serve. That number doesn’t work anymore. It’s old school based on costs and operations pre-9/11. Costs in the restaurant industry are changing all the time. The $15 an hour minimum wage is sweeping across the country. Product costs are going through the roof. There always seems to be something impacting costs. It started with 9/11, then the Great Recession, and this last year it was shortages from COVID. Costs are going up all around you, and you cannot operate off a 65 percent prime cost anymore. Instead, if you do at least $850,000 in annual gross sales today, your new prime cost target is 55 percent or low-

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69

NEWS

RESTAURANT OPERATIONS

AVAILABLE NOW: 2 NEW VENTLESS HIGH-SPEED OVENS FOR YOUR FOODSERVICE NEEDS M TI is proud to present not one, but TWO NEW HIGH-SPEED OVENS to our ventless line! That is right, we doubled down on these fast bake phenoms to help you turn your business into a profit-making powerhouse. The MultiChef™ XS and MultiChef™ XLT are ideal for businesses like breweries, bars, coffee shops, or any establishment looking to add a foodservice program without the high costs of renovations necessary for a hood system. Our high-speed ovens are powerful, highly versa-

tile, and controlled with the press of just a couple of buttons. They are so easy to use any employee can operate them, alleviating the need for a professional cook or chef. Now, let’s take a look at the newest members of our MTI family, starting with the MultiChef XS. This sleek, compact, ventless oven is equipped with a combination of heated forced-air, convection, and microwave power, giving it the ability to prepare food quickly and efficiently. This new design also comes with an innovative touchscreen controller, making it easy to use and operate.

We always welcome feedback from our customers, and that is exactly what led to our next product announcement. The MultiChef XLT is a robust high-speed ventless oven, capable of cooking a variety of menu options and demands. This reboot of the MultiChef XL comes with a unique, user-friendly touch-

screen, making it ideal for younger staff members, or employees new to foodservice. Bottom line? Our customers wanted a variety of sizes, so we gave the people what they want! So, if you are ready to start serving all sorts of tasty treats, then our new line of high-speed ovens is just what your business is craving.

No Hoods? No Vents? No Problem!

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on page 130

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

NEWS

By Claudia Giunta

VIRTUAL KITCHENS

RICH PRODUCTS TEAMS WITH NEXTBITE FOR UPSTATE NEW YORK VIRTUAL RESTAURANT TEST

he foodservice industry is no stranger to trends, with consumer behavior and interests changing quickly within the last year of a worldwide pandemic. Among these trends is the changing role of the ghost/virtual kitchens. They have emerged as replacements or extensions of existing kitchens to support the Pandemic-driven growth of takeout and delivery. With many restaurants having to close their doors after the first lockdown, virtual kitchens offered what was in many cases was a lifeline to survival. Rich Products, a family-owned food company, spent months researching tools to help operators launch their own virtual kitchens. The Buffalo, NY innovator took a very different approach to researching and learning the dynamics of a successful virtual operation. They have collaborated with a Denver, CO-based company, Nextbite, to launch their own virtual restaurants. Prior to the pandemic, Rich Prod-

ucts recognized the ambidexterity of virtual kitchens and began analyzing and allocating the necessary resources operators would need to launch one. Having met Nextbite through another innovator in the industry last year, the team at Rich Products became intrigued by what they were building. Liza Larson, Director of External Innovation at Rich Products shared her initial thoughts when considering the collaboration: “We saw an opportunity to learn about this model first-hand by serving as a virtual kitchen for them and supporting their brands. The popular trend of virtual kitchens and restaurants was increasing in value, and we knew Nextbite would be able to provide us with the knowledge to help our customers adapt to the evolving foodservice industry.” Many businesses will have to recover from the challenges faced during the pandemic and the collaboration with Nextbite allows Rich Products to help their customers use virtual kitchens to help their business’s endeavors. The collaboration allows both Rich

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“Food quality has to be maintained through the delivery process. We tested products to see how they perform through the delivery cycle and mastered the technique.” — Liza Larson Products and Nextbite to use their strengths in the industry and develop a strategic product. Nextbite provides Rich Products with menus based on consumer insight and what is appropriate for the Western New York market. Rich Products’ chefs then build those menu concepts and have thirdparty delivery partners deliver (or fulfill) them. Larson shared that the collaboration with Nextbite is not about competing with customers but is rather about helping businesses succeed. “The program is designed to be an addition to other delivery solutions out there. It’s about learning and giving back to the industry. The existing base of third-party delivery options are not as financially stable as they could be, and we expect to learn more about the economics needed to support the trend in take-out and delivery, which we know, is here to stay.” The consumer demand is still high for delivery options and Rich Products is determined to find solutions that solve the model. With 18 months of people getting accustomed to having food when and where they want it, Larson believes take-out and delivery will become a staple moving forward. Rich’s understands that delivery processes can face challenges during transportation. Their innovative solutions allow them to provide advice on packaging until it reaches the con-

sumer’s door, keeping the meal fresh and hot. “Food quality has to be maintained through the delivery process. We tested products to see how they perform through the delivery cycle and mastered the technique,” shared Larson. Rich’s new virtual restaurants have three menu concepts: not your average grilled cheese, featuring muenster cheese and blue cheese crumble, patty melts with sauteed mushrooms and Sriracha ranch dressing, and an upscale take on mac and cheese with spicy grilled buffalo chicken. Every order is made on site. With labor challenges more prominent from the aftermath of the pandemic, virtual restaurants enable operators to conduct a light labor model. The team at Rich’s recognize labor challenges and through this pilot will be able to analyze pain points and produce solutions. The focus can be honed in on the quality of the food with light labor virtual kitchens. In navigating post-pandemic challenges, creating expanded virtual kitchens can be funded with a portion of RRF The Restaurant Revitalization Fund Funding. A collaboration with a food leader like Rich Products has the potential to maximize virtual kitchen revenue streams with minimum overhead and provides access to the expertise of one of the nation’s leading menu solutions manufacturers.

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FOODSERVICE TECHNOLOGY

WITH MATTHEW GAVIN OF RPI INDUSTRIES

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY IS ALL ABOUT PROVIDING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

echnology is always advancing; sometimes quicker than it seems we can keep up. The best thing about existing in a rapidly evolving marketplace, especially after all the change this past year and a half has brought about, is that it prompts an incredible opportunity to streamline food service operations. At RPI Industries, we look at how food service equipment can help to contribute to the patron’s dining experience. This has been especially important throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, where we had to massively shift our focus to cater to the takeout and delivery dining experience. Technologies that assist in or makes pickup/delivery more efficient like online POS systems, mobile ordering apps, and food lockers were without a doubt the most investable. Rather than abandoning these pandemiccentered innovations, with normalcy now on the horizon, I think we should be looking to merge this new reality with the one we used to know. Ultimately, what we are doing is rethinking the flow from kitchen to either dining room, takeout, or food locker which comes down to compartmentalizing, and how to best serve these different segments of customers. We must look at the segment of people who prioritize their dining experience above all else, as well as the segment of customers who just want their food as quickly, conveniently, and high-quality as possible. Moving forward, especially once the honeymoon phase of COVID restrictions being lifted wears off, we must think about how to continue to improve the in-person dining experience, while still keeping up with the contactless nature and increased safety protocols produced by the pan-

With the touch of a button, the restaurant owner could find out: When was this equipment installed? When is it due for the next service? When is the warranty expiring for this or that? demic. I definitely think the days of the salad bar are over. Socially we are more hyperaware than ever of cleanliness and disinfection protocols, and we want to keep a focus on hygiene even after seating distance and restaurant capacities return to normal. One way we have merged these ideas is by focusing on equipment used in micro-markets. Micro-markets are essentially pop-up food areas with little to no cashier service and a conglomeration of grab and go items. Most of the current micro-market solutions do not cater towards a particularly high-quality takeout experience. Meaning food and beverages may not be kept at an optimal temperature until customer pickup. Equipment such as temperature-controlled display cases and hot/cold food lockers can facilitate a more positive grab-ngo experience. Most display cases are

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oriented towards packaged goods like bags of chips and bottled drinks but can also be useful in storing things like pre-made hot sandwiches, which is still a meal without being made to order. This essentially gives you a revenue source without needing the labor force to convert that revenue stream into a profit. Anything that makes things move quickly and more efficiently translates directly into dollars. RPI has always been on the cutting edge of creating things that rethink the service aspect of a restaurant, and I think the integration of interconnected technology will help keep us there. As a restaurant or food service operation owner, the main concern is trusting that the equipment you buy is going to last and have as little maintenance as possible. Our challenge is to provide them not only with reliable equipment, but with smart, intercon-

Matthew Gavin is Vice President of New Technology at RPI Industries. Gavin hails from Moorestown, NJ. He is a graduate of Lehigh University where he earned a degree in ingtegrated engineering. His interest in Math and Science and business has found a home as he works to bring the very latest in technology to the iconic manufacturer of foodservice cabinets and display cases. He can be reached with your new tech ideas and questions at mgavin@rpiindustries.com

nected equipment as well. That is where I see us headed as part of the next generation of food service equipment manufacturers. To accomplish that goal, of producing solution driven high-quality equipment, we know that all roads lead to integration with smart phone technology. With the touch of a button the restaurant owner could find out: when was this equipment installed? When is it due for the next service? When is the warranty expiring for this or that? So, for today’s manufacturer, I think this next step forward is not about labor-saving machinery in our factory. It’s about maximizing the equipment already on the floor so that the labor staff can focus on things like quality control and customer experience. Most importantly, we want to be the answer bringing efficiency to a food service operation.

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ASK ANDREW

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

PRESENTED BY:

NEXT STEP TO GETTING OUR LIVES BACK

ate last month, the NYC Hospitality Alliance’s joined Governor Cuomo and leaders from around New York at 1 World Trade Center to announce that 70% of our state’s adults have been fully vaccinated or received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This important news means that we’ve hit a critical threshold in which the state’s COVID-19 New York Forward guidelines for eating and drinking establishments is

Now we must keep fighting to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and enact more policies that support our industry’s recovery now lifted, effective immediately, including cleaning and disinfection requirements, temperature and health screenings, collection of contact information for tracing, post-

NYC Hopsitality Alliance Executive Director Andrew Rigie shakes hands with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo at the recent event

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ing of related signage, etc. This also means that social distancing, table spacing, and barriers are no longer required. Restaurants, bars, and clubs may still implement these protocols if they want, but it is now optional. Businesses may ask for proof of vaccination from patrons through paper form, digital application, or the State’s Excelsior Pass. Alternatively, businesses may rely upon self-reporting of vaccination status (e.g., honor system), or post a sign at the front of the business asking unvaccinated individuals to inform the business of their status, in which case unvaccinated people should wear a mask if standing and not consuming food and beverage. But, businesses are not required to request proof of vaccination. We anticipate the State will release official details in the near future at which time we will be sure to share them with you. The past 16 months have been incredibly trying for our city’s hospitality industry and entire city. At times, it felt like we would never get to where we are today, especially during our darkest times. While we have lost so much and struggled, we fought and supported each other, and

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

we hope today’s incredibly important news provides a shot of optimism for the future of our industry and New York City. We saw when we opened for outdoor dining last year that dining out brought an energy and vitality to the city streets. That was critically important after the streets were desolate for months and months. Being able to dine out helped to address a lot of the social and emotional crises that the pandemic brought on our society. It provided people the opportunity to eat, drink and socialize in a socially distant, safer manner and to have some human connection. Thank you for your support of the NYC Hospitality Alliance and your commitment to safely reopening our industry. It’s still a long road to recovery, but today’s news is very important and symbolic. Now we must keep fighting to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and enact more policies that support our industry’s recovery. If you have additional questions we recommend you contact the State of New York at: nycnyf@esd. ny.gov or City of New York at SBS Hotline: 888-SBS-4NYC

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 77

NEWS

by Brian O’Regan

E&S DESIGN STRATEGIES

MYCAFE LAUNCHES NEW BAR DESIGN PLATFORM

n a world powered by technology many Foodservice Equipment and Supply Dealers are wondering how they can use advancements in technology to streamline their business and simplify their sales efforts. MyCafé Edu Inc. has provided a solution to that problem with their new Build A Bar app. The Build A Bar app will allow new sales personnel to quickly gain the knowledge needed to assist customers who are looking to get into the bar business. MyCafeEdu founder and Build A Bar Co-designer, Dallas Acuff created the app to educate and assist new Distributor Sales Reps (DSR’s) in properly assessing their customer’s needs. “We have created these simple fillable PDF forms on our MyCafeEdu educational platform that provide a list of questions that Sales Reps could take into the field to accurately specify products for customers. The transition of these informational gathering tools from paper to digital format is the foundation for the Build A Bar concept,” said Acuff. “This paint by number approach allows new DSR’s with a limited education to accurately collect the data needed to quickly price the customer’s product more accurately, saving time and money while shortening the sales cycle.” In addition to helping educate new sales reps the Build A Bar app also helps to connect representatives to customers. “In the beginning our approach was simple, to develop a series of digital tools that allowed new sales reps a fast and efficient way of engaging with customers either face to face or online. In addition to increasing the productivity and sales volumes we wanted to provide dealers a way of expanding their territories by add-

ing a share feature. Thus, allowing the sales reps to meet with prospective customers online,” said Acuff. “With COVID19 face to face meetings are not always possible. As we transition back to a new normal, the Build A Bar app’s share tab allows dealers to email their customer the design link which allows them to collaborate online with their customers.” In addition to being able to connect to customers remotely the Build A Bar app provides many other features that can benefit a sales staff. “The Build A Bar app has several unique features, the first is the automated bar wall and top function. Once the user determines the shape of the bar, they simply click on the automated bar top tool and drag the curser to the length and depth of the bar,” said Acuff. “After drawing the bar wall, they simply hit the enter tab and the system automatically adds the bar top. Back bars and center islands can be added at the

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click of a button as well.” The Build A Bar app then provides a large library of bar products to complete the spec and quotation. “We’ve set it up so that the dealer can share the full spec, but the integrity of the process enables just the dealer to have access to the drawing,” Acuff explained. Building the Bar specifications continues as the dealer rep and the potential; bar owner collaborate on the app to select a full range of products ranging from, underbar products such as stainless-steel sinks, ice bins, dump sinks, glass racks, underbar refrigeration, glasswashers, direct draw beer boxes as well as barstools, chairs and tables. Acuff’s vision is also brings a benefit to the entire E&S industry that is struggling to attract the next generation of sales professionals to dealerships across the nation. “Our learning modules click with millennials entering the job market. We are providing

“This paint by number approach allows new DSR’s with a limited education to accurately collect the data needed to quickly price the customer’s product more accurately, saving time and money while shortening the sales cycle.” — Dallas Acuff dealers with a portfolio of teaching solutions that will help dealers attract millennials to the Foodservice E & S Industry. Digital tools give the dealer an opportunity to eliminate a long learning curve for a new rep and puts them on the road to generating a competitive income with other industries,” Acuff explained. “The new generation of tech savvy sales personnel coming into the industry has grown up with technology, they are looking for ways to simplify and streamline their lives, along with their sales efforts,” “For the most part the Foodservice and Supply industry has struggled to meet this growing demand. New Digital Engagement tools, like MyCafeEdu’s Build A Bar app, will allow new sales personnel to quicky gain the experience needed to assist customers who are looking to get into the bar business.” Equipment and Supply dealers can find additional information on Build A Bar app online at https://www. buildabarapp.com, by emailing info@ mycafeedu.com, or by calling 877654-6922. Dealers who sign up in July will receive a promotional discount. View our video tutorials at: https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TjbG9VkWjDX62kcpsT1w

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 79

NEWS

By Brian O’Regan

INSURANCE STRATEGIES

HUCKLEBERRY BRINGS FRESH NEW APPROACH TO RESTAURANT PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE

ollowing a year of lost profits, closed dining rooms and staff furloughs, many foodservice operators are trying to figure out ways to protect their employees and businesses from suffering these loses again. Leading the way in helping the foodservice industry insure itself against such loses is Huckleberry Insurance. With their one stop shop ideology, Huckleberry has consolidated and simplified the process when it comes to purchasing insurance for restaurant and foodservice businesses. Founder and CEO Bryan O’Connell had this to say about Huckleberry’s ability to help their customer with their quick and easy service. “We aim to be the best one stop shop for a particular industry. If you are a retailer or a restaurant, we aim to service all of your needs. Through a

simple five-minute online application our licensed insurance agents are able to give you real time quotes with specialized knowledge of the restaurant industry.” Over the past year, many foodservice operators were told that their business interruption insurance did not cover the COVID-19 shut down and they were forced to just accept the loss in profits. To make sure something like that never happens again, Huckleberry is developing a new line of business interruption insurance to cover. “Although this product is yet to be released this product will specifically cover government shutdowns,” said O’Connell. “The idea behind this product is that it can provide restaurant owner’s piece of mind at a fairly low price. Even though this product is very complex from an insurance

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“Through a simple five-minute online application our licensed insurance agents are able to give you real time quotes with specialized knowledge of the restaurant industry.” — Bryan O’Connell and reinsurance point of view, we think it is a necessary product to have on the market.” For those foodservice operators who are questioning if using grants from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to purchase insurance is a smart investment, O’Connell has the answer. “I think it is always a good idea to be well protected as a small business. If you are not in compliance with certain insurance requirements, this is the perfect time to get into to compliance to avoid any fines or punishment. Over the course of the past year the range of things that can go wrong for a small business has definitely been brought into focus. “Purchasing the right insurance will give you, as a business owner, one less thing that can go wrong and one less thing to worry about.” In an industry built on long standing relationships, Huckleberry is here to help small businesses form a new relationship and save money. “We have seen many examples of a small business renewing their insurance based upon relationships and they end up overpaying massively year after year. At Huckleberry, we have been able to take numer-

ous businesses from an average of $12,000 premium down to a $5,000 and save 50 plus percent,” said O’Connell. “One of the key benefits of our online approach is the ability to go online and see what you would pay for insurance. With Huckleberry you can see almost instantly what you would pay without having to deal with extensive paperwork in dealing with a broker. We pride ourselves on our transparency and the ability to get our customer’s a quote in close to 5 minutes.” For those who wonder if Huckleberry is the right insurance provider for their restaurant or foodservice operation, O’Connell had one thing to say. “There’s an old AmericanEnglish saying that to be someone’s Huckleberry is to be the right person for the job. At Huckleberry Insurance, our goal is to be the right person for the job when it comes to providing your business with business insurance.” To receive a quote, read more about Huckleberry’s insurance partners or chat with a licensed insurance agent, foodservice operators can visit huckleberry.com.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81

PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

WITH DAY & NITE/ALL SERVICE’S MIKE BERMAN

PROACTIVE MEASURES TO AVOID BUSINESS DISRUPTION

he recently released bipartisan joint Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Government Affairs/Committee on Rules & Administration thorough examination of the January 6th Capitol Hill riot is required reading for anyone determined to apply lessons of history for preventing disruptions in any endeavor. Of course January 6th’s magnitude is unlike anything we will experience in business, but the report offers a tale of poor assessment, poor planning, poor communication and coordination between de-

partments, poor preparation forcing critical decisions in the heat of intense circumstance, lack of essential equipment all further distorted by managerial indecision and organizational uncertainty. Hospitality can be a chaotic business even in the most predictable times, as we rapidly build up steam to fully restored access and operations guarding against any and all of the negative planning and execution forces must be the industry’s management priority. Leave it to Bruce Springsteen to signal the worst of lockdowns are behind us, as The Boss will offi-

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cially reopen Broadway in less than 2 weeks from today the most recent and telling sign we are really back to normal! Foodservice could not have been prepared for the rapid and lengthy shutdowns starting March 2020, significant evidence shows a mixed bag of solid preparation for the early stage 2021 reopening, and with this next phase to full restoration clearly in sight we must all get it right. Just as the Senate committees reported gross failure to recognize and act on warning signals apparent a month before January 6th, hospitality professionals have to treat flashing red lights of operational danger with urgent seriousness. Global transportation grids have never fully recovered from the mid-April stuck container ship in the Suez Canal and are rapidly deteriorating making it more difficult to source raw materials, components, parts and finished product. Globally, basic commodities like aluminum are in scarce supply creating major manufacturing delays. The nation’s crumbling infrastructure offers no relief as further validated in a Federal Highway Administration study showing approximately 660 million hours in shipment delays due to poor road conditions. Failure to recognize and plan ahead of this serious conspiracy of downstream inadequacy is an invitation to needless risk at a time hospitality must firmly set its sights on maximum profitability and prosperity. More specific to foodservice, analysis shows approximately

Mike Berman is the Chief Operating Officer of New Hyde Park, NY based Day & Nite/All Service. The veteran executive joined the service leader in 2016. He has held leadership positions in his career across a range of business-to-business service sector. Prior to joining Day & Nite he served as Chief Operating Officer of Outside Ventures, LLC, the parent company for several B2B service businesses with a particular concentration in merchant services. As Director and Chief Operating Officer of Meridian Capital Group LLC, he overhauled the corporate structure and enabled the company to achieve a 2006 run rate in excess of $30 billion.

20% of all parts orders are either back ordered or subject to split shipment (order 3 items, get only 1 or 2). In some instances, distributors are reporting inventory back orders as high as 10%, with better suppliers hovering around 4% out of stock. Ever-present immutable laws of supply and demand are also working overtime with industry equipment manufacturers and distributors announcing the next round of parts price increases, ranging between 5 and 10%, effective between now and early August 2021. Learning from the bipartisan Senate report that isolated numerous failures to act on sound information and facts prior to January 6th, conscious that hospitality’s immediate and longer-term future will be shaped by how it successfully manages these considerable variables, smart foodservice professionals are actively planning, coordinating and organizing proactive strategies with critical suppliers right now. Everything above captures known facts and predictable trends. Although Covid-19 might truly be fading in our rearview mirrors, whether

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 83

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS FROM THE FOODSERVICE + HOSPITALITY SCENE

Do you have the SCOOP on any foodservice and hospitality news? Send items to SCOOP Editor Joyce Appelman at tfs@totalfood.com

grants with a special focus on rural, remote, and low-income communities.

ALEXANDRE FAMILY FARM EARNS WHOLE FOODS MARKET 2020 SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARD

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO SPEND $1 BILLION ON FOOD SOURCING SCOOP has learned that as part of The Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Biden administration will spend $1 billion to promote more sourcing from local, small-scale, and socially disadvantaged producers. This comes after the USDA’s food box program recently ended. In total, the program served up more than 170 million boxes of produce, as well as meat and dairy products, since it launched last summer. This new initiative will break the funding into three parts: $500 million for “nutritious, domestically produced food” which includes set-asides for more socially disadvantaged businesses and a new fresh produce option; up to $400 million for

A worker loads up canned goods for the U.S. Emergency Food Assistance Program

cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments and others to promote local food purchases; and up to $100 million for infrastructure

Alexandre Family Farm has been named a Whole Foods Market Supplier of the Year in the grocer’s new Global Regenerative Agriculture Commitment category. There were 42 award winners selected across all product categories, by Whole Foods Markets buyers and other leaders, from their thousands of suppliers worldwide. “It is Whole Foods Market’s honor to celebrate our suppliers who have demonstrated fantastic cooperation, resilience, creativity and commitment to quality, rising to excellence in a year unlike any other,” says Whole Foods Chief Marketing and

continued on page 86

Scotsman’s Prodigy Plus ice machine features make having a safe and healthy environment effortless AUTOALERT INDICATOR LIGHTS Easily visible LED lights provide key information without the need to touch / remove panels.

ANTIMICROBIAL PROTECTION Built-in AgION® components help inhibit the growth of microbes, bacteria, mold and algae.

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ONE-TOUCH CLEANING Our Prodigy Plus Cuber one-touch cleaning system makes preventative maintenance simple and efficient.

XSAFE™ SANITATION SYSTEM An optional sanitation system that circulates cold oxygen plasma inside of the machine to help sanitize the air and surrounding surfaces.

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July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 85

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS, from page 84

The Alexandre Family

Communications Officer Gafsi Oblisk. “This year, we are proud to add the Regenerative Agriculture Commitment award to congratulate suppliers that are making strides to improve farming practices.” Suppliers that are awarded the Regenerative Agriculture Commitment award are committed to holistic farming and grazing management practices that improve soil, enhance biodiversity and increase carbon capture. “We are grateful to the Whole Foods team members who recognize the value of regenerative products, and to the customers who reward our efforts - by voting with their dollars - that they support the principles and quality of regenerative and organic agriculture,” said Blake Alexandre, owner, “We are all in this together!” Earlier this year, Alexandre Family Farm became the 1st dairy to receive regenerative certification by both the Savory Institute and the Regenerative Organic Alliance. www.alexandrefamilyfarm.com; @alexandrefamilyfarm

NEW GREEN ROOFTOP BILL ADVOCACY SCOOP heard that if signed into law, the Public School Green Rooftop Program Bill, H.R. 1863, will allocate federal funding to plan, build, and

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An example of a green rooftop

maintain green roofs on public schools. These new structures could contribute to urban heat reduction, food production, climate resilience, and the creation of new jobs. If you are interested in taking action to include this in Biden’s American Jobs Plan, visit greenroofs.org and watch their testimonial video to learn more.

ANDREA STRONG FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ROAR SCOOP heard that Andrea Strong has joined ROAR (Restaurants Organizing Advocating Rebuilding) as their first Executive Director. Together with a community of hospitality industry leaders they will be advocating for a sustainable and equitable model for all in the restaurant industry. ROAR has helped secure NYC’s outdoor program for the future, advanced restaurant workers into the first priority of vaccines, and launched an industry-focused vaccine bus in partnership with the Mayor’s Office. Strong brings her experience

Andrea Strong

as a lawyer, a restaurant manager, a waitress, a farm hand, an activist, and writer. Known for her pioneering food blog, The Strong Buzz, she has covered the intersection of food, business, policy and the law. She also brings a proven track record in grassroots advocacy, founding the NYC Healthy School Food Alliance, focused on holistic school food reform across NYC. Working with the Food and Nutrition Services, Mayor’s Office and City Council, she successfully introduced a Scratch Cooking Implementation Bill in 2020.

THE KATHARINE IN WINSTON-SALEM WELCOMES CHEF ERIC BROWNLEE AS EXECUTIVE CHEF SCOOP learned that The Katharine Brasse-

continued on page 88

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SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS, from page 86

rie & Bar, an award-winning French Bistro that pairs Parisian charm with southern hospitality in downtown Winston-Salem, announced the appointment of Executive Chef Eric Brownlee. Chef Brownlee completed the ACFEF Culinary Apprenticeship Program and attended Johnson & Wales University and got his start as a line cook at the James Beard award-winning Accomac Inn in York, PA. He sharpened his skills as a sous chef at Daniel Island Country Club in Charleston, SC, later as an executive chef at Cork Neighborhood Bistro and became a founding member of the Sustainable Seafood Initiative in partnership with the South Carolina Aquarium.

ber, and awards will be announced the first week of October. Sauce King NYC™ will determine the best barbecue sauces, hot sauces, marinades and more. A panel of expert judges from the NYC food, chef, and media community will taste each sauce, and select exclusive winners in each category who stand out for their bold flavors, excellent ingredients, and delicious taste. This is not your average sauce competition. It’s not about finding the hottest sauce that will blow your head off. Sauce King™ is about showcasing the wide range of top quality, all natural, barbecue sauces, hot sauces, and beyond that are perfect for backyard barbecue, grilling, and home cooking. We will be accepting a wide range of submissions – with the opportunity for people to submit their own categories. Www.saucekingnyc.com

E.TERRA SHARED-USE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN OPENS IN EAST HARLEM

Chef Eric Brownlee

Chef Brownlee served as executive chef of String & Splinter Club in High Point, NC, for five years before taking over as corporate executive chef for the locally-acclaimed Blue Restaurant Group. Chef Brownlee brings more than 25 years of culinary experience and a passion for French fare crafted with sustainable ingredients to The Katherine’s helm. He’s a member of the American Culinary Foundation (ACF) and actively supports the Greater High Point Food Alliance (GHPFA) and No Kid Hungry.

ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2021 SAUCE KING NYC™ 2021 SCOOP has learned that they are now accepting submissions for the Sauce King NYC 2021 competition. Submissions must be received by August 15th. Judging will take place in Septem88 • July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

SCOOP heard from Annette Nielsen that Cofounder Bella Karakis fast-tracked the opening – from signing a lease in March 2021 to completing an extensive renovation 10 weeks later. This expansive and gleaming 5,600 square feet of flexible kitchen and culinary workspace has seen food-focused businesses sign on to either rent out the location to create a food product, cook for a catered event, or test a culinary concept. Others have booked this stunning space to shoot a film or host a pop-up culinary event. Karakis is already collaborating with community and non-profit organizations, such as the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center, offering internship opportunities to young adults seeking a career in the food industry. Karakis, an attorney, has a record of success in the food and beverage industry, first as co-founder and CEO of a Washington, DC, Metro-based mobile food operation, and of Chefscape, a commercial kitchen concept with locations in DC and the NYC region. Her Co-founder, Joel Rogozinski, is an experienced entrepreneur and veteran of commercial financing and serves as e.terra’s CFO. They bring together a comprehensive knowledge of food startups, business consulting, and commercial kitchen management. Karakis says they know the need for this type of infrastructure is great and have plans for opening additional spaces in the New York region this year. Said Karakis, “Just the kitchen isn’t enough – people engaged in food production and incubation need support around how to be set up for success, including access to business opportunities.”

e.terra’s Joel Rogozinski and Bella Karakis in the kitchen (Photo credit: Annette Nielsen)

Rogozinski continued, “The members of e.terra need to do well, and our interests are aligned to help them look at their model – it’s establishing the entire ecosystem for success.” Visit e.terra kitchen located at 2191 Third Avenue. Call: 866.383.7721; email: cook@eterrakitchen.com; website: www.eterrakitchen.com.

EIGHT-UNIT BOSTON COFFEEHOUSE WORKERS FORM A UNION SCOOP discovered that workers at Pavement Coffeehouse in Boston sent a letter to the eightunit chain’s owner Larry Margulies, informing him of their intent to start a union. The group, called Pavement Coffee Organizing Committee, asked Margulies to voluntarily recognize the union, avoid engaging in any union-busting activities, and participate in good-faith contract negotiations. The next day, Margulies said he planned to recognize the union after a formal card check by a neutral arbitrator, ensuring at least 50% of the chain’s estimated 80 workers were on board. If successful, Pavement would become the first coffee shop in Massachusetts to be unionized. “We will work together on this,” Margulies wrote in a statement to GBH News. “While the unionization process is something that is new to us, and obviously there will be much news to share in the coming days, I believe that together, we will make Pavement Coffeehouse a better and more just place to work.”

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NEWS

TAKEOUT & DELIVERY SOLUTIONS

NEW SMART CABINET SOLUTION FROM CARTERHOFFMANN LOOKS TO INNOVATE TAKEOUT

elivery and take-out are on the rise. 60% of US consumers order delivery or take-out once a week and 20% of consumers spend more on offpremise orders than dine-in. Digital ordering has grown 300% faster than dine-in since 2014, and food safety and quality are a #1 concern for all US consumers. The challenge is to effectively support off-premise dining while maintaining a positive customer experience and grow market share for your business. Carter-Hoffmann’s PUC smart cabinet solution is a smart, self-serve, automated pick-up system that connects to your POS or software to improve speed of service and convenience for your customers. Whether it’s order pick-up or return, hot pizza, or bagged product, the PUC smart cabinet system offers a safe and secure automated environment for self-serve and con-

nects with your POS or software for total kitchen management. The key benefit of PUC is that it offers a no-contact, easy transaction. Customers can order online or through a mobile app. A code is generated as soon as product is loaded in the cabinet and is sent to their phone via text message. When the customer arrives, they can skip the line and proceed to the cabinet. Their unique code can be scanned to unlock and open the door containing their order. The cabinet is a secure zone, where touchpoints are minimized, orders are safely kept, and patrons can enjoy a contactless pick-up transaction. Orders can only be accessed with the unique code, assuring that customers pick up the correct order. For the operator, PUC can streamline order flow, assist with labor allocation and provide analytics to manage resources, track transaction

times and order dwell times. Orders are trackable and take-out traffic can be redirected away from in-dining services. And PUC can be integrated into the POS for a seamless and efficient order placement and pick-up experience. Several styles of cabinets are available. They include heated, ambient and pizza cabinets in front-loading or pass-though, floor models and countertop models. Their modular design allows for expansion by connecting add-on cabinets to master cabinets. Carter-Hoffmann can also offer custom solutions, including colors and branding, as well as custom software integration. Software features include: • Configuration for workflow and integration • Configurable cleaning reminders • Customizable settings • Remote or cloud-based analytics • Plug and play expandability • Crew QR code access • Standalone or fully integrated functionality

HOW IT WORKS: After a customer places a takeout order, PUC assigns an empty cubby slot. Then a QR Unlock Code is generated and sent to customers’ phone or email. The customer (or delivery driver) uses unlock code to access dedicated cubby.

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Hardware features include: • Contactless cabinet with antimicrobial finish • Optical sensors for occupancy tracking • Individual locker lighting • Front-loading or pass through • Touchscreen tablet and scanner • Ambient or heated cabinets Decision Driving Analytics include: • Locker usage • Total • By Locker • By Locker location (operations with multiple sites) • Order dwell time • Daypart order pickups • Daily/rolling data fields • Customization capability PUC is adaptable to a wide range of business segments, such as restaurants, hospitality, pharmacies, pizza chains, retail, colleges and universities, third-party delivery and corporate headquarters. We’ve even put cabinets into libraries for patrons to pick up their library materials. With a long-standing history of innovative food holding equipment for the foodservice industry, Carter-Hoffmann is ideally suited to offer a simple solution to the modern challenges associated with take-out or pick-up. PUC Smart Lockers have the right technology for every application. The world’s leading restaurants, hotels, convention centers, resorts, schools & universities and healthcare facilities rely on Carter-Hoffmann for safe, fresh meals. For more information on PUC Smart Lockers, please visit www.pickupcabinet.com or call us at (800)323-9793.

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MY TWO CENTS

WITH JOSEPH LEHR OF GLISSEN

AN UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO QUALITY IS NEVER A FAD

s we have talked about continually through this space, I’m not about the “good old days”. This is about focusing on highlighting the things that have always been important. It begins when my Dad Eugene, established Glissen Chemical 75 plus years ago. His original idea was to manufacture a cleaning compound for the bar trade that would remove the lipsticks stains from a bar glass and remove any of the oily or foreign matters without the use of harsh materials. My Dad was determined to find something that would clean a glass to perfection. So he—may he rest in peace—was determined to develop a line of products that had never before been accomplished: cleaning solutions that would clean glassware as it had never been cleaned before and let beer keep its head in the glass. He started the process with a search of the chemical world to find the right detergents and products to accomplish his goal. That mission was to clean glassware without being harsh on the hands or polluting our water, like the products that were used in his day. He searched diligently for the new ingredients that were coming into focus back in 1945 to 1950 and scoured the industry until he found the companies who manufactured the mildest detergent ingredients. In many ways, finding our solution for the professional cleaning of glassware paralleled the growth and change

The key for us was the attention, we keep on the basics. In this case, it was the on-going relationship with our suppliers that we have built through the years. of America in many industries. Laws meant to promote the betterment of humanity. Beginning in 1970’s, the world began to focus on protecting our water systems. We were continually receiving blessings of approval that our products did such a fantastically marvelous job of being both environmentally friendly and being easier on a barkeeps or dishwasher’s hands than anybody else’s products. With that Glissen started to grow by leaps and bounds.

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With the changes in the world we lived in and the communities we shared, Glissen came up with an idea of using a new sanitizing ingredient. I had heard about it being used in hospitals because it was odorless, tasteless, non-comedogenic. Most importantly, if you put it in a sink of plain water, within three minutes it woul kill bacteria. That enabled you to wash a glass with a state of the industry cleaner. For the first time it enabled the bar/foodservice professional to dip the glass in a sink and then put it on the drying rack. Within 60 seconds you have a 100% bacteria kill and we’ve never looked back since. I’ve talked many times in this space about the importance of a brand’s reputation. In 1971, we developed a product that would both clean and sanitize in one operation. I did so and we worked diligently to develop with chemists a product that would do exactly that. We created Nu-Foamicide, which is a detergent, sanitizer, and disinfectant. Flash forward to March. 2020 and the pandemic. As a result of the work we had done 50 years earlier, we found a much needed solution. It turned out that one of the ingredients that goes into the Nu-Foamicide, kills the

For 70 plus years, Joseph “Joe” Lehr has been a pillar of the Metro New York restaurant and foodservice industry. At the helm of Glissen Chemical, Lehr has built the Brooklyn, NY based company into a national manufacturer of the industry’s highest quality detergents. He can be reached via email at rich@ glissenchemical.com or via phone at (718)436-4200.

Coronavirus. With that very same commitment to uncompromising quality that my Dad had launched the line with, it was as if Nu-Foamicicde was reborn for the Pandemic. We struggled to keep up with the intense spike in demand. I’ve never seen anything like it in my 71 years. The key for us was the attention, we keep on the basics. In this case, it was the ongoing relationship with our suppliers that we have built through the years. That enabled us to meet our demand for the raw materials to manufacture Nu-Foamicide. Now, as the immediate threat of COVID starts to go away, we’re going to come back to normalcy and normalcy will be Nu-Foam powder and liquid for washing bar glassware. Of course, we’ll always be looking for ways to improve and make whatever we do better. We continue to keep the needs of our end user customer and the distributors that support them as our priority. With that and the use of only the highest quality ingredients, our company continues to prosper. With that same commitment to uncompromising quality your business can accomplish your goals as we get ready for Post-Pandemic life.

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93

NEWS

Article contributed by Franchise Marketing Systems

FRANCHISE SOLUTIONS

QUICK TIPS FOR CONTACTLESS SOLUTIONS IN FRANCHISING

s the wave of innovation continues in the restaurant industry, one thing is for sure — contactless solutions are here to stay. These newfound processes make a strong foundation for franchisable concepts. These quick tips will ensure a right start:

manual is your starting point. • •

• •

Make sure your contactless solutions are easily replicated through thorough documentation. A comprehensive operations

Negotiate vendor discounts to carry over across all franchise units. Not only does this increase profitability, but these make the concept more enticing from a sales stand point. Franchise-specific POS systems built around contactless payments are ideal as to manage and track financials across all locations. These are cloudbased to enhance accessibility.

Invest in the latest tech to stand out in the industry. Heat lockers, outdoor kiosks, and robotic delivery are just a few ideas.

•

Consider QR codes for payments — no downloads needed so it’s easier for consumers.

•

Touchless check-in is a musthave if you require customers to let you know when they arrive or for a reservation system. Using a phone as a

check-in point lessens risk, lowers expense, and is more convenient for the customer. •

You aren’t in your franchise expansion journey alone! Get help from a franchise development expert.

My team and I can help walk you through this decision-making process. Is it the right time to franchise your business? Contact us for a free consultation! Visit our website: www.FMSFranchise.com

BOOTH #2911

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RE-OPENING STRATEGIES machines that are perfect for hard surface floors in restaurants and can save time. For example, when using a traditional mop and bucket a 1000 square foot area would take a minimum of 12 minutes to mop plus additional drying time. By using a micro scrubber with a builtin squeegee and vacuum, the same area will take about 6 minutes to effectively scrub and dry. The drying

STELLA ARTOIS

helps prevent slips and falls, and the machine is also more ergonomic and easier to use for the person performing the cleaning. Additionally, entrance mats are a great way to stop dirt at the door, helping you limit the number of times you need to clean your floors. Some other useful cleaning products that can take the pressure off of your staff are high-capacity con-

trolled-usage restroom dispensers for products such as paper towels and soap. Additionally, table-top sanitizer wipes are a great tool for your staff to have in their belt bag to allow them to quickly clean tables while walking through the dining room. My final word of advice when it comes to purchasing any of these products is to buy from a profes-

sional distributor who will come to your restaurant, perform a site survey, and identify the best products and tools to save time, money, and ensure safety and compliance. These distributors should also provide in-service training for your staff, so they know exactly how to use the products and equipment for maximum effectiveness and safety.

exclusively in restaurants and bars. “Your Table Is Ready” is part of Anheuser-Busch’s “Let’s Grab A Beer” platform that aims to make the moments we come together over a Stella Artois even better. In totality, Stella Artois remains committed to helping the restaurant industry recover every step of the way. To help prepare the on-premise for safe and successful re-openings, the brewer joined the

National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Revival Campaign as the exclusive beer partner, and through Stella Artois, committed $2.25 million to the ServSafe Dining Commitment. The partnership with the National Restaurant Association was part of Anheuser-Busch’s broader commitment to lifting up the bar and restaurant industry.

from page 10

Stella Artois. “Stella Artois is so excited to continue our support of the restaurant industry by bringing New Yorkers back together to savor life, enjoy some of their favorite NYC staples, and remember what makes this city so special.” Seaport Artois is a continuation of the brand’s newly-released “Your Table Is Ready” campaign – a robust summer program that invites gour-

FRANCINE COHEN

from page 12

mands back to their favorite tables with their favorite people to rally behind restaurant recovery. “Your Table Is Ready” will inspire you and your friends to eat your hearts out at eateries again with a film featuring Padma Lakshmi, a celebratory #FirstStellaBack, a fresh approach to hosting dinner parties with OpenTable, and a new 14oz. “Open For Good” aluminum bottle, available

from page 40

need to change, right? I’m not talking about pre-2008 financial crash when signing bonuses were de rigueur in the financial industry and law firms’ kinds of perks, but something needs to give and the model needs to be re-evaluated, doesn’t it? KH: Moving forward we need to be worker centric and embrace best practices from the corporate world. We’ve got egregious guests who seem to be acting out more than ever, we’ve got supply chain issues, rising costs of ingredients, and all of that comes together to create a fraught environment that nobody wants to walk back into. If it looked better, they would. What’s your vision for an improved model? KH: It’s really taking inventory of putting yourself in the shoes of these workers and looking at new labor models. Instead of traditional model of building a cocktail so that let’s say

10% of a drink goes into the worker’s pocket and the rest of their salary is made up by the guest’s tip, what if we structured our menus so that more of the price of items went to labor costs? Not only do we need to be paying them fairly, but we need to create established paths to leadership. We need to look at hospitality staff as not just expendable workers, and to do that you’ve got to look more than five feet ahead of you. It forces management to reprioritize what they’re spending money on and focus instead on the workers and creating a better environment. Maybe there are bonus incentives, education credits, health care. And it needs to be a welcoming and diverse space for staff and guests. If we take cues from corporate culture and are incentivizing them to stay and they’re in it for the long term and you’re growing with them that might have a longer tail of success.

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New Sip You Need To Know Filter this one under the category of “everything old is new again”! That’s Makku for you. And this delicious passion fruit expression taps the current craze for this fruit while pairing it with traditional Makkuli, the oldest alcoholic beverage in Korea which dates back to the 10th century. Made from rice, nuruk (traditional fermentation starter), and water, Makkuli has a smooth body and subtly tart taste profile, which is derived from lactic acid bacteria. It is typically a touch sweet, with an average Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of 6%. The name makkuli literally means ‘roughly filtered,’ and yes - it is roughly filtered! Makkuli has an opaque white appearance due to the delicate rice

sediment remaining in the drink. In Korea makkuli is served in bars known as makgeolli bars. Today, here in the US, you can enjoy it in cans at home or at the beach, the pool, the ballpark, or wherever you gather with friends. Available at on and off premise, as well as online at drinkmakku.com.

SOCIETY FOR HOSPITALITY AND FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 97

NABEEL ALAMGIR

from page 22

the company, with each department hosting quarterly one-on-ones with each staff member — in addition to monthly company-wide meetings — to discuss successes, challenges and usually a bit of pop culture. What’s the secret to your hiring boom? We are well aware that hiring has been a major struggle amid the pandemic — with implications crossing industry lines. All I can say is that we’ve been through those struggles, too, as a fledgling start-up with not a lot of success or funds under our belt back in 2019. That said, we’ve been fortunate enough to make a number of hires — including 12 or so leadership positions — in the

KOLD-DRAFT

I also think that people resonate with the disruptive nature of our company. Like I said, we’re here to eradicate the need for the third-party, and that mission allows us to be a little rowdy for corporate standards.

dards when it comes to technology for our clients. That’s just one example — this growth wouldn’t be possible without every department within Lunchbox, from accounting to marketing.

Your revenue has grown over 740% in the last two years, how can other companies learn from your success? Since our launch in 2019, we’ve been growing at a really fast rate. The biggest thing I can chock this up to is staying true to our restaurantfirst approach and always bringing best in class digital solutions. Of course, a whole lot of hustle comes along with that — our development teams are constantly working to ensure we are ahead of industry stan-

What’s next for you and Lunchbox? So far, this year has really been about positioning ourselves as the premier ghost kitchen partner — with collaborations with C3, Otter, Deliverect and Brink POS. Looking ahead to the latter half of this year, as well as early 2022, we’re working toward becoming a global company offering our online ordering solutions to restaurateurs and enterprise-level chains looking to become independent of the third-party.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer the extraordinary level of service that our Ali Group customers have come to expect,” noted Ken Harris, Regional Sales Manager, Northeast USA and Canada, Scotsman Ice Systems & Kold-Draft. With Harris’s knowledge of the marketplace, PBAC will work on the specification of ice systems with equipment and supply dealers and consultants. Icesurance will handle it rental and leasing of the Kold-

Draft line.  Founded in 1963 by Luciano Berti, the Ali Group is an Italian corporation with headquarters located in Milan, Italy and North American operations based in Chicago, Illinois. Through its subsidiaries, the company designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of commercial and institutional foodservice equipment used by major restaurant and hotel chains, independent restaurants, hospitals,

schools, airports, correctional institutions and canteens. The Ali Group and its 80 global brands employ approximately 10,000 people in 30 countries and, in terms of sales, is one of the world’s largest groups in this industry. It has 58 manufacturing facilities in 15 countries and sales and service subsidiaries throughout Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

(soaking overnight helps with the blending), along with lemon juice and fruit flavoring to your liking. If you don’t tell them, diners have no way of knowing what fats are in their food, unless they are visually recognizable in the form of red meat or cheese. If you offer assurances on your menu, you are sure to win some hearts, and cooking and baking without saturated fat is not a steep climb.

discover creative alternatives to saturated fats, added sugar and some dairy products, you will create special moments for your vegan, vegetarian or health-conscious diners, and you may also win some customers for life.

from page 54

“We are so excited about the impact the Kold-Draft line is going to have on our Scotsman business,” Cantamessa explained. “Many of our dealers and consultants are keyed in on the profit opportunities that high priced cocktails offer their end-user customers. With that in mind they know about the Kold-Draft cube and now they understand with Ali and Scotsman, the support is there that is essential to support their customers’ operations.”

SUBSTITUTIONS

last two months alone. Our HR and leadership teams have found our cultural practices and diversity metrics resonate with candidates who share similar DEI values. Further, many of our new hires cross state lines and borders beyond the general pool of talent for NYCbased companies. Arizona, Miami, California and even Toronto are now represented on the team, and I think our expanded hiring boundaries have played a major role in our ability to secure top-tier talent. You could say this is one positive of the pandemic - remote working is now the norm, and we feel confident that the right employees can work seamlessly 2 to 2,000 miles away from their manager.

from page 64

to salads, salad dressings and desserts. Blended in a Vitamix, dates will virtually dissolve in liquid. Or, when mashed or blended without water, they will form a paste or syrup. You can blend dates, for example, with vanilla extract, nondairy milk, tahini, salt and flaxseed to make a delicious and creamy vegan caramel sauce that you can use on just about anything. Healthy Fats Through Nuts and Seeds As an alternative to butter, tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and macadamias, can be blended into a wide variety of high-protein, heart-healthy

spreads and butters. In lieu of cooking with dairy-based cream, try pureed carrots, potatoes, chia seeds, lentils, or tofu, as well as beans (white, black, kidney or garbanzo). You can also replace fat or oil in pancakes, muffins, quick breads or cakes with mashed fruit or vegetables, including avocado, applesauce, pumpkin, sweet potato, prunes or bananas. As a substitute for cream cheese in a delectable cheesecake, try cashew cream. For the crust, some good candidates are almonds, rolled oats, pecans, flax seed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, almond flour or dates. For the filling, whip two cups of raw cashews

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Rewards Chefs are a resourceful group of people, and experimenting with new flavors and ingredients is always exciting and challenging. If you’re able to

Adam Wilson oversees recipe development and testing for Vitamix® as Senior Manager of Culinary Exploration. As a member of the Vitamix Culinary Team, Wilson is constantly developing new approaches and recipes for household and commercial customers around the world.

BOOTH #3571

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CHEF MARK HOPPER

from page 46

This leads perfectly to the next question. Teaching. Why is education so important in understanding pizza? Well education is important no matter what because when somebody comes forward, signs up and there is a tuition expense involved they are almost kind of admitting they don’t know which is really hard for people to do. And there are those that really do know and want to know more. I teach from a little bit of a left field angle. I’m convinced that everybody has their own style, their own way. Just the same way that we hopefully as adults get dressed by ourselves you may try on two or three outfits and start with one idea, but you say this time just not feeling that one. It’s the same thing with food. You have the idea; you just have to be able to dig deep and maybe even be faced with ‘I can’t believe I wore that all those pictures’ lol. So, I always leave this with people when they come in - you’ll figure it out, but you’ll never be able to figure it all out because if you do then there’s no reason to come back the next day. But you figure enough of it out to be energized and engaged to come back the next day. I see multiple people come into our test kitchen every day. Everybody does it differently and no one is any better than the next. Same correlation about how we dress. We all have a different style. And a different voice. Imagine that. Everyone in the world has a different sounding voice. You have your inner pizza voice. You just gotta find it. I really enjoy teaching because I know that I have a niche for it. I love to do it so it doesn’t come off like oh I have this fancy resume and I’ve been here and I’ve been there. It doesn’t matter. And pizza is far more important in the world right now than a lot of things. Pizza probably got a lot of people through this freaking pandemic. I mean the pizza business thrived during all this. A lot of restaurants had to pivot because they realized the importance of takeout, pickup, and delivery. And they had more customers ordering more takeout than ever. Out of necessity they had

to dig a little deeper. And that is probably not going away. The main thing with teaching as far as pizza, and Forza Forni and myself I look at it as we’re all under the same pizza tent. If you’re making good pizza in Connecticut, and I’m making good pizza in Arizona, and this guy is making good pizza in California, and the other guy is making good pizza in New York that tent is moving along and we’re moving forward with the industry and that’s going to keep us and everybody sustainable, thriving, hopefully profitable, happy, healthy. All those things allow us again to come back for what we all want - we all want the opportunity to come back the next day and improve on what we learned. And that’s the good thing about pizza. If you make a bad pizza, so what. Throw it away and make another one. Or somebody will eat it. But it’s a learning moment, it’s a teaching moment. And the greatest gift of teaching is that you learn so much about yourself it’s insane. Talk a little about Forza Forni Authentic Education and the last class you led on starting a mobile pizza business. Classes are a really good way to connect with people. They paid to be here because they wanted to learn. I mean when you think about the world of pizza, it’s such a simple food. Basically flour, water, salt and yeast. But the variable is endless. The class was great. It was perfect timing because as we are heading into spring the weather is going to get better and better and people are going to be outside anyway. I mean if there are going to be 100 weddings, 99 of them are going to be outdoors and the one that isn’t it’s because of rain. People are getting more into on-site catering. Anybody can do it if they really want to do it - restaurant owners who want a mobile option, entrepreneurs and caterers wanting to start or expand their business. We have clients that are accountants during the day that have purchased mobile ov-

continued on page 104

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CHRISTY REUTER

from page 20

delivery team. As I work with my client restaurants, I am convinced that the issue over driver/delivery liability and how those workers are paid with a 1099 is going to be a growing concern. I encourage my restaurant clients to let me look at their contracts with third party delivery providers so I can point out the risks. It’s all about transparency with language as clear as possible for the client restaurants and third-party delivery provider. The most pressing amongst matters that I am hearing about, is rebuilding the restaurant staff. For restaurants eager to welcome employees back, many of my client restaurants are incentivizing existing employees by referrals. Additionally, giving bonuses to new employees if they stay for more than 90 days is a smart business decision. I encourage clients to use RRF grant money to fund those financial incentives and bonuses. It has to be a priority, because if you don’t have staff to serve your customers you can’t take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and customers enjoying both your indoor and outdoor space while getting quality service. With new protocols comes a fresh new look at real estate opportunities. With my expertise in hospitality, it is worth looking at opportunities you may have overlooked in the past: finding a hotel venue for your next restaurant. Many hotel operators are looking for a “signature” restaurant that they can position as a centerpiece in their marketing as they get ready to re-open and welcome back their business and tourist guests. I’ve

engineered a number of these hotel/ restaurant collaborations and the key is partnering with a hotel group that is both a brand and financial match. With these partnerships, there can be built-in customer base and a great restaurant in a hotel can give the hotel life. Of course, there are many other considerations in entering into a hotel deal, whether it’s a lease or management agreement, but there are a lot of opportunities out there. New protocol also means keeping an eye on local legislation that can impact a restaurant’s operations. The NYC Council recently passed two bills that restaurants have been advocating for to get some relief. The first is a regulatory reform bill that asks businesses to first comply before the imposition of a penalty. In many cases the violations are errors of omission rather than commission as the violation was something restaurant owners were not properly educated on. Restaurants have been getting burdened by unnecessary fines and they should not be further burdened by having to spend time and money fighting or defending rather than putting effort into fixing or remedying. The second bill establishes an amnesty program for fines where businesses will have 90 days to pay up all the things they owe at a 75% discount for violations issued from the start of Pandemic, and a 25% discount for fines going back to 2013. I know it’s a lot to think about. But remember we are here to help you make sense of how to navigate and create your “new normal”.

NEWS

NEW OPENINGS

ROCKET RESTAURANT GROUP LAUNCHES FIRST ROXBURY PIZZA LOCATION IN U.S.

ocket Restaurant Group, the Irish-owned, multi-brand restaurant group that specializes in franchising brick & mortar restaurants and virtual/ delivery-only restaurant brands, announces today a partnership with Nathan’s Famous to launch the first Roxbury Pizza in the U.S.. Roxbury Pizza’s menu features made-to-order pizzas baked on a wood-fire base, including Double Pepperoni, The Vegan, Buffalo Chicken Pizza and more. “We are excited to partner with Rocket Restaurants to launch the first Roxbury Pizza location here in the United States,” noted James Walker, Senior Vice President, Restaurants. “Roxbury Pizza’s brand has seen tremendous success in Ireland and we know the Nathan’s Famous fans will love the menu. We feel confident adding this concept to our flagship store in Coney Island as the brand’s menu items fit the Nathan’s mantra of ‘Craveable, Memorable and Instagrammable’.” Rocket Restaurants, which launched in 1989, has restaurants across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany, USA and United Arab Emirates with a total of 52 brick and mortar locations plus 20 virtual kitchen concepts. Roxbury Pizza

will be available through delivery on UberEats, DoorDash, Postmates and Grubhub in Coney Island, Surf Ave, Stillwell Ave, Neptune Ave, Brooklyn, West Brighton, Brighton Beach, Seagate, Cropsey Ave, Mermaid Ave, Ocean Parkway, Gravesend, Manhattan Beach and Sheepshead Bay. Their portfolio includes a variety of brands including Eddie’s Rockets, Rocket’s, Tender Hooks, RBurger, The Counter, Flash Harry’s and Nathan’s Famous. “We are thrilled to be part of this next chapter of Nathan’s Famous to launch the first Roxbury Pizza location in the United States,” says Niall Fortune, Founder and Managing Director of Rocket Restaurants. “We know the Nathan’s brand is famous in the New York area and we are looking forward to bringing our delicious pizza to their customer base with this partnership.” Rocket Restaurants is an Irishowned, multi-brand restaurant group that specializes in franchising brick & mortar restaurants and virtual/delivery-only restaurant brands. Rocket Restaurants is privately held and managed since its inception in 1989. Rocket Restaurants Limited opened its first company-owned restaurant in 1989 and began franchising in 1992. Ever since, Rocket Restaurants has grown its presence across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany, USA and United Arab Emirates. Rocket Restaurants is accredited by the Irish Franchise Association and most recently achieved distinction as Best Indigenous Irish Franchise. Rocket Restaurants has secured a firm place among Ireland’s top 100 food companies both in terms of turnover and employee numbers. As of June 2021, Rocket Restaurants comprises 52 brick & mortar restaurants plus 20 virtual/delivery-only kitchens. July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 101

MARIA LOI

PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

from page 50

found simply boiled, dressed with a touch of vinegar and some extra virgin olive oil for the flawless bite. Horta Moustardas are one of my all-time favorite wild greens. They are subtle and spicy, fragrant and full bodied, and ready to be boiled and eaten as is – mustard greens have so much flavor on their own, all they need is to be boiled until the stem is fork tender, and you’ve got the perfect plate of horta. Flavors of Summer: In the US, perhaps the most popular, well-known, and readily available greens are spinach, kale, and swiss chard – but what about all the vegetables that grow leafy greens on top, like carrots or beets? I often hear people say that it’s important to ‘eat the rainbow,’ and that is true – consuming vegetables of different colors provides a plethora of benefits, both nutritionally and culinarily. But, if we eat the rainbow, shouldn’t we be eating all the edible parts of these vegetables? I think so! I love fresh beet greens, lightly sauteed with some garlic and onions, and tossed with some raw fresh peas. Or, make a carrot-top ‘pesto’ with walnuts, scallions, arugula, lemon zest, and extra virgin olive oil – a wonderful condiment for any protein. Summer vegetables in general are a match made in heaven for leafy greens, and simple pairings bring out the best in each ingredient. Take tomatoes, for example: cooking fresh tomatoes with spinach or kale will allow the acid to break down some of the tough fiber in the greens, while simultaneously brightening up the entire dish. Zucchini is another seasonal favorite (though commercially available year-round) - one of my preferred ways to enjoy this amazing summer squash is raw, shaved in a salad with thinly sliced cucumber, ripped fresh mint, and crunchy summer corn – gently toss with some salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and finish with a bit of lemon zest – a more refreshing summer

salad does not come to mind! I can’t talk about summer vegetables without sharing the ultimate Greek summer recipe, Gemista, or Stuffed Vegetables. When I was a child, my Papou (grandfather in Greek) would harvest all the vegetables and herbs from the farm, and my Yiayia (grandmother in Greek) would turn them into an incredible feast. Perfectly cooked zucchini, green bell peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants were all stuffed with the flesh of each of those vegetables, rice, tons of fresh herbs like mint and parsley, and doused generously in extra virgin olive oil. When they came out of the woodburning oven, they would be beautifully caramelized, soft, succulent, and tasted of summer. But better still? Eating them cold the next day! Even today, when I make Gemista, I do it just as my Yiayia did, paying homage to her incredible flavors. The key to summer vegetables is to use them, don’t lose them! Seasonality is such an important element in the Greek-Mediterranean diet, because produce enjoyed at the peak of the season has the most vitamins, minerals and nutrients available, so you get all of the benefits! When it comes to greens, my summer challenge to you is this – branch out. Don’t just eat the rainbow – eat an array of greens and serve them too because it’s good for your mind, body and soul. Kalí órexi! Enjoy your meal!

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its food safety or pandemics, from salmonella to Legionnaire’s Disease or what might come next, already there’s growing concern about the next crisis coming around the corner. Anything less than full preparation, the type found in Day & Nite Performance Solutions highly integrated suite of engineered food safety, indoor environmental quality, infrastructure protecting technologies – products – services would be tantamount to the same combination of poor planning, preparation, communication, coordination and execution causing previously unthinkable havoc in the hallowed US Capitol halls. Even casual readers of this weekly column know the Day & Nite family of companies has not only been way ahead of these trends and rather predictable patterns, the commercial HVAC, Refrigeration, Cooking and Plumbing installation – maintenance – repair company has been at the forefront of leading indus-

from page 82 try transformation to minimize if not entirely eliminate equipment downtime. Incorporating world class practices, leveraging deep supply chain expertise and relationships, incubating technologies to deliver more consistently superior customer experiences, Day & Nite/ All Service/Popular Plumbing/Performance Air Mechanical provides both guidance and certainty of execution to ensure its customers do not suffer business disruption in these high stakes yet uncertain, perhaps even combustible times. Indeed, the Company has recently published a Paradigm Shift in the Market report, complementary copies available to Total Food Service readers. To get a copy of the Paradigm Shift in the Market report or to learn how you can best assure equipment uptime and protect yourself against business disruption, email jbf@ wearetheone.com

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 103

CHEF MARK HOPPER

from page 100

ens and come back for some training. Gym teachers, etc. We positioned the curriculum as three things: a point of reference, a refresher course, and a baseline – not just on baking pizza but on running a mobile pizza business. When you teach you must give people some conclusion, you can’t just give them the math problem and never show how to get to the answer. The group at our first class was a nice diverse group. We had some people that were in the restaurant business looking to hone their skills and some just starting out. We reviewed basic nuts and bolts. It was a great class to kind of get outside the box and show the possibilities. Ironically, a lot of people asked me about cooking school and my answer was that I wouldn’t really go to cooking school, I would go to business school. You know you can always learn how to cook by working. Chef Thomas Keller who I worked for never went to cooking school. I went to cooking school because I was very young. I graduated cooking school at 19. At 19 years old I had an associates degree in culinary arts. Yeah, I know that means something but did I need that experience? Maybe for the age and the growth and to have that college life for a little bit. But I could have gone to Europe for the same amount of time and probably would have come back with a few better tools and a different life experience. Mobile catering is a totally different animal because you’re invited

DAVID SCOTT PETERS

to someone’s celebration or event. They’re not coming to you. You’re not standing at your restaurant in front of your pizza oven at 5:00 waiting for service to start and the people come. There is a sense of a good feeling with that. But if it’s 6:00 and you’re still standing at your oven and there’s nobody there, that’s not such a good feeling. So catering is about learning those idiosyncrasies and the talent of how to roll up to somebody’s backyard and serve strangers at their daughter’s seventh birthday party with a hundred kids running around. Or a wedding or bridal shower or whatever. Learning how to navigate the nuances of dealing with the public and a client who is paying you for a service. It was a great experience. The class was so popular we had to schedule an additional one that sold out. The group was really good. They were from all over the country. From the Northeast to the Midwest. Over the two days they had a chance to interact and bond and learn from each other and share ideas. And when they weren’t sure we helped and comforted them and made them feel like hey this is going to be cool. In our Authentic Education classes you’re going to have fun and learn a lot. You’re going to get outside, and make a lot of pizza, and meet some new people. I keep in touch with several of them. We text back and forth with questions and answers. They also speak to each other. The tools and the confidence they learned on the first day helped them get right to work the

second day. We took the time to understand their goals and their vision. One couple who is starting their business with a pizza trailer transformed overnight. The first day they were concerned that they really weren’t getting it and were unsure of themselves. This was such a new venture for them. But once we got them outside and they were relaxed they got in a groove and started making great pizza. They gained confidence. She became a pizzaioli and he working the fire overnight. She wasn’t trying to mimic anybody, she found her own style and was being herself. She was making great pizza within 24 hours. They were her. I told her that she should be really proud of that and kept telling her how proud I was of her. As I said when you teach you learn a lot about yourself but more importantly you are fulfilling the need of why they signed up in the first place. Did we meet their expectations? Did we go above and beyond? Whether anyone purchases an oven or not is irrelevant. It’s the experience that is going to resonate with them and help them with their journey. And maybe they’ll go somewhere and see a wood fire oven and be like ‘hey do you need a hand!’. And maybe they’ll tell that story to someone else and then that person winds up buying an oven and starting their business. Again whether the pizzas are being made inside or outside, by someone with a lot of experience or no experience at all – this is what keeps our in-

dustry moving in a positive direction. And the food industry and hospitality needs a positive direction more than ever.

taurant to this kind of profit margin. Here is the important point I want you to take away. You don’t magically lower your prime cost 10 points because you said so or because you put a couple of systems in place, like a key item tracker and waste tracker. You must have a budget and use systems and the information they provide to get your numbers where they

should be. And most importantly, you must hold everyone in the restaurant accountable to the systems and the changes you make. There is so much opportunity in the restaurant business when you put a budget together and understand your true targets. A 15 to 20 percent profit margin is obtainable and makes all the work you do worth it.

At this point you could probably write a book of advice to restaurateurs and entrepreneurs. What would it say? Well – I actually wouldn’t offer advice. I would offer an experience or story. Advice is either taken or not. Either liked or disliked. But everybody likes a story. I was very blessed. Lucky to be with the right people at the right time. With the right goals in mind. So again, my position here at Forza Forni is a combination of my experience that allows me to speak at a high level to everyone and every business that comes through our test kitchen door. I’m humbly saying that I pretty much have done it and now I’m actually in a greater position because I’m crossing paths with so many different types of businesses from stadiums and street corner slice houses to people that have way more experience with pizza than I do. They share their successes and challenges with me, and I share mine with them. And people that have no experience at all but have all the desire in the world - which to me is just as good, or maybe even better because it reminds me of me at The French Laundry. Maybe I didn’t belong there, but I wanted to be in there. I wanted to be there. It wasn’t so much what I did, it was how I did it and that allowed me to really be me. All I ever really wanted was an opportunity to go at it again the next day.

from page 68

er. If you are a quick service, it’s 60 percent. If you’re under $850,000 a year in sales, it’s 60 percent. Going back to my earlier point that most independent restaurants are operating at least 10 points above their target, right there for most people, you have an opportunity to make money. Lower your prime cost, and you can get to a 15 percent profit margin, 10

points above what the National Restaurant Association says. I have literally worked with thousands upon thousands of restaurant owners as a restaurant coach. I’ve built software that served almost 600 restaurants in it before I sold it. I’ve seen the numbers and operations of a great number of restaurants, and I know what’s possible. You can get your res-

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BOOTH #2805

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 105

MINNEAPOLIS RESTAURANTS pushing a lot of the restaurant activity to the suburbs. “We’re seeing more significant investments happening now right outside of the city. Chef-driven concepts are opening in areas that you would typically see family chains.” No surprise. Minneapolis has come a long way from its meat and potatoes, midwestern fare of yesterday. Noted Nelson, “The reserved Scandinavian DNA has fallen away a bit, and as other immigrant cultures moved in there’s a much more adventurous, culinary curiosity that’s benefited this region.” Forsberg credits the rise of the Food Network and travel as some of the driving forces behind the city’s food-driven mindset. “They want local food, they want good food and they want something new all the time.” Nelson shares, “We’re blessed to have an incredible agricultural ring around the city. You can drive 25 miles outside of downtown and you’re in some of the country’s best agricultural regions, where farms are producing some of the finest in-

FIORITO ON INSURANCE ployer steps over the threshold into the large group market. That flexibility increases as the size of the employer increases. In addition to size, there are other levers available for the employer to pull. And, while we could list several, one of the more significant strategies is improving the health of employee population. The healthier the group, the less claim cost – and ultimately a lower premium cost. This can serve as a strong motivator for keeping employees healthy. Additionally, since prices aren’t fixed with large group coverage, your insurance broker or third-party administrator (TPA) can use the full range of levers to negotiate premium prices down. When talking health insurance plans for businesses, the size of the business matters. The difference

from page 8

gredients in the United States.” Nelson cites Southeast Asian cuisine among the city’s most exciting, naming chefs like YIa Vang, Christina Nguyen and Ann Kim who won a James Beard award for Best Chef. “There’s much more of a global flavor here than there was 25 years ago.” Which restaurant groups hold sway in the city? According to Forsberg, “Oceanaire seafood restaurant chain has sort of been the granddaddy here. D’Amico & Sons have been very forward-looking with their fast-casual concepts.” Groups like Jester Concepts and Blue Plate Restaurant Company are part of the new wave of restaurateurs that are significant players. While people are keeping close to home, some of the towns now humming with activity include Wayzata, west of the metro, the West End in St. Louis Park, minutes from downtown, Maple Grove, north of St. Paul. These are becoming dining destinations. Forsberg is building a new restaurant in Stillwater, a bedroom

community east of St. Paul and his restaurant in Rogers has been doing well. “It’s typically a blue-collar town and there’s fertile soil there. If you build it, they will come.” As far as real estate prices, Forsberg said, “Rents are not that much different from downtown, where you can pay close to $26 per square foot.” Yet, for all the talk about downtown’s struggles, both Forsberg and Weinhagen predict it will have a strong comeback. “While the city has been very transient up until recently, thankfully we put the money we did into housing development. The residential base that’s there has been supporting downtown’s hospitality business through all this. Had this been five or ten years ago, it would be far worse than it is.” Weinhagen said, “Restaurateurs that have been sitting on the sidelines are beginning to talk in ways they haven’t been talking in the last eight or nine months. We are beginning to see a rebirth.” Some indicators of downtown’s revival include the Dayton Project.

A remake of the famed building located in the heart of the city, will feature a 45,000 square foot food hall being curated by Minneapolisbased chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern and Robert Montwaid, co-founder of New York City’s Gansevoort Market. Plus, Gavin Kayson announced he will be creating two restaurants for Minneapolis’s first Four Seasons Hotel, set to open Spring 2022.

ers, in several (but not all) states can offer self-insured options. Be certain you know what options are available to you. In short, small group insurance rates can only be based on the location of the business, family size, the ages of enrollees, and in some cases, tobacco usage among enrollees. The result? Employers that were once large enough to qualify for large group Underwriting, and no longer eligible for the same programs may be frustrated by the available options; or more precisely, the premiums charged for those options. One might find the solution by introducing rate scalability and other advantages that a PEO offers for the right-fit employer. The easier part of this discussion is with respect to the voluntary and ancillary coverage options (ID Theft,

College Debt Financing, Critical Illness, etc.) where a change in the employee base may have a small impact on the options you can choose from. If you were a large group but you’re now small group, don’t fret and continue to focus on building your business. Be sure to engage the right insurance advisor, someone who knows what your objectives are and how to optimize your options. Think about downplaying your core medical and focusing on other benefits that are becoming more critical to your employees – ancillary and voluntary options. The pandemic may have landed you in small group by accident, but you can face off to those challenges by being more strategic than ever – the right partner(s) will both accelerate and accentuate the positive.

Super’s TFS Read on Minneapolis: Hottest Restaurant neighborhoods: North Loop, Wayzata, West End in St. Louis Park, Maple Grove and Stillwater Chefs that are Cooking: Gavin Kayson, Isaac Becker, Jamie Malone, Justin Sutherland, Ann Kim, Yia Vang and Christina Nguyen Key Restaurant Groups: Oceanaire, D’Amico & Sons, Jester Concepts and Blue Plate Restaurant Company

from page 16 between the large and small group classifications is very important because premiums and plan design flexibility vary significantly based on this binary categorization of a business’ size. So, what do you face as a small group employer? For small group insurance, federal and state regulations define all the factors that establish insurance pricing. Premiums for small businesses (again, stateby-state comparatives) are generally determined using standard “manual” rates rather than taking into consideration their own industry code or claims history. Some state regulators believe that it’s important to include demographic or other risk-based factors in more appropriately aligning the cost of a plan with the risk factors that impact those costs. Some carri-

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BOOTH #3571

July 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 107

LEGAL INSIDER

from page 66

prevent unlawful activities and must include any documents and other information as requested by DOJ in the review process. After review, DOJ may state that it “does not presently intend to bring an enforcement action against the proposed conduct”; DOJ may decline to state its intentions, or DOJ may state that if conducted, it will sue to stop the business activity. A statement of “no present intention to sue” is only effective as of the date of the BRL and will not bind the DOJ if facts change or if the agency believes enforcement is

HOSPITALITY MARKETING action on what your customer should do like place an order, join your loyalty program, download your app etc. *Pro- tip* Make sure the visual content holds their hand in showing them what to do. Example: Asking them to download your app? Create a carousel post or video that shows them step-by-step how to download and get started. This is called a “hand hold close.” Use it. 2. Personalize marketing The number one way to drive retention, that is to make recurring visits and orders happen, is to market to your guests. There are a number of ways to market to your guests and one of the best is email. You can wait for them to drive by your store to be reminded of how much they love the food, or you can put a message right where their eyeballs are all day … their inbox. The wrong way: Spray and pray emails sent to everyone in your database regardless of their preferences or where they are in their journey. Don’t send an email about veggie burgers to someone who has never ordered them from your restaurant. The right way: Use software like Bikky to quickly analyze and segment your guest data. Send emails to key segments that personalize the messaging to their preferences and their current relationship to your business. Example: Guests who have just had their first transaction enter a welcome

in the public’s interest. However, DOJ has emphasized that once it states an intention not to bring suit, it has never subsequently brought a criminal action. The BRL procedure has been flexible and responsive to changing conditions. Recently, DOJ adopted an expedited procedure specifically for COVID-19 related activities. As an example of its beneficial use, in April 2020 DOJ approved the collaborative efforts of several major medical suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to expedite and increase the manu-

facturing, sourcing and distribution of personal protective equipment and coronavirus treatment related medication as part of an emergency response lead by FEMA and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Collaboration among competitors entails both opportunity for broad based benefits and risk of crossing the line into unlawful anticompetitive activities. As a sound business practice, contemplated collaborative activities among competitors should be examined in advance for potential exposure

to enforcement action under both federal and state antitrust laws. At the federal level, the DOJ’s BRL process is available as an aid to businesses in gauging the level of antitrust risk in specific collaboration activities. This article is intended as a general discussion for information purposes only and is not intended and should not be relied upon as legal advice for any specific factual situation. Readers are advised to consult with legal counsel and other professionals for advice about specific situations about which they have questions.

not switch back to ordering via thirdparty delivery apps. Solutions like Ovation for order feedback and Bikky for marketing automations will superpower this for you

One of the top ways consumers discover new restaurants is using Google or Yelp to search “best [food item] near me.” If you aren’t actively managing your information, especially your menu, on all the sites where consumers go to choose where to get their next meal, you are leaving it up to those sites to decide if they have the right information to assist in your customer’s journey. The wrong way: Leaving your information for every location unmanaged and out of date. The right way: Use software like Marqii to easily manage all your information for all your locations on all the discovery sites. Update your menu online as often as you update it in store and be sure you are uploading new brand approved photos monthly. Be sure your hours of operation are also always 100% accurate.

from page 30 flow (a series of 5-7 messages) that puts emails about your brand, your food, your values, etc … right into their inbox several times in the first 30 days of being your customer. I have a client doing this and they typically see 1 out of 5 guests return in the first 60 days! 3. Convert guests from thirdparty GrubHub, DoorDash, Uber Eats and other third-party delivery apps charge an arm and a leg with their high-commissions and worse, they own your customer’s data. They are literally outsourcing food production to your restaurant. DoorDash didn’t create the restaurant. GrubHub didn’t cook the food. UberEats didn’t package it up. They just paid someone to deliver it. The customers love you, not the apps. If you want to profit on a per order basis and increase lifetime value, you need to convert guests over from ordering via third-party delivery apps to ordering directly from the restaurant. The wrong way: Increasing your prices on third-party apps to make up the difference of the high-commissions and not working to get YOUR GUESTS to order from you directly instead. The right way: Using follow up marketing like an in-bag customer conversion tool to get guests to order from you directly instead on the next purchase and following that up with personalized marketing that gets them to

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4. Spend money to acquire new customers People are scrolling through social media all day long checking in on what their friends and family are doing. The #2 most popular form of content on social media is food which means that people are used to seeing food while they do this. Your restaurant should be right there when they do it. The wrong way: Sharing to social media organically while the algorithm barely shows your content to 10% or less of your followers but not maximizing your reach to a local audience by spending money to reach hungry locals. The right way: Budgeting $10-$12 per day per location and running awareness campaigns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on Facebook and Instagram that target people interested in your food or service model that live or work within a 2-3 mile radius of your location. For a few dollars a day you can have your business in front of the right people all of the time. Make it even easier by using a tool like Targetable that can create the ads for you based on your data and best practices across the industry. 5. Own local search.

In summation, any marketing is good but the right marketing is great and oftentimes measurable. Tweak your efforts with these 5 solutions and you’ll see higher acquisition, greater retention and increased lifetime value. Do you have questions or want some suggestions on any of these points? Send me a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn. I have worked with hundreds of restaurants to help them attract and retain guests. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.

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ECO-PLIANT

DOMETIC DELIBOX

from page 52

“There’s something about a smaller, mom and pop business that we connect with by sharing their core values. They want to do the right thing from a sustainable standpoint and that resonates with us.” — Andrew Hargest from a sustainability standpoint and that resonates with us.” While these smaller businesses may have the right motivation to be environmentally friendly, they are often misled with what is known as greenwashing. It is used when an organization deceptively markets itself as eco-friendly. However, their products may not be compostable, meaning they are not certified to be broken down within a specific time. “Cultivating the green culture starts with proper education, eliminating the likelihood of greenwashing. Maybe a restaurant doesn’t know about the diversity of compostable products and needs someone to explain it in a way that makes sense and is relevant to their business. Eco-pliant does this and more, teaching customers about what sustainability can say about a brand and its community,” Hargest shared. Eco-pliant recognizes that the person that best understands the restaurant’s food is the chef. Proper packaging is important in transporting the flavors and the reputation of a dish so Eco-pliant will send free samples of its products in advance. The last year in take-out and delivery meant a high demand in togo containers. Restaurants that had their take-out and delivery systems in place before the pandemic were successful in keeping their doors open. Hargest noted that a large majority of the to-go containers restaurants were using were plastic. Additionally, the businesses that did not have a strong take-out program at the time struggled to bring it to fullfledged use during a global pandemic. “We served our customers who needed assistance during Covid-19 the best we could and earned a repu-

tation from listening to the struggles of our customers and strategically presenting them with smart solutions.” Naturally, green products are more expensive, but companies that go green do it for a reason. “They’re looking to redefine who they are as a brand. Studies have shown that Millennials and Gen Z customers are willing to pay more and support a business that is using their company for good.” The sustainable products that Eco-pliant sells are not only high-quality products but are a way for a business to showcase its environmentally friendly values. “As plastic resin costs continue to skyrocket, we know compostable fiber packaging will not only be a great choice for packaging in 2021, but the best choice.” Hargest sees the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as a way for foodservice companies to make and meet long-term business plans. “I can’t say enough about how important this funding is for restaurants, who we all know were unfairly impacted by the pandemic. Restaurants are the lifeblood of our culture and communities, and to see them booming again is and will always be a special feeling. To support the revitalization, we’re always looking for ways to keep costs low, including free shipping for members, deviated rates on large volume purchases, etc. We know that we do well when our customers do well, it’s as easy as that.” As businesses prepare for normal occupancy numbers and consider rebranding, Eco-pliant offers an eco-friendly vision and brand. For more information, visit ecopliant.com, call 650-733-6786, or send an email to andrew@ecopliant.com.

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is no reason that someone should open the box during transportation. With old delivery methods you could never know that your food was untouched. With the DeliBox you can be completely certain that your food is untouched from the time it leaves the restaurant, to when it arrives at your customer’s table.” Kjellberg and the Dometic team also understand the importance of an ROI in upgrading from a traditional bag to DeliBox. “The DeliBox is such an excellent advertising tool because you are able to apply your company’s logo or name to the box and it can be seen driving around your city and delivering your food,” said Kjellberg. “The overall return comes from looking at the value of both protecting the integrity of food quality and at the same time being able to use the DeliBox to market your restaurant.” “Additionally, the DeliBox delivers great return on investment, because this a very sturdily constructed

product and it is built by a company with 100 years of experience in constructing refrigeration products. The lifetime of this product is longer than say a product made of soft materials and it can transport food at a higher quality than that softer material.” The Pandemic year has also brought many new operators into the takeout and delivery segment. “It is no longer unusual to see a $40 filet mignon being delivered. So, the high-end operator that may have previously hesitated to enter the segment, can now find a solution to protect both their food and reputation with the DeliBox,” Kjellberg concluded. For foodservice operators and restaurant owners who are interested in purchasing a DeliBox, more information can be found on the Dometic website at https://www.dometic.com/en-us/lp/delibox. The DeliBox is scheduled to be available for purchase in October of 2021.

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