NEWS
ACQUISITIONS
NYC Based Restaurant Associates Acquires Albany’s Mazzone Hospitality
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fter decades as the owner of the dominant restaurant and catering company in the Capital Region, Angelo Mazzone, who started his empire with a Schenectady pizzeria in 1980 when he was 27 years old, is adding a partner with global reach. The $58-million-a-year Mazzone Hospitality is essentially being split into two entities: Its catering and business-dining wings are partnering with the international food-service conglomerate Restaurant Associates, and the area’s individual Mazzone restaurants will continue to operate as they have. From customers’ perspective, little should change, said Mazzone, a tireless presence who often makes stops at half a dozen of his locations in a single day and plans to continue to do so. Mazzone, now 64, said maintaining local control of the business he built was the largest factor in accepting the
Angelo Mazzone is set to become part of the Restaurant Associates team.
Main Office 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director Michael Scinto
The $58-million-a-year Mazzone Hospitality is essentially being split into two entities: Its catering and businessdining wings are partnering with the international food-service conglomerate Restaurant Associates. offer from the Manhattan-based Restaurant Associates, which provides food service to such prestige clients as Google, Sony, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the U.S. Open. It is a subsidiary of Compass Group, headquartered outside London, which operates in 50 countries. “We’ve grown as big as I could take it,” Mazzone said. “I’m never going to settle for just being where we are. I’ve got to be greater and find the best way to get there. This company will allow us to get there.” Restaurant Associates is investing an undisclosed sum in Mazzone’s institutional-dining operations, which generate about $32 million a year in revenue and comprise the company’s Clifton Park headquarters, mobile catering and private events at five locations, and business- and senior-dining wings with contracts at GlobalFoundries in Malta, the Empire State Plaza, Hudson Valley Community College and area retirement communities.
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Operational and financial resources from Restaurant Associates will allow Mazzone to pursue big institutional contracts in the local and regional market, such as with hospitals, convention and entertainment facilities, and colleges and universities. “They’re making a strategic investment to grow this market and expand this market,” said Matt Mazzone. “They like our brand, they like what we do and they see the opportunity, if we had the right infrastructure, to take on a lot more business.” He said preliminary projections from Restaurant Associates and Mazzone’s own research suggest the new merger could result in a tripling of business to institutional clients, to about $100 million in annual revenue, for Mazzone Hospitality LLC. While declining to identify specific expansion plans, Angelo Mazzone
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Art Director Mark Sahm Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Faith Hope Consolo Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Staff Writers Deborah Hirsch Alex Rubin Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Cover Photo courtesy of Fox Rothschild LLP Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2017 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburgh, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
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NEWS
AWARDS
New Award Events Honors Garden State Eateries
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rom high-end restaurants to cozy diners, the winners in the first Garden State Culinary Arts Awards reflect the state’s amazing dining diversity. The Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick won for Best Restaurant, Drew Araneo from Drew’s Bayshore Bistro in Keyport won Best Chef, while Common Lot in Millburn took Best New Restaurant honors. Christopher Atamian, chef/owner, Porcini, Highlands and A.J. Ca-
pella, chef de cuisine, The Ryland Inn, Whitehouse, were co-winners of the Rising Star Chef award. The big winner of the day may have been little Keyport; the town is home to two winners, with Broad Street Diner winning Best Casual Restaurant honors. Gabrielle Carbone and Matthew Errico of The Bent Spoon in Princeton won for Outstanding Food Artisan; Gene Muller, Flying Fish
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New Jersey’s food scene is growing,’’ said Ehren Ryan, chef/ owner, Common Lot, while accepting his award. “It’s getting vibrant. These awards are an amazing attribute for New Jersey.’’
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5
MEET THE NEWSMAKER
Ed Daniels
, President & CEO, PRO-TEK
PRO-TEK Celebrates Move to New Plainview Home
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d Daniels began his business career with a vision in the late 70’s. “I have always been a entrepreneur at heart, and had a passion for all aspects of the food service business. I began selling chemicals and with really hard work, turned myself into a top sales person. But I always knew that I wanted to be my own boss.” So at a very young age the Long Island native set out on his own with a series of business successes, however not without a few speed bumps. Some 30 years later that has led to the establishment of one of the Metro New York’s most respected kitchen equipment service firms: under the primary banner of PRO-TEK. Daniels now shares centerstage with his son Chad, which has enabled PRO-TEK to blend today’s technology with old-fashioned customer service. PRO-TEK’s growth has created a firm with a staff of over fifty, and affiliate companies with over one hundred employees, contributing to a company that, with pioneering ideas, is a leading service provider in the northeast region of the United States, representing manufacturers both national and international. That explosive expansion has facilitated the company’s recent move to a spectacular new home in Plainview, NY. However the very same vision remains from the humble beginnings in a small building in Queens, NY. “The goal remains to deliver quality service consistently, with competitive pricing, and always be sensitive
Our customers are appreciative that we make the effort and investment to become, and keep our technicians qualified and updated on all types of kitchen equipment, to include both hot and cold,” stated Daniels. to the specific needs of the operator; every food service manager has different perceptions of what is most important when it comes to service,” Ed Daniels explained. “The business today is about getting it right on the first service call,” Ed Daniels explained. “So our new facility will maximize the level of communication between our technicians in the field and our support teams to achieve and maintain customer satisfaction.” PRO-TEK also understands that factory training and factory support is an integral part of being able to deliver quality service. Therefore, the development of factory relationships has become a priority.
Ed Daniels, President & CEO, PRO-TEK
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“What has happened today is that manufacturers have become very strict about who can work on their equipment to protect the integrity of the warranty. So those relationships have become more important than ever,” Ed Daniels continued. Today PRO-TEK employs, between its three companies, over one hundred people with over fifty service vehicles on the road each day. PRO-TEK also has strong relationships with and is authorized by over thirty manufacturers worldwide, priding itself in being an award winner for some of the largest factories. “I understand that the only way our businesses works is with great people. So my goal is always to
find people like Diane Rossi, General Manager of PRO-TEK, Jody Cronin, Controller of PRO-TEK, and Jessica Hymowitz, General Manager of PROPLUS, and empower them to lead us.” With Chad Daniels’ vision, PROTEK’s second generation, has brought state of the art technology, such as tablets and service software, which aids in the delivery of timely service. Paper(less) work and billing quickly follows after service is provided. PRO-TEK inventory carries replacement parts, which facilitates the repair of critical equipment in today’s active kitchens. When installing equipment, PROTEK does not consider the install done until the customer/operator knows how to use and perform daily maintenance on the equipment; only then do we consider the installation complete. For Ed Daniels much of that discipline and focus to get it right has come from his personal pursuits. “I have found great focus in my life through my commitment to the martial arts.” “The 12 year challenge of getting my martial arts black belt enabled me to deal successfully with any kind of challenge and beat it. PRO-TEK realized early on that almost every kitchen has multiple pieces of kitchen equipment. So our goal was to add trained technicians to join the PROTEK family to ensure that under one roof, the total service program can be
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7
NEWS
OPENINGS
Chefs International Wins Belmar Bid
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he borough last month unveiled the latest piece of its redevelopment plan with the opening of a $6 million restaurant overlooking the Shark River. The Marina Grille is being run by Chefs International, which constructed the borough-owned building under the agreement with Belmar. The borough is leasing the property to Chefs International for $250,000 a year initially. The 12,000-square-foot facility and sprawling outdoor patio will have year-round casual dining. It’s adjacent to the 9th Ave Pier, a seasonal restaurant the company has been running since 2012. “It helps make Belmar a destination away from the beach,” Doherty said. The Marina Grille will share a concessionaire’s permit with 9th Ave Pier that allows both to sell alcohol but prohibits the permit from being sold or transferred. Doherty said the Marina Grille will generate 200 jobs. Chefs International owns Jack Baker’s Wharfside Restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, Baker’s Water Street Bar & Grille in Toms River, and eight
The borough will lease the property to Chefs International, generating as much as $24 million over the 50-year term of the contract. other restaurants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. And it has been expanding in Belmar, buying Connolly Station and renaming it the Anchor Tavern. The 12,000-square-foot facility and sprawling outdoor patio will feature casual dining and be open yearround. “This puts Belmar on the map as a destination for those boats that come up the East Coast from the Bahamas with people who have a lot of money,” Mayor Matt Doherty said. “And those are the type of people we want to attract to our town to come see our restaurants, our businesses, to come support our local economy.” Doherty spoke last month at a press conference at the Belmar Manutti Marina, where he was joined by Monmouth
County Freeholders Serena DiMaso and Tom Arnone – as well as muddy construction workers who waited in the background for the sign from the bosses to rev up the pile-driving equipment. The elected officials said the project fits in with a bigger vision that would help Belmar better capitalize on its waterfront. “We can envision some day, hopefully, just having ports that people can go from different towns to enjoy themselves,” Arnone said. “You started it here.” Chefs International owns Jack Baker’s Wharfside Restaurant in Point
With the ribbon cut last month, The Marina Grille is officially open.
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Pleasant Beach, Baker’s Water Street Bar & Grille in Toms River, and eight other restaurants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. And it has been expanding in Belmar; it bought Connolly Station last fall and plans to reopen the restaurant, renamed as the Anchor Tavern, in March. The building will include a new, yetto-be-named restaurant and room for a bait-and-tackle shop and a marina office. It has been in the making since Doherty became mayor in 2011. The borough will lease the property to Chefs International, generating as much as $24 million over the 50-year term of the contract. “The restaurant will have a concessionaire’s permit that allows it to sell alcohol but prohibits it from selling or transferring the license,” Doherty said. For its part, Chefs International gets to operate on property that has access not only to boaters docked on the Shark River, but also motorists driving in from Interstate 195 and pedestrians walking only a couple of blocks from downtown Belmar, said Robert Cooper, the company’s president. “We don’t feel like it’s extraordinary rent,” he said. “We feel it’s a very reasonable deal. To go in and purchase a property like this would be prohibitive. We wouldn’t be able to do it.”
The Marina Grille’s outdoor seating area along the Shark River in Belmar.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9
FIORITO ON INSURANCE Don’t Pay For Someone Else’s Mistakes: Understanding Contractual Risk Transfer
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ommon causes of third party liability losses can be traced back to inadequate contracts signed by restaurant management with their vendors. Even with legal counsel involvement, it is common to miss the fine print in the insurance language that ties the two parties together. Your insurance advisor should be reviewing your contracts to ensure that your liability is contractually transferred to the hired vendor for damages they cause. Contractual risk transfer is a way to share the risk so that restaurateurs are not left paying a claim for a problem caused by one of their vendors. It promotes a more equitable shouldering of the risk so that those responsible for it bear it. While procuring insurance for the business is a very common and straightforward way to contractually transfer the financial burden of risk, insurance alone is not enough to properly protect your interests. Knowing about this sort of indemnification is one thing but understanding the nuances is another. Restaurant owners and managers should be wary of options that might be offered up under the guise of contractual risk transfer that can present significant exposure to the business. Here are three of the most common so you know to avoid them: Certificates of Insurance: Too
Restaurant owners and managers should be wary of options that might be offered up under the guise of contractual risk transfer that can present significant exposure to the business.
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 in-
many are fooled into thinking a Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a form of risk transfer. But it really is only a document that serves as a “snapshot in time,” showing insurance coverage. Here are some of the problems with trusting it: • It’s too easy to create fraudulent COIs with today’s technology, • The policy that the COI certifies could be cancelled tomorrow, • If there is no additional insured endorsement, the certificate holder does not have to be notified of policy cancellation. Even if the COI is accurate, as many are, the underlying policies could have severely limiting exclusions. As some unethical vendors and insurance brokers have been known to buy such policies to reduce costs, it’s smart to ask for the actual policies to review. And some insurers are known for selling such bare bones policies that exclude the most significant exposures. Additional Insured Endorsements: When a COI is issued, an Ad-
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ditional Insured Endorsement (AI) adds a layer of protection as it affords the certificate holder coverage under the policy, albeit with restrictions. Despite a benefit in that it provides written notification if the policy’s cancelled, the AI has pitfalls to be aware of. The biggest: • It may not be enforceable if there is no written contract. • The AI is worthless if claims aren’t covered due to exclusions in the underlying policy. • Even if the AI functions as intended, a vendor’s limits may be inadequate for the full extent of the loss. Written Contracts: A written contract can provide significant protections, beyond insurance, but contracts are not without their own limitations. Consider the issues: • It may not include insurance provisions, or the insurance provisions provided may not be adequate for some types of work. • Many written agreements lack an indemnification clause (also known as a hold harmless agreement). This is
dustry. As a 25-year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments. Robert can be reached at 212-338-2324 or by email at robert.fiorito@hubinternational.com.
important to prevent the other party from taking legal action against you for something that party caused. • It may be deemed unenforceable in a court of law. The written contract is in a stronger position if accompanied by a COI and an AI. Your contractual risk transfer practices are critical to protect business from liabilities that you didn’t cause. Your best practice is to not go at it alone. Your insurance advisor plays a critical role in helping you manage your exposures. Even more critical is to have a legal counsel with expertise in the restaurant industry and legal precedents locally.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13
NEWS
PEST CONTROL
How To Keep Diners In – And Pests Out – This Summer By Hope Bowman, Technical Specialist, Western Pest Services
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he days are longer, the weather is warmer and the waiting list for your restaurant’s outdoor patio is growing. Summer has arrived, and it’s not just the busiest season for the foodservice industry – it’s also the busiest season for pests. From spiders that enter through cracked windows to mosquitoes that gather around air conditioning units, your restaurant is at an increased risk of pest threats this summer. And summer pests can lead to yearlong problems, damaging both your business reputation and your bottom line. To mitigate these threats, restaurants should implement an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. Effective IPM programs take a preventative approach to pest control, anticipating and eliminating threats through continuous assessment and monitoring. A critical component of any IPM strategy is stringent sanitation standards – particularly in the summer. Take a tour around your restaurant and note the areas most susceptible to sanitation issues and pests. Then, learn the proper sanitation practices to implement in and around your building. From the kitchen to the dumpster, keep these locations on your watch list: • Kitchen: Diners come to your restaurant for the food – and so do the pests. The food, smells and waste your kitchen produces makes an irresistible combination for summer pests,
Immediately mop up any liquids on the floor – even water.
including flies and cockroaches. To mitigate the risk, be sure your staff incorporates these sanitation steps into their daily routine: • Inspect all Incoming Shipments: Pests frequently enter restaurants through external deliveries. Inspect all food shipments for signs of pests, including droppings, eggs, gnaw marks and carcasses. After inspection, break down and throw out all cardboard boxes. Cockroaches can feed on the glue that holds the boxes together. • Clean the Drain: Be on alert for grease or grime build-up around your drain covers and scrub drains. These are prime breeding grounds for flies and can be easily combatted with organic cleaner. • Monitor the Trash: Trash receptacles accumulate food and liquid waste on both their interiors and exteriors. Line trash cans, remove the trash daily and wipe down the trash cans to ensure pests aren’t attracted to leftover accumulation.
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• Back of the Building: The most common way for pests to get inside a building is by infiltrating the outside. Oftentimes, this means entering through the back of the building, where dumpsters, overgrown vegetation and standing water can create a pest playground. Your staff can stay ahead of the risks if they: • Check the Dumpster: The scent of rotting food and the spill-over of food and liquid waste makes a dumpster an easy target for pests, including flies, birds and rodents. Keep dumpsters as far away from the building as possible and hose them down frequently to remove waste. • Cut Down Vegetation: Overgrown vegetation near your building, including grass and vines, makes it easy for pests to hop from the parking lot to the kitchen. Be sure to mow any grass and trim back any weeds, vines or flowers. • Don’t Let Water Stand Still: Standing water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Be sure to
eliminate any sources of standing water, including leaks from air conditioning units. • The Dining Areas: Both indoor and outdoor dining areas can attract pests, and these can often be the most dangerous to your business. After all, no diner wants to see a cockroach scurrying across the floor. Be sure to follow these sanitation steps: • Avoid Crumbs: Sweep and vacuum the floor throughout the day, paying attention to cracks and crevices where pests could be hiding. A HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter can remove the hard-to-find dust and debris. • Wipe Down Counters: After customers have finished their meals, be sure to wipe down tables and counters with a disinfecting solution. Even the smallest leftover crumb can lead to a full-fledged infestation. • Clean up Spills: Even if it’s just water, be sure to immediately mop up any liquids on the floor. Rats can glean nourishment from just a few drops of liquid. Don’t let pests ruin your busiest season. By implementing these simple sanitation techniques as part of a larger IPM strategy, you’ll be able to keep the summer pests out – and your diners coming in – all summer long. Hope Bowman is a Technical Specialist and Board-Certified Entomologist with Western Pest Services, a New Jersey-based pest management company serving businesses and homeowners in major Northeastern markets. Learn more about Western by visiting www. westernpest.com.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15
MIXOLOGY
WITH WARREN BOBROW
5 Summer Trends In The Cocktail Arena
Warren Bobrow is the creator of the popular blog The Cocktail Whisperer and the author of nearly half a
much- or it will bruise. If you find something that doesn’t look right, a soft spot, green dots that brush off easily, or out and out rot- throw it out immediately. And get some white vinegar in a walk in safe container. Fruit flies are the bane of your restaurant. It sickens me to see them swarming around the bar. I don’t even want to tell you why they are there. If they are, you’re not clean enough. Tough love
1. Fruit. Ok, here’s the drill. Fruit is going to rot in the summer, walk in or not. There is nothing you are going to do about that. Unless you use up that entire case of oranges in a couple days, there’s bound to be one at the bottom (of course) that destroys the whole crate. So I recommend removing each orange- or citrus fruit. Try not to handle the fragile fruit too 16 • June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
costs you your guests. Don’t mess up here... Too many things can go wrong! If you’re not slicing your fruit just before the shift starts, remember- a dried out garnish is going to keep me away. Permanently. Your fruit is going bad early? Roast it. Add some basic whiskey or gin to it. Muddle it. Make Punch. The list goes on and on. 2. Ice Machine. ARE you clean-
Credit: Glenn Scott Photography, Quarto Publishing
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f you’re like me, every waking second is planning for the summer drinking culture. My drinks certainly take on a different dimension in the summer and for good reason. There is a certain seasonality in the flavors. If you are using bottled juices and powdered sour mixes, you’ll be remiss if you don’t use this list to at least try to ‘Raise the Bar’ with regard to my easy to love, easy to do techniques. And isn’t it about time that you actually started to make money instead of always writing checks to the disposal company? What I’m discussing, I learned early on in my career. I was up in Portland, Maine. Working in a small restaurant named Alberta’s in the area known as the Old Port. The year was around 1986 and food still hadn’t taken place in Maine, save for some old style French places that were seasonal, way Down East, there wasn’t much going on culinary wise. Thus keeping the guest happy was more than just making another crab cake or baked stuffed lobster. You have to use as much of what comes in the door as possible. It’s just that easy.
dozen books, including Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and his most recent book Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, & Tonics.
ing your ice machine? Even once per week? Or once per month or once per decade? If you want to get someone really unhappy, show them the inside of your ice machine. Let them run their eyes over the lines that feed your bottom line. No, don’t do that. Break it down. Disinfect the parts. Throw out all that old ice. If you are not doing this weekly, there is a problem. Hey, I started in this business as a pot-scrubber/dish washer. This was one of my jobs back in the 1980’s... 3. Large Ice. Freezer space is at a premium in a restaurant. We all know that. But remember when you had a day off last? And you went to your favorite bar? You know, the one that cuts their own ice for their cocktails? No one is saying you should tie up valuable freezer space, or subject your bar staff to sharp instruments and hack saws. But if you are like me, you’re always looking for an advantage over your competition. There are these little plastic ice cube trays. They don’t go in the dishwasher so don’t put them in there- hand wash them. You can buy them in a multitude of shapes and sizes. Remember how cared for you felt when your expensive
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DISPENSE SOLUTIONS FOR BEER, WINE & COCKTAILS
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17
FAITHFUL FOOD
WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO
Welcome to NYC – A Foodie’s Conglomeration Nation
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ew York City’s booming food-hall scene is redefining the urban restaurant experience that continues to be a success story across the city, now entering new areas that foodies hadn’t thought of much, until now. These big multivendor concepts offer so many dining options in these giant spaces, with the variety of eateries and communal tables promoting endless opportunities for culinary mixing and matching, plus social interaction. Two new areas where the food hall phenomena are on the upswing, and the food mix is proving to be groundbreaking: Chinatown, in Manhattan, and St. George, on Staten Island. Canal Street Market, 265 Canal Street, debuted its retail portion in December and recently added its 12-vendor food hall next door, where Chinatown meets Soho. The dual retail spaces were newly renovated and had housed a large format of the New York-based fast fashion chain Necessary briefly before this incarnation. The location retains some of the Soho-style charm, with its hardwood floors and high ceilings inside, and is a delightful contrast to the ever colorful street vendors and fruit carts outside that Chinatown’s Canal Street is known for. Inside Canal Street Market, the retail anchor vendors now include Mast Brothers, Office Magazine Newsstand, Fox Fodder Farm, Upstate Stock, Jill Lindsey, Leibal, Il Buco Vita. Among the new food vendors worth seeking out, you will find a branch of Ippudo’s Kuro-Obi,
which specializes in dense chicken broth ramen; Nom Wah Kuai, for dumplings and bento boxes; Boba Guys, the bubble-tea specialists; Oppa from the Gansevoort Market; Uma Temakeria; plus sweets from Billy’s Bakery and Davey’s Ice Cream, grain bowls from fresh&co., and Lebanese restaurant ilili. New concepts include bar Lulu and a collaboration between Izakaya and Samurice, which serves miso soup and ochazuke made like drip coffee. A new stall called the “CSM Lab” will host a rotating cast of restaurants. Here is the full delicious cast of characters in this new food hall: • Boba Guys —bubble tea • Billy’s Bakery —bakery offering cupcakes, cakes, and pies • Davey’s Ice Cream to be • CSM Lab — will rotate every three months, starting with Petee’s Pies • fresh&co — the salad chain • ilili Box — the casual offshoot of Philippe Massoud’s Mediterranean restaurant • Kuro-Obi by Ippudo — takeaway ramen • Izakaya/Samurice — miso soup in a cup and more • Lulu — in-house smoothie bar • Nom Wah Kuai — fast-casual dumplings • Oppa — bibimbap, Korean burritos, and Korean tacos from the vendor that’s also in Gansevoort Market • Uma Temakeria — sushi burritos
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As Canal Street real estate turns over, more modern food concepts including Chikarashi, which is already winning awards for its poke and soft-serve, are bringing this neighborhood up more than one notch. Another food-centric eating extravaganza is coming to Staten Island, where a category-defining retail destination, New York City’s first and only shopping outlet, an entire new entertainment district on Staten Island’s North Shore, to be called Empire Outlets. This world-class outlet shopping center is located at the base of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, which is a 20-minute free ferry ride from Manhattan with gorgeous views of the Statue of Liberty. Besides the 75,000 daily commuter passengers who take the ferry, the big tourist draw will be The New York Wheel, a 630-foot version of the 480-foot London Eye, the world’s tallest. The outlet mall will host approximately 100 shops of the finest brands over 350,000 square feet, plus a 190room boutique hotel. Among the food and beverage stand-alone concepts announced so far, we’ll have Shake Shack, Staten Island’s first, Two Boots Pizza, Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, Nathan’s Famous and Wasabi Steak & Sushi, an Ohio-based chain with this marking their New York debut, plus treats from Ghirardelli Chocolate, Starbucks, Haagen-Dazs, and Krispy Kreme. Out of the 40,000 square feet earmarked for food and beverage
Faith Hope Consolo is the Chairman of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group. Ms. Consolo is responsible for the most successful commercial division of New York City’s largest residential real estate brokerage firm. Email her at fconsolo@elliman.com
space, a 15,000-square-foot artisanal food hall will open. To be called the Marketplace at Empire Outlets, or MRKTPL, and being run some of the same execs behind other successful food hall projects in Manhattan, this food hall will include 40 different food concepts, with a mix of local and international names in a relaxed and elegant environment, tilting more towards Le District at Brookfield Place. Set to open in Spring 2018, the total transformation of the St. George waterfront will have food at its center, with MRKTPL becoming a destination for shoppers and diners local to Staten Island. Savor this roundup and watch for my next edition of Faithful Food! Happy Dining!
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19
NEWS KITCHEN SOLUTIONS Methods To Reduce Kitchen Waste An Interview with Stephen Zagor, Dean, School of Restaurant and Culinary Management, Institute of Culinary Education, NYC
W
aste in restaurant kitchens is a significant industry problem that affects all parts of the foodservice supply chain. The need to control it at all levels is paramount. We spoke about this crisis with restaurant consultant Stephen Zagor, director of management programs at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Zagor has more than 25 years of experience in the planning, development and management of a wide variety of restaurants and retail food businesses. He is also a clinical associate professor in the College of Food, Nutrition and Public Health at New York University, teaching courses in Food Business Entrepreneurship, Restaurant Marketing, and Hospitality Operational Problems. After completing a degree at Tulane, Zagor graduated with a Master’s degree from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration. Zagor began his career with stints for the Marriott Hotel corporation in DC, Philadelphia and St. Louis. He owned restaurants in Houston, Texas. In the course of his career, Zagor has developed and owned a multi-concept restaurant group, served as the general manager of a $10 million New York City restaurant, and owned and operated an award-winning limited service restaurant. For ten years, he was the manager of restaurant consulting services for the Hospitality Group of Laventhol & Horwath, and later for Coopers & Lybrand. Zagor recently participated in a panel discussion on this topic at The
New School in New York City. ing from food waste? How serious is the issue of food If you looked at the business as a waste in restaurants? continuum, start with food manufacIf I’m looking at it as the owner turers on one side. They know about and the chef or someone that is tryfood cost. When you get into the sering to contain costs, I’d be absolutely vice world, like McDonald’s, they shocked by how much is actually know how to control costs. They look thrown away. From strictly financial at chain restaurants, they’re pretty and ethical perspectives, an awful lot good at it. There’s some table service, of stuff gets thrown away that could there’s some preparation and some be reused. In fact, I did a blog two or central commissary. But they’re still three months ago, responding to comslightly looser. Then there are the plaints about how high rents are in smaller chains and individual restauNew York, and I commented that rents rants that are not that good at it. Next are high, no doubt about it, but at the are the specialty restaurants, like ethsame time the average restaurateur nic restaurants that are individually doesn’t really know how to operate. owned, they’re definitely not good at And most of that involves controlling it. Then there are the luxury restaucosts in the kitchen. Operators don’t rants, and they don’t care about it beknow how to price a recipe, they don’t cause they’re making money on the know how to understand waste and top line. They’re charging a lot. They reuse, and maximizing product usage. are primarily concerned with the art of There’s just an enormous grey area the food rather than the control of it. that the average restaurateurs don’t They look at volume coverage. They’re know about and they don’t know that selling at $300 a person. At that level, they don’t know. they’re less concerned with waste than The issue of menu pricing has they are with getting patrons to become very acute in recent order. years. People have climbed How much is lost in food the ladder in the industry waste? without going to culinary Collectively, 30-40% school, where they would could have been reusable learn about this. While in some form. they were climbing the ladHow does this happen? der, they spent time learnTrimming. The biggest ing how to cook, learnwaste is going to be in ing how to serve the items that are and sell, but trimmed and yield, they don’t learn which is edible porhow to control. tion as purchased Stephen Zagor, Dean, School of Which operaversus edible porRestaurant and Culinary Management, Institute of Culinary Education, NYC tors are suffertion. When you buy
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something in an as-purchased state, you have to trim it or somehow refine it to the edible portion state. That’s the first place. Either the specification isn’t correct or maybe you’re buying something that should have been partially trimmed or partially built into the cost of the product. Or you’re taking items that could have been reused but go into the garbage, or something that is a trimmed off of a protein item that could have been used but goes into the garbage. The cycle starts there and goes all the way through the preparation process with items that could have been multi used. For example, you can take the skin off of an apple and then use it for something else. Creativity is the soul of profits, it really is. It’s taking something that would be called usable trim as opposed to tossaway trim. What can operators do to overcome this problem? First, they need to know that there is a problem. They need to have an idea that something’s wrong because sometimes they don’t know. There’s a lot of formal training out there about this on the Internet, on YouTube, in culinary school. The problem is that everyone is so busy. Everyone gets so locked into their routines about what they do. They don’t always take a breath and ask “Can I do this better?” “Is there a way in which I can reshape this?” The real thinkers are constantly looking back and saying “OK, I’m doing it this way, now what can I do to make it better or more profitable? Can
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21
C-CAP TRADE TALK
WITH JOYCE APPELMAN
High School Chefs in Underserved Communities Create Noodle Delicacies
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utstanding culinary students from local public high schools were awarded scholarships to continue their culinary studies at the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) New York Awards Breakfast hosted by The Pierre Hotel. C-CAP President Karen Brosius, C-CAP Founder and Chairman Emeritus Richard Grausman, and New York Program Manager Anna Borgman awarded over $590,000 in scholarships and opportunities to high school seniors, juniors, and CCAP alumni. The guest speakers in-
Joyce Appelman, is the National Communications Director for CCAP, Careers through Culinary Arts
cluded Chef Daniel Holzman, Chef and Co-Owner of The Meatball Shop and C-CAP Alumna Stephanie Grajales, Pastry Chef at the Ritz Carlton NY. High school students from underserved communities aspiring to become future celebrity chefs faced a challenge recently from the nationwide 2017 Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Meatless Monday Recipe Contest. The challenge: create an innovative meatless noodle dish and impress the distinguished panel of judges. The winner of the Grand Prize
Scholarship for $5,000 is Adrian Gonzalez, a 12th grader from Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies for his Three Sisters Stuffed Squash dish. Regional winners received $2,000 scholarships. They come from Arizona, Chicago, Washington, D.C. region, Hampton Roads, VA, New York City, and Philadelphia. The New York City winner is Brayden Boscio, a 12th grader from Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx for his Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Tomato Mushroom Ragu and Wilted Spinach dish.
The New York City winning dish was Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Tomato Mushroom Ragu and Wilted Spinach.
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Program in New York, NY. She has been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com
C-CAP is the national leader providing scholarships, education, and career opportunities in the culinary arts to underserved youth. Meatless Monday encourages people to make positive changes in their diet simply by choosing not to eat meat one day a week. Founded in 2003, Meatless
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The New York City winner is Brayden Boscio, a 12th grader from Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23
NEWS OPENINGS Major Foods Trio Debuts The Grill in Former Four Seasons Space
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he much anticipated Major Food Group and Aby Rosen restaurant opened its door last month. The Grill inside the iconic Four Seasons pays tribute to a golden era of New York City dining. The Lenox China tableware was “inspired by JFK-era White House place settings,” food runners are dressed in tuxedos, food is flambéed table-side, and the $62 spit roasted prime rib is delivered by a trolley. Major Food Group, Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zala-
The Grill inside the iconic Four Seasons pays tribute to a golden era of New York City dining. The Lenox China tableware was “inspired by JFK-era White House place settings.” znick, spent every week for the last year testing dishes for The Grill in what had been the former Torrisi Italian Specialties space.
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Chef Mario Carbone’s menu revives the mid-century chop house. “We’re proud to say this menu’s a throwback with steaks, that prime
rib, Lobster a la Newberg and three different Dover Sole preparations, ranging in price from $67 to $72,” noted Carbone. Major Food has become a force in New York City, having opened restaurants like Parm, Carbone, Dirty French, and ZZ’s Clam Shack in rapid succession, Major’s Carbone concept debuted in 2013, and their Southern Italian fantasy Santina opened in 2015. In May 2015, the Landmark’s Pres-
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25 10/11/16 14:34
NEWS
COMMUNITY SERVICE
CT’s Seabird Utilizes Culinary Programs To Teach Life Skills
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very table filled with more customers waiting out the door is a sure indication of success for most bakeries and restaurants, but not for Seabird Enterprises. The Groton-based nonprofit incorporated in 1983 employs individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, and it has shuttered the doors of a couple of its eateries when they became too popular. “They were just so successful that we had to close. They were too busy. They were so fast-paced and our people couldn’t handle that,” said Janet Ledwidge, a founding member of Seabird and the parent of a 55-year-old participant. “If it’s too fast-paced, we are defeating our goal; we’re defeating our mission.” Ledwidge’s daughter, Kathy,
We wanted to give them opportunities. We wanted them to meet with the public. We wanted them to meet with society every day and to give them confidence.” works at Puffins restaurant in Groton, one of the Seabird enterprises. Her mother, who has continuously served on the Seabird board, including a stint as president, was involved in the late 1970s when some Groton parents and community members decided that they wanted more for intellectually and physically disabled students after they
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left Robert E. Fitch Senior H.S. “These special ed kids really needed someplace to go and something to do,” said Ledwidge. “We wanted to give them opportunities. We wanted them to meet with the public. We wanted them to meet with society every day and to give them confidence.” They collaborated with the late
Harold “Doug” Neumann Jr., who helped them to establish and incorporate Seabird Enterprises. Today, Neumann’s daughter, Lori Neumann, is executive director of the nonprofit, which has grown far beyond Groton, serving about 250 individuals in eastern Connecticut from the shoreline north almost to the Massachusetts boarder. Seabird operates facilities in Groton, Uncasville, Plainfield and Colchester, offering vocational training, job coaching, and work opportunities at its properties and in the community. Clients or “individuals” range in age from 15 to almost 80. They arrive by vans at the various sites at 8 a.m. Mondays through Fridays. Some in-
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27
SEDERHOLT ON RESTAURANT FINANCE
Dealing With Suppliers – Friends with Benefits
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ast month we talked about determining the real value of a business for those looking to buy or sell a restaurant. Value is established by a complex meeting of the minds, resulting in an agreement to buy / sell for a specific price and with terms acceptable to both parties. This is how a transaction is crafted. VALUE is a mutually agreed upon hallucination. In most cases the value of something is based upon a comparative analysis within a given market situation. It’s easy to compare the price of a case of tomatoes, ground round or 50 lb. sack of bread flour between vendors but is there a “value add” offered in the transaction associated with doing business with one vendor or another? If you boil the transaction down to its lowest common denominator and focus exclusively on the single item you might be missing the larger picture. Commodities like produce, meat and dairy can be compared on an “apples to apples” basis but what’s it worth to you to get more than just the product you ordered? Is that an “apples to apple pie” comparison?? Larger broad line suppliers are known to charge more than bare bones cash and carry discount purveyors. There are good reasons for the difference and considerable value to the foodservice operator if you
Larger broad line suppliers are known to charge more than bare bones
cash and carry discount purveyors. There are good reasons for the difference and considerable value to the foodservice operator if you take advantage of the benefits.
David Sederholt is the Chief Operating Officer of Strategic Funding, a leader in small business financing since 2006. Before this, David spent 30 years in the restaurant business
take advantage of the benefits. With larger broad line suppliers you may pay more, but if qualified, you can get 30 days credit and delivery right into your prep kitchen. You also save considerable amounts of time and get the convenience of a “one stop shop” as many of these vendors often carry equipment, small wares and other supplies which can be thrown onto a food order with your next delivery. This is a huge convenience for the busy restaurateur, but it may not be worth the 20% - 30% they save by going directly to the discounter and buying cash and carry. Some discounters offer much lower prices than the major purveyors along with a broad product selection including hardware etc., but you must pay immediately. COD
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– hard cash money on the spot. You also eat the most valuable asset of all – TIME. You cannot replace what you have lost. Then there is the hard labor component as you lug your own supplies back to your restaurant in a truck that is also costing you money. Is it worth it to you? Having owned and operated many restaurants, I have gone both routes. Each has their own merits and benefits, but there is always additional value that you should recognize before making any final judgments. On a recent visit with my friend Michael Endico, of Ace Endico, I noticed a slogan framed on his wall. It said – “Cheap can be expensive”. Larger distributors often make shopping / ordering and delivery easy. They assign a Sales Rep to
and has owned and operated more than a dozen restaurants. As a direct lender, the company offers a variety of financing options and has provided over $1.25 Billion to approximately 20,000 businesses across the United States and Australia.
come to you to introduce new products or call you regularly so you don’t miss a delivery. Many offer an online ordering platform that guarantees accuracy in the orders and tells you what is out of stock in real time. Some platforms also integrate directly into your accounting and inventory systems, which tightens up your cost controls and bookkeeping expenses saving you valuable time and money.
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29
Q&A
EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW
Carolyn D. Richmond Chair, Hospitality Practice Group at Fox Rothschild LLP, NYC
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s the chair of Fox Rothschild’s Hospitality Practice Group and former chair of the Labor and Employment Department, Carolyn Richmond is one of the brightest in the business. After working with iconic New York City restaurateur Stephen Hanson, as General Counsel, founder of monster hospitality group BR Guest, Carolyn found her passion. She returned to private practice and began helping restaurateurs in New York City get ahead with ease of mind. With almost 25 years of experience, Carolyn has quickly become one of the most influential and involved people in the New York City hospitality scene. She was named in the 2009 CRAIN’s 40 Under Forty. Carolyn is a member of the Cornell University Advisory Board for the Center for Hospitality, Serves on the Board of Editorial Advisors for Hospitality Law, Serves as Labor Counsel to the New York City Hospitality Alliance, and serves on Culintro’s Culinary Trade Organization’s Board of Advisors. What really got you interested in the hospitality industry? It certainly skipped a few generations; my great grandfather Joseph Miller was what you could call a restaurateur during the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. He owned and operated restau-
as a three year old I remember going to Maxwell Plum. I still remember every bit of that restaurant’s layout. Even as a three year old I had a very defined pallet for the best burger in town!
Carolyn D. Richmond, Chair, Hospitality Practice Group at Fox Rothschild LLP, NYC
rants and coffee shops in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area. I don’t know if he would have used the word restaurateur back then but he certainly had the entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic. My
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grandfather in turn grew up in the industry and past along his love of food and hospitality to me. Certainly I was raised in a family of very good cooks and great diners. My parents would take us into Manhattan and
How did you find yourself so specialized as Fox Rothschild’s, Chair of Hospitality Practice Group? The way I got into the restaurant industry is a little bit circuitous. I was a management side labor associate in 1996-7 but spent my “off time” working on the Clinton/Gore campaign. In 1997 I happened to be a seat filler for an Al Gore fundraising luncheon at the Plaza Hotel. I was seated by chance next to Steve Hanson, we began to chat and when he asked me what I do, the brazen twenty seven year old in me respnded, “I’m an employment lawyer, I represent restaurants”! It was partially true—we represented a number of restaurants; he followed up and asked me if I could revise his handbook. Two seconds later, Secret Service walks up to our table and tells Steve that he is sitting at the wrong table and should be sitting at the table with the Vice President. I called Steve the next day, he gave me a shot, and the rest is history. Twenty years later, here I am. I owe everything to that seat and to Steve. What did you take away from Steve,
and what it takes to be successful in this industry? A year working full-time for Steve as General Counsel in 20032004 was like a judicial clerkship. It changed my entire perspective on how to practice law and interact with clients. I got to see what it was like on the business side and it changed everything about the way I practice. First I learned that my legal advice is incredibly important but that it has to be practical and usually definitive. It’s great for me to give a legal answer pro’s and con’s. But, that’s not what an operator wants to know. They want to know if they can do it; what is the cost and what is the risk—then, it’s up to them to assess the risk. With Steve, I learned quickly to provide the pertinent information, concisely but thoroughly. That experience made all the difference over the next 15 years. It’s one thing for me to advise an operator to terminate a sexual harasser but it’s quite another to appreciate that he might be the number one producer and termination will have serious consequences. Legal decisions in business are not black and white and the raminfications on the business have to be understood in context. A good legal advisor needs to be able to work with the business operator to find a practical solution that weighs the legal vulnerability with the financial risk. Any time I have spent with Steve took my critical thinking and problem solving to a new level.
to day legal needs and contract negotiations were at an all time high. A lot has changed in the last 15 years, back then having a deep human resources bench and a general counsel for a NYC-based restaurant group that was our size was fairly novel. Very few if any groups of a similar size had those positions; it
took almost ten years for the industry to catch up to where BR Guest was. It was an incredible experience that year and it changed the entire way I practice when I I went back ‘out-house’. I went from being a more general management labor lawyer to something that I don’t really think existed up until that point
in time –a restaurant side management labor lawyer, with a specialty in tips and wage and hour. Over the next ten years my practice became essentially one dedicated to restaurants, hotels and nightlife specializing in advice and counsel and
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What led to the decision to leave and to go into private practice? Working at BR Guest was never more than a one year plan. I went on board when we were opening the James Hotel in Scottsdale and day June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31
Q&A Carolyn D. Richmond, from page 31
litigation concerning wage & hour, discrimination and general hospitality workplace issues. Have your colleagues at Fox Rothschild ever been concerned that your restaurant niche was too narrow? You know it’s a cliché to say timing is everything but timing is everything. I went back into private practice in ‘04 and the landscape of employment law had started to change dramatically. The first ten years of my practice was all about discrimination and some traditional labor relations—with not one wage case. But, 2004 was the year everything changed. New FLSA regulations were issued that year; we started to see wage and hour class action lawsuits against the big box stores coming out of California and moving east. The garment industry
had virtually disappeared from New York City and the New York Department of Labor was reallocating resources to the restaurant industry. The workforce looked a whole lot different than even twenty years ago; we were a service economy. Now we work with a lot of minimum wage workers. So, when I went back to private practice the tip suits were just starting to hit New York City’s fine dining community, and over the next decade they continued to morph into other claims over decades old industry practices that were long ignored. I remember vividly my managing partner talking to me around 2011 and noting that I was doing very well at the firm and defending all these tip cases but what would happen in a year or two when everyone got into compliance and I
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ran out of suits? Sadly, that hasn’t happened. The State keeps changing the Hospitality Wage Order, New York City keeps enacting more onerous laws that burden restaurateurs with almost impossible procedural and paperwork requirements and the mandatory penalties and attorney fee provisions keep the lawsuits coming. While it certainly keeps me in business, it is far from my favorite part of the job. I have always enjoyed the counseling and preventative work more than defending what are often ‘no win’ suits. What are the major issues you are facing now? Today’s issues are still about who’s exempt or non-exempt from overtime. Essentially, can a sous chef or floor manager be classified as a true salaried manager or not? And, if
you guess wrong, the overtime owed can be incredibly expensive. This is a hot-button issue for the whole country, not just hospitality. Hospitality however, gets hit especially hard by these suits. The other issue that is particularly difficult for New York employers right now is the everescalating penalties on restaurants for simple paperwork violations for something as simple as an omission of a tip credit on a pay stub or Rate of Pay form or failure to provide the form in Spanish. Errors on either of these two documents could result in penalties of up to $10,000 per employee. An otherwise poster child employer who pays overtime correctly, operates a perfect tip pool, takes no shortcuts anywhere can still get hit for millions of dollars or
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33
Q&A Carolyn D. Richmond, from page 32 liability because managers did not carefully maintain forms or even because an outside payroll company uses the wrong templates. The laws have become too draconian and keep people from even wanting to open businesses in NY. New York has become almost impossible to open a restaurant, what are the solutions? That is a sentiment we hear all the time. Unfortunately I have helped handle more restaurant closings in the last two years than I have done in the previous 22 years combined. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the ever increasing government regulations in New York on small businesses and that has a real financial effect on the bottom line. However well intentioned a regulation like paid sick leave is, it means an owner has to cut back some-
where else or raise prices. There is also very little infrastructure behind most of these small businesses where you can afford to have someone tracking all the recordkeeping requirements. Hiring just one employee or outside consultant just to handle all the extra paperwork for paid sick leave and rate of pay forms alone can wipe out any remaining profit for an entire year in a small restaurant. What should somebody be looking for in terms of the selection of attorneys to protect their interests? I think more and more in any business you need to find the right expert and specialist for your needs.. When you are negotiating a lease in this city I would want a real estate attorney who understands this city, real estate, landlords and the lifecycle of a restaurant. The same with
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respect to my liquor license. I would look for someone who understands community boards, the SLA and the issues you face in your geographic region. If you don’t get that license, you don’t have a business. The same with a labor lawyer—cutting corners now won’t help. Start your payroll properly now and understand the tip laws and immigration issues. There are a number of lawyers certainly in New York that understand the restaurant business. You should not be opening a restaurant if you don’t have the right accountant who understands the restaurant business, cash flow and operational expenses. Getting the right advice at the beginning is infinitely cheaper than paying on the backend. I generally tell people coming to be at the beginning of a project that for five - ten thousand dollars worth of advice at the start from me or some-
one similar, and setting up handbooks, making sure your employment documents are right, training and making sure you have the right payroll set up and the right payroll company in place, you can literally avoid a million dollar settlement three years later. The difference is that much—or more—assuming you follow the advice at the beginning. I know how tight margins are, but if you don’t spend that money prospectively I guarantee some disgruntled ex-employee will find his way to the department of labor or a plaintiff’s attorney and will find some way to hurt you and your business. The real answer to all of this is serious regulatory reform, but that’s a tough and rougher battle.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35
SCOOP
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
Hohmann Joins Sofitel New York As Executive Chef Of Gaby Brasserie Française Scoop says congrats to Robert Hohmann who is the new executive chef at Gaby Brasserie Française, the restaurant and bar at Sofitel New York. He brings to his role more than 20 years of experience in hospitality and catering, and has headed the kitchens of some of Manhattan’s most established hotels. Hohmann’s broad culinary knowledge spans from classic French to creative American cuisine. His understanding of New York City’s vibrant food culture makes him an ideal choice to helm Gaby Brasserie Française, where the menu will be light and seasonal, with French and American influences. Hohmann is inspired by fresh, high-quality ingredients, with a focus on those that are local, or-
Chef Robert Hohmann
ganic and sustainable. Hohmann grew up in an apartment over his mother’s restaurant in West Milford, New Jersey, where he became fascinated and inspired by the fast-paced environment of the kitchen. He joins Sofitel New York after four years as executive chef of The Roosevelt New
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York Hotel. He has also served as the executive chef of The Warwick Hotel New York and executive sous chef of the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers. Hohmann was also owner and executive chef of Culinary Creations, a catering company he established and operated successfully for seven years. A graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, Hohmann has won accolades throughout his career, including leader of the year at The Roosevelt Hotel New York in 2014. He has hosted events for the last four U.S. presidents and a number of New York sports teams.
New Haven High School Takes 5th At National Culinary Convention
in the National ProStart Student Invitational held recently in Charleston, S.C. The event is hosted by the National Restaurant Association and two teams—one representing management skills and the other culinary skills—had to demonstrate not only their cooking ability but their ability to design a restaurant concept from A to Z. “Our students did a fantastic job at representing New Haven and Connecticut at the National ProStart Student Invitational. There were over 400 students competing representing 90 teams. They are the best of the best from each state, and every state hopes that their name is called,” said Chef Nathaniel Bradshaw. Not only did they win fifth place, but they also were the first team to represent New
Scoop says the Wilbur Cross management team placed fifth out of 43
continued on page 38
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37
Scoop, from page 36 England on the awards stage at these national competitions, beating out many states that have won these awards several times in the past 16 years. These amazing students could not have achieved this great recognition without the support from you, the loving and supportive staff of Wilbur Cross High School. As one judge commented to us about our management team and presentation, “I was incredibly proud to see Connecticut finish fifth and to cross the stage. It has been a privilege to judge your team the last three years and to see the improvement yearover-year is a real testament to your support of your students. I would like to personally thank the team, Lisa Lapidus, Anthony Latella, Anthony Sansone and the Culinary and CTE departments for their constant devotion and support to this program. A special thanks for their constant love and support through-
out the year goes out to our mentors representing The Union League Café family, Robin Vuillermet, Cheri McKenzie and Chef Jean-Pierre Vuillermet. Lastly, a humungous thanks to Jennifer Conkling-Schmitz, the Connecticut National Restaurant Association representative, for her commitment to this team over the last several years.”
New Chef Joins Team At Almond In Bridgehampton Scoop notes there’s a new chef at the helm at proverbial talents to the table for a win-win Almond in Bridgehampton and he’s bringing his partnership. Almond, has announced a new chef de cuisine, Jeremy Blutstein. Formerly of East By Northeast in Montauk, Blutstein has joined Almond, where he will continue a “strong commitment of using local products and local produce in order to support the local community alongside Executive Chef Jason
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Chef Jeremy Blutstein
Weiner,” the eatery said. A graduate of New York Restaurant School, Blutstein has divided his time in recent years between Montauk and New York City, working at Eataly, Margaux and Tremont, where he was nominated for a James Beard Award. After spending two years at the Crow’s Nest, he went on to join East by Northeast as executive chef. “Joining the team at Almond is an organic transition for me. Jason and I have very similar beliefs in uti-
lizing the bounty that our super-tight community produces. Cooking seasonally on the East End is made fun by the personal connections we make with the farmers, fisherman, baymen, and local artisans. Expect great things to continue with an enormous amount of fun. The culinary dream team has been assembled - bring the ruckus. Food is bond,” Blutstein said. Weiner said he’s thrilled by the addition. “This is a guy who shares our commitment to localism, old school technique, and ethnic/street food/peasant cuisine. He’s also a friend. Super psyched to have him on our crew. Our restaurant just got a hell of a lot better,” Weiner said. Almond, an affordable French bistro, is a favorite in the Hamptons. Chef Weiner is known for using locally farmed products and local produce in order to support the local community.
continued on page 40
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39
Scoop, from page 38
$38 Pizza Makes Manhattan Debut Scoop says it’s time to keep an eye on increasing pizza prices in New York There’s a $7 slice at the revered Di Fara Pizza in Midwood, Brooklyn. This month, the Sofia Pizza Shoppe, in the Sutton Place section of Manhattan, is upping the ante, with a $38 pizza that requires an online ticket purchase and is available only a few nights each week, for a limited number of seatings. Only one pie will be made for each seating. The pie, called the DoughDici, is a two-inch-tall, puffy-crust pizza with a crisp edge and a blanket of red sauce, fresh mozzarella and grated cheeses. Pizza obsessives may liken it to a soufflé for its dough, which traps air to form an elevated structure. Thomas DeGrezia, who opened the shop last July with Matthew Porter, said he cold-fermented the dough for about three days before letting it rise
The Rise of the $38 Pizza, Exclusive and Elusive
in an oil-lined pan with grated cheese for 12 hours. (The name is a play on “dodici,” Italian for “12.”) It is cooked
40 • June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
for 10 minutes without stretching the dough, resulting in a collapsed, airy crumb. The result is a six-slice pizza
that Sofia will sell only by the pie. If all that seems a lot of bother for pizza, the partners say it reflects the time, labor and cost of making the pies. “We use all imported flours, and we also use an imported, unfiltered, organic Sicilian olive oil,” said Mr. DeGrezia, who traces his pizza heritage to J& V Pizzeria, which his grandfather helped found in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in the 1950s. “Of the four cheeses on it, one is a daily-hand-made, fresh mozzarella, and another is a 36-month red cow Parmigiano-Reggiano that gets shaved on top right before serving. We didn’t set out to create a pizza event, but once we realized that we wanted it to be an in-house-only pie to best ensure quality, we decided it needed to be a bit more experiential,” Mr. DeGrezia said. “Since our shop is so small, we added the stools, reservations and drinks.”
continued on page 42
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41
Scoop, from page 40
Chef Nobu Awarded, GQ Lifetime Achievement Award Scoop notes that Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has been awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award received at the 2017 British GQ Food & Drink Awards. This inspiring accolade comes 23-years since opening the first Nobu restaurant in New York. The inspiration for the first Nobu restaurant remains at the core of the group today; the focus on exceptional quality, great service, charismatic design, and a heartfelt and passionate desire to deliver memorable experiences to our guests. The original goal was to create a great place in New York to enjoy great food with friends, and not what the group has evolved into today; a game changer in the hospitality and restaurant industry. Chef Nobu, Robert DeNiro and Meir Teper have remained the closest of friends and partners since Nobu was crafted. In 2015, the shareholders welcomed James Packer as partner and collaborative visionary for the next decades. The partners have travelled the world over which has deeply influenced their lives and fueled their careers as artists, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs. It was this experience that set the foundation of creating Nobu Hotels and Residences in 2009. Developing the hospitality platform has been the vision to craft the unique chemistry and perfect balance of luxury, fun, craft and theater. Nobu has now grown into a global hospitality and restaurant empire across 5 continents with 32 restaurants and 12 hotels. The hotel collection includes Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, Nobu Hotel City of Dreams and this year has seen the opening of the Nobu Hotel Miami Beach and Nobu Ryokan Malibu.
Charlie Palmer’s Flagship, Aureole Appoints New Touque Scoop notes that Charlie Palmer is making some changes at Aureole and the more casual Liberty Room at Au-
reole by promoting Gabriele Carpentieri to executive chef of his flagship and Renaud Besnard to executive pastry chef. Carpentieri, originally from Milan, joined Aureole in 2013 and grew up visiting his grandfather’s olive farm, which has shaped his penchant for seasonal ingredients and olive oil over butter and cream. But it’s also Palmer’s taste that’s changing. “Spending half my time in wine country,” says Palmer, “is also carrying through to our menus.” Palmer’s California restaurants include Harvest Table and Charlie Palmer Steak in the Archer Hotel Napa; Dry Creek Kitchen at the Hotel Healdsburg in Sonoma County; and Burritt Room + Tavern in the Mystic Hotel. Here in New York, Palmer recently relocated Charlie Palmer Steak to the Archer Hotel. Aureole has been open since 1988 on East 61st Street and relocated to Times Square in 2009. The new menu that launched last month includes warm vinaigrettes, quick sautés and the next ingredients for spring like asparagus and morels. “It’s so very different than ten years ago,” says Palmer of what’s coming out of the kitchen at Aureole. Unlike, say, the newly opening Grill in the Seagram Building, he wants Aureole to present dishes using fine ingredients “in a fresh and immediate way, but we don’t want to do it with a lot of pomp and circumstance,” he says. As for his new head chef, “Gabriele is a very level person. He’s not a screamer. He’s not excitable,” he says. “And he’s Italian, so he has a background that has a place for all the things we’re talking about, too. This kind of cooking is natural to him.” Besnard has been working in pastry since he was 14 years old, living in the Paris suburb of Sartrouville, when he apprenticed under baker Gilles Bajolle and began producing breads, chocolates, and viennoiserie with his mentor. From there, he went on to Hotel Le Ritz, Hotel Le Bristol, and La Table de Joel Robuchon. He moved to the U.S. the same year he started working for Palmer.
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43
NEWS
ONLINE CUSTOM RECIPES
Your Restaurant’s Homemade Sorbet Solution Is Now Online
N
ow that summer is fast approaching it is time for patisserie chefs and icecream makers to think about the preparation of their future sorbets which will delight their customers’ tastebuds. But – as every year – the exercise can turn into a quandary. Or rather that was before the launch of the brandnew sorbet solution designed and developed by Les vergers Boiron. The difficult art of the sorbet Creating a sorbet following the rules of the art with an agreeable texture and balanced taste is not necessarily easy! “Every year we have lots of calls from clients in a bit of a panic, who don’t understand why their sorbet was too liquid or didn’t stay consistent over time”, Jean-Christophe Duc, Les vergers Boiron patisserie chef tells us. “But at a distance it isn’t always easy to give them the right instructions.”
world leader in professional frozen fruit purées. Until now, a totally free tool of this type has not existed. Created by professionals for professionals this solution is reliable and especially easy to take in hand – even for the least experienced. It frees chefs from the additions, subtractions, multiplications… “When you’re busy all day you can’t waste an hour doing hand calculations with the multiple risks of mistakes that’ll unbalance the recipe,” the patisserie chef under lines. “So our biggest challenge consisted in setting up a program that would be complete, intuitive, and quick.” Not so easy – and, yet, after a detailed study of the requirements, key production criteria, and numerous tests with professionals: eureka! the solution was born and it keeps all its promises. Complete and simple to use How does it work in practice? It’s
The first easy to use solution – very complete and totally free Always concerned to make life easy for its clients, Les vergers Boiron decided to have its teams study the challenges. The result? An astonishing solution to help create sorbets, is now accessible online on the Les vergers Boiron site (my-vb.com). A real innovative breakthrough imagined by the 44 • June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
very simple and quick, all you have to do is: 1. Indicate how much sorbet you want. 2. Choose from the 70 Les vergers Boiron flavors – knowing you can use up to three different flavors together – enough to give free rein to the chefs’ imagination to make unique and delicious creations. 3. Then – depending on whether you want a creation more or less rich in fruits or sugar – you just have to indicate the % of fruit purée, dextrose, invert sugar, and stabilizer… Everything has been designed to make things simple; high and low brackets are there to guide the chefs. “A bracket that also enables professionals to be sure they comply with the legislation properly depending on whether they have decided to embark on the
production of a sorbet full of fruit or a classic sorbet,” JeanChristophe Duc explains. Calculating the calories and overheads of the recipes Good news…. With one click on “Calculate” the exact weight in grams of all the ingredients needed for the recipe! Cherry on the sorbet, the solution displays the nutritional value for 100 g. And that’s not all…. It is also possible the precise costs of the recipe: you just have to click on the Euro symbol and indicate the price per kilo of the various ingredients. Last but not least – everything is printable in PDF format. With such a solution it’s all over for industrial preparations: patisserie chefs and ice-cream makers can proudly display in their shopwindows “homemade sorbets without artificial flavorings, coloring agents, or preservatives.” An extra selling point when more and more gourmets are very vigilant about what they eat and ready to spend more on highquality products for what is homemade. The Les vergers Boiron sorbet solution is already available in French, English, Spanish, and German on my-vb.com.
fruit purees frozen red fruits Blackcurrant
Black cherry
Cranberry & Morello cherry
Strawberry
Wild strawberry
Caribbean cocktail
Coconut
Mango &
Papaya Passion fruit
Mara des bois strawberry
Raspberry
Red fruits
Morello cherry
Redcurrant
Blackberry
Blueberry
tropical fruits Pineapple
Lychee
Banana
Mango
Lemongrass
Spicy mango
Passion Fruit
Tropical fruits
Ginger
Guava
Pomegranate
Kiwi
Pear
Green apple
Dark-red plum
fruits of the orchard Apricot
Fig
Chestnut & Vanilla
Melon
Mirabelle plum
Watermelon
White peach
Blood peach
Fruits of the sun
Kalamansi
Mandarin
Orange
Rhubarb
citrus fruits Bergamot
Lemon
Lime
Citrus fruits cocktail with Cointreau
Orange & Bitter orange
Blood orange
Pink grapefuit
Yuzu
zero compromise 100% taste my-vb.com
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45
EYE
METRO NYC’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
PRESENTED BY:
NYC Hospitality Alliance Awards 2017 Winners Announced
L
ast month, the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a membership-based association founded in 2012 that aims to foster the growth and vitality of the hospitality industry, hosted its second annual awards ceremony at TAO Downtown in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. The event honored the restaurants, bars, nightlife establishments, and professionals throughout the five boroughs that have made an impact on the city’s booming hospitality industry. “Whether people are just starting out [in the hospitality industry], or are the owners of iconic dining institutions – we’re a connected community,” said Andrew Rigie, the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance. “It’s important that we join together to recognize and applaud our colleagues’ accomplishments, contributions and hard work that keeps New York City the hospitality capital of the world.” The NYC Hospitality Alliance Awards 2017 Winners were determined by the majority vote of ‘Nomination Committee’ members after a review and deliberation process, and were announced at the ceremony. Appointed by Rigie, the ‘Nomination Committee’ represents a wide-range of hospitality professionals with a wealth of knowledge and experience in New York City’s hospitality industry. “It’s always amazing to see our industry come together in celebration of one another,” said Paul Seres, the Chair of the New York City Hospitality
Alliance Awards Committee. “It was a night to remember!” Award categories and winners include: • Philanthropy Served Here Award – Goes to a charitable organization whose work helps to make the neighborhoods of NYC a more hospitable place- with a focus on working with the restaurant and hospitality industry. Honoree: City Harvest • The Next Generation Award presented by TouchBistro – Goes to an up-
and-coming or established mover and shaker who is still early in their hospitality industry career Winner: Michael Stillman (Quality Branded) Nominees: August Cardona (Epicurean Group); Michael Stillman (Quality Branded); Brice Jones (Freehold Brooklyn) • The Determination Award – Goes to an individual who started at an entrylevel job in the hospitality industry and is now in a leadership role Winner: Pierre Siue (DANIEL)
Nominees: Brandon Fay; Carlos Lazo; Pierre Siue • Hearts of Hospitality Award presented by Fox Rothschild LLP – Goes to an individual who is recognized for excellence in the profession of human resources in hospitality Winner: Kelly Perkins (NoHo Hospitality) Nominees: Jackie McMann-Oliveri (Bold Food); Kelly Perkins (NoHo Hospitality); Maren Calloway (Quality
continued on page 48
Andrew Rigie (Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance); Luke Fryer (Harri); Joel Montaniel (SevenRooms). (Photo by Ken Goodman)
Charter Alliance sponsor Imperial Bag & Paper was on hand to celebrate the association’s growth.
Andrew Rigie; Jake Dell (Katz’s Delicatessen, winner of the “True Taste of NYC” award for Pastrami Sandwich), Robert Bookman (Pesetsky & Bookman, PC)
Chef/Restaurateur David Burke; Keith Treyball (Partner for Esquared Hospitality). (Photo by Ken Goodman)
(R to L) ICE’s Rick Smilow and Blue Smoke’s opening chef Gerry Callaghan were among notables
A la cart Restaurant’s chief Jeffrey Vanessa Vite (c) led the TouchBistro Bank (c) toasted the evening with celebration at the annual event many industry notables.
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NYC Hospitality Alliance Awards 2017, from page 46 Branded) • I Love Boroughs – Goes to a favorite restaurant in each borough as chosen by hospitality industry professionals • I Love Brooklyn Award Winner: Roberta’s Nominees: Junior’s on Flatbush; Lilia; Roberta’s • I Love Bronx Award Winner: Dominick’s Nominees: Dominick’s; Zero Otto Nove; The Original Crab Shanty • I Love Manhattan Award presented by Imperial Bag & Paper Winner: Gotham Bar & Grill Nominees: Gotham Bar & Grill; The Nomad; Rao’s • I Love Queens Award Winner: Bohemian Beer Hall & Garden Nominees: Bohemian Beer Hall & Garden; Mu Ramen; Trattoria l’incontro • I Love Staten Island Winner: Mario’s Nominees: Bocelli; Enoteca Maria; Mario’s • True Taste of NYC Award – Goes to an iconic dish served at an iconic NYC restaurant Winners: Katz’s Delicatessen (Pastrami Sandwich) Nominees: Katz’s Delicatessen (Pastrami Sandwich); Nobu (Miso Black
Cod), Sylvia’s (Fried Nominees: SendaChicken) Guy Now; SevenRooms; • City That Never Sleeps xtraChef Award – Goes to the imFor more information portant and/or influenabout the New York City tial club and/or operator Hospitality Alliance, Winner: The Box please visit www.thenyNominees: House of calliance.org. Yes; La Marina; The Box The 2nd annual New • Raising The Bar Award York City Hospitality Al(L to R) David Greco (Mike’s Deli, winner of “I Love Bronx” award in 2016), – Goes to the important liance Awards took place Charlie DiPaolo (Dominick’s, winner of “I Love Bronx” award); Melba Wilson (Melba’s Restaurant); Gennaro Pecchia (Men Who Dine); guest and/or influential bar on Monday, May 8th, and/or owner 2017, from 6:30PM to Winner: Jimmy’s No. who has achieved respect and excel10:00PM at TAO Down43 lence working in one or more operation town, located at 92 9th Avenue. Nominees: Jimmy’s No. 43; Pegu level jobs for a single unit or restaurant The New York City Hospitality AlliClub; The Dead Rabbit group ance is a non-profit-trade association • Back Of House Award presented by Winner: Bill Bonbrest (TAO Group) representing restaurants and nightlife United Airlines – Goes to a person who Nominees: Bill Bonbrest (TAO establishments throughout the five has achieved respect and excellence Group); Jennifer Kay (NYC Best Bars); boroughs. Formed in September 2012 working in one or more jobs in a resSam Goldfinger (The ONE Group) by a group of well-noted hospitality taurant kitchen • #HospitalityGuruAward – Goes to the operators, The Alliance provides a uniWinner: Bill Telepan restaurant (or chef/restaurateur) with fied voice for the industry in the halls Nominees: April Bloomfield; Bill the best food Social Media presence – of government, in the media, and is a Telepan; Missy Robbins makes you drool, laugh and captures one-stop resource for industry-specif• Front Of House Award – Goes to a peryour attention ic advice, education, events and costson who has achieved respect and exWinner: By Chloe saving services. Through the support cellence working in one or more jobs on Nominees: Barbuto; By Chloe; Sugar and involvement of its members, The the dining room floor of a restaurant Factory Alliance is committed to advancing Winner: Katie Bell (Agern) • Hospitality Technology Award – Goes – with a clear and unified voice – an Nominees: Chrissa Yee (Loring to a technology platform enhancagenda focused on opportunity, ecoPlace); Danny Collins (Smith & Woling the way the hospitality industry nomic investment and job creation. lensky); Katie Bell (Agern) operates • Operations Award – Goes to a person Winner: SevenRooms
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49
NEWS
AWARDS
Staten Island’s Mario’s Grabs NYC Honors
C
hef Mario Gentile accepted an award from the New York City Hospitality Alliance last month on behalf of his dedicated team at Mario’s Restaurant in Dongan Hills. “It was a great night,” said Gentile. “When they announced Mario’s had won, I was so honored and proud of my staff,” said Mario. “We did this together.” “Just being nominated was exciting!” Gentile said. “Mario’s has only been opened for two years and we were up against several, very successful, well-established restaurants with great reputations.” Mario’s Restaurant was born on Jan. 14, 2015 as an upscale Italian eatery with linen-cloth service and a decidedly seasonal menu. With lunch and dinner successfully down pat by October, Gentile opened “Mario’s To Go,” a grab-and-go concept right next door. This section sees pizza, sandwiches made with artisan breads, wraps, healthy options and a build-a-meal concept for the home cook where ingredients are already prepped. Upstairs, Gentile established a catering hall. Continually evolving, Gentile added Sunday brunch to his repertoire along with daily meal deals starting in October, 2016. His career in the restaurant industry started in Brooklyn at 12 years old in his father’s place: Caffe Mille Luci on 18th Avenue. Gentile trained in Italy under Michelin-rated chefs, then came back to New York under chef
Whether people are just starting out in the hospitality industry, or are the owners of iconic dining - we’re a connected community,” said Andrew Rigie, the Alliance’s Executive Director. Terrance Brennan and the Cipriani group. Eventually, Gentile hung his toque at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield, and subsequently at Angelina’s in its Tottenville location when it earned four-and-a-half stars from the Advance. In February, 2015 he was honored at the annual Advance Cookbook contest. Mario’s has been recognized by Zagat’s Survey and the
Michelin Guide. The NYC Hospitality Alliance’s glass trophy on display at the restaurant comes etched with the title of “2017 Staten Island Award.” Mario’s is the only eatery to claim the honor for the borough this year. Last year’s award went to Lorenzo’s at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield. And, Hilton owners Lois and Richard Nicotra expressed their delight with
Mario Gentile (Mario’s, winner of “I Love Staten Island” award) with his wife Dana.
50 • June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
the news of a former colleague and fellow Island restaurant owner. “It was a pleasure to hand the ‘crown,’ so to speak, off to Mario’s as this year’s ‘Best of the Borough’ award recipient. When our Lorenzo’s Restaurant team won in 2016 for the inaugural year, we were proud to represent Staten Island -- and we are cheering on Mario’s now and know that he, too, is a champion for Staten Island.” The hotelier’s added, “We wish him continued success. We will dine there soon to celebrate - his Blackened Ahi Tuna is calling our name!” The NYC Hospitality Alliance came about in 2012, a membership-based association that covers various ends of the hospitality industry from promotions to education. “Whether people are just starting out in the hospitality industry, or are the owners of iconic dining - we’re a connected community,” said Andrew Rigie, the Alliance’s Executive Director. “It’s important that we join together to recognize and applaud our colleagues’ accomplishments, contributions and hard work that keeps New York City the hospitality capital of the world.” Mario’s award was determined by a Nomination Committee appointed by Rigie. “It’s always amazing to see our industry come together in celebration of one another,” said Paul Seres, the Awards Committee Chair. “It was a night to remember!” Further awards went to City Harvest, Michael Stillman of Quality Branded and Pierre Siue of DANIEL.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51
WHAT’S IN YOUR FOOD?
The future of food starts here.
POMEGRANATE PIE Amount Per 1 Serving Calories Total Fat Cholesterol Sodium Potassium Total Carbs Sugars Dietary Fiber
212 cal 12.42g 34.11mg 108.04mg 165.98mg 24.10g 13.49g 0.38g
JUNE 25 – 27, 2017 NEW YORK CITY
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Learn more at specialtyfood.com/LevelUP and register today! 52 • June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WITH FRED SAMPSON
Looking Over My Shoulder at 90 – Part 2 Fred G. Sampson is the retired Presi-
T
his four-part series is an overview of the 78 years I have been associated with the foodservice industry. Part 1 described the three or four years before World War II, the postwar growth of the industry, and how the GI Bill of Rights and the National Interstate Act were catalysts for that growth. This installment covers the diversification that the 1960s and ’70s introduced to the industry. The ’60s could be called the transitional decade for both the hospitality industries of foodservice and lodging. While there were many regional foodservice companies, there were few, if any, national multi-unit operators. Two men were about to change that: Ray Kroc of McDonald’s fame and James McLamore of Burger King. Another popular operation—though not as large as the home of the Big Mac or the Whopper—was Burger Chef, which was sold to General Foods Corporation and eventually went out of business. Its demise was due to General Foods’s decision not to retain any of Burger Chef’s management. This decision proved to be a costly $30 million mistake, and in the ’60s that was a lot of money! As a by-product of this new type of operation, the term “fast food” became a part of our lexicon. Today we describe them as quick-service restaurants. Another aspect of foodservice growing at a prodigious rate was the phenomenon of contractors feeding workers in our U.S. war plants: the Crotty Brothers from Boston, the Slater System of Philadelphia (now known
dent Emeritus of the New York State Restaurant Association. He began
The ’60s could be called the transitional decade for both the hospitality industries of foodservice and lodging. While there were many regional foodservice companies, there were few, if any, national multi-unit operators. Two men were about to change that: Ray Kroc of McDonald’s fame and James McLamore of Burger King. as ARA), Fred Profit from Detroit, and many regional operators. Once the war was over, these same companies continued to not only function, but to expand as the country returned to normalcy. In addition to industrial clients, the impact of the GI Bill of Rights on educational communities, such as colleges, trade schools, and universities, enhanced the account books of the foodservice contractors. One of the attractions of working for these companies (especially for managers and chefs at that time) was the fiveday schedule with weekends off—a rare happening in the public sector. One of the more creative companies of that time (and still operating today under the capable leadership of Nick Valenti) was Restaurant Associates Corp. In 1964 their list of operations read as follows: Charley Brown’s, Tavern on the Green, the John Peel Room, and Douglaston Steak House (both located on Long Island), the Tower Suite, The Forum of the Twelve Caesars,
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Mama Leone’s, and La Fonda del Sol. They also popularized the Italian word for casual café, with The Trattoria, the Zum Zum (a quick-service concept), The Brasserie, and the Newark Airport. The crown jewel of the company was the Four Seasons. In this writer’s mind, this was the greatest collection of individual restaurants in New York’s restaurant history. The two men responsible for this restaurant development were Joe Baum and Jerry Brody. Joe was a marketing genius and innovator, and Jerry was a great manager and deal maker. This was also the beginning of the phasing out of landmark “smart set” operations such as the Stork Club, the El Morocco, the Colony, and the Copacabana, to name a few. The famous “Breakfast at Longchamps” chain would soon join them. The interstate highway system was about 60 percent completed by the latter part of the decade, and the old motor courts and ageing motels were
working with NYSRA in 1961. Within the next four years the NYSRA more than tripled its membership and expanded from one regional chapter to eight. Sampson played roles in representing restaurants on issues including paid sick leave, minimum wage, liquor laws, a statewide alcohol training program and insurance plans. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com
being replaced by Quality Inns, Best Westerns, and Howard Johnson Motor Lodges. One of the more interesting stories deals with the founding and growth of the Holiday Inns of Memphis, Tennessee. It seems a young man by the name of Kemmons Wilson took his family for a three-week trip to parts of the country and was appalled by the lack of family accommodations. When he returned home, he put together a group of investors and, as a result, gave birth to the Holiday Inn chain of hotels. Need I say more? The growth of the new type of highway accommodations also meant new restaurants competing with longtime established operators, and travelers now had a choice of various types of cuisine. Most of the new housing had swimming pools, catering capabilities, and conference centers. The hospitality landscape was changing and interstate interchanges were now becoming sought after by an army of
continued on page 84
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23,
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Angeline’s interior, a collaboration between New York-based firm Parts and Labor Design and Liz Symon, embodies a cozy yet upscale dining atmosphere with the nostalgic charm of 7 Italian family gatherings.
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The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Atlantic City, NJ
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tlantic City has just become home to Michael Symon’s latest addition to his restaurant empire. Angeline, named after his mother Angel, is the Iron Chef and James Beard Award winning chef’s latest ode to classic Italian food. The menu is nostalgic with a dedication to detail to offer his guests a simple, bold and fresh menu full of authentic recipes and even some family ones like their Angeline Sunday Sauce. Staying true to his Sicilian roots, Symon has created a menu where every dish
presented is tied to his heritage and personal history. With a massive space at the bottom of The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Michael and his wife Liz have given the city a truly peaceful space to have a flavorful Italian meal. Joining other iconic chefs like Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, and Geoffrey Zakarian at The Borgata. Through collaboration with New York based firm Parts and Labor Design, they have created this cozy yet upscale dining atmosphere with the charm of an Italian family gathering.
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4 and Beverage19 Becky Schultz, Director of Food 3 20 Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Atlantic City, NJ 25
Liz and Michael Symon, Principals, 1 Symon Restaurant Group, Cleveland, OH
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Jeremy Levitt, Principal, Parts and Labor
21 22 23 24 Design,
New York, NY
John Cipriani, Principal, Dubick Fixture & Supply Inc., Cleveland, OH Jon Rosky, Vice President, Corsi & Associates, Springfield, PA
Becky Schultz’s Approach: Atlantic City has been part of me for a very long time. As a college student I actually did an internship at Harrah’s in the slot department. I am about to celebrate my 15th year at Borgata. I am very proud that I have been here from the very beginning. There’s no question that the key to our long-term success has been that we have always listened carefully to our guests. We were hearing that our 2 customers were leaving the property to find an Italian experience, so we knew it was time for a change. Every year we run a Savor
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Borgata Culinary Series and Michael Symon and his team had been a headliner. We hit it off like we had worked together forever. So when the opportunity came to make a change, he was at the top of our list. It didn’t happen sooner because each of our restaurants have been long term successes. We take a somewhat different approach to our restaurants in that we manage and operate them. This enables the chefs like Michael to do what he does best and enables us to guarantee the guest experience in the front of the house
9 19
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Michael Symon’s Approach: I have been doing events at Borgata for several years now and the thing I have always loved about it is the people...not only the wonderful team that works and runs it but the customers... everyone is just very real and down to earth. Angeline is named after my mother, Angel, and the food is inspired by the type of food I grew up eating in our Sicilian-American household, like mom’s lasagna and linguine with clams. The menu came first, and the design followed. Italian food is about comfort and sharing, and so we wanted the space to be warm and cozy, yet elegant. It’s reminiscent of an Italian family gathering. We needed to design a high volume kitchen in a tight space with a pasta, wood burning and sauce station that could handle up to 800 covers a night So we selected Jade’s Titan series because it is very dependable and
396 sturdy. It heats evenly and it is easy to maintain. The Italian comfort food we’re serving at Angeline is American-Italian with some distinct Sicilian flavors, which is where my family is from. It’s the food I grew up eating and the food I still crave all the time, and I hope that guests of Borgata feel the same way. Angeline is meant to feel warm and comfortable, but dining there should still be an experience for Borgata guests. I think we did a good job of making sure the space felt welcoming but still elegant and grand to match the casino feel. The restaurant is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the casino floor, but has being windows out front to still give a glimpse of that experience.
brushed brass. It’s a large space, but we broke it up into several smaller spaces with the design to keep an intimacy about it. We wanted the tableware to have a vintage feel to match the rest of the room (and the food that would be served on it!). It’s an updated, cooler version of those nostalgic items that might be in your grandma’s china cabinet.
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and the economics of the back of the house. We also understand that a chef needs to be able to source those key ingredients that make a menu special. So over the 15 years, we have built an extensive network of suppliers to ensure that quality. In terms of the design of the kitchen, Angeline is set with its own kitchen that is supported by a prep area that it will share with our family of restaurant properties in the hotel. Michael and his team will also have access to a baking operation that will become such a valuable asset to our restaurant operation as well as an extensive wine collection of over 40,000 vintages. Michael and his team have created an atmosphere that we are describing as a modern version of the Italian comfort food served with passionate hospitality in a space that gives off that same warm cozy feeling.
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Liz Symon’s Approach: We wanted the room to be an inviting backdrop for Italian comfort food, so we played a lot with materials and texture: warm woods, velvet, marble,
Jeremy Levitt’s Approach: For Angeline, our goal was to combine old-world charm with contemporary details to create a comfortable yet elegant dining atmosphere. Inspired 16 by Michael’s mother and her style of old school Italian cooking, we infused 15 every element of the space with design 14 details that evoke instant warmth and a 13 sense of nostalgia. We wanted to com12 bine all of that with an urban sensibil11 ity that begins with the restaurant’s fa10
9
continued on page 60
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Angeline, from page 59 cade—its design was based loosely on traditional Brooklyn storefronts with black-painted mullions and a gold foil logo. This feeling translates into the restaurant, where a dark color palette is mixed with feminine details, further emphasizing the vintage style. The restaurant is named after Michael’s mother so our entire focus and concept flowed from there. We wanted to incorporate elements related to an Italian family’s old-world Brooklyn home, and more specifically the kitchen and dining room. With that, we expanded our focus to fold in an urban aesthetic with modern details and sophisticated materials throughout the space. In nearly all of our projects, we rely on decorative lighting to create warmth and an ambient glow throughout. We also utilized eye-level, architectural lighting in places like the bar face, shelves, and other displays to provide a soft glow. The lighting works well in combination with the materiality and pallet of the space. For such a large restaurant, we were careful not to overdo the variety within the space. We worked to keep some pieces, such as tabletops, somewhat homogenous, using a similar color palette and material. Similarly, chairs were grouped by design, per area. The majority of the furniture for Angeline was designed by our firm, which included using multiple textures and materials such as velvets, tweeds, linens, brass, steel and wood. In the bar area, we created custom seating including wood and metal dining chairs and brass and leather bar stools. Most seating in the dining room is custom as well. In the middle of the main dining room we created beautiful, round banquettes upholstered in rich grey leather set within wood and brass lined banquette surrounds. These items are flanked by long, burgundy leather banquettes. We also incorporated marble table tops throughout the restaurant that pair nicely with the brass table tops in the main dining room, whereas
kitchen, we work around what is visible in the front of house by coordinating with the food service consultant. Additionally, we incorporated a salumi bar/cold prep area that is a decorative but very functional element, which required a great deal of coordination with the food service equipment team. Lastly, when designing the bar we always try to work around the necessary bar equipment needed for smooth and successful bar service.
Angeline highlights Chef Michael Symon’s Sicilian roots for meaningful dishes that showcase his unabashed love for food and passionate hospitality.
we paired marble table tops with wood dining tables with a brass inlay in the bar area. Another furniture piece, which is a main feature in the dining room, is a central service station that was made in honed oynx, which is also used on the face of the salumi bar and on the entire bar top in the bar area as well. A signature of ours is integrated design and we wanted to make sure that the space functioned properly. Beyond that, we do our best to layer and utilize texture wherever possible, taking advantage of our focus on custom decorative lighting and furniture. We included decorative lighting and custom furniture to create attractive spaces that function well and makes the customer want to come back to experience other areas of the restaurant. A few elements that stand out to us: • A very inviting bar area with unique back bar shelving • Cozy yet upscale dining atmosphere with the nostalgic charm of Italian family gatherings • Several intimate spaces, each separated by custom glass and steel glazing walls • Dark, lusty color palette featuring deep woods and rich green leathers and velvets • An illuminated custom bar and
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bottle display • An impressive wine display that serves as a backdrop and visual destination in rear of restaurant • A large salumi bar and an open kitchen feature The wine is a big component of the Angeline beverage program. We didn’t want any area of the restaurant to seem too large or impersonal, so we tightened that space and created a large wine display that serves as a backdrop in the rear of the restaurant. The private dining room (PDR) we created is quite possibly the closest thing to eating in your mother’s dining room. The 24-seat private dining space features low ceiling heights, floral wallpaper, wood cabinetry, and lace drapery that make it feel nostalgic and intimate when the doors are closed. When the doors are open, it serves as an extension of the main dining room. Black and white family photos and an antique mirror round out the PDR, while detailing such as custom light fixtures and furniture, connect the space to the rest of the restaurant. When it comes to back of house areas that are not visible to the customer, what we need is to know how much space we have once the kitchen has been laid out. On this particular project, and on others with an open
John Cipriani’s Approach: I think the most important thing is that Michael and I are on the exact same page. When it comes to what is important and what’s not important this is essential. When we first started out he was an independent restaurateur opening up his first restaurant Lola in Cleveland and we have watched and worked with him as his career exploded. Michael always appreciated our input and has always been a straight up guy with me and that is why I like working with him so much. When we were brought in for Angeline we were put in contact with Jon Rosky of Corsi Associates who helped us a lot as a consultant for the Borgata. Jon made sure we didn’t fall into any traps and he was extremely helpful throughout the entire project. The main focus on this restaurant was creating a compact kitchen where you can communicate and still pump out five to seven hundred covers a night. For the kitchen we ended up going with Jade Range, J&R broilers, Rational Ovens and are happy with all these quality manufacturers. It was all based on what he has used before to create a kitchen with equipment manufacturers we know are the best. In terms of custom fabrication we used Eagle for the stainless. For walk-ins, Michael has a dedicated Norlake walk-in upstairs for all his meats and then more walk ins in the basement. We also found the right dishwashing solution with a
continued on page 62
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Angeline, from page 60 Champion 44. The kitchen while it is tight but is designed with functionality in mind. The U-Shaped hotline is laid out with the Jade on one side, Pitco pasta cookers on the other, and another app section and at the bottom of the line you have his Wood Stone pizza ovens. This was a little bit of a different role for me working with Michael. It was a tremendous working experience. Jon Rosky’s Approach: The relationship between Corsi Associates & Borgata has been built upon responsiveness and flexibility. We have an office very close to Borgata and are able to promptly schedule and attend meetings in person, and provide field coordination, review of field conditions, etc. easily and quickly. Even in the age of electronic project management, I believe this in person customer service has been a strong benefit to both parties. Having a background in
casino hotel food serwanted to make some mivice operations also nor equipment changes, so allows me to better unCorsi’s team provided a very derstand the priorities small set of documents and of Borgata’s F & B team, regulatory coordination, on and apply those priwhich Jason Geckeler and orities to the design of Daniel Salvatore provided their projects. support. My assignment on I have enjoyed several the project was to proopportunities Borgata has vide support to Dubick brought me, to work with Fixture & Supply and other food service design The stylish restaurant is comprised of several intimate spaces, each their client, as needed, firms from around the separated by custom glass and steel glazing walls, with a dark, lusty color palette featuring deep woods and rich green leather to help them achieve country. While we would their goals in a chalalways prefer to provide the lenging regulatory enviuse of the Borgata’s excellent capacdesign ourselves, these opronment and to help Borgata achieve ity to provide centralized support but portunities to work with other firms altheir goal of a facility that meets their most production will be performed low us to extend professional relationoperational standards and is consisand controlled within the Angeline ships and learn from the design and tent with the properties’ equipment operation space. Other areas available documentation of some of the many standards. In addition, I was asked to for support if needed are a Bake Shop, great design firms we would typically be the “eyes and ears” locally for any Garde Manger, and Butcher Shop. not get to see. field issues and coordinate and attend Very little was changed from Symon/ all required health inspections. Dubick’s original specification. ImmeAll Angeline photos courtesy of The Angeline restaurant is making diately upon opening Michael Symon Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
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NEWS
FOOD PREPARATION SOLUTIONS
New Jersey Based Idan Foods Is Frying Up New Breading Strategies
I
t doesn’t matter who you are, if you are vegan, gluten free, paleo, or even pescatarian everybody can have a use for breading. Which is why Idan Foods entire business was started by their commitment to breading, specifically their Texas Fried Chicken Breading. Giorgio Nadi, the founder and President of Idan Foods understood the common interest there would be in a product as versatile as breading. We sat down with Giorgio to learn more about Idan and what they are bringing to the table. Nadi spent his childhood around fried chicken with his father who was engrained in the fried chicken industry, he had many fried chicken restaurants and a franchise called Texas Fried Chicken. So after a small stint in finance Nadi knew he needed to switch gears to follow something that was fulfilling. “This industry allows me to create new products that help people achieve their goals and seeing that work gives
“If you are a multi-unit franchise chain looking for a private label or custom blended dry mix breading, we can create that for you,” Nadi added. me satisfaction,” Nadi added. After stepping out on his own in 2010, Nadi created Idan Packaging nuzzled in a small space in the Bronx with two key products which were salt and pepper packets, and the Texas Fried Chicken breading. Now in 2017 Idan has rebranded into Idan Foods and continues to grow in size and regionally. In fact as of June 30th, Idan will be doubling their size with a new facility. Idan has also expanded their product line with their baking mixes. Idan Foods breading brand Texas Fried Chicken Breading as of right now is a foodservice only product.
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With a long history in the industry from the Texas Fried Chicken franchise, the breading has a lot of name recognition. People are familiar with Texas Fried Chicken Breading and its unique southwest flavor and its beautiful golden color. Idan Foods doesn’t limit themselves either, Idan creates other proprietary breading for food franchises. “If you are a multi-unit franchise chain looking for a private label or custom blended dry mix breading, we can create that for you. We have extensive knowledge in the culinary and science world. We can reverse engineer your
products to match whatever you like,” Nadi added. Idan will also offer gluten free capabilities this year to offer a more health-oriented product. Breading will always be the core focus of Idan Food but Idan has expanded their product line with their line of baking mixes. “With the knowledge and food background that I have, I was able to create many different flavors and mixes. We can even create custom mixes, let’s say you want a red velvet macadamia cake we can make that no problem,” Nadi added. The ability to offer fully customizable baking mixes and add it to a dry mix is what Idan does best. If you are a food chain, food distributor, or food franchise Idan can create custom dry mix blends catered to your specific needs. So if you are looking for custom or private label blending for your food system you can contact Idan Foods directly on their new website Idanfoods.com or simply give them a good old fashioned phone call.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65
EYE METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE Table to Table Battles Hunger In Jersey With 2017 Gala
T
he Table to Table team hosted their annual “Chef’s Gala” last month at Alpine country Club in Demarest, NJ. The evening featured a salute to Celebrated Chef Restaurateur, and Author Tom Valenti. The evening featured cuisine from some of the area’s top chefs including Alex Gorant of Axia Taverna; Luis Estacio of The Capital Grille; Ben Pollinger, soon to open restaurant in Crestville, NJ; Jamie Knott of Saddle River Inn; Heather Bertinetti Rozzi of Stella Artisan Italian; David Burke of Tavern 62 by David Burke and Peter Kelly of Xaviars Restaurant Group. There is something so very special about these celebrated chefs as well as Myriad Groups’ Tracy Nieporent who lend their support every year to the event. Table to Table is a communitybased food rescue program dedicated to collecting prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be wasted from donor supermarkets, food distributors and restaurants and delivering food to organizations that serve hungry people in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. Table to Table will not be stopped until hunger is eliminated in Northern Jersey. So the event supported the organization’s mission to feed the most vulnerable, hungry people in need throughout northern New Jersey. When you look at the stats, one realizes just how big a challenge lies ahead. Although the third wealthiest state in the nation, there are numerous areas of Northeast New Jersey where the poverty level far surpasses
that of the national average. One-third of New Jersey’s residents do not earn enough to afford the basic necessities of food and housing. One-third of the state’s employed residents live below the poverty level. One-in-five children in New Jersey live in poverty. There are over 1.1 million food insecure people living in New Jersey. More than 1/3 of them are children. More than half of the children living in poverty in New Jersey reside in one of the four counties served by Table to Table. The Table to Table strategy to combat hunger is based on the premise that over 100 billion pounds of food (or 40% of the food available for human
consumption in the United States) is literally thrown out each year. Every day Table to Table redistributes good, wholesome food that would otherwise be wasted. There is no cost to either the food donors or the recipient agencies they serve. In 2016 from four local counties alone rescued more than 15 million meals in New Jersey. By this measure, a startling 71% of all Newark children were living in a below poverty status. Guests were treated to a true feast that included David Burke’s Mushroom, Ricotta Ravioli with Asparagus Butter, Ben Pollinger’s Crispy Alaskan Halibut, Peter Kelly’s Black Truffle
North Jersey wine maven Chuck Russo of Carlo Russo’s Wine and Spirit World has been a stalwart supporter of Table to Table’s mission
(L to R) Top toques including Peter X Kelly of Xaviar’s Restaurant Group and Ben Pollinger (who will soon debut a much anticipated eatery in Creskill, NJ) were among those who donate their time and culinary passion every year.
(L to R) Mr and Mrs Tracy Nieporent with iconic auctioneer Nick Lowry.
(L to R) Table to Table’s 2017 honoree chef Tom Valenti and WH Linen chief Christopher Hermanns
Chef David Burke (R) has built a following with his extraordinary culinary talent, the time that he always has for charitable endeavors, and how warmly he greet his fans
(L to R) Retired Table to Table founder Claire Poulos with Drs. Sharon and Kenny Fried
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& Green Onion Risotto and Jamie Knott’s Snake River Farms Sirloin. The event once again included a world-class auction hosted by Television auctioneer: Nicholas Lowry who brought his unique brand of passion and humor to the event. The fascination with New York City’s top eateries seem to have no boundary as dinner with Tom Valenti for 10 auctioned for a price far in excess of any trip to the far reaches of the world. Tracy Nieporent donated “Be a chef for a day, dinner for 4 and All-Clad!” And the list went on and on. Folks would not eat if it wasn’t for this wonderful, heartfelt event.
June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67
RESTAURANT REPAIR
WITH ERIC SCHECHTER
Spend The Energy To Save Some Energy
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ust like Food and Labor, your Energy Costs can be a controllable expense to bring more money to your bottom line. Many restaurant owners don’t think about energy usage as a controllable expense or know how to reduce their energy costs. When they do they’re often too busy to do anything about it. That lack of knowledge and time allows hard earned dollars to slip away from your bottom line. Let’s take a look at some ways you can reduce your energy usage in your restaurant to save hard earned money and improve your bottom line. You don’t have to be an expert in energy efficiency to implement an energy savings program in your restaurant. A large amount of energy savings can be accomplished just by modifying the behaviors of the staff and training them in energy efficiency can save the restaurant as much as 18% on your monthly bills. With the need to combat rising costs of electricity and gas in an industry that traditionally uses so much of both, training your staff is the single most effective way to reduce costs without having to upgrade equipment or add energy controls. The training should aim to ensure that your staff has both the knowledge and motivation to adopt
You don’t have to be an expert in energy efficiency to implement an energy savings program in your restaurant. energy efficient procedures. Your restaurant should create a schedule for start up and shut down for air conditioning, ventilation, cooking equipment and lighting. This schedule will indicate when staff should switch each item on and off. Often equipment does not need to be turned on as early as it is – turning it on a few hours later can save a lot of energy and not affect the quality of the food produced or guest experience. Here are some examples of ways staff can save energy: • Create a start up and shut down procedure for all kitchen equipment. When does the equipment really need to be turned on, and in what order? Do you need to turn on everything first thing when you get to the restaurant, or can the equipment wait until just before it is needed before it is turned on? If you have multiple pieces of equipment, ovens, fryers, etc. do they all need to be on during slow periods? Does the pass through heat shelf need all sections
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on or can you turn some off during slower periods? Fryers are idle almost 75% of the time. Eliminating just four hours per day of idle fryer time could save up to $150 per year. Likewise, if you turn off an idle broiler for just one hour per day you can save up to $400 per year in energy costs. • When are the air conditioning units turned on? Do you need to cool down the dining room when the restaurant is not open to customers? Can you cool it down just prior to open? • What lights do you need to have on when the restaurant is not open? Can you only have the lights on where the staff is working prior to opening? Are lights being left on in stockrooms, basement, walk-in coolers and freezers, etc. when not needed? • Coolers and freezers, make sure the gaskets are in good condition and doors are never left open, thermostats are properly set. Even your menu options affect
Eric Schechter is a Certified Restaurant Facilities Professional (CRFP) with over 25 years’ experience in the restaurant facilities industry. Eric is also Chief Business Guy at SendaGuy Now, the mobile app for restaurant repairs on demand, where he’s in charge of Strategy, Product & Service, Development & Evaluation, Go-To-Market Strategy and Product Management. Eric can be reached at eschechter@sendaguy.com
business energy costs. Every Chef knows that any dish they prepare requires certain pieces of cooking and preparation equipment. However, when it comes to energy consumption, the more items turned on, the higher the cost of running your kitchen. To keep your energy costs down, it may be beneficial to look into what you’re serving on your menu and see which dishes require which pieces of equipment so you can work out whether or not you’re wasting
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June 2017 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69
NEWS
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
Eurodib Taps Industry Veteran Landis To Regional Sales Post
W
ith over 37 years experience in the industry, Charlie Landis of Eurodib is about as experienced as you get when it comes to equipment. This industry is always changing for better and for worse and the equipment manufacturing side of that is an ever-changing ever-adapting marketplace. Just look at sous-vide for a second, it was adopted in France in 1974 by the iconic chef George Pralus, it took 30 or so years but
has now become one of the biggest crazes to ever hit the culinary scene. Now you cannot go to any equipment manufacture’s website without seeing a section on sous-vide. Landis has spent 15 years working on the manufacturing end of things, working for companies like Dunhill Foodservice, Supreme Metal Fabricators, Parts Restaurant Equipment and a few others. After Landis left the manufacturing end he became a rep with Carl Kaufman and Associ-
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ates and sold Eurodib products. After the merger with BSE Marketing, Eurodib was brought along. Landis then worked for two years with Stuart Kresin Enterprises before returning to work exclusively with Eurodib. With 18 years of experience with Eurodib products the transition was seamless and easy. “When you are a rep you are dealing with 15-20 factories where you have to divide up your time and basically perform
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Charlie Landis brings decades of experience to his new position with Eurodib
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Eurodib/Landis, from page 70 a juggling routine. Now with one broad line of products I am able to dig a little deeper and go a little further,” Landis added. Now Landis’ focus with Eurodib is to pay more attention to their higher priced items like their dishwashers, ice machines, and vacuum packing.” With the amount of experience that 37 years in the industry can give you is what gives Landis and Eurodib the understanding of this marketplace. “Most dealers have basically become more price conscious than quality conscious,” said Landis. These combinations of price, availability, and freight programs have become the concerns for everyone in the industry, which is why innovation and quality are more important than ever to stand out in this market. Eurodib has just unveiled some new innovative products coming out of one of their French factories called Krampouz. They have just come
out with a warmer that can handle squeeze bottles to warm syrups and sauces before you serve it. Another new product being unveiled is the Smoking Gun Pro by Polyscience that you simply point at the food to give it that beloved smoky flavor. The latest and greatest coming out from Eurodib is another Polyscience product called The Control Freak. This hyper specific induction cooking system is one of the most precise systems on the market. It will not go up or down a few degrees, it maintains a controlled consistent temperature. This type of dedication to their products and their customers is what helps Eurodib stand out. Landis and his vast experience in the industry give Eurodib a knowledgeable perspective that can really help chefs, caterers, and restaurateurs get ahead and make their business grow.
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NEWS
MENU INNOVATIONS
BelGioioso And Their Commitment To The Artisanal Cheese Making Process
A
s anyone with a history in cheese will know that the world of cheese making is one of the most thoroughly thought out processes. For over 7,500 years cheese has been considered an ancient art. In modern times cheese has taken many different shapes and forms from processed cheeses to small batch artisanal cheeses. Whether you are a cheese maker in Italy or Wisconsin the process and patience should remain the same. Which is exactly what BelGioioso Cheese holds as their core philosophy. We had the pleasure of talking with the founder and president of BelGioioso Cheese, Errico Auricchio, to learn his story and why BelGioioso is the gold standard of cheese. With a long-standing history in Italy, Auricchio is deeply rooted in the Italian Cheese making scene. “I spent my whole life in the cheese business in Italy. My family has been in the cheese business since 1879, I am actually the fourth generation in the cheese industry so there is an incredibly long history in cheese in my family,” said Auricchio. It was not until 1979 when they started the company in Wisconsin with Auricchio as the first employee, that the company started growing. In 1992, Auricchio bought it and became the sole owner. From then Auricchio has taken a small Wisconsin based Cheese Company and has made it one of the industry leaders. Today BelGioioso Cheese has 28 cheeses and counting, not including their blended cheese packages. “The most important aspect for us is always quality. A lot of people say
that people don’t care about ensure consistent absorpquality cheese in food sertion and distribution of salt vice and I don’t believe that on all sides. This is how Belis even slightly true. There Gioioso is able to produce a is a need in the market for solid cheese body, uniform quality cheese production,” color and cheese with the Auricchio concluded. right amount of salt with a When BelGioioso was clean finish. It is after that first starting out they chose point that BelGioioso goes aged provolone as their first into their air-drying room, cheese to produce. They where all their cheeses aside would hand form the profrom Mozzarella are put in volone into the giant provonaturally to remove moislone logs that you see hangture. Then it’s off to the aging ing at your local Italian deli. room for a slow, tedious pro“It wasn’t until we picked up cess and requires the cheese Errico Auricchio and his BelGioioso team will bring a vast array that this American market maker to wait patiently to of cheese solutions to this month’s Summer Fancy Food Show was looking for sliced cheese see the results of their labor. event at the Javits Center. that we began making sliced The Wisconsin based comprovolone,” Auricchio addpany prides itself on their ed. Since then the product number humans. Auricchio saw this ability to follow every step of line has skyrocketed into a vast prodas an opportunity to be able to purthe authentic cheese making process. uct line of quality cheese. What makes chase milk from cows less than half Now today, this major cheese manBelGioioso stand out in a industry an hour away. Today BelGioioso has ufacturer produces some of the finest full of titans is that they are commitan artisanal process that their cheese fresh mozzarella cheese and a wide ted to making the cheese, not buying making staff is trained in. variety of award winning dry aged cheese and rebranding it under their The actual cheese making process cheeses. With a whopping 40% of own brand. Auricchio added that, “We takes place in their state of the art sales being the company’s Mozzarella produce everything ourselves, many facilities that are scattered in Northproducts, the Wisconsin based cheese other companies buy the cheese put east Wisconsin. BelGioioso cheese manufacture is now coming out with their name on it and sell it, they are process starts with their cheese maka new cheese call Artigiano. “Artigiano marketers, we are cheese makers.” ers growing their own starter cultures is actually artisan in Italian, and the The artisan process at BelGioioso every day, for those who don’t know cheese is aged 5-6 months, and is covis what makes them stand out in the the starter cultures are considered the ered in red wine or balsamic vinegar industry and with flavor. “With cheese roadmap to the flavor. Starter cultures to offer a specific flavor profile for our there are thousands of different steps, are what help develop the specific flacustomers,” Auricchio concluded. It’s and you might be tempted to cut corvor of the cheese. After the cultures are through these types of authentic proners to save some pennies, but those added to the fresh milk the BelGioioso cesses that BelGioioso is able to stand corners are what makes it our cheese,” cheese makers begin the transformaout in the retail and food service marAuricchio added. What brought Beltion from milk to cheese. The curd ket alike. We are excited to see what Gioioso to Wisconsin is the quality of is tested and the wheels are formed the future holds for the award winthe milk; there are so many dairy cows then the cheese makers turn every ning, Wisconsin based, Italian cheese in Wisconsin that they literally outwheel of cheese every day by hand to maker, BelGioioso.
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OUR AGING ROOMS At BelGioioso, cheesemaking is an art. Our American Grana®, an 18-month Extra Aged Parmesan, takes patience to produce. We deliberately choose not to cut corners and aging rooms are our commitment to traditional cheesemaking methods. By aging on natural wooden shelves, our Master Cheesemakers follow the proper steps to ensure what is best for this cheese. Available in whole wheels, cuts, shredded and grated.
belgioioso.com Aging Room, BelGioioso Pulaski Plant, WI December 2016
BelGioioso_AgingRooms_TotalFood_June2017.indd 1
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NEWS
CLOUD-BASED MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
ChefMod Continues To Innovate Through Their Purchasing Capabilities and New Features
A
s any restaurateur will tell you, purchasing for a restaurant can be an exhausting, painstaking process that is often the difference between a struggling restaurant and a flourishing one. As the years go on, and technology continues to embrace our lives, restaurateurs are finally taking notice of tech solutions
to make things easier, more efficient, and to give them better information faster. Amongst them as one of the originals is a company called ChefMod. This New York based company provides independent, small group and even enterprise level foodservice establishments with business class; member focused, cloud based purchasing and recipe management
solutions. We sat down with ChefMod’s founder and president John Oldweiler to learn their story and dive into their full-service model. With a history in foodservice and hospitality service, Oldweiler and his team have the industry insights and experience to create a stressfree, user-friendly purchasing experience. Unlike others, the ChefMod
SOLVING PROBLEMS SINCE 2005
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team takes an active role in the purchasing lifecycle and never leaves the member to struggle alone. Since Oldweiler partnered up with Eduard Spivak in 2002, the company’s interface has been one of their top priorities. Spivak and Oldweiler come out of the foodservice world giving them an advantage over the tech driven companies popping up today.
“We created this much-needed solution for ourselves because it simply didn’t exist. What happened next was remarkable. Our friends who moved on and started their own restaurants came back and wanted in ” said Oldweiler. It was at that point that Oldweiler saw that there was a gap in the market for something restaurants needed. That need being systems and support in the purchasing of food, beverage, and supplies. In the early days, the focus was simply to drive food and beverage costs down in a more efficient way. Soon it became equally about providing efficient systems and consultative approach with a high level of supporting services. “We were very fortunate in the sense that we already had a built-in member base when we started out,” Oldweiler added. With an original offline system, it was not
ChefMod prides themselves on their user-friendly interface, which is how all technology should be. until 2002 when Oldweiler met Spivak and began developing the online solution. In 2005 Oldweiler and Spivak seamlessly launched ChefMod and have been perfecting and updating since. The concept for ChefMod has always been a member based model to ensure volume incentives for best in class suppliers, efficient enterprises class systems for members and the best quality of service for all. Today ChefMod can be found in nine states along the east coast, Midwest,
and with some members as far as Las Vegas. With the restaurant industry continuing to boom and a lot of consolidation going on, Oldweiler and Spivak have decided to take ChefMod to the next level. “We wanted to provide even better solutions to allow operators to be more efficient. So, over the past seven years we have been investing even more in our technology,” Oldweiler added. ChefMod’s features and functionalities continue to grow and are now able
to offer their members with a plethora of unique, exclusive features and tools. ChefMod has expanded their portfolio to cover recipe and menu management, analytics, financial integration, document storage, and cost accounting solutions and is in development of an integrated inventory solution. There is a lot of redundancy and data entry in the corporate environment. ChefMod’s solution makes the entire purchasing process more efficient while giving people more actionable data to allow decisions in real time. It’s the dedication to members (their customers) and their interface that makes ChefMod unique. Only the future will tell but one thing is certain, foodservice technology is not going anywhere and ChefMod will continue to lead the innovation.
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EYE
METRO NYC’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
PRESENTED BY:
AHF-NY 2017 Exhibition M etro New York’s leading Healthcare foodservice executives met at the Sheraton LaGuardia last month for their annual Educational Seminar and Vendor Exhibition with a theme of: “Elevating Your Plate-Strategies for Taking your Services to the Next Level.” After a warm welcome from AHFNY president, Andria Coleman of CNM North shore LLJ Health Systems, the group was challenged and stimulated by a wide diversity of topic and speakers. The morning session included presentations on Malnutrition in Hospitalized Patients: Trends and Outcomes, Improving Employee Rela-
tions, Flavor Enhancing Trends and a networking break. The afternoon curriculum began with a Vendor Exhibition, and a networking and poster session followed by motivation speaker Joel Weintraub talking about Humor for The Health of It. The curriculum concluded with Lois Wallace of the U.S. Department of Labor talking “All About OSHA” followed by some closing remarks, evaluation, and raffle! The event also included a truly memorable vendor exhibition that included several aisles of the very latest in innovative solutions for the healthcare feeder. From the latest in flooring solution from Acrylic Floorings to
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(L to R) Chapter president Andria Coleman of NY Presbyterian Hospital, event chair Jill Herling of Regeis Care Center, and Kim Bunn-Minsky, Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Woodmere Rehab
(L to R) Creedmor’s Marguerita Walcott and Stephen Chow of South Beach Psychiatric Center
industry leaders like Culinary Depot, H. Weiss, Imperial Bag, Pecinka Ferri, and Pro-Tek. Kudos to event chair Jill Herling
and her team for creating an event in which every attendee and exhibitor walked away with concepts they could put to work immediately.
Can’t say enough about the association’s president Coleman who took the time to personally thank each and every vendor on the show floor for participating. AHF - New York’s goal is to play a key role on the journey to health and wellness. As healthcare foodservice selfoperators, the group understands the important alignment between nutrition and healing. The chapter’s mission is to develop leaders and raise the bar for foodservice in New York’s self-operated facilities, whether acute or long-term care. Its members are directors, managers, dietitians and chefs. AHF-NY provides professional growth through focused education - the programming that drives productivity, innovation and patient satisfaction from within all facets of the foodservice department, from patient meals to staff dining to retail concepts.
Sheron Makara of Brooklyn’s Carlton Rehab Center
VA Healthcare foodservice professional Tom McCann
(L to R) Alba Aviles of the Peters VA Medical Center and Brooklyn VA’s Mimi Wang
(L to R) Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Tatanisha Peters, motivational speaker Joel Weintraub and retired healthcare dietician Flora Velarde
(L to R) Antheia Busby of St. Albans VA Hospital and Jaclyn O’Connell of Wyckoff Heights Medical Center
(L to R) George Fontana of Central Island Healthcare and Anthi Psalatakis
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RESTAURANT EXPERT
WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS
Comps Are A Great Tool As long as the staff isn’t giving away the shop
T
aking care of our guests is very personal. How personal? Think about this: when is the last time you went to a retail store and the manager said, “It’s great to see you again, let me buy you your next pair of jeans to say thank you?” When was the last time you waited 20 minutes to get someone to help you at a home improvement store in appliances and the manager said, “I’m so sorry we kept you waiting, let me buy you that stove?” Well, in the hospitality industry, this happens on a routine basis. We see a regular at our bar and sometimes just buy them a drink to thank them for making our bar their home away from home. We might meet a table of diners that are having a great time in our restaurant, find out it’s their first visit and drop off a card with a free appetizer on the back they can use on their next visit. We find there are times we fail to deliver on our promises and have to ap-
David Scott Peters is a restaurant expert, speaker, coach and trainer for
We give our employees a free meal or let them eat at a 50 percent discount. Do you know any other business that does anything like what we do with freebies? I don’t.
independent restaurant owners. He is the developer of SMART Systems Pro, an online restaurant management software program helping the independent restaurant owner remain competitive and profitable in an industry boxed in by the big chain restaurants. Download a free report
proach a table to apologize and offer to pay for their meal. And the list goes on and on and on. Heck, we give our employees a free meal or let them eat at a 50 percent discount. Do you know any other business that does anything like what we do with freebies? I don’t. The challenge is, while we love to use this very personal tool called a “comp,” the reality is it is sometimes misused. Let me be perfectly clear. While comps can turn a bad dining experience into a good one, make a regular customer a raving fan, allow our staff to dine with us without breaking the bank, and so on, do know that a comp is real money!
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When you comp a $50 ticket because you blew it, understand that is $50 you are not putting into the bank. It means you don’t have that $50 for payroll, to pay bills or to keep as profit. It reduces your cash flow and cash is what we use to pay our bills. While comping is normal practice in our industry, you have to do it correctly and have a budget or you can give away the house. Where should you set your budget? We recommend that you don’t allow more than 3–4 percent discounting (comping) each month. This would include taking care of a regular customer, fixing a kitchen or service screw
to discover the #1 secret to lowering food and labor costs and running the independent restaurant you’ve always dreamed of. Learn more about how David can help you at www. TheRestaurantExpert.com.
up, employee and manager meal discounting, and some small amount of discount marketing. You can also look at your marketing budget and move some percentage points over to discounting if you use
continued on page 91
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EYE
METRO NYC’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
PRESENTED BY:
SHFM Golf 2017 A
spectacular preview of summer greeted the 2017 SHFMThe Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management annual golf tournament. This year’s tournament moved to one of Metro New York’s and the nation’s most magnificent tracks: Old Oaks Country Club. The Purchase, NY club is now managed by a long time friend of SHFM: Ivana Sturk. Her team’s hospitality made the day truly memorable. With the proceeds of the day earmarked for scholarships that would enable hospitality and culinary students to further their educations, a good time was had by all.
Opened in 1925, the golf course is an A.W. Tillinghast design, and one of the true gems in the New York Metropolitan area. It proved to be the prefect challenge for SHFM’s golfers. It checks in at just under 6,700 yards with its diabolical bunkers and challenging greens, which proved to be quite a test. After a day on the course, SHFM members and their guests feted Restaurant Associates’ Dick Cattani. The always-affable senior executive outlined highlights of his career that led to his recognition. SHFM’s members are “client liaisons and self-operators in corporate foodservice.” While foodservice responsibilities remain central to those
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positions, they have expanded to encompass a number of hospitalityrelated functions such as vending, conference and event support, fitness centers, health and wellness and
continued on page 104
Jeanine Cosgrove Albert of At Your Service and event chair Dan McCaffrey whose persistence made the day a success
SHFM president Tracy Kelly presented the associations’ award to this year’s honoree Dick Cattani of Restaurant Associates
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Sampson, from page 54 multi-unit foodservice companies as well as lodging groups. One of these lodging groups slowly but surely moving ahead was Marriott, a company that started out as operators of drive-in restaurants, to motor lodges and fine hotels—in only two generations. First, J. Willard Marriott Sr., now deceased, and then his son Bill led it to become the largest hotel chain in the world. The early 1970s witnessed the first sign of casual foodservice. TGI Fridays, Houlihan’s, Ground Round, and later, Ruby Tuesday and Applebee’s sprang up all around the country. Bob Evans, Waffle House, and Huddle House joined those who were surrounding the interstate interchanges, to create what was to become known as “the strip.” One of the most industry-wide developments to take place in the latter part of the ’70s was the expansion—
one might even call it an explosion— in foodservice education for all disciplines. The CIA moved to New York State and started to expand its facilities and curriculum. Johnson & Wales University duplicated that growth, and today most state universities have courses in foodservice management and culinary arts. The ProStart program developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) has helped high school students to hone their desire to create and perform in the foodservice industry. There is no question that the industry’s tremendous growth could not have taken place or continued without the contributions of the educational community. Next, part 3: The industry’s continued growth, government’s expanding role in the industry, and America’s ascension to culinary heights.
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Sederholt, from page 28 As my column is about finance, I love to point out a major key benefit - these larger purveyors offer an even more valuable resource – CREDIT! This gives you working capital by freeing up your cash flow. Whether you realize it or not, credit terms from your vendor are like getting an indirect loan from a bank. Managed well, this cash float can be viewed like an interest free loan which you can incorporate directly into the cost of your menu pricing. It’s a natural exercise for most restaurateurs. If you have a loan with a bank, I doubt your chef will calculate the costs of the loan interest or cash advances into the pricing on the menu! That’s just not happening. Those costs are often forgotten at the operating level of your restaurant and must be serviced by the gross revenues. Conversely, when incorporated into the food cost the chef will do a price adjustment if the Beef Tenderloin cost $10.99 a pound vs. $8.99 a pound – the difference being financing costs. Invisibly your menu will pay for the cost of your financing. One of the most valuable lessons I have learned as a restaurant owner turned finance executive was the meaning of the “time value of money”. Without boring you with formulas etc., let’s talk about it in basic terms. Money in your hands today, is more valuable than money you will get later. You have it now and can use it immediately to gain some benefit, be it in making a discounted purchase for cash, earning interest income by holding it or just enjoying the flexibility and freedom afforded with liquidity. If a vendor extends you credit, you get the benefit of not having to pay for your supplies BEFORE you sell the product. This is huge! You are gaining the time value of the cash fronted by the vendor. For the
vendor to get competitive costs with his suppliers, he had to pay cash up front, and he is willing to wait 30 days for you to pay him - and you gain the benefits. He lost the value of that cash but you on the other hand get the benefit. That’s why I’m always amazed when I hear restaurant owners and chefs complain about paying a bit more when the vendor is effectively giving you free financing. Using vendor credit can be an effective tool for those seeking to expand or buy a second new location. Typically startups must pay COD until they prove themselves credit worthy, which can put an enormous strain on a new business. If you have established good relations with your vendors and have a good payment history, not only will they extend credit terms to your new location, I have actually seen vendors give cash loans to their best customers. How can you beat that? The lesson here is to look beyond the commodity pricing of basic products that you get from your purveyors. You should continue to scrutinize and fight for the best prices possible, but don’t unfairly compare costs between a vendor offering you credit terms and convenience to a bare bones discounter. Value is in the eye of the beholder and the benefits you are offered. It’s up to you to determine how much that matters to your operation.
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LIZ ON TABLETOP
TABLETOP SOLUTIONS
The Fine Line of Eclectic and Cheap And How To Do It Right
E
clectic can be defined as deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. While an eclectic eatery means you get to excuse all design elements because you are going for an “eclectic” vibe but if you have cluttered your restaurant full of antique items and unique tableware please make sure they are a related look. This does not
mean that each menu item cannot have its own vessel, but does mean that too many materials, shapes, colors and styles will take away from your guests’ dining experience. You may not think about it, but from your guests perspective it can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you are busy and let’s hope and assume you are. You do not want to feel like everyone at the
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table is eating at a different establishment. Mixing delicate antique plates with heavy stoneware does not go together. Eclectic is a tricky thing to accomplish successfully, you may think it’s easy but there is an extremely fine line with what works and what does not. Too much or too little elements just do not work. Eclectic allows you to bring in
Liz Weiss is the President and coowner of Armonk, NY based H. Weiss Co. She is known nationally as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on tabletop design. The Michigan State graduate is also actively involved with WPO-Women’s Presidents Organization. Comments may be sent to eweiss@hweiss.net.
new elements to enhance the menu, the ability to explore new and possibly less expensive mediums, buy in smaller quantities, and allows you to keep the look changing and evolving. It’s a fun, positive, trend
oriented design concept but as I have said before you have got to be careful! Trends do not happen overnight so newer items can be mixed in while older looks get phased out. Just look at the square plate, not really seeing that anymore. New serving pieces can breathe excitement into tried-and-true menu items. Let’s get into the specifics; if you are experimenting with plates, try to keep glasses simple. Whatever you do, do not, not, not mix and match flatware. That is a sure way to go from eclectic to cheap in a blink of an eye. Using large wood boards for shared steak with sides on the board can look rusty and elegant and provides a great show. This strategy actually encourages the customer to
Eclectic allows you to bring in new elements to enhance the menu, the ability to explore new and possibly less expensive mediums, buy in smaller quantities, and allows you to keep the look changing and evolving. have more sides. Plus your guests will love how Instagramable it is. Recently there has been a new trend for smaller less expensive menu items. I know what you are thinking, this sounds like it would reduce profits. Contrary to what
you think, this new trend is actually encouraging people to order and share more! This leaves restaurant operators with a small challenge and that is serving smaller portions that don’t necessarily look small. Smaller portions look silly on larger
12” plates, as do large portions on smaller plates. Using oven to tableware products like cast iron or china allows smaller portions to look larger. Factories are producing more looks that can work together for restaurant owners and operators. We expect to see different things on the table, but now nobody wants to see the same white plates. We want to see something different, just not too much. This does not mean your guests expect your table to look like a single factory catalog picture with different colors, finishes, shapes and different mediums. Just make sure there is an element that makes them relate, even if you use sheet paper to line a French-fry basket.
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PRO-TEK/Daniels, from page 6 offered to our valued customers.” “Our customers are appreciative that we make the effort and investment to become, and keep our technicians qualified and updated on all types of kitchen equipment, to include both hot and cold,” stated Daniels. With the creation of The “PAY ONE PRICE” concept, PRO-TEK has simplified the process for its Metro New York customer base. PRO-TEK introduced its program to accommodate customers who love the service and maintenance programs offered and also want the comfort of knowing upfront what the annual cost of maintenance will be. This program offers, for one fixed monthly rate, unlimited labor and parts required to keep the equipment running properly and safely during the contract period. Success in business has brought recognition for the Daniels’ guided
firm. Ed Daniels was a recipient of the SHFM Directors Awards for Spirit, which are presented to individuals who consistently demonstrate qualities of loyalty, dedication and enthusiasm for the Society. With a track record of providing top quality service for leading foodservice accounts including the New York Hilton, Prudential Insurance and Nobu Restaurant, a top flight team of technicians and support and a new state of the industry facility, the Daniels’ led PRO-TEK team is perfectly positioned for continued growth. Ed Daniels is currently scheduled to travel the country to continue the building of strong relations with top manufacturers, as he has learned that this is one of the key ingredients to being a credible and effective service agency for the end user.
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Peters, from page 80 discount promotions as a major component to your marketing plan. For example, we recommend that you have a marketing budget of 2–4 percent per month. If you wanted to use all of that for discounting, you would have a target comping budget percentage as high as 8 percent each month to build business, take care of your guests and still make money. But all too often, without a budget set and managers trained on what they can and should do, comping leads to money lost. Here are a few comping practices that can kill your cash flow and ultimately your business if you don’t set a budget and train your managers: • Free meals. When a guest does not like his or her food, instead of immediately jumping to buy the meal, consider whether a replacement item and a comped dessert might do the job. Failing to assess the situation and ask the guest leading questions can often lead to giving away the shop.
This is where it becomes important to discuss with your management team each comp so that you can give them guidance on how you want that similar situation handled in the future if they didn’t handle it the way you would have wanted them to. • Discount promotions. Running Groupon promotions and other marketing centered on discounting. Keep in mind, I am not against discount promotions. I am against the misuse of them. For example, if you run a Groupon at a 50 percent value, you are actually selling that certificate at a 78 percent discount. And if you’re operating at a 65 percent or higher prime cost, this could spell disaster. Make sure if you are using discounting for marketing, that you are driving NEW customers in and are requiring they sign up for your loyalty or VIP programs. This means you will make a little money on a new guest and can now market to them to bring
them back. You are basically buying the lead. It’s important not to use discounting in a fashion that cheapens your brand or makes it so that your customers wait for the coupon before they come through your door. • Buying drinks! If you have a bar, you already know that you get hit up for free drinks from your regular customers. You know that you probably have to give your bartenders the ability to give away a couple drinks each shift or they will take them and more without your permission. Both of these can rob you of your cash. When it comes to regulars, you might decide that you as the owner don’t drink for free in your bar. You can then let the customer know you don’t even drink for free. Then if you buy the customer a drink, pull cash out of your pocket to pay. When it comes to bartenders, giving them freedom within some rules — say two comped drinks per shift — allows them to build business with-
out breaking the bank. And then if they have given away their two and someone has a bad experience, all they have to do is ask the manager on duty if they can buy them a drink over their quota. While comping is normal in our business and is one of the things that sets us apart from all other customer service experiences, misusing this tool can kill your bank account. To avoid this, make sure you set a comping budget, monitor your actual comping percentage on a daily and monthly basis, train managers on best practices by routinely reviewing comps and the reason behind them, and most importantly, remember when you comp you are giving away YOUR money. With all of these things in mind your comping can be used to deliver a great dining experience, bond with your guests and employees, and better yet, still be on a path to make money.
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Seabird, from page 26 dividuals are trained and work, and others participate in so-called “day service options,” something along the idea of adult day care. Seabird runs its own bakeries and restaurants, greenhouses, woodworking shops, and a farm in Uncasville with four horses, a goat, two peacocks, a miniature Zebu bull, and an over-sized cat named Nobel. At Puffins, where breakfast and lunch are served, the clients make seven varieties of bread and are known for their eggs Benedict and pastrami hash. At Cottage Gardens in Colchester, they grew enough tomatoes last summer to supply most of what was needed in their restaurant/bakery, and had ample apples and pears from the orchard out back for their pies and other pastries. At Puffins, the restaurant on the Thames River in the city of Groton, supervisor Chantalle Picard works
the fryolator and griddle, but she’s surrounded by individuals performing other tasks, including expediting orders from the kitchen out to customers waiting at tables. Norwich resident Jessica Longo, 41, explained she’s a short order cook and charged with making the salads. One of her favorites to concoct includes strawberries, lettuce, red onion, blue cheese, chicken and candied walnuts. “I love it here,” she said. “I love being near the water. And I love the people I work with.” Looking at Picard, Longo added, “She’s excellent. She’s the best boss I ever had.” Staff at all the facilities knows the abilities and needs of the individuals they work with, and everyone is on a first-name basis. While some Seabird individuals work in the nonprofit’s businesses, others go out into the community, like the
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crew from Riverview Farm in Uncasville, which goes to Buffalo Wild Wings in Waterford every weekday morning to clean and prep the restaurant before it opens. There’s another crew from Riverview that reports to the Naval Submarine Base in Groton as needed to help re-provision submarines, loading food and other supplies up the gangway with sailors. “They really like it,” said Riverview site supervisor Jason Rivers. “We try to utilize their strengths,” said Hayes, who acknowledged he hasn’t been employed by Seabird for all that long. “I came into this job late in life,” he said. “But it’s the best job I’ve ever had. It’s awesome. I get to teach some guys the way my father taught me.” Chris Loso, the site manager at Cottage Garden, said customers
who stop in at the restaurant for breakfast or lunch are generally pleased. “People will wander in, and they don’t know (that it’s a vocational training facility for the disabled) and they are pleasantly surprised,” he said. “We get very positive feedback.” Picard, the site manager at Puffins, said her restaurant attracts tourists who often return the following year because they enjoyed the food and the ability to support Seabird’s mission and its employees. When the nonprofit started, it was funded through grants, including money from the state. Now, individuals receive “portable funds” from the state to support the programs they choose to participate in, making the vocational training and day services opportunities more competitive.
The Grill, from page 24 ervation Commission shot down Seagram Building owner Aby Rosen’s request to alter the interiors with an update designed by respected architect Annabelle Selldorf. As a result, Major Food is limiting changes due to landmark protections. The ceilings and paneling has been cleaned and restored; there’s new carpeting with an “oxblood-colored pattern that would not have looked out of place when the Four Seasons opened in 1959;” and the designer of the original chairs at the Four Seasons, Knoll, has been commissioned to produce new ones similar to the originals. They won’t be carbon copies, but will be derived from a similar concept and have updated metals and upholstery. The upper portion of the Pool Room will also get a bar and additional seating. “The rooms are the art,” said Jeff Zalaznick of MFG. “And the more
time you spend here, the less you want to change.” Where patrons enter the Seagram Building downstairs has been reimagined from a segue between the coat room and restrooms to more of a proper entrance where hosts will wait to walk diners to their tables. A winding plant installation designed by Paula Hayes has taken up residence in the hallway between the two rooms where Picasso’s Le Tricorne once hung. Later this summer Major Foods will open the second phase of the project: The Pool. That menu will focus on fish and seafood. Celebrities are already flocking led by former Yankee great Derek Jeter. The recently retired shortstop enjoyed a celebration dinner in honor of the 27 time world champions retiring his number.
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C-CAP, from page 22 Monday is now a global movement powered by individuals, chefs and restaurateurs, hospitals, schools, and worksites. “We’re excited to team up with C-CAP for the annual recipe contest. This year, we challenged C-CAP students to convert traditional noodle recipes into meatless versions. The winning recipes are stellar,” said Sid Lerner, founder of the Meatless Monday movement. “Through this annual contest, student chefs receive guidance from their teachers on recipe writing and development and are able to showcase their talent creating meatless recipes,” remarked C-CAP President Karen Brosius. Judges evaluated the recipe submissions based on originality, flavor, healthfulness, ease of preparation, and writing ability. New York-based celeb Chef Maria Loi, one of the 2017 judges said, “It’s my pleasure to evaluate these recipes and students -- they are the culinary future!” Loi is the global ambassador of Greek gastronomy, elected by the Chef’s Club of Greece, Executive Chef of Loi Estiatorio, author, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Also on the judging panel are Chef Matthew Kenney, recognized as a pioneer in raw, plant-based cuisine; Jet Tila, international culinary storyteller, Royal Thai culinary ambassador, chef/owner of Pakpao Thai in Dallas, and Diana Rice, RD, consulting recipe editor for Meatless Monday. Regional winners of $2,000 scholarships inlcude:
ARIZONA Austin Neanover, 12th Grade Glendale High School Spicy Spaghetti with Roasted Vegetables CHICAGO Azary Madrigal, 12th Grade Curie Metropolitan High School Avocado Pasta WASHINGTON, D.C. REGION Devyn Shannon, 12th Grade Charles Herbert Flowers High School Spicy Coconut Penne HAMPTON ROADS, VA Cashé Clark, 12th Grade Virginia Beach Technical and Career Center Rainbow Pad Thai PHILADELPHIA REGION Lauren Moore, 11th Grade A.Phillip Randolph Career Academy Pasta Primavera Links to winning recipes: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/recipes/three-sisters-stuffed-squash/ https://ccapinc.org/2017nationwide-c-cap-meatlessmonday-recipe-competition/ Link to video of top chefs and C-CAP President Karen Brosius and Founder Richard Grausman talking about Meatless Monday: https://youtu.be/U7uXcyMYOgc
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Schechter, from page 68 energy keeping equipment on that isn’t needed.You could even fashion a delicious menu orientated around this, so you know that you’re not wasting those kilowatts. Here are some basic energysaving areas: Lighting. Too many restaurants still use incandescent light bulbs that consume 60 or 100 watts of electricity per hour. Restaurants can shave their lighting costs by 75% or more by switching to CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) or even LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Many utilities now offer rebates to help reduce the upfront costs. (LEDs are also a better choice for dimmable fixtures.) Energy-efficient kitchen equipment. Cooking and warming equipment consumes a lot of power. Carefully managing how the equipment is used – making sure it’s turned off when not being used – is the first line of defense. But beyond that, upgrading to high-efficiency ovens and steamers can greatly lower energy use. Air Conditioning. Ensure the air balance in your restaurant is correct so you are not sucking up all of your expensive cool air into the kitchen ventilation system and sending it outside. Set thermostats at a comfortable temperature, but not too cold. Every degree lower takes money off of your bottom line. Preventive maintenance - ensuring air filters are changed, belts and fans are checked and coils are cleaned - is also extremely important. Ventilation. The kitchen “hood” – the ventilation system that exchanges smoke-filled kitchen exhaust with fresh air – consumes a lot of energy. Make sure you only operate the system when needed and have it cleaned on a regular basis to keep it running efficient. Refrigeration. Some basic maintenance of your refrigeration equip-
ment can help keep it running efficiently and save you money. This includes: checking the rubber gaskets that keep refrigerator and freezer doors locked tightly and replacing any torn or loose ones; making sure the thermostats on refrigerators and freezers are set appropriately; and cleaning the refrigerator coils to prevent blockage. Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance will ensure
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your equipment is operating efficiently and cost-effectively. Water Heating. Fully load your dishwashing machine whenever possible. It takes as much heated water to wash a partially full dishwasher as it does a fully loaded one. Install low-flow pre-rinse spray nozzles. Set the water heater thermostat no higher than it needs to be: 140°F for dishwashers, but only 110°F
for hand washing. Consider using chemical sterilizers instead of higher water temperatures in dishwashers. As the resident Certified Facilities Management Professional at SendaGuy Now, I let all of our clients know that spending a little time to focus on saving energy usage can save your restaurant business a significant amount of money each year.
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Restaurant Associates, from page 2 gave an example of a company with a Capital Region presence that had asked Mazzone to consider taking on food service at its locations in Tarrytown and Burlington, VT. While Mazzone previously was unable to consider the possibility, he expects to go after the contract with the backing of Restaurant Associates. Restaurant Associates deferred comment to the Mazzone organization. “Their philosophy is, Ask Angelo;
he’s still in charge,” said Mazzone. The Mazzone company’s reputation was built over more than three decades on a foundation of service and an upscale experience, guided personally by Mazzone and a cadre of managers and chefs with extraordinary longevity for the hospitality industry. “Restaurant Associates, its name notwithstanding, is not especially interested in a-la-carte restaurants,” Angelo Mazzone said. As such, Mazzone
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Management Group will continue to operate its seven restaurants, in some cases allowing senior managers who have existing profit-sharing arrangements to assume more ownership control. “Everything I know about the business and running operations, I learned from him,” Ortiz said. Ortiz, echoing Mazzone, said, “Nothing major will change for a long time. We’re committed to the standards Angelo set,” said
Jaime Ortiz, who has been general manager and business partner in the high-end steakhouse. Mazzone, who started working in his grandfather’s pizzeria at age 11, earned degrees in hotel/restaurant management from Schenectady County Community College and the University of New Haven in Connecticut, returning to the Capital Region to work as a dining-hall manager at Union College. He became manager of campus dining services within two years, and a few years later left after purchasing what was then called Peggy’s Restaurant, near Proctors in Schenectady, on the footprint of what is today Aperitivo Bistro, one of Mazzone’s seven restaurants. His next big move, in 1988, was the purchase of Glen Sanders Mansion, a 17th-century estate on the banks of the Mohawk River in Scotia. Mazzone expanded the property to include ballrooms and other banquet facilities, added an inn in the mid-1990s, and began branching out, taking on the catering contract for the Hall of Springs at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Mazzone’s growth has been explosive in the past dozen years, starting with 677 Prime in Albany in 2005, a northern sibling, Prime at Saratoga National in 2007, business- and senior-dining wings, and a-la-carte restaurants in Albany, Clifton Park, Latham, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady and Scotia. “I always say when I grow up I want to own just one restaurant,” Mazzone said. “This will allow us the opportunity to grow one part of the company but really get back to being with the customers at the restaurants, going out to meet the bride and groom’s parents at a wedding.” He said, “Restaurant Associates is putting in more money, but we’re still running the company.”
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Reduce Kitchen Waste, from page 20 I change the specifications?” It’s almost a behavioral change. And behavioral changes are the hardest changes to make. We’ve done things the way we have forever. You have to have an outside eye. Let’s continue but let’s always keep that outside eye on how to do it better. So education and training is part of the solution? Can consultants, the supply chain, distributors and manufacturers get involved? Absolutely! But they, the operators, have to want change. They have to know that they don’t know and that’s the hardest part. There are such big egos in this business. We’re all doing it this way so it’s got to be the right way. I’ve worked as a consultant with many restaurants and many chefs and I love them because they’re so creative and interesting. They’re passionate. They’re incredible artists. But sometimes you have to bang their heads. I know you’ve been doing it this way but do you know that you haven’t weighed anything that’s come in the back door in 10 years? And vendors know that and they’re shorting you because they know that you’re not inspecting anything coming in the back door. If waste is controlled, what will be the benefit for the operator and the industry? First of all, less consumption. That would be a very green initiative because you’d certainly reduce the carbon footprint. It would certainly reduce consumption. It would reduce the amount of food that goes into our landfills. It would lower costs. It would put more money in the owners’ pockets. There would be a ripple effect of incredible nice things. Distributors would wonder if operators would then buy less. But I always tell operators buy right, not just buy. What else can an operator do to control food waste? Be careful during preparation. Prepare what you need. It’s almost better to run out rather than to over prepare. I actually favor smaller portions. We
are a nation of mega portions which contribute to obesity and other horrible conditions. We can all live on less. Maintain your prices but reduce portions. Is there anything that can be done in the front of the house to control waste? Of course. Paper goods are one of the areas that drive waste there. Paper goods are enormously expensive. My students are shocked by how much paper goods cost. The percent of sales
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includes paper goods, towels, wraps, foil, garbage bags, laundry and linen. We, as an industry, are very careless on how we use our cloths. We are very indiscriminate because we look at speed and making the customer happy. We sometimes forget that we have to make money at this. Napkins cost 15 cents to launder and that could be 15 cents that we don’t need to spend. Rather than two napkins, we could give patrons one. If food waste could be controlled,
then that 30-40% could theoretically go back into the operator’s coffers? A percentage of it at least. There will always be waste. You can’t have zero waste. But if operators could put half of it in their pockets, they could then certainly do creative things with those savings. They could increase their bottom lines by at least 10-20%. This article originally appeared at thefoodserviceblog.com/interviews/
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NJ Award Events, from page 4 Brewing Co., Somerdale, won for Outstanding Beer Professional, and Nicholas Harary, owner, Restaurant Nicholas, Middletown, was named Outstanding Wine Professional. Brant Braue, owner, Jersey Artisan Distilling, Fairfield, and Russell Lewis, owner, and Michael Johannesen, head bartender, Watermark, Asbury Park, shared the award for Outstanding Spirits Professional. Lewis and his Watermark staff made the event’s flashiest entrance, arriving in a black stretch limo at HerSpace in Eatontown, the awards venue. “I brought my entire team,’’ he said. “I keep them caged up, but I let them see daylight every once in a while.’’ Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck won Outstanding Food Market; Debbie Mumford, Mumford’s Culinary Center, Tinton Falls, won for Out-
standing Pastry Chef/Baker; Peter, John and Rebecca Melick of Melick’s Town Farm, Oldwick, took Outstanding Farmer honors, and The Knife & Fork Inn in Atlantic City won the Garden State Culinary Legend award. “New Jersey’s food scene is growing,’’ Ehren Ryan, chef/owner, Common Lot, said while accepting his award. “It’s getting vibrant. These awards are an amazing attribute for New Jersey.’’
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Bobrow, from page 16 whiskey came in a heavy rocks glass with a large chunk of ice? That it was something special instead of just another quarter cube ice piece diluting your drink? It’s cheap. Looks cheap. Talks cheap. I care. And get your bartenders to put a glass of water down in front of their guest when they sit down. It acts to slow things down a bit. And when it’s really busy, that couple minutes makes all the difference from a drink to a hand-crafted cocktail. Worthy certainly of the 18 dollars you’re charging for the honor. 4. Summer means seasonality. Go to the local farmers’ market. Develop a relationship with someone who is not overly manipulating the soil. If you can, bring your core staff out to the farm to show them who is growing their produce that they use behind the stick. Isn’t it nice to saythe bourbon may be from Kentucky, but the peaches that we roasted for your bramble were grown just over the ridge from here. Want to try one? Kaching goes your register. Ingredients are everything. And if you are able to break down the silos from front to the back of the house and get everything into synergy together and start actually doing something for the betterment of your restaurant. Oh, a man can dream of course! A good start is with fresh flavors. Take a month off from using bottled juices- maybe introduce a specialty cocktail that uses a local fruit, freshly juiced? I’m always hoping that happens. It does catch my attention and I’ll sing your praises. 5. Punch. I touched on punch before and I’ll do it again. If your bar is not doing a punch of the week you are throwing money away. There are so many ways to do well in the bar biz and so many ways to fail. You wouldn’t be reading these words if you didn’t know or knew someone who has failed. I’ve failed. More than once. It sucks to close the doors- so rather than dwell
on what we can’t fix, let’s for a moment try to put ambition as our driver and make something that is memorable and bold. Try getting a book on Punch. I have quite a few in my books. One book in particular is named Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails. Punch needs to be on your bar- enticing your guests. Ringing up sales and using all that liquor that was going, quite literally- down the drain. Vietnamese Style: Lemonadesque Mint Julep Ingredients: • 2 oz. Barrell Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Batch #011 • 1 oz. Vietnamese Lemonade Shrub • Crushed ice • Fresh Spearmint • ½ oz. Demerara Sugar Preparation: 1. Muddle your fresh spearmint very lightly with your Demerara sugar until the oils come out. 2. Use a wooden spoon because if you use metal in a silver cup all bad things will happen. You are using a sterling silver/copper core cup, right? If not, all is not lost. Use a thick-sided glass that will frost up nicely… 3. (Save your nickels and buy a Julep cup … it’s worth it.) 4. Add some ice, add some Bourbon 5. Add some Shrub and so on. Alternating until your glass is full of your drink 6. Make a cone like a volcano shape on top of the drink with ice and drizzle some of the Vietnamese Lemonade shrub over the top 7. Serve one to your friend before drinking your own 8. You can garnish with fresh mint and lemon zest. That is nice. 9. Smile while you prepare it. The drink knows.
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SHFM Golf, from page 82 childcare -- areas more broadly covered under the “workplace hospitality” segment. SHFM thus is positioned to be the preeminent resource for career development and industry insight in this growing segment. Foodservice responsibilities continue to remain central to SHFM’s members as their duties have grown to embrace numerous hospitality-related functions such as vending, conference and events support, fitness centers, health and wellness and childcare. SHFM-The Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management is the pre-eminent national association serving the needs and interests of executives in the onsite foodservice industry. “Our principal role is to enhance the ability of our members to achieve career and business objectives in an ethical, responsible and professional climate,” noted SHFM’s national president Tracy Kelly of Weight Watchers.
(L to R) Party Rental’s Sandy Smith, Scott Friedman of Performance Food Group and industry legend Rudi Flik
(L to R) PBAC’s Larry Cantamessa, Jeff Hessel of BSE and The Jones Group’s Leo Deonarine
(L to R) Compass’ Anthony Gargiulo and Chris Brady of Romano Gatland
A record setting number of industry women participated in this year’s SHFM event
(L to R) West Point’s Kevin D’Onofrio and Christopher Fallon of Creative Financial Services
(L to R) Marc Fuchs of M. Tucker and NYU’s Owen Moore
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