// NEWS
PROMOTIONS
Jonathan Wright Appointed Executive Chef Of Rainbow Room Jonathan Wright has been appointed Executive Chef of Rainbow Room, set to open this October. Lauded for his ability to command a kitchen and execute a wide range of cuisines, Chef Wright brings more than 20 years of international culinary experience to the iconic New York venue.
W
right has worked in renowned and dynamic food and beverage operations around the globe, including the two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons (UK), Sandy Lane Hotel (Barbados), The Setai, Miami Beach and Windsor Court Hotel (Louisiana). Most recently he served as Director of Kitchens for Raffles Plaza Fairmont and Swissotel Singapore, managing a culinary team comprised of more than 450 fulltime employees. "We are extremely pleased that Chef Wright has agreed to lead Rainbow Room's culinary team," said Keith Douglas, Managing Director, Rockefeller Center.”"Throughout his career, Wright has exceeded expectations by delivering memorable dishes and extraordinary experiences. We're excited to showcase his talents to New Yorkers and international clientele when Rainbow Room opens in October." Wright will develop all menus for the Rainbow Room, including those for the restaurant and special events.
He will also oversee the menus for Dining Club, Rockefeller Center, and the bar and cocktail lounge, which are being reintroduced this fall as well. "It is an honor to assume the position of Executive Chef for this historic New York City landmark," said Chef Wright. "Cooking in New York City has always been a dream of mine, and the storied Rainbow Room embodies the glamour and allure that I, and so many others, closely associate with this great city. After more than two decades as a professional chef, I am thrilled to have the
"It is an honor to assume the position of Executive Chef for this historic New York City landmark," said Chef Wright.
Jonathan Wright has been appointed Executive Chef of Rainbow Room, set to open this October. Chef Wright brings more than 20 years of international culinary experience to the iconic New York venue.
2 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
opportunity to cook on the ultimate stage in the ultimate city." In the coming months, Wright, along with the group from Tishman Speyer and Blau + Associates, will build the culinary team that will be charged with executing extraordinary experiences at the Rainbow Room once again. The Rainbow Room, New York City's historic landmark and iconic
restaurant and event space atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Rockefeller Center, will open to the public in the fall of 2014. Designed by Gabellini Sheppard Associates, the space, including its legendary dance floor overlooking the Manhattan skyline, will be restored through a modern lens to once again embody the glamour and elegance reflective of its rich history, yet updated for its future. Operating as a combination of catered event space and restaurant that is open to the public, the Rainbow Room itself will be open Sundays for brunch, as well as dinner a minimum of one night a week and most holidays. A previously unused outdoor terrace on the 65th floor will connect to an interior space that has been transformed into a cocktail lounge, SixtyFive, which will be open to the public five nights each week and offers sweeping views of Manhattan. Building off the tradition as a great destination for performances, occasional live entertainment will return to the Rainbow Room as well. Rockefeller Center is the worldfamous real estate, shopping and dining complex in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Rockefeller Center is the site of numerous public exhibits and events, including large-scale installations of public art by worldrenowned artists including Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons and Jonathan Borofsky. Protecting, maintaining and enhancing cherished landmark properties are an integral part of Tishman Speyer's mission. As the custodian of Rockefeller Center, the company maintains the Center's historic presence, including restoring and regilding the Prometheus statue, the 1930's Paul Manship masterpiece that overlooks the Center's skating rink – said to be one of the most recognizable statues in the United States; restoring the famous Atlas sculpture, cast in bronze by Lee Law-
The Rainbow Room, New York City's historic landmark and iconic restaurant and event space atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Rockefeller Center, will open to the public in the fall of 2014.
3 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
rie in 1937; renovating and reopening The Top of the Rock Observation Deck in 2005 after a 20-year closure; and restoring the original murals by Jose Maria Sert and Frank Brangwyn that adorn the interior of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Each day an estimated 350,000 people visit the Rockefeller Center complex, which during the holidays is home to the most famous Christmas tree in the world.
// NEWS
PARTNERSHIPS
Tom Colicchio, Jonathan Waxman, & Seamus Mullen Are Opening Hotel Restaurants
represent the very best in the farmto-table movement," said Sternlicht. "Their shared commitment to offering a restaurant experience distinguished by responsible culinary practices and techniques is central to 1
New York City-based chefs Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto), Tom Colicchio (Craft), and Seamus Mullen (Tertulia) are working on restaurants for Starwood Capital Group's new line of eco-focused luxury hotels, 1 Hotels. Mullen will open a restaurant inside the hotel being built in Brooklyn.
W
axman, who is also opening separate projects in Toronto and Nashville, will open a restaurant inside the hotel being built in Manhattan. Colicchio's new project will open inside the hotel being built in Miami. All of the restaurants will be "farmto-table" and will engage in "responsible sourcing from local purveyors." Starwood Capital's Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht explains that the company selected these three chefs because of "their shared commitment to offering a restaurant experience distinguished by responsible culinary practices and techniques." There aren't any details about opening dates or names for the restaurants but Colicchio revealed that customers can expect a "simple menu" with a "Mediterranean vibe" and that his project is scheduled to open in Fall 2014. 1 Hotels is the first luxury hotel brand to focus on sustainable living. The goal is to celebrate nature, its beauty, its perfection and purity
New York City-based chefs Seamus Mullen (L), Jonathan Waxman (C), Tom Colicchio (R), are working on restaurants for Starwood Capital Group's new line of eco-focused luxury hotels, 1 Hotels.
with natural and sustainable materials. Each of the 1 Hotels will be LEED certified and every hotel will feature a farm fresh restaurant consistent with the brand's core environmental values. Services will echo the architecture and design, centered on sustainability, and will be delivered with modern technologies to provide the best-in-class customer service. "The world doesn't need just another hotel brand... it needs a better 1," said Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and
4 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
CEO, Starwood Capital Group. "The 1 Hotel is more than just a property; it is a mission and a way of life. The brand's name reflects the important truth that this is indeed, one world, and each of our behaviors that affect the environment impacts our neighbors and future generations," he concluded. "With decades of combined culinary experience and proven track records for creating celebrated restaurants, Jonathan, Tom and Seamus
The 1 Hotel is more than just a property; it is a mission and a way of life. The brand's name reflects the important truth that this is indeed, one world, and each of our behaviors that affect the environment impacts our neighbors and future generations.
Hotel's mission — celebrating nature and reminding us of our obligation to be socially responsible." 1 Hotels will celebrate nature in both design and food, with Jonathan Waxman, Tom Colicchio and Seamus Mullen opening the Central Park, Miami Beach, and Brooklyn Bridge Park 1 Hotels restaurants, respectively. United by a common thread of celebrating ingredients and responsible sourcing from local purveyors, each chef will showcase their signature culinary sensibilities in their individual, distinct restaurants.
5 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
James Beard Awards 2014 EYE notes that it was truly an award winning night as many of Metro New York City's top chefs took top honors and center stage at last month's James Beard Awards.
T
he James Beard awards honor those who follow in the footsteps of Beard, considered the dean of American cooking when he died in 1985. The ceremony honored chefs and restaurants; a similar event later in the week was held for book and other media awards. Among the New York restaurant common city highlights of Beard '14 was the special lifetime achievement honor bestowed upon Le Cirque's visionary Sirio Maccioni by former mayor Michael Bloomberg. Top New York city
chef of the year went to April Broomfield of Manhattan's Spotted Pig. Top national honors went to Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver for Outstanding Wine Spirits/Beer professional of the year and the Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel won national Pastry honors. A highlight of the annual event is always the spectacular reception following. This year's theme was "Sounds of the City" with Mario Batali chairing the event. The 2014 Awards explored the endur-
ing relationship between music and food. "So many of our finest chefs are inspired by music as they cook, and many speak of their “must-play” soundtrack in the kitchen," Batali noted. A surprising number of chefs have crossed over from the world of music to food, and even more continue to express themselves as musicians during their precious downtime. The careful decision of what music to play—or not to play—in the dining room is an essential part of the dining experience. For all of these reasons, the worlds of mu-
Michael Dwork of Verterra, whose product line has enabled many top operators to create green agendas walked the red carpet
Legendary New York restaurateur Michael White (C)
Cooking Channel co-hosts Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corlos of Extra Virgin
sic and food share a special bond in our culture. This year’s Gala celebrated how each inspires and enriches the unique flavor of cities across the country. From Nashville to New Orleans and Austin to Seattle, we look forward to highlighting chefs from America’s favorite musical cities to create a delicious double bill of music and food. Top New York toques at the reception included: Jonathan Benno of Lincoln Ristorante, Del Posto's Brooks Headley, Joseph Johnson of the Cecil, Massimo Bebber of Sirio Ristorante at The Pierre Banks White of Minton's, Circo's Alfio Longo, Alexander Smalls of Harlem Jazz Enterprises, Le Cirque's Raphael and Francois Sue Torres of Tierra in Westport, CT anchoring the cooking stations. The Lincoln Center event marked the final appearance of the award in New York for a year as the "Oscars" of food service gets set to make its Chicago debut in 2015.
Myriad’s Drew Nieporent (2nd R) visited with many old friends
6 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg (L) escorted Lifetime Achievement Award winner Sirio Maccioni
7 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
CHEFS
Teen Chef Charging $150 For NYC Pop-Up Dinners Some deride teenagers as good-for-nothing layabouts making no contribution to society; but that's forgetting their aptitude for emerging technologies, their sense of fun and their willingness to think outside the box.
A
nd while some may be looking for the easy way out, others are so self-assured they want you to lay down $150 a person to eat a single meal they’ve prepared. Such is the case with 15-year-old Flynn McGarry, a teen chef and, who put on a two-night pop-up restaurant in NYC last month called Eureka. Flynn may be a precocious teen now but he actually started his much-written about supper club out of his parent's home in California when he was 12. Before that, he was just an average kid reading haute cuisine cookbooks and adopting sous vide cooking methods. McGarry mused about his future, saying he would "move to New York at 17, work at Eleven Madison Park or somewhere like it for a year, maybe a year and a half, and then start work on his restaurant by 19." You know, just average teen stuff.Now McGarry took his talents to NYC, with a two night pop-up on May 19th and 20th at Creative Edge Parties, a high-end catering company. Tickets for the eight course tasting menu ran $150 per person plus tax and gratuity. If you wanted the wine pairing it was another $60 or $20 for a non-alcoholic pairing. The 15-year-old cooked his eight-course tasting menu.
At the age of ten, Flynn McGarry wanted to cook. He began practicing his knife skills afterschool, and then soon after started creating dishes, simple at first, for a few of his mother's friends. At eleven, came the purchase of Thomas Keller's The French Laundry cookbook, then Grant Achatz's Alinea. The influence was immediate. Flynn's dish components became more complicated, sous vide cooking was adopted and tweezers were now a must for plating. By thirteen, Flynn Mc-
continued on page 96
Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Wyman Philbrook Noelle Ifshin Andrew Catalano Laurie Forster Mitchell Segal Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Flynn may be a precocious teen now but he actually started his much-written about supper club out of his his parent's home in California when he was 12.
8 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2014 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
9 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
10 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
11 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
12 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
13 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
PROTESTS
NYC Chefs Plan Protest Picnic, iHeartRadio Music Awards to Return On the eve of an annual Central Park picnic to celebrate Mississippi culture, a group of chefs will host a dinner called the “Big Gay Mississippi Welcome Table” to protest a Mississippi religious freedom law that critics say allows for discrimination against gay people.
I
t’s particularly awkward because John Currence, perhaps the best-known chef in Mississippi, had long been scheduled to cook another meal in New York for Governor Bryant and the Mississippi Development Authority at Butter restaurant. That event was timed to coincide with the Mississippi picnic. Then the governor signed the bill. But because he has already committed to the state and to Butter’s executive chef, Alexandra Guarnaschelli, he decided to go ahead with the governor’s event but to also create a protest dinner the next day.” Every June for 35 years, hundreds of New Yorkers and displaced Mississippians have gathered in Central Park to eat catfish, listen to the blues and praise the virtues of that Southern state. The event, which draws governors, Southern musicians and loyal college alumni, is as much about keeping the state’s cultural flame burning as it is about promoting economic development. This year, a group of chefs upset over a new Mississippi law designed to protect religious freedom but which is perceived by critics as hos-
Mr. Currence (L) spoke with Marlo Dorsey, the chief marketing officer of the Mississippi Development Authority, last month and invited her and the governor to the protest dinner on June 13, explaining that he and other chefs wanted to make a statement with food. Neither has agreed to attend. The idea was hatched with the Memphis chef Kelly English (R), who fought against a similar bill introduced in Tennessee.
tile to gays and other groups is adding a little fried-chicken activism to the mix. At issue is the Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which takes effect in July. The law allows businesses legal leeway in dealing with customers if doing so would
14 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
put a substantial burden on their religious beliefs. Opponents call it the “turn away the gays” law. Although other states have introduced similar legislation recently, most notably Arizona, Mississippi was the first to pass a new version of what are referred to as re-
ligious freedom bills. The legislation is intended to protect business owners whose views on certain social issues such as abortion or birth control are based on religious beliefs. In some cases, the legislation has been motivated by legal decisions against businesses, including a case in New Mexico in which a photography studio was sued after refusing to photograph a same-sex couple’s commitment ceremony. The broadly written Mississippi law does not specifically mention gays and lesbians or other groups. But it prohibits the state from compelling any action contrary to a person’s exercise of religion. It also added “In God We Trust” to the state seal. Several religious organizations and conservative groups including the Family Research Council have praised Gov. Phil Bryant for signing the bill. But others in the state, the chef John Currence among them, contend the law could lead to discrimination by businesses who don’t want to serve gays and lesbians, Muslims or others whose lives don’t align with certain conservative Christian values. On the eve of the state’s showcase picnic in Central Park, Mr. Currence and a group of chefs including Art Smith will put on a protest dinner called the Big Gay Mississippi Welcome Table in partnership with City Grit in Manhattan. “It’s polite Southern activism with food, which is a magic way to bring people together,” said Mr. Smith, who has worked as a private chef for Oprah Winfrey and Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor.
continued on page 92
continued on page 93
15 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
16 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
17 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// EVENTS
HAPPENINGS IN THE METRO NYC FOODSERVICE SCENE
Dominique Ansel, Cronut Creator, to Host Sofi Awards at Summer Fancy Food Show Donates Speaking Fee to City Harvest Dominique Ansel, an internationally-acclaimed pastry chef and creator of treat sensation the Cronut®, a croissant-donut hybrid, will host the 42nd sofi™ Awards at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.
A
nsel, owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York, was voted one of Business Insider’s “Most Innovative People Under 40” in 2013 and has been a James Beard Award finalist for “Outstanding Pastry Chef” in 2013 and 2014. He previously was executive pastry chef at Restaurant Daniel, and was part of the team that won a three-star Michelin rating and garnered a four-star New York Times review. A native of France, his first cookbook, “Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes” (working title), will be released this October. The sofi Awards are the top honor in the $88 billion specialty food industry. They recognize creativity, innovation and excellence in 32 categories, including chocolate, cheese and baked goods. Ansel will serve as keynote speaker and present the awards at a red-carpet ceremony on June 30, 2014. The awards are the must-attend event at the Summer Fancy Food Show, the largest marketplace for
specialty foods and beverages in North America. Owned and produced by the Specialty Food Association, the show will take place June 29 – July 1, 2014, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. “Chef Ansel brings craft, care, and joy to the wonderful food he creates,” says Association President Ann Daw.
18 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
“Those are the same qualities that our sofi award honorees bring to their innovative products.” A devoted supporter of anti-hunger initiatives, Ansel will donate his speaking fee from the Specialty Food Association to City Harvest, the Fancy Food Show’s anti-hunger charity for 25 years. The chef is a member of City Harvest’s Food Council. "Using my passion for food to help fight hunger, what better winwin situation is there than this? I am honored to be part of the sofi Awards and celebrate creativity in food while supporting City Harvest's efforts to provide meals to those in need," says Ansel. “City Harvest appreciates its 25year relationship with the Specialty Food Association and we are proud to partner again on this significant food rescue opportunity,” says Jilly Stephens, executive director of City Harvest. “We have rescued more than 1.75 million pounds of food from the Fancy Food Show and delivered it to hungry New Yorkers, and we are grateful for the support of Chef Ansel who will generously donate his
speaking fee to support our work.” Press Registration The Fancy Food Show is a trade-only event. The Specialty Food Association provides complimentary press badges to qualified media. About Specialty Food Association The Specialty Food Association is a thriving community of food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs who bring craft, care and joy to the distinctive foods they produce. Established in 1952 in New York, the notfor-profit trade association provides its 3,200 members in the U.S. and abroad the tools, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an always-evolving marketplace. The Association (formerly the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc.) owns and produces the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Show, and presents the sofi Awards honoring excellence in specialty food. Learn more at specialtyfood.com City Harvest has been serving New York City for more than 30 years. City Harvest is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city’s hungry men, women and children. This year, City Harvest will collect 46 million pounds of excess food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to more than 500 community food programs throughout New York City by a fleet of trucks and bikes. City Harvest helps feed the nearly two million New Yorkers who face hunger each year.
19 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
#4254
20 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
21 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
EQUIPMENT INNOVATION
The New York Brick Oven Co. Re-Energizes Pizza Profits with Revolving Brick Oven Technology Who knows more about making prize-winning pizza than the people who sell it? And who knows more about the kind of oven it takes to get that pizza out there?
T
he Cosentino brothers of Staten Island, N.Y., that's who. After decades of making pizzas and building restaurants across America the brothers, Marc and Scot – founders of Goodfella’s Brick Oven Pizza – have
now turned their experience and expertise towards making the brick ovens that produce these delicious pies. Aside from being voted the world's best pizza several times, they also have the Pizza School of New York. Here they
22 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
teach people from all over the world how to make gourmet brick oven pizza at the original Goodfella’s of Staten Island. But the way the brothers got into the oven business was very simple. “We were
using other people's brick ovens and weren't happy with them,” says Marc Cosentino. “They would all slow down at the peak of production. So we started building our own, which evolved into the revolving brick oven. The revolving brick oven is the ultimate solution for brick oven pizza made easy. They started building them for their own places and eventually for others. “The demand became too great to keep up with so we found a great company in Italy and partnered up with them to manufacture the ovens to American specifications. “Recently at Pizza Expo, we set a world record – 201 pies in 52 minutes in one oven! It was very impressive”.
continued on pg 89
23 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
FESTIVALS
Marcus Samuelsson To Launch Harlem Food Festival Red Rooster chef Marcus Samuelsson and food festival guru Herb Karlitz are launching a major Harlem food festival. Details are still being worked out, but they’ll organize a series of events in Harlem for 2015. The fest could also incorporate music and art elements, and was being buzzed about at the recent James Beard Awards.
S
upporters are expected to include heavy hitters such as Bill Clinton. Karlitz has been behind food and wine fests in New York, California, Miami and Las Vegas. Also, Samuelsson, the celebrity chef and TV personality is writing a memoir. As The New York Times recently opined: "Mr. Samuelsson, as it happens, possesses one of the great culinary stories of our time." Born in Ethiopia and adopted from a tuberculosis treatment center at age 3, Samuelsson moved to Sweden as a toddler with his sister, where he learned his early kitchen skills from a doting grandmother. Samuelsson's new memoir Yes, Chef follows him on his journey from Africa to Sweden, New York, France, Switzerland, and the many kitchens and restaurants that launched his career. On Wednesday, July 18, Samuelsson will barnstorm Austin for three appearances in eight hours at both La Condesa and Central Market. Discussing the book, his future plans, and his experiences of Austin during his April food festival visit the chef said it took five years, and the whole idea was to respect the reader the way you respect a diner in a res-
taurant. Every word, every sentence did matter, and he wanted to do something tasteful and crafted, but also inspired. However long the journey was, there's just a lot to cover, whether it's race, whether it's adoption, whether it's family. “But, in order to do that you want it not just to be stuff, you want it to be meaningful.” Samuellson explained that everyone has a different journey. “I just knew what it would take for me. I'm not from France, and many chefs come from really strong, cooking-traditional
Discussing the book, his future plans, and his experiences of Austin during his April food festival visit the chef said it took five years, and the whole idea was to respect the reader the way you respect a diner in a restaurant.
Red Rooster chef Marcus Samuelsson and food festival guru Herb Karlitz are launching a major Harlem food festival. Details are still being worked out, but they’ll organize a series of events in Harlem for 2015
24 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
places. I didn't come from a cooking family, my grandmother cooked, but my father didn't have a restaurant or anything like that. I just felt for me, given everything that I had, and also being a person of color, I just knew I had a lower margin for error. So I just had to keep the knives sharpened and focus on it.” The Swedish flavors and foods that he grew up with still aren’t common in the US so he mentioned going
continued on page 98
25 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// MEET THE NEWSMAKERS
THE HONEST MAN RESTAURANT GROUP
Julie Berger,
Wine Director for The Honest Man Restaurant Group, NYC Certified Sommelier by The Court of Master Sommeliers, Julie Berger has spent the last eight years devoted to developing and refining her wine knowledge. Berger continues to advance through the prestigious program of the Court of Master Sommeliers.
C
ompleted through Level II, Berger is currently working towards Level III certification and ultimately towards the goal of Master Sommelier, the finest professional credential anyone can attain worldwide. We sat down with Julie to discuss her career and passion for wine. Give us a little background about yourself and what attracted you into a career in hospitality and foodservice? Any mentors? Growing up my parents believed in the importance of travel and experiencing the world. They stressed the value of being open to new places, new cultures and new cuisines. At home they enjoyed collecting wine and cooking together, making meals was something we appreciated as a family. From a young age, I wanted to help in the kitchen and be sure our guests had a cocktail or glass of wine in front of them. I actually used to pretend I was a cocktail waitress for my grandmother before I could even write. I suppose the hospitality industry was always in my blood. I discovered my passion for wine on my 21st birthday when my father opened a bottle of 1982 Haut Brion. The experience opened my eyes to
a future in wine and hospitality. We know that your career started as a server and floor manager in California. What led you back to NY and how or where did the opportunity come about to become a sommelier? Actually, my hospitality career began at Nick & Toni’s many years ago. I had come to the Hamptons for the summer, was hired as a busser / coat check girl and eventually became a server. After a few years at Nick & Toni’s, I decided to move to San Diego and experience life on the West Coast. While working in California, my interest in wine continued to grow and I knew the industry in NY set the bar for the rest of the country. Not only was NY home to me, but there is no place better to learn about the restaurant business as a whole and specifically wine. How do you continue to grow and develop your wine knowledge? Wine is a constant learning process. I travel to wine regions as much as possible, meeting with producers, asking questions and of course tasting wine. Spending time discussing and tasting with other wine professionals is extremely important. I’m also a huge fan of guildsomm.com, it’s an educational website run by The Court of Master Sommeliers. They have a wealth of information, maps, study guides, discussion forums and offer enrichment trips to wine regions around the world.
Certified Sommelier by The Court of Master Sommeliers, Julie Berger has spent the last eight years devoted to developing and refining her wine knowledge.
26 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
With so many wines out there, explain the process of developing a wine menu. What do you look for when you’re considering adding a new bottle to the list? Most important, I select quality wines that complement the restaurant’s cuisine and will appeal to our guests. Other things to consider are variation in styles, price points, vintages, origins
of the wines and different producers. I enjoy having a selection of interesting wines available for wine professionals and guests looking to experience something new or different. What is the most challenging situation you’ve been in or request you’ve received as a sommelier? It’s always a challenge to select a bottle of wine for a table of guests with very different tastes while making everyone happy. It’s the part of being a sommelier that can be the most difficult.
er times I like similarities. It’s nice to contrast salty or fatty foods with higher acid wines. I love sparkling wines with fried salty foods… actually I love Champagne any time Spicy foods work very well with slightly sweet wines. When matching, I focus on the flavor intensity and body of the wine and food. Lighter wines paired with lighter foods and heavier wines with heavier foods. It is fun to experiment with different pairings; great pairings
Wine is a constant learning process. I travel to wine regions as much as possible, meeting with producers, asking questions and of course tasting wine. Spending time discussing and tasting with other wine professionals is extremely important.
Do you and your staff try to steer customers to wines that may be unfamiliar to them, or do you let them stay in their comfort zone? If a guest is open to trust myself and our staff, we love to introduce new wines to customers, it’s the fun part of the job. What are the basic food and wine matching principles you focus on? Sometimes opposites attract and oth-
27 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
elevate the whole dining experience. What do you see trending in wine in 2014 and 2015? People enjoy looking for hidden gems. Undiscovered wines, good values and obscure varietals are trendy. Consumers enjoy the art discovery and sharing new finds with their friends. Any up and coming wine regions you are keeping an eye on?
Wines from Corsica are amazing!!! They are producing red, white and rose wines from unique varietals. I look forward to seeing more Corsican wines in restaurants and stores. What advice can you give our young professionals looking to become a Sommelier? Find a mentor, be passionate, and taste, taste, taste!!!
28 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
GRAND OPENINGS
Tavern on the Green Reopens With Bucolic Styling, Modern Menu Tavern on the Green’s Grand Opening Gala took place last month complete with live music, drinks and food from Chef Katy Sparks and more than 1200 people, including plenty of celebrities.
N
otable attendees who walked the red carpet and partied at the redesigned, reincarnation of this iconic New York restaurant included Regis Philbin, Martha Stewart, Michael Imperioli, Fran Drescher, Mario Cantone,
Bruce Vilanch (he brought his mom as his guest for a Mother's Day gift), Real Housewives of NY stars Luann de Lesseps and Kristen Taekman, Mario Cantone, plus restaurateurs Drew Nieporent and John DeLucie, among others. Tourist trap no more: Tavern on the Green is back!
Tavern on the Green owners David Salama (L) and Jim Caiola (R) welcomed noted Sopranos' star Michael Imperioli (C)
29 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The New York restaurant icon, which closed in 2009 after a decade long decline into punchline status, has been reopened and revived by Philadelphia native Jim Caiola and partner David Salama. Insiders got a taste of chef Katy Sparks’ “locavore” menu at a “friends
and family” opening. The public will now get to book birthdays, Mother’s Days, weddings and graduations until the official opening next month. Sparks’ food is a far cry from the ersatz Italian dishes at the old Tavern. Her well-thought-out, modern urbanfarmhouse menu is broken up into three main segments: "the hearth," "the grill" and "the plancha." Dishes include a wood-roasted Japanese eggplant, a braised lamb shank with pickled raisins, a heritage breed pork chop with fennel, and a "local duck egg on a spring onion." It’s not fancy food, but it’s very carefully put together. It’s meant to be an everyday experience. In addition to a new menu, Caiola and Salama ban-
continued on page 96
// Q&A
EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEWS
Michael Lomonaco Executive Chef and Managing Partner of Porter House New York
Michael Lomonaco thought he'd take the elevator up to his office but he really needed to get his glasses repaired so, a little after 8 on a sunny September morning, he went down to the optical shop in the lobby. It was a fateful decision for the noted American chef/director at the time, restaurateur and TV personality.
T
he day, of course, was September 11, and he would go on to lose 79 of his employees on the 106th floor at Windows on the World. But overcoming the sadness of the loss, Lomonaco went on to open Porter House New York in 2006 and he's been writing cookbooks and traveling around the country to host Epicurious on the Discovery Channel, among other things, ever since. How has the industry changed since you began your career? The industry has expanded in a really fantastic way. The ideas and concepts even 20 years ago of dining are dust. You had tablecloth restaurants and then everything else after that, back then. There was a breakdown – where you expected to find good food and where you didn't. Today the possibilities of dining and eating well has just expanded into so many directions. Another big change is that chefs have come into their own as entrepreneurs and business people, they've been given the tools to create these empires of restau-
With everything he does, Chef Michael Lomonaco reaffirms his commitment to the elevation of American Cuisine. Through his vibrant, freshly sourced restaurant fare, lively television hosting and academic and philanthropic activities, Lomonaco's name has become synonymous with New American Cuisine. Photo by Melissa Hom
30 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
rants around the world. That's one of the great things we've all worked for, to earn that level of respect that has come with many years of people before us. The growth in the food industry in the last 10 years has been greater than in the 30 or 40 years before that. Why do you think things have changed so much? The media has been an integral part of the food industry but I also think that it's what people want as more and more generations have grown up going to restaurants. It's now really become mainstream. Whether dining out at a barbecue joint or a French bistro, eating out has become part of our lifestyle. And in so many ways, great food has become more affordable – sort of a democratization of food. The barrier to food is no longer the $35 entree. People's expectations of what a great meal is have changed. What makes your restaurant different? Here at Porter House New York, we have an extensive wine list, over 700 labels, and we have a very big menu that focuses first on dry-aged prime beef. It's natural beef – hormoneand antibiotic-free. The restaurant opened with the idea of serving great wines from all over the world with great steaks, in a comfortable environment. It's not an inexpensive restaurant, mainly because the product that we use is from the top end and really a very expensive product. But we're in a special location. Our restaurant is on the 4th floor overlooking Central Park, and we have great food. We built the restaurant to be comfortable, with a real emphasis on hospitality and service. We wanted to beat the expectations of what
people think they should get at a steakhouse. We're part of the restaurant collection at the Time Warner Center, and the restaurant collection there was meant to have high-end restaurants and some in the middle, to be available to many people at different levels. What is it like to operate a restaurant at the Time Warner Center? My neighbors are Bar Masa and Per Se. That had an effect on me in terms of how hospitality and service are important to the overall experience of dining at some level, not at all restaurants and not in all dining situations, but here, in this location, with these neighbors, a through line that matters. We have a crossover of guests and diners who are regulars here. People come from all over the world to eat at Porter House. We've focused on the quality of the cooking, the precise cooking of the highest-quality ingredients and we've tried to serve it not in a stuffy atmosphere. Service and hospitality have always meant a lot to me. Are you surprised at the growth of steakhouses and beef, in general, with all the focus on healthy eating? Every time you turn around, you read something else. A bare few weeks ago we read that eating animal fat wasn't as bad as we once thought it was, it was the quality of the animal fat that mattered. I'm not a scientist so I can't speak to that, but essentially we felt that purchasing dry-aged beef that was hormone-free was an important way to make sure we were getting pure beef. Our steakhouse specializes in one or two or three cuts, two different cuts of rib eye, two of porterhouse, hangar steak, custom beef. We serve kind of nose-to-tail animal. That means we're meat-centered – we get great lamb from Colorado, quite a bit of wild game from Scotland – we're selling grouse and wood pigeon! It makes it interesting for us and changes it up for some of our
regulars. We actually did it to go with our wine list. We have so many wines from all over the world, and wine is an important part of dining. A vegetarian can dine very well here, too, from kale to local organic produce and greens. Because we're a large restaurant (we seat 250,) we see a lot of large tables. And it's not all steak. For people who will only eat seafood and fish, we focus on fresh lobster, not frozen, and our salmon comes from the Faroe Islands, a really beautiful piece of fish. We also
have local seafood, like striped bass. How do you work with suppliers? I've always concentrated on trying to work with the best suppliers. It's the key to success in the restaurant world. I have a great team, both in the front and the back of the house. Michael Amorati, our chef, has been with me since before Windows on the World. He works hard at purchasing and we've had the same suppliers for years – Pat LaFrieda, DeBragga, Blue Ribbon Fish. We always work
with the best supplier because that's what our guests expect. We're paying more so we're really looking for the best quality because that's what we're promising we're going to deliver for our guests. In the recession of 2009, we did not lower the quality of our ingredients. To help people dine out more, we had prix fixe lunches and early dinners for theatergoers that helped to smooth out the real wrinkles at that hard time. We stayed with our ingredients, didn't change the menu. It's what we did to help people dine out more regularly How do you build your team? I don't have restaurants in other cities so I'm here at Porter House all the time, though we do have a bar, Center Bar, in the atrium area, right outside our door on the 4th floor. It's a cocktail lounge and we have handcrafted ingredients for our cocktails. But for me, in both the bar and the restaurant, it's always been about building relationships with the people I work with every day. A number of our staff from both the front and back have been here since we opened in 2006. I'm very fortunate to have that continuity. We all work well together. It comes from a sense of mutual respect. We find people who can understand what it is we're doing differently than some of the old school steakhouses. We have a respect for traditions but we're really trying to keep it fresh. Even if we're doing some carving in the dining room, we want to make it fun for diners but also fun for us. It should be an experience we enjoy coming to every day. I believe in being passionate about what I do, but it's not about being emotional, not about being so demanding that it makes people miserable. This is something we all do together. No one could do this alone. What drives you, what makes you
The centerpiece of Lomonaco's menu continues to be the highest quality dry aged beef
31 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
continued on page 98
// NEWS
AWARDS
Singer Equipment Set To Receive AJC’s Corporate Leadership Award At Bronx Event He’s the third generation to run his family’s business and one of his main desires in life is to maintain and build it so that it endures.
"M
y kids are still young so I don’t know if they’ll take it into the fourth generation,” says Fred Singer, president, of the Singer Equipment Company. “But my goal is to create something so solid that we control our fate and can remain independent and economically viable, and whether that involves family beyond me or professional leadership, it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. If my kids want to be part of this business, great. If not, the company needs to go on.” Singer will be honored by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) on June 10 at the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, New York. Irwin Halper, Pat Ianaconi and Herb Reichenbach will also be honored. “As a company, we see it as part of our responsibility to support our community. We feel blessed and we appreciate the chance to share those blessings with organizations like the AJC,” Singer says of the award. Co founded in 1918 in Reading, Penn., by his grandfather (also named Fred Singer), Singer Equipment came together when Fred Singer, Sr., dropped out of school early after his
dad died to support his family. Fred’s own father, Henry, also grew up in Reading in the ‘20s and ‘30s but didn’t enter the company immediately. “Instead, upon graduation from high school, he was shipped off to fight in Europe in World War II,” says Singer. “He then came back to us and went to college on the GI bill and the day he finished college, he started with his father.” At that time, the company was still small. “But soon he was running the company and he was the prime mov-
32 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
er, turning Singer from a successful small company to a successful medium-sized dealership,” Singer says. Singer remembers that his dad bought the largest dealership in Reading in his bid to begin creating consolidation. “The larger dealerships gave him the impetus and ideas on how to grow the company.” Henry Singer was a founder of the International Food Service Equipment Dealers (IFED) buying group. “IFED had a big impact on the shape and direction of our business,” says Fred. “He
modernized distribution. He was the first in the industry to build a modern one-story distribution center. Others were located downtown in tall, narrow buildings. He saw that the future was in more modern distribution.” He also anticipated the rise of the food companies, says Singer, so he got Singer Equipment into the paper distribution business. “His goal was to have more frequent contact with customers so we could better compete with the food companies entering our product categories,” says Singer. “He was always thinking about what was coming down the pike.” Singer himself came into the family business in 1993 after college and a three-year stint at a consulting firm in Boston. He became president in 2000. “We’ve grown a lot,” he says. “It was our strong belief that there would be significant consolidation in distribution, along with consolidation in manufacturing and on the customer side -- consolidation at all levels. Our goal was to have the size and scale so that we could support the more complex needs of multi-unit operators, like restaurants, hospital systems, as well as the needs of larger, more consolidated manufacturers, to develop solutions for these more complex customers and really try to understand the difference between the companies with multi needs vs. the single-needs.” Singer notes that some of it is geographical. “The bigger customers want you to go wherever they are. But some of it is around technology and e-commerce, supply chain skills and being able to import goods and solve special product requirements, handle specialty goods for larger customers, who tend to have more of these.”
continued on page 95
33 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
34 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
35 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// SCOOP
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
NYC Eatery Sued Over Plan To Move Picasso Painting Scoop notes that New York’s storied Four Seasons restaurant has for decades harbored one of the city’s more unusual artworks: the largest Pablo Picasso painting in the United States. But a plan to move it has touched off a spat as sharply drawn as the bullfight crowd the canvas depicts. Pitting a prominent preservation group against an art-loving real estate magnate, the dispute has unleashed an outcry from culture commentators and a lawsuit featuring dueling squads of art experts. The building’s owner says Picasso’s “Le Tricorne,” a 19-by-20-foot painted stage curtain, has to be moved from the restaurant to make way for repairs to the wall behind it. But the Landmarks Conservancy, a nonprofit that owns the curtain, is suing to stop the move. The group says the wall damage isn’t dire and taking down the brittle curtain could destroy it — and, with it, an integral aspect of the Four Seasons’ landmarked interior. “This case is not about Picasso,” RFR lawyer Andrew Kratenstein said in court papers. Rather, he wrote, it
Local Restaurant Chain Franchisee Honors Military Members
is about whether an art owner can insist that a private landlord hang a work indefinitely, the building’s needs be damned. Picasso painted the curtain in 1919 as a set piece for “Le Tricorne.” “Le Tricorne” has been at the Four Seasons since its 1959 opening in the noted Seagram Building. The restaurant, which isn’t affiliated with the Four Seasons hotel a few blocks away, is the epitome of New York power lunching, having served President Bill Clinton, Princess Diana, Madonna and other A-listers.
36 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Scoop says T.L. Cannon Companies, the franchisee for 59 Applebee's restaurants in upstate New York and Connecticut, made a commitment to veterans and active duty military last month for National Military Appreciation Month. Servicemen and women received a 10 percent discount on all meals excluding tax, gratuity, gift cards and other discounts. Applebee's donated part of the proceeds from Pepsi soft drink and Leinenkugel Summer Shandy beer sales to The Mission Continues, a national organization that encourages veterans to serve and inspire in their communities. Since 2009, Applebee's locations have served 4 million free meals to veterans and active duty military members on Veterans Day.
Paul Smith’s College and Cornell University Unite for the Environment Scoop notes that Paul Smith’s College is known for setting the bar in environmentally focused education. Recently
This collaborative project will enable our students at Paul Smith’s College to connect what they learn in the classroom with real world applications.
Paul Smith’s announced the launch of its newest project to enhance sustainability as a campus-wide initiative, a joint effort with the Cornell Cooperative Extension. “This collaborative project will enable our students at Paul Smith’s College to connect what they learn in the classroom with real world applications,” explains Brett McLeod, Associate Professor and Program Director. The Adirondack Center for Working Landscapes (ACWL) is a multi-phase project that will link policy, education and practice through healthy land, healthy food and healthy communi-
ties. The program will connect people with the landscapes to promote positive environmentalism that establishes harmony between humans and the earth. As a joint effort with Cornell Cooperative Extension, the ACWL will invest in educational outreach and reframe environmental issues with a practical approach. “Cornell has a reputation for its strengths in agriculture, and Paul Smith’s College has been the leader in forestry, tourism and natural resource management for nearly 70 years,” explains John W. Mills, PhD., President of Paul Smith’s College. “The ACWL partnership will enable the play-off of these strengths.” The ACWL is the integration of education and economic reality —beyond sustainable agriculture and forestry— to related sectors such as agro-tourism, nutrition, lost arts, traditional skills, food systems and environmental education. "Because humans are the chiefs of the ecological system, we have the environmental responsibility to integrate people with landscapes in a harmonious union,” says Mills. “This is essential for preserving our landscapes while fostering eco-tourism, agriculture and community development.” The announcement was made by U.S. Representative Bill Owens, followed
by a discussion on the 2014 Farm Bill. Farmers and associated business owners were provided the opportunity to learn how to attain grants for their North Country businesses from the recently passed Farm Bill and other private and New York State sources. “We at Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Franklin County are extremely pleased to be a founding partner of the ACWL. Our educational mission as the outreach arm of the land grant institution of Cornell and tied to USDA makes our programs in agriculture and natural resources, nutrition and youth development an excellent fit with those of Paul Smith’s College and the VIC,” says Rick LeVitre, Executive Director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Sweetgreen Selects Foodcorps As Its Official Charity Partner Scoop notes as part of its mission to educate children about healthy eating and nutrition, sweetgreen, the much-loved collection of organic, farm-to-table salad shops, has selected FoodCorps as its official charity partner. FoodCorps is a national organization that connects children in underserved communities to real food in order to help them grow up healthy. As sweetgreen’s official charity partner,
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
37 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
181 Marsh Hill Road 91 Brainard Road 566 Hamilton Avenue 15-06 132nd Street 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 305 S. Regent St. 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road
FoodCorps will receive 1% of all qualifying sales transactions processed through the sweetgreen rewards app. Additionally, sweetgreen will commit a $10,000 contribution from proceeds
into all existing sweetgreen locations by training its in-store coaches to host wellness workshops in their communities. FoodCorps has invited sweetgreen to join its Corporate Council, an assembly of proven corporate lead-
FoodCorps will help scale “sweetgreen in schools” into all existing sweetgreen locations by training its in-store coaches to host wellness workshops in their communities.
from its 2014 sweetlife music + food festival held on May 10. Through the collaboration, FoodCorps will serve as the “sweetgreen in schools” community liaison, helping sweetgreen identify the underserved communities most in need and connecting sweetgreen with its extensive network of local partners across the country. FoodCorps will help scale “sweetgreen in schools”
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Orange, CT 06477 Hartford, CT 06114 Brooklyn, NY 11232 College Point, NY 11356 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Port Chester, NY 10573 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 S. Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
ers who collaborate around the collective goal of a healthy future for all children. Current Council members include Gary Hirschfield, Co-Founder and Chair of Stonyfield Farm, Sarah Bird, Senior VP of Marketing at Annie’s Homegrown, Jeff Dunn, President and CEO of Bolthouse Farms, Gina Asoudegan, Director of Communications at Applegate Organic, and more. “With our shared commitment to increase access to healthy food in our nation’s schools, sweetgreen is incredibly proud to select FoodCorps as our official national charity partner,” said Laura Rankin, Director of sweetgreen in schools. “We are truly looking forward to working together with Food-
203-795-9900 860-549-4000 718-768-0555 718-762-1000 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 718-707-9330 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 914-935-0220 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-791-2740 908-964-5544 continued on next page
Corps to bring sweetgreen in schools to all the communities where we do business and to make healthy eating a reality for all children.”
TGI Fridays Reopens in Brooklyn Community
Scoop hears that TGI Fridays has reopened its doors in Brooklyn, N.Y. The restaurant was forced to close in November 2012 due to flood damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, affecting more than 120 of its team members. Fridays helped its displaced employ-
“Everyone in this area has been through so much in the past year and a half, so it’s exciting to be able to welcome them back with a completely updated look and feel.”
The restaurant was forced to close in November 2012 due to flood damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, affecting more than 120 of its team members.
ees, finding opportunities for them to work at other TGI Fridays locations so they could keep their jobs while the restaurant was being rebuilt. The new re-imaged Fridays is retaining many of its original team members, which make up the approximately 130 jobs Fridays provides to the local community. “We take our commitment to the community and our employees seriously,” said General Manager Faryn Weinstein. “Helping our team members during the difficult time was important to us. We’ve been proud to be a part of the community since 1994 and are thrilled to once again open our doors here in Brooklyn.” After extensive renovation, the new Fridays features a contemporary design and is tailored to the Brooklyn community. In addition to an acrylic panel of the city skyline featured on the interior, the restaurant boasts great views of the harbor and is attached to the
neighborhood’s iconic lighthouse. The new modern look creates a fun, energetic vibe with a dramatically redesigned bar as the focal point and is part of a larger re-imaging campaign that is rolling out at Fridays across the country. “We couldn’t be happier to be back behind the bar and in front of our favorite guests here in Brooklyn,” said Crystal Valentin, TGI Fridays bartender and member of the original Brooklyn team. “Everyone in this area has been through so much in the past year and a half, so it’s exciting to be able to welcome them back with a completely updated look and feel.” “We have a great connection with our guests here in Brooklyn, and have for the last 20 years,” said Weinstein.
Piece Of Cake? Not For Greenwich Zoning Scoop says Buddy Valastro Jr. can have his cake and eat it, too, in Greenwich, CT as long as there are no cameras. Carlo’s Bakery, the laboratory of the reality TV star better known as the “Cake Boss,” is in the final stages of what has been an arduous approval process for opening its first shop in Connecticut. “Yes, it is going forward, with conditions,” said Diane Fox, director of Planning and Zoning for the town. The town put the kibosh on using the bakery, located at a con-
38 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
verted loading dock area of the former Greenwich Time building, to film episodes of the show. Zoning officials also demanded assurance that a space set aside for birthday parties and cake decorating classes will only be used after school and on weekends because of concerns about parking and traffic. Sweet-toothed fans of the reality show are known to line up down the block at the original Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, NJ, which opened in 1910, to satisfy their cravings for cannolis, biscotti and cakes, of course. The franchise has expanded to eight locations, from Times Square to Las Vegas and now Greenwich.
Empire State Vintners Hope To Cork Wine Glut Scoop heard at the second New York State Wine, Beer, spirits and Cider Summit last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he is dedicating $6 million to marketing the state’s pro-
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he is dedicating $6 million to marketing the state’s producers of wine and other fine adult beverages.
ducers of wine and other fine adult beverages. Certainly it’s worth raising a glass to the high quality of Finger Lakes Rieslings, but in truth these are challenging times in the wine world. Wile blockbuster sales of ultraexpensive Bordeaux and Burgundy
still make news, the bellwether Liv-Ex Fine Wine 100 Index has fallen by 31% since the summer of 2011. Auctioneers like Sotheby’s and Acker Merrall & Condit saw a 15% drop in wine sales last year. Constellation Brands, which sells Robert Mondavi and other affordable labels, said that wine sales would grow in the low-tomid-single-digit range this year because of pricing pressures. Simply put, there’s a glut of decent wine on the market and New York is part of the reason. During the past decade, grape harvests in the state have grown by 20%, according to the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and in just the past three years the number of wineries has leaped by 30%. Relief may be on the way for winemakers, though. Between 2008 and 2011, regulators in Europe offered subsidies for farmers to grow fewer grapes and drain the continent’s “wine lake.” Sure enough, wine production in France fell by nearly 17% in 2012 and in Spain by 11%, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine. “In 2016, the supply of wine will fall below demand for the first time since records have been kept,” said Kevin Parker, a former head of asset management at Deutsche Bank who owns a winery in southern France called Chateau Maris. While Mr. Parker waits for supply and demand to balance, out, he says he’s finding a growing audience for wines, which have been rated as high as 93 (out of 100).
Hybrid Suds And Duds On Lower East Side Scoop asks, “Do you want some suds with your duds?” At the Wash House on the Lower East Side, you can grab a pint of beer as your laundry gets cleaned. Or you can get coffee, a cookie or one of 13 grilled cheese sandwiches on the menu. Welcome to the new normal in retail: the hybrid store. The Wash House is the latest place to bring seemingly diverse shopping, service or entertainment experiences
under one roof. “Wash House customers get excited when they realize they can order a drink while their laundry is done,” says Chris Ogren, who works behind the coffee counter. “They ask, ‘Why
What’s driving the trend? There’s money in mergers. Retail experts say that creating multiple businesses is smart in an age when
ers stop shopping on the Internet and go to the store,” says Robin Report, a retail newsletter.
Carnegie Deli Hits Pittsburgh Restaurant With Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Scoop sees that midtown's Carnegie Deli is suing a Pittsburgh eatery with a similar sounding name. Don't mess ’wich the name! New York’s famous Carnegie Deli pasted a new Pittsburgh restaurant last month with a trademark infringement lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court. The suit by the Midtown favorite slams the Steel City eatery for opening in March as the Carnegie Delicatessen and Diner. It says the Pennsylvania sandwich shop
stores are folding like houses of cards. The list keeps growing.
hasn’t anybody thought of this before?’” he says. Business has been good, but it’s not always clear what kind of shop Ogren is running on any given day. “Some days, everyone just wants to do laundry, and some days, a bunch of people want coffee,” he says. Ogren’s laundrobar joins other hybrids, including Juice Pedaler (which peddles fresh juice and coffee alongside bike rentals,) the Dressing Room (vintage boutique and bar), Red Lantern (bike repair, beer and coffee), the HoM store (housewares and brunch) and Splash Sexy Boutique (sex toys with a restaurant -the ultimate date night). What’s driving the trend? There’s money in mergers. Retail experts say that creating multiple businesses is smart in an age when stores are folding like houses of cards. The list keeps growing. “All brick-and-mortar retailers are going to have to create some kind of entertainment experience so consum-
Scoop sees that midtown's Carnegie Deli is suing a Pittsburgh eatery with a similar sounding name.
is diluting the legendary, 74-year-old Carnegie brand. The new restaurant said it used the name because the brand was “big enough to share,” according to the suit, which seeks a name change and damages. “The trademark of Carnegie Deli is just too famous and too well-known for other people to be trading on it,” said the deli owner’s lawyer, Charles Knull. He said his clients before filing the suit reached out to the Pittsburgh copycats and asked them to change their eatery’s name – but were snubbed. “We will pursue this to the ends of the Earth,” said Knull. The suit cites all the countless ways Carnegie Deli is famous, including references to it in Adam Sandler’s “Chanukkah Song” and various writeups.
39 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Carnegie wants the Pittsburgh knockoff to stop using its name, destroy all its signage and pay unspecified money damages. Manhattan’s Carnegie recently agreed to pay $2.65 million to settle a lawsuit with workers who accused it of cheating them out of wages.
Highly Anticipated Brookfield Place's Hudson Eats Food Court Set To Debut Scoop notes that tasty new food options are finally opening in Battery Park City. Brookfield Place's Hudson Eats, a 600-seat, fast-casual food court, is officially launching June 3. The 35,000-square-foot space - home to 14 restaurants, including Mighty Quinn’s, Los Angeles burger joint Umami Burger, Cambodian-inspired sandwich shop Num Pang and Beverly Hills-based Sprinkles Cupcakes was initially slated for a late May opening, but construction setbacks delayed the launch, according to Brookfield. Other eateries on tap for the food court in-
clude Dig Inn Seasonal Market; salad chain Chop't; Mexican taqueria Dos Toros; Little Muenster, known for "super fancy grilled cheese sandwiches"; and Long Island-based Skinny Pizza. Blue Ribbon Sushi has added its name to the all-star roster of restaurants opening outposts in Hudson Eats. Black Seed, the wood-fired bagel shop currently in the works from Mile End's Noah Bernamoff and Matt Kliegman of The Smile, has just landed a second location in Brookfield Place. Hudson Eats is just one part of Brookfield's $250 million overhaul of its Vesey Street office complex. Directly below the food court, a Europeanstyle marketplace is slated to open in 2015, offering fresh meats, seafood, produce, coffee and desserts. There will also be two sit-down restaurants overlooking the Hudson River.
40 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
41 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
42 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
43 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// LEGENDS
METRO NEW YORK FOODSERVICE LEGENDS
Colleen Lydon,
Owner of Moran’s Chelsea It didn’t hurt that she learned to pick fresh vegetables, then go to the beach to find mussels and dig for clams, under the direction of a dear neighbor, when she was very young.
B
ut for Colleen Lydon, owner of Moran’s Chelsea, that’s where it all began. Lydon spent most of her young life in Amagansett, N.Y. On sunny afternoons, when the only thing to do was go down to the ocean and watch the seagulls, her Yugoslavian neighbor, Nana B., decided to put her to work. From that day on, Lydon spent her afternoons learning how to cook with her neighbor, who taught thelittle girl how to be a young chef. Now Lydon didn’t go straight into the food world. She took a job as a bookkeeper and receptionist at The Panoramic View in Montauk first, then focused on receiving her MBA at Iona College, landing a job on Wall Street as an accountant for North Western Trust. A few years later, she changed careers and became an assistant to the vice president of promotions and special events for Estee Lauder. But cooking was always her first love. While living in the Bronx, she befriended a group of Cuban chefs with whom she spent time making platanos, roast pork, rice and beans, various paella-style dishes and some distinct sauces. She also developed a relationship with a group of Italian women in the Bronx and spent many Sundays preparing a large afternoon dinner with them in the home of a
Colleen Lydon is the Owner of Moran's Chelsea Restaurant
well-known boxer, Willie Mack. From rolling dough to make the pasta, to browning the meats and prepping the antipasti, she did it all. It was only in the ‘80s when Moran’s finally hired a chef that Lydonbegan waitressing. Flash to the present. She’s now the owner. The early 1960’s was when Lydon’s grandfather and uncles moved from Ireland to the United States, and her parents acquired Moran’s at 146 10th Ave., in order to provide family members with a job. “It was a beer and a shot sort of place,” says Lydon. “Three beers on draft, five bottles of beer.
44 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
They were farmers in Ireland.” At the time, Moran’s was just a small bar with sawdust on the floor. Mostly longshoreman frequented the pub. Lydon did not feel comfortable going there because it was full of men who had been out to sea and would return to land for a week of relaxation and excessive drinking. “Then the trucking companies started moving out. The garment business moved further north. The freezers who froze the fish all moved. So we said, ‘OK, now we have to become a neighborhood spot, linguine and white clam sauce,’ things my mom and I could handle,” Lydon says. In 1974 the piers also moved out of the area. “So we had to evolve. We turned to fried shrimp, oysters and scallops, hamburgers. It was great for the people in the meat market. They’d come up here for lunch, and that’s what they were looking for,” Lydon recalls. “The only other place was Hector’s Cafe. We had the garment district, below 26th street, at that time, the sanitation companies, all around us. There was a lot of business here.” The neighborhood responded well. “There were very few bistro pubs. It was all a former longshoremen’s bar, and it was now becoming a respectable neighborhood. I remember our first day, Sunday. All day the ladies
came down from Guardian Angel to peek in the windows and see if it was safe to come in.” Lydon laughs. Today Moran’s bar and restaurant is a Chelsea landmark and wedding venue. Lydon feels she has the best of both worlds – using both her cooking experience and business mind to run the restaurant started by her grandfather in 1967. When Lydon became the owner, it was much harder, she says. “Before, when we were a tablecloth restaurant and people had a reservation for 6, they arrived at 5:30, and they all wanted to be seated at 6, out by 7:45 for Madison Square Garden. Everything had to happen in a flash of a second.
Today Moran’s is a Chelsea landmark and wedding venue. Lydon feels she has the best of both worlds, using both her cooking experience and business mind to run the restaurant started by her grandfather in 1967.
Now it’s much more relaxed.” Will the white tablecloths come back? “Not in the city,” says Lydon. While quite a lot changed, “We kept some signature items. Someone will come in who hasn’t been here for five years, drooling for Linguine Moran, and if I take that off the menu because we don’t sell 30 or 50 a night, when they come in, they’ll be very disappointed. So we’re keeping some of
continued on pg 95
45 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// INSURANCE
FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Safeguarding Your Restaurant Against Cyber Risks It is a real possibility that the current insurance coverage for your restaurant has not kept pace with the rapidly evolving world of cyber liability. Cyber liability for restaurants is an area of risk that restaurant owners cannot overlook.
Bob Fiorito, Vice President of Business Development at Hub International Robert.Fiorito@ hubinternational.com
O
ne of the largest retail data breaches in US history occurred at Target Corporation during the 2013 holiday shopping season, exposing the personal financial information of 40 million shoppers. As this event demonstrates, any business is vulnerable to data breaches, even if they follow strict data security protocols. Restaurants are no exception. It has become extremely common for restaurants to use the Internet in many different ways to promote and to operate their businesses. Exposures may range from accounts on social media profiles on sites like Facebook and Twitter, to a connected computer network at one or more office or restaurant locations, or an electronic payment processing system to an online ordering system, which stores credit card information. Cyber sales are a critical and growing source of annual revenue for many businesses, including restaurants. With
every "click" of the purchase button, consumers put themselves at risk of having their personal information stolen - a risk that is typically absorbed by the businesses from which they are buying. In December of 2013, a Boston restaurant chain confirmed that its computer systems were breached, putting the credit card information of thousands of customers at risk, including visitors who attended two major conventions in Boston. A typical commercial insurance policy will not provide protection due to the above event. Without the proper coverage in place, this could be a costly incident, however given their experience - the chain should have been prepared. The first time this restaurant chain suffered a major breach of their payment systems in 2009, malware, or malicious software, was installed on the restaurant group’s computers, allowing hackers to access credit and debit card information. The chain paid $110,000 to settle allegations that it failed to protect diners’ personal information after that security breach. To protect a restaurant against cybercrime, it is essential to take a proactive approach and have the right kind of insurance coverage. Every business has its own unique needs and risks, but
46 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
there are some general guidelines outlined below that can help manage that risk and protect the business both in store and online:
Identify The Critical Information A Business Has, Needs And Stores Analyze the threat to that critical information. Questions to ask include: Does your restaurant have an online sales component? If so, are you protected against the increasing threat of cyber risks? Is sensitive customer information stored on your website? Do you have adequate protection if your site or online sales tools are compromised?
Evaluate The Vulnerabilities To Your Business That Would Allow A Cyber-Attack On That Data, And Assess The Impact Of The Attack Develop countermeasures to prevent and mitigate damage in the event of a cyber-attack by having sound response strategies in place. Such measures include: • Evaluating the security settings on software, browser and email programs. • Using one computer for online banking needs and using Secure ID protection.
•
Monitoring use of mobile devices and public Wi-Fi access for employees. • Storing critical information through a remote server. • Develop the plan, implement it and communicate it to leadership and employees so they know their role and responsibility. • Test the plan periodically and revise as necessary. While it is important to develop and implement safeguards against cyber criminals, these plans are most effective when combined with the proper insurance coverage designed to address cyber risks. Coverage typically includes liability protection for when customers or others who have been affected hold a company responsible for information stolen during data breaches or other network intrusions. A cyber policy also can include coverage for forensic investigation, litigation and remediation expenses associated with the breach as well as regulatory defense coverage, crisis management or public relations expenses, business interruption and cyber extortion. Cyber risk is a very real issue that can impact a business and have a lingering effect on the business' ability to operate. Taking the proper risk management steps, as well as obtaining the proper insurance coverage, will help ensure that your bottom line is protected. Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, HUB International Northeast., where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20-year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fastfood chains to upscale, “white tablecloth" dining establishments. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito.com.
47 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
48 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
49 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// LEGAL
WITH MITCHELL SEGAL
Paid Sick Leave is Now Here in NYC: A Primer As of April 1, 2014 employers must provide paid sick leave if they have 5 or more employees who work at least 80 hours or more a calendar year. Their rate of pay for each sick day is their regular hourly rate but in no event less than the minimum wage and an employee may earn up to 40 hours of paid sick leave annually.
T
he law generally does not cover students in work programs or scholarship programs; employees of government agencies and independent contractors who do not meet the definition of an employee under N.Y.S. Labor Law. It does apply to supervi-
50 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Mitchell Segal, Principal, Segal Law LLC Queens, NY g a l b r i @ m s n .c o m
sors and managers. An employer had to provide notice of this law to all of their employees as of May 1, 2014. The notice must contain information of an employee’s right to sick leave, it’s accrual and use and the right to be free from retaliation if taken or that a complaint can be filed. An employee will be entitled to 1 hour of paid sick leave for each 30 hours worked. Sick leave shall accrue starting April 1, 2014 and can be used any time after July 30, 2014 for an ex-
continued on pg 79
51 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
52 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
53 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// BLUEPRINT
Investigating The Metro Area's Hottest Kitchen Projects
Mighty Quinn's Barbeque Clifton, NJ & Brookfield Place NYC The Operator
The Architect
The Equipment & Supply Dealer
Hugh Magnum, President Mighty Quinn's Manhattan, NY
Darren Malone, Project Manager McCauliffe And Carroll Trenton, NJ
Michael Konzelman, Equipment & Supply Dealer Economy Paper and Supply Co. Clifton, NJ
Hugh Magnum’s Approach The Operator
we’re planning where our next venture will be. We don’t have some master plan of world domination. We’re just opening up these things one by one, and trying to make it happen organically! As we all know, things don’t always work out the way you planned, and
we’ve gotten accustomed to that, so we just stay calm, but opening restaurants so close together has been a challenge. Openings in Manhattan are very different from the opening in Clifton. This location was a little more of a beast only because it’s not on the island of
I’ve had a lot going on these last few months. We just opened one of our Mighty Quinn's restaurants in Clifton, N.J. We’re opening one soon at Brookfield Place in the Financial District. And
54 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Manhattan and it’s very hard to hire people the way we’re used to hiring in the city. We can’t tell them we want to hire you but you have to move out to Clifton! People who might come out from Manhattan don’t have cars. We’re not near the train station, so the chal-
55 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
lenge was holding interviews and hiring and training staff,all only a few days before opening. Clifton is a bigger restaurant. It doesn’t actually fit with our template. I like a smaller, more intimate place but in New Jersey, you’re not doing business like you do in New York, where you open at 11:30, and it’s steady all day. It’s never 0 to 60 in two seconds. You’re always in the mode, whereas in New Jersey, people drive long distances. It’s not a walkable place. You get a pop at lunch and a pop at dinner. In the East Village, you do four or five turns for dinner, from 6 to 11 p.m. But in Clifton, we’re looking at a window from 6 to 9, with two turns. We have more seats but less turns. My biggest goal in Clifton was making what we serve the same food as in the East Village. And we’ve done that. In the East Village, we realized over time the things that didn’t work for us. With this place, we started from 0. But we went into it knowing the equipment we
wanted and had the lead time to source it, so it wasn’t as stressful. Another challenge was where to put all our small ware. We needed more space, more storage. Our kitchen we’ve outgrown already. We’ve had to install shelves to get more height. Little changes like that put our construction crew through their paces to make the kitchen as useful as possible in a limited time frame. It was hurry up and wait, and then ‘go’ time. At Brookfield Place, the story is very different. It’s basically your highest-end version of going to a food court. From an operations viewpoint, it’s a little easier. There’s no front-of-the-house. Also on the plus side, a lot of the décor already being used matches what we use at our restaurants, so it played into our book. Our biggest issue was taking what we needed and fitting it into a small space, and once again, mainly it was storage. We’re dealing with huge primal cuts. How do we maximize our storage re-
56 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
frigeration space? We switched to a combi oven for efficiency’s sake. We only use convection in the East Village. We roast our sweet potatoes and baked beans in it. Not my first choice, but a combi allows us to do those things more efficiently at Brookfield Place. As for cleaning up, we work with a very deep free-base sink and an under-thecounter high-temperature dishwasher, but only for our small ware and stainless steel trays. Everything else goes through a 3-way process set up with Ecolab products but our plate ware is compostable, and our glassware is flexible plastic for our beer and drinks. Nothing comes back to us, it’s all 100% recyclable material. When it’s all said and done, success to me is the fact that we’ve been lucky enough to open a restaurant in New York and make a living doing it. Everything else is gravy.
Michael Konzelman's Approach
Equipment & Supply Dealer It was a challenge building a Mighty Quinn’s in Clifton. It’s so much bigger. Since the city took off and was so popular, we realized we couldn’t handle twice as many seats without doubling up on the smokers. Each smoker can handle 1,800 pounds of product per batch. We had the footprint to do it in New Jersey. Hugh said, “Mike, you know what you’re doing, give me what I need.” We needed the smokers, a kettle for sauces, space for our fresh-cut French fries, different kinds of beans, and all the prep work. We make everything fresh. When you deal with so much meat, you need adequate counter space because you have to lay it all out, have room for the spices and rub they put on each layer. You need a lot of room for that. We used Eagle to make the products, either adapting stock items or making a total custom piece. Hey, it’s not like the old days when the production guys only did production. The key is flex-
ibility with a manufacturer to produce this. Eagle makes a great product. It’s a nice, seamless process. The product comes up on the trailers, all crated. It’s very nice. I worked with Mike Stella, Tom Clemens, and Tom Gallagher on this. Our next challenge was always having enough fresh product ready. The whole back is a walk-in cooler, from Maxville. We have one convection freezer. We put sauces and baked beans, all kinds of food, in the cooler. We chill it rapidly so it’s safe, Cryovac it into bags to get all the air out of it (that will extend its life), then store it in coolers. We build them ourselves so we don’t have to have people running around, constantly there. We cut back on our manpower that way. We use Berkel for vacuum packers, Piper for chillers and food processors. Some products work better at slower temperatures. We use Piper for our potatoes because we do fresh-cut fries, and for processing cole slaw, stuff like that. Everything we use is paper, except for our stainless steel trays. We picked stainless because it’s real durable, and higher-quality, instead of giving someone plastic. We didn’t want to look like a cafeteria. Our motif is industrial, with steel and iron on the walls. Stainless is industrial-looking, and it goes with it. For dishwashing, we have an undercounter Myco for the trays. We would have loved to put in a large dishwashing operation, but we just didn’t have the space for it. In terms of how green we are, we use only biodegradable utensils, plastic cups, lids, everything. We use Fabrikal for paper, and Faber, and buy it direct. We use brown bags instead of white bags, because we don’t want to bleach the bags. All three partners agree, try to stay as green as possible. In terms of our bar, we have beer on tap, and wine by the bottle. We have a wine merchandiser. All our draft beers are craft beers, coming through the wall, and we also have bottled draft. We brew fresh iced tea, in different flavors, like raspberry, without sugar. We sell a
lot of iced tea and soda. Now Brookfield Place, on the other hand, is going to be supported by our New York location. From Clifton we learned we could build a food bank and then re-therm that food properly. We use two double-rack Rational ovens, full-out combis. You can do anything in them. We use them primarily for re-therming and experimenting with things like desserts. The restaurant is playing with new menu items all the time, and they love it because it’s so versatile. We can get the product to come out from our location in New York and not affect its quality. The original kitchen has a full basement, and we can use that space, bring it from one side of Greenwich Village to the other and re-therm the food in combis. It gets the meat to safe operating temperatures. We’ll also have a van to bring stuff back and forth from Manhattan. We weren’t able to make any changes to the building for the van. But their doorway is the closest to the exterior, about five feet from the exterior door. You can’t get much closer than that! It’s a great location. In addition, we’re expanding the West Village to support Brookfield, things that we don’t have to make on-site. We’re going to re-appropriate space for production. Brookfield’s different because it’s a food court. It’s a little space, maybe just 1,000 square feet. You could call it an overbuilt concession stand! It will have all the elements we have in other locations. We still have to have the handcarving station, the cold side and hot side, bread, iced tea, beer. We’re probably one of the very few who serve alcohol in the food court. Because it’s smaller, we’re doing less. For the bar, we have both draft and bottled beer, and for that one we went to True for direct-draft. All refrigeration is True. We have Alto-Shaam for heating cabinets and back-up cabinets. It’s so much easier at Brookfield because you only have to worry about a handful of product. It’s a much smaller menu.
57 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
58 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
59 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
60 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
61 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
INNOVATIONS
Nation’s Hottest Retail Product SodaStream Debuts Heavy Duty Commercial System Let's face it. Spending money on water at the table hurts. But what if restaurant clients could get flavored, sparkling, purified water at literally the flip of a switch, and at the same time,
sparkling water in a bottle, while knowing 10% of the cost of it will be donated to needy communities,” says Shafir. Shafir says the company hopes to branch out to salad bars, coffee houses, and places like that, too. “Some of these places don't sell soda anymore. They can have a soda-free unit, with special containers of our flavors – sugar-free and no calories. It's much healthier than soda. A client can walk in and ask, can I get a sparkling ginger ale. A cou-
help communities around the world get clean water, too?
S
odaStream, an Israeli company that manufactures home drink-carbonation machines, is now moving into the world of foodservice operations. “Our vision is for our purified, sparkling water to be everywhere – in homes, in offices, in restaurants, in hotels. We're co-branding with Samsung, Kitchen Aid and other different companies so that, at the end of the day, we want SodaStream to be available everywhere,” says Lior Shafir, chairman of AquaTal, its parent company. Shafir notes that SodaStream recently bought a family-owned factory, specializing in sparkling water machines and juice/beverage and wine coolers to help it extend its reach into the commercial category. “We think a world without constantly-replaced plastic and glass bottles is a better world,” says Shafir. “We're offering water that kitchens can produce right in their space – purified, cold and sparkling water on the spot, using our very fancy refillable glass bottles. We can put the restaurant or hotel name right on the bottle, if you want to co-brand. Anyone who orders bottled or sparkling water can choose the water from our professional unit,
and waiters can serve the table with our bottle, a very well-known brand.” Shafir adds that creating bottled water this way can save restaurants and hotels thousands of dollars every month. “They can stop buying branded bottles and just use their own water,” he says. “How much easier can it get? You save lots of money, storage space and the logistics of carrying those bottles, chilling them, storing them, returning them, with our all-inclusive SodaStream professional unit.” He also points out that many restaurants, experiencing decreases in the sales of drinks like soda, are not buying a lot of beverages anymore. “People are sticking with water to be healthier, and restaurants are serving tap water for free. More people are taking tap water – yes, beer and wine still sell, but not soda – so restaurants are losing revenue. We're offering to turn tap water into purified ice water with none of the hassles or expense of buying bottled water.” Shafir says restaurant and hotel guests are not just buying water from a trusted name, but also contributing money to an organization that donates $1 billion worth of water around the world to communities in need. SodaS-
62 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
tream has an agreement with this organization with an International charity, which gets restaurants and hotels to add a small charge to orders for sparkling water, to benefit this charity. With SodaStream machines, the need to pay for bottles of water is also eliminated. “These communities can now purify their own water. By restaurants charging a little bit more, people in these countries get fresh water, making it in their own environments. Clients will pay a few cents more if this is for those communities. And restaurants are getting money for tap water!” What does it cost a restaurant to use a SodaStream unit? You can buy or lease one, or as many as you need, from $250 to $400 a month, all inclusive. “We activate your account every month, with each payment, and you get unlimited sparkling and purified water,” Shafir says. “You can serve 500 or 5000 bottles, the cost is the same. There's nothing to deal with, no deposit. Once you sign up, you start obtaining sparkling water. If you decide to join the charity, you're charged a small amount. But look at it this way: restaurants normally lose money serving water. It costs you little to do the service and anyone would be more than happy to get purified or
What does it cost a restaurant to use a SodaStream unit? You can buy or lease one, or as many as you need, from $250 to $400 a month, all inclusive.
ple of squirts of our ginger flavor, some bubbles, and you get fresh soda,” says Shafir. On the service side, SodaStream is partners with Ken's Beverages, which has 30 different service facilities, and over 25 years of experience. Shafir says what differentiates his company from others is its use of technology and, of course, its name. “People want to drink beverages of a brand you can trust. With SodaStream, you feel safe. By virtue of the success we've had on the retail side, restaurants can take a tremendous amount of comfort buying into our well-known brand.”
63 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// C-CAP TRADE TALK
WITH JOYCE APPELMAN
How Lives are Transformed Through the Culinary Arts Originally from Dakar, Senegal, Executive Pastry Chef Mame Sow studied in a C-CAP program at New York’s Park West High School (now Food and Finance High School) and ultimately garnered a full-tuition scholarship to the celebrated French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary
your start in the culinary world? I was lucky to get great early training and great early experience in the kitchen. I was lucky to be a part of a C-CAP program at (now) Food and Finance High School. I interned under Gerry Hayden at Amuse and it turned into my first job. Meanwhile, I competed in the C-CAP Cooking Competition for Scholarships and won a full-tuition scholarship to the French Culinary Institute for a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts.
Center) through C-CAP’s Cooking Competition for Scholarships.
F
ollowing her love for pastry and the art of French baking, the native French speaker completed an internship with pastry chef extraordinaire, Florian Bellanger at Fauchon in New York City before continuing on to Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery as Chef de Partie. Sow has honed her considerable talents at the Townhouse Restaurant Group (including Aquavit, Riingo, and Merkato 55, where Marcus Samuelsson handselected her to be on his opening team as Pastry Sous Chef), David Burke at Bloomingdales, and with consulting chef Pichet Ong at Spot Dessert Bar where she served as pastry chef when it won Best Dessert Bar NYC 2010. Sow was Executive Pastry Chef of The Hotel on Rivington on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, home to the renowned COOP Food and Drink. In 2013, Sow went to work as a Pastry Chef for Chef Alexander Smalls at The Cecil and Minton’s in Harlem. Chef Smalls was so impressed with Sow’s desserts that he promoted her to Executive Pastry Chef for his corporate entity, Harlem Jazz Enterprises, where she can be found creating desserts as sweet and sophisticated as the music itself. Tell us a little about Cecil and Min-
Describe to us one of your favorite dishes on the menu at Cecil and Minton’s right now. I have to say; one favorite both for me and our patrons is my pineapple upside-down cake with corn cream and a blueberry compote. I’ve been told it really evokes the feeling of summer. I also have a fondness for it because it was my featured dish at C-CAP’s Annual Benefit tasting event this past March. It was wonderful to be able to give back to C-CAP in that way.
Joyce Appelman, Director of Communications, C-CAP New York, NY j oyc e a p p e l m a n @ g m a i l .c o m
ton’s. Minton’s Playhouse was a jazz club started in 1938. It’s been updated, but still honors its history in the ambiance, the music and the food. Our team, Executive Chef Alexander Smalls, Chef de Cuisine Banks White, and I are working in a Southern Revival style emphasizing food from the Low Country. It’s all about taking time-honored, traditional dishes, but recreating them in a contemporary way. The Cecil is named for The Cecil Hotel, once a gathering place for artists, celebrities and great musicians. Now it’s the city’s first Afro-Asian-American brasserie, headed by Executive Chef Smalls and Chef de Cuisine JJ Johnson. It’s more about celebrating food from the African Diaspora: the way that African spices, textures and cooking techniques have influenced the food of cultures around
64 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
What is one of your favorite ingredients to work with? Chocolate, definitely. It can be such a complex art form and at the same time, it’s the most basic of comfort foods. Where do you get your inspiration? I find myself inspired by seasonal ingredients, spices, colors and the juxtaposition of the sweet and the savory.
Chef Mame Snow
the world. They share a kitchen, so I get to create desserts for both. You’re not yet thirty and you’re an Executive Pastry Chef. How did you get
When you’re not creating amazing desserts, do you have any hobbies, culinary or otherwise? There’s not a lot of time left over! However, I love studying cookbooks and I find the time to maintain a dessert blog. I also love browsing through the aisles of Kalustyans, an amazing spice store in Manhattan.
65 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
The Seventh Annual Gala Dinner Dance Food & Beverage Scholarship Foundation Inc. Once again the truly incredible Gladys Mouton Di Stefano and her Food and Beverage Association team led by Geoffrey Alan Mills, Managing Director of the Crowne Plaza Times Square – Highgate Hotels, hosted its annual black tie gala at the Crowne Plaza Times Square, late last month.
T
he Gala benefitted the Food and Beverage Scholarship Foundation Inc. This year’s roster of honorees included Geoffrey Allan Mills, Managing Director of the Crowne Plaza Times Square, Hospitality Professional of the Year 2014,
Frank H. Benzakour, General Manager of The Vllage Club of Sands Point and Rahul Suri, Channel Manager, Hotel Division of Southern Wine & Spirits. The Top Hospitality Professional Of The Year Mills has more than 35 years of industry experience, which began, in the hospitality market. From
there he moved onto catering, retail food, land fine dining operations before finding his way back into hotels. He has served as Managing Director/ General Manager for most of his hotel endeavors, repositioning hotels for half of his career. Today you can find Mr. Mills at the Crowne Plaza Times
Co-honoree Mr. and Mrs. Frank Benzakour of The Village Club of Sands Point
The Partridge Club was well represented by (L to R) Kim and Marc Fuchs of M. Tucker and Leslie and Fred Klashman of TFS
Square, working as a Managing Director for Highgate Hotels. He has been with Highgate since 2005, and is very proud of the 17 hotels they run in New York City, employing more than 5,000 hotel service employees. Mr. Mills’ professional affiliations are numerous, including Chairman of the Board for the Hotel Association of New York City, where he has served on the Board since 2003, Chairman of the Venture Board in 2014 for the IHMRS, Chairman of the Board for the Food & Beverage Association of America since 1993, and a Board Trustee for NYHTC & HANYC on the Hotel Benefits Funds, Scholarship Funds & Pension Funds since 2005. He also serves on the Times Square Alliance Board where he works to improve and promote Times Square, and serves as a Partner Council Business Advisor member for FEGS Health & Human Services, Workforce Development Service.
(L to R) Purveyor of the Year Rahul Suri of Southern Wine and Spirits and Air Comfort’s Dan McCaffrey
FBAA chief Gladys Mouton Di Stefano (L) presented a 20K scholarship check to City Tech’s Elizabeth Schaible
66 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
FBAA officer Mr. and Mrs. Steve Gattulo
Benzakour, this year's Industry Professional Of The Year is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry. He has managed several NYC restaurants and served as the Director of Food & Beverage at the Princeton, Union and Colony Clubs in New York City. He then advanced to Club House Manager at Bonnie Briar Country Club in Westchester and General Manager of two prestigious private equity clubs, Middle Bay Country Club in Long Island and Rockrimmon Country Club in Connecticut. Frank’s professional life has been devoted to excellence and his achievements have gained wide recognition. In 2006, Frank was named as the “Rising Star” Club Manager by McMahon Group and Club & Resort Business for his accomplishments at Bonnie Briar. While at Middle Bay, Golf Inc. Magazine selected Frank as its “Most Admired Operator,” a prestigious award given to only 20 operators selected annually out of a field of more than 16,000 golf club professionals worldwide. In 2011, & 2012, Frank was twice a finalist as the Hospitality Professional of the Year, an award given by the HSMAI New York Chapter. Purveyor of the Year, Rahul Suri, began his career in the hospitality industry over 25 years ago as a crewmember for the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain. Within his first year he was promoted to Supervisor and Assistant Manager. During this time he also became the Lead Training Manager for all KFC franchises. In 1995 Rahul joined Fairmont Hotels and Resorts just as they won the management contract for the prestigious Plaza Hotel in New York City. He then accepted a position as General Manager for The Palm Court. While there, Rahul redeveloped an existing Sunday Brunch generating additional revenue from average covers of over 800 each Sunday. In 1998 Rahul joined the New York City landmark Algonquin Hotel as Director of Food and Beverage. This position allowed him to fully utilize his managerial and organizational skills in a department of 95 people overseeing operations for
all Food & Beverage outlets. These included two restaurants; a bar, a lobby lounge, room service, and a private banquet space, as well as The Oak Room Cabaret, named “NYC’s Best Cabaret” by New York Magazine. In 2005, Rahul joined Southern Wine and Spirits of NY as the Channel Manager Hotel Division. Since then his roles and responsibilities have grown and evolved. EYE toasted this years’ FBAA scholarship winners from the Hospitality Management program at New York City College of Technology, which totaled $20,000 in scholarships from FBAA. The Food and Beverage Association of America is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, philanthropic, educational and social trade organization. Its membership encompasses executives in the food and beverage allied industries of the greater New York Metropolitan area. Established in 1956, the Association, formerly Food and Beverage Managers (FBMA), have responded to the continued need for improved standards and within the food industry. The Association is accessible to food and beverage executives who wish to network and grow within the industry and has served many members as a career catalyst, presenting opportunities for advancement. Members contribute their time, knowledge and efforts to Association activities. The Association continues to support organizations such as City Meals-on Wheels, The Children’s Aid Society, National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Share Our Strength (SOS). The Association invests in the future of the hospitality industry via Scholarship and Awards Programs, offering financial assistance to future hospitality professionals who have demonstrated need and maintained scholastic superiority. In 1997, the Association committed a five-year pledge of $100,000 to fund a learning center in the name of the Food and Beverage Association of America at the Bobst Library of New York University.
67 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// FOOD SAFETY
WITH WYMAN PHILBROOK
The Board of Health Retail Food Establishment Permits- Getting one and keeping one.
T
he Board of Health, Health Department or even Inspectional Services are the many names for similar offices that are responsible for issuing and regulating the permits for a retail food establishment. They may have jurisdiction for a town, a city or a county, but their role and purpose is the same. They issue permits (licenses) for new applications or the renewal of existing establishments. They are tasked to inspect (monitor) a food establishment to insure that the license holder is meeting the laws & regulations that they agreed to as a condition for being issued the permit. When it is determined that an establishment based on an incident, inspection history or a significant number of non-compliance issues is not preparing & serving food under sanitary conditions to the public, the office has certain responsibilities and actions at their disposal. We will review the 3 main areas that these regulatory offices will interact with food service management Issuance of Permits - To get your initial permit you will need to have an application and a plan review if it is a new construction or renovation. As part of the process of having your architectural drawings reviewed for a building permit, you will also have the regulatory agency review your kitchen, dining facilities, loading dock and restroom layouts, materials, menus and equipment. Key concerns addressed during the plan review are: • Capability to clean & sanitize
Wyman Philbrook
Owner of Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting And Training philbrook_fandb@comcast.net
equipment/facilities Sufficient refrigeration capacity based on customer volume • Sufficient number & easily accessible hand sinks • Flow of food • Air exchange • Proper drainage • Safe water supply • Exclusion of pests • Proper waste disposal • Proper lighting • Safe food delivery conditions An existing facility that you may be taking over has already gone through the plan review process and unless you are considering major changes and renovations, the regulatory agency may waive this step. In some jurisdictions an older facility may have been “grandfathered” with an exemption for the current food code requirements, which will change when a new permit is issued to a new owner. When your plans have been reviewed they will either be accepted as is or with additional change requirements added before they will be approved. When plans are signed off and approved, any changes will require an •
68 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
additional review. An opening date will be conveyed to the health department and a pre-opening walk-through inspection will be arranged. Ideally, this will take place before the retail establishment serves a single meal to the public, but staffing or scheduling issues may cause this initial inspection to come after opening. This initial walk-through is confirming everything in your application and your approved plans is accurate and meets the regulatory requirements. Your permit will normally be mailed to the establishment and will have the name of the establishment and the effective dates that the license is valid. In many jurisdictions, the designated name of the Person-in-Charge (PIC) will also be on the permit. Normal annual renewals will only require the submission of a fee and some form of verification that there are no major changes in the operation from the last permit timeframe. Inspection & Monitoring - Your establishment will normally be designated by risk, based on your operation/ customers and this will determine the number of inspections in a calendar
year. Inspections are normally unannounced and are a snapshot of your operation during the time the official is on-site. You will receive a score based on major, minor non-compliance issues and a re-inspection may be scheduled based on the number and severity of the issues. Facility & equipment non-compliances may only require the notification to the department of when the issue is corrected. Hearings - When there are sufficient non-compliance issues on one inspection or typically an aggregate over the history of the retail establishment’s operation, a determination that a hearing is warranted may be made. The record of inspections and communications will be reviewed at the department and a letter to the permit holder will be drawn up and delivered. The letter will outline the reasons and the date and time of the hearing. The purpose of this is to determine whether to allow the establishment to continue to operate, the requirements that must be met to continue operation or to revoke the permit. The permit holder is given the opportunity to contest an inspection, provide evidence that the non-compliance issues cited are invalid or unwarranted and provide corrective actions that are or will be instituted to bring the establishment into compliance. The members of the hearing will make a determination based on all of the facts presented. Next month we will be addressing the safety of the food delivered to your establishment. Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting & Training specializes in preparing food service establishments to address all food safety issues by assisting with the development of programs, staff & facilities. We offer customized on-site and public training in HACCP & Food Safety issues. Check out our class schedules and contact info at philbrookconsulting. com for more information.
69 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// TECHNOLOGY
WITH SCOTT SPITZBERG
Online Ordering, Should You Take the Plunge? Restaurants are always looking to reduce costs, especially on food and labor. Traditionally, employing new technologies to solve age old problems has been an excellent avenue to accomplish this while adding consistency in quality and lowering costs.
F
or example, today there are coffee machines that brew the perfect cup of coffee, espresso or cappuccino making every cup consistently delicious and providing an ex-
Scott Spitzberg, Owner of Restaurant Software Solutions, LLC in West Orange, NJ scott@efficientrestaurant.com
70 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
act cost per cup. But what about eliminating a true bottleneck and source of customer dissatisfaction while increasing check averages and saving labor cost? Could such a thing exist? Online Ordering is becoming ubiq-
uitous in the age of “being online” and restaurants can ill afford to pass on the opportunity to offer its customers a way to place their order without calling the restaurant. For many years, restaurants have had websites that can disseminate their menu, hours of operation and the history and culture of the restaurant, but there was no way to get your order in without speaking to someone at the restaurant. Calling the restaurant to place an order can be a scary thing, more so when the restaurant is busy. Having your customers greeted by an overwhelmed cashier or bartender or worse, a part-timer who only answers the phones on weekends would make an owner cringe if they heard some
of the conversations. Having the customer wait on hold is the best of it, but being put on hold multiple times to answer another line, pack another order or yell to the kitchen is even worse. Customers are often rushed by the harried telephone order-taker and can feel pressured to get off the phone quickly which leads to mistakes and lost revenue due to items not ordered. Other issues affecting telephone ordering are: ordering from the commute home; nobody wants to hear you order your dinner from the train. Giving out your credit card number over the phone is not only insecure for the people around the customer who might hear it, but for the restaurant that is most likely writing it down on a piece of paper that will be crumpled up and thrown away later that evening. The easy resolution of the problem is online ordering. However, all online ordering isn’t created equal. Many companies offer online ordering services to restaurants, but beware of the online ordering solutions that may be worse than the problem you are trying to solve. 3rd party online ordering companies can have serious pitfalls that should be investigated very carefully before employing their services. First, follow the money. Make sure that the credit card sales are deposited in your account within 2 days of the order. Many online ordering companies hold your money for up to a month before they send you a check, seriously hurting your cash flow. Second, many online ordering companies have aggregate websites where you are one of dozens of restaurants they work with; potentially causing a customer to change their restaurant choice after looking at their website. Third, these companies keep the customer information for themselves and you lost the opportunity to market to them. Lastly, these companies can easily go out of business, leaving your (really
their) customer stranded and possibly keeping any money they are holding in escrow. The best online ordering solutions integrate with your existing POS system, they work through your credit card processing company and the deposits go directly to your bank account along with the brick and mortar swipes. In many cases, the POS will synchronize with the online website
71 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
so that you do not have the problem of double entry where you put specials and price changes in the POS and then log on (or call) the online ordering company and hope they do the same on their site. Finally, your online customers are yours. You have their information such as order history, credit card number securely on file, they participate in a loyalty program and you may market directly to them.
Most importantly, the customers orders will go directly to your kitchen printers, bypassing a busy phone bank and with fewer errors as the orders are placed by the customers themselves and they do not need to be re-entered from an e-mail or a fax.
// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Chefs Gala at Pleasantdale Benefitting Table to Table The annual event was held outside of Bergen County, for the first time at Pleasantdale Chateau. The kitchen was filled with the area’s most talented chefs and guests indulged in Italian cuisine that was truly second to none.
T
o all we say, “Bravo.” Our celebrity Guest of Honor, Mario Batali, eloquently expressed his commitment to Table to Table and the promise we have made to feed hungry people in this community. Along with Table to Table board member David Burke, Mario is truly an inspiration to the culinary world and we are so grateful for his support of our work. Along with extraordinary auction
items, fabulous food and wine, and the exceptional ambiance of Pleasantdale Chateau, everyone in attendance contributed to a solution that improves our community and our country. Through the generosity of our supporters and guests, we are able to deliver nutritious food to more of the neighborhoods that surround us. It’s the most basic of all human needs and our services could not have such
an enormous impact without it. When EYE heard that some 11 million meals are served to the hungry in Bergen County; it was truly hard to fathom. So it was truly special to see first hand an organization that is tackling the issue. Table to Table’s premier food and wine event, the Chefs Gala. The event supported Table to Table, Northeast New Jersey’s first and only food rescue program. Last month the
black-tie Chefs Gala at Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ welcomed celebrated chef, restaurateur and cookbook writer Mario Batali as guest of honor. The event showcased eight award-winning chefs and their signature dishes: George Georgiades of Varka Estiatorio, Parrano Fusa of Parrano, Massimo Carbone of Brio, Peter Kelly of Xaviars Restaurant Group, Raffaele Ronca of Ristorante Rafele, and Chris Albrecht of Eno Terra and Robert Albers of Pleansntdale Chateau and all chefs assisted by Majordomo Chef Nicholas Gatti of Alpine Country Club. Table to Table is the only dedicated food rescue program in northeast New Jersey, serving more than 65 hunger relief agencies throughout Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Table to Table receives no government funding and, instead, relies solely on support from private and corporate donations. The event kicked off Table to Table's "Dinners of Distinction." EYE had the chance to visit with some of the Metro New York City area’s
Mario Batali, Honoree; Claire Insalata Poulos, President, Table to Table; Kurt Knowles, Co-Owner & Vice President, Knowles Restaurants Executive Chef Mitch Altholz of Knowles Restaurants hosted top toques at the event
(L to R) James Bush, Executive Vice President, World Service, American Express; Nancy Bush; Kathy & John Dolan
(L to R) Tracy Nieporent, Partner, Myriad Restaurant Group; Amy Nieporent; Tom Gramegna and Felipe Allegro
72 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Peter X. Kelly, Xaviars Restaurant Group
top toques that donated their time to the cause. EYE had the opportunity to visit with one of the true gems of the industry: Claire Insalata Poulos. The founder of the food rescue organization brought boundless energy and outlined her vision to feed 12 million meals to the homeless in the county in 2014. “Table to Table has become one of the most essential services in our communities,” Poulos explained. “Proceeds from these events will further our mission to collect prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be discarded and deliver it, free of charge, to organizations that serve the hungry in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, and Essex
(L to R) From Salumeria Belliese: Paul Valetutti, Fouad Alsharif, Marc Buzzio, Drew Buzzio, and from Parrano: Rodney Force and Steve Agoseinho
73 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
counties. With five refrigerated vehicles and dedicated drivers, Table to Table picks up food that is unable to be sold, but still of good quality, from a wide range of food establishments each day. This food is delivered on the day it is donated, avoiding the need for warehouse facilities and keeping Table To Table's costs limited to the operation of the vehicles. EYE enjoyed the hospitality of WH Linen’s Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Hermanns whose firm provides linens to many of the City's top chefs. His support of Table to Table is truly something special.
74 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
75 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
76 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
77 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS
GRAND OPENING
New Store. Local Brand. Bronx Legacy. FoodFest Depot celebrated its Grand Opening and ribbon cutting last month. For almost two decades FoodFest Depot has been dedicated to servicing the small business in the food industry.
C
ommitted to the community and small business owners FoodFest Depot now has a facility of 98,000 sq. ft. with over 10,000 items. Mr. Michael Tyras, CEO of Victory Food Service welcomed the guests in attendance and thanked them for their participation. Mr. Gus Tyras, President of FoodFest stated
“Today is a very special day in our family. It is the day of St. George. In honor of our father, George Tyras, who passed away and in his legacy we dedicate and open our doors to the many in our community whom have with their presence made our business so successful.” FoodFest Depot and its financial city, state,
78 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
federal and private partners, all present at the event were able to assist FoodFest Depot in making their move into this new facility. FoodFest had to make several relocations. They made them and stayed in the Bronx. The first move was from their space at the Bronx Terminal Market due to the construc-
The Tyras family cuy the ribbon to open the new 98k square foot FoodFest Depot in the Bronx last month
tion of the Gateway Mall Project. The second move was due to eminent domain and the construction of the
continued on page 92
Segal, from page 50 isting employee and 120 days after the first day of employment for a new employee. All employers must keep and maintain documentation of compliance for at least three years. GREAT MORE STORAGE!!!!! An employee can accrue all of their sick leave to the next calendar year but they will still be limited to a maximum of 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. An employer does have the option however to pay an employee for unused sick pay annually. The law is a NYC based law and will only apply to employees that work in NYC. If a particular employee also works outside the city for a NYC based employer that time will not count towards the paid sick leave calculation. You cannot threaten, discipline, discharge, demote suspend or reduce
An employee can accrue all of their sick leave to the next calendar year but they will still be limited to a maximum of 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. An employer does have the option however to pay an employee for unused sick pay annually.
79 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
an employee’s hours for taking sick leave. The Department of Consumer Affairs will handle complaints. All employers with 19 or less employees will not be penalized until after October 1, 2014 if they comply and rectify their first violation. So be aware and begin compliance. I think this is going to become a hot area for enforcement and fines. Mitchell Segal, Esq. is a lawyer who concentrates his practice serving the legal needs of eating, drinking and franchise establishments. He handles liquor license issues, buying and selling a restaurant, bar or franchise business, Dept. of Health matters. Dept. of Consumer Affair matters, lease negotiations, employment law and litigation. He can be reached at (212) 388 -9444 or through his website at www.restaurantesq.com.
// NEWS
MANAGEMENT
Mead Set To Put Stamp On Iconic Bronx Manufacturer Larry Mead sees a pyramid every time he looks at his customers. “We treat the smallest accounts, from end users, to the largest chain accounts, very much equally,” says the vice president of sales at Allied Metal Spinning. “The tip is Papa John's, the Cheesecake Factory. But what builds a solid organization financially is the base of that pyramid.
Y
ou keep a solid, concrete base, and you take care of the big guys when you get them, down the road.” And every chef can attest to that.
Allied Metal manufactures bakery, pizza and Asian cooking supplies, using modern precision machinery, an on-site tool and die facility, and CAD integrated software, allowing the com-
80 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
pany to create customized products as needed. “What makes us different is that we're a company that's been around for close to 70 years as a manufactur-
er, with custom tool-maker specialists who can be very creative with clients, working on custom products,” says Mead. “We use heavy gauge metal vs. the very inferior metals many importers do. We're very creative and openminded, and here to please our customers and deliver. Our turnaround time beats the imports every day of the week.” Mead notes that the market is no longer one where restaurants can buy smallwares as a commodity. “For us, it's how competitive the industry has become,” he says. Mead says that Allied Metal is a very focused organization. “My job is to build strong relationships throughout the U.S. The company, which is run by Arlene Saunders – the daughter of the founder, and a legend in the busi-
ness – needed some more strength in managing the sales reps out there and bringing to prospect and current clients reps who are knowledgeable and educated about a client's needs.” Mead, who has spent 12 years in sales management, says price isn't
throughout the U.S., providing them with exactly what they need, when they need it. “We're open-minded and creative and our products are made in the USA, vs. our competitors, who are importers. This gives us a big edge.” All Allied products are made in the Bronx. “Our employees, from the inner office to accounting to the ones shipping out to the manufacturing
Larry Mead brings his extensive track record of building successful sales and marketing representation networks across the US to Bronx based, Allied Metal
always the goal for customers. “Price always is important, but people look to us for something more. They know they can trust Allied Metal we want to be known for quality and value. Yes, we can be creative; we can work a little tighter to get the business. But at the end of the day, our customers know they're going to get their order, and get it on time, either with our current products in the warehouse or custom items we design specifically for them.” The question today for companies, says Mead, has turned out to be, is the product delivered on time, designed and customized appropriately, and what's its life span. “The value equation has changed and that favors a company like ours. The marketplace is no longer dependent only on price.” Mead says Allied's main goal is to work with dealers and chain accounts 81 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
part, take extreme pride in the history of Allied Metal,” says Mead. “They take pride in everything they do. People like to work with people they like. A lot of these guys have been here 14, 15 years.“ In the end, decision-makers buy from people they like and can trust. “That's the way I like to work my business,” says Mead. “Build relationships
so I understand exactly what the customer's all about, do my homework, know everything I can about the business's needs. Respect and credibility is not given, it's earned. Showing that we're all about tends to make people feel very sure that we have the knowledge, the manufacturing capability, the custom capability, the delivery capability, to meet their needs exactly.”
// THE WINE COACH
WITH LAURIE FORSTER
Sake for Summer: Japan’s Gift to Good Libations If a contest were held to crown the unsung hero of beverages, sake would no doubt land on top. It’s an alcoholic beverage that is widely misunderstood but yet it possesses a sophistication and elegance that far too few have yet to discover. Sake suffers from a handful of myths and misunderstandings.
I
f you have tried the warm, rough sake that is readily available at sushi bars you have not experienced fine sake which is actually best served chilled. Like wine, the range of quality and flavor of sake is vast and paired with the right dish, it is the perfect addition to your next dinner party. If you’ve never had a top shelf sake wine experience, here’s your perfect opportunity to learn what all the fuss is about. Sake is derived from rice, and although China first developed it as early as 4,000 BC, it’s Japan’s history and culture that this magnificent wine has most dramatically impacted. For well over 2,000 years, sake has been a mainstay in Japanese society and is by far their most famous alcoholic export. One misunderstanding that exists is that sake is rice wine. Wine is fermented from fruit whereas sake is made from a grain using a process similar to brewing beer. Initially heralded as the true “drink of the Gods,” sake has a distinctive and meticulous method of production. First and foremost, it’s all about the rice. Top brewers search the world over for the highest quality grains, and the resulting product directly reflects
Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, is a certified sommelier, award-winning author and media personality. Forster is the host of her radio show The Sipping Point and her mobile application “The Wine Coach” was listed as one of the Top 8 Wine Apps in Wine Enthusiast. To find out more visit: www.TheWineCoachSpeaks.com | @thewinecoach | facebook.com/winecoach
that quality. The other trick to creating a truly superior brew lies in the act of “polishing,” or milling, the fermented rice kernels. Once the rice is sufficiently polished, the batch is then
82 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
cooked in ultra-pure water and melded into a mush. In the present day, sake breweries dot the Japanese landscape in the hundreds, possessing highly sophisticated production methods. Thankfully, the chew and spit approach is gone and these days high-powered presses polish the grains. This process removes the oils and proteins present in the rice that can cause off flavors, leaving just the pure starches behind. Next up, the starch is converted to sugar via the introduction of enzymes. If this sounds deceptively like the process by which beer is produced, you’re spot-on. What makes sake’s brewing process unique are the enzymes used during the conversion. Instead of malting the grains to create these enzymes as is done with beer, sake needs a special mold called koji in order to transform the starch to fermentable sugars. Who knew a mold could be so efficient! Yeast is then added to ferment the sugars into a vibrant alcoholic drink. Sake is organized into three main categories, yet each one is comprised of just four ingredients: rice, water, koji and yeast. Junmai sake must be polished to at least 70% (meaning a
minimum of 30% of the grain is polished away). It is characterized by a full, clean and solid flavor. The second category is jumai ginjo , a style that is brewed using highly labor-intensive steps. Traditional handmade techniques are used with rice where at least 40% is polished away. Junmai ginjo is also fermented at lower temperatures and for longer periods of time. The result is a lighter, fruitier and more refined brew. Finally, junmai dai ginjo represents the crème de la crème in sake. This sake is brewed with ultrapolished rice (at least 50%) and even more precise production techniques – virtually nothing is left to machinery. Junmai dai ginjo is the pinnacle of the art form, enhanced with a complex, incredibly fragrant and elegant flavor. During the final stage of production, almost all sakes are filtered and purified, thereby revealing a crystal clear creation. Nigori, the one exception to this rule, is the only unfiltered sake style and it boasts a distinctive cloudy appearance. Lovers of a luscious glass of bubbly will be delighted to learn sake has an effervescent side as well – sparkling varietals feature a natural carbonation created by a secondary fermentation process. Sparkling sakes are lighter, sweeter, and every bit as festive as their grapey cousins. Whether you’re pairing a bottle with a magnificent feast, infusing a shot into a trendy new cocktail or sipping a top shelf selection, sake is a deliciously sophisticated choice. Although the beverage once faced a fair amount of skepticism here in the west, sake has persevered to form a sizable and devoted following all over the world. If you’re not already a fan, seek out a perfectly chilled junmai dai ginjo, pair it with your favorite subtle delicacy, and prepare to be reformed!
83 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// CHEFCETERA
UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK'S CHEFS
Bill Rosenberg Executive Chef of NoMa Social
It may not have been the most direct or routine way to start a career. But for Bill Rosenberg, executive chef at NoMa Social, it’s led only to success.
S
tarting out cooking with his grandma at 14, then jumping into the business, then out again to the Culinary Institute, where he received a good, basic foundation, then back to being a chef at some of Manhattan’s greatest restaurants, Rosenberg feels he’s now right where he should be, running a restaurant that has combined great food with celebrities and the Westchester community, all coming together to celebrate experiences that have splashed NoMa Social across the front pages of magazines and newspapers. Why did you decide to go back to school when you had already been out working in the restaurant world? I was everybody-in-the-world’s sous chef and couldn’t break that ceiling to executive chef. I figured I’d go to school and get that diploma, which I did. But then everybody figured I was just out of school. When I was applying for chef jobs, they’d look at my resume and say, ‘oh you just graduated from school,’ they saw me as a newbie. But it was a great experience. I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. What did you do next? I went right down to the city and began working at a lot of high-end places, The Trojan, The Sign of the Dove.
a place called Dome, so we moved up there and started Barcelona Wine Bar. I did all their menus and they’re still using them today. Then we opened up F.I.S.H., a popular sea food restaurant, in Port Chester.
Starting out cooking with his grandma at 14, then jumping into the business, then out again to the Culinary Institute, where he received a good, basic foundation, then back to being a chef at some of Manhattan’s greatest restaurants, Rosenberg feels he’s now right where he should be.
I really loved the city. It’s a different energy altogether, a good place to work. It’s full of hard knocks and ups and downs. How did you wind up in Westchester? My wife was tired of driving me back and forth to the city, so I ended up working in Westchester, at Two Moons in Port Chester. A beautiful commute! We got some really great reviews. I was with that owner for 16 years. Then he opened in Greenwich,
84 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
What came next? I wanted to grow a little more so I went to Barcelona Wine Bar, just me and the two owners, at the time. I worked for four years, and it was a great experience. Those guys really know the business. They’re young, they’re energetic. We were really trying to crank out the best possible food we could, using the best possible ingredients, sourcing different things from all over the world. After we closed F.I.S.H., I went to Greenwich and Stamford for a while. Then I moved down here and created NoMa Social at the Radisson in New Rochelle. What does NoMa stand for? North of Manhattan! What kind of food do you serve there? We’re doing a tapas kind of scenario. We try to keep it fun and energetic. This way people can be social and eat and have fun and not be tied to one specific entrée. It’s clubby, it’s a diverse crowd. A lot of people stay at the hotel, have their wedding at the beach club and then come back here to have the party on the weekend.
What does it take to be successful with a suburban restaurant? How does it differ from New York? Even more so than in the city, where people walk in off the streets, here you have to be honest to the customer and provide value. You have to want people to come to your place, and be hospitable. A lot of people lose that we’re in the hospitality business. We try to give people a city-like feel, the vibe of a social environment.
We’re doing a tapas kind of scenario. We try to keep it fun and energetic. This way people can be social and eat and have fun and not be tied to one specific entrée. It’s clubby, it’s a diverse crowd.
The rooms are a large space, with a lounge-y type of seating, couches, like in a living room, that kind of experience. You can get full service in any of those areas. Tell me about the menu. We wanted to have a business where people come more than once a week, so we have a wide selection, from charcuterie to foie gras, all walks. For people in the hotel we have to have more variety than most.
Who makes up your clientele, mostly hotel guests or locals, too? Originally it was almost all hotel guests. Then we tried to spread our wings a little and now we see it flipping. We’re getting more of the bedroom community coming to us. How do you work with your staff? We try to corral the staff in a family environment. We want to accommodate people’s schedules. They do have a life outside the restaurant and we respect that. We try to support birthdays, social events, that kind of thing. Who are your suppliers? We try to balance everybody off to get the best possible price. Our meat guy was a student with me at the Culinary Institute and we worked at Two Moons together, so he knows what I like. On produce I use everyone -Baldor, Sierra, sometimes Sysco. I do try to shy away from mom-and-pops. How did you find the kitchen at the hotel? OMG, the kitchen was terrible. The oven didn’t work, the stove didn’t work. We inherited a lot of problems. Remember, the hotel’s been here 30
years. But the owner was nice enough to build me out a new kitchen, a new line of appliances. And equipment? There are specific features on the menu that Montague helped us accomplish – especially one of its griddles. A lot of our items come off there, and we can use it as a sauté pan. With any kind of volume, it really comes in handy. What about marketing? I understand you are doing some very unusual things. We’ve gotten so much press. We do a Food Perspective, a Weekly Perspective. We’ve brought in so many celebrities that we’ve been able to switch from an advertising angle to a press angle. Stories about us instead of ads. We’ve saved a bundle! But it’s been so much fun. Last year we started our summer bash, headlined by 20-25 different celebrities from the music industry, reality stars, Patty Stanger of the Millionaire Matchmatcher, cast members from Bravo shows. Two hundred people came out and we had coverage from every outlet we could have asked for. Tamra Barney from the Real Housewives of Orange Coun-
85 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ty had her bachelorette party here. In June we’re having our 2nd anniversary party, and we’re going to take the stuffiness out of wine tasting, some fun wines paired with certain tapas. It’s just been consistent every single month, something new comes out or we put together a special event.
It’s an unusual approach – we look at the community at the same time as being a restaurant. We’re in the business of meals but we’re also in the business of creating a community, a place for everyone.
// MEET THE NEWSMAKER
PRESENTED BY
Barilla Debuts Educational Based Dining Experience To Manhattan You know Barilla from its pastas and sauces. You may also know it as one of the leading providers of these products in the world. But Barilla is now stepping into a whole new business – the restaurant world.
T
he company -- a fourthgeneration Italian powerhouse, founded by Pietro Barilla in 1877, then carried on by his sons Riccardo and Gualtiero in the 20th century – now has 14,000 employees, has 13 brands, and owns 40 manufacturing and production plants,
Stefano Albano, CEO of Academia Barilla Restaurants
Our Irinox blast chiller is amazing. You can, bring food directly from the oven to the chiller without having to cool down first. It has three vents instead of two to circulate air faster, making the chilling of the product happen in half the time of blast chillers in the past.
producing over 2 million kinds of products every year. And it’s been so successful, it’s decided to open a restaurant in Manhattan. “We distribute pasta, sauces, cookies, oils, in over 100 countries,” says Stefano Albano, CEO, Academia Barilla Restaurants. “What Barilla does is good for the planet. Our food is safe and of high-quality. It’s well balanced, and good for you. Our goal is to reduce the impact of our product
86 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
from field to fork.” Barilla came to the U.S. in 1996, when it opened in Chicago. In 1999 its first plant was built in Ames, Iowa, followed by others in New York and other states. “We came here as a retail business,” Albano recalls. “Pasta, sauce and bakery items. Then, later, we decided to get into food service, but it was always with the dream of having an Italian restaurant, which would
complete the field to fork legacy.” In 2004 Academia Barilla was formed, holding events throughout the year where restaurant chefs had the opportunity to work alongside Barilla chefs, and improve their cooking skills, and see demos based on new kitchen techniques in Italy. The Academia also began consulting services designed to improve profitability for restaurants and get them updated on trends. “Barilla offers cold cuts to cheeses to olive oil, many Italian products, and we wanted to promote this Italian cuisine and have others invest in our Italian philosophy, too, here in the U.S. Though Italian food is traditional and comes out of necessity, as generations changed, family recipes evolved, along with the new taste and new trends.” Albano says the company publishes 200 books a year. “To record the changes in traditional recipes, and make them more updated,” he says.
continued on pg 88
87 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Albano claims Barilla has the largest culinary library in the world, the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library, with over 11,000 books, available in many languages. Albano says the company decided to open a restaurant in New York because it’s such a diverse, affluent place. “It’s a key area to produce a new venture such as a restaurant. The U.S. consumer loves our product.” What the Academia is trying to do
ors, everything that’s on the tables, the wall art, our gigantic tables that seat 22 for big family celebrations, we wanted it all to say ‘welcome.’” In the kitchen, which is open to the restaurant, glass and stainless steel dominate. “I designed the kitchen, which I felt should be centered around the menu offerings to maxi-
mize efficiency and the stage for food preparation,” says Albano. “I also wanted to provide a transparent, open kitchen, where everything done is visible to the guest, where they can see everything being made to order.” As far as kitchen equipment, Albano says it was all chosen to fit the Barilla
The restaurant was designed by Valerio Architecture & Design, a firm which helped bring the company’s vision to life, Albano says.
in New York, he explains, is to better service other restaurants. “We want to develop a relationship with them and work on their product mix and inventory, leverage distribution to operators and be in constant communication to create combo deals for them.” Another benefit of the New York City restaurant is that customers there can also shop for the same items used in Barilla’s recipes, and its Web site provides links to recipes that can be duplicated at home. The restaurant was designed by Valerio Architecture & Design, a firm which helped bring the company’s vision to life, Albano says. “Our goal was to shy away from the old ‘grandma’ look of the Italian restaurant and bring in a new, contemporary look -earth colors, wood. We wanted it to be warm and comforting, for the col-
Academia Barilla specified an Irinox Blast Chiller to insure quality and consistency of its menu
88 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
philosophy of taking care of the planet. “Pieces that could provide great execution while reducing energy,” he notes. “Electrolux ovens that are user-friendly for the employee, large kettles for large quantities of pasta to cook all at once so we can reduce our considerable use of water. Electrolux pressure cooker skillets, which allow us to prepare soup and sauces in one-quarter of the time spent before, without affecting quality. Our Irinox blast chiller is amazing. You can, bring food directly from the oven to the chiller without having to cool down first. It has three vents instead of two to circulate air faster, making the chilling of the product happen in half the time of blast chillers in the past.” Albano says the restaurant’s concept is the Italian kitchen. “Enjoying togetherness, sharing food and recipes, learning about Italian cooking, I have a couple of screens that show recipes, panoramas of Italy, links where you can go and download all those recipes. It’s a unique experience. Guests can change recipes if they want. Nothing is made in a way a dish can’t be changed. People can make a dish more to their liking.” Albano says that he finds American cuisine very intriguing. “I fell in love with the way things work over here. In America there’s endless possibility, to take anything and change it. I love how food is happening in the U.S. You can have fusions in culture, Latin-Asian, Thai-French. I come from a country, ‘This is the way food is made, there’s no other way to make it.’ But here the evolution of food is open to new ideas. The consumer is someone who can help us keep at peace with the planet and provide what they would like to see in a restaurant.”
Pizza, from page 22 Cosentino said his company's revolving brick oven stands out above the crowd because you can get a “gorgeous pie with minimum labor and skill. “It's perfect for fast-casual pizza chains and individual owners who want to have a consistent product and ease of operation. The oven can save you thousands in labor and make perfect pizza every time. The value of the oven is priceless to all operators. You don't need a long pizza peel, you don't have to move the pizzas once they're put in the oven. You can let it go round a couple of times and take it out.” There are tremendous labor savings, he adds. “You don't need a trained pizza man holding you hostage because he's the only guy who could do it. You don't have hot spots or cold spots. You don't have to regulate the temperature, and we also have a patented heated floor. This will allow your oven to keep
up with any demand. Cosentino notes that operators can produce their signature pies easily and consistently because the oven has high thermal mass, gas or gas and wood fuel options which gives chefs control of baking temperatures. “You can also vary the speed of rotation and the direction of the cooking surface to customize it for your pizza man. Cosentino says the company's ovens are being used to make everything from Neapolitan pizza, New York Style Pizza, calzones and specialty breads. “You can turn the temperature up to 900 degrees to create Neapolitan pizza like there's no tomorrow”. The ovens come in 4 sizes to meet the demands of any size operation. In addition, the ovens can be used for, steaks, chicken and vegetables. “Anything you can cook in an oven, you can cook in our brick ovens.
89 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Restaurants are using the ovens in all kinds of ways. “We have a Greek fellow up in Northampton, Mass., doing Greek foods in the oven. He has it decorated with columns on it. And we just put one in a brew pub in Kansas. We're getting tremendous feedback, it's simple and Cosentino says fast-casual restaurants particularly go for the oven. “They need to serve pizza that's fast, easy to make, with speed and consistency. And what's nice for them, a real bonus, is it saves a lot of space in the kitchen area. You don't have to have the long pizza peels with guys ducking in and out to avoid being hit.” Venting is simple. Most installations are direct-vent, double-wall insulated pipe. The oven can also be assembled on site through any 36” door way. The company also offers a full warranty on all electronic parts for a year and on the oven dome for seven years.
They also have an installation team, and national repair service. “What's so attractive to our customers is that you have a team of experts who are world-champion pizza makers, restaurateurs, master oven builders, and they know what it takes to make good pizza. We also have decades of experience in all aspects of the pizza business. We know what's necessary to run a successful pizza business, from creating the pizza at a reasonable price to ensuring a minimum amount of labor. There's virtually no question a dealer or consultant or operator can ask us that we haven't experienced in some way, shape or form.” So Join The Revolution with the New York Brick Oven Company.
// MIXOLOGY
WITH WARREN BOBROW
Metro New York Mixology When life gives you lemons- you make Lemonade! Do you serve lemonade at your bar? If not, hand pressed lemonade really is a great idea! Refreshing, crisp and thirst quenching, a great glass of lemonade can make or break your guest’s experience.
F
reshly squeezed lemonade is so versatile and aromatic that just preparing it in front of your guest at your bar will add to your bottom line. But how is that possible? Could it be the vaporized oils of the lemon dispersing in the air? Maybe it is the story behind lemonade at a bar that makes it intriguing, at least it does for me. Years ago up in Portland, Maine- (during the 1980’s) I worked as a line cook in a seafood restaurant. One of the dishwashers was just off the government resettlement boat from Vietnam. There was a major language barrier, but through food, there are no such impediments. The dishwasher took lemons, the ones that had gone somewhat soft and treated them to a calming bath of sugar and vinegar. They would sit in a large plastic container in the walk-in refrigerator, looking pretty scary for months on end. He would then transform them into a drink that used this preserved lemon- lemonade. He combined his French-inspired tart treat with London-style gin with crushed ice. It was heavenly and I’ll never forget the first time that I tasted this sweet, hauntingly aromatic and bittersweet treat. Lemonade in the Vietnamese style is
Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Magazine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
so easy to work with, but it does have a pretty long prep time. And that’s not going to get the harried bartender’s attention. They need something delicious and fast. May I suggest adding a pinch of fleur de sel to the glass of freshly pressed lemonade? And if you make simple syrup and keep it by your bar, why not experiment with different kinds of sugar? If you call your lemonade Vietnamese-style lemonade with gin, why not make simple syrup from Vietnamese Palm Sugar? This would give your drink a certain form of authenticity!
90 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
A Remarkable Horserace This drink takes a drastic turn to the left with the addition of gin made from apples. Apples? Yes, my friends, this is an exceptional gin from the Tuthilltown Distillery in New York State’s Hudson Valley. Tuthilltown is already championed for their handmade whiskies, and they are producing a gin made from apples and wheat! Apple based gin laced with salty lemonade and the addition of the anise-scented, and vividly red-hued Peychaud’s Bitters is just about the best thing I’ve tasted this year. Certainly it’s the most striking to see. And isn’t that why you seek out colorful drinks? I seem to think so. Ingredients • 2 oz. Tuthilltown Half Moon Gin (Distilled from wheat and apples) • 4 oz. Lemonade- sweetened with Palm Sugar • Pinch of sea salt- fleur de sel is preferred because of the light texture and crunch! • 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters Preperation 1. To a tall Collins glass, add 3 hand cut ice cubes 2. Add the Half Moon Gin, and then top with lemonade 3. Sweeten with Palm Sugar simple syrup (1:1 ratio, boiling water to sugar, reduce to desired thickness and color) 4. Add a pinch of sea salt to finish on both remarkable horserace and ground cover cocktails 5. Add the Peychaud’s Bitters over the top for a shock of color and injection of flavor! I recently received a sample bottle of a new liqueur named Lemoncino from the PunZone’ Organic Vodka com-
pany. This delicious product is made from a combination of USDA Certified organic wheat, with Italian lemon essence and white sangria. What we have here is a highbred vodka- an infused one at that with the addition of lemon and spiced white wine. I think it’s juicy and charming combined with homemade lemonade with just a touch of sea salt and the addition of Casa Noble Tequila in the potently vivacious, Blanco style.
Ground Cover I’m a huge fan of combining slightly salty/sweet lemonade and Casa Noble Tequila. The addition of the PunZone’ Lemoncino along with the mysteriously delectable lemonade is just beguiling and you’ll want one right now! Ingredients • 1.5 oz. Casa Noble Blanco Tequila • 1 oz. PunZone Lemoncino • 3 oz. Lemonade (always freshly pressed, there is no substitute at the bar) • Agave Syrup to taste • Pinch of fleur de sel • 2 drops Bitter End Mexican Mole Bitters Preperation 1. Into a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice 2. Add the Casa Noble Blanco Tequila 3. Add the Lemoncino 4. Add the Lemonade 5. Adjust sweetness with Agave Syrup and stir 6. Add a pinch of fleur de sel over the top and finish with the Bitter End Bitters I’m wondering why I haven’t made any of these for breakfast!
91 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Depot, from page 78 Major Deegan (I-87) highway. FoodFest Depot prides itself on its ability to be a personalized, customer care business catering to a culturally diverse food industry community with many products from their homeland. “When you enter the facility you’ve entered a familiar welcoming space that provides you with the food and other items that make you think of home,” stated a patron. In summary, FoodFest Depot is an extension of VICTORY FOODSERVICE and FOODFEST CASH & CARRY which was launched in 1995 in the Bronx Terminal Market (BTM) to meet the demands of the smaller restaurants, deli and pizza shop operators. When VICTORY FOODSERVICE relocated to Hunts Point in 1997, FOODFEST CASH & CARRY stayed at the BTM and became a separate entity. In 2006, due to the Gateway Mall Project the business had to vacate the Bronx Terminal Market (BTM) area. FOODFEST DEPOT, LLC remained near the BTM area by moving to 441 Exterior Street, to a 3 Story Building. On July 2013, official posting of the renovation and extension project of the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) was announced and the new 98,000 sq. ft. facility at 500 East 132nd Street was acquired. The modern structure was made possible with the assistance of Chase Bank, NYBDC/ SBA and IDA/NYCEDC. FoodFest Depot is a local Bronx based business committed to the community with a reputation for being a good employer. Many employees were relocated to the new locale and they have hired an additional 36 employees. “As our establishment grows, FoodFest Depot anticipates creating more jobs in the Bronx,” stated Mr. Tyras. FoodFest Depot offers FREE membership, parking at no cost, extended hours of operation,
open 7 days a week with a friendly staff anxious to provide shoppers a pleasant experience.
Protest, from page 14 In the offices of the Mississippi governor and the state economic development office, news of the protest dinner did not seem so magic. “My knee-jerk reaction was: I am not going to go cook for him,” Mr. Currence said. But because he has already committed to the state and to Butter’s executive chef, Alexandra Guarnaschelli, he decided to go ahead with the governor’s event but to also create a protest dinner the next day. “More than anything else, the law sends a terrible message about the state of consciousness in the state of Mississippi,” Mr. Currence said. “We are not going to sit idly by and watch Jim Crow get revived in our state.” Mr. Currence said that he spoke with Marlo Dorsey, the chief marketing officer of the Mississippi Development Authority, last month and invited her and the governor to the protest dinner on June 13, explaining that he and other chefs wanted to make a statement with food. Neither has agreed to attend. The idea was hatched with the Memphis chef Kelly English, who fought against a similar bill introduced in Tennessee. The chefs will be joined by Southern cooking personality Virginia Willis, the North Carolina chef and author Bill Smith, and Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, the men behind New York’s Big Gay Ice Cream, who will serve sundaes for dessert. Proceeds will go to gay and lesbian groups on college campuses in Mississippi.
92 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
93 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// EYE
METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Partridge Scholarship Reception at New York City Technical College EYE joined fellow Partridge Club members in honoring the organization's 2013-14 Hospitality Management program at City Tech with scholarship recipients Angela Siu and Hiu Lee Tsui. EYE loves listening to the stories of City Tech students as many of them are juggling school, families and jobs.
T
he annual event in Brooklyn gave Partridge members the opportunity to enjoy the school’s refurbished dining room and to hear the truly inspirational stories of a program that continues to deliver some of the very best and brightest of the Metro New York food service and hospitality industry. “Our students are a cross-section of New York today,”
says Professor Elizabeth Schaible, chair of the department. “Many are new immigrants or the first generation born in the U.S. They work very hard, bringing a real dedication to what they are doing, and they achieve at a very high level. They leave with an education that serves them well, at least the equal of what they would get at a private program many times our cost.” For over sixty years City Tech
Hospitality graduates have led successful careers throughout New York City and beyond. "The mission of the hospitality management department of our program is to provide students with a hospitality career education that integrates applied management practices and theory with liberal arts and sciences," Schaible added. The program serves over 750 students and its graduates can be found in all areas
of the hospitality industry including: Hotels and Resorts, Restaurant Operations, Tourism and Travel Management, Culinary and Pastry Arts, Sales and Marketing and even teaching the Culinary Arts in New York City High Schools. The Partridge Club’s scholarship initiatives benefit a vast array of programs. With alums including Porter Houses' Michael Lomonaco, the City Tech program is one of the industry's true gems. In addition to City Tech, Partridge grants go to such noted institutions as the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales, Cornell University and the University of Massachusetts. The Club continues to spread its vision for the use of its funding with the addition of New York State's Paul Smith College to its scholarship recipient line-up. The club was formed in 1935 at the Victoria Hotel in New York City. The membership was made up of leading purveyors to the hotel, club and restaurant trade.
After prepping the meal for Partridge guests, students had the opportunity to enjoy their offerings
Pro-Tek’s Diane Rossi (C) and Marty Kohn (R) and Carl Hymans of Soda Stream professional
(L to R) City Tech’s Liz Schaible (L) and John Akana flank Partridge Scholarship winners Angela Siu (2nd L) and Hiu Lee Tsui (2nd R)
94 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
(L to R) Leon Lubarsky and Rada Tarnovsky of Brooklyn based Letter Grade
Legends, from page 44
AJC, from page 32
our old dishes. And now it’s actually time to go back to some basic seafood dishes we used to have, like seafood en papillotte.” In terms of the bar, Lydon says that’s stayed pretty much the same. “It’s all about beer and glasses of wine, because we have so many tourists in this area in spring and summer. They want to try a local beer, a Brooklyn lager. They want to feel like they’re tasting a part of Brooklyn.” Restaurant life has certainly changed under former mayor Mike Bloomberg. “With the whole nonsmoking thing, sick leaves, fats, it just makes everything more difficult,” she says. Under de Blasio Lydon says she’d like to see the New York City Health Department become a bit businessfriendly. “I do not mean to violate any law or any regulation of the Health Department but a little dust in the vent of a condenser, that’s an accident. I understand piles of grease under the stove, the vents are clogged, but let’s find a happy medium. Our building is 164 years old. There’s only so much you can do.” Lydon is now sharing the restaurant with her daughter, who is 27. “She’s like me at her age. She doesn’t have vision of the big picture. And one day it just strikes you, I got this now, this is what we’re going to do.” She laughs. “My parents said no, when I came up with ideas at her age, so I waited till they went on vacation and it happened. She started out with this idea that ‘Oh, you follow the handbook for this, for that, and here’s my idea on this and that.’ And then when reality sets in, the next 9-12 months, what was I thinking?” What makes Moran’s special, Lydon says, is its old world charm. “There’s not too much of that left in the city. At our restaurant you’ll get good homecooked food. You’ll recognize all the ingredients. It’s just a very welcoming environment.”
Singer says the company brings a lot of value to its manufacturers. “Our philosophy is counter to other models people have adopted. We have to deliver real cost-effective solutions to customers. We can’t lose sight of the fact that we need to be competitive. It’s our job to lower their costs. But the important role we play for manufacturers is in their local inventory, making sure their products are given an opportunity in the marketplace, that
95 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
they’re properly placed, making sure they’re front and center when customers are making buying decisions. We have to make sure the more complex products are explained fully. Customers buy on price, but that’s not always the best value, the right solution. We have to help them see that. “Our goal is to create an enduring company,” Singer says. “Everything we’re doing here is about that. We’ve made it through the first major round
of consolidation, and we’re still independent. We can still determine our own future. The next 10 years will tell the final shape of our industry, and will contain the people who have the capability to have long-term, sustainable, enduring success.” Singer notes that winning the consolidation race doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed success. “Being enduring means continuing to reinvent your company,” he says.
Teen Chef, from page 8
Tavern on the Green, from page 29
Garry and his monthly supper club EUREKA operating out of his home with a small staff, served up to twenty guests a tasting menu of anywhere from eight to fourteen courses of progressive American cuisine. After EUREKA became the subject of a New Yorker Talk of the Town piece, "Prodigy," Chef John Sedlar invited Flynn to serve his expanding mailing list at his restaurant Playa for a night serving 120 guests. At fourteen, Flynn's supper club EUREKA began to pop up monthly at BierBeisl with the support of chef/owner Bernhard Mairinger and his team for close to a year. Besides running EUREKA, Flynn began apprenticing at Ray's and Stark Bar at LACMA, then went on to stage at Three Michelin Starred Eleven Madison Park and Alinea, as well as at Next in Chicago, Modernist Cuisine in Seattle and most recently at Alma in L.A. When in New York, Flynn continues his stage at Eleven Madison Park under Chef Daniel Humm. These culinary experiences have enriched Flynn's unique talent, as well as being a product of the Internet, which allows him to be inspired by chefs all over the world. Flynn McGarry is being called everything from culinary prodigy to "the country's hottest chef." On his itinerary for the summer: after interning for Grant Achatz at Next and Alinea in Chicago, Modernist Cuisine's Food Lab in Seattle, McGarry plans to finish 8th grade.
ished previous owner Warner LeRoy’s Vegas glitz in favor of an all-American Ralph Lauren look befitting Tavern’s original incarnation. The city — which owns the building — spent $16 million to strip Tavern to its LeRoy vestiges, restoring its gorgeous facade and exposing its bones. Caiola and Salama then spent another $17 million to create multiple atmopheres in the many rooms, including a farmhouse South Wing, a smaller Crystal Room with floor-to-ceiling windows onto the park and an open kitchen, and a clubby bar in the front. But the joint is still huge: there are
Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220 96 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
350 seats inside and, for the first time, 350 outdoor seats. "Everyone we talked to had an opinion about what it should look like because of everyone's connection to the place," Salama noted. "I'm overjoyed how it turned out." One thing that may not change will be Tavern’s dominance as a celebrity haunt. For much of the 1970s and ’80s, Tavern hosted the likes of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Yankee ballplayers and virtually every Broadway opening night party all pulled in by the over-the-top showmanship of LeRoy. But extravagance, a worsening reputation, and (some say) onerous union contracts led to a bankruptcy filing and shuttering in 2009. Imagine that, New York: a Tavern on the Green where food comes first and
the setting is tasteful, not gaudy. Two Philadelphia restaurateurs with the help of the “It” girl of New York cuisine from the 1990s say that’s the goal when they brought back one of the city’s most storied (and sullied) restaurants this spring. “This is going to be a restaurant for New Yorkers,” says Jim Caiola, the Philly creperie owner whose ambitious proposal beat out two local hopefuls for the coveted city contract to operate a restored Tavern. “The city has to get used to this place again,” Caiola adds. The restaurant boasts a more historic, farmhouse look by architect Richard Lewis that banished the Vegas glitz brought in by the previous owner, the legendary Warner LeRoy. “It’s dark wood, beamed ceilings, leather,” says
Lewis, who oversaw the renovation. “I call it ‘robber baron meets sheep barn.” But Tavern 2.0 will be “first and foremost, food-centric,” says Caiola, who relocated from Philadelphia with partner David Salama and their two small kids. “I want Upper West Siders to use it as their restaurant.” So expect urban-farmhouse fare like roasted duck breast with farro, prunes and almonds in verjuice sauce; roasted Japanese eggplant with pomegranate, sheep-milk yogurt and fresh-torn herbs; and Serrano ham on caveaged Gruyere sage toast with anchovy sauce. In a nod to the eat-local craze, Sparks’ menu will feature Russ and Daughters fish, Mast Brothers chocolate, Hot Bread Kitchen baked goods and Hudson Valley Fresh dairy products. Under Caiola and Salama, the place will also shrink by two-thirds, to a more manageable 11,000 square feet. A takeout window will offer — gasp! — sandwiches and snacks. “People will show up no matter what we serve because of this incredible corner location,” Caiola admits. “But we wanted to make it a place they actually want to come to. We’re aiming for repeat business instead of special occasions.” Unlike many New Yorkers, Caiola has fond memories of visiting Tavern in its ’80s heyday, when LeRoy’s showbiz dazzle made it one of the world’s top-grossing restaurants. “I went a few times in 1981 and ’82, and it felt that if you looked down on the Earth from above, it would have stood out as the most magical, celebratory location in the world,” he remembers. “Every table sounded like they were having the best time of the entire decade.” “We gave the restaurant an immense face-lift more concurrent with the classical design of the building and the bucolic nature of the park,” Caiola says. Sheep were the first diners at Tavern on the Green — but when they were banished from Central Park in
1934, their food shed became a modest restaurant. LeRoy took over in the disco 1970s, adding the famous Crystal Room, which dazzled diners with glass walls, gleaming chandeliers and overflowing flora. LeRoy “was a genius,” Caiola says. “But it was a different time.” (And a different union contract. Caiola and Salama won’t need to hire union workers for two years.) The pair won’t shun the A-list that made LeRoy famous — there’ll be plenty of boldfaced names at the spring awakening, and stars including Salma Hayek have already inquired about booking parties in the revamped Tavern. Of course, the Caiola-Salama partnership has one major irony: Pennsylvania still doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage, so if the two ever want to get hitched, Tavern on the Green would be the perfect venue. Except there’s one problem. “I don’t think we can afford it,” Caiola jokes.
97 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Samuelson, from page 24
QA, from page 31
through the trials of finding the right balance at Aquavit over time. “I've been extremely lucky mainly because my restaurant Red Rooster, in Harlem is completely packed, and I'm very busy with the restaurant, so you come from a small country like Sweden, and it takes a really long time to find a food narrative. Now today there's explosive growth that's being made in the cooking scene, you know you see a restaurant like Copenhagen’s NoMa and so on, but back when I started it wasn't like that, so you had to plow on, you had to get endorsed, and now we're having big success.” In the book, he talks about ‘keeping his head down’ as a younger chef, not being noticed, just trying to hang around and survive while the other people fell off which came back to him in a really big way while competing in "Top Chef: Masters", “Chopped”, and "The Next Iron Chef", because in the book he talks about each kitchen assignment in his career being a bit of a competition to get to the next level. In his experience, he played soccer, he played sports. He definitely has a competitive side, and it serves him really well when doing a competition, and the adrenaline rush, it's fun! He did three shows so far, and won two of them, so that's not a bad record! When crafting his story he also told about the less pleasant parts of his life experience, whether it was a business deal going bad with Merkato 55, or whether it was trying to rekindle a relationship with your daughter after all that time. “I mean, I couldn't leave it out. This is not a big deal, really - it was the journey of what I had to experience, and to be trailing off, it’s not honest. I felt like as the author, I felt like I had to put it all in there to do this properly and otherwise it wouldn't work - just like in a restaurant - your food needs to be honest.” Samuellson also discussed 2001 in New York and 9/11’s aftermath from
go? My passion has been New York, my love, my hometown. This is where I was born. This is where I am fortunate to spend my life and do my work. The great places that I've worked have been iconic New York experiences and that's been part of the reward for me. Spending a couple years learning my craft at Le Cirque, being at the 21 Club for nearly a decade, most of that time as executive chef, it gave me the great opportunity to write a couple of cook books, do TV shows. I was really able to do things that interested me. Windows on the World was a great experience for me, 450 people worked for me there but it was still a family experience. What I've embraced is the chance to do what I like to do and do it in New York and live a life that's full and
Former NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio and Bill Clinton were on hand for the event kickoff
a business standpoint. “I lived in New York at that time and just remember how empty restaurants were and how empty sporting events were and how people just stopping leaving home.” It did give me more hope and love for New York than ever. It was the hardest thing that ever happened to this city, and it took a toll on everyone, not just New York, all of us, right? But I felt like, wow, this really confirmed more my love for this city and we worked together in a way and everyone stuck together even more. It was definitely a gut check and there were long days and we asked: “Will this ever come back?” And then after a while, you just get used to a new reality and then you make the best out of that.” “I feel like we have a lot of work to do still on Red Rooster, but I'm excited about that work. Right now, this book is coming out, and Red Rooster, although it's 18 months old, I still feel it's a brand new restaurant in many ways. We're committed to be here in Harlem and hire kids from Harlem and serve the community here and it's new and fresh. Just because you've had 18 months of success doesn't give us the right…I don't feel that we're ready to consider what's next for that. We've set up a supper club called Ginny’s in the basement and we're working hard on that.”
98 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
rich, a great family life. The industry has been very good to me; I haven't looked to open restaurants in Vegas. With the Bloomberg administration, we saw a lot of changes regarding food, including the banning of trans fats and smoking. What should the role be of city government in terms of allowing restaurants to do their thing? I believe government intervention has been to the benefit of people's health. There's a factual need behind that impulse. When they first banned smoking in restaurants, the people who were the happiest were the bartenders, the weight staff, who work day in and day out and have to withstand that smoke. But it's created a healthier environment for all of us. The idea of legislating for health is probably one that feels very Big Brother-ish to so many of us but
it can't be a bad thing to get rid of trans fats. I could never eat a certain donut chain's donuts and when they took out the trans fat, now I can! I do have to say, though, that it makes it tough for us running restaurants in New York. We have one of the toughest health departments in the country. The rules change and are modified all the time. But we're protecting people's health. There's a reason chefs originally dressed in white, to show the cleanliness of the restaurant, that we were protecting the health of the public by being clean. It may be the health department rules; it might be keeping certain foods out of the kitchen people shouldn't be eating. It's our responsibility in the food industry to stay aware, to stay informed. We're the protectors of public health. That's our job.
I was just watching the dedication of the memorial and I'm very happy to see it open and available to people, to learn more about it. It's very real to me. It doesn't seem like 13 years have gone by. What will happen is, it begins to live in the universal consciousness of all of us. I spent three
How does a restaurant market successfully today? Years ago you waited for the review in The New York Times. Now there's social media. We work with a great agency, Bullfrog and Baum, and they keep us abreast and informed of what's happening out there, what we should be aware of and involved with. You need an agency that watches your back but also tries to promote you. Twenty years ago you built a restaurant on a corner and put a sign up and that was your marketing. It's too noisy a world today; you have to rise above it. Social media has become so important. We post photos on Twitter and Instagram, monitor Facebook. When we opened in 2006, it was hardly a topic. In the last five years, it's become part of the marketing effort to reach as many people, to speak to as many potential guests as we can. The right public relations agency, the right fit, is the way to do it. How has 9/11 changed your perspective of your experience? 99 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
years at Windows, having been fortunate to survive that day. What lies ahead? Hudson Yards, one of the biggest developments ever conceived of in Manhattan, is coming. I look forward to that because, in four or more
years, I hope to have a restaurant there. I'm looking for another iconic restaurant. I love being in New York and this makes it fun. On my horizon? Doing more TV, working on another book, a restaurant memoir with recipes, and hopefully, working on a restaurant at Hudson Yards.
// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WITH FRED SAMPSON
The Importance of Meeting the Guests’ Expectations (As If You Don’t Already Know) Location, location, location. To many in the industry, this is the No. 1 criterion for developing a successful operation, and few would disagree. This would be followed by good food, excellent service, and naturally, value.
T
he major ingredient for maintaining a successful operation is meeting guests’ expectations and consistency in doing so. Failure in this aspect will invariably result in loss of business. Let me explain. Among the various definitions of the word “expectation” listed in the American College Dictionary and the one I believe best describes it, is “something you are looking forward to.” Many years ago, long before interstates and interchange villages appeared, finding places to eat along America’s highways was at best a guessing game. However, the one exception was Howard Johnson’s, which soon became known as “Host of the Highways.” When a traveler saw the orange roof, he or she pulled in and knew largely what to expect. HoJo’s had their famous frankfort (that’s not a misspelling), Boston baked beans, fried Ipswich clams, New England clam chowder, and 28 flavors of ice cream. The waitstaff was, for the most part, pleasant and efficient. The interiors were bright and clean, and the restrooms immaculate—which then was important—and there was perceived excellent value. For more
Fred G. Sampson,
President of Sampson Consulting, Inc. fredgsampson@juno.com
than 40 years, Howard Johnson’s met the guests’ expectations. There are still a number of franchised units operating today and they are still meeting the guests’ expectations, which are not determined by price range, but rather, customer satisfaction. Let me share with you another factor where expectations play a major role in the continued success of fine dining operations. Of the many food critics in various parts of the country, The New York Times critic is considered decisive. A number of years ago, I attended a meeting of operators and one of those in attendance had just received a four-star rating in The Times. While he was pleased, he made the following observation: “Having finally received the fourth star, the task ahead
100 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
is to maintain it. It has raised the bar, and it will put a tremendous amount of pressure on the staff both in the back and front of the house, and while we are apparently meeting our guests’ expectations, even the slightest drop in that effort could be costly, like losing a star or maybe two, and the results would be damaging.” Another measurement of continually meeting guests’ expectations and is being among the fifty most popular restaurants listed in a recent Zagat Dining Guide for New York City. I have used this particular reference since I’m more familiar with it than any other. I would submit to you that two-thirds have been on the list for five or more years. As most of you know, I rarely single out individual companies for
comment; however, I do believe the following is worthy of an exception. The Union Square Hospitality Group, founded by Danny Meyer, presently has a number of operations in Manhattan listed among the most popular. Danny attributes this accomplishment to a very talented and dedicated team that has grown with the organization. Their efforts have been a major factor in meeting the guests’ expectations, which is confirmed by their success. I’m aware that nothing I have written in this column is new to most of you; I believe, though, that in light of present conditions and a more discerning consumer, you might want to give some thought to how you can enhance your guests’ experience when they visit your operation. Many of your competitors are revamping their menus to reflect the tough economy, such as offering two-tier pricing, a large and smaller portion of the same entrée, a choice of two or three appetizers, or three entrees at a competitive price. It must be of the same quality as the rest of your menu items, and it must emphasize value! At the risk of sounding redundant, service is a major part of meeting your guests’ expectations. A wise man once said: “While poor service can diminish excellent food, Wow service can enhance average food.” Service is the key. It’s going to take a team effort to survive an economic climate that is still sluggish, and your staff in both the back and front of the house must be on the same page. I would like to leave you with this simple thought: Consistency is truly the hallmark of success.
101 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
102 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
103 • June 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com