March 2016 - Total Food Service by Total Food Service

2 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1361

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 3

NEWS

INDUSTRY EVENTS

IRFSNY ’16 Management Team Brings Focused Industry Vision To Showgoers

hy do most people come to the 2016 International Restaurant and FoodService Show of New York IRFSNY? “To find and embrace new ideas and to move your career forward,” says Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President of Urban Expositions. “The show is honoring Drew Nieporent of Myriad Restaurant Group with its first-ever Torch Award,” according to Mathews. “We’re giving this award, created by Ferdinand Metz, to reward

culinary icons who’ve really made changes, made history and delivered on behalf of the industry,” adds Mathews. “And that’s Drew. “From restaurants to Michelin awards to James Beard awards, to branching out and going into Vegas and London and San Francisco, and everything he’s done, he deserves to be the first recipient of what will become a yearly honor.” But that’s not all that’s going to be happening at the IRFSNY this year. There will be over 30 sessions, demonstrations and 700 booths show-

4 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ing the latest and the greatest in the culinary world during the three-day event at the Jacob Javits Center. Mathews admits there are those who think they can get everything they need on the Internet. But he begs to differ with them. “There just is no comparison to coming to the show. You can gain information. Yes, the world of Google has changed everything in business. And you can find some of the things you might need there. But you can’t touch, feel and really experience unless you’re in front of a purveyor explaining

how their grass-fed beef or special cuts or newly fabricated cuts of meat, which is all the trend, and how that would play on your menu.” Mathews notes that 48 percent of the food dollar in America is spent in restaurants, so it makes sense for those in the restaurant world to come and mingle with their peers and see what’s new and could improve their bottom line. “From bowling alleys made from

continued on page 6

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

IRFSNY, from page 4 reclaimed wood to artistically designed tables to the foods prepared by well-known chefs to something called cast iron light (half the weight of a normal cast iron pan, with all the benefits of cast iron), you can’t be inspired on the Internet,” he points out. One of the current food trends is what people are calling locavores, those who try to locally source everything they use. Ron gives as an example Amagansett Sea Salt, which harvests ocean sea salt found in the Hamptons on Long Island. “It’s micro-filtered and it’s pure. It’s local and it’s tremendous for steaming and boiling lobsters and shrimp. You’re not going to find that anywhere else. You can’t experience that unless you see it and feel it, and touch it. Otherwise, you’re going to say, my pans are fine. But if you pick it up in your hand, feel the difference, and say wait a second I want to try this. That’s what happens at a show,” he declares. “On the food side, appetizers and small bites are all the rage these days, along with ethnic foods. A

“So much of the restaurant industry has not caught up to what technology can do, and our sessions and booths will teach what it can offer, such as tablet menus, in terms of benefits.” company called Feel Good Foods will showcase its gluten-free Asian dumpling. No preservatives, no artificial flavors, dairy free, non-GMO. This is the kind of selling power, those attributes, that a chef wants to be able to talk about on his menu,” Mathews says. Another exciting product that will be displayed at the show is oxygeninfused drinks. “Oxybo2st Corp. came out with what they’re calling oxygen cocktails, a foamy substance containing a beverage drink (juice, milk, etc.) enriched in gaseous oxygen,” he explains.

Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President of Urban Expositions

6 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Speaking of beverages, there’s a new app called the Beer Wizard app, which can help a restaurant show consumers everything that it currently has available in a craft beer, whether it’s the style of the beer, the taste of the beer, the food pairing with the glass and other information your customers may want to know about your craft beer offerings. Another area of keen interest for showgoers will be technology. “So much of the restaurant industry has not caught up to what technology can do, and our sessions and booths will teach what it can offer, such as tablet menus, in terms of benefits.” “From our perspective, the iPhone is the social media tool that is going to deliver me the best information on what I want to find, as a customer. Are you, the restaurateur, going to pop up in the listings that I’m looking for, whether it’s just a Google search or it’s a Yelp search? You’ve got to pop up,” says Mathews. “The term geo-fencing used to sound like it was coming from outer space and now people get it. It’s programs that allow an administrator to set up triggers so when a device enters (or exits) the boundaries defined by the administrator, a text message or email alert is sent. It recognizes who I am, where I am, and ideally you have the technology platform that draws me

in because you have the craft beer or that gluten-free appetizer that I was looking for or the small bites that may be what my wife wants, all through geofencing.” Even the way customers pay are now being enhanced with technology, from ordering on a hand held device to paying for your meal. “We’ll take the mystery out of that,” Mathews says. But a show wouldn’t be a show without what the IRFSNY calls the “Buzz Factor,” from NFL players signing autographs on the floor to hors d’oeuvres being passed in the middle of aisles. “It’s what creates the excitement,” Mathews maintains. “If we get the ‘buzz factor’ going on the floor, everybody gets educated on what’s new and what’s exciting. It’s magic and illusion. We’ve built a new burger and beer lounge in the show in partnership with Anheuser Busch and One World Beef. They’re creating an East vs. West burger competition within their own area – an Eastern burger with Wagyu and the classic American burger, with cheddar, and bacon and all those good things.” The show’s demo-feeder is going to host a high-end tipping panel which will also discuss having a service charge. “Is it going to enhance service? Is it going to hurt service? How does it affect the restaurateur? How does it affect the customer? Do rates need to go up? That’s a big topic and it works for some restaurants who have the infrastructure and size,” Mathews says. Finally, there will be a celebrity chef panel, including Amanda Cohen of the Food Network’s “Chopped.” “There will be something for everyone,” says Mathews. “You won’t want to miss it.”

2016_IRFSNY_TFS_Main_Updated Ad:12_29_15

12/29/15

4:00 PM

Page 1

Exceeding Culinary Expectations — MASTER THE EMERGING TRENDS —

March 6–8, 2016

Javits Center

N e w Yo r k , N Y

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS: Food Trends Experience, Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum, Live Culinary Demonstrations, The Pub, New Product Showcase, US Pastry Competition, Taste NY & Craft Beverage Showcase, 550+ Leading Vendors, and more! Presenting:

Sponsored by:

Produced & Managed by:

Highlights Include:

Featuring: SM

GAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR BUSINESS

www.internationalrestaurantny.com March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

NEWS

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Foodservice Council For Women To Celebrate 5th Anniversary At IRFSNY

n 2011, The Food Shows Family of Events, Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum and Kathleen Wood partnered to create the Foodservice Council for Women, a seminar series held during the three restaurant and foodservice events produced by Urban Expositions. On Sunday, March 6, 2016 they will celebrate the 5th anniversary of this collaboration at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, which is taking place Sunday, March 6 through Tuesday, March 8 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. The Forum will kick off on Sunday morning with the Foodservice Council for Women session on Women Winning in Business. During the session Chloe Coscarelli, Chef and Partner at by CHLOE; Samantha Wasser, Creative Director at ESquared Hospitality & by CHLOE; Joan Axelrod Siegelwax, Executive Vice President for Love & Quiches Gourmet; Melissa Fleischut, President of the New York State Restaurant Association; and Isabela Wojcik, Director of House Programming for James Beard Foundation will join Kathleen Wood of Kathleen Wood Partners to discuss what it takes to succeed in the foodservice industry today. This high energy – action packed – line up of winning industry leaders will share their insights, resources and “secrets” for winning in today’s competitive marketplace. “Kathleen Wood and the Foodservice Council for Women is a terrific example of the type of educational opportunities that are part of the Fo-

“Kathleen Wood and the Foodservice Council for Women is a terrific example of the type of educational opportunities that are part of the Forum,” said Ron Mathews, Vice President, Restaurant and Foodservice Events Portfolio. rum. This panel discussion has been a highlight of our events for the past five years and we welcome our attendees to join us as we celebrate this progressive group of women,” said Ron Mathews, Vice President, Restaurant and Foodservice Events Portfolio. “During the three-day education program, attendees will also learn how to produce winning teams, achieve operational excellence, improve leadership, stay on top of hot trends, increase business loyalty, manage catering, boost customer experience, maximize profits, minimize risks, and create the optimal customer experience.” In addition to the conference session, Kathleen Wood and Ferdinand Metz will present the Beacon Award to Sara Moulton, nationally recognized chef, television host, author and educator. Sara will be recognized for her strides in advancing the path for women in the industry during her il-

8 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

lustrious 30-year career. The award will be presented on Monday, March 7th at 12:00 pm when she will also be demonstrating a dish featuring local New York ingredients with a book signing to follow. The first 100 attendees will receive a copy of Sara’s new book. Sara Moulton, a CIA grad, worked in restaurants throughout the US and Europe, and will discuss her mentorship with Julia Child, her positions as Food Editor of Good Morning America and executive chef of Gourmet Magazine, her time on the Food Network, and current role of author of several cookbooks and host of “Sara’s Weeknight Dinners”. Over 35 additional sessions within The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum will focus on Driving Sales and Reducing Costs, Catering, Winning

continued on page 112

Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Art Director: Mark Sahm Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Faith Hope Consolo Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Staff Writer Deborah Hirsch Intern Alexis Robinson

Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2016 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburgh, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836

BOOTH #1521

THE #1 IPAD POS FOR RESTAURANTS

EASIEST TO LEARN AND USE INCREASES STAFF PERFORMANCE ACTIONABLE BUSINESS INSIGHT IMPROVES CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

TRY IT TODAY AT

TOUCHBISTRO.COM/TRY-ME-TFS (855) 440-8446

RATED BEST RESTAURANT POS BY BUSINESS NEWS DAILY

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM OF THE YEAR 2015

INTERNATIONAL APP OF THE YEAR 2015

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

NEWS

POS TECHNOLOGY

15 Restaurant Apps That Will Boost Customer Experience

n the restaurants of yesterday, the words: “Can we split the bill?” meant one giant nightmare. Inevitably, this seemingly simple request would lead to a case of: “I’m with her, she’s with him, he’s with him, the three of them are together and she’s alone, but we’ll take the nachos.” Moving fast because other tables were waiting, that poor server would return to the computer and painstakingly move item by item, seat by seat, into the new arrangement. They’d return the bill to the table only to learn that an appetizer slipped onto the wrong seat and two drinks were swapped. Again, the server would be banished back to the computer where they’d start all over again. All the while, time was a’ticking and the guests at their other tables would be left neglected, tapping their forks impatiently against their menu, getting hungrier and hangrier by the minute. While this scenario was a nightly debacle only a few years ago, the restaurant experience has changed greatly for servers, patrons and operations since then. Hanger is no match for today’s technological developments. Automation and apps have revolutionized the restaurant experience for both customers and staff. Here are seven restaurant technologies that are no longer the exception to the dining experience,

but are now the rule. Reservation Gone are the days of the overflowing host binder, marked with the unintelligible scribbles of busy servers. Gone are the days of customers calling in during peak hours only to be directed to an answering machine or an unrelenting dial tone. Now we welcome automated reservations with open arms. For your restaurant: The best reservation apps allow restaurants to manage bookings and communicate seamlessly with guests. Information is power and with guest management tools, servers and hosts alike can provide a better dining experience to new and repeat customers. While reservation technology makes the pre-dining experience a breeze, through including your restaurant on well-known reserva-

10 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

tion app sites you also tap into the app as a marketing device. By listing your restaurant within a reservation app’s directory, a new market comes available; these apps filter hungry and nearby guests to you. For your customers: The best reservation apps allow customers to search restaurants and make reservations based on date, time, cuisine, and price range- anywhere and at any time. After choosing a restaurant, customers are given a list of reservation times available and can then fill out a simple form to confirm their reservation. Example: OpenTable Wait List The waitlist: every restaurant manager’s dream, every host’s worst nightmare. This might go without saying, but hanger is at its worst when customers are stuck standing

by the front door without a beverage or when wait times go beyond the time quoted. Waitlist apps to the rescue! For your restaurant: The best waitlist apps give hosts essential customer information and are extremely simple to use. Hosts add the customer to a waitlist and text the customer when their table is up. Some apps even have custom analytics so management can track and trend wait times to gauge busy times, which assists bigger decisions like scheduling and food prep in the long term. For your customers: The benefit is pretty simple; instead of standing aimlessly and uncomfortably in a packed lobby, the customer is at liberty to visit neighboring shops, sit at the bar, or go elsewhere while they wait for their table to be ready. The wait doesn’t feel like a wait at all when guests can come and go as they please while knowing they won’t lose their table or be forgotten. Examples: Waitlist Me, NoWait Hosting Hosting is arguably the most underrated role in the restaurant chain of command. They make the first impression. They balance who gets what table and take flack from servers when sections aren’t distributed evenly. They have to estimate

continued on page 114

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11

BOOTH #2213

M.Tucker is a Leader in Foodservice Design, Equipment and Supplies.

We surround our customers with a circle of support: _ $20 million of in-stock inventory _ 70 knowledgeable, professional salespeople _ Fleet of 48 trucks delivering from Connecticut to Maryland _ 60 years of experience serving the Northeast markets

Call 800-688-2537, ext 227

to find out how we can help you.

12 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1431

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13

LITTLE M. TUCKER

WITH MORGAN TUCKER

NO Vacancy, Just Inspiration Allowed. –Sixty Hotels

ant to see all of NYC’s most celebrated chefs in one place? Head to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival next February! I just returned from three days of perfect weather, excessive alcohol consumption, and an obnoxious amount of exceptional cuisine…. Needless to say, it was an incredible weekend in Miami. Celebrating its 15th year, #SOBEWFF is notorious for attracting the culinary elite. Strategically timed to entice New Yorker’s away at the height of their winter blues, the five-day festival is filled with demonstrations, seminars, tastings, dinners, and epic parties with personal access to bold personalities far beyond competitive symposiums. The newly opened, Nautilus– A Sixty Hotel, reassuming its original name, welcomed me to the #fwfesties with spacious charm and boutique luxury. (I am counting the days until my return in April when Star Chefs hosts

Morgan Tucker is Director of Business Development at M. Tucker, a division of Singer Equipment Company. Ms. Tucker works with a wide diversity of

“The entire tabletop was a beautiful mix of the appealingly antiquated and highly designed, speaking to the truly magnificent hypocrisy of Miami.”

acclaimed restaurateurs, celebrated chefs, and industry leaders across the U.S. Her website littlemtucker.com is an exceptional resource for equipment and supplies solutions. Morgan is based in NYC and can be reached at mptucker@mtucker.com.

it’s next Rising Stars Gala in Miami.) Much of the opening team from China Grill Management was onsite for the popular weekend, making me feel completely at home, and putting me right to work! It was a privilege to partner with January’s cover feature, Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, to open The Driftwood Room, as well as curate supplies for all the food and beverage outlets throughout the hotel. If you didn’t have a chance to read her TFS interview, my favorite part was when she acknowledges how F&B has such an influential part in your stay at a hotel. Charming breakfast was served on

14 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

vintage Homer Laughlin dinnerware that Chef Alex resurrected from the archives. On current Homer Laughlin patterns, lunch was bright and whimsical. Dinner was rich on elegant Churchill China with rustic accessory pieces. A synchronicity without repetition or fabrication that only a master could curate. Corby Hall Bolero flatware was a constant thread throughout the property, along with Nude Stemware from Hospitality Glass Brands and Libbey Retro specialty pieces. The entire tabletop was a beautiful mix of the appealingly antiquated and highly designed, speaking to the truly magnificent hypocrisy of Miami.

Chef Alex isn’t the only New Yorker making beautiful waves on Florida’s shores. Snowbirds have become younger and younger, migrating down the east coast and demanding the highest level in culinary. Over the past few years, we have seen more and more of our local chefs flock to the South to take advantage of the gastronomic surf, and soak up some rays. Eater Miami is now consumed with influential concepts from the Big Apple (Talde, Quality Meats, Lure Fishbar, Lucali) in addition to reveling industry legends like Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Tom Colicchio’s new presence. We’re even seeing NY chefs in other major Floridian destinations. Last year we were thrilled to design and supply the entire E&S package for Chef Marc Murphy, taking Tampa by storm at Grey Salt in the Hard Rock. Our Miramar Florida office is busier than ever as South Florida culinary continues to expand past Brickell to the Design District and Wynwood. There has never been a hotter time to head South! Come see for yourself on April 13th!

BOOTH #1930

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

WITH FRED SAMPSON

An Intended Wake-Up Call – Tipping And The Minimum Wage

id you ever think you’d see the act of tipping by restaurant patrons receive tons of media coverage? Why did this happen? The answer: Changes in the minimum wage. Not only did it expose the income differential between the back of the house and the waitstaff, but also the possibility of various operators installing mandated tipping or raising their prices to reduce said differential. And that, my friends, puts the spotlight on the quality of service that today’s customers are receiving. I would submit to you that whatever course of action you choose—even if you do nothing—consumers, on balance, are not happy with the level of service in restaurants and with the level of service everywhere. When it happens in a restaurant, unfortunately some don’t complain to the management. They simply don’t come back and, instead, tell 10 or 15 of their friends (or more, through social media), and that’s the worst complaint. It’s known as the “silent complaint.” For example, Michael Sanson, editor-in-chief of RestaurantHospitality.com, recently wrote an editorial titled, “Why Is Service So Tragically Bad?” In it he described waiting 20 minutes before being approached by one of two waiters for four tables; he was also waiting for a friend who was running late, and then having the same problem getting his guest a drink. They finally went to a restaurant next door.

Days later, he encountered a similar situation where the bartenders suffer from the same malady: the inability to see customers. Wine glasses sat empty for 15 minutes, and the needed plates, napkins, and utensils had to be requested. Finally, after waiting 50 minutes for a whole fish to be served, he waved down the bartender and asked, “Can you check on my fish order, please?” The bartender replied, “What fish order?” Why have I selected Michael’s examples? I did so for two reasons. First, he is a knowledgeable industry person, and both operations were average, full-service restaurants—not quick-service operations or coffee shops. These were the types of places where guests tip. Would you want to tip in either of those situations? I don’t think so. While most surveys that deal with service involve patrons, a few years ago I came across one that dealt with over 500 operators and it was published by RestaurantOwner.com. The operators shared their collective viewpoints on the impact that customer service, both good and bad, had on their restaurant. Not surprisingly, just about every respondent strongly agreed that the level of customer service they give has a direct and significant impact on their overall success. In fact, on a scale of 1 to 10, the average respondent rated the importance at 9.5. Interestingly, though, when asked to rate the quality of cus-

16 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

tomer service in their own restaurant, they rated an average of less than 7.5 out of 10. When asked for the important factors as they relate to creating consistently high levels of customer service, this is how they responded: 84 percent, hiring the right people; 73 percent, treating employees well and providing a good workplace; 73 percent, constant and ongoing reinforcement of service standards; 70 percent, teaching employees basic social skills such as smiling, eye contact, positive attitude, and conversational skills; 61 percent, educating servers on the correlation between good service and higher tips; 41 percent, access to good customer service training resources. I found the next part of this survey not only the most interesting but the most helpful, in that once you indentify the cause of a problem you are halfway on the road to solving it. For example: Reasons Cited for Poor Levels of Customer Service – Operators that rated their level of service at 7 or below, cited these reasons for not having better customer service: inadequate management … staff turnover … poor-quality labor force … transient staff … shortage of staff … uncooperative staff … not a priority, too busy running the business … seasonal, changing staff … failing to weed out “bad apples” … quality of employees … poor leadership … complacent employees. While all of these reasons are valid, none are acceptable. I thought it

Fred G. Sampson is the retired President Emeritus of the New York State Restaurant Association. He began working with NYSRA in 1961. Within the next four years the NYSRA more than tripled its membership and expanded from one regional chapter to eight. Sampson played roles in representing restaurants on issues including paid sick leave, minimum wage, liquor laws, a statewide alcohol training program and insurance plans. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com

was interesting that the first reason for not having a better customer service was INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT. It reminds me of an old expression: “The speed of the boss is usually the speed of the crew.” One of the challenges of writing for a knowledgeable audience is that invariably they already know 75 to 80 percent of what you’re writing about; however, sometimes the comments might act as a reminder or wake-up call. That is my mission. I hope it’s helpful.

We are your St. Patrick’s Day Headquarters!

FREE

MEMBE

RSHIP

THE BEST CORNED BEEF YOU’LL EVER SERVE!

e pot! D n t a r a u t s e t R a

~ Exclusively Available at Restaurant Depot ~

RESTAURANT DEPOT

Where Restaurants Shop

® ®

Serving Foodservice Operators Nationwide with

SAVINGS • SELECTION • SERVICE • SEVEN DAYS A WEEK!

WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR FOODSERVICE OPERATION Wholesale now available at the following

Northeast Locations: IN NEW YORK

Port Chester • Mt.Vernon Bronx • Maspeth Farmingdale • Colonie

• Extensive Fresh & Frozen Meat & Seafood Departments • The Freshest Daily Produce • Full Line of Domestic & Imported Cheeses • Extensive Frozen Foods Selection • Aisles & Aisles of Groceries & Dry Goods • Highest Quality Foodservice and Catering Disposable Supplies • Restaurant Equipment & Supplies • Professional Janitorial Products Visit us at the

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show Jacob Javits Convention Center, NYC

BOOTH #2244 MARCH 6-8, 2016 For Locations, Directions & Store Hours

IN CONNECTICUT

Orange

visit us at:

www.restaurantdepot.com

Wholesale only • Not open to the public • Please bring your reseller’s permit on your first visit. March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17

NEWS

CAREER CHANGES

Condé Nast Publisher Truman Sets Sights On Restaurant Industry

t would be an understatement to say that James Truman has given some thought to how his new restaurant, Nix, will look. Mr. Truman, 57, who once oversaw magazines like Vogue, Glamour and GQ as the powerful editorial director of Condé Nast, is a believer in the cumulative effect of the most minuscule details. He has spent months with the chef John Fraser, the architect Elizabeth Roberts and the rest of the team behind Nix ruminating on everything from the presence of decorative juniper roots to the fit of the servers’ aprons to the way in which the establishment’s name will radiate from a sign. “The blessing of the name is that it’s all straight lines,” he said. “I’m fond of the N, the I and the X, because they’re all strong letters. They are very strong letters which we then want to make soft.” To achieve this, Mr. Truman is going with a sign that uses amber and red neon. “But his design team is placing the neon behind a translucent Plexiglas scrim so it will have “a much more mysterious presence” from the sidewalk,” Truman said. While it’s probably facile to note that Mr. Truman seems to be orchestrating the entrance to Nix the way an editor would map out the cover of a magazine, the comparison is difficult to resist. Magazines and restaurants tend to succeed when they convey simultaneous signals of accessible warmth and exclusive cool, and Mr. Truman has fashioned

“He has this way of seeing what people want before they want it,” said Mr. Fraser. a peripatetic career out of mastering the balance between those two temperatures. Although it’s not widely publicized, Mr. Truman has been a restaurateur for a while now, having joined with the hotelier André Balazs to fine-tune the mission, hire chefs and map out the menus at Narcissa, in the East Village, and at the celebrity-clotted Chiltern Firehouse in London. He has also run the farm that shares land with Locusts-on-Hudson, an upstate estate

owned by Mr. Balazs. Nix, whose primary investor is Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle Mexican Grill, presents Mr. Truman with a gamble: He’s trying his hand at hospitality without one of Mr. Balazs’s properties as an anchor. “He has this way of seeing what people want before they want it,” said Mr. Fraser, who is also the head chef at Narcissa and both proprietor and chef at Dovetail. When Mr. Fraser presented him with the concept for Nix — a vegetarian res-

James Truman, left, the former editorial director of Condé Nast, will open the vegetarian restaurant Nix with the chef John Fraser

18 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

taurant with a strong emphasis on the primordial pleasures of fire, as delivered by both a wok station and a tandoor in the kitchen Truman’s response was: “’Yes, that’s exactly what the next move is.’” Other New York restaurants, like Dirt Candy and Avant Garden, have been uprooting stubborn preconceptions about vegetarian cuisine, but Truman, drawing on his publishing experience, views the crowded field as a boon. “It’s always better to be in a genre where you’re not the only magazine,” he said. “Because it validates the idea.” Fraser, 40, who grew up in California and is known as a pioneer of vegetable-fixated cooking, gets visibly amped up when he talks about the Nix menu, with its shiitake cacio e pepe, and its carrots seared in the wok in the style of Chinese cashew chicken. He will not use meat or fish, nor any stocks or fats derived from them. But he will cook with cheese and butter. “There’s a moment of sin, even though it’s quite virtuous,” Fraser said. It’s hard to imagine Truman, whose hair retains the tousled, finger-combed quality of his wonderboy years, swooning over a sinless restaurant. In casual conversation, he gives the impression of having lived a very full life; his musings are peppered with references to practicing Zen on a California

continued on page 110

Often Copied, Never Duplicated

The Original.

BOOTH #1844

Fisherman’s Pride® Fully Cleaned Calamari

THE PRIDE OF THE INDUSTRY”

“

RUGGIE RO S E A F OOD , I N C.

Distributors of Frozen Calamari and other Seafood Products

866-CALAMARI • www.RuggieroSeafood.com

Our Fisherman’s Pride® Calamari is 100% all natural, wild caught, and fully cleaned. Our offerings include domestic east coast Calamari as well as imported varieties from China, India, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and Peru. They are flash frozen within hours of harvest to preserve their freshness and sweet flavor making it the perfect Chef’s ingredient for any seafood dish. Fisherman’s Pride® exceeds the highest standards of quality and is used by some of the most reputable Chefs worldwide. Supervised under HACCP guidelines and the strictest of quality control for consistency, excellence, and value with every pound purchased.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19

COFFEE STRATEGIES

WITH JONATHAN WHITE

Springtime - Think Green

s the calendar turns to springtime, and the world begins to turn a beautiful shade of green, companies throughout the foodservice industry are thinking how they can improve their “green footprint” in the community. Companies can have many potential platforms: • Does your company have an energy conservation program? The various elements could include reduction in the use of electricity, water and natural gas. For example, the Con Edison green team can collaborate to help replace existing inefficient light fixtures with state of the art energy efficient light fixtures. In addition, companies can have goals to reduce their use of water and gas by a certain percentage and adopt policies or machinery to help meet these goals. • How do you handle waste removal? Many carting companies will partner to develop a comprehensive recycling program so that all waste products are put to their best potential use • Are your vehicles eco-friendly, and are equipped with diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) technology? • Do you maintain your operation in a manner that meet or exceed the DEP requirements for air pollution? • How are employees trained to insure proper reaction in the event of safety issues? Training can be beneficial in such areas as hazard communication (HAZCOM), SQF, and HACCP. With the new food safety requirements, these topics are

more critical than ever- and more and more customers will require assurance that you are in compliance. • Most importantly, does your company source, produce and promote its product range to minimize the environmental impact of both production and distribution? Current consumers are conscious and concerned both with their health and the environment at large. According to Neilson’s 2015 Global Health & Wellness Survey that polled over 30,000 individuals online, 88% of those polled are willing to pay more for healthier and functional foods. For example, in the coffee world, there are products such as USDA certified organic coffees, Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees, Green Restaurant Association certified products, Fair Trade Coffees, UTZ certification, and more. One of the more cutting edge

20 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

concepts is biodynamic products, where this movement (begun in Europe over a century ago) strives to “create a diversified, balanced farm ecosystem that generates health and fertility as much as possible from within the farm itself”. To underscore the growth of this sector, over the past decade, the market share of these products has gone from zero to a share of 8% of the global coffee industry- clearly suggesting that sustainable coffees are no longer a small niche. And by the way, it’s not just the actual product that can be “green”; in the packaging realm, there are recyclable, biodegradable or compostable materials available. In addressing these projects, it is challenging enough to incorporate all of these topics at the same time. In addition, within each area, there are multiple “steps” that can be

Jonathan White is the Executive Vice President at White Coffee Corporation in Long Island City, NY. Learn more about how Jonathan and his team can help you at www.White Coffee.com.

taken to improve one’s profile- and one must work with existing staff, inventory, and customer preferences as one makes the changes. Instead, an approach more likely to be successful is to make this an overall corporate initiative, where progress occurs over time and in gradations. Outside consultants can help drive the change, but the change will only occur when ownership and the management team understand the importance and value of this initiative, and commit to incorporating these goals throughout the company. Companies need to be committed to be a leader in its industry in minimizing the effect of its activity on the environment, and be committed to managing environmental, health and safety (EH&S) matters as an integral part of its business.

BOOTH #1425

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

NEWS

ACQUISITIONS

Jersey Based Imperial Bag & Paper Acquires Borax

mperial Bag & Paper Co., LLC a leading regional and national distributor of disposable food service and janitorial supplies, announces the acquisition of Borax Paper Products, Inc. The transaction represents the seventh acquisition under the leadership of Robert and Jason Tillis. Based in Bronx, NY, Borax is a distributor of food packaging, paper products, foodservice disposables, and janitorial and sanitary supplies serving Metro New York and the tri-state region. The acquisition of Borax will provide both Borax and Imperial’s customers with an expanded product offering and market leading customer service. “With the addition of Borax’s experienced and knowledgeable sales force, the combined company will be able to provide enhanced distribution solutions and offer a broader range of products and services,” said Robert Tillis, CEO of Imperial. “We strive to be the most respon-

sive and knowledgeable company in the market, and Borax is known for a similar focus and reputation. We enthusiastically welcome the Borax team members to Imperial and look forward to working together to grow the business.” Marc Borak, President of Borax, said, “I am confident that the excellent level of service that customers have experienced with Borax will continue under the leadership of Imperial.” “Our customers can expect the same great service with access to a broader product and service offering. We can bring new opportunities to our customers and employees, while maintaining our traditions of service, responsiveness and expertise,” said Howard Hirsch, Vice President of Borax. Borax is the seventh acquisition under the Tillis’ leadership and Imperial will continue to look for other strategic acquisitions to enhance product and service offerings, geo-

22 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

graphic footprint, and end markets served. “The Borax acquisition is the next step in Imperial’s strategy to establish our position as the industry leading provider of food packaging, paper products, foodservice disposables, and janitorial and healthcare supplies in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, as well as growing our presence with national accounts,” said Jason Tillis, President of Imperial. “Our vision is to further grow our business in existing markets and in new geographies.” The firm represents synergy on several fronts. Both firms have been committed to providing green and sustainable solutions to their customer base. Imperial has in fact just

announced plans to become the first Metro New York distributor to receive certification and become a member of the Green Restaurant Association. In addition, both Imperial and Borax are founding sponsors of the New York City Hospitality Alliance. Imperial and Borax have also been long time supporters and have been honored by the AJC-American Jewish Committee for their contributions to the Tri-State foodservice industry. Founded in 1935, Imperial Bag & Paper Co, LLC is the largest independent distributor of foodservice disposables and janitorial supplies in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

“With the addition of Borax’s experienced and knowledgeable sales force, the combined company will be able to provide enhanced distribution solutions and offer a broader range of products and services,” said Robert Tillis, CEO of Imperial.

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

FOOD SAFETY

WITH FRANCINE SHAW

Foodborne Illnesses: The Stakes Are Getting Higher For Companies & Their Executives

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

here’s no doubt that foodborne illness outbreaks cause tremendous negative fallout. In addition to the horrible tragedy of customers becoming ill – or even dying – the companies responsible for the outbreaks often experience plummeting sales, negative publicity and ruined reputations. Unfortunately, foodborne illness incidents are continuing to occur, and now the stakes are getting higher for the organizations behind them. When organizations – including the Peanut Corporation of America, Blue Bell Creameries, and Chipotle – sicken their customers with E. Coli, Norovirus, Salmonella, or other serious foodborne illnesses, they’re facing enormous fines, criminal investigations and even jail time for their wrongdoings. Case in point: The Peanut Corporation of America’s leaders, Stewart and Michael Parnell – who were sentenced last fall for their roles in the company’s 2008-2009 Salmonella outbreak – have just been sent to federal prison. The company’s Salmonella-contaminated

Criminal investigations into foodborne illness outbreaks seems to be a new trend in the food service industry.

roster of services, including food

peanut butter products killed at least nine people and sickened thousands more, and was one of the most costly ingredient recalls in history. Stewart Parnell, the former owner and Chief Executive Officer of The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), was sentenced to 28 years in prison for a variety of charges, including selling misbranded food, fraud, conspiracy and knowingly selling food that was contaminated and misbranded. His brother, Michael, formerly a peanut broker at PCA, was sentenced to 20 years in jail for his role in this foodborne illness outbreak. The judge that found them guilty, U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands, said that this case wasn’t about murder – though nine people died from eating the tainted peanut products – but was about greed. He ruled that the brothers’ acts were motivated by money, and he expressed outrage that they knowingly sold contaminated food for their own financial gain. The PCA prison sentences are significant, as they’re the first time that corporate executives have been imprisoned for their roles in a foodborne illness outbreak. The Parnells’ sentencing is the most severe criminal punishment ever imposed on American food executives for their role in foodborne illness outbreaks. (Also notable: Stewart is serving the longest sentence ever in a food poisoning case.) Now, incidents of foodborne illness are being elevated from “unfortunate mistakes” to possible criminal

24 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

activity. The Parnell brothers are the first executives to serve jail time for sickening (and killing) customers – and they surely won’t be the last. In fact, criminal investigations into foodborne illness outbreaks seems to be a new trend in the food service industry. In early January, the Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a criminal investigation into the Norovirus outbreak at Chipotle in Simi Valley, California – just one of the restaurant chain’s recent foodborne illness incidents. The DOJ has also opened a criminal investigation into Blue Bell Creameries’ handling of their foodborne illness outbreak last year. There were 10 documented listeriosis cases, with three people dying from complications caused by consuming contaminated Blue Bell products. And the DOJ found proof that Blue Bell employees knew there was listeria in one of their plants for up to two years prior to the recall. In certain cases – such as PCA and Blue Bell – company executives knew they were shipping out tainted foods. In other instances, organizations and their leadership teams did not knowingly sell contaminated products, but they faced criminal charges nonetheless. Over the past few years, criminal actions have included a 2013 guilty plea from Colorado brothers Eric and Ryan Jensen, of Jensen Farms, for growing and selling listeria-tainted cantaloupe that killed more than 30 people in 2011. A 2014 plea deal with DeCosters’

safety training, food safety auditing, responsible alcohol service training, writing HACCP plans and more. The Food Safety Training Solutions team has more than100 combined years of industry experience in restaurants, casinos, and convenience stores. The company has helped numerous clients, including McDonald’s, Subway, Marriott, Domino’s, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Dairy Queen, and Omni Hotel and Resorts, prevent foodborne illnesses. Additionally, they work with restaurants of all sizes, schools, medical facilities, convenience stores, hotels and casinos.

Quality Egg Company in Iowa and its executives resulted in prison time and millions of dollars in fines after a Salmonella outbreak in the eggs sickened nearly 2,000 people in 2010. In 2015, the government ordered ConAgra Foods to pay $11.2 million – the highest criminal fine to date in a U.S. food safety case – after their salmonellatainted Peter Pan peanut butter sickened more than 600 people in 2006. The DOJ is holding companies and individuals accountable for protecting food safety, so it’s vitally important for all food service organizations and professionals to implement and follow stringent food safety protocols to protect their food and their customers. Now, companies that sicken customers with foodborne illnesses could face more than damaged reputations – they could face prosecution.

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

C-CAP TRADE TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

Giovanna Delli Compagni Is First Female Winner Of The C-CAP 2016 Daniel Boulud Scholarship

Joyce Appelman, is the National Communications Director for CCAP, Careers through Culinary Arts

n January 12th, Daniel Boulud hosted the C-CAP Culinary Competition at his restaurant Café Boulud to determine the lucky young chef who would receive a full-tuition scholarship to study at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France. This year’s competitors were Giovanna Delli Compagni, sous chef of Asiate at The Mandarin Oriental in New York City and Jose Fontanez, sous chef of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago. Each competitor was given a market basket with only ten ingredients to create and prepare a unique soup and a main course to present to the esteemed judging panel: acclaimed Chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud of the Dinex Group, Executive Chef Aaron Bludorn of Café Boulud, Executive Sous Chef and C-CAP alumnus Cesar Gutierrez of Café Boulud, C-CAP President Susan Robbins and C-CAP Founder Richard Grausman. On Monday, January 11th, Giovanna and Jose toured the Michelinstarred Café Boulud and began their prepping for the big day. The pressure was on early the next morning as the candidates began prepping their creations at eight a.m. The competitors began their dish presentation at eleven a.m. followed by the judges’ announcement at noon. Giovanna’s dishes were inspired by her childhood memories at the beachside while Jose’s dishes were inspired by the robust earthy flavors

Program in New York, NY. She has

of his youth. These two C-CAP grads were formidable opponents and the judges were quite impressed with their dishes. Ultimately the panel awarded the first prize to Giovanna Delli Compangni for her soup of scallop chowder and main dish of lemon sole, cauliflower trio, braised fennel and sweet potato cake. But at Chef Boulud’s competition, everyone is a winner. Jose walked away with a two-week paid stage at Daniel and Café Boulud for his sunchoke and cauliflower bisque with pan seared scallops and morel mushrooms and his pan seared lemon sole with sweet potato puree

26 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

fennel and vegetable ragout. Giovanna, who will be honored at the upcoming C-CAP New York Awards Breakfast on April 8th, will leave for France in May, and not only train at a legendary culinary institution, but also stage in some of the most notable kitchens in Europe. The Daniel Boulud/Paul Bocuse Institut Scholarship was established eleven years ago when Boulud received a birthday grant of $100,000 from his business partner Joel Smilow. Chef Boulud continues to obtain funding for this scholarship from Ment’or, a not-for-profit, devoted to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals and preserving

been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com

the traditions and quality of cuisine in America. The scholarship includes tuition, transportation, room and board, uniforms and cookbooks and is valued at over $15,000. Together with C-CAP, Boulud has sent a number of talented young chefs to Lyon, who have returned to attain prominent positions in restaurants all over the United States, including DANIEL. Scholarship winners include the 2015 winner, Yvan Lemoine, currently Chef de Cuisine at Bodega Negra in the Dream Hotel. The 2014 Scholarship winner was James Daversa, he is currently Chef de Cuisine at Lexington Brass in New York City. The 2013 winner Cesar Gutierrez is now Sous Chef at Café Boulud and Sylva Senat, another Boulud Scholarship winner was recently nominated for a James Beard Award and Food & Wine Award. His latest venture is the award-winning Dos Tacos in Philadelphia. Swainson Brown is an Executive Chef for the Pridwin Hotel in Shelter Island, and a private chef. The first scholarship recipient was Franz Corrales, Executive Chef for Sodexo USA at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C. Congratulations and a round of applause to Giovanna and Jose!

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

NEWS

BEER SOLUTIONS

Clean Beer Lines Result In Fresh Taste And Profits

raft beer is one of the greatest profit makers for restaurants and bars, offering a profit margin of approximately 80%. The return on the investment of draft beer far outweighs the cost of regular cleaning and maintenance of the draft equipment. Let’s look at a case study: Cost to maintain a 10 faucet draft system: 10 draft lines x $10 per draft line cleaning and maintenance investment = $100 Servings per week from this 10 line system = 1,320 x 2 weeks which is 2,640 servings in 14 days. Take the $100 investment in cleaning and maintenance and divide by the 2,640 servings. You will see each serving of draft beer will require $.04 to protect the flavor and integrity of the beer on tap.

Line cleaning is critical to serving a great glass of draft beer, and the cost associated with cleaning should be viewed as an investment with a high return. All draft beer systems whether the beer line run is short, as in direct draw box, or long as found in glycol system, must be cleaned every two weeks. This is mandated by the Brewers Association, an industry group that speaks for the 4,000 breweries in the U.S. Several reasons are usually given for not cleaning draft beer lines as recommended by the breweries and draft beer professionals. The reasons will vary depending on the state where a business is located. In some states a bar operator has to pay for a line cleaning service. In other states the beer wholesaler is responsible for cleaning the beer lines and

Yearly profit from keg beer at a retail account: Number of draft lines = 10 Number of ½ barrels sold each week = 10 Weekly net profit of this system and keg sales = $4,280 52 weeks per year x $4,280 = $222,560 annual profits from keg beer In this example the cost of cleaning 10 beer lines, cleaned once every two weeks, is $100 per week x 26 cleans/year = $2,600 annually. Proper cleaning as recommended by the Brewers Association consumes only 1.2% of net profits. 28 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

the bar operator is concerned about how much beer is wasted and sent down the drain. Lastly, no matter what state you’re in, line cleaning can be destined as an expensive, inconvenience requiring downtime and lost revenue. A bar operator who is concerned about the cost of line cleaning elects to have draft beer lines cleaned monthly. This doubles the recommended time between cleanings. Beer spoilers: bacteria, yeast and molds can contaminate the beer lines and begin to impart an offtaste into all of the beers on tap. The off flavor will be noticeable in the light lagers and wheat beers with subtle flavor profiles, more robust ales and stouts will mask the off taste for now. However, within a short amount of time the flavor will

be detected in all the beers on tap. Bar patrons will taste the off flavors produced by the beer spoilers and take one of four costly options. He will not order another draft (stop drinking). Maybe complain to receive a refund or exchange for a different beer. Switch to bottle beer, leaving your draft system unused. Or finally the worst case, elect to drink elsewhere. Draft beer sales and revenue will continue to decrease with each day that passes without an effective line cleaning process. The realized cost of lost sales and customer goodwill is much greater to the operator than the cost to clean equipment in accordance with the Brewers Association line cleaning standards. The real cost of line cleaning – lost sales and revenue.

DESIGN. MANUFACTURE. INSTALL.

ON TAP POSSIBILITIES DISPENSING SYSTEMS FOR BEER, WINE, WATER, AND COFFEE

Drafting Solutions from Keg to Glass.

Need a beer system? Draft beer equipment delivered in one day! Doug Wetmore - Metro New York/New Jersey Sales Rep (610) 751-0285 (866) 327-4159 // www.micromatic.com March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

Chazz Palminteri Actor, Screenwriter, Producer, and Partner, Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano NYC

s a child, was there someone in your family who spurred your interest in food and cooking? I’m Italian. I mean, cooking and food was constantly going on in our kitchen. The table, the kitchen, is like a temple. That’s where everybody meets. Everybody talks and you would sit there and watch and learn. I enjoy watching. I especially like to know what I’m eating! And I sometimes cook myself. I do eat to live, but I don’t live to eat. Since the food is usually so good in an Italian home, how did you not eat everything? I love food, but I have really good discipline. I try to keep my weight low but, I just love good food. But, if I’m going to eat, I want it to be good food. What led to your interest in a career as an actor? My mom would take me to the movies a lot. And I just fell in love with acting. It was just something that I always wanted to do. And I started writing when I was 16, lyrics and poetry. And then I just knew I wanted to act, write and direct. I’ve been very lucky. My life has turned out the way I wanted. So how did you decide you wanted to go into the restaurant world?

I always restaurant.

wanted

own

What led to your interest in restaurants? We have a house in Italy, my wife’s family’s house, which is about a hundred miles south of Salerno. Every time we’d go there I’d find these great recipes, and I’d say, wow, I’m going to save that recipe. I always wanted to open my own restaurant because of the friendship I had with Frank Sinatra. He would tell me stories about the Rat Pack and how many of those stories revolved around restaurants. So it dawned on me how great it would be to have your own restaurant where your friends can come. Celebrity friends and regular friends. Great food. Great mixed drinks. I always just thought about it and finally had the opportunity, I met with the gentlemen and we just got together and we said, let’s do it. And it’s taking off. It’s doing amazing. It’s on Second Avenue between 48th and 47th Street. It’s just exploded! What do you think connected? Do you think it’s your name? Do you think it’s the food? The first thing is, no matter who you are, if the food is not great, people aren’t coming back. They’re

continued on page 32

30 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Chazz Palminteri

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

Q&A Chazz Palminteri, from page 30

just not, you know? So it had to be the food first. And I told them, you have to go through the recipes and go through what we’re going to serve because I’m putting my name on this. I mean, I can get the people in there. They’ll come one time to see what it’s like. But if the food isn’t great, they’re not coming back. And the food is spectacular. And of

course, I, have my name on it. People know my movies. They want to come and check it out. It’s a place where my celebrity friends pop in, now and then. So, it’s always exciting for people to see that. There are so many great restaurants in Manhattan. What makes you want to go to this restaurant? It has to be the experience.

worked out really well. What do you think people feel about the experience in your restaurant? From the moment you walk in, we have a young, beautiful hostess who brings you in with a great smile. Then our waiters are really personable, and finally, the great food. It’s all the best stuff. We have a tremendous wine list. So it makes you feel comfortable, it makes you feel good. As a director, when you do a movie, you have to pick the actors. Were you involved in picking the chef? I had tasted all his dishes and looked at his resume. And he was really just great.

A sampling of the cuisine from Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano (photos by NYCRESTAURANT)

32 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Would you recommend that other stars open their own restaurant? A restaurant is not something you jump into. You’re destined to fail if you try something like that. So I knew I had to get with the best people and that’s what I did and it

Are there restaurants in New York through the years that you’ve admired that you keep going back to? I don’t eat steak often but when I do, I like a really good steak and I go to the Empire Steakhouse. But there’s a lot of wonderful restaurants in New York. So you have to stick out and you have to have some sort of a hook. What went into creating the right menu for this? Were you able to use some of your recipes? Oh, absolutely. We put a bunch of those recipes on the menu and others that the chef had invented. It was really a combination of both. At a lot of places, the restaurants are so limited. You have to make sure that when somebody comes in, they can get what they want.

continued on page 34

We’re about to plate up an amazing leasing program. Since 1857

Introducing the Montague® Technostar® ZERO Percent Lease. Montague is making it even easier for you to enjoy Technostar quality in your kitchen with an equipment lease program that guarantees ZERO % interest and zero out of pocket cash. Waste zero time and contact Montague today to get all the details on the powerful, heavy-duty Technostar Restaurant Range line and this phenomenal leasing opportunity.

montaguecompany.com

MADE IN USA

THE MONTAGUE COMPANY • 1830 STEARMAN AVE • HAYWARD, CA 94545 • 800 345-1830 • WWW.MONTAGUECOMPANY.COM

18976 P4C Zero Lease TFT v3.indd 1

1/27/16 9:13 March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • AM 33

Q&A Chazz Palminteri, from page 32

“Bullets over Broadway,” “A Bronx Tale.” They’re all signature New York City movies. Does the restaurant venture reflect that Chazz New York brand, if you will? Absolutely. The restaurant has this old world, kind of Rat-Pack feel to it. The waiters have bow ties. The maitre d’s, their tuxes. It’s really done right. It’s a place you want to impress your girlfriend with, your wife. It’s romantic, without being stuffy. My restaurant is classy but people have fun there. Are there similarities between creating a team for a movie and a restaurant? No question, no question. You’re absolutely right. As a director, you get the best cinematographer, you get the best editor, and it’s the same thing with a restaurant. You get the

best chef, you get the best waiters, you get the best hostess. The real key in great restaurants is consistency. I hate restaurants that I go to once and I loved the meal and then I go back and it’s a different chef. I know I’m going to go there and get a great meal. A lot of restaurants can’t do it, they just can’t do it. In my restaurant, there can be no foulups. I’m not one of these “I put my name on” and never go. When I’m in town I could be there three times a week, stop by for lunch and dinner, just pop in. So it’s important for me to always be there when I can. It has to be right, you know? It has to be. We have some interesting issues these days, the minimum wage. No tipping. Tell me a little bit about

continued on page 36

34 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

A sampling of the cuisine from Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano (photos by NYCRESTAURANT)

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

Q&A Chazz Palminteri, from page 34 where we are with that. In a way, it’ll help some people. But I always believe, when people make more money, they spend more money. So when you put restrictions on certain people, what happens is then you have to let go of a couple of waiters. So you might be helping a couple, but you’re letting go a couple. And, the whole tipping thing. I don’t know about that. I like tipping. That’s what America is about. We tip. In Europe they don’t tip. I don’t know if the service would be as good. I mean, when you go in and people know that you’re a great tipper, you get that extra service. Would you like the New York City restaurant to be part of a group. Do you see Atlantic City, Mohegan Sun? You’re a man of vision. Absolutely. Right now we’re looking at Las Vegas. We’ll see if the deal is right.

The interior at Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano (photos by NYCRESTAURANT)

36 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1902

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

SCOOP Chef Daniel Boulud Hosts Annual Sunday Supper At Daniel Benefitting Citymeals on Wheels Scoop notes Citymeals on Wheels Board of Directors Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud will continue his longtime support of Citymeals with his famed Sunday Supper at DANIEL on Sunday, March 13. The event, themed “Black Tie and Blue Jeans” will benefit Citymeals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that works with community-based organizations and senior centers to prepare and deliver more than 2 million weekend, holiday and emergency meals for over 18,000 homebound elderly New Yorkers every year. One hundred and fifty guests will enjoy a cocktail reception followed by dinner at two Michelin-starred DANIEL, one of New York City’s most elegant dining destinations. The dinner will be paired with wines selected by Raj Vaidya, Head Sommelier at DANIEL, and Daniel Johnnes, Wine Director for Dinex Group, the restaurant group of Chef Daniel Boulud. Throughout the evening, guests will have the opportunity to take part in the event’s live and silent auctions of rare and large format wines, specialty

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE gourmet selections and one-of-akind travel and dining experiences. Citymeals Board Co-President Robert S. Grimes will be honored at the event for his 25 years of service to Citymeals.

Amazon Will Charge Restaurants 27.5% Of Total Bill For New Mobile Ordering Platform Scoop says Amazon’s entry into the fast growing restaurant mobile ordering platform will come at a steep cost to restaurants. Amazon will charge restaurants and

eateries 27.5 percent of the total check for its mobile ordering service. Amazon is currently preparing a mobile ordering platform that includes more than 300 Manhattan eateries. Amazon Prime customers can access the service through the Prime Now app. Amazon’s rate is noticeably higher than 12 to 24 percent that GrubHub Inc. charges but cheaper than the 30 percent Uber is expected to charge restaurants when it begins deploying its fleet network to deliver food through its ‘UberEats’ platform. They’re still trying to really figure out

Delivery packages from Amazon’s Prime Now app.

38 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

what this is. Is it a customer acquisition strategy for Amazon Prime, or something they’d like to open up to the broader public?

Some NYC Restaurants Are Subbing Out Lobster With Cheaper Fish Scoop notes if it’s got lobster in the name, you expect the good stuff lurking inside the overgrown ocean insect. But a new report found that some restaurants are substituting it with cheaper fish. Out of 28 restaurants tested nationwide, 35 percent of them served lobster dishes that contained no lobster at all, investigators at Inside Edition found. The restaurants tested included local spots as well as national chains, ordering dishes like lobster ravioli, lobster rolls and lobster bisque, then sending the meat off for DNA testing.Having Maine nearby isn’t keeping some NYC restaurants from cutting corners, according to Inside Edition’s report: In Coney Island, Nathan’s Famous lobster salad roll actually contained whiting, a fish. An industry group said the restaurant uses a seafood mix, which also includes lobster. There were mixed results in Little Italy, where the lobster ravioli

came under scrutiny. Umberto’s Clam House served just what it promised, but at Sofia’s, testing found no trace of lobster, just cheese. SoupMan’s Soup Nazi has a reputation, but it’s because he takes the product seriously: The bisque came back brimming with lobster. Contrary to its name, Red Lobster is not always serving up its namesake crustacean. Out of lobster bisques ordered at three different locations, one contained only langostino, a hermit crab relative, while the other two had a mix of langostino and lobster.

fresh and seasonal ingredients, Wolf and Lamb sources local fruits and vegetables from the Union Square Market. With this addition, the Brooklyn Museum is pleased to serve the greater community and to lead the way as the first encyclopedic institution in the tri-state area to serve kosher meals.

M&M Bistro’s ‘Presidential’ Burgers Get Political M&M Bistro’s ‘Presidential’ Burgers

The Kosher Food & Wine Experience Offers The Largest Selection Of Kosher Wines & Spirits Under One Roof Scoop notes The Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE), New York’s premiere kosher food and wine event, came to New York City on February 29, at a new venue and featured an exciting menu of new kosher foods & wine. Now in its 10th year, the KFWE has grown to be the destination of choice for serious wine lovers and foodies the world over, sponsored by The Royal Wine Co. This year’s show was the biggest yet and was held at Pier 60 at Chelsea Pier, featuring the Hornblow-

er Infinity Yacht. More than 300 wines and spirits were on hand for sampling, with many new wines making their debut at the show. The evening event, featured top caterers and restaurants that offered tastings from their menus of gourmet specialty foods including BBQ, sushi and Asian/fusion fare, as well as creative desserts, and a sangria bar, showcasing a variety of sangrias prepared by mixologist Esteban Ordonez. KFWE 2016 will also be held in London, California, Israel, Chicago and Miami.

The Brooklyn Museum To

Serve Kosher Meals In Cafe Scoop says The Brooklyn Museum is thrilled to announce the BKM Café, which now serves a rotating menu of kosher salads, sandwiches, and sweets. The kosher additions complement the already kosher snacks and beverages offered. To bring this much needed option to the BKM Café, the Museum has partnered with Wolf and Lamb, a kosher fine-dining Brooklyn restaurant and caterer. All meals prepared by Wolf and Lamb are Glatt Kosher under the OK kosher certification. To ensure

Scoop says Connecticut’s presidential primary isn’t until April 26, but M&M Bistro in Hartford invites diners to vote early – with their palates. The restaurant at the Hartford Hilton will serve four specialty burgers inspired by leading presidential candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Each burger candidate purchased results in a vote in M&M’s “Presidential Burger Primary.” “We were brainstorming some ideas to take advantage of the hype of the presidential race,” said the hotel’s general manager Ron Wichowski. In just a few days, executive chef James King came up with the

continued on page 40

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

Scoop, from page 39 four recipes, incorporating culinary touches that match the candidates’ backgrounds, roots and personalities. Clinton’s has grilled balsamic onions, bacon, smoked gouda and chipotle BBQ sauce - a “good old Arkansas barbecue” flavor profile, said King, that references her time as that state’s First Lady. The tribute to Vermont senator Sanders encourages customers to “Feel the Bern” with roasted and pickled jalapeños, sweet pepper aioli and Vermont cheddar on a “New England” muffin. On the GOP side, billionaire Trump’s burger is stacked high “like Trump Tower,” King said, with bacon, Cam-

embert, lettuce arranged like a billfold, caramelized onion baconnaise - and a crown of fried onion strings “combed over to the right,” representing his infamous coif. And for Ted Cruz, the Calgary-born Texas senator of Cuban heritage, there’s a burger on Texas toast with fried Canadian bacon and salami, pickles, provolone, roasted garlic, citrus aioli and dijonnaise.

Save The Date for Dining Out For Life Hosted By Subaru In NYC Scoop says please help make a difference by simply enjoying a meal with family or friends during Dining Out

For Life® hosted by Subaru®, a delicious event will be held on Thursday, April 28th. The annual event is magnificent in its simplicity: Dine at one of the 3,000 participating restaurants in nearly 60 cities across North America and that restaurant will donate a generous portion of the day’s proceeds to fund HIV/AIDS care, prevention, education, testing, counseling and other essential services in their city. Volunteer spokespeople include Ted Allen, host of food Network’s Chopped, actor Pam Grier (foxy Brown, Jackie Brown), designer Mondo Guerra, winner of Lifetime’s Project runway all-Stars, and chef Daisy Martinez from Food

network’s Viva Daisy! “I love working with Dining Out for Life because it’s just cooking, and avery low overhead operation that raises more than $4 million for American HIV and AIODS service organizations in a single day. It also helps restaurants and chefs get new people coming in to try what they’re doing. It just seems like such a win-win-win for everybody,” says Ted Allen.” “We have been the host sponsor of Dining Out For Life for a decade; however, the struggle to fight the HIV/ AIDS epidemic continues on. Subaru is proud to be part of an event that

continued on page 41

BOOTH #1652

continued on page 40 40 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

Scoop, from page 40 spreads awareness for such a worthy cause and also encourages people to support those who need it most in their local communities, “ said Alan Bethke, vice president of marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. Dining Out For Life began in Philadelphia in 1991 and has since grown into an international event held in cities across North America – raising an average $4 million annually. The idea behind the single-day event is simple and effective: Dine Out, Fight AIDS. Each restaurant donates a percentage of the day’s food sales, which goes to local organizations to fund care, prevention, education, testing, counseling and other essential HIV/AIDs services.

New York’s Pierre Hotel Creates the Ultimate Room Service Experience Everybody loves room service. It is the one time that it is perfectly acceptable to eat a steak dinner in bed while watching a movie on TV. Although room service menus can be expansive, they tend to emphasize the basics and play to convenience rather than our foodie instincts. New York City’s iconic Pierre Hotel has changed all that and elevated room service to a whole new level. The property, part of the Indian luxury brand Taj, offers guests the chance to have a bespoke meal reminiscent of those served to the Maharajas. The Royal Dinner is a three course extravaganza that can be personalized for single diners, couples, or even large family gatherings and is perfect for guests who are celebrating something special or those who just want to enjoy superb Indian food in their pajamas. The table is always impeccably set and a waiter is available to serve all courses of the meal. The property seeks to re-create some of the best loved treats from traditional princely banquet menus and usually begins with succulent kebabs and other appetizers. Chef Ashfer Biju and his team suggest that you include

a Biryani as part of the main course in order to become acquainted with the classic succulent combination of meat cooked for hours with spices and rice. Appetizers include chicken with fenugreek tossed with fennel carrot salad, smoked eggplant bharta with spiced yogurt, and a saffron lassi shot. The main course is equally indulgent: tangy curry of cod with fennel, curry leaves and coconut, lasooni saag with corn–garlic tossed spinach with corn, dal makhni–black lentils with tomato, butter and whole spices, fingerling potatoes with cumin, homemade pickles, chutneys and papad, a basket stuffed with Indian breads and some raitha to cool everything down. A highlight is the nawabi gosht biryani–lamb marinated overnight with fragrant basmati rice, which was cooked in a sealed pot. Dessert came adorned with 24 carat gold leaf (take that gold donut lovers) and included Indian cheese cake, carrot pudding and pear compote.

New York City Pepsi Joint to Try Hipster Approach Scoop notes PepsiCo’s quest to make soda edgy has brought it to one of the great restaurant towns of the world, where it will open its own establishment with cuisine “inspired by the exploration of the kola nut.” The opening of the Kola House, scheduled for

A cocktail from PepsiCo’s Kola House

42 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

this spring in New York City’s trendy Meat Packing District, comes at a time when Americans are cutting back on soda consumption. Whether an “experiential lounge” in New York does anything to transform PepsiCo’s image remains to be seen. Seth Kaufman, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo’s North American Beverages, said that the goal was to “create a modern hub for consumers to share social and immersive experiences that were anchored in the exploration of our cola’s artisanal craft and flavor.” The company promises a “full artisanal menu from a rising resident executive chef.” A “cocktail curator,” PepsiCo said, will also develop specialty drinks.

The Melbourne Restaurateurs Taking NYC By Storm Scoop hears that Indian-born chef Jessi Singh, his Brooklyn-born wife Jennifer, and their two small daughters moved from Melbourne to New York in December 2014. They opened Babu Ji NYC in May, designing, painting and furnishing the small East Village shop themselves, cramming in 50 seats and a help-yourself beer fridge, hoping that the style of fresh, freewheeling Indian cuisine they developed in Melbourne would find an audience in New York. “We had three quiet days,” says Jessi Singh. Then Adam Platt, the critic from New York Magazine, arrived. He enjoyed Singh’s goat curry with blackberries, the hung yoghurt kebab and the potato croquettes in pineapple sauce. “He tweeted about it and that was it,” says Singh. “We had a line down the street the next night and no quiet days since. “Other writeups followed: The New York Times and Wall Street Journal blessed the restaurant, taste-making website The Infatuation named the little eatery the city’s best new restaurant for 2015, The New Yorker enthused about the IndianChinese cauliflower, and restaurant guide Zagat declared the gol gappa, a spherical one-bite street snack, one

of the best things it had eaten in 2015. “We were stoked,” says Singh. However, more than any of the accolades and attention, it was during the recent late January blizzard that Babu Ji NYC’s success really sank in. “The whole city shut down,” says Singh. “Cars were off the road. There were no buses, no taxis, no trains. But we had a line in front of the restaurant and an hour wait for a table. In a blizzard. We couldn’t believe it.” The Singhs owned two Indian restaurants in Melbourne – Horn Please in Fitzroy North and Babu Ji in St Kilda – which they sold to their staff when they left. These places (and their first one, Dhaba at the Mill, in Kyneton) were well-loved and earned solid reviews but no one would suggest that they took the city by storm. “We were busy, we were happy, we were just doing our own thing but we wonder about the difference in how our food was received,” says Singh. “Indian food hasn’t made it that big in Australia – same with Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian and African. Maybe people take it for granted, they just think of it as a local curry house. In New York, they have big respect for all different cuisines.” Respect doesn’t necessarily mean New York has great food. “There are so many bad restaurants here,” says Singh. “There are 15 million people on this tiny island every day. No matter how bad you are, you don’t need a repeat customer so everybody can still make money.” Singh thinks the runaway success of Babu Ji NYC is in large part thanks to the schooling Melbourne gave him. “Melbourne is a great foodie city with very high standards,” he says. “I always tell people that a hole in the wall in Melbourne can beat any restaurant in New York. We thought, if we can make it in Melbourne, we can make it anywhere.”

BOOTH #1601

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

NEWS

MENU SOLUTIONS

French Firm Debuts Jersey Distribution Facility To Support Commitment To TriState Chefs And Beverage Community The next time your pasty chef goes to make his lemon tart, how about using something that tastes as close to the fruit as the fruit itself, but without having to peel it or remove the seeds or get rid of the core?

ccording to Denis Boursier, Director of Sales and Marketing at Les vergers Boiron, you can’t tell the difference between the company’s fruit puree and the actual lemon, he claims. It’s a delicate balance, but Boursier swears the company has gotten it right. The Boiron family founded an initial fruit trading business in Paris, then, in the early seventies, launched the first processed and frozen fruit, sold in the form of purees, to meet the requirements of pastry chefs. In recent years, it’s also launched a savory line of vegetable purees. “Initially, when we came on the market, our puree was labeled as a specialty for the pastry chef but we moved into selling it to ice cream makers, as well. Puree is the key ingredient of sorbet,” Boursier explains. “Fruit is processed by the ice cream maker into puree so we’re bringing them a ready-to-use ingredient.” “The company’s 70 fruits and vegetables are selected from the best producing areas, harvested at maturity, processed using adapted technology, then frozen to maintain all their original flavors,” Boursier notes. “They are assembled by our experts according to methods inspired by champagnemaking in order to guarantee the consistency of our products all year long.”

“We guarantee professional quality,” Boursier affirms. “The fruits we get are in season. We’ll blend them in our factory and make batches of purees so they have the same taste, flavor, colors, texture, and the same sugar content level. That’s a critical advantage for any chef.” Its fruit comes from all over the world. “We source fruit wherever it grows best,” he points out. “Some is grown in France. That’s why our company is based in Valence, in the Rhone valley. It’s a major orchard region in France, so we buy some fruits locally from there – our peaches, apricots, kiwi, grapes. Our tropical fruit comes from tropical countries. Much of our grapefruit comes from Eastern Europe.”

44 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

But Les vergers Boiron didn’t stop at just the sweet side. “Yes, we started on the sweet and dessert side,” Boursier points out. “Then we discovered that bartenders use our product, too. They get it from the freezer of the pastry chef and use it behind the bar. You can use our fruit puree in any type of cocktail where you need fruit. It could be a martini, a daiquiri, or a mojito. As well as many other cocktails that use fruit.

Bartenders now happily use our fruit puree instead of actual lemons or limes. The big advantage is that there’s no waste and it’s time-saving. No peeling, no scraping out the seeds. It’s all done for you.” As for the savory side, the vegetable purees, Boursier says that they have the same quality as the fruit. “We target the savory and catering side,” he says. “We’ve even launched some that could be used as a side dish.” Boursier adds that there are two reasons why restaurants choose Les vergers Boiron’s purees. “It’s a timesaving advantage. Through being available, frozen, ready to use, there’s no need to prepare. Time is money. Also, when you use our puree, you have two pounds of ingredients, whereas, when you buy two pounds of peaches, you’re lucky if you get one pound that you can use. It cuts way down on the labor and waste.” The second reason, he states, is that the company blends the fruits it buys in much the same way champagne is processed to consistently maintain its taste, bubbles and color. “We guarantee professional quality,” Boursier affirms. “The fruits we get are in season. We’ll blend them in our factory and make batches of purees so they have the same taste,

continued on page 118

fruit purees frozen red fruits Blackcurrant

Blackberry

Black cherry

Cranberry & Morello cherry

Strawberry

Wild strawberry

Caribbean cocktail

Coconut

Mara des bois strawberry

Raspberry

Red fruits

Morello cherry

Redcurrant

Blueberry

tropical fruits Pineapple

Kiwi

Banana

Lemongrass

Lychee

Mango

Spicy mango

Mango & Passion fruit

Passion Fruit

Tropical fruits

Ginger

Guava

Pomegranate

Pear

Green apple

Papaya

fruits of the orchard Apricot

Dark-red plum

Fig

Chestnut & Vanilla

Melon

Mirabelle plum

Watermelon

White peach

Blood peach

Fruits of the sun

Kalamansi

Mandarin

Orange

Red pepper

Pumpkin

Rhubarb

citrus fruits Bergamot

Lemon

Pink grapefuit

Yuzu

Lime

Citrus fruits cocktail with Cointreau

Orange & Bitter orange

Blood orange

vegetables Artichoke

Green Asparagus

Beetroot

Butternut squash

Cucumber

Yellow pepper

Tomato

zero compromise 100% taste my-vb.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45

FIORITO ON INSURANCE Employee or Independent Contractor? Protecting Your Restaurant Against Costly IRS Penalties and Workers’ Compensation Claims Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President,

HUB International Northeast, where

RS Reporting Compliance

ACA

Complicated and often misunderstood ACA compliance rules mean that many employers do not have a clear understanding of how they may be affected. This year, the mandate for health coverage expands to reach employers with as few as 50 workers. This means that the Applicable Large Employer (ALE) status carries critical importance. The law defines employers subject to the mandate as organizations that employed an average of at least 50 “full-time employees” on business days during the preceding calendar year. Counting workers is not a simple matter. Accurate counting requires an employer to also factor all employees of any related companies inside a control group; and to also aggregate other types of employees, specifically part-time and sometimes seasonal workers or independent contractors into the count. In 2016, health care reform also requires ALEs to report to employees and the IRS whether they offer their full-time employees (and dependents) the opportunity to enroll in coverage under an employersponsored plan. It’s important to know that this now includes any

independent contractors who may be considered as full-time employees. ALE-subject businesses must carefully track a broad range of information on a monthly basis for each and every employee. Employee or Independent Contractor? Employers who misclassify employees as independent contractors could also be on the hook for federal and state income, Social Security and Medicare taxes, unemployment taxes should the worker be laid off and retroactive workers’ compensation coverage. This type of expense across a fleet of workers could be crippling for an employer of any size. So, how do you determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor? The first step is to explore the relationship that exists between your restaurant/ company and the worker. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), worker classification can be determined by the following three categories[1]: • Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job? • Financial: Are the business as-

46 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

pects of the worker’s job controlled by the payer? This includes how the worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/ supplies, etc. • Type of Relationship: Are there written contracts or employee-type benefits, i.e. pension plans, insurance, vacation pay, etc.? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the operation? You may have answered yes to some of these questions and no to others. All three categories must be considered in tandem when determining if the worker is an employee or an independent contractor. There is no magic number of factors that determines employee status. Instead, employers must look at all these factors as a whole, considering the degree of the control and independence of the worker. Employees require workers’ compensation coverage Beyond IRS reporting, employers are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage for their employees, but not for their independent contractors. Workers’ compensation (WC) insurance provides medical, disability and rehabilitation expenses

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 & food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito.com

for an employee who is injured in the course of their employment. WC coverage is mandatory in the United States for all employees, and employers can be penalized for not having a policy in place. Know your workers’ status The IRS estimates that millions of workers nationally are misclassified, and the consequences can be felt at both the state and federal level. State governments are passing more laws to protect employee rights and crack down on employers who aren’t meeting their obligations, while at the federal level increased IRS audits are exposing unlawful employers. Properly identifying your employees based is vital to remain compliant and avoid penalties. Your insurance broker should be able to help you with this process.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47

CHEFCETERA

UP CLOSE WITH METRO NY CHEFS

Roxanne Spruance Executive Chef & Co-Owner, Kingsley

oxanne Spruance can’t entirely give her family credit for her choice of career. But she admits that she comes from two sets of grandparents who are terrible cooks. “My 94-year-old grandmother still thinks putting pineapple in green Jello is a great idea,” she says with a laugh. The chef’s dad grew up eating cow’s tongue and calf’s liver. “So, when my parents got together, they decided to stop the cycle,” she recalls. “I was that kid who always just wanted Wonder bread and Skippy peanut butter but my dad made our bread and my mom and I would make jam and jelly in the summer, canned tomatoes, all that good stuff. So I was always that kid who wanted processed foods, and never having it, ever.” Her father now does the grilling and bakes all the bread at home. “He makes a killer cheesecake. My mom does the pies and pastries. They split the meats up. It’s a real partnership,” she says. But the owner of Kingsley, which opened in Nolita last year, has always had a hand in the business, too. “I had a little bread pan that I would make my own little loaves in, next to my dad. I had a little pie pan, too.” The family has a summer home in Michigan and they’d go up to the orchards and get the fruit to make jam and jelly, then preserve it. Her career just grew from there. “My dad was chairman of the English department at my school while I was growing up and one of his former

students, Jennifer Newberry, was a chef in Chicago. She was working for Paul Kahan at the time, who had just opened Blackbird,” she remembers. “So Jen was working for Paul and I was playing field hockey in the summer and needed something else to do. Everybody knew that I liked cooking and Blackbird had just opened. I was too little to cook with the big boys so they put me in pastry and I would go to field hockey in the morning and then I would go down to the West Loop in the afternoon.” Spruance says she worked 10 hours a day, all unpaid, running up and down three flights of stairs in her hometown of Chicago. “And it was the hardest and best thing that I had ever done. And I just felt, I love this,” she says. “I fell 100% in love with it.” She notes that competing on the field and cooking really go together. “When I first got to restaurants, it was this very team atmosphere. Everyone’s working together. You’re with these people all of the time and you’re performing. It’s like you practice all day and each night is your opportunity to win that game.” But that’s not where it ends. “In each, you strive to get better. You do your best every day to really become a cohesive team. I run the kitchen like that. It’s very collaborative,” she says. “I like to have everybody feel like they are a part of something and not just this grunt worker.” Spruance says it’s tricky but instilling a sense of ownership in workers is key to getting them to give you their

48 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

time. “Their life, basically,” she adds. “We’re here all the time for no money, so making them feel like they, a) have the tools to succeed and b) are contributing instead of just being a body makes us a real winning team. I do menu meetings every Sunday and everybody brings ideas to the table.” Spruance says through it all she started to find her voice as a chef, and as a person, in general. But her experience as an athlete was never far behind. “You kind of become an amalgamation of what you grew up with -- what your parents instilled in you, the teachers who influenced you. In my case, the coaches were who influenced me the most. And then you take a little bit of, say, crazy French Christian Delouvrier and you mix it in. You take a little bit of the creative Wylie Dufresne, you mix it in. You take a little bit of the Dan Barber concept, and you mix it in, and you find your voice, based on your experiences,” she says. Spruance originally thought she might want to go into zoology or biology, something that has to do with the earth. But she found that in cooking. “I always figured, if all else fails, I’ll work for the park service. But I get so much stuff from our local farmers. I work with Cedar Table. We’re getting local fishing. Being able to talk to people about their sustainable practices, their pest control management that isn’t spraying, being able to talk to them about why they’re organic, why they’re not. It’s all related,” she says. “Being able to have some of that background and be on the same page

Roxanne Spruance

opens tons of doors for me.” Not afraid to take chances, Spruance came to New York from the Midwest to help out Dufresne when he was Food and Wine Best New Chef in 2013. “They had an open position and I moved out here blind two months later,” she says. She was at wd-50 for two years and then was offered the sous chef position at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. “That was really the only other place that I wanted to work, at the time,” she notes. But Spruance says she attributes much of her technique to Dufresne. “I grew up old school. Kahan was very old-school French in the way that he ran his kitchen, even though he worked for Rick Bayless for years. Rick’s kitchen is still very, very Frenchdriven, even though it’s Mexican. Working for Wylie Dufresne, at wd-50 gave me my background which is very French,” she points out. “But the most interesting thing about wd was not necessarily this crazy shock and awe molecular gastron-

continued on page 50

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49

Spruance, from page 48 omy. It’s more thinking about ingredients outside of the box. There was so much manipulation that happened there that had nothing to do with hydrocolloids. There was so much going on and I knew that I wanted to work for him the first time I ate dinner there.” When she staged in the kitchen for wd, “They literally took Pepperidge Farm hot dog buns and put them through a pasta roller, flattened them out and then just rolled them around the crab meat. And I was like, I want to work for the guy who came up with putting a Pepperidge Farm hot dog bun into a pasta machine.” Working at Blue Hill was a whole other experience, she says. “People do this stuff out in Napa but you’re kind of expecting it because you’re in farmland. But the fact that they’re 28 miles outside of the city and doing this on this stunning property is really very cool.” The chef also liked just being in a setting where there were no rules. “There’s no menu, it’s varying-ingredient-driven, while still trying to showcase not just Stone Barns and the property and the little bit that comes from there but everything comes from the Hudson Valley. Everything’s coming from the Barbers’ family farm in Massachusetts. It’s coming from Pat and Ross’s garden. “It’s so amazing and the fact that they’re doing it on such a large scale – I have a little 65-seat restaurant and that’s what I can contribute. Being able to be at a place where you’re doing 100 covers a night of these incredible tasting menus and being able to affect each one of those 100 people that come into the place is a remarkable gift,” she says. Though they were two entirely different situations, she took away priceless knowledge and experience from both restaurants. “At wd it was a hyper-creative environment, very collaborative, everything very vetted. We

Cuisine sample from Roxanne Spruance’s Kingsley restaurant.

would start working on a recipe with rhubarb in December so that it was perfect and ready to go on the menu a couple months out. At Blue Hill it was, hey, we’ve got asparagus this week. What are we going to do with them? It’s nice because you can still have that creativity, but it lends itself a little bit more to what’s going on that week seasonally and what produce you’re getting,” she affirms. Though some may call farm-totable just a gimmick, Spruance sees real merits. “A lot of the concept of farm-to-table is, we can do better than just putting a poached egg over some Brussel sprouts and call it a dish. While delicious, we can be more composed and still focus locally, focus sustainably, and be interesting and delicious,” she says. Then there was Kingsley. “Kingsley is my middle name and I’ve always known that I wanted to do my own restaurant. I knew that I needed to just do my own thing right now,” she says. “You pour your soul into other people’s projects, and it’s just emotionally devastating when something happens that’s out of your control. And it doesn’t matter whose fault it is

50 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

because at the end of the day – if the server rang in a medium well steak and you received it medium, that’s not the server’s fault, that’s the kitchen’s fault. So, no matter what happens, it all falls on you, whether it’s your place or not. I wanted to have a small place where I could take this amalgamation of what I’ve learned and train the next generation. I just knew if I was going to do this, I wanted to do it on my own terms and there was no looking back.” Spruance knew she could not swing it alone financially so she entered into a partnership with a person who was interested in investing in a restaurant, and her. “He was looking in the East Village at spaces and I’d gotten an e-mail about Back Forty being up for sale and I forwarded it to him, not even thinking that it was Kingsley because I was really still looking at places and he responded to me immediately. He said, is this Kingsley, and we started the negotiations and went in front of the community board twice to get our full liquor license. And we got into the space in August.” It’s like how some girls plan their weddings, Spruance says. “Roxanne plans her restaurant. I knew the exact

equipment that we were going to get from Jade. Lex Poulos was part of the project. And then we got everything through BSE Marketing and M Tucker.” When she’s sourcing food, she’s just as exacting. “My ideal time to get to the markets is 11, to avoid as many of the bikes, babies, dogs as possible,” she says with a laugh. What’s next? “I’d love to have a couple of different concepts going on. I’d love to do a French Bistro because I’m so disappointed by French food when I go out – a true steak tartare that’s salty and savory, not just mayonnaise with some ground beef, something with some texture to it. We’re doing our fries with duck fat. I’d love to do some concepts like that.” Spruance says her menu is completely natural. “We are using some sort of crazy dried chili to look cool. I like playing with some of that stuff. There’s a way to use brussel sprouts and not have it just be steamed or roasted vegetables on the plate. In the winter, you have to work even harder to do that. In the winter, when we only have about 25 things that are available at the market, you have to think outside the box. It’s easier in the summer. You can get whatever you want.” The chef says the future holds all kinds of unknowns, but it still looks promising. “Yes, New York has tons of restaurants. But it’s not over-saturated with great restaurants. And think that it behooves us all to do a little bit better to keep food brighter. Ten years ago I was all about, oh my God, Food and Wine best new chef. Oh my God, Michelin stars. That’s just what’s ingrained in you. And now that I’m an owner and have worked at all these amazing places, it becomes less and less about the accolades,” she says. “It makes me happier to have every single guest leave here happy every night, and whatever else happens, happens.”

BOOTH #1831

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51

NEWS

KOSHER STRATEGIES

Manhattan Based Bravo Pizza Sets Sights On Flavor Packed Kosher Pie

ecoming more observant as a Jew, and pizza, might seem like an odd combination. But to Ken Fellin, owner of Bravo Pizza, it makes perfect sense. That’s why he sells kosher pizza in two of his three locations in New York City. “We sell non-kosher pizza as well,” says Fellin. “But about four years ago, I felt New York needed a good kosher pizza restaurant and as I was starting to feel closer to my religion, I thought it was a good opportunity for me and other Jews who want to eat good pizza.” Fellin, who opened the first Bravo

Pizza in 1985, says he tries to bake his kosher pizza as close to non-kosher pizza as he can make it. “And I believe I have accomplished it. I have non-Jews coming to eat my pizza all the time!” Though there are other kosher pizza restaurants, Fellin says they tend to use canned tomatoes and use any kind of crust. “I researched a lot and found ingredients that I use in my regular pizzas that are already kosher, I just have to tweak a few things so they’re compatible with my non-kosher pizza, with the exception of meat,” he explains. As for the ingredients, flour is the same, except for when it has to be “yashown”. He notes that that’s the flour that can’t be made during Passover. “Tomatoes have other ingredients in them that may be made in factories where they’re making other products that don’t have to be strictly kosher,” he adds. Cheese is one of those ingredients. “Pecorino Romano, fresh mozzarella, cheddar for macaroni and cheese, they’re all very difficult to find,” he says. “They’re quite expensive but that’s because they’re watched all the way from the cow to the process of being made. Almost all cheese manufacturers who are kosher do that.” But there’s another way to get kosher cheese when the factory owners are not observant. “The customers who want kosher cheese take a day or two from the regulat schedule of

52 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

an existing cheese factory and they ‘kasher’ the factory,” Fellin states. “They clean the equipment, they make their own batch every month. And the manufacturer who does non-kosher cheese appreciates it because it’s giving him business on a day when he might not have it. It all has to be checked through OU,” Fellin points out. Fellin says the pizza restaurants promote themselves mostly through flyers that are given out near the

restaurants but that he is also starting to use social media. “Most of my business is word of mouth,” he says, “but the flyers help. We hand out our menu and hope they put it in their drawer so when they need to eat pizza, they take a look.” The pizzeria owner says he’s currently licensing out the name and looking into possible franchises for both the kosher and non-kosher restaurants.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

NEWS

CULINARY COMPETITION

White House, Disney and Food Network to Judge 27th Annual U.S. Pastry Competition

ising stars of the pastry world will compete for the coveted title of Pastry Chef of the Year at Paris Gourmet’s U.S. Pastry Competition taking place at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York on Sunday, March 6 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The theme for the 2016 competition is Magic & Illusions and new for this year will be The Junior Competition where six finalists from four culinary schools will compete alongside the professionals. The showpieces will be judged starting at 10:00 am, with the awards ceremony at 4:00 pm. All attendees are invited to see the illustrious showpieces created by America’s leading pastry chefs throughout the duration of the Show. “We are thrilled to be hosting the 27th annual Pastry Chef of the Year Competition and the new Junior Competition at the upcoming International Restaurant Show,” said Ron Mathews, Vice President for the Urban Expositions Family of Foodservice Events. “This special event has consistently been a highlight on the show floor, and we look forward to welcoming such an esteemed panel

of judges to critique and select the next Pastry Chef of the Year.” The U.S. Pastry Competition is America’s most prestigious pastry competition. The event allows leading pastry chefs to showcase their talents by creating advanced dessert and chocolate bonbon recipes exhibited along with highly technical sugar and chocolate sculpted showpieces. Board members of the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique, one of the oldest and most presti-

gious chef associations in the world, will preside over the judging procedures. Contest awards will total over $10,000. Judges represent L’Auberge Casino Resort, Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort, CupCake Wars, Lincoln Ristorante, Institute of Culinary Education, Restaurant Daniel, Norman Love Confections, Mandalay Bay Casino Resort, Pasticceria Bruno, The White House, Chocolate Fashion, Ritz Carlton Hotel Grande Lakes, Helms Bakery, and

“We are thrilled to be hosting the 27th annual Pastry Chef of the Year Competition and the new Junior Competition at the upcoming International Restaurant Show,” said Ron Mathews, Vice President for the Urban Expositions Family of Foodservice Events.

54 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

The Langham Hotel. New this year will be the Junior Competition, which will consist of 6 finalists (4 schools) who qualified by participating in preliminary try-outs at their respective schools conducted by professors/deans in pastry programs. The junior competition will use the same criteria of the professional division, respecting the theme, Magic and Illusion but instead of making full scale chocolate and sugar sculptures, the junior competitors are required to make smaller table amenity chocolate centerpieces. As with the pros, the juniors will create a plated dessert, live, but instead of chocolate bonbons they will present petitfours to the jury panel and will be judged right along with the pros, by the same esteemed panel of jurors. The event is hosted by Paris Gourmet, a leading specialty food importer and distributor sourcing products worldwide with service throughout North America. The event is co-sponsored by Cacao Noel Chocolate, Pastry 1 (pastry ingredients), Beurremont Butter, Gourmand and Maison de Choix.

art of the BOOTH #2500

We believe menus are an integral part of the dining experience and should be viewed as the presentation: the story of who you are and what your customer can expect. Let us help you create the presentation your food deserves. naming | logo development | branding interior menu design | menu covers talk

view

888 LOST 456 toll free 206 728 6044 tel

taste-envy.com menus brand-envy.com branding

TASTE-ENVY.COM

Details & Dimensions • The Purse Perch is manufactured in Mexico, made of high-quality tubular steel and extremely durable high-grade plastic. • Height is 42½”– a perfect height to allow maximum stacking of handbags, briefcases and hats, yet still be unobtrusive within your décor. • Weight is only 3.2 lbs, yet is capable of holding approximately 10 plus handbags or totes, while supporting a weight of 100 lbs plus. • We minimize freight costs by packing the unassembled Purse Perch in a shippable box with dimensions of 30 ½” long x 7 ½” wide x 2 ½” deep.

BOOTH #2067

Easy assembly in minutes

www.purseperch.com What is The Purse Perch? Corporate The Purse Perch Inc. 4 Floyd Wycoff Road Headquarters Morganville, NJ 07751

Now hiring distributors and reps, please call 908-692-0054.

The Purse Perch is the comfort zone for those who carry a handbag, briefcase, or a hat into a restaurant, hotel, office, salon, or into a home or bedroom. As it stands close by you, The Purse Perch is the perfect location to relieve concern for your personal belongings until you are ready to leave.

Support a weight of 100 lbs plus

42½” Great balance when supporting weight

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 55

RESTAURANT RENAISSANCE

WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO

Harlem is Happening! Uptown’s Culinary Evolution

arlem has emerged as one of the city’s trending dining scenes in recent years with restaurant openings from star chefs like Marcus Samuelsson, Alexander Smalls and Joseph “JJ” Johnson. Uptown has transformed into a foodie destination for New Yorkers and world travelers alike. Frederick Douglass Boulevard, perfectly positioned right around the corner from the world famous Apollo Theater, is now known as Harlem’s

Restaurant Row. The neighborhood is rapidly gentrifying and as a result the income per capita is increasing exponentially. The Harlem condo boom fueled a rush of restaurants as entrepreneurs jumped in to serve a growing residential population. In addition, Harlem draws more than 5 million tourists annually. There are two market indicators that have joined the Harlem landscape and act as the anchors for the renaissance; Starbucks and Whole

Afro-Asian-American: Cecil - thececilharlem.com American: Red Rooster – redroosterharlem.com Streetbird - streetbirdnyc.com Friedman’s -friedmansrestaurant.com Maxwells - maxwellscentralpark.com Vinateria – vinaterianyc.com Row House – rowhouseharlem.com Chocolat - chocolatharlem.com Harlem Tavern – harlemtavern.com The 5 and Diamond 5anddiamondrestaurant.com Blujeen - blujeennyc.com Harlem Food Bar - hfbnyc.com Corner Social - cornersocialnyc.com BLVD Bistro - boulevardbistrony.com Sexy Taco Dirty Cash - sexytacodirtycash.com French-American: Mountain Bird - mountainbirdnyc.com French: Ponty Bistro - pontybistroharlem.com Chez Lucienne – chezlucienne.com 56 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Foods. Starbucks on 125th Street is one of the largest in NYC and when Whole Foods opens on the corner of 125th and Lenox Avenue by the end of the year, the statistics speak volumes: rents and property values in the immediate area of a Whole Foods dramatically increase. This has been proven in areas all around NYC and in major cities across the country. Let’s take a tour of some of the new restaurants and bars that have opened in Harlem over the past few years. This

Lenox Saphire – lenoxsaphire.com Barawine – barawine.com Cheri - cheriharlem.com Maison Harlem– maisonharlem.com Italian: Serafina –harlem.serafinarestaurant.com Lido – lidoharlem.com Sottocasa Pizzeria – sottocasanyc.com Babbalucci – babbalucci.com Anchor Wine Bar- anchorwinebarnyc.com Bono Trattoria - bononyc.com Gastropubs: The Grange Bar & Eatery – thegrangebarnyc.com Hogshead Tavern - hogsheadharlem.com Harlem Public - harlempublic.com Solace Bar and Grill – solacebar.com Loft 142 – loft142.com Carribean: Angel of Harlem - angelofharlemnyc.com Solomon & Kuff - solomonandkuff.com LoLo’s Seafood Shack - lolosseafoodshack.com

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

impressive list includes a wide range of cuisines, from bistros to gastropubs to hyper-hip wine and cocktail bars. Check it out… Happy Dining!

Tapas: The Park 112 - thepark112.com Sushi: Jado Sushi - jadosushi.com Sushi Inoue – sushiinoue.com Mediterreanean: Savann - nycsavann.com Japanese: Jin Ramen - jinramen.com Yuzu - yuzunewyork.com Rai Rai Ken Uptown - rairaikenuptown.com Indian: Chaiwali - chaiwali.com Cocktail & Wine Bar: 67 Orange Street - 67orangestreet.com L-Lounge - harlemllounge.com Beer Garden: Bier International - bierinternational.com Bierstrasse NYC - bierstrassenyc.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 57

MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

The Fast Retort A Rum And Mint Flavored Milk Punch... Really A Mid-Winter Refresher...

t last summer’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, many cocktailian trends were aflutter in many of the tasting rooms. One of these cocktail trends was drinking a refreshing milk punch. These long drinks that fit gently into my hand caught my eye and my palate because they are so darned refreshing given the heat and humidity of New Orleans in the summer. And now that we are in the throes of

Warren Bobrow is the creator of the popular blog The Cocktail Whis-

the winter, one day warm and the next day cool, isn’t it nice to know that you can drink something that makes your ambient body temperature even? What? Yes. Even. Sort of like being even keeled, or even-tempered. Even a cool inside? Perhaps. Ice cream based drinks are my go/ to for adult (read: alcohol based) refreshment. And what tastes even better when it is frozen? Mint of course. And there is nothing that I find more

58 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

adaptable to liquor than ice cream milkshakes. Maybe this is because I’m a huge fan of the classic Milk Punch. A few years back I was given the honor of making my famous Milk Punch for an appreciative audience at the yearly gathering of the tribes of cocktailians known as Tales of the Cocktail. Given the fact that my Milk Punch at that time was made with Bourbon, the use of rum in a milk punch holds a very special place in my heart. My new incarnation of this venerable drink contains rum and a very special aged rum at that. The rum that I chose is from Mezan and its provenance is Jamaican. The label reads XO- for me this means, extra old. I know from being their National Brand Ambassador that the rums contained are aged from 4-23 years of age. This is remarkable considering the color of the rum. It is a golden yellow hue of sunshine. It has not been artificially colored with caramel to fool the consumer into believing they have a ‘very old rum’ when it’s just coloring added to make something less than young look older than it really is. But that is what smoke and mirrors are all about in the liquor industry. Sad but true for those of us who seek out authenticity in flavor and color in our spirits. Mezan doesn’t add any extra sugar. Nor is it chill-filtered to make the distillate crystal clear. There is a light haze from the stuff in the cask left

perer and the author of nearly half a dozen books, including Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and his most recent book Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, & Tonics.

over from pad filtration. Pad filtration is meant to remove any large particles from inside the wooden cask; you might not want to see what is in the cask. There is char and sediment, just like in wine production! A small amount of char gets into the bottle and that is a very good thing. It’s authentic and it adds flavor and color naturally. Just like I seek out wines that are not fined, nor filtered. I like wine with stuff in the bottle. There is a certain funky quality in the nose to this rum and I know it will compliment the other ingredients in my milk punch. The use of a Dunderor wild yeast- (this technique is similar to certain Biodynamic practices in the vineyard), fashions the word authenticity. Taste of the place. Quality. Not invented in a Madison Avenue boardroom, but flavors that come from passion and time in the cask, put there by alchemists. I get really emotional about authenticity, and Mezan should be your go/to for the flavor of

continued on page 122

VISIT US AT THE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT & FOODSERVICE SHOW OF NEW YORK

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center March 6-8 BOOTH #2301

ORGANIC

Vegetable Chili GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN

They’re Hungry for Organic

Become the destination for health-conscious diners looking for great tasting premium-quality foods. Our wide range of soup varieties and boil-in-bag convenience enable you to keep the dining experience fresh and reduce preparation to a minimum.

With Blount, you can get more because we do more. To learn more about our artisan-crafted organic soups call 800.274.2526 or visit blountfinefoods.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 59

NEWS

MENU QUALITY SOLUTIONS

Irinox USA Brings Energy Efficient Equipment Line Focused On Menu Consistency To Javits

re you concerned about preserving the freshness of your product offerings, while needing help in controlling spiraling food, labor and energy costs? Irinox USA has the answer for you. Established in North America since 2005, Irinox USA rapidly became the leading supplier for blast chillers, shock freezers and holding cabinets to foodservice kitchen designers and commercial and non-commercial foodservice operators. It is part of Irinox Corporation. “We originally came here in 1994, knowing that we had the challenge of introducing the concept of blast chilling/shock freezing, which had proven its economic value in European kitchens,” says Ronald van Bakergem, the company’s new president. Blast chilling and shock freezing preserve food products’ organic qualities, freshness and nutritional values. “As a pioneer in developing blast chilling and high-quality food preservation for the catering, confectionery, ice cream, bread-making and food industries, Irinox has always invested in continuous research and improvement of its technology,” he points out. “We not only manufacture the equipment, but more importantly, we partner with food professionals and companies all over the world.” Bakers have specific needs when it comes to producing a consistent product daily. “Produce can be too little and sales can be lost. A bare shelf is wasted

space and is not generating any income. Produce too much and now you have to deal with waste. The breadmaking process takes time in order to mix, form, proof, bake, rest, then make it available for sale,” Ronald acknowledges. “Irinox has developed a dough freezing cycle that will safely freeze raw dough and will not kill any of the yeast so that when the dough thaws, it will fully rise. Traditional freezing methods actually kill some of the yeast, resulting in an inconsistent product.” The beauty of shock-freeze products is that they are protected and can be stored in a traditional freezer for future use. “Instead of preparing a batch of dough every day, you now have the option to produce to inventory, pull from inventory when needed, and replace when needed with a consistent product seven days a week. No need to start production at 10pm the evening before you open,” Ronald maintains. “All production can be done in the day time. This will allow for a better quality of life for all bread bakers. Irinox will also allow you to perfectly freeze par cooked and fully cooked breads as well.” All Irinox reach-in models have programmable, on-demand thawing cycles. “Shock-freeze Irinox dough products and store in your traditional freezer. Pull from the freezer as needed and thaw on demand in a quarter of the time or pull the evening before and program the unit to hold in the frozen state until a specific time, then thaw it out for when you arrive the following

60 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

day,” he says. “The dough is held in a controlled environment. The thawing feature can be used for any product whether it is bread, pastry, proteins and more. All Irinox reach-in models have programmable, multi-phase, on demand proofing, capabilities, as well, with the chilling cycle adding 6-12 hours of fresh shelf life to breads, cakes or pastries. Irinox has also developed cycles that will melt chocolate, or temper molded chocolate so it can be quickly ready for another stage of production. The Irinox shock-freezing cycle allows product to be prepared ahead for seasonal business, smoothing out labor needs and helping bakers take advantage of ingredient price swings. Caterers, as well, use Irinox products. “All caterers do advanced preparation. It is the only reasonable way to serve large parties efficiently. With Irinox, prepare in advance with quality and safety,” Ronald says. “Yield increases of 3% - 10% are common when cooked products are chilled properly.” He adds that Irinox has a special airflow design that does not dry products out. And the shelf life of blast-chilled products can be double and triple of more traditionally chilled products. And Irinox equipment helps ice cream shops, too. “Ice cream or gelato is, for most shops, a short season. Some find it difficult to produce product while maintaining quality customer service and overseeing team members to ensure consistent portions are

being served,” Ronald notes. “Another major area of concern is maintaining overrun. When product is not frozen quickly, overrun can be quickly lost, decreasing profits.” Ronald notes that Irinox USA has succeeded in bringing awareness of this technology to the marketplace, as evidenced by the number of manufacturers now involved in the product category. “We’ve also raised awareness of how technology like ours can help foodservice operators deal with their escalating cost issues,” he says. The company is doing so well it is moving into a new facility that will enable it to grow its young company and continue to better support the demands of its customers, according to Ronald. “Our new facility will allow us to grow our support staff, ship and receive, invest in local inventory and perform multiple product demonstrations in our state-of-the-art test kitchen,” he affirms. Ronald, who has been in the commercial refrigeration industry for almost 10 years, says he’s been able to re-configure “go-to-market” strategies for other medium-sized organizations, growing their export areas, with the opening of several key markets in Latin America, including Brazil. But he’s most proud of what has been accomplished at Irinox. “Today, I am proud of Irinox’s strength, stability and exceptional customer service and the commitment we’ve shown to the American market over the past 15 years,” he concludes.

BOOTHS #1931 + 1945

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61

NEWS

GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE

Bambooware Delivers Innovative Green Serving Solutions From One Of The Largest Entertainment Companies To Mom And Pop Operators

t might not be the first material you think of for a plate but it is striking it hot these days. We’re talking about bamboo. For centuries bamboo has had many uses but the sheath it is wrapped in has been found to have the right attributes to make elegant and quality dinnerware Barry Hermanson of Bamboo Studio discovered this on a trip to China. “I’d been doing business in China since 1985, and I heard about this product, bamboo sheath, which is the hasp of the bamboo,” he says. “It’s the protective covering when it grows, and the Chinese have used that bamboo sheath to wrap fish and meat in for centuries because it’s antibacterial, and it kept everything fresh. A friend told me about someone who was using it to make bamboo sheath plates. Being in this business, I thought, hmmm. Why not?” So Hermanson got some samples, and brought them back to the U.S. “I showed it to a few knowledgeable people and they thought it would have a decent chance, because it was 2002 and ‘green’ was just starting,” Hermanson reports. With a partner, he developed a retail package, chose the best sizes and brought it out. “We thought that the retail part would be where to go with it, but a caterer heard about this and loved it, and then he told me about this trade show in Las Vegas every year

“We call it BambooWare from Bamboo Studio, Dinnerware that is all-natural, biodegradable and dishwasher-safe. The problem with it, is it’s a little too good. It doesn’t wear out! BambooWare lasts 3 to 6 times longer than Melamine or China.” called CaterSource. We got a booth, and the interest was off the charts,” Hermanson states. “We did a little bit of retail but foodservice was where it was at, for us. From there we branched out. Catering became more and more popular, and a caterer who serviced one of the largest tech companies called us. Their customer always wants to be green but did not find the right eco friendly product until they saw our Bamboo Sheath. They used us for most of their meetings and events. They’re people who care more about what it is than what it costs.” We developed a line of Bamboo Sheath Dinnerware and had the broadest line of sizes of plates and bowls of any Bamboo single serve product. We make plates in both round and square shapes in sizes from 3.5” to 12.5”. Bowls with varying capacities to fit any and all requests, because it’s all about portion control. “If we were out of something, we gave them the next size for the same

62 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

price.” The boats became very popular, filled a lot of needs, we added solid Bamboo products and utensils. “On my travels, people would ask, do you make anything reusable,” he notes. “I asked around. There seemed to be a good market for it, and I found a partner in China who was trying to make something like that. Because the process was complicated as we took a bamboo plant that was 5 years or older, grinding up the Bamboo into a fine powder, adding a vegetable starch and a binding agent, then injection-molding it. But finding a binding agent that was natural was a challenge. It took us 2 years to develop that.” We were on a mission to develop an all-natural, biodegradable and dishwasher-safe reusable Bamboo product. We named that product BambooWare. We followed the same successful formula that we used on the Bamboo Sheath by starting with over 120 different sizes, shapes designs with an all-natural look.

But when Bamboo Studio brought the product out, it wasn’t durable enough so BambooWare was reformulated and the product was then reapproved by the FDA and EU health organizations. “For success we have to have a much larger customer base,” he points out. “We’re up against China and melamine, which has a much shorter shelf life, BambooWare has a much longer shelf life. We’re rolling it out with a major customer. They have 40+ restaurants and none of them do less than $8 million a year.” At these restaurants, every dish is washed up to 10 times a day. “They had a problem with the dinnerware they were using because it comes out of conveyor dish washers and is still wet so they had to have people at the end of the dish machine drying them off,” he says. “With BambooWare ours, it’s dry. We lucked out on that, it never entered my mind. It was very important to them.” Many fine foodservice operations are now using BambooWare. Customers range from Convention Centers, Hotels, Stadiums and many independents. One of the largest fast dining chains in the U.S. is very pleased with the product because the chain found that BambooWare reusables reduced their trash by over half. “They just have to use it 6 or 7 times

continued on page 126

BOOTH #1563

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

Reliable ice at an aﬀordable price!

Smart!

Simple!

Stress-Free!

Budgeting made easy with ﬁxed pricing and no hidden fees!

All-inclusive from ice machine to repairs to maintenance.

Free Breakdown Ice! Guaranteed ice in your bin.

“Health and safety is a top priority. My staﬀ cleans and sanitizes every food prep surface in my restaurant, except the inside of my ice machine. Simply put, we’re not ice machine experts, but Easy Ice technicians are. Here’s the kicker—it’s their machine so they have the same incentive I do—clean, safe ice.” 64 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

“I go through 2,500 – 3,000 lbs of ice on a busy weekend. Before Easy Ice, I spent $300/weekend buying ice because my ice machine wasn’t keeping up. Easy Ice’s monthly fee is less than that and I’m never short on ice. I’m saving $3,000 – $4,000 per year. Guaranteed ice at these prices is the only way to go!”

Simplify your ice supply with Easy Ice today and never pay an ice machine repair bill again!

(327-9423)

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

66 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67

PEST ELIMINATION

Small Flies, Big Problems

ne of the most frustrating pest issues for restaurants is fruit and drain flies. They’re small, but once these annoying little buggers get established inside a restaurant, they become extremely difficult to get rid of. Most restaurant owners keep a clean facility and that’s what is so frustrating. How can there be so many annoying flies when their staff keeps every area spotless? Because sanitation isn’t everything. In some cases, cleaning practices

can even add to the issue. Every restaurant has weak or critical points - areas that create an environment ideal for flies. Find your weak points and then put together a program that achieves long-term control and elimination. The first step is easy, where are you finding the flies? Fruit and drain flies are weak fliers and have a very short range from their breeding site. The average distance is about 10-15 feet from the breeding site. This will help you find potential areas easily. If you’re finding flies by the bar, chances are that there is something

68 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

by the bar, or within 10-15 of the bar that is causing the issues – not the dumpster in the back of the parking lot. The four most overlooked areas • Moisture – Anything that allows moisture to sit and mix with organic matter 24/7 is key. Look for leaks under sinks and equipment. Some areas that are often overlooked are things that touch and rest on the floor. This allows areas to stay wet. Look for hoses or pipes that rest on the floor or milk crates that aren’t moved regularly. Look beneath these items, and you may find a wet, gunky mess that you never knew existed. One of the most common and overlooked moisture areas in restaurants is missing grout and broken tiles. These are ideal breeding sites for flies. A little grout may be all you need to eliminate a long established issue. • Drains – Most restaurants check their beer and soda drainage lines as well as hosing down their floor each night. But the floor drains are often overlooked and can catch large debris and trap huge amounts of organic matter that rots away. Drain covers and filters should be run through the dish washer on a regular basis to remove organic matter, and using a Bio Enzymatic Cleaner in drains is great to remove the bacteria that attract flies. • Vegetables – Many people just assume the flies are brought in with fruit. But they are more likely to come into your restaurant in rotten vegetables, especially potatoes and onions. Just one rotten piece in a bag can have thousands of fly larvae. It’s

Michael Broder is the President of BHB Pest Elimination. Since 1969, BHB Pest Elimination has been dedicated to the food and hospitality industry. If you need help in identifying your Weak and Critical areas, or for any information on our Pest Elimination Programs, we will gladly provide you with a free on site evaluation. 212-242-3383 or service@ bhbpest.com

not just new deliveries, but loose and rotting pieces under your storage area can cause an ongoing cycle. • Missed Sanitation Areas – Your floor is spotless, the stainless steel equipment is sanitized and yet flies are still breeding. You need to go further. Pull out refrigerators and equipment. What does it look like behind and under these areas? One bottle cap or one mixing straw can create hundreds of flies. Another missed spot is equipment motors. We’ve discovered stagnant water, lemon wedges and leftover food: a perfect environment for breeding flies. When we inspect restaurants, we find them clean and organized with 99% of the areas properly cleaned. But pests are going to find the 1% that’s overlooked. These are the areas that need to be addressed if you want your facility to be pest free.

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

ASK ANDREW

1. Tell us about The Alliance’s recently released compensation report ? Due to skyrocketing labor costs and the tight labor market restaurateurs kept asking us for data to guide them in offering competitive compensation packages to attract and retain employees. But the data didn’t exist. So we partnered with Harri.com, which is an innovative website that connects restaurant employers and job seekers to develop this much needed report. With assistance from Professor Michael Lynn at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration we collected data from nearly 600 restaurants around the city, analyzed it and published the first NYC Restaurant Industry Compensation & Benefits Report. The data provides information on casual, fast casual and fine

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

dining restaurants. As for the results, the report found that the median hourly wage for a

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

70 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

server is $27.50 an hour, which was of major interest during a time when there is so much discussion about tipping. And, with the city’s shortage of line cooks, employers were also interested in the pay rates for that and other kitchen positions. The types of benefits being offered and the employer contributions was also a focus of interest. The growing number of corporate office jobs that exist within the industry that range from human resources to marketing to finance intrigued me. The corporate support is needed due to the growth of the “restaurant group,” which operates multiple concepts under one umbrella. The competitive nature of the business and the challenging and heavily regulated operating environment are major factors for corporate positions too.

2. What’s your read on Manhattan’s commercial retail rents for 2016? A restaurateur with a lease expiring in 2016 will likely be faced with a daunting renewal increase that costs multiples of their current rent. And in some cases, the restaurant’s business model may not allow for the cost cutting measures and sizable menu price increases needed to make the new lease affordable. This has been a major factor in why some beloved restaurants have shuttered over the past few years. The restaurants that extend their lease this year will have to review their operations to ensure they’re running as efficiently as possible,

continued on page 120

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

NEWS

INDUSTRY SHOWS

Club Managers Set For 22nd Annual Show At Glen Island Casino

etro New York’s club managers are set to tee off their 2016 season with their annual Metropolitan Club Managers Vendor Show. The 22nd annual event is slated for Tuesday, March 22nd at Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle. Some 1,200 people from the private club industry will gather at the annual one day networking and education event. Tri-State club managers will have the opportunity to tackle the wide diversity of challenging issues that they face. From the sustainable grounds of a golf facility to healthcare and food regulations, trends, governance, financials and strategic planning will all be part of the day’s agenda. “For many of the club managers, the value of the show is the ability to tour the show’s vendors. We try to provide a true one-stop shopping environment for our members and their staffs,” noted the show’s director Randy Ruder of the Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck, NY. The show’s aisles will once again feature the very latest in food and beverage solutions. The Vendor Show has raised over $3,000,000 since its start in 1994 to support educational programs for club managers and to assist managers to further the club management profession; provide financial assistance to individuals from the

public sector, including minorities, interested in the club and hospitality fields and create a greater public awareness of professional opportunities; promote the club management profession through academic programs offered by community colleges, culinary schools, and universities both in New York and other states, and to cooperate in the dissemination of professional information to allied associations, academic institutions, and other groups involved with the hospitality field. Foodservice suppliers, including 120 vendors showing club-specific products, will exhibit their wares at the show. Attending are clubs from the Metro New York area, including Manhattan, Westchester, Long Island, and the Capital region of upstate New York and lower Connecticut. A talk on trends in the club industry will lead off the day, with expert panelists from different industries, sharing their observations and expertise on what’s hot, along with best management practices in

72 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

strategic planning and board governance currently in use around the country. Many of Metro New York’s leading managers have recently returned from the San Diego and the CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) annual conference. “The biggest challenge remains attracting new members,” noted the Penn Club’s Wesson Anderson. The NYC club manager also sees a move towards vegetarian and vegan items being added to menus. Anderson also previewed what to look for on beverage menus: “Craft cocktails have added to stay ‘relevant’ with the growing number of millennials. Bourbon continues as the hottest spirit with rum coming up fast,” Anderson added. Rye, NY based industry consultant Charles Dorn agrees with the Penn Club’s Anderson millenial challenge. “A different group with a different demographic with a unique perspective and a different set of needs. The hardest part of dealing with them is the balance between Club tradition,

older members and the millennials.” This will be an issue for years to come. While cliché, it is fair to say, “It ain’t your Father’s Club anymore.” The Yale Club’s Alan Dutton will be attending the New Rochelle event in search of competitive answers. “One of the biggest challenges of those of us who have guest rooms is the competition from Airbnb, and all the new building of hotels that is going on in New York City, it is really cutting into our business.” For many the highlight of the show comes at the end of the day. The Club Chefs of Westchester and Lower Connecticut will take center stage to provide Metropolitan Club Managers Vendor Show guests with what is always one of the truly legendary displays of culinary excellence. Each of the club chef’s stations become a barometer for innovative menu solutions for their 2016 club season.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73

NEWS

CLUB MENU SOLUTIONS

Long Island’s Peter’s Fruit Set To Bring Dazzling Array Of Menu Solutions To Club Show

hen Peter Montalbano came here from Italy, he started a small retail fruit and vegetable store. It did so well that when his sons joined him in the business, they added a wholesale division to serve the Tri-State restaurant and food service industry. One thing led to another and they got bigger, and bigger. “And here we are today,” said Danny Hermanns, the company’s Director of Sales. “We deal a lot with local farmers from Long Island, and since farm-totable has become very fashionable, we’re seeing a lot of demand for our products.” For three generations, Peter’s Fruit Company has been one of the leading direct buyers, receivers, and distributors of high-quality, fresh produce in Metro New York. “Exceptional value and first-rate customer service,” says Danny, husband of Peter’s granddaughter. “That’s what makes us a

“Exceptional value and first-rate customer service,” Sam adds. “That’s what makes us a leader.” leader, “ Hermanns noted. Danny says his family’s business is so successful because it supplies the basics: service, value and quality. “With us, it’s one-on-one with the owners,” he says. “A lot of companies, you can’t get that. But because we’re a family business, service is our specialty – 24 hours, seven days a week. We take a lot of personal pride in our business. The owners do all of the buying so we know where our product is coming from.” A lot of the company’s product comes direct. “Even if it’s from California it’s not sitting around it comes in as soon as its harvested and shipped

74 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

out to the consumer right away. We’re getting it direct from farms from all over the country and world shipped in daily either by truck or plane.” By buying it direct, Dan points out; it means you get freshness, and the pick of the crop. “Better pricing, too, that we can pass on to the customer. And we have traceability on the product, which is so important these days.” Dan admits that the company has been taking its time getting online. But he sees it as a plus. “It’s still that

relationship, face-to-face, with the salesperson and the customer,” he reveals. “That’s a lot of what we’re about. I think it’s coming back. People are back to the point where they’re saying, you know what, I’d rather pay a little more to get the value added service and quality. Someone who knows what we want and understand what’s available to get it on our menu. Our phones are on 24/7.” He says proudly that customers can call him direct. “I don’t care what time it is. We’ll take care of your needs.” “Our biggest advantage over the competition? We deliver quality, pricing and great service. We can also supply the names of farms that we are dealing with out here. Customers like to know that what they’re eating is safe, from a valued, reputable grower,”Hermanns concluded.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 75

NEWS

CLUB MENU SOLUTIONS

HAFSCO’s Capobianco Leads Legendary Design Family to Club Show In New Rochelle

he circus had the Great Wallendas and music had the Jackson’s, the movies had the Douglas father and son team. When you think about the domain of club kitchen and dining design, one family comes to mind: The Capobianco’s of HAFSCO. The 50-year old plus company is located in West Haven, CT. Dad Tommy Capobianco’s story reads like a movie script. What happens when you take a kid from the inner city, tell him to drive a truck and then promote him into sales calling on Bridgeport’s very finest Gentleman’s Clubs? Tom Capobianco’s 42-year odyssey has had many peaks ands valleys on the way to his evolution into one of the nation’s pre-eminent club kitchen designers. “Bars on the windows, guys selling hot leather jackets, teal and orange Mark IV’s in the parking lot,” he recalls. “The boss makes me go down there and tell the owner to cough up the money he owes.” The tough streets of Southern Connecticut proved to be nothing compared to Capobianco’s ascension to his eventual ownership of HAFSCO. It seems that the young Capobianco had been promised part ownership of the firm. However HAFSCO’s majority owner at the time had forgotten to communicate that with his wife and partners. He’d had a hint of this before the owner, died. “With a wife and five kids, I left the company and had a second job selling Christmas trees, pillows and blankets. “Fortunately they figured out pretty quickly that I was important to their customers, Capobianco remi-

Nutmeg State powerhouse HAFSCO led by visionary patriarch Tommy Capobianco are set to anchor this year’s MCF event in New Rochelle.

nisced. So they brought me back and kept their promise.” Some ten years later, Capobianco infact bought out the rest of the firm’s partners to become HAFSCO’s sole owner. It was interesting when I took over many of the broadline food distributors who had their sights set on the equipment and supply business. So Capobianco thought, why don’t I develop this company? Even with no inventory, no money, he decided to buy it. As in the movies, it was all in for the Connecticut entrepreneur as he mortgaged his house and borrowed the money to fund the firm. Through the years, the Capobianco brood have taken their place next to their Dad to build HAFSCO into the powerhouse it has become. Son Mario serves as the firm’s president, Darren handles much of the company’s CAD work, Austin works in several aspects of the operation including service. Daughter Briana has joined her Dad handling sales for the company. “It’s funny, we never sat down and had any sort of family discussion about them joining the company. It just happened and each one of them has brought a different skill set that enabled us to grow as a team.”

76 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

HAFSCO’s entry into the country club kitchen design industry actually dates back some 30 plus years when the firm was called upon by Fairfield’s Brooklawn Country Club. “I remember looking at the kitchen and realizing there were so many lessons that we had learned in doing restaurants that we could apply to the design of their kitchen,” Capobianco said. The company’s success in the club industry is in many cases due to its innate ability to work side by side with club management to respect the old while crafting a vision for the future. “We are always fascinated by the mystique of these legendary clubs. It’s our job to keep the best of the old and bring in the latest in technology so that the culinary team can consistently create menus that keep their members happy.” In many cases HAFSCO has had to deal with the demolition and/ or moving of walls to create upgraded kitchens that can host both a la cart and catering cooking lines. “Among the keys to creating club kitchens for our clients our team has the flexibility it needs to utilize the latest technology. In many cases that has been the addition of combi

ovens. Also, there’s no question that the advancement in hood technology has enabled us to make space work and meet codes.” Capobianco can typically be found on the road in the Metropolitan area visiting HAFSCO’s latest projects. “I simply love what I do. The club work is a perfect fit for me. Each club facility has its own unique challenges. I’m incredibly inquisitive and to me it’s all about doing what we have to do to find the right solution for our customer.” HAFSCO’s roster of successfully completed club projects reads like a who’s who of legendary clubs. This year the company put the finishing touches on the legendary Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ. The Garden State club is scheduled to host the prestigious PGA Golf Championship this July. Last year, HAFSCO was put to the test when it was asked to create a temporary kitchen at Ardlsey Country Club. Capobianco and his team were given some five months to miraculously assist the Westchester club to save its summer season after a devastating fire. They succeeded and members were so happy that they have actually kept the outdoor kitchen and dining facility as a permanent addition since they rebuilt the club. Once again HAFSCO will host the largest booth at the Annual Metropolitan Club Foundation Vendor Show on March 22nd at Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle. For the Capobianco family the show is always a great source of pride as they meet and greet their growing roster of satisfied club managers and discuss new projects with the club management and culinary communities.

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

NEWS

CLUB MENU SOLUTIONS

New Jersey Produce Purveyor Delivers Full Portfolio Of Taste To Local Clubs

en Friedman learned early to never say no to a customer. That’s why he believes Riviera Produce, the distribution business he founded, has been so successful. “I worked for Dom’s Market for several years and then I went to Hunts Point as a salesman to the wholesale trade. But I found that my former customers with Dom’s Market were not getting the same type of service, the same quality they were accustomed to, when I was there managing the accounts on premise,” Ben says. “I was trying to help from the outside but it was hard.” Then Ben met Eddie Botnick, a buyer in Hunts Point. “He used to buy for Dom’s. He bought for a bunch of different wholesale distributors. And he had seen me at night taking these phone calls and we talked every night. I told him that I left all this business at Dom’s and they can’t take care of it. He said, why don’t you just get a truck and deliver to these guys? He says, I’ll help you get credit up here in the market and you hire a lumper to pack the truck and find a driver. And at the time my younger brother, who had just graduated from college, wasn’t working. So I called him up and I said I’m thinking about starting this company - do you want to drive a truck and deliver produce? I think we can make a little bit of money.”

Ben maintains that his motto of never saying no to the customer is what makes his company stand out from his competitors. And that’s how Riviera was born. Riviera is now one of the half-dozen or so top produce purveyors that compete to supply the kitchens of restaurants, hotels, clubs and corporate dining rooms in the New York area. “We rented a truck and we almost filled it up our second night out,” recalls Ben. “Today we have about 72. A couple of tractor trailers, a couple of straight jobs. We’ve got it all.” Ben maintains that his motto of never saying no to the customer is what makes his company stand out from his competitors. “We also try to use personal relationships to help the customer. At other companies, you go call somebody and it’s hard to get people to pick up the phone or respond to an email. We’re very interpersonal and responsive.” He gives as an example of a Valentine’s Day order. “One customer needed roses so we went and picked up 17 dozen roses for them. Another

78 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

guy just needed one bag of onions - so instead of having a minimum like every other company has, if we’re your primary vendor for produce, we’re not going to require that you’ve got to order $200 - or you have to call it in by midnight - We really try to bend,” he explains. Though the business started out as primarily white tablecloth restaurants, it’s now evolved to wholesale and retail business, food manufacturing, and even home meal replacement. Another factor that sets Riviera apart is its ability to source a lot of local fruits and vegetables for country clubs and restaurants in the New York City area. “Being able to help them plan their menus and get them those off the beaten path items they’re trying to find, and being able to hit their windows of service, we do it all. It’s just really being an extension of the chef and making sure that, right from where we get our stuff to when the plate comes out from the kitchen,

that everything is exactly how they want it. That’s something that adds big value for them,” he notes. Club chefs have changed through the years, Ben points out. “The clubs used to be supplemented so it wasn’t important that they added revenue. They look at that dining room now as, it has to add to the bottom line, or at least not cost the bottom line. So now clubs have become much more sophisticated. From having these guys who had been in their position for 20, 30 years, and could just grow old with the members, now they’ve hired these young and up and coming chefs. They’re looking to raise the level of food that they’re putting out of the dining room. It’s not just about an iceberg wedge anymore. They want a little gem lettuce, they want teardrop tomatoes, they want local organic heirloom tomatoes and so they’ve become more demanding in what they expect. You have to be able to meet those expectations. That works to our strength.” The Club Manager’s Show is a favorite, Ben says. “I like the ambiance, how it’s a close-knit show and it’s not so big and impersonal. You’ve got the two floors and you can walk it easily to learn what the chefs expect and how Riviera can meet and even surpass those expectations every year.” For more information, email ben@ rivieraproduce.com.

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

NEWS

MENU SOLUTIONS

Three Generations Of Menu Innovation Mark Main Street Meats Club Fest Appearance

t all started at a country club. Lee Seelig’s dad was a member of one and the manager asked him to do some pricing on meat. Kent Seelig was part of Main Street Meats, a company started by his father, Julius, in 1946. A new business was born. Originally a retail business, but then moving into wholesale in the early ‘90s, Main Street Meats is now known for the aging of its beef and its close monitoring of it in specially designed coolers that can be adjusted for temperature, humidity, lighting and air circulation. During the natural aging process, enzymes break down complex proteins in the meat to enhance tenderness and flavor, making this purveyor of highest-quality meats and poultry a popular name at country clubs, restaurants and hotels. What makes Main Street Meats stand out from the crowd is that it is customer service-oriented, Lee explains. “We place top priority on meeting the individual needs of each customer. Whether it’s packaging requests or sourcing requests or just specific cutting, we do it all. We have a very good product mix, as well. We sell any kind of meat you can think of – beef, pork, veal, lamb, poultry, provisions, game, any sort of exotic item. So that puts us ahead of the competition, too.” Lee points out that a lot of the bigger companies are “just like, box in, box out. And they don’t do the custom fabrication that we do. If a customer wants two legs of lamb, 100 eightounce filet steaks, three cases of chicken, 20 pounds of pork tenderloins and five cases of hamburgers, they can get that all from us. And where another

“We sell any kind of meat you can think of – beef, pork, veal, lamb, poultry, provisions, game, any sort of exotic item. So that puts us ahead of the competition, too.” company might be able to sell you 500 cases of burgers, or a pallet of lamb, we can sell smaller quantities that all add up to be a nice mix of an order. Why would you want to go anywhere else?” Lee says what really sets the company apart is the ability to be flexible and accommodating to the changing needs of the customer. “When the economy went south, people definitely asked us for more value cuts. There are only so many ways to break down the carcass of the animal. So no new cuts were ‘invented,’ as much as revisited. A hanger steak became a lot more popular and we of course could do that.” Lee says Main Street Meats likes to say it caters to the working man. “The chefs who are not necessarily just trying to cater to the famous guys. We’re for the guy who’s not on TV, the guy who’s actually doing it every day, if you will.” But competition is never something the company runs away from. “There’s Masters. There’s DeBragga. There’s Chef’s Warehouse. All those guys are people that we compete with, and the lucky thing for us is being in this marketplace,” he maintains. “It’s just such a densely populated area that it’s im-

80 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

possible for one company to sell to everybody. It’s impossible for five companies to sell to everybody!” But it’s not necessarily a dog-eatdog world. “The smaller guys like Treasure Island Foods, Burger Meats in Huntington and others have good relationships with us. And they do their thing, we do ours. Matthew’s will call us up if they need patty paper for the burger machine or vice versa. So we do each other favors. It’s a very competitive industry, but we’re all sort of in it together.” A recent surprise has been the sudden resurgence of hamburgers. And Main Street Meats is capitalizing on it. “It’s a simple reason,” Lee reveals. “They’re delicious. People may have got tired of going for the exotic stuff, and it’s just like, throw a nice beef patty in between bread now. Put some cheese on there, a pickle. It’s great. It’s a time-honored formula,” he says. “And then, with this whole foodie movement, people have gotten into the different blends. We’ve been catering to that. Our house recipe is an 80/20 chuck blend. We also have our own proprietary product, the 1946 blend. It’s a premium blended ground beef that

has boneless short ribs, Angus chuck, wagyu brisket, and prime age rib cap in it. And it’s absolutely phenomenal.” The 1946 blend has skyrocketed over the last five years, Lee says. “One of our customers asked us to develop it and then we ran with it and marketed it out to our whole customer base. We went from selling 50 or 100 pounds a week to thousands of pounds a week now. We sell it in our retail store. It’s $7 a pound. My grandfather probably never could have imagined ground beef for $7 a pound but people love it.” Lee says it has a real beefy flavor, with a nice wagyu brisket in there to put fat into the mix. “And then in the middle, a brisket blend, a boneless short rib blend. We can put hanger steak in the blend. We can do an extra fatty blend. We have a customer that we do a bacon blend of ground beef they sell with 50% bacon in it. It’s like bacon in the patty already. Even with a simple formula, the sky’s the limit, as far as what you put in there.” Lee notes that it’s simple. It’s the mouth feel. “We have customers who ask us to do five different blends for them. We’ve had customers ask us to change the shape of a patty. You can make a four-ounce burger a couple different ways. Imagine a four- ounce meatball. If you squish it really, really thin, it’s still a four-ounce burger. Now, if you take that same four-ounce meatball, and press down only 50 percent as hard, it’s still a four-ounce burger but maybe it’s twice as thick, right? So, we’ve had customers who loved our four-ounce burger but wanted it thicker so we made them a thicker burger. Another customer who was getting

our 10-ounce burger wanted a different mold. We do it all,” he says. Usually the company deals with chefs directly. “Of course, it depends on the size of the operation. If it’s a Mom and Pop restaurant, the chef is usually the owner, so we’re dealing with the chef-owner,” he explains. “But we sell to big country clubs, too, and obviously, in that situation you’re dealing with the executive chef, the sous chef or the executive sous chef. We don’t discriminate. Whoever the decision-maker is on their end, we’re happy to work with them.” Lee says that goes back to the company’s focus on customer service. “I don’t know many places that would offer a 10-ounce mold plate and a fourounce one and when our customers said they didn’t love it, we went out and made another one. And that’s at considerable expense, but it’s some-

thing that we do for our customers.” When it comes to country clubs, the story is quite different, Lee says. “The country club world is high- volume. They have to be extremely consistent with the product they put out there day in and day out. Their members are very picky. And they want to be catered to in a very customized, specific way. If they love a turkey sandwich, they want it to be the same every day. The chefs definitely have to have the ability to pump out food, manage a larger staff – most of these clubs have 15, 20 people working just in the back. And these days especially, they have to be pretty cost-conscious. They have to pump out great food at a good price point.” And how does Main Street Meats help them do that? “We’re not exactly invisible, but as much as we can be, we’re smooth for them. Deliver their orders early,” Lee

elaborates. “Stay out of the way, in a sense. Getting their meat delivery in a timely fashion with everything correct should be the least of their worries. So we want to deliver what they want, when they want it. That means we need to be consistent. If they like their filets, their Pizmo’s a certain size, we need to get it to them in that range every single time.” One of the ways Main Street Meats makes it easy for chefs is that there’s no cut-off time. “Our chefs can order from us up until 2 a.m. and get it on the truck the same day. And we have to get the order right,” Lee affirms. “‘Give me five cases of burger, the ones that I get. Two cases of chicken, the ones that I get.” And if we sell five cases or five different brands of chicken, we need to know what they mean, the same way they have to cater to their customer’s individual needs. We do our best to do

that for our chefs and our customers.” One customer wanted to get camel meat, Lee recalls. “I don’t sell camel meat. That’s not something I do. I wasn’t excited about it, I’ll be honest. I thought it was very strange. But I was able to get it for him. We don’t ever say no.” As for bids, many of the company’s customers get prices on a weekly basis. So Main Street Meats bids on the products it needs every Monday. “I send out my prices to 80% of the people that we sell to. And if they let me know a price is out of line, we work with them. Certain customers have told me, I don’t haggle, just give me your best price and then I’m going to decide,” he says. “Our customers are always first.” For more information, call (516) 249-8200 or email info@mainstreetmeats.com.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81

NEWS

MENU SOLUTIONS

Westchester Firm Brings Full Line Of High Quality Smoked Food Solutions To Tri-State Club & Foodservice Professionals

ow do you go from being the sole importer of Cristal champagne to preparing and selling the best smoked salmon you can get anywhere in Manhattan, maybe even the world? Just ask Brett Portier. He’s the son of Patrick Portier, who, at 24, was known as the best marketer of wine and champagne in the world, according to Brett. Patrick Portier is best known for introducing the Cristal champagne line to the United States. “My father built the brand,” says

Brett, himself an acclaimed chef, at The Smokehouse of New York in Mamaroneck, NY. And that’s where it all started. The Smokehouse, in existence for 38 years and now in its second generation, has accrued hundreds of awards for its smoked salmon. “Because of Cristal, my father obviously had a great connection with caviar. We went from caviar to salmon roe, then salmon roe to buying a farm in 1983,” Brett recalls. “We farmed it again into smoked fish. And that’s how we got into the smoked

82 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

salmon business. My father wanted to keep the integrity of how the French culinary world looks at salmon. It’s the center of the plate.” Brett points out that his father developed a product that was far superior, and still is, to anything in the market today. “What he wanted to do was separate himself. He felt there were so many guys who produce smoked salmon with nitrates, benzoates, preservatives in it, and then you have the machine cuts today.” So Portier imported salmon from

Norway and Scotland. “From The Faroe islands and north of Canada, fresh, whole salmon,” says Brett. “The best. Because of our French culinary background, we could see the quality of the fish. We could see that the eyes were up. They weren’t dropped, they weren’t cloudy. We could see the filets were fresh, the gills were blood red. We could smell the bellies and they swelled like cucumbers. We actually still to this day do the same thing my father started, 38

continued on page 102

New Products from Cutting Boards Winco's rubberized StayGrip corners prevent slipping and slidding even on wet countertops. The patented bult-in hanging hook is perfect for safe carrying and hygenic storage. HACCP color-coded, and dishwasher safe.

PATENTED

Professional Foodservice Standards Professional Industry Choice

Commercial Electric Induction Cooker Safer than traditional gas or electric resistance burners, induction cooktops use magnetism to rapidly heat induction cookware, which in turn heats up food. The ideal choice for tableside and buffet line cooking. Induction cooktops are easier to add to a busy kitchen, in place of installed gas stovetops. Provide more menu flexibility for your operators.

Airpot Wire Racks Ideal for counter top self-service. Economize space and keep service areas tidy with sturdy wire airpot racks.

Plating Tools Ideal tool for elevating the presentation of any dish, Winco's stainless steel plating tongs will grip delicate foods and herbs without fear of damage. Maintain excellent control in creating stylish plated foods with our solid or preforated plating spoons.

Electric Coffee Warmers Keep coffee fresh, hot, and ready to serve at the optimal serving temperature. Coffe warmers are ideal for any self-service area.

Leather Menu Covers Chic leatherette menu covers provide an elegant yet durable display for full-service or fastcasual restaurants alike. Now, Winco's refined double-sided stitched menu covers offer the look of a customized menu without the customization wait times. A timeless style in a full collection to complement any décor.

Beer Mug Washer Eliminate hand scrubbing of glasses with Winco's Beer Mug Washer. The bristles are tough enough to get out the grime, yet soft enough that they will not scratch or damage glasses. The opening is large enough to fit an entire beer mug, including the handle!

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 83

NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

15 Is Magic Number As J. Kings Debuts New Topical Content To Annual Show

ertainly one of the biggest issues restaurateurs are very concerned about is the new $15 minimum wage going into effect in several states across the U.S. But that’s not the only trend restaurant owners need to be cognizant of. John King will address this and other subjects to keep owners informed and up-to-date on everything they need to know to run a successful business at Grapes and Greens Food and Wine 2016, J. Kings East End Food and Wine Spectacular, held at the company’s distribution center on April 13. “Yes, some people are fighting the $15 minimum wage thing but it’s coming. How are you going to get ready for it?” he says. He will have 15 tips to help restaurateurs prepare. “It’s the voice of the people and it’s going to happen,” he points out. “It’s a good thing, long-term. However, it will have catastrophic results for some, in the beginning.” King notes that in the last five years, many Manhattan restaurants have gotten in trouble for not paying time-and-a-half for overtime. “Some of my customers were hit with $5 million in fines. I once had a guy working for me 6 days a week,

working 25-30 hours overtime. I thought, I’ve got to give him a day off, and he goes to work for my competitor for a day. A lot of the workers in New York will work as much as they possibly can. If he needs to make the money, he needs to make the money,” he declares. “But restaurants have to stay on top of this because every guy in the back of the kitchen wants to work 60 hours a week, and he’s got to get paid timeand-a- half or overtime. Let’s say they fire the guy and he goes to the Department of Labor to complain. So they come in, do an inspection, and everyone gets paid for overtime for the last 3 years. That’s the law of the country, and you’ve got to deal with it.” The owners of national chains are doing it, he reveals. “So, if they’re

doing it, why are they doing it better than the independents? My business is based on the independents,” he says. “I’m just trying to provide some guidance. If they’re not successful, they’re gone. That’s what I’ve been talking about for 20 years. It’s not a new thing,” King affirms. King has been running these seminars for quite some time and last year brought in one of the largest law firms that represent labor and an accounting firm for a 1 ½ -hour seminar on overtime, catering tips, $20 gratuities that aren’t paid to the people. “This year I’m going to talk about how, operationally, you’re going to deal with the $15 minimum,” he says. One tip is to get rid of anything that doesn’t add value. “Anyone in

“Yes, some people are fighting the $15 minimum wage thing but it’s coming. How are you going to get ready for it?” King says.

84 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

the U.S. who is still chopping celery instead of buying it is making a mistake. It’s the number one contaminant in the U.S. because it’s usually not washed right. If you’re going to have a guy chopping it, when you can buy it for half the price when you look at the yield, that’s taking away value,” he says. The same is true for restaurants who sell hamburgers. “Ten pounds of chopped meat, a guy in gloves rolling it out, and the hamburgers never weigh the same. You should get 20 burgers, but I bet they get 18, 19. The guy is not weighing every one. But if you buy burgers already done, there’s the value. All the national chains do it. TGI Friday’s got rid of all the knives in the back, they buy tomato slices now. That’s value,” King explains. The seminar will discuss 15 tips for a better liquor list, coffee list and other parts of the menu to make businesses more profitable, and also talk about human resources issues. “Most restaurants let the workers buy food at a discount or get it for free. But in most places, they don’t punch out. They eat in the restaurant. Why should we pay for their food and their time eating it? Those are the kinds of things we’ll talk about,” he says.

Food & Wine Spectacular [ April 13, 2016 • 11am - 5 pm ] Grapes & Greens Distribution Center 2711 Sound Avenue, Calverton, NY 11933

15 REASONS TO ATTEND THE SHOW: 1]

Find ways to address the rising cost of labor.

Learn about the current state of the food industry and what’s ahead.

Gain the tools necessary to remain competitive in this ever-changing marketplace.

Learn about the “Clean”menu items and ingredients your customers are looking for.

Explore the wide range of Antibiotic Free, Free Range, Grass Fed and Fresh Made products available at J.Kings.

Invigorate your culinary inspiration with ideas for bar snacks, noodle bowls, breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items. Find items that will increase your proﬁtability. Discover chef prepared products that will help save on labor and increase proﬁts.

9] Brush up on the hottest trends in the food and wine industries. 10] Discover the 15 wines you should have on your wine list.

11] Experience food and wine pairings in action at the J.Kings/Grapes & Greens Marketplace. 12] Gain access to the entire Grapes & Greens international wine portfolio. 13] Meet with Grapes & Greens wine pros to learn how training your staff on the wines you carry can help increase sales. 14] Learn how Wine Dinners and Cooking Classes can help increase business on your slow night. 15] Get a moment’s rest to evaluate your business from the outside.

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

HOW GREEN ARE YOUR WAYS?

WITH PETER KAPLAN

Tri-State Cold Storage Warehouses Can Combine P&L Savings With Community Commitment

his month, I am going to give you the tools to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk”. I must say that through the years, we’ve been able to get many of our customers to understand that you can accomplish two goals simultaneously. We are constantly challenged by our food distribution and cold storage customers. They want to know how can we save money on energy and at the same time be good neighbors. Believe it or not, it can be accomplished. Warehouses are large consumers of energy and can reduce their overhead on energy substantially by following these guidelines. By deploying energy management systems for energy intensive applications, warehouse facility managers can reduce energy consumption, gain greater levels of insight into their operations and improve safety and productivity. Let’s start with a look at Florescent lightning. Technology today provides a viable alternative to those energy consuming sodium and halide fixtures. Fluorescent lamps run at a much lower temperature but provides more light output. This allows for potential insurance savings due to reduced fire risk. These can provide energy savings that range from 60 to 80 percent over comparable sodium or metal halide fixtures. The next step is to work with your

team on something very basic: Turn off the lights! Ensure lights are out when not being used. Energy management systems and motion detectors are now available to turn off the lights on a predetermined schedule. We are also big proponents of Spot cooling. Use a tube axial fan attached to large flexible tube. The tube has vents located at various points to provide spot cooling. The use of only one fan to provide controlled cooling decreases the amount of energy spent and also decreases the amount of maintenance previously required by multiple fans. Regular maintenance, such as changing filters, is important for good operation and to avoid energy waste. We have also found a great opportunity for savings with Dock shelters. They most likely won’t be found in warehouse facilities built on spec because they’re more expensive than typical loading docks. During the day, the dock doors should be sealed (except to load a trailer), and the wall fans turned off. This allows the overall temperature of the building to be maintained at or near the nighttime level. Regularly checking and repairing gaps in the seals around loadingdock doors is a quick energy saver. We find that insulation is a major culprit when it comes to wasting energy. A warehouse with older insulation is losing energy to the environment. Spray foam insulation is the most expensive but is twice as

86 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

efficient as batt. Loose fill is a middle alternative that is easy to install in existing spaces and still provides superior insulation. We would also like you take a look at Space saving. Vertical warehousing helps some companies beat the high cost of land, cut transportation costs, and reduce the operation’s environmental impact. By building the warehouse up instead of out, the warehouse has a smaller footprint, and thus saves on costs. A multi-story warehouse allows a company to operate in a dense urban area, rather than locating miles from the population center. Locating the warehouse near your end user customer base also saves on transportation costs. By reducing the amount of space required for storage and retrieval operations, organizations can construct smaller, more energy efficient buildings, shrinking the construction footprint by up to 15% in some cases, conserving natural resources and reducing maintenance costs. This improved space utilization helps reduce energy costs, which helps reduce an organization’s overall carbon footprint. We have also found a number of savings opportunities with HVAC. Programmable thermostats automatically adjust temperature to preset levels. Installation is simple and the investment can pay for itself quickly for a space that does not require 24/7 heating or cooling. For larger or more complex buildings, consider using a

Peter Kaplan has served as Chief Operating Officer and President of United Energy Consultants since 2005. Behind his leadership and 20+ years of de-regulated energy and risk management experience, United Energy Consultants has developed several proprietary procurement and software systems that are a benchmark in the industry. Email him at peter@uecnow.com

building automation system, a centralized control system that automates operation of HVAC and lighting. Demand controlled ventilation systems are a higher-cost investment than programmable thermostats, but are effective at reducing heating and cooling costs. DCVs determine a building or space’s occupancy level by measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the return air stream. When CO2 levels are low, the system decreases outdoor air intake, reducing the energy that would have

continued on page 108

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

NEWS

GREEN CERTIFICATION

Imperial Bag and Paper Becomes First Ever Metro New York Distributor To Achieve Green Restaurant Association Certification

mperial Bag and Paper’s key to success has been to distinguish itself by combining an ability to listen to its customer’s needs and then move quickly to implement those changes on behalf of those operators. Once again, the Jersey City, NJ based concern has taken the lead on a key issue. Imperial Bag and Paper has in fact become the very first distributor in Metro NYC to receive certification and membership from the Green Restaurant Association. Under the guidance of Michael Oshman, the Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurants® mark in the country. For 25 years, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. “Imperial has always thrived on our innovation whether it be our service capabilities, technology or product lines and as of recent we have been very focused on green which has

set us apart from our competitors,” noted the company’s Director for Sales and Marketing Christopher Freeman. Imperial’s commitment to green began long before its new affiliation with the Green Restaurant Association. “When we made a move to our new facility in Jersey City part of the positivity of it was that it is a LEED Certified building so this jump started a lot of our innovation. We now have a LEED Green Associate: Grace Best that works for us to provide green product consulting, green reports and any type of “green” project that is requested

from our sales team & customer base. It allows us to bring the movement to our customers and make them knowledgeable about sustainability and the different certifications which continually keeps us and ultimately their business ahead of the curve.” Freeman and Imperial view their timing as perfect, given the embracing of green and sustainable agendas by the industry’s factories and mills. “In the past year there have been significant price decreases across green foodservice and janitorial product lines. This is due to the levels of different “green” certi-

“Imperial has always thrived on our innovation whether it be our service capabilities, technology or product lines and as of recent we have been very focused on green which has set us apart from our competitors.”

88 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

fications and the growing demand for sustainable products. “ Imperial Bag and Paper’s booth at the upcoming International Restaurant and Foodservice show at the Javits will serve as a celebration of the new affiliation. “Seventy-nine percent of employees say they’d rather work for a green restaurant,” Oshman noted. “Our research shows that 79% of potential diners will give preference to the restaurant that is a certified green restaurant,” Oshman noted. “That’s why we knew the commitment to getting this done properly was so important to us, “ Freeman concluded. The new alliance with the Green Restaurant Association comes on the heels of Imperial’s purchase of Borax Paper last month.

BOOTHS #1921 + 2025

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

MEET THE NEWSMAKER Chef Adam Roytham and Joe Farrell Rothbard Ale + Larder, Westport, CT

o-owners Joe Farrell and Chef Adam Roytman of Black Rock, CT’s widely successful Walrus + Carpenter have brought new European fare to Westport, CT with the duo’s second restaurant. The pair’s newest eatery, Rothbard Ale + Larder, is a European-style beer bar and restaurant, offering dishes and drinks inspired by the Central European regions, including Alsace, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland. So what sparked the vision for Rothbard Ale + Larder? What’s the meaning behind the name? JOE: The inspiration came from approaching a comfort and a feel similar to that of Walrus + Carpenter, but focused on a different culture of food. Where Walrus gets its inspiration from the South, Rothbard looks across the ocean to the Alpine region of Europe. The restaurant’s name is in honor of Murray Rothbard, a 20th century economist and historian. He comes from the Austrian School of economics, which we felt was appropriate for a restaurant serving Schnitzel. Were any other CT cities a target or did you know Westport was the right destination? And was Brooklyn or New York City ever considered for Rothbard Ale + Larder? ADAM: New York City or beyond weren’t really considered when we were looking for a new location. We wanted to be somewhat near Walrus so that we could pool resources. So

we were looking for local, and we fell in love with this space in Westport. Walk our readers through your approach to the both the dinner and beverage menus? ADAM: We wanted to focus on animal fats for the food. We started with a winter, hearty menu of warming comfort foods. We did a lot of research into the food culture of the alpine region of Europe and delved heavily into the wine culture of that region as well. What was your approach to the design of the kitchen and was there an existing kitchen? Did you use a dealer or architect for the kitchen and dining space? ADAM: We used the existing kitchen, shifting equipment to improve flow and increase the amount of refrigeration and storage. We cre-

ated more space where none existed. There is practically no practically no storage space, so we had to get creative. Talk about the approach to building the Rothbard Ale + Larder team. JOE: The Rothbard team sprung from the Walrus family, with a few people who we worked with in the past, who we trusted to help get us off the ground. We then used Walrus as a staging ground, training all our staff members at Walrus to ensure the same standards of quality and attention to detail were instilled into each employee before they came to Rothbard. What’s your customer service philosophy? JOE: Casual fine dining: The focus is on the food, flavors and intent of service. We avoid pretense, focus-

Joe Farrell with Chef Adam Roytham

ing our efforts on running a clean shop, listening to our customers, and creating a lively atmosphere every night. Welcome customers as guests into our home and join in the experience with them. How are both your jobs different now that there are two restaurants? JOE: Adam has certainly increased his focus on kitchen activities and food; Food buying and menu production at both restaurants. While I’m putting a lot more miles on my Jeep than I was previously. What’s your opinion on local sustainability? And do you look for loyalty from your suppliers or do you go to bid each week? ADAM: Supplier loyalty comes from paying your bills on time, and

A sampling of the cuisine and drink available at Rothbard Ale + Larder.

90 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

continued on page 124

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

LIZ ON TABLETOP

TABLETOP SOLUTIONS

Growth In Outdoor Dining Requires New Strategies

e have found in working with our H. Weiss customers that outdoor dining has become bigger than ever. As we get ready for the annual club show it means that the warmer weather is upon us. With that comes not only clubs, but restaurants as well, looking to create the right feel for their outdoor dining season. Without commenting on the poli-

tics of global warming, there’s no question that tents and warmers have created a much longer outdoor dining season. Clubs and restaurants now find the need to plan for the new realities for what has become in many cases a 10 plus month season. We are also finding that many of our customer are using the additional outdoor space to book parties. The first step is to rethink the

92 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

mood and feel of your outdoor dining space. We suggest creating a less formal more casual feel to your outdoor space. We can help you plan and select the combination of both the right furniture and table top design. Clearly outdoor dining has grown to the point that it is time to replace any plastic seating you have. The first step needs to be to talk to us about finding comfortable furni-

Liz Weiss is the President and coowner of Armonk, NY based H. Weiss Co. She is known nationally as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on tabletop design. The Michigan State graduate is also actively involved with WPO-Women’s Presidents Organization. Comments may be sent to eweiss@hweiss.net.

ture. There are some great new looks and feels that can be enhanced with the right seat cushions and pads. The right approach to your outdoor table top should begin with great unbreakable drinkware. We are convinced that a key to setting the mood outdoors starts with the right cocktail menu. We are seeing a return to chilled white wines in large burgundy style glasses. We also love the creativity of garnishing simple Pinot Grigio with frozen grapes. Today’s younger crowd, will love some of the glass from Cardinal and Steelite. This year’s lighting trends include a simple but mood setting twinkle light. Many of our clubs have refocused their menus towards al fresco items. We are seeing fresher simpler and lighter choices with many chefs bringing back creative salads. Our suggestion for serving those salads outdoors is oval bowls or greens on the plate with toppings served separately. The customer then assembles the salad using serving utensils to mix. On a cooler night, why not offer a hot soup and even have some shawls on hand to keep female pa-

trons warm to drape around their shoulders. We’ve also moved many of our outdoor customers into some of the exciting new melamine matte(not black!) finished and organic shapes. Many of our club and restaurant clients now have green and sustainable agendas. To help them fufill that goal and at the same time to update the design feel, we are moving many of our H. Weiss customers into Bamboo. Bamboo comes in different colors- yes, it is ecologically conscious, but it has a nice organic look with a stunning matte finish. We are seeing the investment made by many clubs and restaurants to install firepits to be paying dividends. A warm brandy goes a long way to help create a signature that keeps customers coming back. We are looking forward to a great club show. Please stop by our booth at Glen Island and say hi. If you are a restaurateur or food service operator with questions about planning for outdoor dining, just call us or contact us through our web site hweiss.net.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93

NEWS

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY SOLUTIONS

Jersey’s NJRE Debuts Much Anticipated New Facility

ou can’t run a restaurant without equipment and Neil Cohen feels his company may have everything

you need. “New Jersey Restaurant Equipment (NJRE) sells both used and new equipment,” says Neil. “In the beginning, it was 75% used. And now, it’s 75% new, maybe even 80% new. We’re doing at least two design and build-outs a month now, too.” Neil says the business has totally changed, going from one piece to many pieces. “We started out with mom and pops, mid-size restaurants. And now we’ve expanded our scope. We’re still doing them but we’re now doing 100-piece orders, build-outs. We’ve seen the business evolve.” The owner of NJRE points out that he had no choice but to adapt. “I was looking at the trends. I saw Jersey as a good trend. Then, after that, I thought, okay, what’s next, now let’s get more back into the design end of it.” The business is doing so well, it has opened an expanded showroom and warehouse. “We knew that with the growth of our new equipment and design business that we needed a facility that could house a state of the art test kitchen,” Neil noted. What makes NJRE stand out is that the people on its team are from the food world. “We hire chefs, restaurant people. I have one person who’s a certified Hobart technician. They do all our refurbishing and then we can install. I’m hiring the right people to be able to grow that expansion,” Neil notes.

He also notes that the Internet is a growing segment of NJRE’s business. His wife Jodi runs the company’s web site and has even gotten the business on Craigslist. “Now we have a web site where you can order and have it shipped direct to you. And now we’re nationwide,” he says proudly. “We knew the rush on the equipment industry was heading that way, and we knew we had to have a web store. People want to be able to buy and just click and hit,” Neil affirms. The people entering the restaurant business have changed, too. “We’re actually seeing all kinds. We’re seeing lifers in the industry. We’re seeing people who wanted to open a restaurant because they’ve always wanted to. They’ve dreamed of having a restaurant. So now they’re following their dream. It’s all the realty people, contractors, everybody. Everybody wants to be a restaurateur. And it seems like now people are really just trying to pursue their dream. I think it’s great.” Neil gives all the credit to the Food Network. “I’ve seen quite a few going into restaurants who, maybe wouldn’t have six, seven years ago. I honestly believe it has a lot to do with The Food Network, all these different shows people watch. People have an idea and they turn it into a restaurant and some are very successful doing it,” he maintains. As for equipment, fads come and go, Neil explains. “Sometimes, there are trends. But now what we’re seeing is combis and speed ovens – essentially a combination of microwave and convection. Some are steam and

94 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

microwave. What people want is compact. Rents are so high in the city; you don’t want to take up any more space than you have to. They’re looking for; ‘What can I do with this oven? How many functions can I do with it, and can I make my menu work?’” “Having hoods is so costly and you’ve got to exhaust it out. A lot of people are looking for ventless, and so this technology with the combis, with the speed oven, you’re seeing interest in not only the high end, but in the mom and pop delis, too,” he says. “Here’s another way the equipment world is changing. You now get one piece of equipment that can do the work of four different pieces of equipment. Obviously, in a place like the city, we have this limited footprint. The more you can do with one piece of equipment, the more valuable that equipment’s going to be.” Neil says he’s seeing more people willing to spend more on one piece because it will help them in reducing their footprint. One of his great loves, Neil admits, is pizza ovens. “Pizza ovens, if treated properly, will last forever,” he says. “And mixers – they will last longer than you and me. So it’s something that people can buy used. We do a lot of used mixers, probably hundreds of 60-quart mixers a year. And now even with this whole wood fire-trend, we’re still selling pizza ovens, the regular deck ovens, are going out of style. We help customers figure out what to do with the pizza ovens, how to refurbish them, what to look for when you’re buying them. Plus, our guys are

One of the lengthy rows at NJRE

trained on how to take them apart, get them out of places that normally people wouldn’t want to touch,” he elaborates. “We buy them and then we sell them and we set them up. And for us, it’s all part of doing business.” Another trend is that restaurants that don’t usually sell pizza are now selling it. “People are trying to justify the money they’re spending on rent. So they’re trying to push everything they can to you, in a small footprint. Plus, pizza ovens you can do so many different things with. So they may buy into a place that already has a pizza oven there and now they’re trying to use that oven. So they’ll do pizza. They’ll do other things. You can bake bread in the pizza ovens. We’re seeing them using pizza ovens everywhere,” he says. What makes NJRE stand out, Neil

continued on page 126

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 95

RESTAURANT STAFF MANAGEMENT

WITH LEEANNE HOMSEY

What To Say To Restaurant Employees When They Complain That “It’s Slow”

estaurant Owners / Managers / Chefs: the next time any of your restaurant employees complain that “it’s slow” ask them what if; hypothetically, it was the restaurant’s responsibility only to provide the food and their responsibility to provide the customers? What would be the fastest, least expensive way to bring in customers? Answer: post on their own Facebook pages and social media networks. So ask them this, “If the restaurant is already attracting “X” number of customers and you could actually double your number of customers and amount of tips you make by posting comments, “check-ins” or pictures to your own network of thousands of friends.... would you do it?” See the thing about social networking is that it is still supposed to be social therefore whenever businesses post anything it is never consumed or engaged with the way a friend’s comment would be. Social media is a really rich, FREE resource for us in the restaurant business and we should inspire the people who benefit from it the most to engage the people who will hear and react to it the best (and the fastest) to increase our sales and their tips. I took a picture of my dinner at

LeeAnne Homsey specializes in

Aquagrill and described the mouthwatering flavors or why it’s my favorite dish or just captioned it “Yumm! I’ve been waiting for this all day!” and posted on my personal Facebook page for two weeks. In those two weeks 11 of my “Friends” have booked tables and mentioned my name. 11 extra people who created about $1,000.00 in sales and $250.00 in tips from me posting just once a day. Now what if you could get your entire staff to start posting? Now what if they all posted three times a day? Waiters: the next time your restaurant “is slow” ask yourself, hypothetically, “if this was my restaurant (and my section of the restaurant is actually my own small business) and it was my responsibility to bring in customers (and if I did, I could actually control my own income ... even in a pool house) what would be the first thing I would do to create foot

traffic fast? “ You would post on your personal Facebook page and social networks and encourage customers to come in by posting pictures and heartfelt comments about the restaurant and food. Right? So if the restaurant is already attracting “X” number of customers and you can actually double your customers and weekly tips simply by posting comments, “check-ins” or pictures of your favorite dishes every day why wouldn’t you? Social media is such a rich, FREE resource for waiters and we should inspire them to engage the people who will hear and react to it the best and the fastest: their friends and family and their family’s friends and their friend’s friends. You would be reaching thousands of new and eager customers every day simply by having a brief, empowering conversation with your staff. Restaurant managers: why not create a contest of who can bring in the

What would be the fastest, least expensive way to bring in customers? Answer: post on their own Facebook pages and social media networks.

96 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

providing consulting / training services to the restaurant industry. As a 25-year veteran, LeeAnne has worked with a wide array of restaurant businesses ranging from casual to upscale dining establishments. For more information call 1-646-462-0384, e-mail info@leeannehomsey.com or visit www. leeannehomsey.com.

most customers through social media? When your employees all post pictures or describe their favorite dish on their personal Facebook pages you will see a dramatic increase in clientele so why not get your staff excited to do it by awarding them their favorite dish at the end of the week? There are countless ways to structure the contest so when you find one that works for you please share it here! (I recommend having your entire FOH / BOH staff “check-in” and or post pictures and comments before the preshift meeting so their phones go away for the rest of the shift.) Social media is such a rich, FREE resource for us in the restaurant business and we should inspire the people who benefit from it the most to engage the people who will hear and react to it the best instead of paying social media “experts” our hard earned money to produce “likes” and “fans.” Likes and fans don’t put money in the bank!

BOOTH #1367

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 97

ON WATER

WITH BRIAN MADDEN

When You Walk The Show, Think About Water Saving Ideas

hen I go to a show, I’m always looking for how I can solve my customers’ challenges with water and filtration. I go in either looking at what am I trying to accomplish, or looking for a point-of-view to take care of a specific piece of equipment – a coffee maker, ice maker, or for something to take care of all the stuff that’s in there. If I were looking for something specific, let’s say, a piece of equipment, I’d see if that manufacturer or distributor or rep was at the show to

talk about the water efficiency of a potential purchase. I might even talk to a competitor, just sourcing information from a different perspective. It’s good to talk to as many people as you can. That’s for two reasons. You need to find out, will it improve the taste of the beverage or the quality of the ice? And will it reduce service calls and prolong the life of the equipment? I want to know if I have a lower cost of ownership for that equipment. Here’s what I also need to know when I’m out looking at equipment

98 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

for a customer. What’s in the water? What are the water specs? What requirements do you have for your water? What parameters do you have to stay in? You can go on your municipality web site, or your water company, to find the specs. In the search bar, type “water quality report.” Then you look for those parameters that the manufacturer says you have to stay within. That’s really important for ice machines, any type of beverage, any type of steamer or combi. Those can go for 20K. If you’re looking at a steamer, primarily you’re worried about the chlorine in the water. That’s going to be corrosive to the base. Secondly, you’re looking at the hardness because you can get a limescale buildup. If you’re looking at boiler-based equipment, look at the hardness. If you’re looking at boiler-less technology, whether a steamer or a combi, then you’ve got to look at the total dissolved solids and hardness. With combis, it’s also total dissolved solids and hardness. You’ve got to really be careful about chloride. When they come out of the solution, they’re corrosive. They don’t tend to come out of the solution so readily in a boiler base but they’re forced out of the solution in boiler-less. Everyone has to be aware of chloride these days. You don’t want elevated chloride. If you are spending $18-$20,000 on equipment you can’t

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

let chloride kill it. Here’s something else a lot of highend restaurants look at. When I put my glassware in my glass washer, how do I send that through a cycle and come out spot-free? I recently spoke to a consultant who said that’s a big cost for restaurants now because of the labor polishing the glassware, and breakage, too. It’s so costly. So how you do you get those things to go through a glass washer and come out spot-free? Maybe reverse osmosis. When I go to a show and I’m looking at equipment that uses water, I want to know, what’s the flow rate and volume that it uses so I can size it properly. What’s it susceptible to? What are the water attributes that might lead to problems? Have fun at the show. Any water related questions drop me an email – brian.madden@pentair.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 99

NEWS

FOOD SAFETY

How to Determine the Right Size and Type Ice Machine for Your Restaurant

hen selecting the size and model ice machine that best suits your needs, there are three primary decisions to make: • Ice type: Cubed, Cubelet, or Flaked. • Condenser type: Air-cooled, Water-cooled, Remote-condenser. • Usage/Capacity: How much ice will you need in a 24-hour cycle. Sounds easy, right? Here are a few more things to consider: • Figure out how much ice you will need during a 24-hour period based on our Ice Usage Guide. • Read the production specs for the equipment you’re considering. • Give yourself 20% cushion. Here’s an example: • You have a restaurant that serves 150 guests over the course of a day. • At 3 drinks per guest, that means 450 lbs during the day. • A Hoshizaki KM600MAH, for example, can produce up to 600 lbs in 24 hours.

•

• 90% of the time, this simple calculation gets you in the right ballpark. Now you need to take a look at your restaurant, your ice needs and where you plan to have the ice maker installed: • What is peak usage during a

continuous usage cycle? Ice machines produce at a steady pace over a 24-hour period, while usage is lumpy. You need to build an inventory to get through the heavy usage period. How much ice does your bin hold? Ice piles up in a pyramid, which means the ice machine thinks the bin is full at about 80% of what ice manufacturers market. A poorly sized bin can cut your machine’s output by 30/40%! How warm will the incoming water be during the summer? How warm is the surrounding air? How well ventilated is the area around the ice machine? Ice manufacturer’s ratings show that production can fall off by 25% based on these factors alone. If the air temperature gets to 100 degrees, the machine will likely shut down completely as a precautionary measure. How dirty is your external environment? Grease, dirt, and dust will build up on the condenser and compressor and can reduce the machine’s efficiency by 10-15%. What’s in your water? Water with high mineral content can result in significant scaling between cleanings. Did you know a 1/8th inch layer of scale on an ice machine can reduce the equipment’s efficiency by 25%?

100 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Does selecting a new ice machine feel overwhelming to you? If you can’t markedly change your restaurant’s success by investing your time and capital in selecting, installing, and maintaining an ice machine – Don’t do it! Easy Ice can help you with a simpler solution. Our technical consultants are happy to assist you in choosing the right size and type ice machine for your needs. And we’ll save you money! For more information, please visit: www.easyice.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 101

The Smokehouse, from page 82 years ago. We filet everything in house. We don’t buy pre-cut filets. “We don’t buy frozen salmon. We actually air freight, air cargo all of our fish in so that we get it within 24 hours of being harvested,” he points out. “No other business does that.” Brett proves how The Smokehouse of New York is different. “At the end of the day, when you smoke salmon, with Chilean salmon, some West Coast salmon, it looks fresh, but all the imperfections come out when it’s smoked.” The chef says the restaurant works with one farm in particular, True North, which consistently produces a product that his clientele wants. “Our clientele are people that who have been doing business with us for 10, 15, 20 years. They expect a certain product that they don’t ever have to question or worry about.” That’s particularly important for high-end restaurants like, Balthazar, Le Bibloquet, Central Park Boat House,

and The Plaza. Brett affirms that the business’ awards are well-earned. “We do 75% of the country clubs in the tri-state area, we do every top brunch in New York City, airlines like Air France and Delta First Class. That’s one thing that I learned from my father. Sometimes that’s the curse of any second generation. “Second generation, you’re handed the business and start cutting corners. They see the bottom line. And it’s what separates us from anybody in the industry today,” maintains Brett. “But the most important thing for me is being able to keep my father’s legacy alive.” In this country you don’t often see smoked salmon as center of the plate, or as an appetizer, as in Europe. But instead of this presenting a problem, Brett notes that The Smokehouse of New York is known for the kind of quality that restaurants are proud to serve as any part of the meal. “When you’re buying something that’s pre-cut, it’s

102 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

frozen filets and they’ve got this mealy texture. It loses its flavor, it loses its color, it loses the texture. And if you had something like that put on your plate as an appetizer, you’d be able to, right off the bat, taste the imperfections. When you have salmon that’s handcarved, that’s been able to get below a 30-degree angle to be able to produce a paper-thin slice, that’s what the best restaurants want. The most important thing is the texture and quality when it comes to putting that salmon on your palate, the flavor, the taste, that should be able to dissolve in your mouth.” Many of his best customers understand that the business doesn’t use halfway measures to achieve the perfection of its smoked salmon. “We use a 100% ‘dry’ brine formula (salt and sugar). This process removes liquid and cures the salmon. Some processors soak the salmon in a liquid brine, but the shelf life is much shorter when you do that,” he says.

All of our products are dry brined. “We have stayed 100% true to the craft and it’s an art,” Brett says. The Smokehouse works with many celebrity chefs. He’s opening up a chain of cafes in Westchester called Got Thyme. Brett recently collaborated with a celebrity chef and will be showcasing this at the IRFSNY Show. “We did a tequila-marinated smoked salmon with cilantro and jalapenos and we did it on a jalapeno-cheddar crostini with a basil-infused creme fraiche. And he was blown away. That’s what I love. I love bringing something different and unique to the table.” For the IRFSNY Show last year, he created a “truffle honey- pastramismoked salmon,” he says proudly. “That ended up winning best-of-show out of 40,000 vendors.” Creativity and a steadfast commitment to quality…it’s the recipe for success at the Smokehouse of New York.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 103

104 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 105

RESTAURANT RENAISSANCE

WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO

Food Bites For March

he food world is a whirlwind of new eateries, new concepts and noteworthy trends.

Concepts to Consider 365 by Whole Foods Market is the new lower priced, no frills, smaller footprint concept. The first entry will be in the Los Angeles suburb of Silver Lake in May. That opening will be followed by two more in 2016: Lake Oswego, Oregon, in July and Bellevue, Washington, in August. The company also said it signed leases for five other 365 stores, averaging about 30,000-sq.ft., located in Claremont, Concord and Los Alamitos, California, Gainesville, Florida and the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park, Illinois. Vegan pizzeria 00+Co by Chef Matthew Kenney has opened in the East Village serving up “a plantbased menu that includes woodfired pizzas with cheese made from nuts. The menu also features vegetable-focused small plates, and a selection of organic wines”. There is seating for approximately 50 guests and outdoor space. Located at 65 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003. Starbucks is planning to open a mega store, 15,000- to 25,000-squarefoot, Eataly-style coffee center similar to Starbucks’ Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle. Starbucks has searched on Fifth Avenue, including the GM Building, Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. Starbucks will also be opening more of its Reserve coffee shops like its first at 525 W. 26th Street.

Trends that Will Keep on Growing Natural ingredients/minimally processed food Chefs see patrons looking for food that has been grown with minimal pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics. Environmental sustainability All types of dining establishments are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce their impact on the planet. Healthy kids’ menus Very important and runs the spectrum from school lunches to fast food to fine dining. Organic, sugar free, enriched. Hyper-local sourcing Herb walls in restaurants, rooftop beehives and farms owned by the restaurants. Locally grown produce Local fruits and vegetables highlight the dining experience and everyone likes to know from who and where. Locally sourced meat and seafood Remains a top trend and fine

restaurants feature cuts of beef from New York and neighboring states. Street food/food trucks These restaurants on wheels have low startup costs and many on both coasts have been successful enough that they have moved on to brickand-mortar operations. Also part of Food Hall Concepts across NYC and the Country. Restaurant Landscape Redo The Carnegie Deli Re-Opens! Manhattan’s iconic Jewish deli is once again curing all ailments with world famous Matzo Ball Soup and sandwiches piled high at 854 7th Avenue at 55th Street, New York, New York, 10019 Makeover magic; from lavatory to fine food. The beaux-arts bathroom building in the center of Allen Street and Delancey will be reinvented after being deserted for 60 years, as a dining space. This forthcoming food concession was a for-

New York landmark The Carnegie Deli reopens after a nine month shutdown.

106 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

mer bathroom for the elevated train passengers. The Tick Tock Diner at 481 Eighth Avenue at NW corner of 34th Street had an impressive redo. In the Wyndham New Yorker, this quintessential diner with a massive menu is open 24 hours, seven days a week. Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield behind The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, Salvation Taco, Salvation Burger, and The John Dory Oyster Bar to debut a butcher shop/ diner concept that will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner at 375 Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side. Upland at 345 Park Avenue South in Murray Hill from Justin Smillie and Stephen Starr, is turning their basement private dining room into a supper club called Dinner|Downstairs, once a week on Tuesday nights at 7:30PM (one seating). They will serve a seasonal, ever-changing four-course menu for your group of six or more. Happy Shopping and Happy Dining!

BOOTH #1331 March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 107

Kaplan, from page 86 been used to heat and cool the space. The biggest savings are possible for spaces with variable occupancy, such as an auditorium. Why not consider installing gas or electric radiant heaters in facilities with large open spaces. In many warehouse applications it is costly to maintain temperatures of 60° to 70° Fahrenheit (F). Mounting radiant heaters above work areas can keep employees comfortable with the ambient interior air temperature as low as 40° to 50°F. The reduction in overall indoor air temperature can dramati-

cally reduce energy consumption, sometimes by as much as 50 percent. Many of our customers are surprised to hear that plug load management typically accounts for about one-fifth of an office’s energy bill. Did you know that you can easily set your computers to go into sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity? That can save $20 to $75 per year, per computer as well as copiers, printers, and vending machines. I know that I’ve given you a lot to digest and implement. Here’s a simple step to get started as you look to

108 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

change your energy culture. I would like for you to consider creating an energy team at your business to be responsible for developing projects and pushing an efficiency agenda can ensure that your company’s stated energy-savings goals become a reality. An energy team should include representatives from accounting, operations, and upper management. At each meeting, the team identifies new projects and assigns each member a task. Tasks may include estimating potential energy savings,

getting bids from contractors, or investigating new technologies. I know I’ve given you a full agenda. But I promise that implementing sustainable practices throughout a warehouse will not only save money for the organization, but will increase customer goodwill. Don’t think of sustainability in terms of costs; think of it as an investment resulting in revenue savings—a better bottom line and a better image that win the respect of your customers and your community.

BOOTH #1851

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 109

Truman, from page 18

mountaintop with Leonard Cohen and drinking wine in Northern California with Francis Ford Coppola, for whose company he was a board member. Truman traces his interest in the cultural significance of food back to Oundle, a boarding school in England where, as a student, he wrote a newspaper column about the delights of hot-plate gastronomy. “The food in the refectory there was always disgusting, so I cooked my own food,” Truman said. “I remember a cheese and tomato crepe.” His palate expanded as his parents tugged him around Europe on vacations. There were the featherweight cheese puffs known as gougères at a Michelin-starred restaurant on the French Riviera; there was pizza in Italy. “The first pizza I had was on the waterfront in Positano,” he said. “That was astonishing. I don’t think I’d ever tasted anything so good in my life.” At Condé Nast, when he ascended in 1994 from editor in chief of Details magazine to editorial director of the company, Truman stage-managed countless aspects of the Frank Gehry-designed cafeteria. “I came to enjoy that at least as much as I enjoyed working on the magazines,” he said. Asked about Truman’s expanding foray into hospitality, Ravi DeRossi, who also ambled into the restaurant business after pursuing a different professional path (as an abstract painter), said he did not believe in “an exact science to opening a restaurant in New York City.” “Honestly, I think there’s a lot of dumb luck involved,” said Mr. DeRossi, who owns and runs 15 bars and restaurants, including Avant Garden. “At least that’s what I owe my success to - that and approaching each new venture as a piece of art rather than a business.” Truman has strong ideas about the visual side of Nix. “It began with

knowing what we didn’t want,” he said, by which he meant “one of the Brooklyn-style restaurants full of reclaimed lumber, and servers who look like agrarians from the 19th century.” In his mind, Brooklyn and bearded are out; Californian and hippie-willowy are in. “I felt this should have a feminine energy,” he said. “The current style of restaurants feels incredibly dated to me.”

110 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Diners at Nix will encounter a distinct intention, he hopes, in even the smallest of gestures. On each table will be paper flowers from John Derian in the East Village. Sparkling and still water will simply arrive, in tandem and sans interrogation. “We hate that first question, ‘Do you want tap, still or sparkling?’” he said. “Let’s move on to the stuff we care about.”

Truman takes a keen interest in what’s expressed between the lines and kept in the background, which makes him wary in a world of celebrity chefs. “My opinion,” he said, “is that chefs replaced magazine editors as the most culturally overrated people in the world.”

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 111

IRFSNY, from page 8 Teams, Management, Menu, Operations, Hot Trends, and Customer Experience. Session topics include a lively debate on changes on the tipping culture featuring Chefs Marc Murphy and Amanda Cohen; in addition to titles including: “So You Want to Have Your Own Cooking Show,” “How to Resonate with Millennials,” “Tips for Selling or Buying a Restaurant,” “Accommodating Customer on Special Diets,” and much more. The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum faculty features representation from operations and organizations including Tropical Smoothie Café, Royal Caribbean International, Zoës Kitchen, Sodexo, Almond, Dirt Candy, Benchmarc Restaurants, Chefs de Cuisine, The Monday Campaigns, International Chef Association and more. The Education Station will offer business boosting sessions on the show floor. Speakers will include Da-

vid Scott Peters, TheRestaurantExpert.com; Betsy Craig, MenuTrinfo; Darren S. Denington, CFBE, Service with Style Hospitality; Sandy Korem, The Catering Coach; Kevin Paider, ChefTec; Tom DuFore, Franchise Marketing Systems; Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach and Joe Gabriel, Snagajob. These industry experts will share their knowledge and expertise during the three days of the event. In addition to the dynamic education program, the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show will offer 450+ exhibiting companies on an expansive show floor showcasing the newest products and services for the industry. Special feature areas include The Pub, The Japan Pavilion, The Food Trends Experience, The APP Store, Taste NY Food & Craft Beverage Showcase, The Beer and Burger Lounge - sponsored by Budweiser and One World Beef, the US Pastry Competition, and much more.

112 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1833

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 113

POS Technology, from page 10

wait times, call up customers, clean tables, and ensure reservations have a spot when they arrive. Part therapist, part seating-police, part tableallocation-god – the role of a host is complex. Now technology has evolved to help them out. For your restaurant: Sometimes combined with waitlist technology and reservation apps, the best hosting apps include automated server rotations, the floor plan, and table status. This takes the pressure off busy hosts, ensures their estimated wait times are more accurate and allows them to better gauge when to set up reservations. Hosting apps also ensure that servers are seated fairly. For your customers: Guests receive more accurate wait estimations and for those with second sitting reservations, there’s less chance that they’ll have to wait for their table to be ready, even on the busiest nights. Examples: Hostus, DineTime, NoWait Delivery Netflix and chill … and takeout – there’s no better Friday night. More and more restaurants are opting to provide delivery services and more and more customers are opting to order food beyond pizza. For your restaurant: Delivery apps provide a whole new sales channel for restaurants that deliver. Delivery apps reduce the chance of error associated with over-thephone orders and the best apps provide confirmation and accurate order records to both restaurants and customers. For your customers: Quick, easy, often available on smartphone, tablet and the internet, customers can order from a greater range of delivery choices, potentially even from their favorite restaurants, without

having to leave the house...or their couch for that matter. Examples: JUST EAT, GrubHub Food Pick-Up Forget champagne tastes on beer wages; we’ve got long-lunch tastes on fast food time. For the busy professional, sitting down for lunch is less a promise and more a luxury. Now food pick-up technology has evolved beyond options like the dirty bird, or McD’s to allow customers to order from their favorite restaurants. With food pick up apps, customers can take food out or dine in, without the time lag after ordering and before payment. For your restaurant: Pick-up apps consume fewer resources at peak meal times. Since they don’t have to take orders or process payments as that is all done through the app, your staff gets off the phone and can spend more time serving customers in-house. As well, guests who are picking up get the same level of service and the same food, without the wait. An added bonus of being listed on pick-up apps is increased exposure. Whether you appear to an app-user based on proximity, food type, or rating- it’s a great way to get noticed and drive more business. For your customers: Customers can order and pay directly from their smartphones, avoiding lineups and wait times. There’s no waiting on busy staff to take orders during lunch or dinner times. They can simply grab their order and go. Some apps, even allow you to order ahead of time and dine-in, cutting out the order and payment time, but preserving the table dining experience. Examples: Hangry, Ritual, Settle, Eat24 Point of Sale Once upon a time, after taking

114 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

an order, servers would stand in line for a POS, trying to keep track of an order in their head, deciphering scribbles on their notepad, all while making a mental note to remember to deliver that glass of water. Now, POS has gone mobile. No more notebooks. No more mistakes. No more communication errors. Using tablets, the notepad middleman has been eliminated, as well as the fight for computers and the time lag between appetizer and the main course. Mobile POS systems can now be taken tableside, placing the dining experience directly in the hands of the server for automated and instantaneous ordering and a smoother process from drink order to payment. On top of that, the modern POS acts as an ecosystem for your restaurant, connecting everything from loyalty programs, to reservations, to menu management, all on one device. For your restaurant: With a mobile POS, your servers will never be in the weeds. Smooth operations make for better, faster service, happier staff and typically higher tips. The best mobile POS systems allow servers to take and modify orders tableside. When servers can sort orders by seat, accommodate shared items, and take special requests, there’s less time wasted going back and forth with the kitchen. The chance of communication errors between guest-server-kitchen-bar is almost eliminated. When it comes to payment, servers can split the bill with ease and allow customers to pay while their seated at the table. Win-win-win. For your customers: When servers are at ease, customers are too. Their needs are met, their orders are correct, and the service is prompt. Creating an experience is half the battle. Master that and you’ll have a regular for life.

Example: TouchBistro Restaurant iPad POS Mobile Payment Cash is the way of the past. Plastic has been our preferred method of payment for decades, but there’s a new payment player in town. More and more of us are now paying with our phones. While wallets are still padding back pockets and weighing down purses everywhere, mobile pay is gaining momentum and increasing in popularity. Digital wallets work by linking your credit and debit cards to your smartphone. While still on the burgeoning front line of technology adoption, mobile payments are prevailing amongst the top POS systems and payment options. For your restaurant: They allow quick, tableside payments, a chance to recover marketing information, paperless payments, and better tracking. For your customers: Just another way to pay quickly and efficiently. Customers already do everything on their smartphones, why not pay for their meal too? Examples: Apple Pay, PayPal For restaurants, time is everything. For customers, it’s all about the convenience. And when convenience and time are married, the results are a great experience all around. The faster and smoother logistics and operations are taken care of, the more attentive servers can be and the more romanced a guest will feel. Restaurant tech is indeed a changin’ – for the better! Don’t let the latest trends overwhelm you – embrace it, one app at a time. Your guests will thank you and your staff will too.

BOOTH #2007

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 115

116 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 117

Les vergers Boiron, from page 44 flavor, colors, texture and the same sugar content level. That’s a critical advantage for any chef.” The first step in making a fruit puree? The best fruit of course. “But secondly, the processing of the fruit into a liquid, then the blending of the fruit water and sugar, is done in such a way by us that the result tastes almost as much like the fruit itself,” he says. In comparison to champagne, he notes, you have the blending of still white wine from different regions, or growers, to make sure when a consumer buys a brand of champagne, he will get the same taste and bubbles and color as the time before. “That’s what we want to achieve. Whenever you buy strawberry puree from Boiron, it will be exactly the same,” he promises. “We choose and blend the fruit that in the end makes that consistent result. Our job is not to buy fruits, throw them in a machine and wait for it to be packaged, frozen, put on the shelf. Our job is to blend what we can find to make sure that the end result is consistent.” And what if it’s not a good year for some kinds of fruit? “If we don’t get the fruit we need, we will not produce that flavor,” he says. “It happened years ago that there were some issues with the weather in the region for blood oranges. We didn’t make the puree that year. A couple of years ago, coconut, which comes from Thailand, was affected by major flooding, and the growing was disrupted. So we discontinued that reference for one year. It’s a big step, and it’s tough on the chef,” he admits. “A chef may have it on the menu but it’s part of our commitment to the chef -- when they get a product from us, it has to be the standard quality they are expecting of us. If we can’t get it through the blending or the sourcing, we don’t do it.” Boursier explains that when a chef or a restaurateur goes to a market and buys fruit, it can be nice one day, and not so nice the next day. “You have to throw away some of it, and you can’t

be sure what you get. With our products, you can be sure of the end result because our product is of consummate quality. That’s a major satisfaction driver,” he says. Les vergers Boiron has been in the U.S. for about 20 years. There are differences in the markets, he says. “The French market is very much based on the pastry chef, the boutique side of the business, where other markets, including the US, are based on the hotel and restaurant side of the business.” The good news for chefs is that Les Vergers Boiron purees are warehoused in New Jersey and are sold through distributors that are located

118 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

all over the country. This makes it easy for the Chefs to get the purees. Compared to competitors, Boursier says, they don’t license their fruit and have it made in someone else’s factory. “We make all our purees in our own factories. We capitalize on our know-how, because the versions are

our own. That does make a difference.” For more information, email Robert Miller on the East Coast at rmiller@ boironfreres.com and Lauren Moore on the West Coast at lmoore@boironfreres, or visit www.my-vb.com.

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 119

Ask Andrew, from page 70 maximizing their revenue per seat and providing great experiences for guests. Restaurateurs signing a new lease need to have realistic revenue projections, a sound concept and be properly capitalized. Even then it’s difficult to have longevity and be profitable. But we have the most incredible entrepreneurs in NYC, so I have no doubt we’ll see some classic restaurants renew their leases and great new ones open, despite the high rents. It will be sad to see others close though. One reform being pushed by the business community to help with the high rents is the elimination of the commercial rent tax, which businesses below 96th street in Manhattan pay if their annual rent exceeds $250,000. That’s approximately $20,000 per month rent. So many small restaurants are forced to pay this tax, which makes it even more expensive to succeed. Perhaps there will be more to come on this topic in a future column.

what they’re getting themselves into. Depending on the type of cuisine they’re selling they may need additional storage and prep space at their full restaurant or commissary to service the food hall location. Food Halls align a restaurant’s brand alongside others, which has its pros and cons. For example, it provides nice exposure for a multi-unit brand but it may be tough to stand out if it’s your first or second location. It

does however help associate a new brand with other established and successful ones. On the flip side, if one of those other brands or the Food Hall itself provide a negative experience to a guest, it can impact you. It doesn’t appear the growth of food halls will slow soon, making this option a unique and good opportunity for our members as long as they are prepared and understand the business model.

3. Food Halls are popping up everywhere, Pennsy being the latest. How do these create opportunities for your members? Today’s food halls are curated with great restaurant brands and offer a fast pace and exciting environment that attracts local and visiting foodies. These are definitely not your old school food courts found in shopping malls. When you look at all the trends happening in today’s restaurant market, especially the fast casual boom, the reasons for the popularity of food halls become evident. A good food hall has built-in foot traffic, already gets buzz on social media and is a nice way to grow a restaurant company’s portfolio. While not inexpensive, the start up cost is less than opening a fullscale brick and mortar restaurant. But they often lack storage and prep space, so restaurateurs need to know 120 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1761

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 121

Bobrow, from page 58 real rum. Especially if you live in NY/NJ or CT... Mezan is in your market! Order some and tell your distributer that I suggested it.

• • • • •

A Fast Retort (A Mezan Rum and Branca Menta Milk Punch), serves two

•

Ingredients: • 3 oz. Mezan XO Jamaican Rum

•

1 oz. Branca Menta 4 oz. Espresso Coffee (cooled) 2 oz. Whole (regular) milk 2 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream 2-3 scoops Bitter Chocolate or Coffee Gelato 5 dashes of Bitter Truth Spiced Chocolate Bitters Fresh mint for garnish

Preparation: 1. Hand shake the ingredients

122 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

2. 3. 4. 5.

together except for the Spiced Chocolate Bitters When combined, add to a parfait glass Shake the Spiced Chocolate Bitters over the top Garnish with fresh mint Serve your friend one, then yourself (manners!)

Rum, cream and mint. How can you go wrong?

BOOTH #1810

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 123

Rothbard, from page 90 always picking up the phone to call. As far as local sustainability is concerned we spread ourselves across a number of local suppliers, focusing on who can provide the highest quality and deliver the right items on time. Any advice you can share with those thinking of opening a second location? JOE: Don’t do it. Haha. Having two restaurants is like… having two

businesses that need 100% of your attention. For some reason, when you think of opening a second restaurant, you think you’ll be adding a little bit more work to your plate, and can re-distribute other things. It doesn’t really work that way, at least not in the beginning. Until you can find someone to take your place 95% at the original location, you may want to wait. What is your opinion on the elim-

ination of tipping and increase on minimum wage in our industry? ADAM: As far as the elimination of tipping goes, we are focusing on food and service now, and observing how that aspect of the industry changes to see if it fits our needs. JOE: In reference to minimum wage, I’d recommend Googling Murray Rothbard to see what he says. Regardless, Adam and I will always do what is in the best interest to the restaurant and our employees.

NEW PRODUCTS WANTED… for the region’s #1 sales opportunity

March 6-8, 2016

Javits Center, NYC

internationalrestaurantny.com

Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to drive your sales & grow your business Put your business in front of more than 16,000 buyers – representing more than $132Million in sales. Call today to reserve your space and discuss how we can help you reach your goals. Bill: 203-484-8055 Dave: 203-484-8056 Sponsored by:

BOOTH #1213 124 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Produced & Managed by:

BOOTH #1966 March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 125

NJRE, from page 94 says, is that his company is a stocking dealer. “The contractors wait until they get there. They order one piece and then they need another right away. They love us because we stock. And that’s how we’re able to get such great pricing, that’s why we’re moving to 24,000 square feet because we just need more space and we want to have everything all contained. People see it online and they want to come and actually see it and touch it. They come to the showroom. So the Internet helps in that way, too. The old guys want to touch it, to feel it. That’s why we expanded our showroom,” he announces. What also separates us from the rest is that it’s in an urban enterprise zone. “So, when you come in, you’re getting a reduced 3 1/2% tax rate. You come in and pay and you carry out. For us, it brings people right into the store and

BambooWare, from page 62 it gives them a discount in terms of what they’re paying for tax, a big savings,” he indicates. Neil says NJRE hires people who speak the language of the trade. “We hire people who can understand what the customer needs and what’s helping us grow is having the technical expertise as well as the on- the-ground practical experience.” “New Jersey may not be Manhattan but that is slowly changing,” according to Neil. “I think you’re seeing a lot of what’s happening in New York coming out to Jersey and to other parts because rents now are increasing again so people are looking to maximize their space. And the kitchens are getting pushed back a little in terms of size. So other areas have more appeal for those in the business,” he says. For more information, call (201) 863-6666 or go to njresupply.net.

126 • March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

and it’s paid for and after that it ends up costing a lot less than using a disposable product. You’re not adding any dish machines, just 3-tub sinks, rinse, wash, and that’s it,” Hermanson says. On the disposable side, to go “green,” there are two choices – bamboo and palm. “Palm is a lot less expensive because they make it out of one leaf. The bamboo sheath plates are 2- or 3-ply to be strong, and that costs more. The palm downside is that it takes a lot longer to get here from India. With palm, the difference in price is 50%,” he notes. That’s one of the reasons the company is moving its warehousing to Dallas. “There, we’re only 2-3 days away from everyone,” he says. Bamboo is hot for many reasons, but a top one is that it’s an inexpen-

sive product that can be branded. “We can put customers’ names on it and it’s free advertising. People seem to take things when a restaurant’s name is on it and that’s all free advertising. It’s the only way to go for reusables and disposables,” he concludes.

W E N

Grease Interceptor

EnduraXL has been designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the modern operational foodservice environment.

Compact Footprint, with a Lifetime of Performance

www.enduraXL.com Represented in Metro New York by: Tel: (201) 525-1433 Fax: (201) 525-1437

DMM Enterprises

dmm@dmmreps.com

BOOTH #1744

March 2016 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 127

BOOTH #1950