May 2014

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// NEWS

EVENTS

Food Network Stars to Host ‘Taste of Two Forks’ Fete Participating New York City chefs include Harold Moore of Commerce and Mike Prince of Market Table. The festival will be held July 11 and 12 at Sayre Park in Bridgehampton. Tickets run to $340 for a Grillhampton ticket and a VIP ticket for Taste of Two Forks.

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portion of this year’s ticket sales will benefit All For The East End, which supports local nonprofits. Summer food festivals are turning up the star wattage. Katie Lee and Geoffrey Zakarian of the Food Network’s “The Kitchen” will co-host the fourth annual Dan’s Taste of Two Forks, which highlights culinary tal-

Katie Lee and Geoffrey Zakarian of the Food Network’s “The Kitchen” will co-host the fourth annual Dan’s Taste of Two Forks

#1631 ent from the North and South Forks of Long Island. Last year, Zakarian, who has a string of restaurants, was named culinary director of The Plaza. Lee, who was once married to Billy Joel, has become a name in her own right as a fashionable foodie. The festival also includes the second annual Dan’s

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// NEWS

RESTAURANTS

A Branch of Racines Is Coming to New York The notion of opening a restaurant in New York has been percolating in David Lahner’s head for many years. He is finally bringing a branch of Racines, his two Paris restaurants, to New York with his partners: David Lillie, who owns Chambers Street Wines, and Arnaud Tronche, a sommelier

choices on the menu, we are going to have four. The menu will change frequently and focus on farm-to-table type of products.” The classically trained chef Duca is originally from Marseilles in the south of France where he developed a passion for seafood. In New York, he’ll be sourcing local fish from Alex, the Blue Moon Fish purveyor at the Tribeca and Union Square Greenmarkets. The menu he’s creating will change based

who will be the general manager. continued on page 97

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he somewhat narrow space with an open kitchen has an air of refined rusticity with brick walls and mirrors. The chef, Frédéric Duca, is from Marseilles, but his brief menu has only a light French accent. There is sea bass ceviche, squid a la plancha and lamb shoulder confit. “I want to showcase quality ingredients to go with wines that express the soil,” he said. Mr. Lillie, whose shop holds a trove from small French producers, said they are making a commitment to natural and biodynamic wines, or, as he put it, “wines from the earth.” David has been in the wine business for over 20 years and is a co-owner of Chambers Street Wines. He’s known for his expertise on wines from the Loire and is a strong proponent of

Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830

David Lahner is finally bringing a branch of Racines, his two Paris restaurants, to New York with his partners: David Lillie and Arnaud Tronche

winemakers who take care of and respect their land. Arnaud changed careers as a telecom engineer to follow his passion in wine. Together they are creating a wine list based on their passions and sharing their favorite wines with people in a restaurant setting. First things first, Racines NYC is not a wine bar. The owners describes it as “a restaurant that includes the wine bar concept. If we talk about it

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as a wine bar, people don’t get the idea that we have a fabulous chef.” That “fabulous chef” is Frederic Duca who worked at some of the best restaurants in Paris like Taillevent, Darroze and L'Instant d'Or, where he received his first Michelin star. “It’s a sit down restaurant with a limited full menu, but you can come in and treat it like a wine bar. You can have a few glasses of wine and small plates. We are not going to have ten

Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Creative Director: Ross Moody Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Wyman Philbrook Noelle Ifshin Andrew Catalano Laurie Forster Mitchell Segal Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2014 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836


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// NEWS

RESTAURANTS

RoGallery.com Creates Vision For Tri-State Restaurateurs When most customers go to a restaurant, they’re interested of course in the obvious, the food and the service. But Robert Rogal thinks there’s another very important piece of the puzzle that restaurants need to think about. And that’s art.

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he owner of RoGallery.com, an online fine art gallery and auction house says the competition in the food industry today is so fierce, restaurants need to do something to stand out. He believes they can do it with art. “I’ve been in this business for over 30 years, when the Internet came along, everything changed,” says Rogal. “Using fine art is a way to quickly enhance the décor of a restaurant, and may also turn out to be a great investment for the restaurant.” RoGallery.com has an extensive inventory of paintings, prints, photography and sculptures available in a multitude of styles for restaurant spaces around the world. “We have fine art from major artists such as Picasso, Miro, Chagall, Dali and have over 5,000 artists and 30,000 artworks in our inventory in a 10,000-square-foot warehouse in Long Island City – only a mile from Manhattan,” Rogal notes. One of the gallery’s greatest advantages is the ability to package, frame, and ship art anywhere in the world. “You give me an order today, you’ll get it tomorrow… We know how to get the art out [to the buyer]” he says. Rogal says his company sells through not only RoGallery.com but on other fine art sales sites like eBay, Amazon, OneKingsLane and others. “ I’m not only a seller, I’m a buyer of artworks as well. People who need art management

Restaurants have to think about their design, Rogal points out. “The menu has to change along with the environment over time. You have to make it cleaner, brighter, use inviting artwork, so new customers will keep coming in and enjoying the experience.

to evaluate the artworks they have find their way to us as well – we are a fullservice company.” But restaurants are where art is especially important, Rogal says. He and his wife, Gail, eat out almost every night of the week, and the things they look for – “along with food, the environment, music, the three key ingredients for a successful restaurant—the overall style has to tie in with what you’re doing.” The ambiance of a restaurant is accomplished through adding fine art to their recipe, Rogal says. He points out that a new restaurant in Boca Raton that RoGallery.com is working with for the art styling is doing just that. “They just commissioned one of our artists (Mark Kostabi) to do

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a painting, 14 1/2 feet by 6 feet high. The artist whom we represent is actually doing a painting based on a similar artwork he completed for a restaurant in Rome, Italy (Antica Pesa) that the owner of the new restaurant in Boca loved,” he says. “The owner saw this mural in the restaurant and he wanted it for his restaurant, though he’s doing it with a French twist. He’s having the Eiffel tower rather than the leaning Tower of Pisa!” Rogal says there’s no one-way to plan art for a restaurant. “If I come into your home or restaurant, I may have some ideas for you that, since we know our inventory well, might not have occurred to you. It’s like going into a department store to try to find a piece of

clothing. You might get confused by all the choices. But if you go to a specialty store, the owner might say, ‘I just got this in,’ and takes the clothing off the rack. He directs the item to you. We can direct pieces to a restaurant. Once we get a feel for the concept of the restaurant and space, we will be able to direct a few things their way.” Recalling a restaurant (Café Society) that was in existence from 1938 (and has since closed in recent years) in New York City, Rogal says it commissioned major paintings that today would be quite costly. “These paintings by Giancarlo Impiglia are available again from us now for a new restaurant space. Certain restaurants put as much into their environments as they do the kitchens and their chefs.” What about budgets? “When you open up a restaurant, you’ve got to think about the terms of the lease, and how long you’re going to be there. Art is an investment, and it’s a mobile one that you can take with you. You might even see your art go up in value,” he says. Restaurants have to think about their design, Rogal points out. “The menu has to change along with the environment over time. You have to make it cleaner, brighter, use inviting artwork, so new customers will keep coming in and enjoying the experience. A lot of it is common sense. Owners and managers get caught up in the everyday operation, and don’t take a look around them.” To contact the business or send pictures of your environment with general design ideas email art@rogallery.com. They will send back a few ideas to start building and creating great style for your restaurant. You can also browse the entire inventory of artworks available at RoGallery.com, we recommend browsing the categories food and restaurant art & bar and alcohol artworks.


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// NEWS

CHEFS

Floyd Cardoz Exits North End Grill Floyd Cardoz, the executive chef at North End Grill in Battery Park City, announced last month that he was leaving the restaurant and its parent company, the Union Square Hospitality Group, where he has worked for nearly 17 years for the restaurateur Danny Meyer.

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am interested in opening a restaurant in India,” said Mr. Cardoz, who was born in that country. “An employee at North End Grill has gone back to India and is working on a space in Bombay to open something in the next six months. I hope to work with him. But I do not intend to move to India.” Mr. Cardoz said he also planned to open an Indian restaurant in New York, after he had a chance to relax for a few months and “reconnect” with his son, who is leaving for col-

lege. “Indian food is not well represented in New York, or the United States for that matter,” he said. “Why can’t it be made as popular as Chipotle?” Mr. Cardoz said he had no definite business plan for a New York restaurant, but thought it was about time an Indian restaurant focused on local ingredients. “That’s how we cook in India, after all,” he said. Mr. Cardoz has been at North End Grill since its opening in January 2012; that March, The New York Times’s restaurant critic, Pete Wells,

Floyd Cardoz, the executive chef at North End Grill in Battery Park City, announced last month that he was leaving the restaurant

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awarded it two stars. Before that Mr. Cardoz was the executive chef at Mr. Meyers’s Indian-fusion restaurant Tabla, which closed in 2010. The Times critic Ruth Reichl gave it three stars in 1999, not long after it opened.

Mr. Cardoz said he had been discussing his plans with Mr. Meyer for many months. It was Mr. Meyer who put him in charge of the kitchen at North End Grill, to allow him to spread his wings beyond Indian-influenced cooking after Tabla closed. Mr. Cardoz said Mr. Meyer “has been very supportive.” “I think it’s a healthy thing that he’s doing,” Mr. Meyer said. “He should be cooking the stuff that comes from his heart, and that’s Indian.” The chef’s last day at North End Grill was April 30, six days shy of his 17th anniversary with the restaurant group. A replacement has not been named.


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// MEET THE NEWSMAKER

MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN METRO NYC

ICEsurance Brings Unique Blend Of Local Service And Product Knowledge To Metro New York Restaurant menus have evolved dramatically over the past 20 years as the pursuit of quality has led to more creative preparations featuring better and fresher ingredients.

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o be sure, the phrases "Farm to Table" and “locally sourced” have become a part of our daily dining lexicon and the effort to enhance the customer experience does not stop in the kitchen. Meeting and exceeding the expectations of increasingly sophisticated patrons has also triggered a revolution behind the bar. A resurgence in old time drinks like the Manhattan and Rob Roy nostalgically evoke the Madmen era, while mixologist driven recipes expand the palette in remarkable and unexpected ways. The ice cube, that formerly overlooked nonentity has now been redefined. The classic square cube and the serendipitous nugget are considered integral components in both the presentation aesthetics and as contributor to the textural profile. The ice cube is no longer the province of the back of the house. So the importance of being able to tap into a local ice making resource has never been more essential than it is today. According to Jeff Hendler ice machine rental and service originated in the mid1960s. “When commercial machines first became available, restaurateurs weren’t sure of the newer technology, and business for financing and servic-

ing evolved,” says the general manager of ICEsurance, a business that sells and leases this equipment to restaurants and other businesses. ICEsurance began as Saxony, a family-owned business in the 1970s, and icemachine leasing became an adjunct to the packaged-ice business that was originally started by the family. Then the company – a full equipment distributor as well as an ice machine leasing company, including sales and service – was acquired by Arctic Glacier USA and subsequently re-branded as

ICEsurance. “The new ownership has truly embraced the business and have committed to expanding our footprint.” Hendler smiles when asked how his business is one of the major leaders in the Metro New York area. “Our business is built on relationships. Those relationships are formed over time by providing a level of service that is not available elsewhere, and that's what we have always tried to do.” Hendler says he has the good fortune of having some long-time sales staff working with ICEsurance who have

Hendler smiles when asked how his business is one of the major leaders in the Metro New York area. “Our business is built on relationships. Those relationships are formed over time by providing a service that meets or exceeds our customers' expectations, and that's what we have always tried to do.”

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Hendler says what started out as a restaurant-driven business gradually also moved into the convenience store and other types of foodservice operations

developed very close business and personal ties to its customer base. Hendler says the company has a lot of experience sizing up the ice needs of a foodservice operation. “Anything from a hot night club to a high-volume restaurant or a corporate dining room, our local experience is what separates us from everybody else in New York. We put the ice machines in Studio 54, the Limelight, the Palladium. There’s a direct lineage that connects one year to the next. Our familiarity with the venues, operators, trends. It puts us in a different light than anybody else.” He adds that there are plenty of great companies that foodservice managers can buy an ice machine from. “But there are very few companies that have the ability to handle any situation, whether it's a coffee kiosk or a stadium.” It’s funny what drives sales in the ice world, Hendler notes. “We've seen everything from stainless steel drive sales,

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// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Grand Tasting Benefit: Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP)

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ecently, Chef Michael White was honored in front of 800 guests at the annual Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) grand tasting benefit. C-CAP’s culinary event showcases cuisine from an all-star lineup of New York City’s hottest chefs and restaurateurs, such as Marcus Samuelsson, Daniel Boulud, Bryce Shuman and Drew Nieporent as well as C-CAP alumni chefs, including “baker to the stars” Thiago Silva of The General, to

raise funds to support scholarships, education and career opportunities for disadvantaged youth pursuing careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Honoree Michael White was acknowledged for his achievements and contributions to the culinary industry and his commitment to nurturing the next generation of chefs. Michael White is the Chef/ Owner Altamarea Group, including MAREA, AI FIORI, AL MOLO, THE BUTTERFLY, CHOP SHOP, OSTERIA

MORINI and more. Guests enjoyed a grand tasting, moving from table to table, sampling luxurious foods including a signature chicken donut from Marcus Samuelsson, a braised veal shank from Daniel Boulud and Brian Loiacono as well as a braised beef agnolotti with butternut squash puree with a black truffle sugo and brown butter from honoree Michael White. Cooking alongside these all-star chefs were more than 60 New York City C-CAP high school

Andrew Zimmern, Master Sommelier and C-CAP alumnus Carlton McCoy, Marcus Samuelsson

Daniel Boulud, C-CAP President Susan Robbins, honoree Michael White

C-CAP Alumnus and baker to the stars Thiago Silva of The General

culinary students, eager to put their mark on the culinary world. The C-CAP Benefit raised one million dollars to support the national not-for-profit’s mission of providing scholarships, education and career opportunities in the culinary arts to disadvantaged youth. The highlight from the live auction was bidding on the private dinners cooked in the winners’ homes for 12 people by Michael White and 16 people by Marcus Samuelsson, which raised a total of $80,000. The Event Chairman was Ahmass Fakahany, Owner/CEO, Altamarea Group, the Chef Committee Chair was Marcus Samuelsson, Chef/Owner of the Red Rooster Harlem. The Event Vice-Chairs were Tony May and Marisa May and Susan and Richard Grausman.

Owner/CEO Altamarea Group, Ahmass Fakahany, Andrew Zimmern, Rishia Zimmern, Michael White, Olivia Young

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Drew Nieporent with Peking Duck from Shun Lee Palace


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// NEWS

CATERING

Klein’s Between The Bread Brings Local Focus To Manhattan Catering Operation It was really simple. Ricky Klein, working for a large corporation, was traveling 250 days a year. “And I told my husband, I needed to put my head on the same pillow two nights in a row,” she says.

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nd so was born, Between the Bread, her unique upscale catering business that serves corporations all over the world. In business since 1979, Klein says

she’s seen her product change from its original start in take-out to the catering service she has run successfully for these 35 years. “We really just evolved over the

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years,” she says. “We are strictly corporate, which means no weddings, barmitzvahs, or christenings. We’re on the upper end of the scale both in terms of style (which is modern) and prices.

We do not subscribe to any one kind of food. We mix cuisines to come up with something brand new. And our clients love our different kinds of food.” Clients are generally not end-users but the employees who are in charge of arrangements. “It’s not one of the most favorite spots in a corporation,” she notes. “For a person in charge of corporate events, it’s very tedious. Usually you wind up dealing with the most detail-oriented person. Sometimes it’s the CEO’s assistant, sometimes it’s not. We deal with the marketing department, different people in corporate life who have reason to celebrate at different times.” That can mean product development,

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// NEWS

FRANCHISES

For Seasoned Food Service Operators "Life is Bene" with Unique Coffee Franchise Opportunity Let’s face it. We’re used to getting our coffee in a black place with a lot of wood and glass and easy chairs, from people in green aprons and a lady with flowing long hair inside a green circle somewhere up high.

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ut if a new coffee brand has anything to say about it: and they do…“LIFE is BENE.” You will now be able to get something new with your coffee. Respect. Honor. Hospitality… aka SERVICE. Caffe Bene, the number 2 Coffee chain in the world, with over 1500 outlets is coming straight from South Korea to provide consumers with a whole new way of buying and enjoying their coffee. “The idea grew out of the Korean culture,” says John Barry, Director of Franchise Development for Caffe Bene. “The Asian culture is historically a very respectful one, and that philosophy grew into businesses there, including the coffee industry. Chairman and CEO Kim Sun Kwon saw the opportunity, researched it, and opened the first Caffe Bene in 2008, “to put those respectful ideas into play." What can you expect at Caffe Bene? “Initially, it’s welcoming the guest, offering a free sample of their freshly baked pastries, telling them about the new specials and loyalty program and thanking them when they leave. It’s a simple gesture of respect and hospitality for their frequenting our busi-

ness.” Barry, who has been called a “visionary brand builder,” has spent years doing just that for Quiznos, Amazon, Party City, Yogurtland and other top franchises, and is now helping to grow the Caffe Bene brand here in the U.S. But you can’t do that without service oriented people. Retail is detail. Barry’s is also helping the company find qualified franchisees that fit the mold. “We want a franchisee who’s qualified, who has retail experience, is an extrovert, and knows the meaning of service. Match all those together, and that’s the Retail Magic of Caffe Bene.” Coffee is a $30 billion industry, and

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since New York City has the most coffee drinkers it only made sense for Caffe Bene to locate here. “With Manhattan’s insatiable appetite for coffee, it was a no-brainer,” says Barry. “We’re going to bring that culture, that respect, that vision, to the consumer. We have our look, our own bakery, the knowledge and experience and our own model for success.” Barry says the brand, which opened its first store at 49th and Broadway two years ago, has enabled the chain to showcase its award winning coffee blends (light and dark), which are grown in Brazil. Medium roast brings out the original taste of the coffee and minimizes any unnecessary flavors

or bitterness. In addition Caffe Bene’s menu features Belgian waffles, authentic South American Mojitos and Italian gelato. We have stores on five different continents and we're taking the best from each. Caffe Bene believes that there is a whole new coffee culture out there: especially the millennial generation, those who are in the 18-33 age bracket and who are at the center of a new coffee culture in the US and abroad. They’re smarter, more demanding and Caffe Bene is opening their eyes and bringing them into an intellectual environment that’s a lot different than the traditional coffee house” he says. “We are giving the consumer a choice. They will make a conscious decision based on the service, hospitality and respect we offer them Barry explains. Right now the company’s goal is to create awareness for both consumers and new franchisees. “We feel the benefit of a franchisee system versus company run is the $400,000 commitment to the business the franchisee is making and who will stress those service elements more regularly, than an employee who’s paid by the hour,” he says. Barry’s hoping Caffe Bene will attract those who share a similar mindset. To do that, the company’s is opening Caffe Bene College of Coffee. “It’s an institution where new franchisees can get their PHD in state of the art coffee brewing and sophisticated service oriented coffee retailing. That diploma will hang proudly on the walls of Caffe Bene outlets separating us from other coffee houses. It certifies we have the experience, service and products they want.” Barry isn’t shy about taking on Star-

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// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

DiCarlo Celebrates 50th Anniversary Buying Show

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YE notes that the summer season got off to a great start with the industry's annual trip to the East End of Long Island for DiCarlo’s Annual Buying Show. The show marked a celebration of 50 years of DiCarlo serving the needs of the Metro New York food service community. The two generations of DiCarlos have been able to stay ahead of the curve by keeping it local since 1963. With that local focus in mind, the show featured cheeses, vegetable, meats and seafood that were repre-

(L to R) Georgia Pacific’s Dennis Fox with Post Road Diners’ George Aitiforides and Teddy Giapoulis who took the ferry from Connecticut to tour the show

Admiration’s Scott Goldsberry debuted the New Jersey firm’s new ketchup line

sentative of the over 1000 local ingredients that DiCarlo offers its diverse customer base. It was great to see Vincent DiCarlo Sr. making the rounds to visit with customers. The magnificent Inn & Spa at East Wind in Wading River was a spectacular backdrop for DiCarlo’s guests to over 175 vendors to take advantage of ordering discounts, learn about new products and taste delicious samples. EYE visited with notables including Tyson’s Bob Taney, Bunge’s Sean Joe Palazzo, Polly-O’s Frank Primiano and Hood’s Bob Fraska. For 49 years,

DiCarlo’s commitment to service, quality and competitive pricing have made it one of the nation’s leading independent distributors. The Holtsville, New York firm is housed in a modern distribution facility with over five million cubic feet of dry, refrigerator and freezer storage space giving them the ability to purchase in large volume and to offer the Metro NY food service operator the highest quality products at the best possible prices.

(L to R) United Sales Concepts’ Mike Boriello and Frank Rutunno welcomed many guests

DiCarlo’s show has always been about presenting the very latest menu options to the firm’s diverse customer base

(L to R) Mike Scinto of TFS, DiCarlo’s Karen Martin and The Inn & Spa at Eastwind's Kevin Wood (L to R) Gosman’s David Piacente worked with DiCarlo’s Walter McDougall

Sabin Meyer’s Bob Meyer helped build new menu options

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DiCarlo family patriarch Vince DiCarlo Sr. was on hand to greet guests

(L to R) Cesarina Estevez and Darci Rodriguez of Long Island's Elara created a show buzz with their line of disposables

Clark’s Fish House trio Tara Clark, Shelly Clark, Rhode and Matt Rhode came from Shelter Island to prep for Summer ’14


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// Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEWS

Guy Lombardi

Co-Owner of Lombardi Caterers in Patchogue, NY As they say, “there’s nothing like mama’s cooking”, and Guy Lombardi knows this first hand. Growing up in Avellino, Italy, Guy was spoiled by his mother’s traditional Italian cooking. At a young age he was exposed to all aspects of the kitchen, helping his mother as much as he could, igniting the passion that has led to the Lombardi Empire that stands today.

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amma Lombardi’s Restaurant opened in 1976 in Holbrook, NY. This was the first business venture of Guy and the Lombardi family, with the intention to showcase their mamma’s recipes. The restaurant was well received and prompted the family opened four more locations, Villa Lombardi’s and Lombardi’s Gourmet Market in Holbrook, Lombardi’s On The Sound in Port Jefferson, NY and Lombardi’s On The Bay in Patchogue, NY, all showcasing the generous portions and robust flavors in their cuisine, featuring superb service. Guy and the Lombardi family believe the cornerstone of their success is their customers, and follow their company mission statement, “our reputation, built on total customer satisfaction, is our basis for existence”, in all they do.

What's the niche that Lombardi’s fills? It’s really farm-to-table. Simple ingredients perfectly balanced. We serve the same food at our wedding banquet halls that we do in our restaurant. People know the quality they can expect when they come to us in any of our venues.

Talk about what makes Lombardi’s special?

What created your interest in cooking? Coming from a small village in Italy, my mother spent most of her day in the kitchen, cooking for us and for the farm. When we immigrated to America in 1968, she still cooked the same large meals she cooked for our neighbors and friends, using the same recipes

from our village in Avellino. It’s the original farm-to-table idea. It’s definitely rustic Italian cooking. They literally grew the food and ate it. It’s a lot of vegetables, signature dishes from the local ingredients. They didn't really have anything to work with besides what they could grow in that area. There really weren't any other choices. When my family came here – I was one of eight – we all got different jobs. But obviously we had a passion for food because my two brothers, John and Jerry were working in a pizzeria and I actually became a butcher in a pork store. And then one day, when we were sitting at the table eating dinner, we came up with the idea to open our own restaurant, using my mother's cooking.

Guy Lombardi is Co-Owner of Lombardi Caterers in Patchogue, NY

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It’s all about family, and history. We run Mamma Lombardi's the same way we did when we opened our first restaurant 35 years ago. Our food is always fresh. We put the customer first. People literally waited two to three hours for a table when we first opened. People from another town would say, “We need a Lombardi’s in this town.” And our customers haven't really changed. Now we see more and more of the same customers but just different generations of them. We make sure that our customers can honestly trust that we are providing the very best for them.”

How did a single restaurant turn into


multiple operations? We just grew. People wanted us to open up in their towns! The catering and bridal operation was something I saw as a real growth opportunity – we already had the great food! – And I didn’t think it would be that much different to open a catering business. It just grew and grew. Mamma Lombardi’s Restaurant opened in 1976 in Holbrook, then we added Villa Lombardi’s and Lombardi’s Gourmet Market in Holbrook, and then Lombardi’s On The Sound in Port Jefferson, and the catering operation in Patchogue, Lombardi’s On The Bay.

Now we see more and more of the same customers but just different generations of them. We make sure that our customers can honestly trust that we are providing the very best for them.

Do you market the restaurant with any print or radio advertising?

How have the needs of your customers evolved over the 35 plus years you've been open?

Our customers aren’t really responding to the print ads in our local newspapers so we’ve hired someone who has more of a grasp on the social media side. We’re updating all our Facebook pages and all our social media accounts. We also do things with The Knot, a big wedding magazine. But basically it’s social media because we have three different locations for just the wedding venues and word of mouth is best.

Our customers haven't really changed.

How has the role of the review and now

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social media impacted your approach? Word of mouth is best and that’s what we get from social media and online reviews. The review is really in the hands of our everyday customers now. They are our advertisers. The importance of customer service and relations has never been higher.

What's your approach to your food and beverage vendors? Do you go to bid every week? And who are your primary vendors? We have a lot of great local vendors, such as Bar-Boy Products, J.Kings, Musco MFI, Braun’s Seafood, and Casino Clams Fish Market. We’re basically working with the same ones we started the restaurant with 40 years ago. And yes, we go to bid every week. Our approach has always been the same;

don't bring us any products that you wouldn't use in your own home. In fact, last week somebody sent me tomatoes that simply were not acceptable, so I sent them back.

It's not often that a chef cooks and operates a restaurant. Talk about your approach and management style. Very few owners are the chefs, too. For us, it was always normal to be the chef, and to manage the restaurant at the same time. Our approach has always been hands-on, to show the way, and everyone will follow. That’s a standard for us, and also love what you do.

If I'm hearing correctly, you have eight family members all working in the family continued on page 87


// FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY

Neil Cohen,

and care as its “big brother” the Y series.

President of NJ Restaurant Equipment Corporation Because of Bakers Pride’s success with their Vantage series, they have extended the New Vantage line into Deck Ovens.

D

esigned for the value-conscious buyer and offering a durable, consistent oven for high volume or all-purpose operations, NJRE Corp. is now offering the New Vantage Series to Metro New York foodservice operators. Total Food Service sat down with “NJ Restaurant Equipment Corporation’s’’ president, Neil Cohen to discuss some of the key features that Bakers Pride Vantage Series offers. How has pizza oven technology evolved since NJRE began? The amazing thing about Pizza oven technology is that it really hasn’t changed in the last 50 years. Sure the parts may be made of lighter more durable metals and the technology in MAKING the pizza oven has changed but nothing beats a pizza made right off a two inch brick in a 600 to 900 degree oven, depending on your needs and which oven you are choosing. That is why Bakers Pride is our pizza oven of choice, they are built like tanks and they last forever, they epitomize the old adage, “if it is not broken don’t fix it.” How have the needs of your pizza oven customers changed? Extended menu items. Not just pizza. You have to know exactly what the Chef is expecting to use the oven for

The history and quality of the brand. This is what Bakers Pride does; they make ovens, the best ovens in the industry. We are confident that when we specify and sell Bakers Pride that our customers are going to be completely satisfied with their purchase and experience. This is how we have been able to establish so many long lasting relationships in our industry and customers keep coming back to NJRE.

Neil Cohen is the President of NJ Restaurant Equipment Corporation

and make sure you meet their needs and demands. More front of the house applications. It’s not all about just pizza now. Chefs are using our deck ovens to cook all different types of products including cedar plank salmon, scampi’s, casseroles, baking and roasting. It’s about the experience now when you go out to eat. Every day and night is a new show with a new audience, which is why we are selling more of the IL Forno now than ever before. It has become a showpiece and not only something that makes a great pizza but it looks great too! What originally attracted you to Bakers Pride?

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What led you to begin specifying the Vantage line? Customers are all different. They come in all shapes and sizes with different budgets. We have to be able to meet the customer’s needs right then and there on the spot. The Bakers Pride Vantage line allows us to do this. This deck oven is designed for high volume pizza and all-purpose operation at a very affordable price. What are the bells and whistles that have been added with the V-600's and V-800's expansion to the line? The reason the Vantage series was brought to the assembly line was to be a “value” series oven. It is sort of a stripped down basic oven that produces high volume for an inexpensive price. It actually does not have “all of the bells and whistles” that the Y series does. That being said it is still made with the same quality craftsmanship

What is the next step for a food service operator that wants more info on vantage? Give us a call, 201.313.3334 and one of our chefs or I will be more than happy to go over the customer’s needs to find the right equipment for their particular need. Or come on into our showroom 51 Broad Ave. Fairview, NJ 07022 or visit us on the web www.njresupply. net. What makes NJRE the dealer that an operator should/must call first? I will try to be concise with my answer because I believe there are so many reasons to choose NJRE. Bottom line is this, my staff combined has over 60 years experience in commercial kitchens, I have been on the equipment side for over 30 and together we combine the best of both worlds. When you come in and tell us what type of place you are opening/renovating or just filling in pieces we know exactly what you will need and what works best for your situation. We have the technical and the logistical covered. Additionally, we have a tremendous inventory and an experienced delivery team to get the customer their equipment quickly and safely. Also, we design, layout and consult on your project if you need that service as well. We truly are your full service food service equipment provider. Did I mention we have architects, draftsmen and engineers on payroll as well? Ooops! I tried to be succinct but when it comes to what we do that I believe so strongly it is hard not to be verbose.


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// SCOOP Easy Ice Teams With Share Our Strength® To End Childhood Hunger In NYC Scoop heard that Easy Ice recently announced that they are a local sponsor of Share our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® events in Washington, DC, New

York City, Miami and Baltimore. One hundred percent of proceeds from the events benefits Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign to end childhood hunger in America. Easy Ice, the ice machine subscription service with a national presence, announced that they will serve as Local Silver Sponsors for Share our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® events in Washington, DC, New York City, Miami and Baltimore. One hundred percent of proceeds from the annual culinary fundraisers benefits Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign to end childhood

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE

hunger in America. “We wouldn’t be able to put on our Taste of the Nation events without corporate sponsors like Easy Ice,” said Patty Gentry, Sr. Operations Manager, Culinary Events, Share our Strength. “Ice is a vital piece of our culinary events and we’re thrilled to have Easy Ice providing us with the many thousands of pounds of ice our chefs and mixologists need to make the events succeed.” Since 1988, Taste of the Nation events have been the nation’s premier series of tasting benefits dedicated to making sure no kid grows up hungry. Every year, the country’s best chefs, sommeliers and mixologists join together at more than 30 events across the country to raise the critical funds needed to support the No Kid Hungry campaign’s work to ensure that all children in America get the healthy food they need, every day. “Our support of Share Our Strength is a perfect fit for both our head and our heart,” says John Mahlmeister, CMO and cofounder of Easy Ice. “We eliminate the hassles of owning an ice machine for business owners so they can focus on

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service Show Of New York As One of New York’s Top 100 Events Every year, the country’s best chefs, sommeliers and mixologists join together at more than 30 events across the country to raise the critical funds needed to support the No Kid Hungry campaign’s work to ensure that all children in America get the healthy food they need, every day.

their business, and Share Our Strength takes hunger off the table so children can do what they do best – learning, laughing, loving….just being a kid.”

BizBash Selects The International Restaurant & Food-

Scoop notes that from advertising and technology, to fashion, entertainment, sports, and more, BizBash has curated its 2014 list of New York's Top 100 Events-and has named The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York to this exclusive list. To choose and rank the Top 100 list, BizBash considers several factors including economic impact, buzz, innovation, and the event's prominence within the communities it intends to serve. The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York - known as the New York Restaurant Show - was held from March 2-4 this year at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. Highlights from the event included the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum; a Culinary Demonstration Theater featuring top chefs; the Farm to City Expo, sponsored by NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets; the Pride of New York/Taste NY Marketplace showcasing locally grown products; the Japanese Restau-


rant Organizations' Umami Pavilion recipe contest; the Food Trends Experience which showcased 75 new food and beverage companies; and Paris

and partnerships to create the buzz and enthusiasm from our attendees and exhibitors." "New York's event calendar has no shortage of influential gatherings that take place year after

"Kudos to our staff who work hard all year to develop exciting events

Tech Meetup and Wired's BizCon. And there are new entries alongside longestablished events, like the Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy, the Frieze Art Fair, and Governors Ball Music Festival."

Donper America Adds DMM Enterprises As Manufacturer's Representatives For Metro New York Area Scoop says kudos to DMM as Donper America, a manufacturer of soft serve

and partnerships to The (2nd R) Ron Mathews led IRFSNY Show has been selected as one of New York's Top 100 Events

create the buzz and enthusiasm from our attendees and

Gourmet's US Pastry Chef of the Year Competition, in addition to 500 vendors showcasing the latest products and services from the industry. "We want to thank BizBash for this honor. We work closely with the New York State Restaurant Association to put on an exciting event and it is wonderful to be recognized as one of the Top 100 events in New York," said Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President for Urban Expositions' Foodservice Events. "Kudos to our staff who work hard all year to develop exciting events

exhibitors."

year. The landscape is diverse and certainly gives other cities a run for their money when it comes to big names, fund-raising numbers, and press mentions," says BizBash executive editor Anna Sekula. "But it certainly changes, too. The past few years have seen the thriving local tech scene lead to a number of prominent conferences, from Internet Week to the New York

CONNECTICUT NEW YORK

NEW JERSEY

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

181 Marsh Hill Road 91 Brainard Road 566 Hamilton Avenue 15-06 132nd Street 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 305 S. Regent St. 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road

equipment for the foodservice industry, has chosen DMM Enterprises as their contracted independent representative for the Metro New York area. This appointment adds Donper America's line of soft serve machines to the strong portfolio of equipment already represented by DMM Enterprises. "It has always been DMM's goal to rep-

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Orange, CT 06477 Hartford, CT 06114 Brooklyn, NY 11232 College Point, NY 11356 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Port Chester, NY 10573 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 S. Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

resent quality manufacturers in the most professional and conscientious manner possible to the foodservice industry, and we think that the Donper America soft serve equipment line meets our requirements," said Ro Doyle, President at DMM Enterprises. "Donper America has excelled in providing solutions to the stores and chains looking to add soft serve and frozen yogurt to their menus, and we plan to work with them to expand on this expertise." Frozen yogurt has become popular in both traditional foodservice business and non-traditional foodservice businesses. While more frozen yogurt shops continue to open up in the metro New York area, many convenience stores, hotels, schools, and B&I businesses are also looking to the self-serve dessert to create additional offerings for their patrons and employees. The partnership with DMM Enterprises marries an industry-leading product with experienced, reliable foodservice equipment representatives. "DMM Enterprises extends our sales reach into the Tri-State area," said Denny Romer, Vice President of Sales at Donper America. "This is a new go-to-market strategy that we are very excited to offer to our customers. And we think that DMM Enterprises will be a great asset to our Manufacturer Representative team.

203-795-9900 860-549-4000 718-768-0555 718-762-1000 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 718-707-9330 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 914-935-0220 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-791-2740 908-964-5544 continued on next page


They will be able to provide our customers in the New York and New Jersey area the ability to test and demo our equipment without having to travel very far to see the equipment in person." DMM Enterprises is a manufacturer's representative group based in South Hackensack, New Jersey. With over 40 years of experience, DMM markets on a wholesale basis only, to authorized foodservice equipment dealers located in the New York City area. Dealers are welcome to visit the DMM headquarters and showroom to test cook on "live equipment."

Every year, the country’s best chefs, sommeliers and mixologists join together at more than 30 events across the country to raise the critical funds needed to support the No Kid Hungry campaign’s work to ensure that all children in America get the healthy food they need, every day.

Scott Contant of Scarpetta; Mary, age 85- Meal Recipient; Ryan Hardy of Charlie Bird Photo Credit Eric Groom

World Famous Chefs Create And Deliver Spectacular Meals For Homebound Elderly New Yorkers Scoop notes that four hundred and twenty-five homebound elderly New Yorkers late last month enjoyed nutritious, gourmet meals lovingly created by world-renowned Chefs Marc Forgione of American Cut, Ryan Hardy of Charlie Bird, Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Scott Conant of Scarpetta, and Amanda Freitag of Empire Diner. The event is part of Chefs Deliver, an initiative launched in January by Citymeals-on-Wheels Board of Directors Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud and Citymeals Board member Chef Charlie Palmer. Each month, a rotating cast of culinary stars lend their talents to Citymeals – cooking, and often personally delivering, the meals to the doors of New Yorkers who are too frail to leave

their homes. For last month’s menu, homebound meal recipients served at RAIN Senior Options in the Morris Park area of The Bronx feasted on Chef Anthony’s chicken, quinoa, and rice with sides of roasted carrots and a kale salad with dried cherries and apples; Chef Conant’s orecchiette with sausage, broccoli rabe and tomato with a side of focaccia and ricotta; and the macaroni with marinara and parmesan with chickpeas and broccoli rabe pesto prepared by Chef Freitag. On the menu for those at the Borinquen Plaza Senior Center in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn were Chef Forgione’s chicken, rosemary potatoes, and broccoli rabe finished with pan drippings; and Chef Hardy’s roast chicken and farro salad. A handful of homebound elderly who live in Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan had their meals personally delivered by Chefs Conant, Hardy, and Beth Shapiro, Executive Director of Citymeals-on-Wheels, brightening their day even more. “Our meal recipients are not capable of shopping and cooking for themselves,” Shapiro said. “This program gives our recipients a chance to savor and enjoy restaurant-quality meals, a pleasure they might have long forgotten. I would like to thank all of our

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chefs who participated in this month’s initiative and who have provided our most vulnerable neighbors with delicious food and the knowledge that someone is thinking of them.”

NJRA Celebrates Women In Food Service With Tribute To Dowdell Scoop notes that last month, the New Jersey Restaurant Association hosted a “Women in Foodservice” Reception to honor the female professionals of our industry. Female chefs & restaurateurs, legislators came to celebrate and support this valuable cause. The Reception was held at NJRA’s Hospitality House in Trenton and was hosted by the association’s visionary and gracious leader Marilou Halvorsen. Delicious food, wine and beer tasting was served by their official partners: Sofia Karakasidou of Kuzina by Sofia, Amy Coss of the Milford Oysters House, Marilyn Schlossbach of Langosta Lounge, Roberta

(L to R) Vicki Clark of Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, NJTIA President Sharon Franz, NJTIA Executive President Joann DelVescio, and NJRA President Marilou Halvorsen

Adamo of Catelli Duo, Marissa Lontoc of Hudson County Community College, Beer Sampling by Jacqui & Chip, owner of Rinn Duin Brewing, and a Wine Tasting by Dina Opici, owner of Opici Family Distributing. During the reception, NJRA staff and board members performed a “building dedication” ceremony with a mounted plaque on the Hospitality House in honor of beloved former NJRA President, Deborah Roy-Dowdell, a woman who inspired and led the association


for over two decades. All the proceeds will benefit the Women in Foodservice and Deborah Roy-Dowdell Scholarships Funds. Under constant threat of shifting economic winds and super storm weather emergencies, the people who own, operate and serve New Jersey’s celebrated eating and drinking destinations generate nearly $12 billion in annual economic activity. For over seven decades, the NJRA has been their essential ingredient. As the voice of the state’s largest private sector employer, NJRA makes available the highest quality education and training resources for New Jersey’s 300,000 restaurant professionals. It is also a direct link to the elected officials and policy leaders whose decisions impact every restaurant owner’s opportunity for success. NJRA’s full-time experts track all the action in the State Capitol so members know exactly how and when to act to keep their restaurant viable and open for business.

sin and Chris Pace enjoyed the visit. The Partridge Club was formed in 1935 at the Victoria Hotel in New York City. The membership was made up of leading purveyors to the hotel, club and restaurant trade. The Holiday luncheon brought the mission of the Partridge Foundation to raise scholarship funds for institutions of higher learning providing training for students pursuing a career in the Hospitality Industry. Partridge Club scholarships are granted to such noted institutions as the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales, Cornell University, Paul

Smith College and the University of Massachusetts.

Oliver Teams With Local Rep Young Block To Offer New Profit Center For Tri-State Operators Scoop just heard that Metro NYC area food service operators are creating new profit centers from their bakery operators. With Oliver’s new mini chip slicer bagel and baguette shrink is being turned into branded snack chips. Among the unique features are the unit’s compact counter top design to

minimize space needs and in some cases actually create a “show” for guests. Infact Oliver and their local dealers can even provide printed or unprinted bag product on top of blades and lower the handle while applying slight pressure to process product. It features a Blade frame safety guard which makes cleaning safe and easy. With cartridge replacement that eliminates blade change service calls. Its Tool-free disassembly for easy cleaning of food contact surfaces minimizes labor costs. The best news is that the machine pays for itself in 12 months.

Club Chefs Shine At Annual Knickerbocker Event Scoop says a highlight of the annual Partridge Invitational Club calendar

Scoop says a highlight of the annual Partridge Invitational Club calendar took center stage at the Knickerbocker Club in Manhattan last month.

took center stage at the Knickerbocker Club in Manhattan last month. The annual luncheon held overlooking Central Park always provides a look at a history of New York. The highlight was a spectacular four course lunch prepared by one of the nation's truly gifted club chef's David Paulstich. Members from all disciplines of the industry including M. Tucker's Marc Fuchs and Morgan Tucker, Mr. and Mrs. Ross Gne39 • May 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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// NEWS

PEST MANAGEMENT

Western Pest Brings True Management Strategy To TriState Foodservice Community If you’re a restaurant owner, it’s something you never want to see. A fly in your fruit salad. A cockroach scuttling under the stove. Mouse droppings on a shelf.

T

o make sure that never happens, Western Pest has a variety of methods to keep restaurants, their kitchens, their dining rooms, and even their entrances, so clean you could, well, eat off the floor. According to Hope Bowman, a technical specialist in the company’s Philadelphia-New Jersey region, there are three types of ways to get rid of pests -- pest management, control, and elimination. Different methods work for different customers, she says. “Pest control is the overall term, but there’s also pest management and elimination. There are certain methods we can use to eliminate cockroaches and mice, but mosquitoes and ticks are more difficult to eliminate so we have reduction programs for those.” Bowman points out that there are lots of tools to manage pest populations. “Sanitation, plumbing, keeping the area clean, making sure deliveries are inspected before they’re brought in so nothing comes in by accident—these are all ways to make sure you keep your populations under control. It’s not just coming in and spraying around.” At Western Pest, “What we try to do is to holistically look at the building and stop bugs and rodents from coming in, in the first place. We treat the area where the

issue is, not the whole building,” Bowman says. To get the best results, she adds, restaurant owners and managers need to participate in the process. “You can’t just spray bug spray and hope for the best.” The company will first come in and see what a foodservice operation is doing that could help or hurt them in the long run. “If you’re taking measures to not have pests in the first place, you’re not going to be so reliant on a pest vendor coming in every week because you already have things more under control,” Bowman notes. Western Pest looks at four areas when screening for pests. “The entry into the building, where deliveries come in, is a very important place to have people be aware to look for them,” says Bowman. “Don’t just sign the paper, make sure there are no mouse droppings, or roaches coming in on the supplies. Keeping doors shut is another important management tool. In summer people want to keep back doors open. It gets hot in the kitchen. But put a screen door in. You don’t want flies coming in from outside -- simple things like that to keep them from getting in.” Inside, it’s the food; water and shelter for pests restaurants need to get rid of. “Spills must be cleaned up immediately.

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When you have people hose down the bar and kitchen, put fans on or readjust your fans so there’s no standing water. When water stays there all the time, fruit flies are breeding inside.” Hard to reach areas can be a problem -inside drains, behind equipment that’s hard to get to or that can’t be rolled out. That’s because pests could be hiding there. Adds her colleague John Kane, “Common spots are indeed kitchen drains, under the stove line, behind the stove line, and particularly around the deep fryers and rotisseries. Sometimes you can see the path the mop takes,” says the entomologist. “Under the stove might be a half-inch layer of grease. If you have that, you’re going to get roaches at some point.” Drains are also another big problem. “When you lift up the drain, and see what clogs that drain – flies and larva and cockroach eggs – owners usually say, ‘Oh, we have to get these drains steam-cleaned right away.’ Chemicals will kill some but not 100%,” he says. It’s also crucial to look at shelter, where pests might lodge – a hole in the wall, or gaps behind wall coverings, behind the cook line and fry line. “It could be stainless steel and if there are spaces and gaps or pipes that run into the kitchen,

pests can hide in there,” Bowman explains. Bowman says she sees a real mix of how well, and how badly, restaurants manage pest control. “Some of these kitchens are immaculate because owners find that to be important, but others, well, there’s only so much time in the day, and that, unfortunately, can go by the wayside.” Technology has also changed some of the ways Western Pest treats infestations. “If you have a small kitchen we know – if there’s an issue – where it is. But in a large kitchen, it’s harder to see.” Western Pest’s solution? “We put bar codes on mouse traps and use other monitoring devices. We look at them for follow-up. But if you have equipment that always gets cockroaches, maybe it’s time to replace it.” Kane adds that Smartphones have really helped the pest management business. “Now with Smartphones, you can rapidly get access to information, trade and share photos and video footage. We’re also incorporating some data management analysis. In the past everything was handwritten records. But now we can scan barcode traps and other equipment to collect information, store, and analyze it intuitively and statistically. Sitting in an armchair from across the state you can pull up data captured in a kitchen or warehouse and problemsolve. It opens things up.” Western Pest also has an enzyme that can be used by purveyors to clean floors and drains to break down grease. “Use one ounce per gallon of mop water and it cuts down on grease and grime where pests breed. We treat drains with it too,” says Bowman. Are any of their products “green”? “There really isn’t any one set green definition, but our approach is based on integrated pest management. We won’t go in and spray, especially in restaurants.

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// NEWS

RESTAURANTS

Manhattan Chef Miele Marks Four Decades Of Distinction With Nomad Eatery Karen Fohrhaltz Miele says it's easy to see why she made her career in the restaurant world “I like to eat,” she says with a laugh.

T

he chef/proprietor and her husband and working partner of 36 years, Michael Miele, operate LuLu & Me, a popular res-

taurant in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood. “I was always working in front-ofthe-house but then I found the back-

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of the house, the cooking environment, a good fit,” says Fohrhaltz Miele. “What got me into cooking was that it appealed to a lot of dif-

ferent parts of my personality. I like making things, a product to show for what I’ve been doing all day. It's a challenge to create a menu that's at once satisfying to the week-day lunch crowd and also to the varied dinner guests we serve. The food has to be accessible and tasty, can't be too edgy and must fit my style – healthy, locally sourced, and with a focus on the elemental flavors of the ingredients.” The Mieles' first place together was the Amsterdam Bar and Rotisserie on the West Side. “We lived on the Upper West Side, at that time and thought there was a need for some good everyday food that had some style to it with fresh ingredients,” she recalls. After about seven years, the


Karen shopping at the Union Square Market

want to get the after-work crowd and appeal to them with a variety of great beers and cocktails.” The chef notes that she's written a long snack appetizer list with, for example, a strip of rib eye tossed with Korean spices, like red pepper bean paste. “It's one of our best sellers at the bar.” Fohrhaltz Miele says since LuLu's is

couple decided they'd had so much fun, they wanted to do it again, “in a different neighborhood,” says Fohrhaltz Miele. “We saw how the area was changing in NoMad, we found a space we liked, and we had the same kind of feeling that the food we were doing at Amsterdam – everyday food, really tasty, healthy but not health foods-- was something the neighborhood needed.” “If I make a seafood dish, I try to get as much flavor in there as I can, with a really good stock. Sometimes I don’t put any cream in to finish it, unless it’s a really cold day, then I’ll put a little in to give richness. For example, with a bisque, where you normally have to put a lot of cream in, the flavor’s in the lobster and the shrimp.” As for working with her husband, it's a snap. “We like each other, it hasn’t been a problem,” she says. “We’ve just done it for so many years. We actually met working in a restaurant.” Some of her staff from Amsterdam followed the couple to LuLu and Me. Andrew Pellegrino, their bar manager, is one. “We go back to the rooftop bar in the neighborhood. Some of the clientele followed us from there, even though it was a very different venue, a funky, open-air, real casual place and here it’s more restaurant-focused, trying to appeal to the crowds in the neighborhood,” Fohrhaltz Miele says. “This is a different kind of neighborhood, with different businesses. It’s a real mixed bag who’s in the neighborhood so we 47 • May 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

fairly small, they have a consistent list of suppliers and she goes to the farmer's market in season. “It's a 10-minute walk away. We use Amy’s Breads, and all desserts are made inhouse.” As for equipment, the chef says she couldn't work without her Starmax griddle. “I've used it before and I really like the versatility. I can do a

pressed panino or sear our scallops on it. We make a dish with cheese and Arborio rice. It’s a great salty, crispy, cheese thing that goes great with beer or a glass of wine. Or I caramelize pears on it. It's very flexible and it helps me do what I do best.”


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#4200

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// LEGENDS

Carl Kaufmann Left His Mark On Metro NYC Area Equipment And Supply Industry There’s one word many of his associates think of when they’re remembering Carl M. Kaufmann. “A real gentleman,” says Steve Bauer of Posternak Bauer Associates. “He was a consummate business man, who was also dedicated to family.”

A

dds Joe Ferri of Pecinka Ferri Associates and national president of MAFSI, “I learned from him to always remain a ‘gentleman’ in your dealings with difficult people/situations.” Longtime MAFSI member Carl M. Kaufmann passed away last year at age 77. He was the founder of the New York-based rep firm, Kaufmann & Associates. His impact on a number of key executives in food service in Metro New York City and across the country continue to be felt. The Pittsburgh native got his start in the foodservice industry in 1961, when he took a job at his uncle’s equipment supply house on the Bowery in lower Manhattan. After several years of working in that business, Carl helped form KaufmannGoldberger Associates, a manufacturers’ rep firm. In 1981, he established Carl Kaufmann & Associates. Together with his wife, Beverly, he built a thriving business representing many top manufacturers. He sold

the firm after 25 years and moved to Denver, where he continued to represent manufacturers in the Colorado marketplace. Ferri first met Kaufmann while

“Carl was known as one of the most respected, trusted, admired reps in the industry,” says Bernstein.

In 1981, Carl established Carl Kaufmann & Associates. Together with his wife, Beverly, he built a thriving business representing many top manufacturers

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working for Andy Lazar at Superior Restaurant Supply in Baldwin, NY in the 80’s. “Carl was always able to muster a smile in the face of adversity,” Ferri recalls. “He more than anyone taught me resiliency.” Bauer met the foodservice executive more than 25 years ago when he worked for Traulsen. “He gave

excellent and sound advice freely to me as a young salesman. What he taught me was to always be courteous and professional with your customers.” David Bernstein felt even closer to Kaufmann. “Carl was a Dutch Uncle to my family,” he says. “He and my father were fraternity brothers at Pitt. I hadn’t seen him for years but then we reconnected at his sister’s son’s bar mitzvah, and I remembered him because we vacationed at his house when I was very little. We were at this family affair, and he said, ‘I could use someone like you in my organization.” Bernstein, vice president of new business development at DFSI, was bartending at the time. “And at the end of the night, he said, why don’t I send you a plane ticket and you’ll come out and look at my organization? One thing led to another. I moved to New York. He trained me as a manufacturer’s rep. I lived in his house for four months. I spent every waking minute with him. I owe all my success to him." Bernstein also remembers the gentleman Kaufmann was. “Carl was known as one of the most respected, trusted, admired reps in the industry,” says Bernstein. “He acted as a guidepost for those of us learning the business. Everyone admired his character. Manufacturers, competitors, customers, all shared a positive opinion of him. He earned respect from all of us whose paths he crossed and this ultimately is Carl’s enduring legacy.” Jeff Dellon at H. Weiss remembers he first met Kaufmann in 1976.”I

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// NEWS

HONORS

Why Earth Day Belongs On Your Restaurant’s Holiday Calendar Earth Day comes and goes each year on April 22. On March 30, 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued their latest study, showing a strong likelihood of food shortages in the near future.

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t says: “Based on many studies covering a wide range of regions and crops, negative impacts of climate change on crop yields have been more common than positive impacts. Climate change has

negatively affected wheat and maize (corn) yields for many regions and in the global aggregate." The restaurant industry is dependent upon many things, such as a good workforce, consistent supply of

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electricity, natural gas, clean water, customers with enough income to dine out. But, at the center of the restaurant industry is food; an abundant and safe supply of food. With lower supply and higher demand of an ex-

pected 2 billion more humans on this Earth, it is incumbent for industry to protect the resources upon which our success depends. The industry is innovating to help address our overdependence on unsustainable sources of energy. For example, did you ever think of all the heat that is being lost through your hood. What if you could capture that heat, transfer it to heat the water in your pipes, and therefore need less money and energy to heat your water. Well, thankfully somebody thought of that already. There is a company, called Thermo Green Filters, that does exactly that. It takes the heat, which is a byproduct of the natural gas and fire used to cook the food, and turns it into a new source of free energy. See http://www.thermogreenfilters.


com/#sqs-video-opaque to watch a simple video explaining the process. How many other places in our restaurants do we throw money and energy/water out the door? Plenty. If you are still using incandescent bulbs, you are literally paying 7 times more for your lighting needs, plus you are paying more in labor to change and

order bulbs, and you are increasing your liability by employees getting up on ladders to make those changes. Save money, energy, liability, and time. These new LED bulbs work phenomenally. And manufacturers, such as Phillips, make the bulbs in the sizes and shapes that accommodate a restaurant’s needs. For every ton of recycled paper used, we can save 4100 kwh of energy and 12 trees. Instead of using napkins made from a tree that needs lots of energy and water to turn into a usable product, you could be using a 100% Recycled, 90% Post Consumer Waste Recycled Napkins, such as SCA Tissue’s Xpressnap Dispenser Napkin. These are just three examples, out of hundreds, that almost every restaurant could do. It’s smart business in the short term, because saved

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energy and resources means saved money. But, it is also smart business for the medium and long term. When resources, such as energy, water, and food become more expensive, the restaurant that invested in efficiency will weather the storm the best. By Michael Oshman, CEO and Founder of the Green Restaurant Association The Green Restaurant Association, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1990, helps the restaurant industry to become more environmentally sustainable. With thousands of restaurants and the world's largest database of green solutions for the restaurant industry, the GRA provides environmental consulting, education, green project management, certification, and green communications.


// MEET THE NEWSMAKERS

SWEETWATER SOCIAL

Tim Cooper and Justin Noel Sweetwater Social’s Mixologists

Veteran Mixologists Tim Cooper (Goldbar) and Justin Noel (1534) have teamed up with Goldbar partners Shaun Rose and Udi Vaknin to open new subterranean lounge, Sweetwater Social on the corner of Bleecker and Broadway (643 Broadway).

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ocated beneath the recently opened Bleecker Kitchen & Co., Sweetwater Social will be an ode to New York with classic neighborhood themed cocktails in an entertaining yet classy rec room inspired space. Fun, festive and flavorful are some words to describe the concept behind the recreational bar/lounge. While mixologists will serve up a seasonal selection of cocktails from over 300 spirits, good times will be had by activities such as foosball and shuffleboard. We recently sat down with the Sweetwater Duo in this month’s Meet the Newsmakers. Give our readers a little background on both of your careers prior to joining Sweetwater Social. Why did you both want to become mixologists? (TC) I would start by saying that before there was the term ‘mixologist’ there was the word bartender. I wanted to be a bartender. As a kid, I spent a good amount of time in bars with my dad & uncles playing video games, pool, and darts, whatever. And was always treated well by the bartender. I always appreciated how personable they were with me and how they seemed to dictate the energy in the room. As I grew up and became of age it was still always something I was fascinated by.

I was working, as a server in a hotel at the age of 20 and it happened to have one of the busiest bars in New York at the time. And had some amazing bartenders. However, they often liked

to call out from their mandatory day shift, which would allow me to beg the manager if I could cover it. I had no idea what I was doing but I figured if I could get behind the bar and be an-

Veteran Mixologists Tim Cooper (R) and Justin Noel (L) have teamed up to open a new subterranean lounge, Sweetwater Social on the corner of Bleecker and Broadway.

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noying, eventually they would teach me a few things, which was what happened. Although I rarely made drinks, I took great pride in setting up the bar and getting it ready for the busy night ahead. The other bartenders appreciated that and started to take me under their wing. Once that happened, there was no way I was ever leaving that bar again. Everything after that was just meeting the right people and applying some passion into what I did. Always keeping an open mind and taking different styles from others and tying them into my own. That’s the short version and I skipped over the ‘mixology’ part but to me the most important aspect to tell. (JN) I have to be honest and say that I never really wanted to be a mixologist. I started off in this business to be a bartender and never really knew where this road would lead. Once I made it to New Zealand and saw all the fresh ingredients, the passion those bartenders had, and the cocktail culture I had not seen in Miami or Georgia at the time, I knew that I had to match my cocktail making skill sets with my passion and those guys' passion and skill level. I still think mixology is just one aspect of being a great bartender. Tim, you’re well versed in every aspect of mixology, from classic to molecular and you’ve coordinated numerous beverage programs for many wellknown events. How have these skills and experiences helped you push the envelope when developing signature cocktails? (TC) More than anything they’ve forced me to stay well rounded and think outside my own persona. Anytime I develop a cocktail I try to focus on how it fits for the guest who will be

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// THE WINE COACH

WITH LAURIE FORSTER

Waiter, There Is Someone Drinking My Wine! Have you ever ordered a bottle of wine and seen the sommelier take the first sip? In some fine dining establishments this is common practice and in others the diner is the one that evaluates the first taste.

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hy is this done? Once upon a time, the job of a sommelier was really that of a poison detector. Unpopular royalty counted on these servants to taste their food and drink first to avoid being sickened or killed. Some modern day sommeliers still wear the traditional silver tasting cup or tastevin around their necks – a symbol of their preparedness to perform this important task. These days when the sommelier takes the first taste it’s to ensure the wine is in proper condition and without flaws. Flaws include corks infected with trichloroanisole or TCA, oxidation and other bacteria that can ruin the taste of a wine. The justification for this practice is that no one knows better than a trained professional whether this wine is good or has gone bad. Is this practice still necessary? It is safe to assume that the threat of poisoned wines is practically nonexistent in modern times so why are sommeliers still tasting first, especially since they can detect TCA infected wine by just smelling the bottle? Some of my wine peers will argue that most consumers are not sophisticated enough to detect flaws in wine so this practice makes sense. They worry that these novices will accept and suffer

Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, is a certified sommelier, award-winning author and media personality. Forster is the host of her radio show The Sipping Point and her mobile application “The Wine Coach” was listed as one of the Top 8 Wine Apps in Wine Enthusiast. To find out more visit: www.TheWineCoachSpeaks.com | @thewinecoach | facebook.com/winecoach

through a flawed bottle needlessly. My response is: if you’re so concerned about a flawed bottle not being identified, then how about communicating with the consumer about the process and if necessary, educating them about flaws at the table? In my opinion this “first taste” prac-

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tice should be done only at the consumer’s discretion. Ideally the sommelier would approach the table, present the wine and then ask if the customer was comfortable with them testing the wine or if they wanted to do so. Educated consumers might prefer to do this themselves and the more inexperienced tasters would probably be relieved to allow the sommelier to proceed. The practice of tasting without asking just does not sit right with me. I’ve heard the argument that “this is much like a chef tasting the food”. I’m not sure where they eat but I have never seen a Chef (other than my husband) taste my food at the table. Sure, the chef may taste the sauce but they are NOT cutting into my porterhouse steak! I might change my mind on the matter if I ever achieve royal status but until then, I’ll be taking the first taste of my 1999 Aldo Conterno Gran Bussia Barolo. How does your staff serve and evaluate wine? I’d love to know your thoughts on this issue! Email me at laurie@thewinecoach.com or tweet me @thewinecoach Cutout Box: Is your staff serving wine correctly? Here is a review of what I call the Restaurant Ritual that is excerpted from my book The Sipping Point: A Crash

Course in Wine. The Lead Role. Let’s review the roles. The person ordering the wine is considered the “host” regardless of gender. Your server will present the bottle and either point to the label or verbally announce the selection. This step is to ensure you are serving the correct wine and vintage requested. Guests will want to pay particular attention to this step if they ordered a vintage that was exceptional. The vintages delivered to the restaurant often change without notice and the guest may want to look for an alternate choice if they had their heart set on a specific year. Cork Confusion. Next, your server will open the wine and place the cork to the right of the host. This step sometimes confuses the customer. What do you do with the cork? Simply put: nothing. You can examine the end to ensure it is moist. Wines stored correctly on the side will have moist corks. The cork will not tell you if the wine is bad, so smelling it is not necessary. Nodding Off. The server will then pour a small taste in the host’s wine glass to allow the host to check for flaws. The wine should be at least smelled and can be tasted as well. They are looking for a nod or comment that the wine is acceptable. Glowing compliments are not necessary! Wine with flaws can smell like a musty basement, mildew or even vinegar. Don’t skip this step when your guests order a second bottle of the same wine (5-7% of wine sealed with real corks are “corked” or flawed). Once the guests have approved the wine, your server will fill the wine glasses in a clockwise manner, ladies first with the host being last. Want to arm your staff with the essentials of wine? The Sipping Point: A Crash Course in Wine is available at www.TheWineCoach.com or at www. Amazon.com


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// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Regional Conference: Connect to Success

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or more than 50 years, the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) has been supporting the college and university foodservice industry by providing members with programs and resources needed to excel—from benchmarking and best practices to educational programming and professional networking. Rutgers University hosted the 2014 Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Regional conference. Committee members from both the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions worked tirelessly to present one of the most innovative and creative NACUFS regional con-

ferences ever appropriately themed, “Connect to Success." This year the conference was headed by a unique dual regional Culinary Challenge with twenty competitors giving the conference attendees the opportunity to taste the chef’s creations and select their favorite dish. Congratulations to Chef Thomas Schraa, from University of Maryland who won the Mid-Atlantic competition with his creation of “Lobster Stew” and will also be representing the Mid-Atlantic Region during the National Culinary Challenge in Baltimore, MD in July. Also congratulations to Chef Matthia Accurso, from University of Massachusetts who

won the Northeast competition with his creation of “Slow Cooked Lobster with Lobster Kale Tortellini, Citrus Glazed Carrots, Celery Root and Fennel Butter Sauce.” Additional congratulations to Michelle Moss of Villanova University who has been elected President Elect. Michelle will assume the position of President of the Mid-Atlantic Region after the National Conference in July. Deb Hydock, Gettysburg College, was re-elected as the region’s Information Officer. Further awards were given to Danielle Niro-Sams and Nick Emanuel, Conference Co-Chairs, who received the Vice-President’s award for their outstanding work on the con-

cussion groups. The Diamond Café displayed a mini showcase allowing their generous sponsors to display their newest products over a two-day period. This also set the stage for the larger vendor showcase of over 100 industry partners serving collegiate dining operations.

Rutger's Foodservice Chief Joseph Charette and OEM Director Steve Keleman anchored a seminar session

Farm to Table was a central theme of the Rutgers' Event

Rutgers legend Eric LeGrand shared his uplifting story

ference and Lori Pierce, Agilysys, was the recipient of the Industry Appreciation Award. The conference also featured an amazing TEDx talk arena; it provided conference attendees the ability to hear short talks from many speakers with diverse backgrounds, spinning off into smaller more intense dis-

The annual event focused on creating success strategies with its connect to success theme

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NACUFS top Northeast honors went to UMass Chef Matthia Accurso


ICEsurance, from page 14 warranties drive sales, amperage drive sales. But this is really the first time that we have seen this size and shape of the cube drive sales. And we anticipate that the cube itself will continue to be something really important to the customer, based on what is now the sophistication of the marketplace.” The history of ice sales has changed over time, Hendler says. “For a very long time, the major consumers of ice machines were QSRs and convenience stores. So, the Wendys, the McDonalds, the 711s, the Circle Ks of the world, were driving ice machine R and D. To give

them what they wanted, which was a cube of which the shape had no meaning, as long as it was small and could displace as much liquid as possible, they were happy.” These operations used an opaque cup. “They were going to slap a plastic lid over it. Nobody saw the ice, and nobody cared. Their requirements, reduced energy costs and pounds per day, is what steered the manufacturing. But we had something that was unique -- a cube that is, palpably, a better cube. It has an aesthetic, pleasing appearance. It looks better in a cocktail, and if you

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don't think it does, then look at virtually every print media ad done by a liquor company and see what kind of ice they're showing in it,” he says. In one aspect of the business, Hendler points out, “The idea was to actually hide the cube and displace space so a minimal amount of product had to be poured into a cup, which maximized profit, and now you're in another business, which is the entirely other end of it, in which the cube is hugely important. “It's not the machine. It's not the manufacturer. It's not the warranty. It's

not the fit and finish. It's not the power consumption. It's finally the product. The programs offered at ICEsurance include full service rental with guaranteed ice, financed sales, and continuing service. It’s all about giving the customer ice when he wants it, service when he needs it. Says Hendler, “And we still do it the old-fashioned way. Someone answers the phone and a technician with a van full of parts shows up at the door. And if the customer is out of ice, we send them what they need. We do it all.”


// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

SHFM Hits Home Run with Citi Field Critical Issues Conference

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his year's SHFM Critical Issues Conference focused on the creative utilization of space and its influence on workplace culture and hospitality. The event took center stage last month at the home of baseball 's New York Mets, Citi Field. Attendees were struck by the beauty and multi-purpose space utilization of the stadium.

So it was infact a perfect venue for SHFM'S theme for the annual event, Space & Hospitality: One Footprint, Endless Possibilities. The exciting one-day program was packed with information along three tracks: 1) a broad view of trends and innovations in space utilization, 2) the latest insights in space planning and design, and 3) real-world examples of executions from a panel of designers, architects and clients. Among contract management notables were Aramark's Betsy Kline, Hans Lindh, Jeff Zettel, Jeff Becker, Donna Andersen and Phil Mortillo,

Compass Group's Deanne Brandstetter, Jim Campbell, James Colombaris, Ron Serluco, Donna Wang, Ron Ehrhardt and Anthony Gargiulo. "Our goal was to help our membership understand how to make every square foot at your facility count," noted SHFM's president Sabrina Capannola of World Bank. The 2014 Critical Issues Conference opened with an educational program focused on Imagining Possibilities: Exploring Trends in Space Planning that was moderated by Rick Mohr of Steelcase North America. The session then focused specific

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(L to R) Air Comfort’s Dan McCaffrey and Jay Silverstein of Credit Suisse

Federal Reserve Bank’s Kent Bain and George Daniels Jr. of S.O.P

(L to R) Pro-Tek’s Eddie Daniels and Marc Fuchs of M. Tucker

issues about how workplace hospitality is impacted by concept and design in areas like: real estate optimization, the enhancement of workplace collaboration, the ability to attract, develop and engage employees the development of brand and culture and the intersection of well being and the workplace. The conference's second session focused on Bringing Concepts to Life: Current Options in Planning and Design. Bowen's message was that budget restrictions and dedication of resources has made us all do more with

(L to R) Guckenheimer’s Gary Coughlin, Wendy Powell and Steve Mitchell have their sights focused on building their Metro NYC account base

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(L to R) Victoria Vega of Unidine, Sodexo’s Tracy Kelly and Sandy Smith of SD Consulting and Sales


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// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

New York Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Scholarship Awards Breakfast

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ew York City Public High School Students Turned Flour Into Gold Earned More Than $500,000 In Culinary Scholarships And Opportunities Awarded By Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) At the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) New York Awards Breakfast, C-CAP President Susan Robbins alongside C-CAP Founder Richard Grausman presented over $580,000 in scholarships and cash awards to 21 high school seniors during the awards ceremony hosted at the Pierre Hotel last month. Executive Chef Kelvin Fernandez of Blend on the Water and a C-CAP alumnus

Melanie Vives with her mother, Ivette Vives (Photos: Emily Hewitt)

was an honorary guest speaker. Hard work, good grades, and a lot of broken eggs paid off for Melanie Vives and Uriah Thompson, students of Queens’ Long Island City High School, who both received full-tuition scholarships towards their Bachelor’s Degree in the Culinary Arts, valued at more than $100,000 each. Melanie will attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and Uriah will study at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island come fall. Sara Montesdeoca, also a student from Long Island City High School earned the Russell Ferber Foundation scholarship valued at $51,920. Sara will work towards her

Associates Degree in baking and pastry at the Culinary Institute of America. The Monroe College full-tuition scholarship was awarded to Sarah DeJesus of Truman High School and Hipolito Torres of August Martin High School. Valued at $49,344 each, Sarah and Hipolito will study at the stateof-the-art Culinary Arts Center at the New Rochelle Campus. James Daversa, sous chef of Lure in Miami and C-CAP alumnus received the Daniel Boulud Full-Tuition scholarship to the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France at the ceremony. James will have the opportunity to study abroad for five weeks beginning this month. This scholarship is valued at

Richard Grausman, C-CAP Founder, Robert Tremblay, Culinary Institute of America, Melanie Vives (Queens’ Long Island City High School), Culinary Institute of America Full-Tuition Scholarship for the Bachelor’s Degree $105,800 and CIA Community College Stipend $2,950, Total $108,750 and Susan Robbins, C-CAP President (Photos: Emily Hewitt)

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$15,000. Additionally, the annual Meatless Monday Recipe contest introducing teen chefs from around the country to the Meatless Monday public health campaign announced their NY-based winner at the ceremony. The scholarship was presented to Danielle Rivers of Food and Finance High School in New York City for her Pappardelle Pasta recipe. In addition to the scholarship, Danielle and her teacher, Chef Terzuoli received an all-inclusive stay at Canyon Ranch where they will experience healthy-cooking practices first-hand from Corporate Chef Scott Uehlein, insights from nutritionists on staff as well as time with the Canyon Ranch cooking staff. Scholarships awarded ranged in value from $2,000 to more than $100,000 to attend local culinary schools and some of the most prestigious culinary schools in the country. Some students also received C-CAP Education Scholarships, cash awards to help defray the costs of books, supplies, housing, and other expenses while at community college or anoth-

Friday’s biggest scholarship recipients: Melanie Vives, Culinary Institute of America Full-Tuition Scholarship for the Bachelor’s Degree $105,800 and CIA Community College Stipend $2,950, and Uriah Thompson, Johnson & Wales FullTuition Scholarship for the Bachelor’s Degree $108,624 (Photos: Emily Hewitt)


Hard work, good grades, and a lot of broken eggs paid off for Melanie Vives and Uriah Thompson, students of Queens’ Long Island City High School, who both received fulltuition scholarships towards their Bachelor’s Degree in the Culinary Arts, valued at more than $100,000 each.

er culinary school. A couple weeks earlier, during the C-CAP New York Cooking Competition for Scholarships, 21 finalists representing eight New York high schools in all five boroughs competed against the clock when C-CAP re-created the intensity of a restaurant kitchen at the Institute of Culinary Education for the high school seniors to face off in a savory and sweet challenge. Students were judged by a panel of local esteemed judges on presentation of the dishes, knife skills, techniques in the kitchen, taste, sanitary food handling, and timeliness. The judges included: Philip DeMaiolo, Executive Chef, Pier Sixty; Stephanie Grajales, Pastry Chef, C-CAP Alum, The Ritz Carlton NY; Matt Hoyle, Executive Chef, Nobu 57; JJ Johnson, Chef de Cuisine, The Cecil and Minton’s; Maria Loi, Executive Chef, Loi Restaurant; Brian Loiacono, Executive Chef, db Bistro

Moderne; Bryce Shuman, Executive Chef, Betony; Ted Siegel, Chef Instructor, Institute of Culinary Education and Thiago Silva, Executive Pastry Chef, C-CAP Alum, EMM Group, The General. The C-CAP Cooking Competitions for Scholarships are the culmination of the C-CAP high school program for underserved teenagers at risk of leaving high school without job or college prospects. The C-CAP program offers direction, a set of useful skills, scholarships, and the potential for a fulfilling career in a growing industry. Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) works with public schools across the country to prepare underserved high school students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. In the 2013-2014 academic year, C-CAP New York impacted the lives of approximately 2,400 students in 14 public schools working with 27 teachers in job training and internships, teacher trainings, college and career advising, product donations and culinary competitions that lead to culinary school scholarships. A national nonprofit founded in 1990 by well-known culinary educator and author, Richard Grausman, C-CAP manages the largest independent culinary scholarship program in the United States and since inception has awarded high school students more than $40 million in scholarships and donated more than $3.1 million worth of supplies and equipment to classrooms. Many C-CAP alumni, now graduates of top culinary schools, are working in leading restaurants and hotels throughout the nation.

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#4200


// FOOD SAFETY

WITH WYMAN PHILBROOK

What is Your Food Safety Culture? Take the quiz.

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ne responsibility of a food service operator along with maintaining food quality, service standards and controlling labor and food costs, is to serve safe food. How is it done consistently on a daily basis at a level that gives you comfort? Are the behaviors & habits of your employees regarding food safety at the same or higher level as their upselling? They have an incentive to build their guest check because it increases their check average & tips, but do they have the same motivation & behaviors to insure that the plate of food they are serving doesn’t cause the customer to become sick? We are talking about a food safety culture that should permeate your operation. Do you have one? Do you know what it is? Have you worked in one? First, let’s define what a food safety culture is. Let’s break it down by individual definitions. Food Safety - is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards Culture- A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation. So, using the above, food safety should be a way of life for your staff. I am going to ask a few questions and then give you some responses that

Wyman Philbrook

Owner of Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting And Training philbrook_fandb@comcast.net

would indicate whether you have a Food Safety Culture. • What do any of your communications with your employees & customers say about food safety? (Examples: employee handbook, mission statement, menu, websites, etc.) • What is the purpose of an inspection by the health department? • What does your food safety training consist of? • How much does an employee know about food safety before they ever touch food? • What behaviors are indicative of a food safety culture? • How often do you talk about food safety? Management should demonstrate that food safety is important to them by the amount of emphasis it gets in relationship to everything else, in both writing and in a constant message of word & deed. We should be just as proud of a great health inspection as we are with a complimentary letter or review. A food safety culture comes from effective management

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and leadership of the staff and the procedures to produce end products. A health inspection is a snapshot of your operation on the day they are in your facilities. The report indicates the operation’s ability to hit the food safety benchmarks of temperatures, condition of facility, etc., but also the behaviors and work habits of your staff. Use the inspector’s knowledge and report to improve your overall food safety culture. Training consists of 2 parts: Educating and conveying knowledge - employees need to know correct temperatures, proper hand washing techniques, cleaning and sanitizing standards, etc. Teaching, developing, observing and correcting - employees need to apply their knowledge effectively and understand why, how and when. As the manager or supervisor you are mentoring, coaching, correcting and praising their behaviors using an ongoing methodology. Management should establish a minimum standard of food safety knowledge and insure that the employee is observed or accompanied

by a senior employee so proper behaviors and habits are instilled in the employee from his initial work shifts. Behaviors are observed when an employee doesn’t realize they are being watched. I personally make it a habit to put a manager or supervisor in between me and the operation so I can observe the behaviors of their staff over their shoulder. Do the employees take temperatures? Is there bare hand contact? Are cutting boards & utensils, cleaned and sanitized between food products? Are foods stored correctly on the line and in refrigerators? What are the visible employee hygiene standards? How is the hand washing and glove use? Even during inspections, employees will slip into their normal behaviors. It is what comes naturally. Food safety should constantly be integrated into your conversations. During line-ups, your walk-through and meetings. Use current events in the news, acknowledge and praise good food safety behaviors and correct and use as a training moment, poor food safety behaviors. Always refer to the definition of a food safety culture. For more information on this subject, I recommend the book Food Safety Culture by Frank Yiannas. Next month we will be addressing two roles that involve the Board of Health- permits and hearings. Philbrook Food & Beverage Consulting & Training specializes in preparing food service establishments to address all food safety issues by assisting with the development of programs, staff & facilities. We offer customized on-site and public training in HACCP, Food Safety, Allergens and Integrated Pest Management. Check out our class schedules and contact info at philbrookconsulting.com for more information.


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// MARKETING

WITH NOELLE IFSHIN

Restaurants: Know Thyself We have all heard the expression: “Jack of all trades, master of none” as it applies to individual people.

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he same expression can be applied to your restaurant. Your guests should not have to guess what you are trying to master or what your brand represents. Restaurants need to decide, well in advance of product delivery, what they stand for, what their product is and what their message will be to the public. This becomes their brand’s value proposition. Knowing what your value proposition is early on, and making that the base on which you build, is a key to presenting a unified message of who you are. It is essential not to dilute that value proposition trying to be everything to everyone: You would not offer barbecue, no matter how good, at a fine seafood restaurant; this is why wellknown restaurateurs may own several restaurants, each representing a different concept or value proposition that they wanted to create. A cohesive, singular message, as we talked about in Consistency is King, allows your guests to understand your restaurant. If your brand message is confusing, your guests will be confused, might not return and move on to another restaurant. Here are four brand values to help guide restaurants in finding out what their message and value proposition is:

Product Innovation A restaurant that values being a leader

Noelle Ifshin, President & CEO, 4Q Consulting New York, NY n o e l l e @ 4 Q C o n s u l t .c o m

Restaurants need to decide, well in advance of product delivery, what they stand for, what their product is and what their message will be to the public.

in product innovation tends to be on the culinary cutting edge. Your restaurant is continually seeking to push the envelope and the boundaries of food, beverage and service. Whether it is exploring molecular gastronomy, sous vide cooking, rare hybrid ingredients or a new delivery system, you and your management team are never satisfied

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with the status quo. This value proposition attracts the type of customers who want to take this wild ride with you. This type of customer looks forward to your everchanging menus and new ingredients, and likes to learn about new foods. They come to expect this constant flux, and are disappointed if this level of innovation and product exploration stops.

Operational Excellence When you think of large, fast casual chains and franchises like Chipotle and McDonald’s, you envision a restaurant that is a well-oiled machine. Being consistent at what you do, from product quality and service to cleanliness, is the core value of this type of establishment. In restaurants where operational excellence is the main value, change is deliberate, well thought out and measured. Customers who value operational excellence expect a certain level of prod-

uct and service every time, whether it is a taco at a taco stand or foie gras in a fine dining restaurant. These types of customers do not like surprises; in this type of restaurant, customers know what they’re going to get.

Customer Intimacy Customer intimacy is often found in smaller neighborhood restaurants, “joints,” diners, or coffee shops, where the staff comes to know the customers well. In valuing customer intimacy, the restaurant can cater to customer needs and desires in a way that makes them feel special. A server who remembers your usual order and is able to anticipate your dining needs, creates an intimacy that attracts a loyal following in customers that value this – not all customers do. These customers anticipate food at fair prices, knowing that it may not be the best (it still needs to be good!). The draw to this type of restaurant is that it is full of familiar faces, and has accommodating service. These customers seek a comfortable experience where “everybody knows your name.”

The Sweet Spot It is a rarefied place when all of the above branding values intersect, creating “The Sweet Spot.” These are restaurants that have harnessed their creativity, worked out the kinks in their operation and fostered an atmosphere that is inviting. It is important that you as an owner/operator understand your own strengths and weaknesses in relation to being able to hit this mark, as poorly implementing a core value can negatively impact the one(s) you are able to do well. Many successful restaurants achieve only one or two of these brand values - this is what they become known for and what their guests love about them.


// TECHNOLOGY

WITH SCOTT SPITZBERG

A Restaurant Is A Business Too A restaurant is analogous to any manufacturing company; it purchases raw materials, converts them to finished goods and delivers them to its customers.

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owever, unlike its corporate cousins, like General Motors or Procter and Gamble, restaurants deal with its unique and myriad complex issues in a hyper-fast matter of hours and through a much more intimate and personal ecosystem. The management of this process is difficult enough for any industrial engineer or

Scott Spitzberg, Owner of Restaurant Software Solutions, LLC in West Orange, NJ scott@efficientrestaurant.com

CEO, but for the owner of a restaurant it can be daunting. On average, restaurants are 10 percent more likely to fail in their first

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year than any other small business (E-mail me for the citation for this statistic). It can be attributable to many reasons including: failure to listen to customer feedback, lack of adequate funding, intense competition, perishable inventory, lack of product consistency, sensitivity to the weather, mercurial employees with a high rate of turnover, an intense regulatory obligation to the Heath, Labor, INS and

IRS departments all surrounded by an acute window of several hours per day to earn their needed revenue. To succeed, restaurants need an advantage, and though many systems exist to navigate their difficult business climate, there is no one central technology to manage their need for effective inventory control, procurement, marketing and promotion, production, customer-centric service, financing and pathways for customer feedback. There are companies that exist whose core competencies include one or another of these functions and I recommend each of them to clients on a regular basis. But if they were to be bound up in one all-encompassing Customer Resource Management (CRM) system, much like Microsoft


Dynamics or SAP, which power many of the successful companies that we interact with every day as a society, restaurants could gain a competitive advantage. According to Jon Eisenberg and Jeff Lin, executives at Spark Hospitality Group (www.shgnyc.com), “Consulting companies cite effective use of restaurant technology as a key driver of profitability and efficiency going forward.” With billions invested every year in food-related technology and digital media, Eisenberg and Lin have dedicated one of their business lines to distilling the flood of emerging technologies into best-in-class solutions for their clients. But what does a restaurant CRM look like? Who will manage it? How will it be employed for success? Is it in the cloud? The answers to these questions are not evident today, but the list of characteristics the systems should have are clear enough. There needs to be an interface to the vendors that provide the raw materials. For example, US Foods Menu Profit Builder Pro combines product and cost information with sales information from the Restaurant Manager POS system to provide menu engineering reports and theoretical food cost. Another example is inventory management, which is a key component to the success of a restaurant. Perpetual inventory systems are very time consuming and labor intense so other than a physical count, restaurants don’t do a great job at it. Companies like Aspect (www.Aspect-software.net) take the burden off the restaurant and make inventory easy and “in the cloud.” Any CRM system should help the restaurant to successfully aggregate their data requirements; make it easy to collect, manage, extract and interpret information at a reasonable cost and in a timely enough fashion to be useful in minimizing their efforts and to maximize revenues. Mr. Spitzberg owns Restaurant Soft73 • May 2014 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ware Solutions. He has an MBA in business finance and is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and Cisco Certified Network Associate. He also participates as a network professional with the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools certifying network engineering curricula for federal accreditation.


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// NEWS

LITIGATION

Seamless Delivers Tips Agreement with NY State Online food-delivery company Seamless will revamp its fee structure after an investigation by New York state's attorney general found that restaurants could cheat delivery workers out of tips.

S

eamless collects a percentage of every total bill from each of its partner restaurants. That includes not only the cost of food, sales taxes and fees but also tips. This allowed restaurants to potentially hold back part of gratuities from workers, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said. Seamless signed an agreement last month mandating it change its fee structure for any new restaurant that signs up for the service. Those new restaurants wouldn't have their tips subjected to the Seamless percentage fee. All existing restaurants that use Seamless must adopt the change in a

"Passing on those costs to low wage workers was a travesty, it was akin to passing on other customary business charges, such as renting the space or supplies." new contract over the next 12 months. While Seamless, which is owned by the Chicago-based GrubHub Inc., wasn't breaking the law, its practice created an incentive for restaurants

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not to pass on gratuities to workers, Mr. Schneiderman said. "Our settlement with GrubHub changes a billing formula that was used by restaurants to cheat workers out of their hard-earned tips—tips that customers intended for them," Mr. Schneiderman said. "Today's agreement addresses a problem that may have affected thousands of delivery workers, and the industry will be better off for it," he added. GrubHub is a responsible corporate citizen and signed the agreement to continue conducting business in an ethical and legal manner. Seamless, a popular online service based in New

York, allows customers to place delivery and pickup orders with 6,000 restaurants. The agreement, Mr. Schneiderman said, will let all restaurants using GrubHub know "what their legal obligations are —not only with regard to tips, but also for all laws that protect the rights of workers." Seamless's partner restaurants were warned in their contracts to pay all appropriate taxes to authorities, the investigation found, but there was no similar language that reinforced their obligations to pass on gratuities, as required by law. Under the agreement, Seamless will now send a notice to all participating restaurants to inform them of these obligations. Mr. Schneiderman's investigation began in March 2013, after a lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court against an Upper West Side restaurant, Indus Valley. The restaurant was alleged to have been taking tips intended for delivery drivers when orders were made though Seamless and GrubHub. The case was settled for $276,000, said a lawyer for the 12 plaintiffs, Jane Chung. In a summary judgment, the federal judge ruled that charges by the delivery websites for services such as advertisement fees and marketing shouldn't be passed on to workers. "Passing on those costs to low wage workers was a travesty, it was akin to passing on other customary business charges, such as renting the space or supplies," Ms. Chung of Gladstein, Reis & Meginniss said. The New York State Restaurant Association likened Seamless' fee structure to overcharging restaurants and said, “The money taken from tips should be returned to the businesses,” said spokesman Andrew Moesel.


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// EVENTS

HAPPENINGS IN THE METRO NYC FOODSERVICE SCENE

The National Restaurant Association Announces Full Line-up for Inaugural Restaurant Finance Summit Top analysts and investment professionals address the financial health of the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry during the new summit at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® on Monday, May 19

T

he National Restaurant Association recently announced the full line-up for the inaugural Restaurant Finance Summit, an event connecting top foodservice financial executives with Wall Street analysts,

investment groups and lenders, and expert tax/accounting/legal professionals during the 2014 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® on Monday, May 19. The halfday conference will kick off with a lun-

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cheon and keynote presentation by Jonathan Tisch, Chairman, Loews Hotels & Resorts and co-owner of the New York Giants at 12 p.m. Each session, led by a panel of experts in their field, will provide attendees with

a comprehensive look at the issues related to the financial health of the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry. As the keynote speaker, Mr. Tisch will speak about the job growth opportunities in the hospitality marketplace as well as his personal tips for leadership and management for the foodservice and hospitality industry. “We’ve worked to assemble a line-up of the leading brands in the financial industry,” said Dave Koenig, vice president of tax and finance for the National Restaurant Association. “It’s the first year that attendees will have the opportunity to evaluate all aspects of their business’s financial success from lending options to legal, tax, operations, and supply chain issues. It’s thanks to our sponsors Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Trinity Capital Investment


Banking, Jefferies & Company, RBS Citizens Restaurant Finance, Moss-Adams, Goldman Sachs, Citi Investment Research, McGuire Woods, Perkins Coie, Roark Capital Group, WJ Partners, Wells Fargo, and Technomic, Inc. that we are able to deliver these expert resources all in one place.” In addition to all of the informative educational talks, there will be a breakout networking session and a reception at the end of the day to help promote and foster relationships within the worlds of hospitality and finance. Attendees will get the chance to trade knowledge with the sponsors as well as with other attendees from companies such as DineEquity, Cineplex Entertainment, Brinker International, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Jimmy John’s Franchise, Sheetz Inc., White Castle, Firehouse of America, and more. The full schedule is as follows: 12:00-1:30 p.m.: Luncheon and Keynote Presentation with Jonathan Tisch, Chairman, Loews Hotels & Resorts 1:30-2:30 p.m.: The Restaurant Industry–Trends & Wall Street Perspective with Andy Barish, Managing Director & Lead Restaurant Industry Analyst, Jefferies & Company; Greg Badishkanian, Managing Director Leisure & Restaurants, Citi Investment Research; Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President, Technomic, Inc. What are the overall growth prospects for the restaurant industry? Hot concepts? Best locations? Best brands? Listen to Wall Street's top industry analysts answer these questions and more. 2:45-4:00 p.m.: Restaurant Financing/ Lending Possibilities withKevin Burke, Partner and Founder, Trinity Capital Investment Banking; Thomas Hung, Senior Vice President, RBS Citizens Restaurant Finance; Geoff Hill, Vice President, Roark Capital Group; Ted Lynch, Managing Director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Jamie Wall, Managing Director, WJ Partners Find out why now is a great time to get financing for restaurants of all sizes and concepts. Hear from a number of different financing sources on what it takes to qualify for new capital and/or

refinancing current debt. 4:00-5:00 p.m.: Legal, Tax, Operations & Supply Chain Issues Corinne Baughman, Tax Partner, Moss Adams; Manley Roberts, Partner, McGuire Woods; Joyce Mazero, Partner, Perkins Coie Learn from experts in the accounting, legal, and tax world about financial issues of critical importance to restaurants of all sizes, concepts, and structures. Topics during this panel will include: tax issues to consider with outside investors, structure & issues to deal with under typical loans, and leveraging

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your supply chain for competitive advantage. Registration for the Restaurant Finance Summit is $299 for operators and includes full access to all four days of NRA Show exhibit floor and programming, to be held from May 17-20, 2014. Participation in the Restaurant Finance Summit is limited and certain qualifications apply. The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest annual gathering of restaurant, foodservice, and lodging professionals in the world. NRA Show 2014 will

be held May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago, and the 2014 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, held in conjunction with NRA Show, will take place May 18-19. The events attract 65,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and the event showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues, and more growth opportunities than any other industry event.


// NEWS

INNOVATION

Hobart Continues Innovative Warewashing Solutions With Debut Of New FT1000 Reducing energy costs is always important for foodservice operations. But what good is a lower bill if your dishes still aren’t clean?

T

hat’s the conundrum Hobart faced, so, after talking to customers, product development went to work and the FT1000 was

born. “We visited numerous sites to talk with end users across the country, especially those who purchase flighttypes for their operations, such as healthcare, higher education, lodging and corrections,” says Megan Dyer, Product Line Manager at Hobart. “We know that a focus on energy, chemical and labor-saving technology is critical. That's what drove us to develop a lot of the new features that you'll see on our updated FT1000, including automatic soil removal, auto clean, auto delime and ventless technology. But it's also critical that the FT1000 improves cleaning performance. Let’s face it. You can reduce energy costs all you want, but at the end of the day, the dish needs to be clean.” Dyer points out that the company does a number of tests in its lab to ensure that that happens with its dishwashers. “Whether it’s a gross soil test or other NSF tests that we complete, we stake our reputation on guaranteeing that our dish machines are maintaining superior performance,” she says. One of the hottest new features of the

FT1000 is automatic soil removal, a capability that eliminates the need to pre-rinse ware prior to loading it onto the conveyor. “It's a dedicated section that uses specialized soil removal wash arms and a pumped system to remove soil from the ware before it reaches the prewash tank. That reduces both the number of tank refills required per day and chemical consumption by up to 25%.” Auto clean and auto delime (getting rid of the limescale that can accumulate on dishwashers from hard minerals) reduce the operator labor that's required by up to 30 minutes per day, according to the company. “These features provide automated programs that effectively clean and maintain the dish machine, including the booster heater,” says Dyer. “This machine is the first flight-type that automatically delimes the booster. It’s all about taking care of those critical components and making it easier and safer for the operator.” Finally, ventless technology allows increased flexibility because it does not require a direct-to-vent connection. “It also provides large energy savings for our customers of up to 22% annually versus our previous machine,” Dyer notes. “The FT1000 is a very robust machine designed for

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“This machine is the first flight-type that automatically delimes the booster. It’s all about taking care of those critical components and making it easier and safer for the operator.”

harsh kitchen conditions. And the features we’ve added provide the energy, chemical and labor savings that address the challenges that our dish room operators are facing today.” In addition, Hobart machines have dual rinse, which provides another opportunity to rinse the dish, while offering improved cleaning and rinse performance and reducing water consumption. “Because it is easy for a customer to lose or damage their wash arm end caps, we now feature capless wash arms, eliminating the caps altogether and providing a much easier experience for our customers in terms of cleaning and maintenance.

“We also have a new blower dryer, and we've reduced the energy consumption on that to only 7.5 kW and have improved the air flow,” she says. The new blower dryers have venting along the sides to direct the air flow out from the side and up, for better overall coverage, reducing the energy needed for drying, and the humidity as well. “So we have overall better results,” says Dyer. The company has significantly reduced water consumption on this machine. “At 58 gallons of rinse water per hour, we've cut the water in half compared to our previous machine and we also have the lowest total cost of ownership of a flight-type in the industry,” she adds. “By reducing water consumption, energy, chemicals and labor, we’re providing a product that can work for all our customers, no matter what their needs.” Dyer says there's a lot of opportunity for replacement dish machines. “The savings in operating costs are so substantial that facilities with older flight machines could actually see a payback within the first several years of replacement. And we have flexibility with our product offering, with all these new features, to make it attractive for customers to do that.” In today's market, where customer needs are ever-changing -- energy, food and labor costs always on the rise -- it’s important for the company to provide a product that can help foodservice operations do more with less, says Dyer. “The six most critical elements of warewashing are cleaning performance, utilities, labor management, chemical optimization, soil management and life cycle management – those are the pillars of dishwashing operation. We meet all those requirements with the FT1000.” The product will be on display at NRA, and launched this summer.


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// EYE

METRO NY FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE SPONSORED BY

NJRA Draws Overflow Crowd for Annual ROC 2014

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ooking competitions, creative cocktails and blind wine tasting were all part of the fun at last month's New Jersey Restaurant Association’s (NJRA) Restaurant Operators Conference, better known as “ROC’14.” More than 200 members of the restaurant industry attended this year’s free interactive conference. Among highlights of the Trenton

(L to R) E&A Supply led by Alex Cediera & Al Green have won numerous NJRA Dealer of the Year awards

Some of the Garden State's top toques helped chef Peter Morris of Asbury Park's Langosta Lounge celebrate his victory

event was a “Top New Chef” cooking competition. Top honors went to Chef Peter Morris of Asbury Park’s Langosta Lounge. His award-winning dish, “Umami Filet Mignon with Prawns” was one of four entries created on the spot by NJ chefs and served to industry judges. Each competitor was required to use a 6 oz. filet mignon as the main ingredient. All four contestants were judged on taste, creativity, appearance and food

The Chefs Competition ignited with a chance to win the Great Eastern Energy Top Prize

safety. “This new competition was an enormous crowd pleaser,” said Marilou Halvorsen, President of the NJRA. “Each chef had fun and the audience loved seeing them in action. Peter’s dish was superb, not only was his presentation gorgeous but he added touches that made his dish stand out from others, like star anise and black garlic!” Prior to joining the Langosta Lounge,

NJRA's sponsors including Micros Systems were on hand to support the Annual Event

The Ryland Inn's Christopher James celebrated his top honors with an All-Star cast of Jersey Mixologists

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Chef Morris graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked with famous chefs around the country; he even cooked for President George W Bush. Christopher James, head bartender at the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station NJ won the “Mixologist of the Year” Competition at ROC’14. His winning cocktail creation, “Ms. New Jersey” was inspired by the 1950s classic drink, “The Pink Lady.” Seven bartenders from around NJ who participated in the competition were required to use at least 1 ounce of Hendrick’s Gin in their cocktail. Competitors were judged on taste, consistency, appearance and creativity. "Specialty cocktails are very popular in most restaurants,” Halvorsen added. “It didn’t surprise me that we had more competitors in our mixology competition than last year. These bartenders are extremely creative. It’s truly an art.” In addition to the show’s fun competitions, Master of Wine Patrick Farrell led a blind wine tasting exercise for 30 lucky ROC’14 attendees. Farell is one of only 200 “master” certified sommeliers in the world. Participants were taken through the steps on how to properly judge a wine from look, smell and taste. The all day event provided also serious seminars that addressed the many laws and pending legislative issues seriously effecting our industry such as ServSafe requirements, raising the federal tipping wage and paid sick leave. Established in 1942, the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) represents the Garden State's 25,000 eating and drinking establishments - the State's largest private sector employers, generating $14.2 billion in annual sales and employing over 318,000 people. Support, Education & Advocacy for its members is part of the NJRA’s recipe for success and why it has become an essential ingredient for the hospitality industry.


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// MEET THE NEWSMAKERS Dorothy Cann Hamilton International Culinary Center Founder and CEO

It all came down to vegetables for Dorothy Cann Hamilton. The ICC founder and CEO, at that time a school administrator, was invited to visit the top vocational schools in France.

"I

t was 1980 and I saw an incredible cooking school in Paris. They were doing amazing things with vegetables and I thought to myself, there are no vegetable stores in New York, only iceberg lettuce. Why is food so great in Europe and not here, when our products are so fantastic?” So Hamilton decided to work with the school to bring its curriculum to the U.S., extracting all the cooking pieces and turning it into a total immersion six-month course. Who are your students? We’ve always been geared to career changers. That sweet spot is 25-to-35year-olds. They’ve gone to college and have a passion for cooking. They studied what their parents wanted but they were miserable. They are people who have already done the degree, done the school bit, and what they want is a fast-paced track to get into a great restaurant. Interestingly, 30 years ago everyone wanted to work in restaurants but today only about 50% of our students go into restaurant work. There are so many other opportunities in food today.

serious amateurs or continuing ed students. Most of us know the CIA, and ICE. What’s your niche? If you choose this school, you choose it for the total immersion aspect. We don’t let people fail. We have a 92% completion rate. The other 8% probably shouldn’t be here. Only 3-5% can’t do the course. So if you come to this school, we take it as our personal responsibility to help you realize your potential.

The ICC founder and CEO, Dorothy Cann Hamilton

How did you start out? We began with a marvelous curriculum. We had the respect of all the French chefs back 30 years ago, all the ‘lelas’ as Drew Nieporent calls them. They said, if you take that program to New York City, we’ll hire your students because we respect that school in Paris so much. Our first class had 11 students. Bobby Flay was in it, back in 1984, and today we have 600 to 700 professional students a year and 1,500

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What makes your program different from other cooking schools? Three things. We’ve talked about our total immersion policy. Second, our networking capability. If you come out of our program and want to go work for David Bouley, we can get you in to David Bouley, even after you’ve never done anything and only had six months. If your heart is set on it, and you’re good enough, we have the connections. We have the connections all around the world. We’re the only school in the country where you can study here for six weeks, then spend five months in Italy, for example, in our Italian program. Our students are hand-picked

by Cesare Casella. We teach Italian language in that program. Our third difference is that we’re extraordinarily authentic. If you’re in the Italian cooking program, you have to study the Italian language and you taste the product and work in Italy. We have incredible deans who write the curriculum and set the standard. Casella wrote it and oversees it for our Italian program, José Andrés for the Spanish curriculum, and our classic techniques course - we don’t call it French anymore - what I call ‘the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse!’ Jacques Pépin, André Soltner, Alain Sailhac, Jacques Torres. It’s all modern but based on the classic techniques. What is the advantage of your totalimmersion course? We’ve compressed 250 major techniques into a six-month course and done it well enough and instilled so much in our students that restaurants are clamoring for our graduates. Some people question the value of culinary school today. Well, ask our students and they say, ‘We’ve had friends who tried to go into the business without culinary school, and after two weeks, they can’t handle it.’ You have to learn the discipline, the rigor, the protocols of the kitchen. Just like any other school, we slowly introduce you. When you fall down in some aspects, we pick you up, help you get over the hump. And then you go in with a very solid foundation because, if you go to a fish restaurant, maybe you’ll get some good fish techniques, but what about the 250 others to round out your education? Our students come out and they’re really prepared - they’re three years ahead of other students.

continued on page 94


Q&A, from page 31

business..really? Three brothers and five sisters all work in the business. My sister is the accountant and my brother Jerry is the tech guy. I don't know if I would even be able to turn on a computer! But he’s in charge of all our IT operations. That’s just one little example. Even though people went into different professions, we all just work together. Everybody has different strengths and different interests. It's amazing to see it first-hand. "Mamma Lombardi" is still a big part of our business. She comes in the morning to peel garlic and she loves speaking with customers. She's 82 years old and still loves coming to the restaurant every day. We’re a family operation! I can’t imagine not having my kids in the business with me. My daughter, Lauren, is the creative director for marketing and she’s the one we go to for social media. She loves to take photographs and she’s working on a cookbook and a certified sommelier. My son Phillip, is the operations manager for all of the restaurant locations and my nephew, Jerry, is our head chef at our waterfront location. My niece Sophia works with brides and wedding planners and has made a nice success of that business. It was a natural outgrowth of our business.

What's your view on what it takes for a

suburban restaurant to succeed? Do you need customers to come back more than once a week? If so, how do you get them to do so? You depend on repeat customers. We see the same customer three times a week. We keep them coming back by providing great service, top-notch dishes, and we treat everyone like family. That has also enabled us to transition from one generation to the next as our customers’ kids now bring in their kids.

With such a wide range of needs from a gourmet market to catering, what's your approach to the design of a kitchen? The key to our kitchens has been to create a design and purchase equipment that enables us to be flexible. We've done that by working with a knowledgeable dealer that is based on Long Island: Bar-Boy Products. That has enabled us to build kitchens that give us the a la cart consistency we need for our restaurants. At the same time Bar-Boy Products continues to keep us abreast of the changes in technology so that we are able to utilize the latest innovation including convection cooking to produce high quality product to meet the demands of our large volume catering events. Bar-Boy Products also supplies us weekly, with all of our equipment and supply needs such as China, Glassware, Paper Goods and Janitorial Goods.

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Crystal ball, what lies ahead? You've also succeeded in the catering business. How does it differ from the restaurant industry? Certainly the sales and marketing of selling an event like a wedding are very different from running a restaurant every day. From a food standpoint, there’s not much difference. You buy quality, fresh food and you cook and serve it well.

It's definitely gotten a lot harder in this business, with these standards, between the health care and increase in the minimum wage and everything. We just have to adjust and adapt, go along with the changes. Get creative with making our customers happy and providing the best service we can.


// CHEFCETERA

UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK'S CHEFS

Chef Fed

York eateries. We will see what the future holds for Sex on the Table.

Sex on the Table/Horny Haute Cuisine’s Founder and Owner Growing up on Lake Zurich with a culinary school teacher for a mother, Fed spent plenty of his childhood in the kitchen. At 22 he decided to “go pro,” training in Switzerland’s prestigious culinary institute.

H

e graduated at the top of his class and three short years later he received a Michelin star alongside Chef A. Blockbergen at the Auberge du Raisin on Lake Geneva. Fed has since cooked in some of the finest restaurants in Europe and the United States. After opening eateries in Marbella, Spain and reviving struggling restaurants in his home country, he started a high-end catering service for the Swiss Houses of Parliament. From the outset of his culinary career, Fed saw the art of seduction as an inherent part of cooking and he viewed aphrodisiacs as part of the equation. And Sex on the Table was born. In 2010 Fed moved to New York. He spent 3 years running a small and exclusive Members Only Social Club and refining the Sex on the Table concept. In January 2013 he opened his cooking school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Every class since March 2013 has sold out weeks in advance. Fed’s mission is to tantalize his guests’ senses with every dish he prepares. He teaches the use of texture to create the right feeling and he incorporates plating techniques that seduce the eye. Fed’s flavor combinations are so unique that some of the

world’s most renowned perfumers reach out to him for advice. The goal is always to perfectly combine the 4 basic tastes to achieve that “Aaahhh” effect called Umami. Where did the idea come from to create the unique NYC Supper Club, Sex on the Table? And did you ever think about opening a traditional restaurant rather then a supper club? That's a very smart question, thank you. Although I knew New York City as a frequent business traveler, the city opened its full foodie potential to me

only after I decided to physically move to New York in 2010. In retrospect, it really felt more like New York introduced me to the Sex on the Table idea than vice versa. New York is a city of food and love, which is the foundation of Sex on the Table. The city and its compelling foodies gave me the opportunity to say yes to a Sex on the Table Supper Club and I am very grateful for it. The thought of opening a restaurant is not interfering with a Supper Club. It would be a great honor for me to add my own restaurant to the lineup of the great New

From the outset of his culinary career, Fed saw the art of seduction as an inherent part of cooking and he viewed aphrodisiacs as part of the equation. And Sex on the Table was born in 2010 when Chef Fed moved to New York

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What is the experience and goal you want your guests to come away with when dining at one of your supper clubs? Why an aphrodisiac approach? At Sex on the Table you can expect 20 yearly unique underground dinners created by exceptional chefs and held in unusual locations. Expect unique and surprising food pairings and social introductions. The word “aphrodi-

New York is a city of food and love, which is the foundation of Sex on the Table.

siac” is very loaded. It comes with high expectations, which you can only satisfy if you understand the art of seduction. Seducing with food is no different from seducing a significant other. Only when you see, hear, feel, taste and smell the right thing your mind will be in the right place. And only when your mind is in the right place will things fall into place. But to answer your question: Food and Love are at the very root of our living existence. They are the two most life affirming things. There is a reason after all why we take our dates out for dinner. Sex on the Table helps sets the stage for people who understand this.

For the complete interview, visit totalfood.com


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// MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

Metro New York Mixology Vdka 6100 is made by care on the other side of the globe using whey instead of grain. Whey you may say. What is Whey? Whey is the abundant byproduct of cheese production. When milk is made into cheese, the liquid that comes off of the process is Whey. Whey is used in Europe, specifically Spain to enrich bread dough. It is also possible to distill spirits using Whey as the chief ingredient.

C

heese Whey fermentation gives off Ethanol and this product is the reason why we have Vdka 6100. Vdka is gorgeous stuff, but first of all let me let you in on a little secret. Robert DeNiro is the famous face behind the brand. After tasting a little drink that I created a la minute including his Vdka 6100 I have to admit that this is gorgeous stuff. In all honesty, I’m not a vodka drinker. Most vodka on the market is too mushy tasting. And please don’t even get me started on flavored “vodka” as this chemical lab product may not actually be vodka at all. Imagine my surprise when I sipped Vdka 6100 in my cocktail. Sure it’s soft like the Whey in the recipe, but that’s where it changes speeds like the steering-wheel shifters on a Porsche Turbo. This is incredibly intriguing stuff. My first impressions are as follows: This vodka is soft and sweet against the palate with deeper aromatics of sea salt and freshly churned cream made into butterscotch. The finish lasts at least 30 seconds; taking little turns around the back of my mouth in bursts of sweet fire. It’s got a chewy quality to each sip. The aromatics are freshly cut garlic grass, sweet lemon

like luxury. If luxury looks like this bottle, sign me up Johnny Ray. The finishing top is polished aluminum and it stands sleekly against the synthetic cork. The neck of the bottle is at least two inches long and fits comfortably into my hand. This is very helpful when I’m tending bar because the bottle is secure and easy to maneuver. The label is very simple, reading only what’s important. VDKA 6100. Vodka. Imported. Triple Distilled. 750 ml and 40%alc/vol On the side it reads Product of New Zealand. Triple Distilled Vodka and Distilled from Whey. Seasonality comes in with the following statement again from the side of the bottle. Tomorrow isn’t just another day. It’s an opportunity to come together and share in something special. VDKA 6100 distilled and crafted from Fresh, Seasonal Whey to be exceptionally smooth. Born from a moment of pure inspiration. www.vdka6100.com

Serra dos Ancares Cocktail Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Magazine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com

zest and Asian spices. I’m sure there aren’t any of these ingredients in this 3 times distilled Whey based vodka, but these are my impressions. I think this is excellent vodka made with care. The bottle is handsome with a cloudy appearance on the top, giving way to the perfume grade glass as clear as the ocean around New Zealand is Cerulean blue. The label is sprayed on the bottle and it’s obvious that no expense was spared to make this product look

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Ingredients • 3 oz. VDKA 6100 Vodka • ½ oz. Black Vermouth • 2 oz. Grilled Orange Juice - score ½ inch thick orange slices over charcoal cool then juice • 3 drops Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters Preparation 1. Fill a Boston Shaker ¾ with ice 2. Add the Vodka and the Casa Mariol Black Vermouth to your Boston Shaker with freshly squeezed, grilled orange juice 3. Cap the Shaker and shake hard for 30 seconds 4. Pour into a coupe with a few drops of the Aztec Chocolate Bitters to finish


Legends, from page 50 was charged with buying walk-ins and I called him and two other reps. The other reps were right in New York, where I was, but Carl was out on Long Island. I explained I was in a big hurry, and needed those prices asap. The other two reps said to mail it in, but Carl came in and picked it up and had a quote on my desk Monday morning. Needless to say, he got the order.” Dellon said he never understood the axiom about the customer always being right, even when he was wrong, until he worked for Kaufmann. "He got me to see that even when the customer was wrong, there was always a reason behind it, and you needed to take the time to see the big picture. Everything was a learning experience.” Dellon also remembers that Kaufmann was ahead of his time with technology. “He developed a system for his manufacturers where he entered their price quotes in our computer in our office and we quoted everyone through our system. Everything went out as quotes from our office, and when it became an order, we could convert it right then and there, and send it to our customer service module. He developed a totally integrated system. We’re still trying to find a way to do that today.” Dellon notes that Kaufmann was always stressing partnership. “He wasn’t just a salesman, he was always that customer’s partner. Our customers have a million choices today, and they picked us. Carl was really the first person who drove that into my head.” David Bernstein Vice President Of Diversified Industries said Kaufmann was there to guide him every step of the way. “Well, quite a number of steps ahead of me! Up and out the door every day before I was out of bed. I’d arrive at work with bagels and a schmear to

find Carl hard at work in his signature shirt and tie (we used to joke he slept in them), and he’d already been busy calling factories, getting

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jobs. The word ‘multitasker’ was invented just for him. His personality and professionalism was a carpe diem for me. I dug in my heels and

I knew if I did just half of what Carl did, I could make it in New York.”

#3781


// EYE

METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Club Managers 20th Annual Show at Glen Island Casino

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unning a private club is a challenging endeavor. Healthcare and food regulations, trends, governance, financials and strategic planning are all necessary parts of running one well. To help club managers succeed at these, the 20th Vendor Show at Glen Island Casino brought together 1,200 people from the private club industry for its annual one-day networking

and education event. 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, exhibited their wares at the show. Attending were clubs from the Metro New York area, including Manhattan, Westchester, Long Island, the Capital region of upstate New York and lower Connecticut. A talk on trends in the club industry led off the day, with expert panelists from five different industries, who shared their observations and expertise on what’s hot, along with best management practices in strategic planning and board governance currently in use around the country. Speakers included Steve Alvezi, CYBEX; Rhonda Flanery, health, wellness and fitness; John Deere Golf Finance, capital purchases and improvements; David Hamilton, Entegra Procurement Services, F&B, FF&E cost reduction, and Phil Newman of

The 2014 event featured a full day of stimulating seminar topics Premium Restaurant Supply has become a “Go-To” scource for many Long Island based clubs

The Bronxville Field Club’s culinary team were among the culinary teams that displayed their unique talents

DiCarlo Foods brought their club menu expertise to the annual event

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Nissequoque Golf Club’s GM Barry Chandler was the MC for the annual event


McGladrey, club accounting and finance. A farm-to-table presentation was given by Rivera Produce, with special guest chef Josh Eden of August Restaurant (formerly with Jean Georges), focusing on the chef-vendor relationship in providing clubs with the best and freshest raw ingredients. ARC Greenhouses was also on hand to showcase the latest in local produce. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was discussed by Brad Steele, vice president of government relations and general counsel of the National Club Association, who ran a discussion on the health care reform law’s impact on the club industry. He also reviewed the newly issued final Employer Mandate regulations from the IRS. The day was capped by a seminar on trends in technology for the private club industry, given by Noel Wixsom of CC Tech Partners, where attendees learned about the top 10 technology strategies that every club should consider.

At a dinner reception, club chefs of Westchester and lower Connecticut centered their presentation on sous vide cooking techniques. Locan O’ Connell from Metropolis Country Club and Lenny Phillips from Shenorock Shore Club chaired the dinner.

Clements Stella Gallagher’s Tom Gallagher (R) featured the latest from FOH

#385

Ward‘s Ice Cream’s Rod Fernino (L) brought a vast array of new ice cream novelties for the upcoming summer season

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Hamilton, from page 86 What do you think makes your program so valuable? Our curriculums are curated by the absolute best people in this country. We have a full-time five-person education department and we work with Columbia University Teachers’ College. Our chefs are highly-trained teachers. It’s not the student’s job to learn, it’s our chefs’ job to figure out the learning style of the student. Is it visual? Is it reading? Hands on? Mentoring? So many chefs are dyslexic, you can’t give reading assignments. You have to learn their learning style. We take the word ‘school’ as seriously as we take the word ‘food.’ In fact, Columbia brings its grad students here to see how we teach. That’s why we’re so successful.

that state, students go to farms and sit on the back of a combine and see 10,000 pounds of carrots being harvested. David Kinch at Loveapple Farm teaches them why it costs $7 for a baby carrot.

What happens to your students after they graduate? It’s like learning to paint in Florence in the Renaissance. After someone’s here one month, they actually get to work in a restaurant. The demand is so high for our students, our chefs take their own students. The students are in school during the day, working at a restaurant at night. It’s a heavy load but chefs know they are looking at the best and the brightest. Our students are looking at product they’ve never seen before, really getting the tone of 1st-class professional, top-of-the-world restaurants. You can’t create that anywhere else. You have to be in the thick of it. We draw all that in. Great chefs from all over the world do demos in our amphitheater. It’s all about exposure. A lot of the students who come here have never eaten in a great restaurant. They get a highly discounted meal, chefs come out and talk to them. In our farm-to-table program here in New York City, we teach four-season and rooftop-gardening. They spend a week at Stone Barn, talking to farmers, getting their philosophies. California feeds the country, so at our school in

What does the future hold? A lot is about exposure to product, tasting in New York City, setting up a restaurant tour, having them observe some top chefs in the city, showing them some culinary technologies. We’re going to set up weeks for pros who want to come to New York City. If you’re not here and don’t have access to great chefs and the latest trends, you’re not going to make it. Any professional has to leave for a few days and get recharged! We’re talking with a developer in Shanghai to do a school there, and I’ve been tapped to be head of the World Expo in Milan next year. We’re also doing more contract training with the industry. If a hotel wants to up the game of its chefs, we help them. Our grads are on the Food Network, in food media. As the industry has grown and expanded, so have we. We always hope to be shoulder-to-shoulder with the industry, or a little ahead of it. A sustainable and delicious leader in the culinary space. That’s us.

Do any of your students go into foodservice? We have loads of people who go into foodservice, or start their own food companies. We have a lot of entrepreneurs because we get college grads who have taken business courses. We have management courses from Cornell. Our food vendors do demos for students. We probably pay more for our products than anyone else. It’s cooking, not chemistry. We have to teach our students to taste.

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Food Network, from page 3 Grillhampton, which will be fronted by another Food Network personality, Robert Irvine of “Restaurant Impossible.” Grillhampton pits eight New York City chefs against eight Hamptons-based chefs for a grill-off. The judges include chef Marc Murphy of Kingside, Landmarc and Ditch Plains, who is also a regular judge on the Food Network’s “Chopped.” Participating New York City chefs include Harold Moore of Commerce and Mike Prince of Market Table. The festival will be held July 11 and 12 at Sayre Park in Bridgehampton. Tickets run to $340 for a Grillhampton ticket and a VIP ticket for Taste of Two Forks. A portion of this year’s ticket sales will benefit All For The East End, which supports local nonprofits. Geoffrey Zakarian is the visionary behind The National, and one of the nation’s most widely celebrated chefs. Throughout his career, he has helmed internationally acclaimed kitchens such as 21 Club, 44 at the Royalton,

Caffe Bene, from page 24 The Delano, Patroon, TOWN, Country, The Lambs Club in NYC and Tudor House in Miami. As an arbiter of style and an accomplished chef, Chef Zakarian consistently utilizes his background of classic French cooking techniques and his innate sense of design. Recently, Zakarian emerged victorious in the 4th Season of Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef, Super Chefs.” He now appears regularly on “Iron Chef America,” demonstrating a razor-sharp knowledge of culinary techniques in this fast-paced cooking competition. When he’s not battling in kitchen stadium, Zakarian stays busy filming “CHOPPED”, where he is featured as a recurring judge, and highlights his favorite dishes on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” In addition, Chef Zakarian has authored the cookbook, Geoffrey Zakarian's Town/ Country: 150 Recipes for Life Around The Table, named Editor's Choice by The New York Times.

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bucks. “We painstakingly researched all the pluses and minuses Starbucks made over the years. They have been a phenomenal learning tool for us. Starbucks is a great company and they had a great run. But I believe their loyalty program is suspect, their entry into serving alcohol will hurt rather than help down the line, but most importantly their service is out of touch with the needs of today's very busy customer. We analyzed all their successes, and we’re going to make it better. Barry admits growth is a major challenge in Manhattan. “Rents are through the roof, and competition for the very best sites is intense. Positioning is everything in Manhattan. We’ve licensed almost 80 locations

already in metropolitan New York. 26 locations are currently under construction. Our newest locations will be opening soon in Hoboken, NJ and Great Neck on Long Island. Caffe Bene is looking at another 80120 units throughout the 5 Boroughs so the whole area will have a total of 160 units in very short order. “We plan to branch out to southern New Jersey, Suffolk and Westchester as well. Our mission is to grow to about 600 in the U.S. and between 8000 to 10,000 stores worldwide by 2020,” Barry says. Caffe Bene operates in over 16 countries including the U.S… LIFE its truly BENE.


Racines, from page 8 on seasonal and market ingredients. “At first, we were a little apprehensive about someone who had been through the French system. He’s received these accolades, but he is a super-nice, open and friendly guy and it’s very exciting to have him aboard.” “We share the same philosophy in terms of wine,” is how the owners explain their partnership with David Lahner, the owner of the Racines in Paris, “even though we are not as extreme as the one in Paris.” The original owner of Racines Paris was Pierre Jancou who only served wines with no sulfur. “Pierre was militant about only offering pure juice with zero additives.” “There will be no boundaries,” is how they talk about their wine list which will feature mostly natural wines, with some conventional ones as well. “We are not going to be dogmatic about what we allow in the place. The inspiration for the wine list is the people that we know that work organically, biodynamically, naturally, that vinify with minimal additives. We don’t look for certified, but most of the producers we will use work organic / biodynamic.” The common ground will be based on the winemakers, many of them they know personally and respect their techniques. “When you see the vineyard work like the best vineyards in France do, it’s so impressive and so much work. You really want to feature those wines.” The wine list will be peppered with gems that are hard-to-find and relatively unknown in the US, but not in a trophy hunting hard to find way. Expect the wines to be reasonably priced. “There will be wines that are $50 instead of $500. We’ll have wines that are great, not because they have re-sale value or because it got points or because it’s regarded as being impossible to find.”

Western Pest, from page 42 We don’t want to do anything while food is out. If we start a new account, we put monitors in key areas, where pests like to harbor, where we’re more likely to find pests. We also have mechanical rodent equipment that can catch multiple rodents. We monitor the account first. We’re not going in and spraying away,” she says. The company also uses bait to target pests, which looks like a dab of toothpaste in key areas. “Some accounts want more organic products and for those we may use a natural organic list. It depends on what the customers means by ‘green,’ and then we adapt a program to that.” A big new factor for pest control in Manhattan is composting, which is about to be mandated. “We have a lot of people doing that and it can be a challenge for pest control,” says Bowman. “Inside the kitchen area, the area outside where it’s being collected. From a pest control standpoint, making sure things being used in the kitchen are cleaned up thoroughly before being dumped outside. Also, you can’t do it every two weeks. The frequency of collecting the compost must be high enough to not create a pest problem outside,” she concluded.

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Newsmaker, from page 56 walking through that particular door. Not for me. The phrase I would use is ‘get in where you fit in’. Meaning, make sure what you’re doing is not over the head of the bartender executing the cocktail or most importantly the guest. What may work and sound appealing at one bar, might not work so well at another. Justin, you’ve worked with several liquor brands as a mixologist and events coordinator and have been overseeing and developed the beverage program at the NoLiTa cocktail hotspot, 1534. How has your past experiences and knowledge reflect and transcend into the Sweetwater Social beverage program? Working on beverage programs like Pranna, the Royalton, Breslin, and 1534 has really allowed me to be creative and utilize different bartend-

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ing techniques. Having set all those venues up with a focus in mind was great. When Sweetwater was being developed Tim and I wanted to utilize all those different styles of bartending and different techniques into one venue to showcase that we are well versed. Working with different brands which all have different cocktail strategies also meant that drinks need to be cultivated for a specific demographic or brand image. This also allowed me to think about all the different types of people we really want to entertain and host at Sweetwater and thus create a vibe and menu that would appeal to all those different types. Visit totalfood.com for the complete interview and additional imagery from Sweetwater Social.


SHFM, from page 64

Klein's, from page 22

less. He suggested that by gathering the right data you can build a case to justify cost and then to sell the project to your executive team. The CIC conference brought a large turn out of company liasons including Caterpillar, Inc., Jill Eisenbarth, Capital One Robert Schneider, CIGNA Companies’ Harvey Rubin, Comcast's Joanna R. Dissin, HBO’s Jane Kees, Goldman Sachs, Joseph Ventrice, Marsh & McLennan Co.'s Robert Gordon, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Kole Djurovic and Veronica McLymont, Merck & Co., Robert Gebhardt and Robert Wolkom, New York Life's Robert Martzen and Albert Rogers, Estee Lauder's Scott Lafferty, Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Kent Bain and Lessing's Mark Hanson. Once again a highlight of the SFHM CIC event was the “meet and greet” in Citi Field's spectacular private suite reception area which featured the best of the stadium's fare from its concessionaire Aramark. The large Sodexo contingent included Mark Bickford, Hector Colon, Kevin Flaherty, William Fleming, John Herron, Tracy Kelly, Anthony Mastellone, Nelson Morales, Diane Salamone, Rush Sherman and Peter Witkowski. Metro New York's equipment rep community was well represented with leaders including B.S.E. Marketing's Jeff Hessel and Joe Pellicane as well as Michael Posternak of PBAC and Tri-State Marketing's Lynne Schultz and Bart Gobioff. The Tri-State's service community was out in force with PRO-TEK's’ Ed Daniels and Martin Kohn, Day & Nite / All Service's Matthew Sher and Air Comfort's Pat Fava and Dan McCaffrey.

branding, launch of new products, sales meetings, networking, “anywhere clients and companies come together and find each other in some way,” she explains. How competitive is this field? “Competitive is an understatement in this environment,” says Klein. “There’s a great deal of conversation among event planners and

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they talk to each other and ask each other who they would recommend for this kind, that kind of event.” Looking ahead, Klein says the company is thinking of going “a little more retail.” Right now Between the Bread has a tiny retail shop. “It used to be our walk-in refrigerator. It’s only about 400-450 square

feet, and most people have to wait in the weather outside because it can only accommodate about six at a time. But because people recognize the quality and uniqueness of our food, they’re willing to spend time in the weather and we feel there’s an opportunity for expansion in retail.”


// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

WITH FRED SAMPSON

When the Founder Is the Face of a Brand That was the headline of a story recently appearing in the New York Times which dealt with the departure of Mr. George Zimmer, founder of and spokesman for The Men’s Wearhouse clothing chain. The tag line in his commercials was: “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.”

T

he thrust of the article was to point out how important the founder’s name and presence can be to a brand and the potential damage that can take place when he or she leaves, for whatever reason. What does this have to do with the restaurant industry? Read on. I recently read about a number of celebrity chefs who are expanding their reach. This news raised a question in my mind about their future, and that is: What kind of succession plan do they have, if any? For the last twenty years we have witnessed the growth of celebrity chef chains. I might add that some of them are not happy about being designated as chains, but in fact that is what they are. In any event, their units are found not only in various parts of the USA, but in many foreign markets as well. The names read like a culinary Hall of Fame: Daniel Boulud, Lidia Bastianich, Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Palmer, and Todd English, to name a few. Many people consider these signature restaurants mainly because that’s how they are identified, unlike Drew Nieporent, Danny Meyer, and

Fred G. Sampson,

President of Sampson Consulting, Inc. fredgsampson@juno.com

other equally successful multi-unit operators, and that is the dilemma I see down the road. I think it is fair to say the guests who patronize these signature operations understand that the chances of the celebrity chef– owner being in the kitchen at the time of their visit can be anywhere from 2:1 and as high as 10:1, based on the number of units he or she controls. Having said that, there is no doubt in my mind that the surrogate chefs in charge of the kitchen, in the absence of the celebrity chef, are doing an outstanding job, based on the success these enterprises enjoy. This brings me back to my question of what will happen to any or all of them, when the principal name has, for any reason, left the business. Examples of this happening can be found in other businesses. While Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and

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For the last twenty years we have witnessed the growth of celebrity chef chains. I might add that some of them are not happy about being designated as chains, but in fact that is what they are. Benny Goodman are no longer with us, their respective bands are still touring the country playing all the

songs that made them famous, using the same arrangements. I don’t think the situations are comparable, though. There are two situations in the foodservice industry where both the founders were highly visible in the company’s advertising, and have passed away: Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Colonel Sanders and Dave Thomas of Wendy’s. Both are quick service operations. In addition, they were and are heavily advertised on TV, radio, and other media. Few, if any, of the celebrity chefs ever use ads. Most celebrity chefs’ exposure comes from various TV shows, food critics’ columns, cookbook reviews, and appearances at regional food festivals. In addition, most major newspapers as well as good living and foodie magazines devote large amounts of space to food and, here again, feature stories about these celebrity chefs. While I’m on the subject of these chefs being involved with different places throughout the country, there is another phenomena taking place in most of these major locations: the many multi-units owned by small groups. Few, if any, are identified by a brand name, and many are specializing in various cuisines. If I had to guess, I’d say there are at least a hundred of them in New York City alone. Ah, but I digress. To sum up, I’m sure that the individuals who have developed the concept of chefs being able to lend their name and culinary talents to function in more than one location have given thought to what will take place in their absence, for any reason. Since that has not happened yet, I will, like the rest of you, just have to wait until it does … and it will.


#4200

#9408

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#3013

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#3401


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