Pg. 22 // Martini® & Donatella Arpaia Announce New Venture
Q&A
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David Weber New York Food Truck Association
Pg. 35 // Creighton Takes Reigns to Drive Smashburger Growth in NY
Pg. 56 // Rutgers University Metro New York’s Foodservice Newspaper • September 2011 • Vol. 21 • No. 4 • $3.00
// NEWS Chefs and Champagne Gala Takes Center Stage In Hamptons Last month, the James Beard Foundation honored chef, TV personality and multiple JBF Award-winner Emeril Lagasse at Chefs & Champagne New York at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, N.Y.
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his annual sumptuous tasting party and fundraiser features flowing Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, the wines of Wölffer Estate Vineyard, beers from Stella Artois and culinary offerings from a select group of more than 40 fine chefs, many from JBF Award–winning restaurants. “What an honor to be recognized by the James Beard Foundation,” said Emeril Lagasse. “I am looking forward to being part of such an incredible event, among exceptional colleagues, and most importantly, where the fund-
to honor him for all that he has done to further the culinary arts in America, as well as his philanthropic work supporting children’s educational programs through the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.” Chefs & Champagne New York is considered the East End’s premiere culinary event. Funds raised at the event will help support the James Beard Foundation’s mission and programs, including culinary student scholarships and the organization’s annual food conference on sustainability, public health, and nutrition. A silent auction consisting of fine dining experiences, wines and spirits, cookware and culinary travel packages will also raise funds for the nonprofit James Beard Foundation’s educational and leadership awards programs. With a long tradition of supporting culinary education, the James Beard Foundation will also announce the recipient of the Christian Wölffer Scholarship at the event. Established in 2006, the scholarship fund supports students in their study of food and wine. VIP tables of 10 were available for $3,500. The VIP experience included an
“A national TV personality with dozens of award-winning restaurants and cookbooks, Chef Emeril Lagasse is an innovator and leader in the food world.”
Emeril Lagasse cooking up a dish
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raising will be dedicated to supporting students’ culinary education.” “A national TV personality with dozens of award-winning restaurants and cookbooks, Chef Emeril Lagasse is an innovator and leader in the food world,” said Susan Ungaro, James Beard Foundation President. “We are delighted
additional exclusive hour of access to all tastings, reserved table seating, silent auction pre-bidding opportunities, gift bag and invitation to VIP After-Party. Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America’s diverse culinary heritage and future.
// NEWS Hess Small Business Unit Creates Innovative Solutions For Metro New York Food Service Industry The New York State Restaurant Association’s relationship with the Hess Small Business program has had a positive impact on the profitability of a number of Metro New York foodservice operators. Since the establishment of the program in 2008, both food service operators and manufactuers have benefitted from the comprehensive energy savings programs offered by Hess. For the past 50 years, Westchester County’s Eastchester Odyssey Diner has become a landmark for the highest quality fare. “Our family has been in the restaurant business for over 50 years,” noted owner Dean Doukas. “Everything’s made from scratch in our diner, and our cooking equipment is gas-fired.” For Doukas and many Metro New York operators, in this economic environment, particularly with a small business, a penny saved is a penny earned. “Our members have long been pleased with both the low prices and the excellent service they receive from
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// PUBLISHERS NOTE
Fred Klashman
Total Food Service has come a long way in the 21 years we have been in business. We have been printing our publication showcasing the Metro New York’s foodservice scene through many ups and downs. We have made good friends in the foodservice community and strive to bring everyone quality content on a monthly basis. Naturally, there comes a time when we must adapt to the trends and changing foodservice mar-
Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising & Creative Director: Michael Scinto Art Director: Ross Moody 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 2011 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
facebook.com/TotalFoodService twitter.com/TFS_TotalFood
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ket around us. This is one of those times. In the coming months we plan to implement many exciting changes internally that will be sure to benefit everyone involved. The first exciting change we are undertaking is the publication’s rebranding. We felt that in order to make positive change, we needed a strong foundation to build off of. Along with updating the look and feel, we will be bringing new features to the magazine over the course of the next few
months. Some of these new features are trends we are seeing on Tri-State menus and buzz from the Metro New York area you simply can’t find anywhere else in one publication. Many more changes & innovations will be outlined in the coming pages. We hope you are as excited to be a part of this change as we are. I can’t thank you enough for a great past 21 years. Here’s to 21 more.
// NEWS
DEALS
BR Guest Overlord Stephen Hanson Buys Strip House Brand Stephen Hanson, the restaurateur behind Blue Water Grill, Bill’s Bar & Burger, Dos Caminos, and about a handful of other cash cows, just bought the Strip House brand from founding owners Peter, Penny, and Matthew Glazier of the Glazier Group.
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he family founded the restaurant 11 years ago but filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last November. While they’ll continue to own and run Strip House locations in Key West, Naples,
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Fla. and Livingston, NJ as well as their other restaurant, Michael Jordan’s The Steakhouse, Hanson now controls the two starred Strip House in Greenwich Village and the locations in Vegas and Houston. And he plans on bringing it
to “other key US cities.” The BR Guest overlord, per usual, has a full plate this year. He is also planning an Asian restaurant in the former Japonais space just eight blocks continued on page 47
// EYE
INSIDER FOODSERVICE SHOW COVERAGE
Borax Boss Wins 2nd AJC Award BRONX, NY-EYE once again was shocked by the outpouring of generosity at this year’s The American Jewish Committee(AJC)fete at the Bronx Botanical Garden. The AJC’s Food Service Division’s Human Relations Award Dinner once again was among a highlight of its annual calendar of events in the Metro New York area. This year’s honorees were Borax Paper’s Marc Borak, John Nackely of Metro and the Admiration Foods brother and sister duo of Nicole Acrish and Michael Leffler. Restaurant Depot’s Clark Pager told the story of the Brooklyn based Admiration’s growth from the back of a garage to a nationwide power. The annual extravaganza raised some $150K to benefit
the oldest and one of the most effective and respected human rights and civil rights organizations in America. EYE spotted such equipment manufacturing notables as Dopaco’s Mark Collins , Pickle maven Marvin Weishaus of United Pickle, Apex’s John Bruno, Nancy Fera of Metro and Dinex’s Dianne Brooks. EYE spotted many top dealers in-
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Borax Paper’s Marc Borak was feted by his partner Steve Denmark
cluding large contingents from H. Weiss, M. Tucker, E+A Restaurant Supply, Culinary Depot, Imperial Bag and Eastern Bag as well as George Nasta of Tassone, the Sam Tell trio of Dan Saltzman and Doug Hummel and Arthur Fisher. EYE noted a number of key paper and packaging reps led by United Sales Concepts, Creative Sales
continued on page 74
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// NEWS
EVENTS
NYC’S Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group Set For 49th National Wine Week As thoughts of wine enthusiasts turn to the fall harvest, Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group announces The Forty-Ninth National Wine Week, September 12-16.
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uring this week, eight iconic restaurant locations, under the guidance of Stuart Roy, national director of wine and spirits, will offer a variety of super-premium wines carefully selected to complement the Smith & Wollensky awardwinning menu. Roy expects more than 25,000 glasses of more than 200 different wines to be served over the course of five days in the eight locations nationwide. Celebrated every March and September, National Wine Week is available to Smith & Wollensky diners anywhere à la carte lunch is offered within the restaurant. Lunch service is between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in allparticipating units. During National Wine Week, Smith & Wollensky patrons will be able to sample 10 wines for $10 with the purchase of a lunch entrée.
Selections are customized to each location and will change daily. “We’re thrilled to offer such exceptional and exclusive wines to our patrons during this fall’s National Wine Week,” Roy said. “It was my goal to craft a superior wine week selection that offers varietals most patrons don’t have the opportunity to taste every day. We ultimately want to deliver a food-andwine experience that will blow guests away and make them want to sample
“We’re thrilled to offer such exceptional and exclusive wines to our patrons during this fall’s National Wine Week.”
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and learn even more.” “Something else we’re offering for the first time this year is the introduction of our second Boston location, on the historic Atlantic Wharf,” Roy said. “It’s part of the ongoing waterfront development project and will be offering Wine Week guests a spectacular harbor view.” The restaurant is scheduled to open late summer. Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group is an annual recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a nationwide honor given each year to restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers. This is the twentyfourth consecutive year the restaurant group has earned the honor. For 2011, Wine Spectator bestowed its Award of Excellence (recognizing lists that provide
a well-chosen selection of quality producers) to Smith & Wollensky locations in Miami Beach; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Columbus, Ohio and Boston Back Bay. This year, three locations were awarded the prestigious Best of Award of Excellence—Chicago, Las Vegas and Houston. The Best of Award typically recognizes wine lists with more than 400 selections, demonstrating exceptional vintage breadth or depth. “We’ve established an expanded partnership with the wineries featured this fall,” Roy said. Wine partners for the September event include: · Castello Banfi. A family-owned vineyard estate and winery in the Brunello region of Tuscany. The first winery in the world recognized for exceptional environmental, social & ethical responsibility. VINITALY nation award as Best Italian Winery for 12 years running. · Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. Since 1985 a leading producer of world class, nationally acclaimed wines. The winery has more than 19 estate vineyards in five appellations totaling more than 1,400 acres in some of the finest wine growing regions in California. · Franciscan Estates. This winemaker’s output of legendary wines began with its 1975 Cabernet Sauvignon, establishing the Franciscan style of winemaking, which is based on using smaller lots, blended together to achieve the greatest expression. Its vineyards are located in the premium southern half of Napa Valley, an area that yields more vibrant flavors and finer tannins. · Rodney Strong Vineyards. One of the pioneers of Sonoma County’s modern wine industry, Rodney Strong grows and produces wines from grapes grown exclusively in Sonoma County’s finest appellations: Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill and Socontinued on page 47
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// NEWS
PEOPLE
Delta Welcomes Michael Chiarello To NYC Food And Wine Team Delta Air Lines has added renowned chef Michael Chiarello to its team of food and wine experts. Chiarello is creating delicious, innovative menus to be offered in Delta’s BusinessElite cabin on domestic flights connecting New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Los Angeles and San Francisco beginning in September.
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ichael is known throughout the culinary world as a distinguished Napa Valley restaurateur and culinary innovator,” said Joanne Smith, Delta’s senior vice president - In-Flight Service. “His knack for integrating Southern Italian cuisine with his northern California’s ‘foodie’ lifestyle make him a perfect fit for Delta’s transcontinental BusinessElite customers.” Chef Chiarello’s distinctive menu will be onboard beginning in September and includes three courses: an antipasto plate, entree and dessert course featuring fine cheeses and gelati.”I am excited to partner with Delta to help further their already strong in-flight culinary program by bringing a celebration of the Italian table to their customers,” Chiarello said. “I am looking forward to welcoming Delta’s BusinessElite customers with a flavorful selection of some of my favorite dishes.” A sample of Chiarello’s menu items created for Delta customers include: The PRIMO (First Course) of Antipasti Misto Prosciutto, roasted red peppers, grilled eggplant, and crostini with artichoke spread or Mozzarella rotola, grilled zucchini, roasted yellow pep-
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pers, and crostini with sun-dried tomato spread. The SECONDO (Main Course) will feature Pan Seared Filet of Beef With pesto, broccolini and carrot caponata, Chicken Vendemia Verjus sauce with chive mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus Fusilli Michelangelo Corkscrew pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, fresh arugula, pine nuts, red chili flakes and parmesan. The DOLCE (Dessert) course will include a selection of Old World Fine Cheeses Prima Donna, Cambozola and Robiola; offered with fresh fruit Gelati Assorted flavors including strawberry, pistachio, or chocolate hazelnut Last month Delta introduced new meal trays, linens and glassware to First Class and BusinessElite as part of the service inspired by top restaurants around the globe. The new serviceware is more modern and was chosen based on direct feedback from Delta customers and flight attendants. These investments continue the airline’s focus on the customer experience, including a $2 billion investment through 2013. Chef Chiarello graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He is the chef/ owner of Bottega, his acclaimed restaurant in Yountville, CA, purveyor of NapaStyle, a multi-channel lifestyle retailer, award-winning multiple cookbook author and highly rated vintner. He has twice been named Chef of the Year by Food and Wine Magazine and by the Culinary Institute of America. Chef Chiarello has also earned three Emmy Awards for Food Network’s Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, for which Michael co-produces, writes and stars, and has competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. Chiarello will appear on Food Network’s Next Iron Chef this fall, 2011. continued on page 52
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// NEWS
EDUCATION
NJ Chef Macri Cooking Classes Give Children Life Skills The next Bobby Flays and Rachael Rays may be from Lodi thanks to the work of a local chef. Chef Joe Macri of Elan Catering in Lodi is teaching cooking classes for children at Boys & Girls Club of Lodi.
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acri and Elan Catering owner, Ari Starkman, have recently joined the board of the Boys & Girls Club. Their business is a banquet hall providing a variety of cuisine to suit various clients for different events. “Our repertoire is anything you want, sushi, roasted pig, ethnic food, kosher whatever the client wants,” said Macri. Cooking classes at the club will teach children to prepare a meal and then eat it as their dinner. The first class was on June 26 with monthly cooking events to follow. Macri is working out details with the club’s development director, Shane Sudol. The chef will be working with a range of ages at the club, from six to 14 years old. “I want to make sure I’m not planning something too aggressive for them. Maybe half will serve, and half will cook,” said Macri. Macri said that the recipes planned would be kid-friendly and said that cooking was a great skill for children to learn. “We want to be able to give kids tools to fend for themselves,” he said. “I’d like to do an interactive learning class where the kids will learn a little bit of skill, organizing, teamwork, working with a team leader. As I get to know the kids, I can pick out kids that are inherent leaders and work with them to bring that out in them.” Macri thought children would get a good feeling from being part of something, accomplishing something alongside their friends. Macri and Starkman want to donate food to the club children twice a month. Already, New Jersey Food Bank Kids Café donates monthly to the club. “With heavy food service, there is always a steady flow of food coming in and out of the kitchen. We thought that instead of donating to the food banks like Table to Table, let’s take care of some of these local kids,” added Macri.
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// NEWS Knicks Legend Frazier Swishes And Dishes New Manhattan Restaurant
RESTAURANTS sic American fare,” Frazier’s son, Walt Frazier III, a broker with Keller Williams NYC, said. The walls will be lined with Frazier-focused sports memorabilia and TVs glowing with sporting events. Frazier III said his father had
New York Knicks’ Hall of Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier is opening a restaurant and sports bar in Hudson Yards.
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he establishment will likely be named “Clyde’s” and will be located in a 10,530-squarefoot retail space on the ground floor of TF Cornerstone’s residential rental complex 505 West 37th Street at 10th Avenue. Frazier, who currently provides color-commentary on Knicks telecasts, was nicknamed “Clyde” for a fashion sense that resembles the title character in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde.” The restaurant will be a partnership with Ark Restaurants, where a lease was signed in the space with a target opening date of Dec. 1. Ark is also behind New York City eateries Bryant Park Grill, the Grill Room in the Financial District and El Rio Grande in Midtown East, among others. The asking rent was $40 a foot. Fred Klein and Herb Weisberg of KGW Associates represented Ark, while Winick Realty Group’s Steven Baker and Josh Singer represented TF Cornerstone. “The sports bar, restaurant and lounge will be upscale, and serve clas-
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been seeking a space for some time, and settled on the base of the twotower 835-unit rental complex in Hell’s Kitchen because of the combination of a huge population of young adults living in the apartments above and in the
394-unit TF Cornerstone rental building across the street at 455 West 37th Street, and a lack of similar establishments in the area. The kiitchen is being designed by the uber-hot Gary Jacobs of Doland/Jacobs Beer.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Unveils New Program For 2011 The fourth annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine takes place September 29 - October 2, 2011. Once again, 100% of the net proceeds of the Festival benefit charity.
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he Festival is hosted by and benefits the Food Bank For New York City, fighting hunger in the five boroughs; and Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit working to end childhood hunger in America. In 2010, the Festival raised more than $1.2 million for these charities, helping them better provide for those they serve and closing the gap on hunger in our country. The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine began as a one-night event, SWEET, in the fall of 2007. In 2008, Festival Founder and Director Lee Brian Schrager of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, launched the in-
Guest Chef Martha Stewart
augural Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. The first annual Festival consisted of more than 80 events. The second and third annual Festivals in 2009 and 2010 grew to more than 120 events held throughout the Meatpacking District and beyond. Festival events ranged from extravagant
walk-around tastings like the Burger Bash, SWEET and the Grand Tasting, to culinary demonstrations and educational wine and food pairing seminars led by the industry’s biggest names, to kids-oriented interactive cooking experiences and, local events incorporating the businesses in the host neighborhood, the Meatpacking District. The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is the only festival in New York to bring together both legendary culinary icons from around the globe and America’s most beloved television chefs. Taking place primarily in the fashionable Meatpacking District and select landmark settings such as the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, the festi-
val seamlessly integrates into the pace and lifestyle of the city. In 2011 the Culinary Demonstrations and the Grand Tasting will find a new home in the historic landmark at Pier 57. As the first public event in this new destination venue, guests will spend an entire day watching culinary demos, enjoying Southern Wine & Spirits of New York portfolio and sampling food from the best restaurants New York has to offer. This year’s chefs and culinary personalities include Jacques Pépin, Giada De Laurentiis, Emeril Lagasse, Martha Stewart, Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse, Sandra Lee, Duff Goldman, Paula Deen, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, Tyler Florence and Masaharu Morimoto, to name just a few. Winemakers and cocktail experts including the likes of His Royal Highness Prince Robert of Luxembourg, Alessia Antinori, Anthony Giglio, Ray Isle, Hervé Deschamps, Mark Oldman, Andrea Robinson, Josh Wesson, Reid Harper and Laura De-
Guest Chef Bobby Flay
Pasquale, will lead a journey through an extensive array of wine and spirits from the Southern Wine & Spirits of New York portfolio. The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is produced by Karlitz & Company and Southern Wine & Spirits of New York, the Exclusive Provider of Wines and Spirits for the Festival. In addition to the 2011 Festival taking place a weekend earlier than in previous years, a number of new events and transformed favorites are expected. For 16 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ball Madness hosted by Giada De Laurentiis; Godiva Chocolatier presents Sweet hosted by Sandra Lee and Tacos & Tequila hosted by Bobby Flay. This year’s star-studded line-up of culinary demonstrations and book signings includes the following personalities: Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, Anne Burrell, The Fabulous Beekman Boys, Giada De Laurentiis, Paula Deen & Sons, Guy Fieri, The Neely’s, and many more. Guest Chef Sandra Lee
the first time, the Festival will host a Tribute Dinner to honor the renowned talents of legendary chef Jacques Pepin and esteemed winemaker Prince Robert of Luxembourg, in partnership with Les Dames d’Escoffier. Taking place at Pier Sixty with sprawling views of the Hudson River, guests will begin the evening with a reception from D’Artagnan founder Ariane Daguin, followed by dinner prepared by some of America’s foremost French chefs: Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse, Laurent Gras, Alain Sailhac, and Jacques Torres. Emceed by Martha Stewart, each course for the dinner will be paired with the finest wines from Clarendelle wines and Chateau Haut-Brion from His Royal Highness Prince Robert’s own Domaine Clarence Dillon. Other events making their debut include: Rock and Bowl with Anne Burrell; Thrillist’s BBQ & The Blues hosted by Curtis Stone; FRIED hosted by Tyler Florence and Elizabeth Karmel; Winemaker Dinners at Ai Fiori, Catch, Locanda Verde, and Red Rooster; Brooklyn’s Best Bites hosted by Adam Richman – Artesian Tasting of Brooklyn’s Finest, in partnership with Edible Brooklyn Chinese Wedding Banquet hosted by Ching-He Huang, in collaboration with Lucky Rice. Among the list of returning favorite events, the Festival’s hottest ticket – the Blue Moon Burger Bash has a new hostess in 2011; filling in for Rachael Ray for this year only is none-other than Whoopi Goldberg! The one-of-a-kind Soho space 82 Mercer will be home to three of the Festival’s most popular events this year: San Pellegrino’s Meat17 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Additional veteran events in 2011 include: Chelsea Market After Dark hosted by Emeril Lagasse, who will be participating in the Festival for the first time; Cooking Channel’s Meatpacking Uncorked Rock & Roll with Morimoto and Friends; Fun and Fit in the City; Sunday Brunch with Paula Deen; Carts in the Parc hosted by Andrew Zimmern; Kids Get Cooking Series; Lifestyle Wine Seminars and Cocktail Clinics hosted
by Food & Wine and the Closing Party hosted by Guy Fieri. Even last year’s Sandwich Showdown comes back reinvented as The Best Thing I Ever Ate Between Bread hosted by Duff Goldman. Plus, a stellar line-up of TimesTalks will return for chats with Jacques Pepin, Guy Fieri, Eric Ripert and the “A-List Ladies” – Anne Burrell, Alex Guarnaschelli and Anita Lo.
// SCOOP
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
Advance Discount Registration Now Open For IHMRS & BDNY 2011
for events taking place November 1315. Registration for the November 12 Hospitality Leadership Forum is a separate fee of $139, and will be open
Scoop sees that advance registration is now open for the 96th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show® (IHMRS) and 2nd annual Boutique Design New York, North America’s largest hospitality gathering and showcase of products across all categories. A discounted registration fee of $30 is available through October 7, 2011, with the rate increasing to $50 on October 8. Registration for either show offers admission to both markets. Taking place this November at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, IHMRS and BDNY will collectively present more than 700 hospitality industry suppliers and attract some 30,000-trade attendees. The $30 early registration rate is applicable
for registration in early August, along with special events. Lodging, foodservice and design professionals can register online at www.ihmrs.com or www.bdny.com, where they can also review participating exhibitors, travel information and more. For additional information, or to register by phone, contact GLM, at (914) 421-3237.
Downtown Chef Duo Make Yankee Stadium Debut Scoop says hot downtown chefs Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone have taken their talents to Yankee Stadium. In a gourmet twist, the men behind Torrisi Italian Specialties opened their new Parm sandwich stand at the
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Bronx stadium last month. “It’s surreal,” Torrisi said. “From our vantage point in the Great Hall, we can see all the banners honoring the Yankee greats -- including my childhood hero, Don Mattingly.” The stand, being unveiled about a month before the chefs and partner Jeff Zalaznick opened their Parm sandwich shop next to Torrisi on Mulberry Street, offered their famed turkey sandwich and debuted a meatball offering. “For a small restaurant group, we have a lot on our plates,” Zalaznick said. “We’re probably the first restaurant of our size to
about 200 to 300 sandwiches a day and turns into a 26-seat, no-reservations, prix fixe restaurant at night. But the Yankee deal is hardly out of left field. Torrisi opened about a year and a half ago and quickly became a darling of the downtown food scene, attracting customers like actor/comedian Aziz Ansari, who tweeted about his love for their turkey and chicken Parmesan sandwiches. In addition to opening Parm and having an eye on further expansion, the trio’s Major Food Group is curating a section of September’s San Gennaro festival.
Dream Hotel Restaurant Makes Food A Science
Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbonea
do something like this. It’s a totally new market, who we hope will have an equal appreciation for our sandwiches.” Offering sandwiches in a stadium filled with 50,000-plus fans is indeed a step up from quirky deli/restaurant hybrid Torrisi in Little Italy, which sells
Scoop sees that the new Dream Hotel on W. 17th Street, which opened last month will soon boast a star foodie attraction: Romera, a new, 5000 square foot restaurant that is sure to make waves. Spain’s Dr. Miguel Sanchez Romera is a neurologist and chef who creates what some call a type of “neurogastronomy” cuisine that tickles the mind as well as the taste buds. The restaurant’s design, by architect Glen Cobin, will be warm, simple and clean - a modern room. Doland/Jacobs/Beard’s Gary Jacobs handled the
design of the hotels currently operating kitchens. Those facilities support the hotel’s room service, Marble Bar and Poolside Grill. H. Weiss’ Jimmy Weiss worked with Jacobs to provide the hotel with its kitchen equipment packages.
Lobster to Links Scoop sees that the University of Maine researchers want to drive the
UMaine’s biodegradable golf ball
state’s lobsters back to sea with a 3-iron. An engineer, a scientist, a student, and an alumna have teamed up to develop a biodegradable golf ball from crushed lobster shells that could be used on cruise ships. Inexpensive to make, the ball is designed to sink and degrade within weeks, depending on the ocean’s depth and temperature. The balls would degrade in a similar time frame in fresh water and break down if lost in the woods, although that would take longer. For years, a favorite cruise ship pastime was hitting golf balls from the decks
into the sea, but the practice ended after an international treaty banned the dumping of plastic, including golf balls, at sea in about 1988. The biodegradable lobster balls could revive the activity, researchers say. The whole idea is that we want to use every bit of a lobster we can,’’ said Robert Bayer, executive director of the Lobster Institute, a research group based at the University of Maine. Most lobster shells in the lobster canning industry end up in landfills. The idea for a golf ball made from lobster shells was first proposed by Carin Poeschel Orr, who earned a master’s degree in marine bioresources at UMaine. She was a graduate student of Bayer’s 10 years ago, and the two stayed in touch. Last summer, she mentioned her idea to him. Intrigued, Bayer began making a prototype in his basement. “I thought it was a great idea, but the first one came out terrible,’’ Bayer said. Armed with his lobster-shell ball actually half a ball made by molding a mixture of shell fragments mixed with Elmer’s glue he turned to a biological and chemical engineering associate professor, David Neivandt, who was equally intrigued. Neivandt recruited an undergraduate bioengineering student, Alex Caddell of Winterport, Maine, an avid golfer, and the group set out to design a golf ball that would do everything a traditional golf ball would do. That means it had to perform like a golf ball, fly like a golf
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
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181 Marsh Hill Road 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 515 Broadhollow Road 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 1050 T.Busch Mem Hwy 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road
ball, and sound like one when you hit it,’’ Neivandt said. Golf ball cores also need to compress and rebound, providing another challenge. “Plus, in our case, it also had to biodegrade,’’ he said. Not only are these the first biodegradable golf balls made from lobster waste, but the team says they will be less expensive than other biodegradable balls, which usually cost just under $1 each.
Coolhaus Food Trucks Bring A Fresh New Face To
combinations after architects and architectural movements they were inspired by, and they were experimenting with recipes and testing them on friends. One day it occurred to Freya and Natasha that an ice cream truck would be a perfect way to disseminate their ice cream sandwiches around the city of LA. The truck would be a nod to the past tradition of the Good Humor man selling ice cream novelties around neighborhoods, but with a modern twist - not to mention the long-withstanding popularity of
A Coolhaus Food Truck dishing out Ice Cream
NYC And Hamptons’ Ice Cream Scene Scoop sees that Natasha and Freya started baking cookies and making ice cream in Freya’s mom’s kitchen in the Fall of 2008. They named the flavor
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Orange, CT 06477 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Melville, NY 11747 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 South Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083
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taco trucks around LA and the rapidly growing infatuation with the Kogi Truck and their Korean kim-chi spin on the Me taco. The timing seemed
continued on page 42
203-795-9900 718-707-9330 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 631-752-3900 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 856-488-4288 908-791-2740 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-964-5544
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// NEWS
MARKETING
MARTINI & Celebrity Chef Donatella Arpaia Announce New Venture ®
MARTINI®, the most iconic name in Italian winemaking, and Donatella Arpaia, celebrity chef and culinary personality, announce a new venture in which the power duo plan to share their passion for food, wine and entertaining with consumers (21+) and culinary insiders.
“D
onatella epitomizes the true Italian lifestyle, heritage and so many of the traits and qualities of the MARTINI® brand,” says Natalia Iglesias, senior brand manager at MARTINI®. “As a food and entertaining connoisseur, we’re confident her expertise and diverse culinary background will help create awareness about the quality and deeply-rooted culture of the MARTINI® brand and its portfolio of sparkling wines.” As one of the world’s premiere winemakers, MARTINI® offers an exceptional trio of sparkling wines including a naturally sweet Asti, a bright and flirty Sparkling Rose and a crisp Prosecco. In addition, a velvety and refreshing tasting Moscato d’Asti was introduced this summer, rounding out the brand’s wine repertoire. As culinary and entertaining expert for MARTINI®, Arpaia will utilize the brand’s portfolio to inspire men and women to incorporate glamour and style into their love for food and wine. By creating signature recipes, offering simple-yet-sophisticated pairing suggestions and sharing tips on how to set the stage for the perfect gathering, Arpaia will teach a modern way to entertain and celebrate with friends and family. “Easy entertaining is all about finding great partners,” said Arpaia. “For me, MARTINI® is one of those partners. It’s like the ‘little black dress’ of the wine
Donatella Arpaia The trailblazing attorney-turned-culinary mogul who has become one of the most influential women in the world of food. Donatella opened her first restaurant in 1998 and then subsequently opened a string of successful and highly acclaimed restaurants in New York City and Miami. world - it always makes you look good.” Growing up, Arpaia split her free time between her father’s lively New York restaurants and the rustic kitchens of her grandmother and aunts in Apulia, Italy. Her family even had a tradition of jarring their own tomatoes after the summer harvest. After working briefly as a corporate attorney, Arpaia decided to pursue her true passion and return to the culinary field, opening her first restaurant at age 24 and going on to open nine other successful eateries in the years to follow. Her deep immersion in the New York restaurant industry combined with a strong connection to old-world Italy helped to
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create her signature style and left her with countless recipes, tips and expertise. “Sipping MARTINI® brings me back to Sunday afternoons in Italy with my family,” said Arpaia. “Lounging outside, enjoying each other’s company, gathering around the table - MARTINI® was always a part of our family get-togethers,” she says. As a culinary personality heralded for her knowledgeable and fun approach to cuisine and entertaining, Arpaia has been a recurring guest judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and the Food Network programs “Iron Chef America” and “The Next Iron Chef.” She released her first
cookbook Donatella Cooks: Simple Food Made Glamorous in April 2010 and has also been named one of Crain’s “40 under 40” and New York Post’s “Most Powerful Woman” in Manhattan. “I’m honored I have the opportunity to share my culinary knowledge and expand on my on-going relationship with MARTINI® through this new venture with the brand,” said Arpaia. “I have a great appreciation for the rich history of MARTINI® and all it stands for, and I’m excited to use my background in the areas of food, wine and entertaining as an educational tool in support of their top-quality products.” Donatella Arpaia is the trailblazing attorney-turned-culinary mogul who has become one of the most influential women in the world of food. Donatella opened her first restaurant in 1998 and then subsequently opened a string of successful and highly acclaimed restaurants in New York City and Miami. Zagat’s crowned Donatella as “The Hostess with the Mostest,” Crain’s named her one of their “40 under 40” and the New York Post named Donatella one of the “Most Powerful Woman” in Manhattan. Her first cookbook Donatella Cooks: Simple Food Made Glamorous was released in April 2010. Donatella holds a recurring guest judge role on the Food Network programs “Iron Chef America” and “The Next Iron Chef” and will debut her own pilot on the Network this fall. One of the most iconic brands in the world, MARTINI® is the leading name in Italian winemaking and a purveyor of the highest quality wines, with MARTINI® Asti being the number one-selling imported sparkling wine in the United States and MARTINI® Vermouth, the number one-selling brand in the United States, and the world. Since its founding in 1863, MARTINI® has fostered a pioneering spirit to develop unique products that represent the very best in Italian quality and style.
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// NEWS
RESTAURANTS
NYC’S Old Homestead Steakhouse Set For Las Vegas Debut Continuing to reinforce its positioning as a premier dining destination in Las Vegas, Caesars Palace will become home to one of New York City’s most historic restaurants - Old Homestead Steakhouse.
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he announcement was made recently by Caesars Palace and by brothers Marc and Greg Sherry, whose family has been associated with Old Homestead in New York for decades. A classic eatery known for its quality steakhouse selections and legendary history, Old Homestead will replace Neros restaurant, near the famed resort’s Colosseum theater and the planned Nobu Restaurant and Lounge, opening in 2012. Old Homestead at Caesars Palace is scheduled to open before the end of 2011. Boasting more than 16,000 square-feet, the space will feature a total of 250 seats with a full dining room, private dining room, lounge and bar. “Old Homestead Steakhouse will be a dynamic addition to the superior selection of restaurants and celebrated chefs at Caesars Palace,” said Gary Selesner, president of Caesars Palace. “This premier location adjacent to the Nobu Hotel, Restaurant and Lounge planned to open in 2012, will become the new epicenter of the resort, offering our guests a fresh and contemporary experience.” San Francisco based EDG Interior Architecture + Design previously created designs for Rao’s and Bradley Ogden restaurants at Caesars Palace. The Old Homestead design will pay homage to the original Old Homestead restaurant and its location in New York City’s historic Meatpacking District, while reflecting the neighborhood’s latest incarnation as one of Manhattan’s trendiest and hippest restaurant, entertainment and club districts. Old Homestead at Caesars Palace will offer an urban steakhouse and bar with an updated menu to match, but one that also features the Old Homestead’s iconic cuts of meat, and many of its famous sides, appetizers and desserts. Guests will experience several signature dishes from the classic NYC menu including the popular Colossal Crab continued on page 52
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// NEWS
QUICK SERVE
Tri-State Subway Franchisees Head To San Francisco Wondering If Firm Is On Block At the 2011 Subway Franchise Convention in San Francisco last month, franchisees had very busy agendas. They could meet with vendors face-to-face to experience the newest products, ask questions and sample a variety of tasty new treats, all in one place.
The 2011 Subway Franchise Convention featured demonstrations from technology vendors and learned about courses and helpful reports from the University of Subway. The 2011 Subway® Convention kicked off as co-founders Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck officially opened the Convention at the Moscone West Convention Center. DeLuca shared his insights about the business and industry and what’s in store for their future. Many attendees were anxiously awaiting DeLuca’s thoughts on resigning development agents to shorter contracts and, in some cases, shedding them altogether. Subway, whose parent is Doctor’s Associates, has terminated Mark Choi, the development agent for Queens. “The company is not renewing development agent contracts,” said one development agent, citing examples in California, Nevada and New Mexico. “I believe this has already happened with 20 to 40 agents and the trend will accelerate.” Eliminating development agents will both boost the chain’s profit and streamline its structure signaling to some industry experts that DeLuca is dressing up the company for a potential sale. “Absolutely, this could mean he’s preparing to sell the company,” said franchisee lawyer Michael Garner. The success of Subway’s development system has long stood out in the franchise world, in part because most chains abandon agents after reaching critical mass. DeLuca launched Subway’s development program not long after opening his first shop 46 years ago. At first, he offered new agents 40year contracts, then lowered them to 20-year contracts starting in the ‘80s. Many of those 20-year contracts are running out now and have no renewal rights, said one agent. continued on page 52
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Represented in Metro New York by: DMM Enterprises 111 Leunig Street South Hackensack, NJ 07606 800.243.8366 www.dmmreps.com 27 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// Q&A David Weber, President New York Food Truck Association David Weber, President of the NYC Food Trucks Association (NYCFTA), and founding member of Rickshaw Dumplings sat down with Total Food Service to discuss a few of the issues facing the Food Truck Industry these days.
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hat are the major issues that the city’s food trucks are facing?
The first issue that we’re working on is the no vending from meter parking law. It has been on the books since 1965 and is 50 years out of date. This year, a State Supreme Court Justice ruled that food is merchandise and therefore cannot be sold from metered parking. We vehemently disagree with this in so far as merchandise is commonly understood to be a commodity that can be bought and sold. Our position is that a food product is prepared to order and is made exactly how you want it. For instance a hot dog with extra hot sauce and some mustard and relish has been elevated from the status of a commodity because once it is made to order, it’s not something you can resell to someone behind you in line. Our second concern is licensing.
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How did you get into the business? I entered a business plan competition in business school. I met my partner Kenny Lo while at the NYU Stern here in the city. He grew up wrapping and eating dumplings. He always wanted to do a dumpling concept. So we opened that in 2005 and as you know today we have four food trucks and two restaurants and we’re looking to open another restaurant this year.
What does the food truck industry bring to the city? In addition to the aesthetics of what trucks bring to the streetscape, our trucks generate tax revenue, jobs and tourism. The City needs to get these regulations right. By doing so it will bring the very best into our industry and better quality of the restaurateurs that you have looking to get into the space and better quality food you’re going to have from both trucks and restaurants. And that’s all in the best interest for the customer.
There are many that say that the trucks and the restaurant industry are battling for the same dollar?
How does licensing of your truck work and how would you like to see it modified? Right now, each individual employee needs what’s called a mobile food vendor’s license. In order to get that license, each individual employee needs a sales tax certificate of authority, which is quite an onerous process. If you go to the City’s web site and try to sign up as an individual it’s quite a challenge and a long process. Once
you do get through the process, it takes about two months for an employee to get a permit and license. It’s hard to get a full staff of really well trained hospitality professionals on board with these extra constraints.
© Lucy Shaeffer
Food trucks make great hospitality incubators. It’s a great way to get started in the hospitality business and then grow into a brick and mortar restaurant. About a third of the members of our organization started as food trucks and have gone on to open brick and mortar restaurants. When you think about it there is competiton everywhere. For the lunch business
there is quick service restaurants, sit down restaurants, grocery stores that are selling prepared food and even pharmacies like Duane Reade that are selling pre-packaged food. Healthy competition gives restaurants and food trucks a common goal of upping the ante to serve customers the very best and most creative fare. This was further illustrated when an executive vice president from the National Restaurant Association recently referred to food trucks as mobile restaurant units.
What does it take to run a successful cart business? On the surface, there are many who think that the success of carts has been based solely on social media. Look there’s no question that social media makes it easier for customers to find these trucks. I think there are a number of things that play into it. The economy has made capital scarcer. So investing in a food truck is an easier hurdle than investing in a restaurant. But I think overwhelm-
When you go to a waffle truck, you’re getting the best waffle from a true waffle entrepreneur who is incredibly passionate about waffles. When you compare his $4.00 waffle to a restaurant with many items, he is of course going to serve a superior waffle.
It seems as if sanitation always becomes an issue when talking about carts? The standards that food trucks are held to are by and large the same as restaurants are. Our membership knows food has to be stored, cooked and held at the right temperatures. We all work from commercial kitchens that are monitored by the health department. We would welcome the entire process to become more transparent so the customers feel more comfortable, ordering from food trucks. It is important not to confuse a truck with a traditional hot dog cart sitting on a corner of a street. One of the things that are on the table is the idea of bringing the letter grade system from the restaurants to the truck industry. It’s been done in Los Angeles with great success for the food trucks because it basically gets them an opportunity to show that they’re running at the same level of excellence as a restaurant.
ingly, the most compelling reason that people come to our trucks is for the food. Trucks have a big advantage because of the nature of the business. They are constrained to about 60 to 80 square feet to operate in. So they need to make hard choices about what their product is going to be. You simply can’t have a deli on wheels or any menu that requires extensive storage. So you’re forced to specialize and I think that’s what food trucks offer, the best in breed product. When you go to a waffles truck, you’re getting the best waffle from a true waffle entrepreneur who is incredibly passionate about waffles. When you compare his $4.00 waffle to a restaurant with many items, he is of course going to serve a superior waffle.
One of your industry’s challenges appears to be the battle for key locations, what are your thoughts? No question that the issues are, where
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can food trucks be and how many food trucks can be in any particular place? I do not think the market for food trucks in New York City is saturated. However, in the micro neighborhoods of New York City, there are definitely neighborhoods that are being overrun. And there needs to be a mechanism to allocate the number of food trucks per area. We need to work towards figuring out how many food trucks can be on a block or how close two food trucks could be together. We are working within our group and the City to find solutions. One of which might be the model we are working with in Long Island City.
How does the long island city program work? Our Food Truck Association opened as an alternative for food trucks to street vending. It came about as a result of the metered route parking law. It’s been going extremely well, we’ve gotten a really great reception from the community in Long Island city and we would like to reproduce this, I don’t think that by itself food truck courts are going to save the food truck industry. I also would like to point out that under the LaGuardia administration years ago there was a big push to get all peddlers off the street. In that era all of these big public markets came into being. Like the Essex Street Mar-
ket, La Marketa up in Harlem. And basically, what they did is ghetto-ize street vendors and push them all into one big hall. The restaurants and the brick and mortar establishments were all big supporters of this. But after it happened, the foot traffic on the street declined precipitously, and everybody’s sales went down. We see the same result 50 years later with these archaic laws. It will ultimately hurt all retail businesses. The goal is to get people out on the street and really activate public space.
What role does social media play? It’s really interesting in that we’re still trying to make good sense of the best way to use social media. Our food trucks have done some interesting things in terms of brand building. It’s a better opportunity to connect continued on page 70
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// NEWS
PRISONS
South Jersey Chef Creates Innovative New Culinary Program To Rehab Parolees Perhaps there’s another Egyptian-born, French-trained chef somewhere in South Jersey, but only one shares skills he learned in Paris with parolees in Camden.
“I
’ve worked in four-star restaurants,” says Chef Galal Moin, citing stints at Maxim’s and several major hotels on the continent. “But this is the most important job of my life.” After four decades of working in Europe and the United States, Moin (pronounced moyne) essentially came out of retirement to supervise culinary arts and catering programs at Respond Inc. He had intended to stay three months but has been executive chef at the nonprofit human-services agency for almost two years. “I am blessed,” says Moin, who’s 63 and lives in Merchantville. Among his restaurant stops were Holy Smokes in Pennsville, N.J., an all-American smokehouse that was operated by Growth Properties a full-service hotel management company based in Philadelphia. Housed at Respond’s New Worker Job Development Center in North Camden, the culinary programs are supported by private and public funding and are expanding citywide, with a bakery, a banquet hall, and a second kitchen set to open this year. Local 54 of Unite Here, the casino workers’ union, connects many students with entry-level jobs in Atlantic City. Others get jobs elsewhere or continue to study cooking at county colleges. “My students start by peeling four or five onions,” says Moin, who began his career 41 years ago, peeling veggies. “When they leave, they can cook a four-course meal.” The 16-week program accepts recently released inmates, individuals referred by other agencies, and people who walk in to the brightly painted complex at Eighth and Erie in Camden. Word of mouth is so strong, there’s a 65-person waiting list for the 15 slots in a coming class. Every year about 120 people, mostly young city residents, continued on page 74
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// NEWS
QUICK SERVE
Creighton Takes Reigns In Effort to Drive Smashburger Growth In Metro NY Smashburger, the nation’s fastest growing “better burger” concept, announced last month several key promotions, including the promotion of Greg Creighton .
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reighton has been promoted to the position of President, where he will have an expanded focus on the strategic direction and leadership of Smashburger. He previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer for the company. Prior to joining Smashburger, he served as President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Asian fast casual chain, Leeann Chin, where he directed all retail operations, production and distribution operations, among other responsibilities. In addition, the company announced several key promotions and the hiring of two Vice Presidents to further strengthen the leadership team and support the company for continued growth and expansion. Chris Chang has joined Smashburger as Senior Vice President of Finance and Strategy. In this capacity, Mr. Chang will be responsible for Smashburger’s finance, accounting, strategy, investor relations, purchasing, and IT functions. Mr. Chang was previously a Vice President in the private equity group at Consumer Capital Partners, where he focused on restaurant and multi-unit consumer investments. Prior to that, Mr. Chang worked at Vail Resorts in Corporate Development, Western Union / First Data in Corpo-
rate Strategy, and Goldman Sachs in Investment Banking. Jeremy Morgan has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Marketing and Consumer Insights. Mr. Morgan previously served as Vice President, Strategy. Prior to joining Smashburger, Jeremy was a Case Team Leader with Bain & Company in Chicago as well as an Associate for Corporate Strategy at JPMorganChase. Max Sheets has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Real Estate. Mr. Sheets previously held the position of Vice President, Real Estate. He brings more than 20 years of experience in restaurant specific site selection and real estate development. He previously served as Vice President of Real Estate and Development for Atlanta-based Ted’s Montana Grill, Total Entertainment Restaurant Corporation and Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon. Doug Branigan, Senior Vice President, Franchising has taken on expanded responsibility and will now lead franchise sales and relations, and will continue to stay involved in franchise real estate and development. Mr. Branigan possesses more than 25 years experience in restaurant operations with family dining, casual dining and fine dining establishments. Prior to joining Smashburger, he was a Joint Venture partner for Mimi’s Café. He also served
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as General Manager and Regional Manager at Chart House Restaurants, and Western Vice President of Operations at Morton’s. Jim Ernster has been promoted to the position of Vice President, Construction, where he will lead new restaurant development for both company and franchise units. Mr. Ernster has more than 20 years experience in construction and restaurant development with brands such as Old Chicago and Rock Bottom. He previously held the position of Director of Construction. Doug Thielen has joined Smashburger as Vice President, Communications, where he will lead all public relations and corporate communications activities. Mr. Thielen joins Smashburger from Qdoba Restaurant Corporation, where he served as Manager of Non-Traditional Marketing & Public
Relations. In that role he was responsible for managing the strategic direction of Qdoba’s public relations, social media, and digital strategy. “Each of the promoted individuals have contributed to Smashburger’s success in a meaningful way and helped pave the way to support its continued growth and expansion,” said Dave Prokupek, Chairman and CEO of Smashburger. “In particular, I would like to congratulate Greg Creighton on his promotion to the position of President and look forward to leveraging his operational expertise in a broader way. I also welcome Chris Chang and Doug Thielen to Smashburger and look forward to their contributions as we develop and strengthen the Smashburger brand in new and existing markets across the country.”
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// FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Bob Fiorito
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hen considering how to properly insure the contents of your restaurant, there are two overarching categories that the prudent restaurateur needs to be aware of. The first includes furniture, fixtures and kitchen equipment. Reviewing these items is the same as a basic property evaluation. The second takes into consideration the professional estimates/fair market value of fine art, antiques and wine collections. These items should be scheduled on your policy for an agreed upon amount so that there will be no question on their values and what you would recover if there was a loss. As new restaurants with flashier décor and grandiose fine art and antique collections open up, owners must evaluate whether the normal $50,000 fine arts coverage is enough for their location. In some programs available, you can get up to $50,000 or more in fine art limits per location built into the package. Fine art coverage, which can be purchased separately for a nominal cost, will enable the operation to schedule the individual works. Scheduling the various pieces of “art” in the restaurant is of benefit to both old and new operations. For example, a restaurant may have a mural on the wall, which, if left unscheduled and under the blanket $50,000 coverage, may not be protected in the event of a loss. The cost of the paint may be covered, but without evaluating the value of the work (which, in at least one case in a famous New York restaurant, may be millions of dollars) and scheduling it appropriately, the owner would not be able to recoup his or her losses. When considering fine art and antiques, their valuations are usually well known because the restaurateur has a paid receipt for these pieces of property. An area that generally gets neglected is the restaurant’s wine
Get Your Personal Property Insured Correctly
collection, which has been acquired over a number of years and the owner may not have an ongoing inventory with invoices to support each bottle’s value. It is important to not overlook this area of risk and take the time to get an updated inventory that includes the current market value for each type of wine your collection contains. I’m stressing this because I have an example of a restaurateur that I know and did not insure that had a huge wine collection. When there was a catastrophic event in the city where he was located there was
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very little damage to his restaurant but the wine cellar that was on the second floor of his building lost over $200K of its inventory. Particularly jarring is the fact that this restaurateur’s policy did not extend to his wine collection and since it was not scheduled he sustained these losses and never got reimbursed by his insurance company. It is important to evaluate and have estimates done on fine art, antiques and/or wine collections so that they can be insured for the appropriate value. To learn more about getting the proper coverage for your
restaurant or for a complimentary analysis of your current insurance program, contact Robert Fiorito at 212-338-2324 or robert. fiorito@hubinternational.com. Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, Hub International Northeast., where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20-year veteran and former restaurateur, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Former Dunkin’ Brands Chief Luther Set To Key Note At SFM ‘11 The annual Society for Foodsevice National conference is slated for October 3rd thru 6th in Philadelphia.
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wo hundred and thirty five years after Liberty’s momentous event, the ever-evolving foodservice industry will gather in Philadelphia to discuss industry trends, reconnect, make friends, and attend educational sessions, all aimed at achieving excellence in on-site hospitality. A highlight of the conference slate will be a motivational speech from Jon Luther. The enignamatic executive will tell the story of how Dunkin’ Donuts was transformed through a series of significant strategic decisions that helped to bring this iconic brand to the world stage. Throughout his presentation, attendees will hear the leadership principles Jon embedded in the culture to elevate this great brand, as well as his team. Luther was named chief executive officer of Dunkin’ Brands in January 2003 and chairman in March 2006. In 2009, he assumed the role of Executive Chairman; in 2011, non-executive Chairman of the Board. Since joining Dunkin’ Brands in 2003, Luther has led the transformation, revitalization and global expansion of the company’s two iconic brands—Dunkin’ Donuts and BaskinRobbins. Early on, he instituted values-based leadership, re-setting the company culture. Under his direction, stores have been completely re-concepted with exciting, contemporary designs that also honor both brands’ beloved heritage. He has rolled out a portfolio of flexible store formats that opened the door to growth in non-traditional locations, such as stadiums, airports and universities. In 2005, Luther brought in a culinary “dream team” of award-winning chefs to fuel menu innovation and excellence, creating a new category called “quick quality” to change perceptions about what is possible in a
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// SCOOP from page 19 perfect, now all Freya and Natasha needed was a truck! They found a postal truck on Craigslist and were able to afford it with money they had saved from their other jobs. They prepared the truck and their product for their launch at Coachella Valley Music Festival in April of 2009 where the
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE product was very well received and when they came back to LA, they had generated a strong buzz and foodie following. Today, they have a fleet of 3 trucks in LA, and Coolhaus has also launched in Austin. A storefront in LA and now two New York trucks have launched and they hope to continue to expand to other cities nationally.
The Juice Press Continues To Grow In Manhattan With East Side Unit Scoop says it’s been a busy summer for the Juice Press duo of Marcus Antebi and Mark Baker. After hosting Starbucks’ founder Howard Schultz at their East Village unit, they have announced plans to add a new eatery at
1050 Third Avenue. Zelnik Realty’s Jason Turner negotiated the deal at $225 per square foot. Schultz came visiting to check out the buzz about Juice Press’s raw diet of juices, smoothies and salads.
Shrimp Tacos And Pad Thai Reign Supreme At FDNY Cookoff Scoop notes that Firefighter Walter Lewis, 40, of Jamaica, Queens, won top cooking honors last month at FDNY’s Best Chef Competition. His shrimp tacos with mango salsa appetizer and Pad Thai served in a coconut shell beat out the menu of five other food-loving firefighters at the cook-off held at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in Manhattan. “I didn’t expect to win,” said Lewis who is based at Engine 35 in Harlem, promising, “I’ll come back next year to defend my title.” Runnerup Khalid Baylor, 33, of Harlem’s Ladder Co. 14, was bummed that his barbecue chicken sandwich didn’t wow the judges but said, “I promise next time I’ll do better.” Judges included the FDNY chaplain, the former FDNY head caterer and Cyril Renaud, owner of Bar Breton in Murray Hill, who said he was “surprised” by the creative recipes and tasty food. “Good to see this. Fantastic,” said Renaud.
100 Plus Golfers Teed Off At Food And Bev Assoc. Golf Outing In Westchester Scoop says “kudos” to Gladys Mouton Di Stefano and her Food and Beverage Association of America as they welcomed 100 plus golfers last month at the Second Annual FBAA Golf Outing. The day on the links at White Plains’ Elmwood Country Club featured management from many
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of Metro New York’s leading hotels. Chaired by DoubleTree Hotel’s Gus Montesantos golf was followed by cocktails and dinner.
Russian Eatery Moscow 57 Opens Catering Operation Scoop says a delay in opening a new restaurant: Moscow 57, has not stopped its owners from launching Moscow 57 Catering while they work on securing real estate. “I’m impatient, so I want to do everything I can to get closer to opening the restaurant,” said co-owner Ellen Kaye, whose family owned the Russian Tea Room from 1947 to 1996. Since May, the catering firm has handled several events, including a benefit honoring the late journalist Paul Klebnikov at Caroline’s comedy club and the Kings Polo Classic on July 4 in Colts Neck, N.J. The restaurant hit a bump recently when one of its investors backed out, said Ms. Kaye. But she and her business partner, Seth Goldman, have since reeled in a new backer. When it opens, Moscow 57 will include elements of the Russian Tea Room, including a few signature dishes, as well as decorative pieces her family owns from the famed restaurant.
Scoop sees that three members of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Steels athletic teams have been named to the Hudson Valley Men’s Athletic Conference (HVMAC) AllAcademic Team for winter/spring 2011. The honor recognizes studentathletes who excel both athletically and academically. The honorees from the CIA were two members of the ten-
CIA Athletes Make Conference All-Academic Team
CIA senior Eric Hollandsworth in action for the Steels on the tennis court 43 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
nis team—Eric Hollandsworth, a senior from Dunlap, IL and CJ Miller, a sophomore from Seattle, WA and basketball player Stephen Kerpelman, a sophomore from Odenton, MD. Eric, CJ, and Stephen all have GPAs of at least 3.5 at the CIA. This is the first year that the HVMAC has named allacademic teams. Three runners on the CIA’s women’s cross country team
were previously named to the Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic Conference All-Academic Team for the fall 2010 season.
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// QUICK BITES
Metro New York’s Expressway for Foodservice News
A Danny Meyer
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he former Embassy Suites next to and now owned by Goldman Sachs, is being turned into a 4.5 star Conrad’s with three Danny Meyer restaurants. Additionally, Larry Silverstein is seeking financing for his Four Seasons Hotel and condo tower at 99 Church St.
Carol Anastasio & Mimi Brown
O
wners of a New York steakhouse pulled out all the stops and paying for the wedding of two women who tied the knot last month. Carol Anastasio and Mimi Brown have been together for 20 years, and they finally got to say ‘I do’ on July 24th, the same day New York’s legislation allowing same-sex marriage came into effect. The two were featured in an article in June and Marc Sherry, co-owner of the Old Homestead Steakhouse, decided he had to help them celebrate their big day. “They were, I believe, the first couple to apply,” Sherry noted. “The story was very touching.”
nother dontown office building is close to becoming a hotel. Multiple sources say a sale of the Class B building at 170 Broadway, owned by AMG Realty, is in the works to local hotelier Tribeca Associates. The price wasn’t revealed but even at $300 a foot, the transfer of the 165,000-squarefoot building at the southeast corner of Maiden Lane would put around $50 million in the owner’s pocket. W Tribeca Associates is also close to completing its deal to buy the former Donnell Library site at 20 W. 53rd St., which will be rebuilt as a library, luxury hotel and residences. Downtown is seeing a 20 percent surge in hotel rooms as firms prep for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum opening this fall. “This confirms that lower Manhattan is not only a prime business travel location, but also a tourism mecca,” said Liz Berger, president of the Alliance for Downtown New York. A 95-room hotel at 24 John St. and the McSam Hotel Group’s Hampton Inn at 32 Pearl St. should both open later this year. A 21-story hotel at 53 Ann St. and an 85- to 95-room hotel at 87 Chambers are also back in development. The American Stock Exchange building at 86 Trinity Place is
Little Italy
also being targeted for a 174-room hotel above a retail base.
T
he father and son restaurateur duo Michael and Alan Stillman —of Quality Meats, The Hurricane Club, and Park Avenue Summer are planning a new project for the massive space at 199 Bowery, formerly home to Soiree, BLVD, and Crash Mansion. The Stillmans are planning a project there; it will be a Quality Meats Downtown. The team appeared before the CB3 last month, and won approval for a “slightly more affordable” version of Quality Meats. Their plan for the
An Aerial View of the 9/11 Memorial, rendered by Squared Design Lab 46 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
space includes 300 seats in the dining room, a club downstairs, and a bakery and ice cream stand in the front. The group asked for a 4 AM close time seven nights a week, and agreed to having licensed security personnel at the door.
A
new annual Little Italy event featured the best of New York City’s historic Mulberry Street last month. Guests experienced authentic Italian dishes paired with fine wines and sampled delicious desserts - al fresco. The delicious summer evening also included music and the chance to try a handmade cigar - all under the stars!
Strip House, from page 5
Wine Week, from page 8
away from Strip House and within spitting distance of his Wildwood BBQ and Blue Water Grill. Co-owners Peter and Penny Glazier said the filing in U.S. Southern District Court and the sale to BR Guest does not affect the company’s restaurants or catering venues, including Bridgewaters and Twenty Four Fifth in Manhattan. “We are restructuring corporate debt,” Mr. Glazier said. “We tried to make a deal with our lenders, and we could not.” He added that the restaurants are “doing very well.” According to the filing, General Electric Capital Corp. is owed the most: $5.8 million. The firm loaned The Glazier Group $7 million in 2007. In addition, about half a dozen creditors, mostly law firms and other professional service providers have filed lawsuits against the Glazier Group. “The stated reason for the bankruptcy filing is to deal with the GE loan, but it is clear that their problem goes beyond the secured lender,” said bankruptcy attorney Fred Stevens of Fox Rothschild, who has no connection to the firm. The estimated number of creditors, according to the filing, is 50 to 99, while the consolidated assets are listed as $15.2 million and liabilities are $26.8 million. The veteran restaurateurs, a husband and wife duo, oversee a staff of more than 550 full- and part-time employees. Mr. Glazier’s background is in real estate. He was a managing director of Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette before his restaurant career took off. In 2008, the couple sold the Monkey Bar restaurant—which they had operated in the Elysee Hotel since 1994 to restaurateur and Vanity Fair Editor Graydon Carter. The BR Guest overlord, per usual, has a full plate this year. He is also planning an Asian restaurant in the former Japonais space just eight blocks away from Strip House and within spitting distance of his Wildwood BBQ and Blue Water Grill. Vegas and Houston. And he plans on bringing it to “other key US cities.”
noma Coast. “In recognition of our partnerships, we are offering a Wine Week drawing for our guests to enter. Anyone can fill out an entry by visiting our website for registration online. We think this will add even greater nuance and
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excitement to our Wine Week dining experience.” Those entering the raffle will have the chance to win a variety of exciting prizes including a $100 Smith & Wollensky gift card; magnums of Banfi, Rodney Strong or Ferrari-Carano wines; a Banfi Wine gift basket; Franciscan branded Riedel decanters or
eight sets of six Smith & Wollensky wine glasses and corkscrew. The glasses are fire-blown from Stolzle, who produce the finest machine made crystal available for the retail and hospitality industries. The stemware is known for its clarity, brilliance and durability.
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Michael Chiarello, from page 10 Chef Chiarello joins Delta’s current food and wine team which includes chef Michelle Bernstein and master sommelier Andrea Robinson. Miamibased Chef Bernstein is a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef South 2007)
and author of Cuisine a Latina (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2008). She is the owner, creator and executive chef of Michy’s and Sra. Martinez restaurants. Andrea Robinson serves as Dean of Wine Studies at the French Culinary Institute, where she graduated with honors from its professional culinary
program, a master sommelier, and a chef. She is one of only 14 women in the world who have been made Master Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers. She was named the James Beard Foundation Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year in 2002.
Old Homestead, from page 24 Cake, 32-ounce Gotham Rib Eye Steak and the Old Homestead New York-Style Cheesecake, to name a few. Additionally, new menu items will be created special for the Vegas customer. The plans include a wine program inspired by the New York location’s award-winning wine list featuring a robust selection of wines by-the-glass. More than 15,000 bottles will be housed on-site. The bar menu also will feature signature cocktails such as the Manhattan and classic martini along with variations served with a modern twist. Old Homestead marks the fourth New York landmark restaurant at Caesars Palace including Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, Rao’s Italian restaurant celebrating 115 years in Harlem and Serendipity 3, the popular eatery known for its quality savory dishes and over-the-top desserts.
Tri-State Subway, from page 26 Agents with long-term contracts keep one-third of the 8-percent franchisee royalties in their territory with the rest going to corporate. The average store generates $450,000 in annual sales, so the agent collects about $12,000 per restaurant. DeLuca, worth $1.8 billion according to Forbes, is taking over some markets himself. In other instances, he is offering agents 90/50, five-year contracts, in which the agent’s cut of royalties becomes 90 percent of what it was in the first year and declines to 50 percent over five.
Pastry & Baking Arts Classes Call For Upcoming Class Schedule
888-531-CHEF www.iceculinary.com
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Chefs English And Samuelsson Ride Into New York As Part Of Macy’s Culinary Tour Macy’s has kicked-off “Macy’s Chefs A-Go-Go,” a national food truck tour showcasing Macy’s Culinary Council (MCC).
R
olling into cities nationwide, Macy’s first-ever food truck tour will feature a MCC chef at each stop, including Cat Cora, Todd English and Marcus Samuelsson, cooking his or her favorite summertime recipes and dishing them out free! “We’re thrilled to launch ‘Macy’s Chefs A-Go-Go’ food truck tour,” said Amy Kule, Macy’s group vice president of national events and partnership marketing. “Our renowned team of culinary experts will hit the road from coast-to-coast, meeting fans, making great food and celebrating the return of summer. The MCC chefs are an invaluable resource, and the tour gives them the opportunity to meet with foodies and fans across the country while sharing their expert advice and recipe ideas.” Kicking off last month in Miami at the Biscayne Triangle Truck Round-Up
and continuing through late summer, the Macy’s-branded food truck will visit multiple cities during its nationwide tour including Miami, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Some notable stops include an appearance at Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® festivities in New York City, a visit to Boston’s Prudential Center, an outing to the Portland Saturday Market and a stop at Washington, D.C.’s Eastern Market. With a member of MCC at each stop, many of the Council’s celebrated chefs will take part in the tour, including Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Cat Cora, Tom Douglas, Todd English, Marc
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Forgione, Marcus Samuelsson, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai and Takashi Yagihashi. KitchenAid® will provide appliances to prepare timeless, summerinspired dishes such as hamburgers, a homemade ice cream recipe created by Emeril Lagasse and signature side dishes selected by the guest MCC chef at each stop. If delicious free food and celebrity chefs aren’t enough to get you to “gogo” visit the food truck tour when it rolls into your town, fans that “Like” Macy’s on Facebook or follow Macy’s on Twitter (@macyevents), will receive a special gift at each food truck stop, while supplies last. Fans can also join the chefs on Twitter as they tweet
Macy’s Chefs A-Go-Go Van Logo
Marcus Samuelsson
live from the food truck by using the hashtag #macyschefs. While the chef’s dishes are free, guests can support a good cause by donating to Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. For every $1 donated, Feeding America can help provide seven meals to those in need on behalf of local food banks. Macy’s Culinary Council is a national culinary authority comprising some of the nation’s leading culinary masters, including Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Cat Cora, Tom Douglas, Todd English, Marc Forgione, Emeril Lagasse, Marcus Samuelsson, Tim Scott, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai, Wolfgang Puck and Takashi Yagihashi. Launched in 2003, MCC’s team of distinguished chefs serves to inspire the way Macy’s customers shop, cook and eat at home. The chefs are both ambassadors and instructors, providing expert culinary advice and leading cooking demonstrations at Macy’s stores, with the aim of teaching customers how to cook and shop like a master chef.
SFM, from page 40 quick service meal. He stepped up the company’s research capability with a consumer insights group, and refocused and re-energized the brands’ marketing initiatives, leading to the 2006 launch of Dunkin’ Donuts’ award-winning marketing campaign, “America Runs on Dunkin’.” Most notably, Luther has led the expansion of Dunkin’ Donuts from its core region in the Northeast to key markets across the U.S., and the dramatic growth of both brands’ international business. From 2003 to 2009, system-wide sales increased
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over 66% and total number of stores nearly 44%. Prior to joining Dunkin’ Brands, Luther was president of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises. During his six years with Popeyes, the company’s store count grew 67% to 1,672 units, while average annual unit volume grew to over $1 million, the highest in the chicken QSR category. With Luther at the helm, Popeyes won industry awards for menu strategy, store redesign and customer satisfaction. Prior to Popeyes, Luther was president of CA One Services, a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies,
Inc. He has also held leadership positions in the contract foodservice division of the Marriott Corporation and at ARAMARK in Philadelphia, PA., where he rose from vending sales director to become president of Davre’s, ARAMARK’s luxury restaurant subsidiary. Luther also founded Benchmark Services, Inc., a foodservice management firm specializing in business dining for corporations, growing the business into a strong regional competitor.
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Operator
Architect
Steve Riecks
Peter Biber
Facilities Supervisor
Principal
Rutgers University
The Biber Partnership,
New Brunswick, NJ
AIA, Summit, NJ
Operator
Kitchen Consultant
Charlie Sams,
Ken Iversen
Director of Foodservice
President
Rutgers University
ICG, Inc.
East Brunswick, NJ
Medford, NJ
Steve Riecks’ Approach: Honestly, one of the main things that we’ve been trying to do on the last couple of projects is to take the mystery out of the food preparation. We are coming out of a facility that we’ve used for forty years. It was full of mysteries. Whether it was a 2 sided warmer or something we were cooking behind a door, or what was in a particular pan, this time we wanted every ingredient and prep activity out in the open. From a raw product, to a finished product. The goal was to take the mystery out of the preparation of the food. At the same time, the goal in the new facility was to add a maximum
amount of flexibility with our menus. You need to keep in mind that boredom becomes a big factor because in many cases, students are eating in the same facility every meal and everyday. So the object is to take that very
the excitement of seeing the pizza go into a Wood Stone oven and then right to their table and you’ve recreated the entire dining experience. From an employee standpoint it’s a lot more fun being able to interact
to implement a plan on how we could actually bring a set of equipment in for breakfast and then swap it out for lunch.
“We are coming out of a facility that we’ve used for forty years. It was full of mysteries. Whether it was a 2 sided warmer or something we were cooking behind a door... this time we wanted every ingredient and prep activity out in the open.”
same chicken, fish or burger and create excitement by cooking out in front of them. We are replacing the traditional pre-prep of these items that was done in the back of the house with fresh-station cooking. Then you add
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and be almost in the front of the line if you will, versus being in the back of a kitchen. The new facility is going to elevate the quality of our service. In the last couple of projects we did on campus before Livingston we started
Rotisol Rotisserrie enabled Rutgers to combine its design goals and restaurant fare
Jade’s Island Suite was specified to handle the high volume demands of both the in-servery and takeout menus at Rutgers
For breakfast, we can use the range to do omelets to order. Then we can slide a flat top in there and do Philly Cheesesteak for lunch. At the very same station, we can then put a char broiler for dinner to do steak. It just rolls in and it’s plug and play. We also brought some excitement to our presentation with Char-
lie (Sams) and Ken’s (Iverson) “Wall of Flame” concept. We tried to put a piece in every corner that had some flame in it. On one wall, we have a spectacular Rotisol Rotisserie that throws off beautiful flames. In the other corner is the deli that has the rotating Royal Char Broiler that has a very unique flame-throwing-element feature on it. Our Wood Stone oven is in another corner and you can see the fire in it. In our other corner we have saute stations that also throw off a beautiful flame. The original plan event included gas lamps on the salad bars that would have been very unique. Due to combustive gases and building code, the Fire Marshall asked that we make a modification in the design. We really didn’t have any issues in the construction of the food service operation. There were some soil issues
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that had to do with the foundation of the actual building. We worked closely with the Biber Partnership, who handled the architectural side of the project. Their team included Peter Barber, Lauren Mitchell and Linda Patton who as the interior designer colors a lot of the finishes. The copper on the walls that she selected is magnificent as well as some of the textures she used on the Continental Refrigerators.
Ken Iverson’s Approach: We were brought in by Charlie Sams in 2007 who has been the food service director at Rutgers for a number of years and will be retiring this year. This is our 15th major project at the university and our sixth dining hall project. We did their stadium and their law center, and a whole bunch of stuff. So we’re normally brought in very early
RPI’s cases are an integral part of the servery’s takeout strategy
for conceptual discussions. Our agenda is then to work through the design part and then we were also retained to manage the project from a food service point of view. They’re a self operated shop and are very successful at it. In fact with the dollars that are generated by their meal programs and other cash operations, are reinvested in the facility. So this is actually dining service dollars going into
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dining service buildings. They actually paid for the entire building and all the equipment from food service revenues.
Our goal for the project was to maximize adaptability and flexibility to be built into the facility. So all of the counters have cooking stations.
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There’s an unprecedented 19 hoods in this facility. Most of the stations are modular with very unique customized counters. Each feature a product insert in the counters that enable easy switch-outs of charbroilers, griddles, or a saute range, mandarin wok, and other appliances. We’ve broken new ground by being able to actually write a schedule, for not just a meal or day part but the actual equipment. So a key to this design was the actually creating a parking area for auxiliary appliances. One of things that we wanted was a showpiece that had some eye candy. So there are finishes on certain items, like walk-ins with a special metallic face and the Continental reach-ins that have never been seen before. Many of the hoods are encased with ceramic glass tile. Another major consideration in creating a facility to
serve a diverse student population is its capacity to handle a high volume takeout business. This can run as high as 40 to 50% for any meal. We have even created a separate entrance and kitchen to support the takeout operation. The centerpiece of that operation is the Jade European island suite that enabled us to seamlessly merges
Everpure filtration was specified to support high volume hot and cold beverage needs
“ My management
weave, like a cloth. All of those panels and there’s probably a few hundred of them are removable.
approach is very collaborative. It is important to me that when you walk into the facility that everybody sees a bit of themselves in it.”
both takeout and our in-cafeteria dining. A major goal for us was to create a facility that was very contemporary, without looking, Faddish. We needed a vision for a design that would enable us to upgrade 10 years from now . To accomplish that, all of the counters have decorative granite and resinpaneled facades with LED’s that are built into the counter. All of the 3-form panels feature the look of a leaf or reed built into the resin. They were then impregnated with an overlaid copper
Continental refrigeration has been specified for its flexibility to handle Rutgers multiple cooking stations 63 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Marlo did all the custom fab and they did an extraordinary job of it. The opportunity to use a New Jersey man-
ufacturer to do a project like that was special. Marlo has successfully done other projects for us at both Rutgers’
stadium and dining halls and we’ve been very, very happy with them. Baring Industries did a nice job for us. It was their second project with us after some issues on the first project. This second time, they understood what our expectations of them are as a company. Their project manager, Ed Temmel brought a better skill set than a typical project manager. He knows his trade and plays with others in the
Marlo executed a complex custom fab spec
sandbox. He did a solid job of coordinating the welding, the assembly and the refrigeration work and just did a very good job of managing his team. Over our four years on this project we met a total of 2,000 hours. The approach as a team was to focus each week on a specific area. So one week would just be about pizza. Another week would just be about the servery. My management approach is very collaborative. It is important to me that when you walk into the facility that everybody sees a bit of themselves in it. I need insight into what everybody else is thinking and everybody else on this project has a wealth of experience. Charlie’s (Sams) has been here for 28 years. You know the director of facilities for food service Steve Riecks, has 24 years of dining service operations
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under his belt. This approach enables the university to end up with a one of a kind end product and I don’t particularly like having the whole project riding on my shoulders, A key element to the excitement of the facility is the “Wall of Flame” concept that you can see from any point of entry into the servery. This includes flames coming from every corner of the room. There’s a traditional wok station, with all that flame. Then we have a Rotisol rotisserie with its own wall of flame. We found a special char broiler, that’s four foot in diameter and rotates from Royal in Las Vegas and actually shoots flame up the center, like a torch. RPI, did a beautiful job for us in helping us accomplish the look that we were after in our char broiler area. They were able to combine special
glass with special heights and unique fabrication to create the perfect cases
Royal’s Char Broiler brought both excitement and menu consistency
to walk-in capacity. We have a produce cooler, a meat cooler and a dairy cooler. We have a special cooler to tie into the take out area. The special cooler we have is what we’re calling a cart locker. One of the challenges that we had experienced in the other dining halls is when they end the day. There is hot food coming off the line that needs to go back in the walk ins and that of course impacts the ambiRutgers has built a unique pizza suite with a Wood Stone oven as the focal point
for our spec. As you can well imagine in a university facility sustain ability has become a priority and became a consideration in our design. They have taken this beyond the basics of salad bars that feature Jersey Fresh offerings. Rutgers has tremendously deep relationships with Jersey farmers. The university actually has cooperative programs where they go out and help farmers with proper insecticides and how to grow naturally and recycle. A large part of that program is a focus on assisting the farmers to recycle all their waste. They also developed a facility in Bridgeton, New Jersey that’s an incubator for farmers to create new products. It may be a blueberry farmer developing a new drink or even the production of a new gluten free bread product. The pizza area has a “Rain Forest” feel to it. We’ve put the Wood Stone hearth and a prep table and cutting table with a beautiful stone top behind glass. The next station is a second saute station with a de-emphasis on pasta. We wanted pasta adjacent to pizza just because we felt they kind of went together, although we do all kinds of pasta, not just Italian. So the next station is more, like a traditional fare but with a more contemporary feel. It won’t feel like an entree station, but it will function like one. A facility of this size required a well thought out plan 65 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ent temperature in the box. So, we’ve made a room that can function like a quick chill. When they break down the servery, or if they produce a large volume of soups or stocks or anything they want to chill down, they have a special room designed just for that. It features both a two stage refrigeration system with both maintenance level refrigeration and then when the temperature gets to a certain degree
a huge compressor kicks on and has added load down capability. Our approach to dish washing was to create a suite that combines a pair of Hobart flight machines with a central Bi-Line conveyor tray line. There’s a central drop area for each of the four dining areas. A key to this program is the Somat pulping system. This allow us to take the resulting 15% of non sight waste, and give it to the local farmers.
Peter Biber’s Approach: The original concept was to create a facility that could support the graduate school expansion on the Livingston campus. Students want to feel that they are eating fresh and restaurant quality food. As you walk in the servery is a circle. Our goal was to create pattern of movement that would flow in many directions out of that circle. To create the right feel, we needed to pick a new surface. We found a tile that could bend with the curves. We used the tile to create a different look for the hoods. We used a cross hatch surface called Dimensions with a terrazzo floor. We wanted a facing for the salad bars that could easily be cleaned. We actually built the sample in my garage which we then brought to Rutgers and interchanged with panels, differ-
ent lighting and then a double layer of resin. I can’t say enough about the fantastic job that Marlo did to help us pull it all together. They were close to our office so we were able to continue to fine tune the process. We used Armstrong wood ceilings throughout the facility to create continuity. This enabled us to create a warm feeling. It’s such a concern that the new age look has been used everywhere turns very old very fast. We see a lifespan of 10 years on these projects. Management at Rutgers also had a vision for a secondary faculty dining facility within this birdsong. There’s a spine that flows back to the faculty dining area with a separate entrance. The real question was how to separate this from students so that alcohol could be served. We also built a second full service kitchen with its own dishwasher
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Somat’s pulping system is the center piece of Rutgers sustainability initiative
suite and waitress service. The metal used on the outside of the walk-ins and reach-in boxes was created for both a backdrop and from a practical standpoint to protect against denting that comes from equipment being run into the boxes. As an architect, we need to become more attuned to cooking and prep coming out of the kitchen and into the servery. With that
comes the need from a design standpoint to rethink the types of colors, textures and surfaces that we use in designing. We wanted to work with the colors of the student center. So we moved away from blues in the student center to a palette of more greens. In the pub, we used black, white, grays and fireplaces. Its very different than everything else in the building. You actually dial in your lunch on a touch pad. You are handed a ticket and then served at your table. We also needed Takeout and the pub to be cut off from the rest of the building so that in off hours, there can still be access. The way we designed takeout really makes it efficient. On the east side of the building, we have substantial terrace space with umbrellas that really create a sense of community.
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// REAL ESTATE CORNER
Robert Frischman President JDF Realty, Inc.
METRO NEW YORK REAL ESTATE
over the last few years. The Tribeca facility located at 186 Franklin Street was recently sold to a veteran operator and well financed partner for an as yet to be anounced concept. And, finally, Cafe Pushkin from Moscow is staking its claim in the US by opening a satellite at 41 West 57th Street. All of these deals were successful in overcoming a variety of challenges presented by landlords, the city and state.
JDF Realty has successfully closed a number of recent transactions that reflect the strength of the Manhattan market. Despite a plethora of challenges to successfully building and opening facilities in New York City these days, demand remains strong from well financed operators and celebrity chefs. These clients have multiple motivations to continue to operate in NYC, from diversifying a portfolio, international expansion or expansion of a brand to creative anxiety, career changes or building a dream. At JDF Realty, the leading restuarant and hospitality agency in Manhattan, we have proven successful time again with operators across the spectrum. Recently completed deals include the sale of an existing facilty on the Lower East Side to an investor who will transform the previous operation into a new sushi bar/lounge. A new kosher chic 4,000 square foot restuarant, bar and catering facility is under construction on Lower West Broadway in Soho that will be unique in its operation as a high end, glam gathering spot for the kosher dining set, the first of its kind in the country. The former Counter space at 105 First Avenue was recently sold to a group that is financing a young and rising superstar chef in order to expand his offerings and take advantage of the strong client base that he has attracted 68 • September 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Local community boards hold the cards these days when it comes to SLA approval to serve liquor in an establishment. Boards can attempt to place a variety of limitations on hours of operation, noise levels and outdoor operations. The State Liquor Authority pays close attention to boards recommendations when considering applications for liquor licenses. Landlords have tremendous control of deals. Many
transactions involve the modification of existing lease terms to satify a buyer. A cooperative, motivated landlord can make the process fairly painless, while less sophisticated landlords can make it virtually imposssible to close a deal. For further information on how JDF Realty can assist you with your requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us at 212-216-9777. See our ad on page 87 for more info.
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David Weber, from page 29 with a customer and extremely helpful in having these food trucks get a foothold. The old school mentality of building a restaurant and building a food truck location are still pretty much the same. You need to think about location, location, location. The idea that you can twitter a location and 500 people are going to be out there waiting in line is not exactly the way things work in New York City.
The Gap is opening a food truck that’s going to drive across the country. And Jack in the Box has a food truck. When we opened the Rickshaw Truck, we opened it two years after we opened our brick and mortar restaurant and about a year after that, we got our first
How do food trucks go to market to buy product? This has changed dramatically. Historically food trucks or street food were serving limited menus. So the coffee carts would all buy coffee from the same distributor and the hot dog carts all buy hot dogs and coca cola from the same distributor and the nut carts all buy their nuts from the same guy. All the purchasing was coming through a central commissary. Today, each individual concept has vastly different needs based on their menu. Most operators will find specialty sources for their menus and then support it with Restaurant Depot. Many larger distributors have minimums so you won’t see many Syscos delivering to our member’s trucks but there are many special smaller vendors out there that will cater to this market.
Are food trucks a fad and where will the next generation of food truck operators come from? Food trucks are here to stay. Food trucks are a great way to incubate a business in terms of getting something started, honing the brand, honing the operation, figuring out who your customers are, and then being able to grow into a brick and mortar establishment. But much of the growth is also coming from the reverse where you can take an established restaurant concept and open food trucks to extend the footprint of the brand. I read earlier this week that Applebee’s has opened a food truck in Denver and
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twitter that said, INCORRECTLY that the, the Rickshaw Truck had opened the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar when in fact, the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar had been there for three years. And I can tell you; we are being looked at as an exciting place to be by the ven-
dor community. The amount of interest that we’ve gotten, from restaurant suppliers, insurance companies, point of sales companies, credit card companies who want to be in our space is exploding.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Tri-State School Food Service Professionals Return From National Conference The recent School Nutrition Association’s 2011 Annual National Conference featured healthy trends in school meals; education and networking opportunities for school nutrition professionals.
M
ore than 7,500 gathered in
sessions
wide. These included thousands of
Nashville, Tennessee recent-
guided participants on how to meet
Many
ANC
education
school nutrition professionals partici-
pert Janine Driver. SNA, the School Nutrition Associa-
ly for SNA’s 65th Annual Na-
the anticipated new USDA meal pat-
pating in education sessions on top-
tion, is a national, non-profit profes-
tional Conference (ANC). The annual
terns and encourage students to give
ics including scratch cooking, school
sional organization representing more
confab was marked by more than 95
healthier foods a try. Topics ranged
nutrition standards, Farm to School,
than 53,000 members who provide
accredited education breakout ses-
from taking the HealthierUS School
food allergies, food recall procedures,
high-quality, low-cost meals to stu-
sions, vast networking opportunities
Challenge and implementing First
school food equipment, nutrition ed-
dents across the country. Founded in
and the largest exhibit hall in school
Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!
ucation and managing costs. Among
1946, the Association and its members
nutrition. More than 770 exhibit
campaign in schools to participating
the highlights of the show floow was a
are dedicated to feeding children safe
booths were packed with nutritious
in Coordinated School Health Pro-
wide variety of whole grain products,
and nutritious meals.
foods and beverages, services, equip-
grams. This year for the first time ever,
fruits and vegetables, and low fat dairy
ment and technology.
members of SNA’s Chef’s Table hosted
items .
Thousands of new menu ideas were introduced at the show
three new education sessions to help
General session speakers included
school foodservice operators partner
US Department of Agriculture Deputy
with local chefs to promote healthy
Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, Chef
choices in schools.
and Sustainability Advocate Barton
ANC 2011 provided Tri-State food
Seaver, Olympic Gold Medalist and
service professional an opportunity to
co-chair of the President’s Council on
understand the trends and issues fac-
Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Domi-
ing school nutrition programs nation-
nique Dawes, and body language ex-
Nancy Rice, presenting to Barbara Belmont, who retired after 18 years of service as SNA’s CEO
Frank DiPasquale, SNA’s Chief Executive Officer
Helen Phillips (pink), and Nancy Rice (red)
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Exhibit hall featured a bevy of new healthy concepts
South Jersey Chef, from page 34 complete the training. “We’re not teaching burgers and fries,” observes chef Shawn Harris, one of Moin’s colleagues. The 40-year-old Pennsauken resident is a veteran of the old Sands Casino in Atlantic City, as is Respond pastry chef Kendall Elliott. “We’re teaching them to use fresh ingredients, fresh produce, and make sauces from scratch,” Harris says. “We teach all the great cuisines.” The kitchen is not only a classroom but also a workplace; it produces daily meals for more than 900 Respond day-care clients. The staff includes some graduates of the culinary-arts program.“I’ve worked here about a year. They say I’m good with pastry,” says Robert Anderson, 25, of East Camden. “It gets hot in the kitchen, but it doesn’t get boring,” says Franchesca Vicente, a 22-year-old resident of the city’s Whitman Park neighborhood who is a Local 54 apprentice.
the rights and freedoms of all individuals as the best way to ensure the safety and security of Jews and other minorities around the world. EYE loved the unique and heartfelt thoughts that each of the honorees brought to the dais. After an impassioned intro by his partner Steven Denmark, Marc Borak of Borak Paper became a second time honoree. EYE kudos to Singer’s Fred Singer who had recently finished his firm’s
AJC, from page 6 and Bulls Eye. EYE always enjoys the return of the alums as Mike Nash (Imperial), and Frank Rutonno, (USC) both looked like they haven’t missed a beat. EYE enjoyed the introduction of the award winning John Nackley by his dear friend Marc Fuchs of M. Tucker. Founded in 1906, its mandate has always been to protect
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M. Tucker deal and offered an open forum for the rep community. JC intitiative’s domestically and internationally, to monitor human rights, build human bridges of mutual respect and understanding between religious and ethnic groups, defend religious freedom and church-state separation, safeguard democracy, pluralism and the rule of law, fight anti-Semitism and bigotry, strengthen U.S. and international
support for Israel, and encourage Jewish continuity. EYE also notes that the success of the event each year comes as the result of the hard work on the indefatigable Lenny Myron of the AJC.
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// MEET THE NEWSMAKER
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL WITH FOODSERVICE OPERATORS
Jay Rodriguez Jr. Merritt Canteen, Bridgeport, CT In 2001, Jehu, “Jay” Jr. took over the Merritt Canteen from his father. He is currently in the process of remodeling the kitchen and has added over 25 selections to the menu. The Canteen is busier than ever and this past year celebrated it’s 63 year anniversary. Total Food sat down with Jay to talk about some new exciting changes. Give our readers the background on the Merritt. Well, we’re going to go back to the beginning of time, here, which was 1942. Lorraine Kohn started Merritt Canteen. She hired my father Jehu “Yawho” Rodriguez, Sr. in the mid sixties. He started working for her from the sixties through 1981. She then made an offer to sell it to him. My Dad then ran it until 2001.
What brought you to the industry? From the time I was 12, I would finish school and work here through high school. Once I graduated high school, and I went off on my own, worked in various restaurants. Eventually I became a kitchen manager and then I went to another restaurant in Milford called “The Gathering.” I came in as a manager there and then myself and the general manager made an offer to the owner at the time to buy him out which went through. I ran that restaurant for about 5 years. My father was looking to retire, so I sold my interest in that spot and I took over this one.
How have you been able to convert a neighborhood haunt
into a nationally known hotspot? I attribute it to a lot of different things I did at the other restaurants, and the mistakes that I made, and the mistakes that I’ve seen, more than my success outside of here. I came back after 12 years and I was rather shocked to find that the place had not changed one single bit, not one thing. I don’t even think there were different menu items. I returned with an attitude that although the business continued to grow it hadn’t evolved.
So what steps did you take? It really was more about systems first then menus. Everything was done by memory, so we put in a simple computer system, so that we could be more efficient. So I tried to simplify the operation. We were then able to increase the menu by about 25 items.
Why menu changes, when you had a formula that had been successful for so long? I brought in menu items to entice people from all different backgrounds to come in because we’re in a very unique spot here and there’s very diverse ethnicity. Many of these items
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were homemade items that I learned at the restaurants that I worked at such as homemade soups and a little bit more of a gourmet sandwich. We brought in bison burgers and lamb burgers, which were new to the area. I created our own salads with my own homemade dressings that appealed to so many different people. I also added staples that I felt were missing including, buffalo wings, macaroni and cheese, and cheesecakes. We also increased our seafood menu. I’m convinced that our clam chowder is the best in Connecticut.
Was the goal of the bison burger to create a healthier menu? Actually I brought that in mainly for
What steps did you take to cater to the college community? I started taking the university debit card, which opened the doors to Sacred Heart and Fairfield University. Now students can use their debit cards that they use on campus. At the same time, I was able to decrease my advertising budget aimed at students, because everybody finally knew us on campus.
With a younger clientele, have you used social media to reach them? At age 41, I am hardly computer literate. But I realize the power of Facebook. In fact that’s how we landed on national TV. A college student from
I returned with an attitude that although the business continued to grow, it hadn’t evolved.
myself. At the time I was here 7 days a week and I was eating 3 meals a day here. So I brought it in just for variety and for the health benefits of it. I also added a grilled chicken sandwich as well as turkey and veggie burgers.
Were you trying to cater to the existing customer or to new customers? When we arrived, they were only focusing on the clientele that they had. They weren’t looking at what they didn’t have. So, I extended the hours. It used to be from 8 a.m. until 10 or 11 at night. It was closed when they felt like it. Now I open at 8 a.m. in the morning, and on the weekends, I’m always here till 4 a.m. in the morning. I started accepting credit cards also. Before it was all cash only.
Florida came into eat and then there a was a Facebook page created for us with 2,500 friends which then turned into 10,000 friends a year later. Somebody posted on our Facebook wall that we should be on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives television show on the Food Network and the next thing we knew they called while I was in Las Vegas for my birthday.
So where do you go from here... expansion? I would love to expand but I think the reasons why this place is so special are very difficult to duplicate. I’ve done a lot with the place and have increased the business. I haven’t simplified the operation enough where anyone can run it.
// NEWS
INNOVATIONS
Legendary New Rochelle Eatery Finds Path To Energy Savings With Innovative New Con Edison Green Team Program Guiding the fortunes of a legendary eatery is no simple task. Al Leo of New Rochelle’s Joey’s Deli and Pizzeria, has been empowered to create a vision for the iconic Westchester restaurant.
“M
energy used for lighting, heating, and
restaurant’s more health conscious
of free CFL’s.
cooling, “ noted Con Edison program
customers. Con Edison’s next step at
There is a long list of energy savings
manager Esteban Vasquez. The au-
the Westchester eatery was the instal-
for refrigeration that the Con Edison
dit typically takes 30 to 90 minutes to
lation of energy saving upgrades. The
Green Team program checks during
complete. “Con Edison’s Green Team
upgrades fall into two distinct catego-
the audit. “In many cases, it’s as sim-
is saving me around $225 per month
ries; lighting and heating/refrigera-
ple as installing occupancy sensors so
on my energy costs. And, they made
tion. “With Con Edison paying up to
that the lights in an unoccupied walk-
this really easy for us to understand
70% of the cost on this, we knew that
in box automatically turn off or the in-
and put into action without interrupt-
we would see a return on our invest-
stallation of the proper evaporator fan controls,” Vasquez added. The Green
y goal is to be able
Team constantly being on the look-
to balance our
out for new and innovative solutions.
profits
Most recently that has included the
ever
without deviating
from the commitment we have to servicing our customers the very highest quality food,” Leo explained. So in his search to maximize cost efficiency, Leo turned to Con Edison. With Con Edison’s Green Team Small
“Con Edison’s Green Team is saving me around $225
addition of night case covers for cool-
per month on my energy costs. And, they made this
ers and on grab and go cases. At the
really easy for us to understand and put into action
Boulevard, Joey’s Deli and Pizzeria is
without interrupting our daily business and the great
truly an institution. For Al Leo, adding
service that our customers have come to expect.”
abled the New Rochelle establishment
corner of Main Street and Stephenson
Con Edison to the Joey’s team has en-
Business Energy Efficiency program,
to ensure another 30 successful years
created for businesses with an average
of serving their patrons the highest
peak monthly demandless than 100k,
quality fare.
Joe’s Deli was able to tap into an ex-
ing our daily business and the great
ment in just four months,” added Leo.
Con Edison has an energy efficiency
tensive line-up of easy to implement
service that our customers have come
The lighting upgrades included high-
program available for everyone. To
energy cost savings upgrades.
to expect,” Leo continued.
efficiency lighting, ballasts, and lamps.
find out more, visit www.conedison.
The first step for Joey’s was an on-
Since 1981, the New Rochelle eatery
“We replaced exisiting inefficient fluo-
com/greenteam or call the Green
site energy efficiency survey. “Our
has brought authentic Arthur Avenue
rescent lighting and incandescent
Team today at 1-877-870-6118.
Green Team performs a free energy
taste with great sandwiches, soups,
bulbs and even changed the exit sign
efficiency survey of your business that
and sides. Joey’s fresh turkey sand-
lamps,” Vasquez added. The Con Edi-
can show you how to spend less on the
wiches have become a favorite of the
son program also includes $100 worth
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Hess Business, from page 3 Hess for natural gas,” said NYSRA. Executive Vice President Jaqueline Chin. “We’re confident that Hess will help them save money and build their bottom line with its electricity service, too.” “Now more than ever, restaurant operators and all small-business owners are looking for ways to save money and may not realize they have competitive energy choices,” said John Sutherland, Director of Hess Small Business Services. “We’re very pleased that NYSRA has the confidence to continue to recommend us to its members, who are such an essential part of New York’s business community.” In addition to providing small businesses in New York City with natural gas and electricity, Hess is a natural gas sup-
plier to small business customers in New Jersey. Hess plans to expand its small business energy services in 2011 to offer natural gas in all areas of New Jersey as well as natural gas and electricity in upstate New York. The benefits of the Hess program have flowed into the manufacturing channel of the food service industry. Bronx based Miss Grimble Dessert has built a reputation as a purveyor of tasty baked goods to many of the finest restaurants and hotels in NewYork. “If I don’t provide good service, my customers don’t need me; they’ll go someplace else for their cakes, explained the firm’s president Errol Bier. The same thing is true for my suppliers. I shop for the best price on natural gas, just like I shop for flour, eggs or pecans. But I also need prompt, courteous, knowledgeable service. I get all of that from Hess. Their prices are always competitive,
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they’re here when I need them.” The New York State Restaurant Association, founded in 1935, is the leading business association for the restaurant and hospitality industry in New York State. Comprised of more than 56,000 restaurants, bars and clubs, New York restaurants represent more than 628,000 employees and sales of approximately $27 billion-making them the cornerstone of the state’s economy, career opportunities and community involvement. Along with New York State Restaurant Services and the New York State Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, NYSRA and its chapters work to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing hospitality industry. Hess Corporation, with headquarters in New York, is a leading global independent energy
company engaged in the exploration for and production of crude oil and natural gas, as well as in refining and in marketing refined petroleum products, natural gas and electricity. Hess Energy Marketing is a leading provider of natural gas, fuel oil and electricity to commercial and industrial customers as well as utilities and other wholesale customers. Hess Small Business Services provides cost-effective pricing plans for natural gas and electricity and online tools to help small businesses take control of their energy spend. Eastchester Diner’s Doukas summed up the industry’s excitement over the Hess program: “We’ve been happy staying on the variable rate plan with a solid company like Hess. I wouldn’t hesitate-in a heartbeat-to recommend them to other small businesses.”
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// NEWS
DEALS
New Ownership For IHMRS Show As GLM Set To Be Acquired By Providence Equity Partners George Little Management and Providence Equity Partners announced last month that GLM and affiliates of Providence have signed a definitive merger agreement under which affiliates of Providence will acquire GLM from Daily Mail and General Trust plc for approximately $173 million in cash.
ness-to-retailer space has few rivals in the international tradeshow industry. With the help of Providence and the dedicated GLM team, we will seek to take GLM to the next level while identifying additional opportunities to expand our platform in the dynamic tradeshow space.” Alan E. Steel, President of GLM, commented, “This is a compelling transaction that will allow GLM to ben-
GLM manages the annual International Hotel Motel and Restauraant Show in New York. This year’s event is slated for Sunday, November 13th through Tuesday, November 15th at the Jacob Javits Center. GLM creates face-to-face and online buying, selling and networking platforms for designers, product developers, manufacturers, reps, retailers and operators through tradeshow and event production, online community development and association management. GLM currently produces 15 tradeshows, serving industries as diverse as giftware, home furnishings, social stationery, home textiles, tabletop, gourmet housewares, contemporary furniture, personal care, art & design, antique jewelry, beach, board sports, fashion and hospitality. Annually, these events showcase approximately 11,000 exhibitors in 1.8 million net square feet of exhibit space, and attract approximately 150,000 attendees. Providence will purchase GLM through a new holding company led by Charles G. McCurdy, who most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Canon Communications, a leading
efit from the additional resources and expertise provided by Providence as we seek to further expand our product offerings and accelerate growth. We look forward to working with Charlie and Providence in the future.” The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the end of September 2011. The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. acted as financial advisor to Daily Mail and General Trust plc in connection with the transaction. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel to Providence in connection with the transaction.
producer of trade shows, publications, and digital and data services. In five years under Mr. McCurdy’s management, Canon doubled in size, expanding its trade shows into 10 countries and developing a significant suite of digital and data services. “GLM has a proven track record in exceeding the expectations of exhibi-
Providence Equity Partners is the leading global private equity firm specializing in equity investments in media, communications, information services and education companies around the world. The principals of Providence manage funds with over $23 billion in equity commitments and have invested in more than 100 companies operating in over 20 countries since the firm’s inception in 1989. Offices in New York, London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and New Delhi. Visit www.provequity. com for more information.
tors and attendees with high-quality, customer-focused events,” stated Michael J. Dominguez, a Managing Di-
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“We believe there are significant opportunities to grow GLM’s tradeshow brands in the U.S. and internationally both organically and through acquisition, as well as to develop exciting new digital and data services.” rector at Providence. “We believe there are significant opportunities to grow GLM’s tradeshow brands in the U.S. and internationally both organically and through acquisition, as well as to develop exciting new digital and data services. The company already has a talented senior management team. This will be further strengthened with additional direction from Charlie, who has more than 30 years of experience in managing and investing in niche media, information and education companies.” Mr. McCurdy said, “I’m thrilled to partner with Providence as it acquires this top tier, world-class company. GLM’s presence in the growing busi-
Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220
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